WEBVTT

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 Good morning, everyone. We did indeed have a great basketball game yesterday. It's our EFCC denomination Church League, the Chinese Church League.

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! But of course, we being an international congregation, it's amazing what bringing a few tall white guys does. I'm still awaiting a complaint at some point. We had a few tall white guys that got all the rebounds and that was it.

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 So it was a good fun. It's a miracle that I'm standing today. As we were worshipping, I was reminded of the song, What Was I Made For? by the contemporary theologian Billie Eilish.

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 And isn't that just the heart's cry of the generation or of every generation? What was I made for? And as we were saying it, we were made for his glory and my good.

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 It reminded me of actually the conversation I had with Jay this morning. What's the Westminster Catechism? What's the chief end of man? It's to glorify God and to what? Enjoy him forever.

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 That's what we were made for, Billy. That's what we were made for, Tony. And so how better to find out what we were made for than to go all the way back to the beginning?

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 And so last week, Gabriel took us through the book of Genesis. He introduced it and it was exciting. Of course, Gabe always preaches excited.

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 Every time you talk about the Bible, that's what gets him excited. He was talking about what it means for us as we read the creation account.

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 And he talked a little bit about just this idea of work, you know, and it ended on this place where God was the first creator.

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 And what did he do? He took something that was formless and void and then he filled it and created something that was beautiful.

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 He created something out of nothing. And then he gives us a cultural mandate and he says, hey, you go and do the same.

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 You also in your work. And I've talked a lot about this before, that your work is your worship.

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 The words really, really mean the same thing. And I was so inspired by one friend that I had lunch with recently who said, oh, I go to work because that's where I worship.

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 I thought that isn't that just so cool that that's what you think your work is.

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 How many of us feel the same about that? But that is exactly what we do.

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 We are supposed to imitate our creator, take these raw elements and rearrange them so that there is order and there is beauty for purpose to point people to the glory of God.

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 So if you're in education, you are taking the raw elements of knowledge and you are rearranging them in a way that helps people understand, helps people learn things.

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 If you're an artist like Mo over here, you're taking the raw elements of paint and you're arranging them in a way that's beautiful.

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 If you're a doctor like Kalo, you're taking just the raw elements of human biology and you're rearranging them to help life kind of continue to grow and flourish in a healthy kind of way.

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 If you're in law like Queenie, you're taking the raw elements of what it means to be human and you're rearranging them.

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 You're putting laws in place so that humans can flourish.

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 If you're in finance, I don't know how you're helping the world.

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 Sorry, Weber.

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 If you're in finance and real estate, you are taking something and you are growing it for your own good.

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 But you're investing, you're creating something.

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 And so we're created by the creator to do these things.

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 And isn't that exciting?

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 As a Hong Konger, I'm like, yes, let's go.

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 As a type A, I'm Hong Konger, let's go.

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 What do I need to do?

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 God, how do I serve you?

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 How do I worship you?

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 How do I love you?

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 I just want to do something for you.

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 Please help me do something.

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 And so when you look at the Genesis account, you're like, wow, that's so cool.

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 Day six, let us create man in our image.

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 Let them have this cultural mandate to be fruitful and to multiply and to have dominion, to point people to God.

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 Isn't that beautiful?

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 Let's go.

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 Is that the climax of the Genesis account?

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 And the answer is no.

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 That is not the climax of the Genesis account.

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 What comes, how this account finishes, is the second bit.

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 And it's actually the first few verses of Genesis chapter two that I'm going to actually have.

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 But Caleb, can you come up here and show off your new haircut and read us the word of God?

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 Whole end day.

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 Really nice haircut.

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 When are you going to get it finished?

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 You going to go get it finished?

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 We're just about to read the word of God.

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 Let's keep it holy.

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 Can I invite us to stand for the word of the Lord?

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 From one to three.

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 Today's passage is from Genesis chapter two, verse one to three.

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 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished and all the host of them.

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 And on the seventh day, God finished his work that he had done.

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 And he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done.

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 So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy because on it,

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 God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.

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 This is the word of the Lord.

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 Praise be to God.

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 Thank you, Caleb.

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 Please take a seat.

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 Just in case you're worried that Caleb can't take it.

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 He's a teacher at a school called CAIS.

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 He's very, very comfortable and very gifted at public speaking.

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 I actually dragged him over to the Chinese side one time impromptu.

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 He said, hey, can you give a Thanksgiving sharing?

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 And he came out and he went onto the stage in the main hall.

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 And he said, I'm going to completely butcher this.

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 But he's like, hi, everyone.

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 I'm anxious, but you can call me Caleb.

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 I was like, bro, this guy.

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 So anyway, all that to say, he can take it.

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 And I do love him.

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 I roast those whom I love.

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 So it's not the climax.

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 The cultural mandate, making man, was not the end.

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 It was the second part.

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 It was this part.

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 There was one more day, guys.

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 Day seven.

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 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished and all the hosts of them.

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 And on the seventh day, God finished his work and that he had done and that he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done.

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 So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy because on it, God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.

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 How's it going?

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 Hey, Gabs, how's it going?

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 How's it?

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 How you been?

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 What's life been like?

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 Good, good, good.

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 Oh, yes.

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 Cool.

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 It's cool.

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 Been busy.

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 Been busy.

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 How you doing, Anson?

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 How's your studies going?

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 How's your prep going?

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 Oh, good, good, good.

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 Been busy.

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 Been busy.

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 Luana, how's life?

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 How's married life?

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 Good, good.

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 It's been good.

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 It's been busy.

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 Isn't that just the default answer that we give to everyone when we are asked, how are we doing?

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 Good, good.

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 How are you doing, Angel?

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 What's life been like?

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 Busy.

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 And it really has been.

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 Even when we're not busy, we feel as though we have to say that we've been busy.

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 And so today I'm going to preach and we're going to stop here because I was going to go into the rest of chapter two.

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 And I was so deeply convicted by those first three verses because I was like, oh, we are the worst at this.

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 Today, brace yourselves.

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 We're going to talk about the Sabbath.

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 We're going to talk about what it means to actually rest because this is so countercultural to us.

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 It is so foreign to us because we are always, always thinking about what it means to produce more, to be productive, to be consumers.

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 And never do we really truly stop and go, oh, what is this all about?

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 What am I made for?

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 What is God calling me to right here?

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 Did it occur to you that so many of the problems that we have going on in life are because we have a refusal to sit still?

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 It wasn't me that just said that.

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 The philosopher Pascal said a few hundred years ago, a few hundred years ago in France.

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 And if you've been to France, they're pretty laid back already.

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 He says, I'm paraphrasing, he says, all of humanity's problems come from man's inability to sit alone in a room.

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 Just dwell on that for a second.

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 All of humanity's problems come from man's inability to sit alone in a room, to quieten down, to stop.

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 I remember a few years ago, we went to watch the film Oppenheimer.

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 And of course, it's just going from bad to worse.

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 Things are just happening and it's just getting from bad to worse.

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 And all I could think about when I was watching that movie was if someone would just stop and not react out of fear.

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 If someone would just stop and take account of what they're going through and acknowledging their own feelings and anxieties and just stop and go, why am I responding in this way?

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 Maybe the atomic bomb won't be great.

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 I don't know.

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 But you get my point.

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 We all need to stop and actually think.

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 Ruth Haley Barton writes a lot about this.

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 And she said this, Sabbath is the one spiritual discipline that most directly addresses our drivenness and our desire to be in control of our lives and our worlds.

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 The Sabbath is an alternative to the endless cycle of more and more.

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 Quick check here.

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 Put your hand up if you feel as though you have been honoring the Sabbath well in this recent part of your life.

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 Hands up.

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 Good.

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 Excellent.

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 Hands going up all over the place.

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 All four or five of us.

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 Man, it is the hardest one.

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 Right?

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 And yet it is a command.

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 Just before do not murder, it says remember the Sabbath.

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 And yet we struggle with this so, so much.

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 It actually, the Sabbath is the only way to keep work from becoming our identity.

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 It's the only way that we can stop and say, I am not just a lawyer.

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 I am not just a teacher.

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 I am not just a banker.

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 I am not just a doctor.

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 I am more than what I do.

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 And how do you remind yourself of that?

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 It is the Sabbath.

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 And it's tucked away in there.

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 And yet we ignore it completely.

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 Forget the Sabbath.

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 I think there are those of us here who don't even sleep enough.

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 That podcast that you talked about a few weeks ago, I watched that.

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 And then he did another one where he was talking to this university professor from Berkeley about sleep.

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 And the guy was saying, basically, you must sleep between seven to nine hours.

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 It is a non-negotiable.

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 Even if you're one of those people who insist and say, oh, I can get by with four hours of sleep, five hours of sleep.

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 He said, that's just not how we were biologically made.

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 We must sleep.

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 And so even if you think you are okay, it's just because you've gotten used to this suboptimal way of living.

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 Who gets more than five hours sleep in this room?

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 Go on.

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 There we go.

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 Keep your hand up if it's six or more.

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 Four, seven or more, eight or more.

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 Albert, my man.

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 We're going to keep going.

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 Nine, ten.

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 Oh, he's just like, I just sleep all the time.

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 I'm sleeping right now, James.

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 But quick note here.

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 God rested.

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 But he doesn't rest because he's tired.

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 Why does he rest?

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 He's rest because it's finished.

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 Because the work is done.

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 Christina and I have this, I'll call it a good habit, but you can tell me afterwards if you disagree.

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 Is when we come home from a holiday, we basically leave our children just to do whatever they want to.

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 They're probably just outside the front door for all we care.

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 Because we have one thing, we have one objective when we get home with all our suitcases.

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 Tidy up everything.

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 Put the things in the laundry.

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 The whole suitcase has to be emptied.

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 And in my wife's case, the suitcase has to be wiped with dental wipes, sprayed, and then wiped again.

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 Before it's put back in the cupboard that we don't really, well, yeah, it doesn't bother us anyway.

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 But anyway, that must be done.

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 And then the toilets that we haven't used for two months, they need to be cleaned again.

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 And everything has to be tidy.

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 And once it's all done, we finally then sit on the couch.

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 Well, me anyway.

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 She actually keeps going.

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 Me.

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 I say, oh, it is done.

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 My chargers are back in the right place.

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 My shoes are back in the right place in the cupboard.

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 It is done.

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 And I sit and I rest.

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 God rests not because he's tired, but he rests because it is done.

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 The world is now functional.

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 He's used six days to create everything that's needed.

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 The inaugural work.

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 Now, bear in mind, he's not done all work for all time.

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 Because we know once he's set everything in place, then creation continues to take over.

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 And he is working as well.

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 And Jesus, much later, thousands of years later, says, my father is still working.

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 So it's not as though God stopped once and for all at that moment and stopped working.

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 What he is saying is the inaugural work is done.

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 Everything that is required for human flourishing is set and in place so I can sit on my throne and I can observe.

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 And I can say what?

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 Not just that it is good, because now I've created man and woman.

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 I can say that it is very good.

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 And so then he stops and he rests.

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 But often we don't do that.

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 There's a quote that I love about when it comes to the Sabbath.

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 The Sabbath is not us having a reward for finished work.

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 It is rescuing us from unfinished work.

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 Because we're not God.

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 If you ask me right now, if you forget everything else whilst you're still awake, if you ask me why the Sabbath is there, the Sabbath is there to remind me and remind you that you are not God.

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 That's it.

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 How often, though, when we do work, when we keep going, we must keep doing this.

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 I must keep doing this.

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 Because what?

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 Because I'm kind of trying to be God.

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 When the Sabbath is put in place as a commandment to remind us, hey, you are not God.

