WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:07.700 Good morning, Watermark. Just a little introduction. I'm Bernard. I'm Angie's husband. 00:00:09.099 --> 00:00:12.800 And we've been attending Watermark here for about three and a half years. 00:00:13.759 --> 00:00:21.059 So you're going to hear from me today. So for those that are visiting, I'm sorry, please do come back next week. 00:00:21.839 --> 00:00:29.460 You are, you know, this is amateur night, if you like. So let me start with a little story. 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:41.780 There were two of these young fishes swimming along, okay? So get a picture in your head, kind of like Dory and Elmo, you know, swimming along in the sea. 00:00:42.439 --> 00:00:47.579 And it happened to meet an older fish swimming the other way, so like this. 00:00:48.799 --> 00:00:55.439 And the older fish nods to the younger fishes and said, morning boys, how's the water? 00:00:55.439 --> 00:01:03.699 And the two younger fish swims along a little bit more. Then eventually one of the younger fish turns to the other and said, what the heck is water? 00:01:05.060 --> 00:01:16.780 This illustrates my challenge today, okay? Talking to people in Hong Kong about the Sabbath and about spending too much time at work is like talking to fish about water, okay? 00:01:16.780 --> 00:01:23.579 What's water? What's spending too much time at work, right? Everybody works these hours in Hong Kong. 00:01:24.200 --> 00:01:29.439 Last year, you know, CNN did a survey and analyzed 71 global cities, okay? 00:01:29.740 --> 00:01:32.640 That's about all the global cities in the world, 71 of them. 00:01:32.640 --> 00:01:45.200 And it said, Hong Kongers work the longest hours in the world, 2,606 hours a year, 2,606 hours. 00:01:45.260 --> 00:01:48.560 You can divide it in your head. That's over 50 hours a week, okay? 00:01:48.920 --> 00:01:50.299 So just give you a bit of contrast. 00:01:50.680 --> 00:01:54.379 And, you know, I know everybody says, Hong Kongers, they get so many holidays. 00:01:54.859 --> 00:01:58.859 We get 17 paid working days of holidays a year, okay? 00:01:58.859 --> 00:02:02.340 So that's a lot less than the rest of the world. 00:02:02.859 --> 00:02:07.039 So just contrast, 2,606 hours for Hong Kong. 00:02:07.539 --> 00:02:12.620 In Paris, they work 1,606 hours, okay? 00:02:13.039 --> 00:02:14.560 This is the capital of France. 00:02:15.000 --> 00:02:18.759 I hate to think what they work in Lyon, probably like 30% less. 00:02:19.219 --> 00:02:25.860 But so we work 1,000 hours more in Hong Kong than the people in Paris, okay? 00:02:25.860 --> 00:02:28.360 I'm not kind of beating up on the French. 00:02:28.480 --> 00:02:30.680 I'm just giving you a contrast, okay? 00:02:31.180 --> 00:02:34.700 So, you know, God has a real sense of humor, right? 00:02:34.800 --> 00:02:42.040 If you ask my wife Angie there that what is one area in my life that I'm most incompetent in, 00:02:42.620 --> 00:02:49.220 she would probably tell you it's my inability to allocate time to the things that are important in our lives, okay? 00:02:49.580 --> 00:02:51.240 I'm a terrible time manager. 00:02:51.900 --> 00:02:53.800 You know, I'm not a good steward of my time. 00:02:53.800 --> 00:02:59.840 And so I learned about as much from preparing for this sermon as, you know, I hope you are going to. 00:03:00.340 --> 00:03:02.140 So I have this problem. 00:03:02.660 --> 00:03:06.680 The problem I have is not able to say no, okay? 00:03:06.700 --> 00:03:08.360 I'm just not very good at saying no. 00:03:08.760 --> 00:03:11.140 Somebody come and ask me to do something. 00:03:11.260 --> 00:03:11.960 It's like, sure. 00:03:12.840 --> 00:03:14.560 And then somebody else come and ask me to do something. 