Recap time: God is a Giver and He wants to give us the gift of rest. The whole story of the Bible is from Rest in the Garden of Eden to a return to Rest in the new Garden described in Revelation. Sabbath is not just for us - it was intended for animals, the poor, the immigrant, even the land itself. God created a three-fold Sabbath: one day out of seven when we would rest; one year every seven in which the land would remain fallow and not be planted so that it could restore its nutrients and the Year of Jubilee, in which Israelites would be forgiven of their debts and allowed to return to their ancestral lands. This would reset the economy once per generation and end both generational wealth and generational poverty. God cares about fairness and about how we treat each other. He shows us that people are more valuable than "stuff." Sabbath is for everyone and everything because we all need deep rest. God wants us to enjoy the life He has given us. All the earth and everything in it belongs to Him; we are stewards not owners. Ultimately, Sabbath points to Jesus, who promises to give us rest. Are we rested? Are we joyful and generous? If the answer is no, then we need to spend more time at rest with the One Who loves us and anticipates our every need. You can find the message here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sc8YtbGm-YA #livinghopechurch #hopeliveshere #sermonrecap #Sabbath #threefold (fb)

Recap time: Is the obstacle to satisfaction the (to-do) List or something else? We are never satisfied or content, no matter how much we accomplish or accumulate, because we are designed to be at rest only in community with our Creator. Our labor is not to self-satisfy; it is to make us yearn for God's rest. In Matthew 11:28, Jesus tells us to come to Him and "I will give you rest." Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath and He invites us to rest in His Presence. Where do we find Him? He is everywhere! God is a relational Being and Sabbath is time spent with Him. Do we hurt the heart of God when we do not seek Him? So how do we do Sabbath? It is the time where God is King. It is not an event; it exists all the time; we just need to enter into it. Sabbath is the Age of God, where He is King, and it overlaps with the present evil age of man. We get to show the world what the Age of God looks like! We are the created allegory that points to the greater, deeper truth of God. Sabbath is worship and rest. There is no one formula - Sabbath looks different for each of us. It is a free gift; it is not meant to be a burden or "one more thing to do." We are meant to enjoy God. The Hebrew word "Shabbat," from which Sabbath is derived, means "to stop or cease," but it can also mean "to delight." Sabbath is a holy time to enjoy life and give gratitude to God for the renewing of our spirits. The Gospel of Jesus, the Good News, means we are saved by grace for restoration to God. Salvation is the starting point in our Christian life. The Gospel is the communal restoration of all things to Jesus. We are called to offer this rest to the world. Sabbath is testimony; it is witness. It is resistance to this evil age. Sabbath renews our big-picture viewpoint and allows deep thought and cultural advancement. We dwell with God in space and time. Our practice of Sabbath shows the world what God's Kingdom looks like. Sabbath is no less then the invasion of Heaven on earth. You can find the message here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8W44k6OQt8 #livinghopechurch #hopeliveshere #sermonrecap #Sabbath #Renewedintime (fb)