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 This is rescuing you from the unfinished work that's happening.

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 And yet how often do we just completely ignore that?

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 One of my favorite basketball players growing up all the time is a guy called Kobe Bean Bryant.

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 And he, I must say, God rest his soul, did say something that was completely inaccurate, which was he keeps quoting his high school teacher who told him this, which is, hey, don't rest in the middle.

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 Rest at the end.

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 And so he had this driven kind of mentality that we now call the Mamba mentality that Josh Brown showed there last night on the court when he was bullying these small yellow people on the court.

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 But rest not in the middle, but at the end.

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 But Kobe was wrong.

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 But here's the problem.

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 You may not have heard of Kobe Bryant because you're not a basketball fan and you're so tired of my basketball analogies.

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 But I'll tell you this.

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 I think Kobe Bryant is the high priest of this time.

00:14:51.179 --> 00:14:56.979
 Whether you know him or not, you have bought into that philosophy that we should rest at the end, not in the middle.

00:14:58.079 --> 00:15:03.039
 That you will only rest when you have completely finished everything that you need to do, accomplished everything that you need to do,

00:15:03.039 --> 00:15:07.039
 gone to the highest place in the company that you can do, and only then will you rest.

00:15:07.259 --> 00:15:12.639
 And that is what Kobe said, but that is not the right way from the very beginning.

00:15:12.939 --> 00:15:13.399
 Another thing.

00:15:14.360 --> 00:15:16.259
 What day did God create Adam and Eve?

00:15:17.799 --> 00:15:18.699
 Day six.

00:15:20.099 --> 00:15:22.879
 What's the first day that they observe of God?

00:15:23.819 --> 00:15:24.939
 A day of rest.

00:15:24.940 --> 00:15:33.800
 If God wanted to show them what it meant to work, what it meant to fulfill this cultural mandate as best as they could,

00:15:34.540 --> 00:15:39.880
 wouldn't he have just created them on day one first and said, hey guys, look what I'm about to do in the next five days.

00:15:40.100 --> 00:15:41.820
 You then replicate what I'm about to do.

00:15:42.540 --> 00:15:42.840
 No.

00:15:43.480 --> 00:15:46.700
 He creates them on the final day when all the work is done.

00:15:46.700 --> 00:15:54.120
 And then he models to them what he wants them to do, which is you start with a day of rest.

00:15:54.920 --> 00:15:57.980
 You start with a day with me.

00:15:58.820 --> 00:15:59.759
 Isn't that interesting?

00:16:00.600 --> 00:16:03.600
 So often when we're working, if you ask yourself, why am I working so hard?

00:16:03.660 --> 00:16:04.420
 Why am I working so hard?

00:16:04.460 --> 00:16:07.240
 It's because I want to retire early so that I can travel and enjoy.

00:16:07.240 --> 00:16:09.639
 But we're working to rest.

00:16:10.240 --> 00:16:17.659
 When the very first thing that the two first human beings experienced and saw was that they would work from rest.

00:16:19.039 --> 00:16:21.659
 That that first day would be of rest.

00:16:21.740 --> 00:16:22.539
 Isn't that interesting?

00:16:23.240 --> 00:16:24.180
 Isn't that mind-blowing?

00:16:24.379 --> 00:16:30.899
 Doesn't that change the way you think or should change the way you think about how you approach work?

00:16:31.539 --> 00:16:33.480
 We are not God.

00:16:33.480 --> 00:16:41.620
 So when we think about a Sunday, the goal or the weekend, the goal shouldn't be I'm going to try and crawl and get my way to Sunday to still survive.

00:16:41.860 --> 00:16:46.100
 It is that the Sunday is the day that actually springboards you into the rest of the week.

00:16:47.180 --> 00:16:56.259
 That's how we should look at it because we go to work from a place of rest when so often we are working for rest and we're chasing and chasing and chasing.

00:16:56.259 --> 00:16:57.240
 And what do we end up with?

00:16:57.340 --> 00:17:02.460
 This low-grade hum of anxiety that I don't know if you experience but that I experience.

00:17:03.480 --> 00:17:05.960
 Where I'm just always anxious.

00:17:09.039 --> 00:17:12.839
 And it's because I've completely ignored what God says here.

00:17:12.980 --> 00:17:14.860
 Let's keep going back into this verse again.

00:17:15.640 --> 00:17:17.120
 He's finished his work.

00:17:17.200 --> 00:17:18.599
 His inaugural work is done.

00:17:18.980 --> 00:17:20.960
 Everything that creation needs is there already.

00:17:21.299 --> 00:17:22.880
 And so he rested on the seventh day.

00:17:23.079 --> 00:17:24.200
 And what does he make that day?

00:17:24.200 --> 00:17:26.019
 He makes it holy.

00:17:27.220 --> 00:17:28.819
 What does the word holy mean again?

00:17:30.700 --> 00:17:31.559
 Set apart.

00:17:32.420 --> 00:17:32.900
 Different.

00:17:33.480 --> 00:17:36.440
 Actually, John Mark Comer talks a lot about this.

00:17:36.500 --> 00:17:41.519
 And if you're just kind of like wrestling with this topic a little bit, then of course he has a book that's very well known.

00:17:42.400 --> 00:17:45.700
 It is called, Joe's read it, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry.

00:17:46.380 --> 00:17:46.860
 Great book.

00:17:46.920 --> 00:17:53.180
 And actually he's inspired a lot by a Jewish writer who actually talks a lot about what this means.

00:17:53.180 --> 00:17:57.940
 Isn't it interesting that the first, this is the very, very first time God calls anything holy.

00:17:59.019 --> 00:17:59.180
 Okay?

00:17:59.299 --> 00:17:59.460
 Okay.

00:17:59.620 --> 00:18:01.019
 Granted, we're not that far into the Bible.

00:18:01.259 --> 00:18:03.940
 But this is the very, very first time he says something is holy.

00:18:04.100 --> 00:18:05.240
 And it's not a place.

00:18:07.279 --> 00:18:07.980
 It's time.

00:18:07.980 --> 00:18:14.640
 And actually, there's this wonderful quote that I'll read to you just to help us understand this.

00:18:15.000 --> 00:18:21.400
 Abraham Joshua Heschel says this, the Sabbath is like a palace in time with a kingdom for all.

00:18:22.059 --> 00:18:24.559
 As the Sabbath is like a palace in time.

00:18:24.559 --> 00:18:27.859
 Now, another quick differentiation that we have to make.

00:18:28.339 --> 00:18:37.480
 When you have a Sabbath, and I hope, okay, full disclosure, by the end of this talk, I would love to feel that I've encouraged you and inspired you and educated you on what the Sabbath is.

00:18:37.480 --> 00:18:40.319
 And that you rush out of here eager to Sabbath.

00:18:40.519 --> 00:18:40.639
 Okay?

00:18:40.799 --> 00:18:41.679
 That's what I'm trying to do.

00:18:41.879 --> 00:18:41.980
 Okay?

00:18:42.259 --> 00:18:44.819
 Now, we have to quickly differentiate something else.

00:18:45.200 --> 00:18:47.200
 A Sabbath is not a day off.

00:18:48.299 --> 00:18:49.099
 Different things.

00:18:49.099 --> 00:18:56.179
 A day off is a day that you have to go run your errands, do your shopping, do the things that you need to do.

00:18:56.699 --> 00:18:57.839
 But that is not the Sabbath.

00:18:58.379 --> 00:19:01.159
 That is not a set apart time for God.

00:19:01.299 --> 00:19:06.199
 Because when a set, when a part is truly set apart for God, then it's about him.

00:19:06.899 --> 00:19:08.679
 So you think about the last day off that you had.

00:19:08.819 --> 00:19:12.859
 Or you think about the imaginary day off that you're about to have, that you're dreaming for, that you're just working really hard for.

00:19:12.899 --> 00:19:13.779
 What are you hoping to do?

00:19:14.119 --> 00:19:18.059
 Well, if you're Jay, you're hoping to go surfing in the morning, which is a great thing, which he does involve God in.

00:19:18.059 --> 00:19:19.319
 And then there's all these things I want to do.

00:19:19.379 --> 00:19:20.919
 Then I'll go to eat at this place.

00:19:21.079 --> 00:19:22.240
 But then I've got to hit the post office.

00:19:22.299 --> 00:19:22.980
 Then I've got to hit the bank.

00:19:23.159 --> 00:19:23.879
 And then I've got to do this.

00:19:23.919 --> 00:19:25.220
 I'm going to buy this, ready for this thing.

00:19:25.379 --> 00:19:27.619
 And then that becomes a day off and it's no longer the Sabbath.

00:19:28.899 --> 00:19:30.899
 You see, this is something else that we've done as mankind.

00:19:31.000 --> 00:19:34.179
 And we have an uncanny ability to do it with everything that we ever touch.

00:19:34.480 --> 00:19:37.200
 Which is turn something good and then we twist it.

00:19:39.099 --> 00:19:44.119
 Turn something like a holy day into a holiday.

00:19:46.559 --> 00:19:47.619
 Have you thought about that?

00:19:47.619 --> 00:19:48.919
 Where that word even comes from?

00:19:49.000 --> 00:19:49.279
 Holiday?

00:19:52.099 --> 00:19:54.519
 Holiday comes from the holy day.

00:19:55.359 --> 00:20:00.599
 Comes from a place where in the past people would be farming and working and cultivating and working the fields.

00:20:00.679 --> 00:20:01.219
 And now they're hunting.

00:20:01.459 --> 00:20:05.979
 But there would be one day that would be designated to be a holy day.

00:20:06.219 --> 00:20:07.279
 And so we take that day.

00:20:07.299 --> 00:20:08.339
 And what do we do in that holy day?

00:20:08.399 --> 00:20:09.419
 We go to worship.

00:20:10.139 --> 00:20:12.319
 But now what do we do on our holiday?

00:20:12.319 --> 00:20:14.899
 We go skiing.

00:20:16.639 --> 00:20:21.099
 We go and do all these other things.

00:20:22.839 --> 00:20:25.919
 Who's come back from a holiday completely exhausted?

00:20:25.920 --> 00:20:30.940
 If you've got kids, that's it.

00:20:31.060 --> 00:20:33.180
 Like holidays with kids are just not holidays at all.

00:20:34.779 --> 00:20:39.420
 So often we come back from holidays exhausted because that's not actually the thing that we needed.

00:20:40.060 --> 00:20:41.360
 What we needed was a holy day.

00:20:42.340 --> 00:20:44.420
 What we needed was a day where we would...

00:20:44.420 --> 00:20:51.000
 If your holiday, if your Sabbath doesn't start with worship, then I wonder whether it is actually a Sabbath.

00:20:52.160 --> 00:20:53.600
 Something to think about.

00:20:54.660 --> 00:20:57.080
 But you're like, oh, but I thought we were made for work.

00:20:57.779 --> 00:20:58.460
 We are.

00:20:58.460 --> 00:21:02.440
 But as I just said at the beginning, work and worship are so intertwined.

00:21:02.799 --> 00:21:04.680
 A.W. Tozer said this.

00:21:04.980 --> 00:21:07.240
 Jesus did not redeem us to make us workers.

00:21:07.579 --> 00:21:09.480
 He redeemed us to make us worshipers.

00:21:09.819 --> 00:21:14.319
 And then out of the blazing worship of our hearts springs our work.

00:21:15.400 --> 00:21:16.259
 Let me read that again.

00:21:16.400 --> 00:21:17.380
 Please hang on every word.

00:21:17.600 --> 00:21:18.079
 It's not me.

00:21:18.200 --> 00:21:18.579
 It's Tozer.