00:03:14.720 --> 00:03:15.040 Sure. 00:03:15.140 --> 00:03:15.820 And then I look at it. 00:03:15.820 --> 00:03:16.640 Oh, I'm double booked. 00:03:16.740 --> 00:03:17.980 But okay, I'll try and fit it in. 00:03:18.819 --> 00:03:19.939 So that's my problem. 00:03:20.039 --> 00:03:21.379 Then I spread myself too thin. 00:03:21.719 --> 00:03:26.060 Then I have very little time left for my family. 00:03:26.539 --> 00:03:29.000 So that's my main issue. 00:03:29.679 --> 00:03:32.280 So, but I don't think I'm alone in this problem, right? 00:03:32.379 --> 00:03:37.819 I mean, I think most of us feel like we kind of struggle with time management. 00:03:38.379 --> 00:03:40.819 We feel our jobs demand too much from us. 00:03:40.819 --> 00:03:46.639 And we feel very, we find it very difficult to disconnect from our work, right? 00:03:46.759 --> 00:03:48.479 I mean, I'm going to talk a little bit more about that. 00:03:48.900 --> 00:03:52.579 We struggle to make enough time for the relationships that are important in our lives. 00:03:53.859 --> 00:03:56.699 We struggle with spending time with God. 00:03:57.719 --> 00:04:00.139 We don't get enough sleep, okay? 00:04:00.519 --> 00:04:05.120 Look, I mean, I see a lot of you with these fitness bands on you, okay? 00:04:05.120 --> 00:04:10.939 Okay, you probably make the number of like target steps in a day. 00:04:11.259 --> 00:04:15.680 But I bet you everybody here is not making a sleep quota, right? 00:04:15.840 --> 00:04:17.439 So we struggle with enough sleep. 00:04:17.600 --> 00:04:20.420 And we also struggle with a lack of exercise, right? 00:04:20.519 --> 00:04:23.500 So the problem is how do we manage our time? 00:04:23.579 --> 00:04:27.639 Well, the first verse we talked about, Ephesians 5, said, 00:04:27.899 --> 00:04:32.439 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 00:04:32.439 --> 00:04:36.439 making the best use of time because the days are evil. 00:04:36.920 --> 00:04:41.160 Therefore, do not be foolish but understand what the will of the Lord is. 00:04:42.259 --> 00:04:43.660 In verse 15 it says, 00:04:44.319 --> 00:04:46.740 Not as unwise but as wise. 00:04:47.160 --> 00:04:53.420 Being a good steward of time is a wisdom issue as opposed to a moral issue, okay? 00:04:53.939 --> 00:04:55.319 The Bible doesn't say, 00:04:55.759 --> 00:05:00.060 Thou shall not stay past 8 p.m. at work, right? 00:05:00.199 --> 00:05:01.199 It just doesn't. 00:05:01.199 --> 00:05:03.279 So it's much more nuanced. 00:05:03.680 --> 00:05:05.279 It's actually a little bit more difficult. 00:05:05.639 --> 00:05:09.439 Sometimes you kind of wish there was the 11th commandment that actually tells you, 00:05:09.639 --> 00:05:12.000 you know, you must leave work by 8 or, you know, 00:05:12.099 --> 00:05:13.860 Thou shall suffer the wrath. 00:05:14.360 --> 00:05:15.759 But it doesn't, okay? 00:05:16.219 --> 00:05:21.899 The fact is it is much more difficult to manage our time and see what the Bible says. 00:05:21.899 --> 00:05:25.120 So how do we find out what the Bible tells us? 00:05:25.120 --> 00:05:28.500 You know, should we be working 40, 50, 60? 00:05:28.759 --> 00:05:31.319 Is it okay to work 70 hours a week, 80 hours? 00:05:31.839 --> 00:05:37.639 Well, thankfully, verse 16 in the Ephesians scripture, 00:05:38.500 --> 00:05:40.199 actually in the King James Version, 00:05:40.339 --> 00:05:41.299 verse 16 it says, 00:05:41.459 --> 00:05:44.319 Redeeming the time because the days are evil. 00:05:44.319 --> 00:05:48.420 The word redeeming in Greek is actually a business term. 00:05:48.519 --> 00:05:49.639 It's a transaction term. 00:05:49.980 --> 00:05:53.719 It actually refers to maximizing your return, okay? 00:05:54.079 --> 00:05:56.459 So those in the investment community out here, 00:05:56.560 --> 00:05:57.379 you kind of understand. 