Sabbath | Rest
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Romans 12:1-2
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Psalm 23
1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.
Romans 12:1-2 (NIV + J.B. Phillips) - Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, with eyes wide open to the mercies of God, as an act of intelligent worship, offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove in practice that the plan of God for you is good, acceptable, and moves toward the goal of true maturity.
Open to God’s mercy,
Partner with him in worship,
with your body (so that)
Transforming renewal can flood your life.
Rest is where our striving ceases so God’s loving action can begin.
“How will I actually rest?”
Psalm 23
He makes me lie down in green pastures…
יַרְבִּיצֵנִי (yar-bits-eni) - permit and/or allow to lay down.
he leads me beside quiet waters…
He leads me to water of the resting places.
מְנֻחוֹת (men-u-khot) - still, quiet, restful
Genesis 2:2 - By the seventh day God had finished the work He had been doing; so on the seventh day He rested (menuha) from all His work.
Menuha isn’t the absence of work, meaning things to avoid, but it was created as a time or place of rest and fulfillment.
3 He refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
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Each Sunday we come together we offer an open invitation into the way of Jesus. An invitation to enter into sacred rhythms - to draw near to God through singing, giving, learning, and praying.
As a community that desires renewal in Des Moines as it is in Heaven, we recognize that we cannot offer what we ourselves do not have. We cannot lead where we ourselves have not been led; in turn, these questions aim at reflection. Reflecting on God’s word and making space for his leadership.
After watching or listening consider the following discussion questions as a large group or in groups of three to four:
What stood out from the teaching?