00:21:18.980 --> 00:21:21.120
 Jesus did not redeem us to make us workers.

00:21:21.380 --> 00:21:23.400
 He redeemed us to make us worshipers.

00:21:23.400 --> 00:21:30.860
 And then out of the blazing worship of our hearts springs our work.

00:21:32.340 --> 00:21:33.940
 Your work is your worship.

00:21:36.200 --> 00:21:40.940
 But first, you must work from rest and not for rest.

00:21:42.980 --> 00:21:44.000
 I'm seeing nods.

00:21:44.100 --> 00:21:48.060
 So I hope you're tracking with me because I'm really, again, hoping that you leave here going,

00:21:48.220 --> 00:21:51.480
 OK, man, I'm convicted because I have not been following the Ten Commandments.

00:21:51.480 --> 00:21:53.819
 I've done pretty well with the murdering one.

00:21:54.259 --> 00:21:57.019
 But the Sabbath one, tragic, shocking.

00:21:58.900 --> 00:22:00.339
 But it made it into the Ten.

00:22:02.720 --> 00:22:06.099
 Because what we do instead is we strive and stress and strain for everything that we do.

00:22:06.400 --> 00:22:09.500
 Because what are you actually doing when you're striving and stressing and straining

00:22:09.500 --> 00:22:11.960
 and you're working more than you think, when you know you actually need?

00:22:12.180 --> 00:22:13.759
 What you're saying is actually, I am God.

00:22:14.480 --> 00:22:15.620
 I am in control of this.

00:22:16.000 --> 00:22:17.039
 And what does the Sabbath do?

00:22:17.259 --> 00:22:20.299
 The Sabbath helps remind us that we are not God.

00:22:20.299 --> 00:22:24.440
 But just in case you get so sad, you're like, oh, my goodness, I'm the only person that's struggling with this.

00:22:24.720 --> 00:22:29.919
 Let's go to the Old Testament where we find encouragement that the depravity of man has been with us since the very beginning.

00:22:30.299 --> 00:22:32.099
 If we go, so they have this.

00:22:32.240 --> 00:22:33.599
 God has modeled to Adam and Eve.

00:22:33.980 --> 00:22:34.859
 The rest is important.

00:22:34.980 --> 00:22:35.680
 It's the first day.

00:22:35.740 --> 00:22:36.059
 And why?

00:22:36.180 --> 00:22:37.319
 Just because God wants to be with them.

00:22:37.659 --> 00:22:38.119
 End of story.

00:22:38.180 --> 00:22:38.539
 That's it.

00:22:38.539 --> 00:22:44.960
 But then you see later in Exodus, the Israelites led out of Egypt, let my people go.

00:22:45.139 --> 00:22:46.460
 And then they go out into the wilderness.

00:22:46.859 --> 00:22:47.480
 They're hungry.

00:22:47.579 --> 00:22:48.079
 They're complaining.

00:22:48.200 --> 00:22:48.960
 They have no food.

00:22:49.099 --> 00:22:50.599
 And what happens in Exodus 19?

00:22:50.960 --> 00:22:52.079
 God gives them food.

00:22:52.599 --> 00:22:56.440
 And just imagine for me a second that you are so hungry and you are doubting and worrying.

00:22:56.440 --> 00:23:00.880
 And you are dreaming about being under Pharaoh's authority again because you're that hungry.

00:23:01.420 --> 00:23:05.799
 And then suddenly you hear whispers coming down from the leadership, from Moses all the way down.

00:23:05.920 --> 00:23:06.900
 There's going to be food.

00:23:07.559 --> 00:23:08.880
 And it's going to be bread.

00:23:08.960 --> 00:23:09.779
 And it's going to be nice.

00:23:10.039 --> 00:23:10.860
 Oh, where's it coming from?

00:23:10.920 --> 00:23:12.340
 Is someone going to supply it for us?

00:23:12.600 --> 00:23:13.960
 Is food panda now finally here?

00:23:14.259 --> 00:23:14.620
 No.

00:23:14.779 --> 00:23:16.180
 It's just going to fall from this guy.

00:23:17.580 --> 00:23:21.440
 Well, that would have been just a mind-blowing moment in itself.

00:23:21.440 --> 00:23:26.120
 And then God says this, and you see him trying to teach them what it means to rest.

00:23:26.180 --> 00:23:26.700
 Because why?

00:23:27.000 --> 00:23:28.840
 Remember, the Israelites were slaves.

00:23:29.519 --> 00:23:31.019
 That means, did they have days off?

00:23:32.039 --> 00:23:32.360
 No.

00:23:34.779 --> 00:23:37.980
 Side note, if you haven't had a day off for a long time, what are you a slave to?

00:23:38.759 --> 00:23:39.640
 Who are you a slave to?

00:23:40.960 --> 00:23:43.160
 Anyway, back to being friendly.

00:23:43.360 --> 00:23:46.920
 So, this food is going to drop from the sky.

00:23:47.100 --> 00:23:48.200
 And he's saying, but he says this.

00:23:48.259 --> 00:23:49.660
 He's like, I need to train you in something.

00:23:49.660 --> 00:23:51.440
 I need to train you to remind you that you are not God.

00:23:52.080 --> 00:23:52.900
 So, this is what you're going to do.

00:23:53.019 --> 00:23:56.100
 On the sixth day, I'm going to give you two helpings.

00:23:57.100 --> 00:23:59.000
 What I want you to do is collect both.

00:23:59.160 --> 00:24:00.800
 Because on the Sabbath, you won't do it.

00:24:01.700 --> 00:24:05.040
 So, even then, even in God's provision, he's trying to train them and teach them.

00:24:05.380 --> 00:24:08.620
 And you know that the Israelites, very, very similar to the Chinese people.

00:24:08.940 --> 00:24:12.040
 What happens, if you look at that, you'll just see Chinese people just written all over it.

00:24:12.259 --> 00:24:15.600
 So, what they try and do is, they go and collect the food on one of the days.

00:24:15.880 --> 00:24:16.740
 I forget which day.

00:24:16.740 --> 00:24:22.000
 And then what happens, some of them, some of us, I identify deeply with this.

00:24:22.500 --> 00:24:24.160
 I send my kids out, go and collect the food.

00:24:24.519 --> 00:24:25.319
 Go and collect the bread.

00:24:25.559 --> 00:24:27.099
 And collect as much as you possibly can.

00:24:27.720 --> 00:24:29.960
 Because we don't know whether it's going to fall from the sky again.

00:24:30.599 --> 00:24:31.940
 And collect it and we'll eat it.

00:24:31.960 --> 00:24:32.900
 But we won't eat all of it.

00:24:33.640 --> 00:24:33.960
 Why?

00:24:34.440 --> 00:24:35.240
 Just in case.

00:24:36.460 --> 00:24:37.240
 Just in case.

00:24:38.000 --> 00:24:39.059
 I bought a little container.

00:24:39.940 --> 00:24:41.339
 And we're going to save it for tomorrow.

00:24:41.339 --> 00:24:43.240
 You laugh.

00:24:43.819 --> 00:24:46.079
 But how many of us went to welcome to buy toilet roll?

00:24:47.740 --> 00:24:48.500
 You laugh.

00:24:48.659 --> 00:24:49.139
 You judge.

00:24:50.199 --> 00:24:53.959
 But how many of us scoffed when we saw the people on the TV looking for masks?

00:24:54.059 --> 00:24:55.819
 And you're like, oh, I'm going to go out.

00:24:56.839 --> 00:24:58.059
 I'm going to go out and get some masks.

00:24:59.679 --> 00:25:00.539
 It's in all of us.

00:25:01.159 --> 00:25:02.139
 And so, what happens?

00:25:02.500 --> 00:25:03.279
 They store it.

00:25:03.699 --> 00:25:06.359
 And me as the dad, you know, it's like, I'm clever.

00:25:06.740 --> 00:25:08.099
 My kids are going to be provided for.

00:25:08.099 --> 00:25:10.240
 I wake up the next morning and what's happened to the manna?

00:25:11.079 --> 00:25:12.139
 Worms have taken over.

00:25:14.240 --> 00:25:15.079
 Exodus 19.

00:25:15.519 --> 00:25:16.799
 This isn't a modern day story.

00:25:17.039 --> 00:25:17.559
 This has happened.

00:25:17.679 --> 00:25:19.359
 This has been with us since the ancient times.

00:25:20.319 --> 00:25:21.299
 And so then God says, no.

00:25:21.579 --> 00:25:23.039
 You cannot save for tomorrow.

00:25:23.179 --> 00:25:23.379
 Why?

00:25:23.719 --> 00:25:26.619
 Because each day I will give you just enough.

00:25:27.480 --> 00:25:30.119
 But on the sixth day, we're doing something special.

00:25:30.199 --> 00:25:32.639
 Because I insist you have a Sabbath.

00:25:32.779 --> 00:25:35.039
 Because I insist that you remember that you are not God.

00:25:35.079 --> 00:25:35.519
 I am God.

00:25:35.519 --> 00:25:38.720
 So on the seventh day, do not go out.

00:25:39.599 --> 00:25:42.279
 And what happens on the seventh day in the morning?

00:25:43.980 --> 00:25:45.759
 James and his family sneak out again.

00:25:46.460 --> 00:25:49.119
 Just to make sure that there's no bread falling from the sky.

00:25:50.799 --> 00:25:52.299
 And that's when, okay, we have to read this.

00:25:52.420 --> 00:25:57.019
 If you're following me in the Bible, this is going to be a Bible study of sorts as well.

00:25:57.700 --> 00:25:58.799
 Exodus chapter 16.

00:25:59.980 --> 00:26:01.639
 Just a few verses just to highlight.

00:26:02.000 --> 00:26:03.819
 So Exodus chapter 16.

00:26:03.819 --> 00:26:05.220
 So it's only the one after Genesis.

00:26:05.359 --> 00:26:06.379
 So it shouldn't be too hard to find.

00:26:06.779 --> 00:26:06.879
 Okay.

00:26:07.299 --> 00:26:08.960
 Exodus chapter 16, verse 5.

00:26:09.019 --> 00:26:09.399
 It says this.

00:26:09.519 --> 00:26:13.279
 On the sixth day when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather daily.

00:26:13.759 --> 00:26:14.119
 Excellent.

00:26:14.359 --> 00:26:14.599
 Fun.

00:26:14.939 --> 00:26:15.539
 Gather it all.

00:26:15.659 --> 00:26:16.339
 Ready for tomorrow.

00:26:16.419 --> 00:26:17.779
 Because tomorrow you're not allowed to work.

00:26:18.159 --> 00:26:18.839
 But they save it.

00:26:18.879 --> 00:26:19.759
 And then it doesn't go well.

00:26:20.480 --> 00:26:21.240
 Verse 20.

00:26:21.579 --> 00:26:22.659
 But they did not listen to Moses.

00:26:22.819 --> 00:26:24.159
 Some left part of it till morning.

00:26:24.399 --> 00:26:26.339
 That I identify because that was me.

00:26:26.460 --> 00:26:27.359
 And it bred worms.

00:26:27.460 --> 00:26:28.119
 And it stank.

00:26:28.439 --> 00:26:29.819
 And Moses was angry with them.

00:26:29.819 --> 00:26:30.259
 Okay.

00:26:31.259 --> 00:26:32.339
 And then they carry on.

00:26:32.579 --> 00:26:32.960
 And finally.

00:26:33.099 --> 00:26:33.240
 Okay.

00:26:33.319 --> 00:26:34.139
 So verse 23.

00:26:34.339 --> 00:26:35.319
 This is what the Lord has commanded.

00:26:35.500 --> 00:26:36.740
 Tomorrow is a day of solemn rest.

