10 June 2007

Rest-in-peace

Exodus 23:10-12

[Movie shown before start of sermon]

How life used to be versus how life is now.  You know, when I think of my High School years, I have to say my life was very busy. I played sports, baseball and football. But, I also played the trombone and was part of the marching band.  I was an art student that was good enough to take one college course my senior year at the Art Institute of Chicago.  Also, my senior year when I was not playing a sport, I was working in a factory for a few hours a day. I was doing all of these things on top of taking pre-college courses. 

So, I can relate well to the movie you have seen with one major difference. My parents were not driving me to all my activities. Either I was taking the bus or driving my own car which I paid for it my self.  My parents were working long hours, working in factories, just to pay all the bills. 

I do not know if life in the past was better than what life is now. I know that I had a lot of fun in High School. I know that I had great opportunities and great experiences because of the activities I was involved in.  My life was full of energy and excitement.  It was also dangerous. Looking back at those years Iím not sure if I would allow Danny to walk the streets of Chicago late in the evenings to take public transportation.  Iím not sure if I would allow him to work in a factory so young. Nonetheless, that was my life and I think it was good. I would like to think that all the activities I was involved in made me a better person and also keep me out of trouble. 

Yet, everything changes with time.  As you get older your body becomes slower and gets tired a lot quickly.  Once the children come, you become aware of your limitations and the need (the great need) to rest and recuperate from the business of life.  You simply can not do the things you used to do when you were young and in High School. 

Today we are looking at the Sabbath; the God given opportunity to rest and to once again put our lives in perspective.  Let me say that we are looking at Exodus 23:10-12 which is a passage that further describes the Sabbath.  I am not focusing on Godís commandment to take the Sabbath found in the Ten Commandments.  We all know that the commandment to take the Sabbath is found in the list of commands God gave to Moses after the Hebrews left Egypt.  We should know by now that taking the Sabbath is as important as not killing, not stealing, not making for our selves idols.

With this in mind, let me give you five truths about the Sabbath as it has been revealed to us through the Hebrew word  'Shabbat'.

1. Shabbat reveals Godís love and care for his people.  The Sabbath commandment comes from the very heart of God.  It reveals a loving God that cares for all of creation and for you and me. This is what we should see when we read verses 10 and 11 of chapter 23.  For six years you shall sow your land and gather in its yield; but the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, so that the poor of your people may eat; and what they leave the wild animals may eat. You shall do the same with your vineyard, and with your olive orchard" (vv 10, 11). Do you hear the compassion of God in these verses? Through the Sabbath the poor among us will eat. Through the Sabbath, even the wild animals are able to eat.  There is a level of compassion and love in the Sabbath.  

2. Shabbat reveals Godís design in creation. The Sabbath gives us some insight into how we were made. We were made in such a way that rest is a vital component to our survival and continuing productivity. Just like a car engine was created in such a way that changing its oil every 3,000 miles becomes vital to its survival and continued productivity, the Sabbath is vital for our survival and productivity. Our need to rest was part of Godís design when He created us.  This is why it is important that the land rest, that our workers rest, that our working animals rest and that we rest.  Six days you shall do your work, but on the seventh day you shall rest, so that your ox and your donkey may have relief, and your home-born slave and the resident alien may be refreshed" (v. 12). 

3. Shabbat reveals that humans are made in the image of God.  God worked for six days and on the seventh day He rested.  We were created to rest on the seventh day as well. It was part of Godís design.  And, one major reason we were created to rest on the seventh day is because we were created in the image and likeness of God. We resemble our maker.  Our Maker made us like him and like him we function. To deny the Sabbath, to ignore it, to take it lightly, is to minimize, to not take seriously the fact that we were created in the image and likeness of the Almighty God.  This is why we should see the Sabbath also as a reminder that God created us in his image and likeness. It should make us feel connected to our Maker. 

4. Shabbat reveals the human need for self-discipline and structure.  St. Paul wrote in his letter to the Christians at Rome that the Law exposes sin. For example, we might not know we should not make for ourselves idols, but if we read Godís commandment  You shall not make for yourself an idol," then we would know what we are doing wrong. The Law, the descriptive command of what we should or should not do, gives clarity to our freedoms.  The Sabbath reveals to us the need to have self-discipline and structure.  God is not going to make us take a rest. Force us to stop working, stop running, and stop participating in our over-worked, stressful society.  Just like in the first movie we watched at the beginning of the service; God wants us to slow down, notice the beauty around us and talk to him, but He will not force us.  It is up to us to obey God, to take a rest (the Sabbath), and be able to say  Enough." Enough running around, today I will listen to my God and rest.  

5. Shabbat reveals the human tendency to marginalize God.  It is one thing to say,  I did not know God commanded me to rest," and another to not rest even though we know very well the will of God.  When we do not follow Godís wise, loving and caring command to rest, we are saying to God  I know better than you do." Or saying,  I know what you want from me, but I am not willing to follow you." In any case, we marginalize God from our lives. We push Him away from our daily activities.  We minimize, do not take seriously, His will for our lives.  We do not allow Him to affect what we say and what we do. 

Mennonite Mutual Aid gives us three helpful advices to respond to the Sabbath- helpful applications to the sermon.  

On the Sabbath:

1. Slow down: Stop the things of earth for just one day. Choose to not work or allow your employees not to work, for one day a week.  Allow your self and your family to find relief from the business of life and be refreshed.  Change the oil of your engine.  It will help your longevity and productivity. On the Sabbath slow down, stop working. 

2. Calm down: Leave your worries and concerns at Godís throne.  Much of our business of life is connected to our struggle to pay for our bills and to obtain even more material things.  Lack of money, not having enough money, is one of the major concerns of our society. A lot of our lack of money is do to our poor choices and our desire to have more than what we can afford.  So we work more. God is saying calm down, trust in Him. Put your worries and your concerns at Godís throne. Allow God to take the stress of life from you and allow God to help you with your decisions. On the Sabbath, as you rest from work, come to God and place what worries you, what concerns you, at His feet. 

3. Bow Down: Worship the Creator- the Creator of  rest. On the Sabbath, take time to talk to God, to let Him know you are here.  Acknowledge His presence around you. Let Him know you are listening; you are interested in having a conversation with Him.  Worship your God. 

You know, God created the Sabbath for you and me. He created the Sabbath for us, for our own good, because He loves us.  He made us in such a way that we need to rest. And, our need to rest testifies to the fact that we were created in His image and likeness, because He too rested.  Through the Sabbath, we also have a great opportunity to show God our love, our respect and our willingness to follow His will. Through the Sabbath we have a great opportunity to do something great for our families and ourselves, as well as a great opportunity to listen and talk with our Maker. 

Today, may we have the courage to listen. 

May we have the courage to obey. 

May we have the courage to witness. 

May we have the courage to take the Sabbath.  

Amen.