[0:00] It's great to be with you this morning. I am planting a church in Buena Vista.
[0:13] If you know Spanish, your ears are ringing. They say it wrong. Like a lot of things they say wrong here in Colorado. So we meet at a, right now we meet at a Baptist church in the evening.
[0:27] We just started to meet there a couple months ago. We moved around community center, event center, backyard. But the first time we met at this church, I had two of my kids who are 14 and 12.
[0:41] And their only memory of church is being in a church plant. And so they walk in and they go, what is this place? They walk into a sanctuary like this.
[0:52] And they wander all around like this is so odd. Because they're used to setting chairs up, meeting in a gym. Just in some interesting places. But it's great to be with you.
[1:05] I'm glad Matthew's on vacation. I think being a guest preacher, I want to make you appreciate Matthew more. We're going to look at the fourth commandment, which is keep the Sabbath day holy.
[1:23] Let me read this scripture from the book of Exodus. Remember the Sabbath day. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.
[1:35] Six days you shall labor and do all your work. But the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work.
[1:46] You or your son or your daughter or your male servant or your female servant or your livestock or the sojourner who is within your gates.
[1:56] For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore, the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
[2:13] Have you ever thought about how vulnerable we are as human beings within a 24-hour period of our day? And it's called sleep.
[2:26] We are the most vulnerable. And you might be able to stay up for maybe two days, maybe three days, and then your body has to shut down.
[2:38] And your body has to recalibrate. And in one way, that's a picture of the Sabbath. It is needed for our humanity, our brains, and our bodies to function properly.
[2:56] We have to have that time. But what keeps you from rest? Netflix, probably.
[3:07] You want to stay up and binge watch things? But what keeps you from deep rest? This commandment is the most visible, the one that is most visibly rejected by not only society, but also you and me.
[3:33] This is the one that we think, we really don't need that. We just need to be more productive, more efficient. We need to work harder.
[3:46] And what happens is, we become exhausted. Our country is one of the most overworked countries.
[3:57] Because we don't think we need rest. Because we have this idol as Americans that we need to be productive, we need to get stuff done. An article in Forbes magazine in 2018 states that the U.S. is the most overworked country in the developing world.
[4:17] We have more stress illness and work longer hours than our European and Japanese counterparts. But breaking this commandment might mean that you get a promotion.
[4:32] I don't think I really need to explain our need for rest really thoroughly.
[4:45] I think we all feel it. And we're tired. And one of the things that causes us to reject this commandment of taking a Sabbath day is that we don't believe God is right.
[5:07] And when we work harder, what we're saying is, we really don't need God. We really don't need a day to remember that he is sovereign over everything.
[5:19] If you've been to BV, we're two hours west of here. It's a beautiful little town in the mountains. And one thing I enjoy about the area, which you probably enjoy this about Colorado because you live here, is nature.
[5:39] The beauty of the mountains, the trees, rivers. One thing I like about nature is it doesn't need me. It's not relying on me for something.
[5:56] And to me, that's a picture of the Sabbath day. It reminds me that I am not as valuable as I think I am. Remember the Sabbath day.
[6:14] It's interesting. In this commandment, God could have said, take a Sabbath day and rest.
[6:25] But he modeled it. It's not as if we only do things when we see God model something. In Scripture, when God says, do this, don't do this, that's enough for us to remember that.
[6:42] But he models taking a Sabbath day. Not that he was tired. And here in the beginning of this commandment, we think back to the Genesis account where God gave humanity not only life, God gave humanity the blessing of work, God gave humanity marriage, and God gave humanity Sabbath rest.
[7:20] But I think this is what happens when we think about the Sabbath. We want a list of things we should not do. And that's what we want. We want to say, okay, I'll take this day, and let me just stay away from things, and then I'm resting on the Sabbath.
[7:41] But this day is for something. It is something positive. Not just to stay away from negative things.
[7:52] And work marriage Sabbath rest, these are for all of creation. These are not just for the church, the people of God. This is for all of creation.
[8:08] About a year ago, I was talking to a friend who has a brain tumor, and she was told that she would not see her daughter graduate from high school, which is a couple years out.
[8:21] And I was talking to her about, like, what does she enjoy, and what does she like to do, and invest time in, and she can't really sit still. And I said, why don't you go and work in your garden?