00:26:36.839 --> 00:26:38.099
 A holy Sabbath to the Lord.

00:26:38.439 --> 00:26:40.000
 Bake what you will bake and boil what you will boil.

00:26:40.240 --> 00:26:43.500
 And all there's left over lay aside to be kept until the morning.

00:26:43.960 --> 00:26:45.379
 Moses verse 25 says.

00:26:45.460 --> 00:26:45.980
 Eat it today.

00:26:46.039 --> 00:26:47.339
 For today is a Sabbath to the Lord.

00:26:48.059 --> 00:26:48.539
 It's 26.

00:26:48.740 --> 00:26:49.759
 Six days you shall gather it.

00:26:49.799 --> 00:26:52.039
 But on the seventh day, which is a Sabbath, there will be none.

00:26:52.720 --> 00:26:55.279
 Israelites, there will be no more magic bread coming from the sky.

00:26:55.500 --> 00:26:57.519
 Do not go out on Sunday to get this bread.

00:26:57.519 --> 00:26:58.359
 It won't be there.

00:26:58.559 --> 00:26:59.359
 But what do they do?

00:26:59.420 --> 00:27:00.000
 Verse 27.

00:27:00.099 --> 00:27:04.039
 On the seventh day, some of the people went out together, but they found none.

00:27:04.039 --> 00:27:09.779
 And the Lord said to Moses, how long will you refuse to keep my commandments and my laws?

00:27:10.519 --> 00:27:11.879
 See, the Lord has given you.

00:27:12.480 --> 00:27:13.680
 The Lord has given you.

00:27:14.619 --> 00:27:17.599
 The Lord has given us the Sabbath.

00:27:18.279 --> 00:27:20.460
 A gift to us.

00:27:20.460 --> 00:27:24.480
 To protect us mostly from ourselves.

00:27:25.220 --> 00:27:33.019
 That we would not stress, strain, and strive and plan for the future as though we are really in control of our future.

00:27:33.500 --> 00:27:36.259
 Brothers and sisters, do you Sabbath?

00:27:37.579 --> 00:27:44.120
 See, what happened here in Exodus is he took the Israelites out of Egypt, but could he take the Egypt out of the Israelites?

00:27:44.119 --> 00:27:47.179
 No, they were still slaves to the same thing.

00:27:47.659 --> 00:27:49.039
 They were slaves to worry.

00:27:49.119 --> 00:27:50.459
 They were slaves to the provision.

00:27:51.239 --> 00:27:57.219
 And all this time, until now, you and I sat here, I think God's training us to do the same thing.

00:27:57.739 --> 00:28:01.619
 Do you not know, can you not see that I've been providing for you all the way?

00:28:02.059 --> 00:28:09.979
 That it may not look like bread falling from the sky, but the fact that you are sat here is a miracle in itself.

00:28:09.980 --> 00:28:10.380
 Sabbath.

00:28:12.200 --> 00:28:12.599
 Sabbath.

00:28:13.319 --> 00:28:14.380
 Dewey Sabbath.

00:28:14.579 --> 00:28:15.079
 He goes on.

00:28:15.380 --> 00:28:16.819
 Sorry, Exodus chapter 20.

00:28:18.559 --> 00:28:19.740
 Of course, he has the whole list.

00:28:20.120 --> 00:28:24.680
 If anyone wants someone to recite the whole Ten Commandments, Francis is very good at that.

00:28:24.960 --> 00:28:25.839
 He can do the whole thing.

00:28:26.539 --> 00:28:27.380
 But verse 8.

00:28:27.559 --> 00:28:29.099
 Exodus chapter 20, verse 8.

00:28:30.860 --> 00:28:32.700
 Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.

00:28:32.920 --> 00:28:36.960
 Sixth day you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath to the Lord your God.

00:28:37.279 --> 00:28:38.519
 On it you shall not do any work.

00:28:38.519 --> 00:28:44.759
 You or your son or your daughter or your male servant or your female servant or your livestock or the sojourner who is within your gates.

00:28:45.220 --> 00:28:49.240
 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them and rested on the seventh day.

00:28:49.319 --> 00:28:51.259
 Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath and made it holy.

00:28:52.019 --> 00:28:53.639
 It's the one where he really elaborates on.

00:28:54.779 --> 00:28:56.740
 And it's the one that he says remember to do it.

00:28:56.819 --> 00:28:56.960
 Why?

00:28:57.059 --> 00:28:57.859
 Because we keep forgetting.

00:28:58.819 --> 00:29:00.119
 Remember to do the Sabbath.

00:29:00.379 --> 00:29:01.639
 And not just you, actually.

00:29:02.279 --> 00:29:07.859
 You, your children, your male servants, your female servants, your guests, your animals.

00:29:07.859 --> 00:29:09.219
 Don't even let your animals work.

00:29:10.179 --> 00:29:10.519
 Why?

00:29:10.639 --> 00:29:11.679
 Because none of you are God.

00:29:13.740 --> 00:29:19.899
 And you all need to know that this time was set apart as holy for your sake.

00:29:20.879 --> 00:29:25.719
 To show that you must work because you were created to work, but you do not work for rest.

00:29:25.779 --> 00:29:27.319
 You work from rest.

00:29:27.699 --> 00:29:32.679
 Adam and Eve understood this because they experienced that first day with God.

00:29:32.680 --> 00:29:35.920
 And that's essentially what we're trying to get back to.

00:29:36.480 --> 00:29:37.420
 Why is he doing this?

00:29:37.440 --> 00:29:40.120
 He's trying to pull the Egypt out of the Israelites.

00:29:40.240 --> 00:29:40.940
 We're going to keep going.

00:29:41.519 --> 00:29:41.920
 Deuteronomy.

00:29:42.060 --> 00:29:49.039
 So if you skip Leviticus and Numbers and you go to Deuteronomy, he talks about the Ten Commandments.

00:29:49.100 --> 00:29:51.060
 This is just a different version of the Ten Commandments here.

00:29:52.080 --> 00:29:53.259
 Deuteronomy chapter five.

00:29:53.519 --> 00:29:57.160
 If you haven't got time to follow me, you can just take notes and look at these afterwards.

00:29:57.980 --> 00:29:58.920
 Deuteronomy chapter five.

00:29:59.000 --> 00:30:01.040
 He's talking about the Ten Commandments.

00:30:01.440 --> 00:30:02.880
 And then he says this, verse 15.

00:30:03.480 --> 00:30:06.640
 You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt.

00:30:06.920 --> 00:30:10.779
 And the Lord your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and outstretched arm.

00:30:11.240 --> 00:30:13.759
 Therefore, the Lord your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.

00:30:14.000 --> 00:30:19.660
 Can you see the relationship between the Sabbath and what their identity was before that is so key that they would have understood?

00:30:19.860 --> 00:30:21.500
 That I think we struggle to understand.

00:30:21.500 --> 00:30:28.579
 He's saying, hey, do you remember when you were under the control of Pharaoh and that you didn't get a day off and you were exhausted?

00:30:31.500 --> 00:30:37.440
 And yet here I'm trying to remind you, hey, remember where you came from because now I want to show you this is why you take the Sabbath.

00:30:38.140 --> 00:30:39.359
 This is why you rest.

00:30:39.359 --> 00:30:44.819
 It's tied in for us in a way that it's like, well, do you remember when you were a slave to sin?

00:30:46.039 --> 00:30:49.979
 Do you remember when you were caught up in things that you couldn't get out of?

00:30:50.519 --> 00:31:00.099
 When you were so driven by the things of society that led you to all the challenges, all the mental health challenges, all the emotional challenges, all the financial, everything.

00:31:00.559 --> 00:31:03.359
 Do you remember when you were a slave to all of those things and now you've been freed?

00:31:03.500 --> 00:31:04.519
 Now you've been freed.

00:31:04.740 --> 00:31:05.939
 What's the first thing you should do?

00:31:06.159 --> 00:31:06.519
 Sabbath.

00:31:06.519 --> 00:31:06.639
 Sabbath.

00:31:07.619 --> 00:31:14.000
 This is so, so countercultural to the Taipei, Hong Kong, go get it mentality.

00:31:14.900 --> 00:31:15.660
 You've been saved.

00:31:15.819 --> 00:31:16.379
 I've been saved.

00:31:16.480 --> 00:31:17.319
 I must go do this.

00:31:17.900 --> 00:31:18.700
 I've been created.

00:31:18.819 --> 00:31:19.559
 I must go do this.

00:31:19.639 --> 00:31:19.980
 No, no, no.

00:31:20.079 --> 00:31:20.859
 I don't believe created.

00:31:21.139 --> 00:31:22.619
 Day two, hang out with God.

00:31:23.819 --> 00:31:24.639
 Oh, I've been freed.

00:31:24.740 --> 00:31:27.160
 I'm now no longer a slave to sin or slave to Pharaoh.

00:31:27.619 --> 00:31:28.019
 Great.

00:31:28.359 --> 00:31:29.079
 Hang out with God.

00:31:30.119 --> 00:31:32.799
 Can you see how we've completely changed?

00:31:32.799 --> 00:31:35.920
 That reminds me that we have twisted what we were supposed to be.

00:31:35.920 --> 00:31:40.320
 And there's something in all of this is that when you Sabbath, let me give you another thing about Sabbath.

00:31:40.539 --> 00:31:41.320
 It's not a day off.

00:31:41.400 --> 00:31:46.100
 It's not a day for you to do your errands, but it is a day for you to delight, to have fun.

00:31:46.259 --> 00:31:51.779
 So when you're thinking about what you should do on your Sabbath, one thing you should think about is, well, what gives me joy?

00:31:51.779 --> 00:31:59.519
 What lifts my spirit to the point, not so that I would feel happy, but so that I would glorify God more and I would enjoy him more.

00:31:59.759 --> 00:32:02.759
 Let's fast forward a little bit more and go to the prophet Isaiah.

00:32:02.879 --> 00:32:03.220
 Don't worry.

00:32:03.299 --> 00:32:06.839
 We're going to get to the New Testament and we're going to get to Jesus very soon.

00:32:06.839 --> 00:32:11.779
 But Acts, sorry, Isaiah, I keep saying Acts because we've been there for the last six months.

00:32:11.919 --> 00:32:12.619
 So it is not Acts.

00:32:12.699 --> 00:32:13.159
 We're in Isaiah.

00:32:13.720 --> 00:32:15.259
 Chapter 58.

00:32:15.699 --> 00:32:18.079
 Isaiah chapter 58.

00:32:18.459 --> 00:32:23.240
 He's talking about fasting and he's talking about you guys are fasting, but you're kind of fasting in the wrong way.

00:32:23.459 --> 00:32:27.779
 And he's saying that your kind of fasting is kind of a fake kind of fasting because you don't really understand what you're doing.

00:32:27.779 --> 00:32:34.839
 But what I want you to do is when you're fasting, the true kind of fasting, the true kind of Sabbath is one where you are actually delighting.

00:32:35.399 --> 00:32:43.039
 So you're not like tearing your face because you're so hungry and so devastated and you're just grumpy to everyone and you're just hangry, of course, because you're fasting.

00:32:43.319 --> 00:32:48.559
 No, he's saying when you fast or rather when you Sabbath here, chapter 58, verse 14,

00:32:48.980 --> 00:32:53.740
 and then you shall take delight in the Lord and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth.

00:32:53.740 --> 00:32:58.720
 So when we fast or when we Sabbath, there is this idea of delight.

00:32:59.559 --> 00:33:01.339
 We are just so excited.

00:33:02.000 --> 00:33:02.180
 Why?