00:05:57.680 --> 00:06:00.399 That's kind of, you know, making a killing, right? 00:06:00.560 --> 00:06:03.699 So maximizing your return is the word redeeming. 00:06:03.959 --> 00:06:08.639 So the verse is telling us to maximize our return on our investment of time. 00:06:08.639 --> 00:06:09.560 Don't waste it. 00:06:10.039 --> 00:06:14.259 Don't invest it in low yield investments in time. 00:06:14.939 --> 00:06:16.459 But how do we do that, right? 00:06:16.939 --> 00:06:21.419 So we're going to look at it under three topics, three headings. 00:06:21.819 --> 00:06:24.000 Firstly, own the problem, okay? 00:06:24.740 --> 00:06:26.599 Are you a workaholic? 00:06:27.459 --> 00:06:28.620 Okay, I'm going to ask that. 00:06:28.919 --> 00:06:30.339 It's a rhetorical question, by the way. 00:06:30.439 --> 00:06:31.360 You live in Hong Kong, 00:06:31.740 --> 00:06:34.459 so you're probably, you know, some form of workaholic. 00:06:34.459 --> 00:06:36.959 In fact, I think I noticed today's, 00:06:37.599 --> 00:06:40.039 the title is Confession of a Workaholic. 00:06:40.639 --> 00:06:42.459 It was the sermon title. 00:06:42.979 --> 00:06:45.379 And then the second title is Answer the Problem. 00:06:45.659 --> 00:06:49.180 The answer to the problem is Sabbath is the key to time stewardship. 00:06:49.959 --> 00:06:53.599 And the third, a practical application is solve the problem. 00:06:54.299 --> 00:06:57.579 What could Sabbath look like for us in 2016? 00:06:59.240 --> 00:07:00.839 So, own the problem. 00:07:01.639 --> 00:07:02.859 Here's the standard conversation. 00:07:02.860 --> 00:07:06.620 I am assuming you probably had one of these last week in Hong Kong. 00:07:07.879 --> 00:07:13.220 Between you and you bumping into somebody, maybe, you know, at work. 00:07:13.960 --> 00:07:14.639 How's life? 00:07:15.300 --> 00:07:15.980 Oh, it's busy. 00:07:16.259 --> 00:07:17.280 Dot, dot, dot, dot, dot, dot, dot. 00:07:17.360 --> 00:07:18.780 Could be travel and so forth. 00:07:19.100 --> 00:07:23.280 So, that's a common exchange. 00:07:23.580 --> 00:07:30.960 Asking Hong Kongers about overworking is really about fish in water. 00:07:30.959 --> 00:07:35.620 But that's because the most obvious, the most ubiquitous, 00:07:35.979 --> 00:07:39.959 and the important realities are often the ones that are hardest to see 00:07:39.959 --> 00:07:41.399 and the hardest to talk about. 00:07:41.959 --> 00:07:44.759 And I think how we manage our time and how we spend our time, 00:07:44.819 --> 00:07:45.979 what we spend our time on, 00:07:46.299 --> 00:07:49.799 is one of these topics that are just kind of hard to talk about. 00:07:49.800 --> 00:07:51.319 But we need to, right? 00:07:51.639 --> 00:07:54.180 So, I know what you're all thinking. 00:07:54.340 --> 00:07:57.860 All you're thinking are like, well, Bernard, if you know what's on my plate, 00:07:58.720 --> 00:08:02.420 and I just got too much on in a day, right? 00:08:03.879 --> 00:08:06.160 Yep, you have no idea what's on my plate. 00:08:06.540 --> 00:08:08.300 Well, I feel like that as well. 00:08:08.519 --> 00:08:10.180 And I'm pretty sure you do. 00:08:10.180 --> 00:08:17.540 So, basically, listen to this statement and see if you agree with it, okay? 00:08:18.579 --> 00:08:23.360 God could not give you more to do in a day than you can do. 00:08:24.379 --> 00:08:27.860 God could not give you more in a day than you can do. 00:08:28.060 --> 00:08:28.939 Would you agree with that? 00:08:30.579 --> 00:08:31.800 I would say so, right? 00:08:31.860 --> 00:08:34.200 I mean, God wouldn't give you more in a day than you can do. 00:08:34.200 --> 00:08:41.140 So, the problem is we all have more in a day than we can do, right? 