[8:35] And as you work in your garden, remember, this is a small picture of the new heavens and the new earth. A great time of rejoicing and resting because of what Jesus has done.
[8:55] Six days you shall labor and do all your work. It is interesting that we don't have one of the commandments that says, you better work really hard.
[9:05] Even in this, it's implied that we work because that was pre-fall. But there's no commandment that says, you humans, you better get stuff done.
[9:21] But what do we tell ourselves? You human, you better get something done. You better show your value. What happened on the first day of humanity?
[9:39] First day of humanity, okay? Creation, story, humans were created. Sixth day, seventh day, Sabbath.
[9:53] That was the first day of humanity, which is really fascinating. Again, God did not say, all right, first day of humanity, I want to see you guys get something done. He says, no, first day of humanity, I want you to rest.
[10:07] And I want you to remember that God is sovereign. And you are made, there's a part of you that is made that demands rest.
[10:23] But what keeps you from that? how is your value so tied up in what you do that you think you cannot take a day and rest?
[10:44] We need rest. And this is not a day where we should say, you know what, I'm just going to binge watch my Netflix. It's a day that I'm going to start thinking about Monday.
[10:56] This is a day that you can sit outside, drink some tea, feel the wind blow, watch the grass and the trees, and remember that Christ has set you free.
[11:15] Because at the core of the Sabbath is a reminder is a reminder that you are set free in Christ. That your salvation is not based on what you do.
[11:33] It is for freedom that Christ has set you free. Do not submit again to the yoke of slavery.
[11:43] It is for freedom. Galatians 5. So how can you enjoy being a flourishing human being by taking time and not be productive?
[12:03] And we're so fed by our culture there's something in our head that would say, well, no, maybe like 10 minutes I won't be productive. Maybe an hour, but a whole entire day?
[12:19] And that's what you and I are called to. What is the Sabbath? The Old Testament, the Sabbath was a celebration of creation.
[12:33] It was the sixth day. God rested after creation and that's what they would celebrate in the Old Testament. What many call the Sabbath now in the New Testament, they call it the eighth day because it is something new.
[12:54] It is redemption. It is freedom. And that's what we celebrate. No, we don't have eight days in the week anymore or never did, but it's a celebration of the first day of the week, a day of worship and mercy and a day that we're looking to our salvation coming to a full reality when we rest in Christ for eternity.
[13:24] That was worth celebrating. Think of Sabbath as a day where the broken are restored. the chained are set free.
[13:41] The sinful are forgiven and all is made new. Doesn't that sound beautiful? Doesn't it sound wonderful where we could free our mind enough for one day a week and enjoy that there is new life coming and we can remember that.
[14:11] Salvation is by rest. It's not by works. Well, in one way it is by works because who worked for your salvation?
[14:26] Christ did and he did it perfectly. what would you do if this was a reality in your life?
[14:38] That you had a day that you could enjoy the goodness of what it means to be a human being? What would it look like?
[14:52] Maybe time with friends, family, laughter, good food, wine, a nap, a walk, holding your kid's hand?
[15:10] It sounds like a good day. But again, what keeps you from doing that? What does this commandment tell us about God?
[15:27] I had a, well, he's passed away now. He's a Presbyterian minister. And him and his wife would, on Sunday, they wanted to make the day really special.
[15:41] And so they had like a box of special toys they'd bring out for their kids. And then for breakfast, they got chocolate milk, sugar cereal, like just junk, okay?
[15:53] Ding dongs, whatever. And then what happened is they'd go to church and their kids were bouncing off the walls. And they did it for like six weeks and they're like, I don't know what's wrong with our kids.
[16:04] And they realized, oh, they just weren't being wise about what they did on that day, at that moment early. What does this commandment tell us about God?
[16:18] This commandment tells us that God is not asking you to exhaust yourself. He is not calling you to a life of hyper performance, anxiety, and stress.
[16:39] He wants you to flourish as a human being. And the only way we flourish is if we know redemption in Christ. rest. That's the key to our flourishing.
[16:54] That you can know in your sin, God moves toward you and he embraces you. And he holds you tighter and stronger than you could ever hold him.
[17:14] And I think that's another picture of rest. rest. And God works as you rest. He works.