00:33:03.000 --> 00:33:04.440
 Because of what God has done for us.

00:33:04.960 --> 00:33:11.680
 This leads me to something which I think we should do all the time and we should do every time we have a chance, which is to give thanks.

00:33:12.440 --> 00:33:14.200
 To be people of gratitude.

00:33:14.940 --> 00:33:23.380
 A few years ago during COVID, and I've shared this many times before, when I was getting grumpy and grumpy and grumbling during the COVID times,

00:33:23.380 --> 00:33:24.600
 I was like, you know, I'm convicted.

00:33:24.720 --> 00:33:26.340
 What I need to do is I need to give thanks more.

00:33:27.100 --> 00:33:29.140
 And so as a family, we started our gratitude books.

00:33:29.220 --> 00:33:31.740
 We went to Muji, bought four books, and now we have five.

00:33:32.900 --> 00:33:34.060
 But he doesn't really write in it.

00:33:34.080 --> 00:33:34.640
 He just scribbles in it.

00:33:35.680 --> 00:33:37.000
 But we give thanks every day.

00:33:37.600 --> 00:33:40.220
 We write things that we are thankful for.

00:33:41.040 --> 00:33:45.980
 And I got this idea from someone else, a friend whose kid is now mid-20s and who still does it.

00:33:46.060 --> 00:33:47.560
 Why is it so good?

00:33:47.640 --> 00:33:50.200
 Because it just turns our perspective.

00:33:50.200 --> 00:33:55.539
 And on the early days, I remember teaching my children, and I'm like, what are you thankful for?

00:33:55.580 --> 00:33:56.259
 I don't know.

00:33:57.100 --> 00:33:58.340
 I don't know what I'm thankful for.

00:33:58.420 --> 00:33:59.380
 It's been a boring day.

00:33:59.700 --> 00:34:02.319
 Well, let's just be thankful that we have two feet that work.

00:34:03.220 --> 00:34:06.080
 Let's just be thankful that we have two eyes and nose.

00:34:06.980 --> 00:34:09.260
 Like limbs that work, that we can breathe.

00:34:09.760 --> 00:34:12.619
 That we don't have an NG tube stuck down on our nose.

00:34:14.099 --> 00:34:15.780
 There's always something to be thankful for.

00:34:16.240 --> 00:34:17.099
 What's the Sabbath for?

00:34:17.320 --> 00:34:17.900
 It's to delight.

00:34:18.380 --> 00:34:19.099
 To give thanks.

00:34:19.099 --> 00:34:22.380
 Do we do those kinds of things?

00:34:23.059 --> 00:34:24.519
 Let's fast forward now to Jesus.

00:34:25.719 --> 00:34:26.980
 Jesus comes in.

00:34:28.139 --> 00:34:30.319
 And he, yes, there was a commandment.

00:34:30.699 --> 00:34:31.960
 Remember the Sabbath.

00:34:32.659 --> 00:34:34.380
 Jesus comes in with not a commandment.

00:34:34.819 --> 00:34:36.059
 He comes in with an invitation.

00:34:36.940 --> 00:34:41.900
 And this week as we've been praying, Alex Lee has been leading us in this prayer every morning.

00:34:42.019 --> 00:34:44.960
 And it's honestly a delight to pray that prayer.

00:34:45.079 --> 00:34:45.940
 And that's Matthew 11.

00:34:45.940 --> 00:34:47.679
 Matthew 11.

00:34:47.900 --> 00:34:48.900
 Jesus comes in.

00:34:48.900 --> 00:34:52.539
 And he gives us the words that all of us find comfort in.

00:34:52.619 --> 00:34:58.559
 Especially those of us who live in a city, work in a city, socialize in a city.

00:34:58.559 --> 00:35:03.320
 And we are just tired of the low-grade hum of anxiety, exhaustion that we have.

00:35:03.519 --> 00:35:05.559
 Jesus comes to us with this invitation.

00:35:05.779 --> 00:35:07.920
 That is a different twist to the commandment.

00:35:08.199 --> 00:35:08.860
 But here it is.

00:35:09.079 --> 00:35:11.579
 Matthew 11, verse 28 to 30.

00:35:11.579 --> 00:35:40.259
 How many of us just, we hear that invitation and we're like, yes, please.

00:35:40.260 --> 00:35:44.060
 I've been laboring and I'm heavy laden.

00:35:44.260 --> 00:35:45.340
 I am weary.

00:35:46.700 --> 00:35:48.280
 And I need your rest.

00:35:50.860 --> 00:35:52.040
 And we stop there.

00:35:52.400 --> 00:35:55.260
 We turn it into an IG post.

00:35:55.540 --> 00:35:57.060
 We put it on a fridge magnet.

00:35:57.360 --> 00:35:58.140
 We put it as a sticker.

00:35:58.580 --> 00:35:59.400
 We love it.

00:35:59.480 --> 00:36:01.760
 Matthew 11, verse 28 to 30.

00:36:01.760 --> 00:36:03.180
 And then we stop there.

00:36:03.300 --> 00:36:07.180
 And remember when scripture was written, it wasn't in these clean chapters and verses.

00:36:07.660 --> 00:36:12.700
 What are the next two things that Jesus talks about straight after the Matthew 11 verses?

00:36:13.160 --> 00:36:18.820
 If you look, if you peek into your paper Bible from which you are being saved.

00:36:18.820 --> 00:36:25.559
 And chapter 12, he talks about the Sabbath twice.

00:36:26.680 --> 00:36:28.640
 So he says, come to me if you are weary.

00:36:30.519 --> 00:36:33.039
 And then pay attention to what I've got to say about the Sabbath.

00:36:34.440 --> 00:36:39.100
 And he talks about the Sabbath and he talks about how he is the Lord of the Sabbath.

00:36:39.360 --> 00:36:40.280
 But there is a kicker here.

00:36:40.420 --> 00:36:44.600
 It is slightly different here because actually the Israelites, they did observe the Sabbath very well.

00:36:44.599 --> 00:36:47.019
 They observed it to the point where it was like a rule.

00:36:47.219 --> 00:36:48.900
 It was rigid and you're not allowed to.

00:36:49.000 --> 00:36:51.179
 There are so many things that you weren't allowed to do.

00:36:51.699 --> 00:36:54.539
 No fire can be involved during those days.

00:36:54.579 --> 00:36:56.920
 And you can imagine how important fire was.

00:36:57.279 --> 00:36:59.799
 Fire from then would be like Wi-Fi now.

00:37:00.739 --> 00:37:03.699
 So they would have nothing to be able to do.

00:37:04.679 --> 00:37:06.420
 They couldn't even lift heavy things.

00:37:07.199 --> 00:37:12.779
 But the problem with this is the Sabbath was meant for an experience to have been the presence of God.

00:37:12.779 --> 00:37:13.839
 That was the original intent.

00:37:15.339 --> 00:37:19.699
 As time went on, again, humans have this uncanny ability to do this.

00:37:19.980 --> 00:37:21.299
 It eventually became a prison.

00:37:22.420 --> 00:37:24.719
 It eventually became a set of rules that they had to follow.

00:37:24.920 --> 00:37:28.440
 So when Jesus shows up, it's not a commandment anymore that he's trying to do.

00:37:28.500 --> 00:37:31.880
 He's trying to invite them into something else and recalibrate what they think the Sabbath is.

00:37:31.980 --> 00:37:35.099
 Because they've turned into a prison when it was really all about presence.

00:37:35.599 --> 00:37:38.460
 And it was really all about being with God.

00:37:38.460 --> 00:37:44.840
 So what happens is, actually, Jesus, if you watch his story, if you read his story, there's two things he gets in trouble with the most.

00:37:45.340 --> 00:37:46.800
 One is who he has dinner with.

00:37:47.539 --> 00:37:50.460
 Like, people hate who Jesus hangs out with.

00:37:50.920 --> 00:37:51.579
 That's number one.

00:37:51.579 --> 00:37:55.960
 Which, actually, he should just pause us for a second and go, actually, who are the people that I'm hanging out with?

00:37:56.659 --> 00:37:57.480
 Is it too easy?

00:37:57.619 --> 00:37:58.179
 Is it too normal?

00:37:58.239 --> 00:37:58.880
 Is it too acceptable?

00:37:59.519 --> 00:38:00.799
 Who should I go and spend time with?

00:38:01.019 --> 00:38:04.920
 That was constantly they were giving him grief about who he would eat with.

00:38:04.920 --> 00:38:07.960
 The second is what he would be doing on the Sabbath.

00:38:08.659 --> 00:38:10.300
 Which is, isn't that just so ironic?

00:38:10.840 --> 00:38:12.539
 He knew what the Sabbath was about.

00:38:13.579 --> 00:38:15.000
 But they turned it into a prison.

00:38:15.720 --> 00:38:19.920
 And they are completely ignoring the fact that, actually, really, it was about being in his presence.

00:38:20.659 --> 00:38:25.280
 And so then, what you see here, Jesus constantly trying to challenge them, which is, hey, this is not a prison.

00:38:26.900 --> 00:38:29.119
 The Sabbath was made for man.

00:38:29.920 --> 00:38:30.740
 To help man.

00:38:31.019 --> 00:38:31.940
 Not the other way around.

00:38:32.700 --> 00:38:34.639
 We're not here to serve the Sabbath.

00:38:34.639 --> 00:38:37.019
 But the Sabbath was here as a gift to you.

00:38:37.099 --> 00:38:39.480
 To release you from the burdens of society.

00:38:39.679 --> 00:38:42.699
 To release you from having your work tying down to your identity.

00:38:43.279 --> 00:38:44.379
 The Sabbath was for you.

00:38:45.319 --> 00:38:46.619
 And let me tell you something even more.

00:38:46.739 --> 00:38:49.420
 Jesus says, I am the Lord of the Sabbath.

00:38:50.139 --> 00:38:50.759
 Which means what?

00:38:50.819 --> 00:38:52.519
 Which means I am the one above all of it.

00:38:52.579 --> 00:38:54.440
 I am the reason why the Sabbath was in place.

00:38:54.440 --> 00:38:57.579
 The whole point of the Sabbath was that you would find me.

00:38:58.239 --> 00:38:59.420
 Was what he was saying.

00:39:00.679 --> 00:39:02.239
 And so that's why he would challenge them.

00:39:02.239 --> 00:39:04.619
 On what they thought the Sabbath meant.

00:39:04.619 --> 00:39:06.079
 Because some of you are going to be like, okay.

00:39:07.079 --> 00:39:07.819
 Got it, James.

00:39:09.079 --> 00:39:09.479
 Registered.

00:39:09.559 --> 00:39:12.979
 I am now going to tick off the next box, which is accomplish the Sabbath.

00:39:13.899 --> 00:39:18.039
 And I'm going to put things in place where I accomplish the Sabbath with full marks.

00:39:18.039 --> 00:39:20.420
 And I'm going to do all these things.

00:39:21.460 --> 00:39:22.860
 My fear is that you would miss the point.

00:39:23.980 --> 00:39:25.840
 When it's actually just about being with him.

00:39:26.719 --> 00:39:27.679
 Being in his presence.

00:39:28.400 --> 00:39:32.719
 Last summer I started, actually two summers ago, I started something that I could do only in the summers.

00:39:33.099 --> 00:39:35.840
 Which is waste time with God.

00:39:36.460 --> 00:39:38.519
 I would set an alarm for one hour.

00:39:39.039 --> 00:39:41.099
 Throw my phone across the room to the other side.

00:39:41.320 --> 00:39:43.739
 And I would sit and I would stare outside for an hour.

00:39:43.739 --> 00:39:46.319
 And say, God, I'm just here.