00:08:41.460 --> 00:08:42.900 So, what does that say? 00:08:42.980 --> 00:08:45.900 Just logically speaking, you analyze that and you say, 00:08:46.000 --> 00:08:52.360 well, there's some stuff in our day that is not God's will for us, right? 00:08:52.600 --> 00:08:56.140 There's some stuff in our day that either we gave ourselves 00:08:56.140 --> 00:09:01.420 or somebody's given us to do that is not God's will for us, okay? 00:09:02.140 --> 00:09:03.940 Now, here's the difficulty. 00:09:04.200 --> 00:09:08.700 The wisdom we're talking about is discerning what are those things. 00:09:09.720 --> 00:09:11.220 We all have more in a day. 00:09:11.660 --> 00:09:13.420 Not all of it is given by God. 00:09:13.700 --> 00:09:15.500 Not all of it is God's will for us. 00:09:15.759 --> 00:09:17.259 We've given some to ourselves. 00:09:17.720 --> 00:09:19.640 We've definitely done that. 00:09:20.080 --> 00:09:21.800 And other people have given some to us. 00:09:22.300 --> 00:09:25.240 So, let's discern what are those things. 00:09:25.920 --> 00:09:28.320 So, let me just analyze. 00:09:28.600 --> 00:09:30.220 Why do we have so much in our day? 00:09:30.320 --> 00:09:32.720 Or why do we have so much on our plate, okay? 00:09:32.720 --> 00:09:35.920 I'm just going to say there's a few macro issues going on. 00:09:36.139 --> 00:09:37.240 So, I'm going to talk about that. 00:09:37.320 --> 00:09:39.980 And then a big internal issue, okay? 00:09:40.259 --> 00:09:42.019 Let me talk about a couple of macro issues. 00:09:42.220 --> 00:09:45.019 Firstly, globalization, okay? 00:09:45.740 --> 00:09:50.220 Globalization, basically, we're talking about, I mean, I think about 10 years ago, 00:09:50.360 --> 00:09:52.120 there was a guy, Thomas Freeman. 00:09:52.120 --> 00:09:54.139 Some of you may have read his book. 00:09:54.379 --> 00:09:56.580 Wrote a book called The World's Flat, okay? 00:09:56.779 --> 00:09:58.340 Basically, he's talking about globalization. 00:09:58.960 --> 00:10:07.340 And what he's talking about is basically anybody who can get online can compete for your job, okay? 00:10:07.340 --> 00:10:14.639 So, you know, there was the dismantling of the Berlin Wall. 00:10:14.899 --> 00:10:20.120 So, you know, the whole of the Eastern Bloc of Europe suddenly came into the marketplace. 00:10:20.820 --> 00:10:22.000 China opened up. 00:10:22.300 --> 00:10:23.200 India opened up. 00:10:23.379 --> 00:10:29.660 Basically, you've got about three, three, four billion people suddenly entering into the marketplace competing for your job. 00:10:29.659 --> 00:10:31.980 In fact, he had this saying. 00:10:32.159 --> 00:10:35.620 He said, when he was young, his parents used to say to him, 00:10:36.279 --> 00:10:42.539 eat up at your dinner table because there are hungry people in China and India who want your dinner, okay? 00:10:43.399 --> 00:10:46.299 Now, he said, now what he says to his daughter is, 00:10:47.120 --> 00:10:53.279 finish your homework because there are people in India and China who want your job, okay? 00:10:53.519 --> 00:10:59.639 So, you know, but I'm not kind of talking about, this is not a Trump political speech. 00:10:59.659 --> 00:11:04.799 We're not talking about moving jobs and bringing jobs back to America and all that stuff. 00:11:04.959 --> 00:11:10.059 All I'm saying is we are in an ultra-competitive global environment, okay? 00:11:10.219 --> 00:11:15.639 The second thing is technology and global logistics is allowed outsourcing. 00:11:16.259 --> 00:11:20.939 Outsourcing of manufacturing jobs, outsourcing of service jobs, okay? 00:11:21.259 --> 00:11:24.159 So, that's a couple of macro factors that are happening. 00:11:24.620 --> 00:11:28.539 One other thing that is happening is technology, okay? 00:11:28.539 --> 00:11:36.879 Mobile technology, smartphones, tablets, cloud technology, all that is actually causing a bit of a problem for us. 00:11:37.240 --> 00:11:39.819 And that is we're not truly disconnected. 