[17:28] To reject this commandment is to reject the rhythm of the week that God has created for you to flourish. So how does this commandment call us to live?
[17:43] Calls us to six days you shall labor. And on the Sabbath day you shall rest. It's to honor the weekly rhythm of six days and one day of rest.
[17:59] So what does this look like? So maybe on Thursday you begin to think about resting on the Sabbath and enjoying the goodness that God has provided.
[18:14] it. Because I guarantee if you're anything like me, if you start thinking about Sunday morning, your to-do list is already going and you're not going to be able to shut that off. And what would it look like for you as a church to enjoy fellowship and community in a deeper way when you gather for worship?
[18:45] God has instituted a weekly structure to help guide the health of humanity. Sabbath is the opposite of every other day.
[18:58] It's opposite day. day. When you were a kid, my kids used to play opposite day. They'd ask a question like, is that if my kids want to go to the park?
[19:10] I'd say no because I'm not a good dad. Just go watch TV. And they'd say no, it's opposite day, so that means yes. So on the Sabbath day, it's opposite day. What's valued is you sitting.
[19:27] What's valued is how good was your nap? What's valued is were you able to extend mercy?
[19:39] Were you able to worship God, your creator and redeemer in a way that you not only grew intellectually, but your affections for him grew.
[19:56] And your longing to be with him in the new heavens and the new earth grew. That's what this day is called to be.
[20:09] Unplugged from electronics maybe? Play a board game? Do something that gives you fulfillment? the Lord's day is a day of rest to remind yourselves that God is in control.
[20:32] Eat good food, drink what's refreshing, read a good book, build deep relationships.
[20:44] The Puritans called this the Lord's day, the market day of the soul. it is a feast for your soul.
[21:00] So then what would that look like for your soul to really flourish and feast? Because the rest of the week we are told if we're not productive, if we're not doing something, if we're not growing, if we're not showing our value, especially at work and even in relationships that were really not that important.
[21:28] But the market day of the soul is a reminder that you serve a God who moves toward you and he embraces you and he has sealed you into his family, that you are adopted and you will never, ever, ever, ever be alone.
[21:50] That's something to celebrate. Really, this is the Christian's weekly 4th of July that we celebrate.
[22:02] We're set free. So I encourage you to be aware of what keeps you from a day of rest. rest.
[22:14] And how is that sin? Because God is really clear here. This is a day that our soul and our mind need rest, to be reminded of a day to set time aside to worship God and extend mercy and enjoy the good things.
[22:35] peace. So how does Jesus fulfill this commandment? He is our ultimate rest.
[22:52] He is our ultimate rest. Nothing will fully satisfy you here on this earth. You being a workaholic, will not satisfy you.
[23:08] You immersing yourself in entertainment, you never having time to turn your brain off or at least down. So what does it look like for you to take time to rest?
[23:29] But the other thing we need to remember is a day of rest will not fully satisfy you. rest. Because you are made for a greater rest.
[23:40] And that's in Jesus. So if you see this, and many of us, even as we listen to sermons, we get really distracted and we begin to think, okay, what's my action step in here?
[23:56] What do I do? do? And maybe you've even made a little list of things to do instead of remembering that you having a day of rest will not ultimately fulfill you because your ultimate rest is in Jesus.
[24:17] And what does that look like for you to honor this commandment and take time to rest and remember you are redeemed and you are set free.
[24:31] And maybe you're here this morning and you are sort of confused and you don't really know who this Jesus is that we've sung about and read confessions about and seen here in this scripture and you're really not sure where you are.
[24:50] I would encourage you to take time to build some relationships here and to ask some good questions so you can understand that this sermon is not about you need to take time to rest.
[25:09] What I want to communicate is you and I really need Jesus. and maybe that's where you are. And that's okay because I guarantee everyone in this room has been in the same place as you are.
[25:28] The God of the Bible is a good and gracious God and he wants you to rest in him alone. Not in you being productive, not in you learning something, doing amazing things.
[25:42] He wants you to rest in him. Let me pray. Most gracious God, we are thankful that you know our weakness, you know our propensity to put ourself in the place of you and to make our own rules and to find our significance in things that are not ultimate.
[26:12] and we ask that your spirit would work within us, that we would know what it means to rest in the goodness of Jesus.
[26:28] In his name we pray. Amen. Amen. Amen.