00:39:46.619 --> 00:39:47.839
 I'm not here to read your word.

00:39:48.500 --> 00:39:49.439
 I'm not here to pray.

00:39:50.159 --> 00:39:51.239
 I'm not here to intercede.

00:39:51.739 --> 00:39:52.899
 I'm just here to sit.

00:39:53.039 --> 00:39:53.199
 Why?

00:39:53.319 --> 00:39:55.019
 Because I want to just be with you.

00:39:55.299 --> 00:39:58.439
 The first time I did this, it was the most painful thing I could ever do.

00:40:00.899 --> 00:40:02.779
 The second time, it got a little bit easier.

00:40:02.780 --> 00:40:07.740
 And the third time I was like, oh, I need this so much.

00:40:09.519 --> 00:40:10.640
 Jesus has come to me.

00:40:11.200 --> 00:40:12.040
 All who are weary.

00:40:12.740 --> 00:40:13.980
 All who are heavy laden.

00:40:14.700 --> 00:40:17.580
 And I will give you rest.

00:40:22.660 --> 00:40:24.100
 The Sabbath does something else.

00:40:26.340 --> 00:40:27.820
 Abraham Joshua Heschel says this.

00:40:28.019 --> 00:40:30.519
 Six days a week, we seek to dominate the world.

00:40:30.519 --> 00:40:33.639
 On the seventh day, we try to dominate the self.

00:40:34.699 --> 00:40:37.559
 We take God's cultural mandate to us.

00:40:37.659 --> 00:40:38.259
 Go work.

00:40:38.340 --> 00:40:38.739
 Be fruitful.

00:40:38.840 --> 00:40:39.280
 Be multiply.

00:40:39.619 --> 00:40:40.460
 Have dominion.

00:40:40.820 --> 00:40:43.780
 But if we don't have a Sabbath, that dominion turns into domination.

00:40:43.980 --> 00:40:44.880
 And who gets dominated?

00:40:45.059 --> 00:40:45.400
 We do.

00:40:46.400 --> 00:40:48.179
 How many of us have been dominated by work?

00:40:49.460 --> 00:40:52.340
 The Sabbath is the day where you stop and you say, I am not God.

00:40:52.400 --> 00:40:53.699
 I will not be dominated by this.

00:40:53.980 --> 00:40:59.119
 I have a cultural mandate to reassemble these raw elements, to worship him and to glorify him and to enjoy him.

00:40:59.119 --> 00:41:04.900
 But I will also stop because the whole point of life is to also be with him.

00:41:05.019 --> 00:41:07.719
 I work from rest, not for rest.

00:41:07.900 --> 00:41:08.799
 What does this mean?

00:41:08.980 --> 00:41:14.699
 This means there will be times where you sit, where you have to make a decision with your work and you're like, should I do this or not?

00:41:14.839 --> 00:41:17.019
 If I do this, this will help me continue to progress.

00:41:17.299 --> 00:41:20.159
 If I don't, someone else is going to take my place and go up there.

00:41:20.159 --> 00:41:24.099
 But it's in that moment you say, I am not God.

00:41:25.059 --> 00:41:26.279
 I am not in control.

00:41:27.179 --> 00:41:28.699
 I'm not going to be dominated by this.

00:41:28.879 --> 00:41:30.460
 And I may lose this promotion.

00:41:30.859 --> 00:41:32.719
 And that is okay because I am not God.

00:41:32.719 --> 00:41:42.519
 The Sabbath is us trusting our careers, trusting our family, trusting our social life, that if you miss that dinner, you'll still be okay with those friends.

00:41:42.619 --> 00:41:43.299
 They'll still like you.

00:41:43.339 --> 00:41:44.480
 They'll still invite you next time.

00:41:44.599 --> 00:41:47.159
 And if they don't invite you, then maybe they weren't supposed to be friends anyway.

00:41:47.559 --> 00:41:48.839
 And so we go that way.

00:41:48.840 --> 00:41:57.720
 But I am here to observe the Sabbath and stop, not as a day off, not as a holiday, but as a holy day where I focus on him.

00:41:59.760 --> 00:42:02.180
 And come what may from that.

00:42:02.680 --> 00:42:04.940
 Because the job that I have is from God anyway.

00:42:05.320 --> 00:42:10.860
 The course that I'm studying is from God anyway because I prayed for it and he gave it to me and I'm giving thanks to him as though it is.

00:42:11.539 --> 00:42:13.140
 But often it's just lip service.

00:42:13.280 --> 00:42:18.140
 But in my heart, I'm thinking, actually, I worked very hard for this and I have to keep climbing up this.

00:42:18.840 --> 00:42:20.000
 When in reality, it's not.

00:42:20.220 --> 00:42:21.280
 That's where the Sabbath comes.

00:42:21.340 --> 00:42:26.640
 It isn't interesting that the way, the antidote to that domination from the world is simply a Sabbath.

00:42:27.460 --> 00:42:28.680
 Hidden in plain sight.

00:42:29.280 --> 00:42:31.240
 As a command and as an invite.

00:42:31.400 --> 00:42:33.380
 And yet we ignore it so often.

00:42:34.320 --> 00:42:35.700
 How do we Sabbath?

00:42:36.740 --> 00:42:38.100
 Walter Bruegman says this.

00:42:38.340 --> 00:42:46.360
 Sabbath is an act of resistance because it is a visible, tactile, physical no to the system of production and consumption.

00:42:46.360 --> 00:42:49.680
 It's not just rest.

00:42:50.740 --> 00:42:51.680
 It is resistance.

00:42:53.559 --> 00:42:54.940
 It is not just rest.

00:42:55.260 --> 00:42:59.720
 It is resistance to the ways of the world, to the production and consumption of the world.

00:43:00.160 --> 00:43:06.019
 Are you willing to slam the brakes and saying, I'm going to stop and be still and know that you are God.

00:43:06.140 --> 00:43:10.559
 That word be still in Psalm 46 is freeze, stop, pause, drop your weapons.

00:43:10.559 --> 00:43:11.559
 Why?

00:43:12.759 --> 00:43:14.239
 Because it's not my battle to fight.

00:43:14.960 --> 00:43:20.099
 I will work as hard as I possibly can in the six days that God has given me to work.

00:43:20.380 --> 00:43:22.380
 But that seventh day is untouchable.

00:43:22.739 --> 00:43:26.219
 Because without that seventh day, everything else is meaningless.

00:43:26.480 --> 00:43:28.820
 The Sabbath doesn't just affect your Sunday.

00:43:29.099 --> 00:43:30.820
 The Sabbath affects your every day.

00:43:30.820 --> 00:43:33.980
 That's why it's so important.

00:43:36.059 --> 00:43:40.740
 Final passage that we'll go to, and we're getting towards the end of the Bible here, is Hebrews.

00:43:43.059 --> 00:43:44.500
 Hebrews is towards the end.

00:43:45.220 --> 00:43:47.539
 If you can see one John and two John, it's too far.

00:43:49.180 --> 00:43:50.400
 Hebrews chapter four.

00:43:52.640 --> 00:43:53.700
 He talks about this.

00:43:53.840 --> 00:43:54.840
 We talked about Exodus.

00:43:55.680 --> 00:43:57.420
 We talked about Moses and the Israelites.

00:43:57.420 --> 00:44:02.360
 And Hebrews chapter three talks about how Jesus is greater than Moses.

00:44:02.539 --> 00:44:10.400
 If our high priest was Kobe Bryant or your CEO or whoever it is that's basically dictating your rhythm of life,

00:44:11.340 --> 00:44:15.800
 which, if we're honest, which boss is going to tell you, hey, stop working?

00:44:17.119 --> 00:44:20.260
 Which boss is going to tell you, hey, set limitations for yourself, for your boundaries?

00:44:20.559 --> 00:44:25.820
 Hey, which boss is going to say, hey, when I text you at five, you know, actually, Hong Kong is not five o'clock.

00:44:25.820 --> 00:44:28.940
 Well, when I text you at 7 p.m., hey, don't reply to me.

00:44:29.320 --> 00:44:31.760
 When I call you at 8 p.m., don't pick up my phone.

00:44:31.940 --> 00:44:32.780
 Which boss is going to say that?

00:44:32.800 --> 00:44:35.700
 Every boss is going to be like, hey, do whatever I need you to do yesterday.

00:44:36.720 --> 00:44:37.019
 Right?

00:44:38.580 --> 00:44:40.320
 So that is the high priest of our time.

00:44:40.539 --> 00:44:43.900
 But yet in Hebrews, what he's talking about is we now have a new high priest.

00:44:44.519 --> 00:44:45.800
 And it's not even just Moses.

00:44:46.100 --> 00:44:46.700
 It's Jesus.

00:44:47.039 --> 00:44:50.100
 And Jesus is greater than Moses is the title of chapter three.

00:44:50.400 --> 00:44:52.340
 Chapter four is the passage that I want to quickly show you.

00:44:52.640 --> 00:44:53.660
 Chapter four, verse 11.

00:44:53.659 --> 00:44:56.319
 Hebrews chapter four, verse 11.

00:44:56.960 --> 00:45:02.859
 Let us therefore strive to enter that rest so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience.

00:45:03.519 --> 00:45:06.960
 Let us strive into that rest that we need.

00:45:07.099 --> 00:45:07.940
 What does this tell me?

00:45:08.079 --> 00:45:11.179
 This tells me when we do a Sabbath, it's actually really hard work.

00:45:12.440 --> 00:45:15.879
 Christina and I actually, we learned this from my brother who, when he came to Hong Kong,

00:45:15.960 --> 00:45:20.659
 really started to exercise this retreat day where he would go away and spend the day and the night with the Lord.

00:45:20.659 --> 00:45:25.219
 So we learned this since we got here because we realized how important it is to do this in Hong Kong.

00:45:26.480 --> 00:45:29.399
 And what I realized the first few times, it is so much hard work.

00:45:29.460 --> 00:45:37.960
 If you have family responsibilities, if you have work responsibilities, to even find a day where you go away to spend with the Lord is actually really hard work.

00:45:37.960 --> 00:45:41.019
 Why? Because you've got to do a lot of other stuff to prepare for it.

00:45:41.380 --> 00:45:46.139
 It's like going out into the desert on day six and collecting two baskets of bread.

00:45:47.480 --> 00:45:52.720
 Before you have your Sabbath, be prepared that the day before is a day of preparation and it is more work.

00:45:52.719 --> 00:45:57.639
 And yet Hebrews here says we strive into that.

00:45:57.899 --> 00:46:01.079
 This is the only effort that we should put in, which is the day before the Sabbath.

00:46:01.339 --> 00:46:02.980
 Get everything else in order.

00:46:03.839 --> 00:46:05.439
 Send all the emails out.

00:46:05.659 --> 00:46:09.759
 Make sure all the kids and your spouses are completely okay as much as is possible.

00:46:10.579 --> 00:46:12.319
 And then you go into your Sabbath.

00:46:12.559 --> 00:46:13.199
 It is okay.

00:46:13.359 --> 00:46:17.599
 It is right to strive into that, to actually work, to prepare the way for that.

00:46:17.599 --> 00:46:22.019
 And you strive into that rest is what we're seeing here.

00:46:22.219 --> 00:46:26.319
 But that rest that he's talking about isn't a list of things that you do.

00:46:26.440 --> 00:46:27.559
 It isn't a schedule that you do.

00:46:27.639 --> 00:46:32.679
 But side note, when you go away for a day and have a Sabbath or have a retreat, I actually highly recommend a schedule of sorts.

00:46:32.980 --> 00:46:35.900
 Our brains are so hard, we're hardwired to be doing things.

