We conclude our three-week worship series this week on Summer Sabbath. We hope this worship series will help us to reclaim the significance of Sabbath. Our worship series is based on a book called Sabbath as Resistance: Saying NO to the CULTURE OF NOW by Walter Brueggemann who is a professor emeritus of Old Testament at Columbia Theological Seminary.
Outline of Sabbath as Resistance
August 17 Genesis 2.1-3
August 24 Exodus 20.1-8
August 31 Matthew 11.28-30
Take time to reflect upon what makes you weary. What heavy burdens are you carrying?
Read Matthew 11.28-30.
Pastor Edward F. Markquart writes, The word, “yoke,” symbolizes religion. The religion of the Pharisees was a thousand rules and regulations which essentially said, “No, no, no, no, no” to everything. Negative, negative, negative, negative, negative. Whereas the religion of Jesus was simple and positive. To love God and love neighbor. To love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind and soul and your neighbor as yourself…This religion, Jesus’ yoke, is easy compared to the Pharisees with all their harsh, negative rules.
Jesus says, 29Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’
When have you found rest for your soul by practicing the Christian disciplines of public worship, personal or family prayer, communion, abstinence, searching scripture, witnessing?