Take time to READ this CHAPTER 9: p142-176

Much of this is taken from the talk by JOHN MARK COMER: Sabbath: Stop, Rest, Delight, & Worship

Explore it more

REFLECT | 'What is going on in our life right now?’

Discuss

• Did you manage to implement the ONE THING you said you were going to do differently this week? Why/Why not? (Not supposed to be condemning, just an acknowledgement)

• How did your Sabbath go this week? What worked? What didn’t? Why/Why not?

ENGAGE | ‘How do we engage with what God is saying to us?

• What was Jesus relationship with the Sabbath?

Read Mark 2: 23 - Mark 3: 6

Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath

Mark 2: 23 

One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain. 24 The Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”

25 He answered, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? 26 In the days of Abiathar the high priest, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions.”

27 Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

(Most 2nd Century Jews needed to hear the second part of the statement, ‘not man for the Sabbath’ because they had it backwards, moving from something lifegiving to a legalistic rule.

• John Mark Comer Comments that most 21st Century people need to hear the first part ‘The Sabbath was made for man’. Do you agree or disagree?

Mark 3:1 

Another time Jesus went into the synagogue, and a man with a shrivelled hand was there. 2 Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath. 3 Jesus said to the man with the shrivelled hand, “Stand up in front of everyone.”

4 Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent.

5 He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. 6 Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus.

• Why did the Pharisees remain silent when Jesus asked them “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?”

• What was their response to Jesus’ short teaching?

• If Issues for Pharisee’s around the Sabbath were around legalism, John Mark challenges us that opposite is true, for the 21st Century person and that being liberalism. Do you agree or disagree?

• Both the Pharisees and ourselves can miss the why behind the Sabbath.

  • What are the 4 why’s behind the Sabbath? (see below)

  • How do you engage in each of these during your Sabbath? Which do you find easier?

• This week we talked about reducing your digital use during your Sabbath

  • How does this link in with the 4 WHY’s? Is it even important?

• How will you find reducing your digital device use on your Sabbath?

Exercise #3: Digital Detox

Overview Digital addiction is real! For many, the idea of turning off all your devices for a full day sounds terrifying. Some people even label it irresponsible or lazy. But there are so many benefits to a weekly digital detox, not the least of which is an increased capacity to encounter God and one another in rest.

• 1. Make a plan.

  • I recommend you turn your devices entirely off for a full day. But you may decide to simply limit your time, or avoid all social media, but still call your mom or FaceTime a friend in another city. If so, I still recommend you put your devices away for the unallotted times.

  • Many people choose to set 2-3 times a day to check their phone in case of emergency. Use wisdom and start where you’re at.

  • Just remember, there is an addiction in most of us to our phones, so we can’t just wing it and hope for the best. And we should expect some “withdrawals” in the first few weeks of detox.

• 2. Make any social plans ahead of time.

  • Include this in your preparation day. Schedule times for coffee, brunch, or your picnic at the park with family or friends, so you can stay offline as much as you want.

• 3. Put your devices away.

  • Whether you completely power off all devices, or just choose to limit your time, either way, put them away—in a box, drawer, or closet. Out of sight, out of mind.

• 4. Spend an entire day in rest and worship.

Note: If you think this is legalistic or far too impractical, I simply encourage you to try it for a few weeks. Ideally, try it for a full month, as it takes a while to get over the dopamine addiction we have to technology. If after a month, you don’t feel a marked increase in love and joy and peace in your emotional health and spiritual life, feel free to try something else.

INSPIRE | - 'How do we inspire change in each other? What are we going to do / change / do differently this week?'

Discuss

• What ONE thing am I going to take the opportunity to do differently this week?

• How can we INSPIRE each other to add a digital detox to our sabbath routine.?

Go Deeper

Jesus seems pro-Torah (God given) but against the Mishna (Man made)

Torah: The Torah is the first part of the Jewish bible. It is the central and most important document of Judaism and has been used by Jews through the ages. Torah refers to the five books of Moses which are known in Hebrew as Chameesha Choomshey Torah

Mishna: Mishna, also spelt Mishnah (Hebrew: “Repeated Study”), plural Mishnayot, the oldest authoritative postbiblical collection and codification of Jewish oral laws, systematically compiled by numerous scholars (called tannaim) over a period of about two centuries. The codification was given final form early in the 3rd century AD by Judah ha-Nasi. The Mishna supplements the written, or scriptural, laws found in the Pentateuch. It presents various interpretations of selective legal traditions that had been preserved orally since at least the time of Ezra (c. 450 BC).

What are the 4 WHY’s of Sabbath (Shabbat)