00:46:36.440 --> 00:46:38.319
 And actually, it's a shock to the system.

00:46:38.819 --> 00:46:47.159
 When I first went away, actually, the first physical experience I felt was, reminded me of driving in England in the snow, slamming the brakes, and I was just skidding.

00:46:47.599 --> 00:46:48.880
 That's literally how I felt.

00:46:49.500 --> 00:46:51.059
 Because our brains are not wired for it.

00:46:51.079 --> 00:46:54.599
 So actually, I found comfort in the first few times to actually come up with a schedule.

00:46:54.739 --> 00:46:55.980
 From 9 to 10, I'm going to do this.

00:46:56.179 --> 00:46:57.980
 From 10 to 10.30, I'm going to do this.

00:46:58.219 --> 00:46:59.980
 From 11 to 2, I'm going to have a nap.

00:47:00.779 --> 00:47:01.460
 That's okay.

00:47:03.079 --> 00:47:03.699
 But do that.

00:47:03.819 --> 00:47:06.699
 Make every effort to strive into that rest.

00:47:06.940 --> 00:47:10.659
 And then you get to the point where you realize that this rest is not a to-do list.

00:47:10.880 --> 00:47:11.799
 It is not a schedule.

00:47:12.099 --> 00:47:15.299
 But it's actually the person of Jesus himself.

00:47:15.300 --> 00:47:21.880
 Interestingly, dotted around in this little chapter here, chapter 4, verse 6 says this,

00:47:21.940 --> 00:47:28.460
 Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience.

00:47:30.060 --> 00:47:31.680
 Chapter 3, verse 19 says,

00:47:31.760 --> 00:47:34.720
 So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.

00:47:34.719 --> 00:47:41.279
 So one of the reasons why we struggle to enter that rest, the Sabbath rest, is because of disobedience, because of unbelief.

00:47:41.619 --> 00:47:45.519
 Because we're worried that if we don't do what we need to do, then we won't get what we need to get.

00:47:45.859 --> 00:47:47.279
 It's basically what the Spirit is.

00:47:48.519 --> 00:47:52.099
 I won't ask you to go there, but Isaiah chapter 58, talking about delight.

00:47:52.099 --> 00:48:00.759
 Just one chapter before there, Isaiah 57, it talks about this idea that there is a term that actually, I'll go there.

00:48:01.519 --> 00:48:04.599
 It talks about this term that actually we'll have all heard before.

00:48:05.079 --> 00:48:05.699
 And this is this.

00:48:06.579 --> 00:48:08.239
 Isaiah chapter 57, verse 20,

00:48:08.319 --> 00:48:12.599
 But the wicked are like the tossing sea, for it cannot be quiet, and its waters toss up mire and dirt.

00:48:13.039 --> 00:48:15.139
 There is no peace, says my God, for the wicked.

00:48:16.759 --> 00:48:19.599
 Where do we get the modern term, no rest for the wicked?

00:48:19.599 --> 00:48:22.619
 Right here, in Scripture.

00:48:23.000 --> 00:48:25.219
 When was the last time you heard someone, there's no rest for the wicked?

00:48:25.860 --> 00:48:26.719
 I've got to keep going.

00:48:27.519 --> 00:48:29.799
 It's from, next time your colleague tells you this, you say,

00:48:30.159 --> 00:48:33.380
 Brother, Isaiah 57, good on you.

00:48:34.719 --> 00:48:36.099
 You're quoting Scripture to me.

00:48:38.360 --> 00:48:40.239
 God says no rest for the wicked.

00:48:40.360 --> 00:48:42.259
 Why? Because the wicked think that they are in control.

00:48:42.360 --> 00:48:45.239
 The wicked twist what was good and turned it away from God.

00:48:45.460 --> 00:48:47.400
 The wicked try to rely on themselves.

00:48:47.400 --> 00:48:50.800
 The wicked don't rest because the wicked don't Sabbath.

00:48:51.340 --> 00:48:54.000
 Because they don't remember that they are not God, but He is.

00:48:54.420 --> 00:48:57.619
 No rest for the wicked.

00:48:58.220 --> 00:48:59.440
 We don't want to be wicked.

00:48:59.539 --> 00:49:00.480
 We want to be set apart.

00:49:00.599 --> 00:49:01.360
 We want to be holy.

00:49:01.599 --> 00:49:02.539
 We want to be different.

00:49:02.880 --> 00:49:04.680
 So therefore, we Sabbath.

00:49:05.820 --> 00:49:07.900
 And when we Sabbath, it is not just a to-do list.

00:49:08.160 --> 00:49:11.740
 It is to be in the presence of the new high priest, which is Jesus.

00:49:12.780 --> 00:49:14.380
 Genesis chapter 2, I'm finishing here.

00:49:14.539 --> 00:49:15.519
 Well done for hanging with me.

00:49:15.519 --> 00:49:21.079
 God stops and rests and says, it is done.

00:49:21.239 --> 00:49:21.940
 It is finished.

00:49:22.400 --> 00:49:30.920
 The reason we can still work from that rest is because we now have a new high priest who set us free from the slavery of society.

00:49:30.920 --> 00:49:34.840
 And on that cross, He says the same words, essentially.

00:49:35.300 --> 00:49:37.900
 It is finished.

00:49:38.380 --> 00:49:43.820
 There is no more work to be done for this group of people to have access to Him, to me.

00:49:44.240 --> 00:49:45.280
 No more work.

00:49:45.380 --> 00:49:47.280
 There is nothing that needs to be done.

00:49:47.599 --> 00:49:48.740
 No careers to be had.

00:49:48.800 --> 00:49:50.360
 No accomplishments to be made.

00:49:50.639 --> 00:49:52.019
 No fundraising to be done.

00:49:52.220 --> 00:49:53.500
 No missions to be completed.

00:49:53.860 --> 00:49:55.019
 Everything is done.

00:49:55.400 --> 00:49:56.920
 It is finished.

00:49:56.920 --> 00:49:57.480
 Finished.

00:49:57.599 --> 00:50:01.360
 He sits on the throne after being on the cross.

00:50:03.039 --> 00:50:05.000
 And that's the place that we work from.

00:50:05.000 --> 00:50:16.780
 So when we walk into work, when we walk into the friendship circles that we're trying to maintain, into the relationships that we're trying to sustain, we say it is finished.

00:50:16.940 --> 00:50:20.300
 Everything that needs to be done is already done by Jesus.

00:50:20.480 --> 00:50:21.159
 He is God.

00:50:21.559 --> 00:50:22.219
 We are not.

00:50:22.219 --> 00:50:25.159
 So final little wordplay trivia here.

00:50:26.000 --> 00:50:33.879
 When He creates days one to six in Genesis one, at the end of each day, He will say, and there was evening, and there was morning, and there was morning.

00:50:34.500 --> 00:50:35.419
 The fourth day.

00:50:35.919 --> 00:50:36.519
 The fifth day.

00:50:36.839 --> 00:50:39.699
 There's like a chapter that kind of, there's a line that just keeps repeating.

00:50:40.179 --> 00:50:41.859
 And there was evening, there was morning, and then it stops.

00:50:42.659 --> 00:50:44.179
 The seventh day, He doesn't do it.

00:50:45.019 --> 00:50:45.980
 He doesn't say it.

00:50:46.779 --> 00:50:47.539
 It's finished.

00:50:48.319 --> 00:50:49.519
 The inaugural work is done.

00:50:49.519 --> 00:50:54.599
 Everything is set in motion, in perpetual motion, this point of rest.

00:50:55.019 --> 00:50:56.099
 Don't you want that?

00:50:57.019 --> 00:50:58.099
 I want that.

00:50:59.440 --> 00:51:02.059
 This invitation to come to Him to rest.

00:51:03.139 --> 00:51:05.659
 And it's once I've rested, then I go into work.

00:51:06.500 --> 00:51:08.900
 Then I do the things that are required of me.

00:51:09.119 --> 00:51:11.559
 But it's from that place of rest.

00:51:11.820 --> 00:51:12.659
 Look at the cross.

00:51:13.539 --> 00:51:14.599
 It is finished.

00:51:16.360 --> 00:51:17.360
 Look at Jesus.

00:51:17.360 --> 00:51:20.160
 He is the rest.

00:51:22.440 --> 00:51:23.400
 I'm finishing now.

00:51:23.599 --> 00:51:25.380
 But maybe a quick, a few practical things.

00:51:26.780 --> 00:51:27.640
 How do I Sabbath?

00:51:28.880 --> 00:51:30.340
 First of all, set aside time.

00:51:31.039 --> 00:51:34.620
 And honestly, if it, traditionally, it was a whole 24-hour period.

00:51:35.260 --> 00:51:37.360
 Traditionally, it was Friday evening to Saturday evening.

00:51:38.380 --> 00:51:39.420
 You're like, okay, that's impossible.

00:51:39.960 --> 00:51:41.420
 I'm not even sleeping six hours.

00:51:41.460 --> 00:51:43.740
 How can I do 24 hours of Sabbath?

00:51:43.739 --> 00:51:47.519
 Well, I would say, actually, John Markoma says this, just start where you are.

00:51:48.659 --> 00:51:52.239
 And if it's 30 minutes is all you can do for a Sabbath, then do that.

00:51:52.339 --> 00:51:52.639
 Do that.

00:51:53.019 --> 00:51:54.539
 Just start with wherever you're at.

00:51:54.799 --> 00:51:55.939
 But set aside time.

00:51:56.399 --> 00:51:57.979
 Because time is the holy thing.

00:51:58.799 --> 00:51:59.759
 Not your task.

00:51:59.879 --> 00:52:00.379
 It's time.

00:52:01.039 --> 00:52:03.979
 So set aside that time and say, this is holy.

00:52:04.239 --> 00:52:06.179
 And this is how I'm going to worship God.

00:52:06.359 --> 00:52:07.919
 And start your time with worship.

00:52:09.379 --> 00:52:10.899
 Start your time with worship.

00:52:11.119 --> 00:52:11.959
 That's something else.

00:52:11.960 --> 00:52:12.720
 The task.

00:52:13.199 --> 00:52:13.960
 What do you do?

00:52:14.320 --> 00:52:15.880
 This is where it gets a little bit interesting.

00:52:16.139 --> 00:52:18.240
 Because people rest in different ways.

00:52:19.980 --> 00:52:20.059
 Okay?

00:52:20.519 --> 00:52:24.320
 Case in point, my wife loves to work too much.

00:52:24.920 --> 00:52:28.320
 But the way she rests, I'm like, it's a bit of a loophole here.

00:52:28.860 --> 00:52:31.760
 The way she rests is often through also doing something.

00:52:33.360 --> 00:52:36.900
 Like, so she, like, so when I'm just kind of like getting my Jesus on and sitting on the couch,

00:52:37.280 --> 00:52:38.820
 she's like, she can't do that.

00:52:38.880 --> 00:52:40.240
 That's not restful for her in some way.

00:52:40.240 --> 00:52:41.400
 She has to be doing something.

00:52:41.960 --> 00:52:43.340
 And so it's different for every person.

00:52:43.460 --> 00:52:45.920
 Actually, Marva Doran says this, which I think is quite insightful.

00:52:46.079 --> 00:52:47.000
 It says this, she says this.

00:52:47.400 --> 00:52:50.619
 If you work with your hands all week, you should Sabbath with your mind.

00:52:51.519 --> 00:52:52.659
 Reading, thinking, and praying.

00:52:52.960 --> 00:52:58.500
 If you work with your mind all week, emails and strategy and study, you should Sabbath with your hands.

00:52:58.900 --> 00:53:00.500
 Gardening, cooking, walking, creating.

00:53:00.500 --> 00:53:05.079
 What they mean is, just do something that isn't tied to work.

00:53:05.679 --> 00:53:08.260
 Do something that's avocational, is how Tim Keller put it.

00:53:08.480 --> 00:53:10.699
 Just do something different than what you're normally doing.

00:53:11.260 --> 00:53:15.059
 So if you are, if you use your mind a lot, then do something that's actually physical.

00:53:15.179 --> 00:53:19.179
 And if you actually are doing a lot of physical things, then do something with your mind.

00:53:19.179 --> 00:53:23.159
 And of course, I'm preaching to people who are working and who are working hard.

00:53:23.339 --> 00:53:28.019
 If you're sat here and you struggle with work and you procrastinate for most of your life, this sermon was not for you.

00:53:28.879 --> 00:53:29.000
 Okay?

00:53:29.359 --> 00:53:30.319
 Get to work.

00:53:30.320 --> 00:53:30.880
 Okay?

00:53:33.240 --> 00:53:34.320
 There are still six days.

00:53:34.760 --> 00:53:35.760
 Remember those six days.

00:53:36.519 --> 00:53:40.519
 I'm talking about those who are tired and weary because they're working eight day weeks.

00:53:40.800 --> 00:53:40.960
 Okay?

00:53:41.220 --> 00:53:42.080
 So just beware.

00:53:42.260 --> 00:53:43.039
 Know who you are.

00:53:43.180 --> 00:53:43.340
 Okay?

00:53:44.780 --> 00:53:49.440
 But if you are thinking about Sabbath, then think, okay, what's the other thing that I need to be doing?

00:53:50.000 --> 00:53:51.400
 What's something that's completely different?

00:53:51.740 --> 00:53:53.340
 And of course, you have to stop.

00:53:53.620 --> 00:53:55.059
 You have to sleep.

00:53:56.539 --> 00:53:57.280
 You have to sit.

00:53:57.280 --> 00:54:01.300
 There's going to be moments in your Sabbath where you just sit and just be.

00:54:02.720 --> 00:54:03.900
 Put that into your day.

00:54:04.580 --> 00:54:05.680
 The other thing is delight.

00:54:06.580 --> 00:54:09.480
 You know, there are some ancient traditions where it's on the Sabbath.

00:54:09.760 --> 00:54:11.260
 You're not allowed to do anything else.

00:54:11.560 --> 00:54:13.940
 But husbands and wives, that day is the day that you make love.

00:54:14.340 --> 00:54:15.880
 That is the day that you spend time together.

00:54:16.100 --> 00:54:17.560
 Can you imagine just husbands just poking at, ooh.

00:54:19.019 --> 00:54:20.740
 Honey, it's Sabbath day today.

00:54:21.280 --> 00:54:22.019
 Let's go.

00:54:22.620 --> 00:54:23.620
 Let's worship God.

00:54:23.619 --> 00:54:27.839
 So also do the things that you enjoy.

00:54:28.739 --> 00:54:34.159
 Do the things that actually give you life, that are actually fun and life-giving, and that cause you to delight.

00:54:35.259 --> 00:54:38.139
 Not just in yourself, but in God.

00:54:39.420 --> 00:54:42.960
 Reminded of the old, old movie that maybe some of you will remember, Chariots of Fire, right?

00:54:43.319 --> 00:54:46.299
 When he runs and he just experiences the presence of God.

00:54:46.300 --> 00:54:50.880
 Do whatever it is that causes you to delight, to worship him.

00:54:53.280 --> 00:54:54.160
 Go into nature.

00:54:55.600 --> 00:54:57.380
 Even in the humidity and the mosquitoes.

00:54:58.220 --> 00:55:02.220
 Find a way to be in air con, but also in nature.

00:55:02.920 --> 00:55:07.960
 I don't know how you're going to do it, but apparently the Hong Kong Sevens and the Kai Tak Stadium has managed to do that.

00:55:08.400 --> 00:55:10.380
 Just have air con in an outdoor, indoor space.

00:55:10.380 --> 00:55:13.460
 But be in nature.

00:55:13.740 --> 00:55:14.740
 There's something about nature.

00:55:14.840 --> 00:55:22.260
 There's something about sitting on the sand, watching the waves go by, and realizing that you have done nothing to help it, stop it.

00:55:23.460 --> 00:55:24.480
 It just keeps going.

00:55:25.340 --> 00:55:28.820
 And what it tells you is that actually, this world does not need you to exist.

00:55:30.619 --> 00:55:31.880
 Nature does that to you.

00:55:32.320 --> 00:55:37.059
 A final thing that maybe the modern listener needs to know is about the digital age.

00:55:37.059 --> 00:55:42.059
 I'm not convinced that we can rest with our phones right next to us.

00:55:44.340 --> 00:55:45.460
 The benefits are minimal.

00:55:47.699 --> 00:55:51.099
 But my goodness, the distractions, the dangers are just insurmountable.

00:55:51.820 --> 00:55:55.019
 When you Sabbath, put that phone away.

00:55:56.739 --> 00:55:58.059
 Get yourself a paper Bible.

00:55:59.199 --> 00:56:00.360
 Get yourself a notebook.

00:56:01.019 --> 00:56:04.820
 Not to say that you have to do those things during a Sabbath, but get away from the digital.

00:56:04.820 --> 00:56:10.660
 We are the first generation where we can take work home and it can dominate our lives.

00:56:10.720 --> 00:56:14.580
 We are the first generation where we can socialize without being with people next to us.

00:56:16.680 --> 00:56:18.680
 Get rid of it for that time.

00:56:20.460 --> 00:56:25.800
 And if there's people that you need to tell, hey, you're not going to reach me for the next, then tell them.

00:56:27.120 --> 00:56:28.820
 And the final thing on that one is accountability.

00:56:28.820 --> 00:56:29.019
 Accountability.

00:56:29.260 --> 00:56:30.220
 Some of you are like James.

00:56:30.920 --> 00:56:31.920
 I love the Sabbath idea.

00:56:32.019 --> 00:56:32.519
 I love the sermon.

00:56:32.840 --> 00:56:33.840
 But here's the thing.

00:56:34.360 --> 00:56:35.500
 I've got an exam coming up.

00:56:36.059 --> 00:56:37.420
 And I've got a project that I've got to do.

00:56:37.900 --> 00:56:39.039
 Then I've got this I've got to do.

00:56:39.380 --> 00:56:40.120
 And then I've got this.

00:56:40.860 --> 00:56:43.000
 To which I say, I completely understand.

00:56:43.960 --> 00:56:44.900
 Start where you are.

00:56:45.200 --> 00:56:45.960
 But accountability.

00:56:46.559 --> 00:56:50.840
 Find some people who you can talk to and say, hey, I am so convicted and convinced about the Sabbath.

00:56:51.480 --> 00:56:54.320
 And I've got three months of this crazy life that I have to go through.

00:56:54.740 --> 00:56:59.280
 But can you make sure that my three months of crazy life does not end up being three years?

00:57:00.059 --> 00:57:03.400
 You come to me in month four and say, hey, have you sorted that out?

00:57:04.480 --> 00:57:06.140
 Like there's grace for all of this.

00:57:06.760 --> 00:57:08.720
 We even Sabbath from rest.

00:57:09.260 --> 00:57:11.840
 Everything is from this state of just it is done.

00:57:12.059 --> 00:57:12.760
 God has done it all.

00:57:13.680 --> 00:57:14.480
 But accountability.

00:57:14.860 --> 00:57:17.360
 Find people in your life who go, wait, why are you still WhatsAppping?

00:57:17.660 --> 00:57:18.480
 Why are you still replying?

00:57:18.480 --> 00:57:21.579
 Find people around you because we can't do it on our own.

00:57:21.679 --> 00:57:23.119
 Strive into that rest together.

00:57:23.719 --> 00:57:25.320
 With the same message, which is God.

00:57:25.880 --> 00:57:26.639
 You are God in heaven.

00:57:26.780 --> 00:57:27.519
 Here we are on earth.

00:57:27.639 --> 00:57:28.500
 Let our words be for you.

00:57:28.559 --> 00:57:29.599
 Let our actions be for you.

00:57:30.019 --> 00:57:33.519
 We need you every minute of every moment of every hour of every day.

00:57:33.659 --> 00:57:34.679
 It is all about you.

00:57:34.820 --> 00:57:35.619
 I remember that.

00:57:35.719 --> 00:57:36.440
 I remember that.

00:57:36.599 --> 00:57:40.699
 And I worship you and I glorify you and I enjoy you forevermore.

00:57:41.240 --> 00:57:42.240
 Just as you intended.

00:57:42.900 --> 00:57:43.539
 Let us pray.

00:57:48.639 --> 00:57:48.639


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00:57:48.639 --> 00:57:55.599
 and so we

00:57:55.599 --> 00:57:58.819
 strive to enter that rest

00:57:58.819 --> 00:58:11.159
 it's been described that the whole nature of the gospel is to ask

00:58:11.159 --> 00:58:15.279
 is to ask for help and so here we are

00:58:15.279 --> 00:58:18.219
 but first we say sorry

00:58:18.219 --> 00:58:25.039
 we have completely completely ignored your commandment to remember the

00:58:25.039 --> 00:58:28.199
 sabbath to remember you

00:58:28.199 --> 00:58:33.719
 so we remember that we were once slaves

00:58:33.719 --> 00:58:40.319
 to sin but now we have been freed and in that we delight

00:58:40.319 --> 00:58:47.399
 sorry that we have completely deprioritized your invitation to us to

00:58:47.400 --> 00:58:54.220
 come to you where you will give us rest for our souls

00:58:54.219 --> 00:58:55.500
 help us lord to sabbath

00:58:55.500 --> 00:58:59.839
 help us to draw near to you draw near to us as we try

00:58:59.839 --> 00:59:03.359
 lord we need you

00:59:03.359 --> 00:59:04.879
 we need you

00:59:04.879 --> 00:59:06.779
 we need you

00:59:06.779 --> 00:59:09.559
 so we come

00:59:09.559 --> 00:59:14.539
 and ask that you would fill every minute every hour

00:59:14.539 --> 00:59:15.679
 of our days

00:59:15.679 --> 00:59:22.480
 we let the sabbath we let today be our first day of the week

00:59:22.480 --> 00:59:26.759
 that we let it be a day where we

00:59:26.759 --> 00:59:28.480
 delight in you

00:59:28.480 --> 00:59:30.219
 thank you lord

00:59:30.219 --> 00:59:42.039
 yes lord we need you

00:59:42.039 --> 00:59:42.039


00:59:42.039 --> 00:59:46.719
 lord help us long for sabbath lord a glimpse of eternity

00:59:46.719 --> 00:59:51.719
 lord if we can't enjoy sabbath now and delight in it how can we enjoy you in eternity

00:59:51.719 --> 00:59:53.480
 so lord help us to be children

00:59:53.480 --> 00:59:59.360
 that is free to rest lord we rest not because of our finished work but of your finished work

00:59:59.360 --> 01:00:03.079
 set us free lord we are no longer enslaved in egypt

01:00:03.079 --> 01:00:07.300
 we no longer need to work endlessly for pharaoh

01:00:07.300 --> 01:00:10.260
 we are your children we are set free

01:00:10.260 --> 01:00:12.740
 because of you we are free indeed

01:00:12.740 --> 01:00:15.300
 and so lord we pray that as we start this week

01:00:15.300 --> 01:00:18.860
 of rest in freedom as your children

01:00:18.860 --> 01:00:22.620
 the chains are gone we thank you and pray this in jesus mighty name

01:00:22.620 --> 01:00:23.420
 amen