00:11:40.759 --> 00:11:46.299 In very few places in the world that we are actually able to totally disconnect from our jobs. 00:11:46.299 --> 00:11:54.740 A company, Adobe, did a survey last year and said 90% of the people check their work emails at home. 00:11:55.539 --> 00:11:56.439 Not surprising. 00:11:57.579 --> 00:12:02.279 42% survey said they check their emails way too much. 00:12:02.279 --> 00:12:09.720 The other thing about technology, and I have to say I'm guilty because I'm part of that. 00:12:10.059 --> 00:12:11.980 I work in the technology industry. 00:12:13.559 --> 00:12:16.879 It changes the competitive landscape, okay? 00:12:18.220 --> 00:12:20.559 Jump into a taxi anywhere in the world. 00:12:20.559 --> 00:12:26.859 And, you know, their jobs are not getting shipped to India or Malaysia or anywhere, right? 00:12:27.599 --> 00:12:33.639 But they will tell you immediately their business is down 25% because of Uber, okay? 00:12:34.399 --> 00:12:36.139 Now, that's a global statistic. 00:12:36.279 --> 00:12:38.979 Down 25% because of Uber, okay? 00:12:39.199 --> 00:12:44.859 You go into any hotel industry, they will tell you their biggest competitor now is Airbnb. 00:12:44.860 --> 00:12:52.500 In fact, Airbnb has got a higher market cap than the Marriott, which is the biggest hotel chain in the world. 00:12:53.100 --> 00:13:01.740 So taxi rides, hotel rooms, these are the things that we thought were going to be immune to technological change, right? 00:13:01.940 --> 00:13:07.960 But technology is disrupting all of that and it's causing an ultra-competitive environment, right? 00:13:08.100 --> 00:13:13.180 So you've got both your jobs, other people, a lot more people competing for your jobs, 00:13:13.179 --> 00:13:17.959 as well as your industry is being attacked from different directions. 00:13:18.599 --> 00:13:22.939 So those are kind of a couple of macro issues that's making us work harder, right? 00:13:23.259 --> 00:13:25.079 We've got to work harder just to keep our jobs. 00:13:25.620 --> 00:13:28.899 We've got to work harder just to even stay half-competitive. 00:13:29.699 --> 00:13:34.339 But the last and certainly not least is an internal issue. 00:13:34.719 --> 00:13:35.500 It's a big issue. 00:13:35.500 --> 00:13:44.500 And I think Arthur Miller, the playwright, the famous American mid-century playwright, said it best in his 1964 play, After the Fall. 00:13:45.279 --> 00:13:47.980 The character in it, Quinton, said, 00:13:48.480 --> 00:13:52.500 For many years, I looked at life like a court case. 00:13:53.220 --> 00:13:55.000 It was a series of proofs. 00:13:55.940 --> 00:14:00.000 When you were young, you prove how brave you are or how smart. 00:14:00.000 --> 00:14:01.740 Then what a good lover. 00:14:02.519 --> 00:14:05.120 Then a good father, a good husband. 00:14:05.720 --> 00:14:08.240 Finally, how wise and powerful or whatever. 00:14:09.259 --> 00:14:14.279 But underlining it all, I see now there was a presumption 00:14:14.279 --> 00:14:21.779 that one moved on an upward path towards some elevation where I would be justified. 00:14:21.779 --> 00:14:29.220 I think now that my disaster really began when I looked up one day and the bench was empty. 00:14:30.079 --> 00:14:31.539 No judge in sight. 00:14:32.600 --> 00:14:36.339 And all that remained was an endless argument with oneself. 00:14:37.339 --> 00:14:41.679 This pointless litigation of existence before an empty bench. 00:14:42.959 --> 00:14:45.639 Which, of course, is another way of saying despair. 00:14:47.659 --> 00:14:49.980 What are we trying to prove? 00:14:49.980 --> 00:14:57.600 Last month, Graham talked to us here about this concept of meritocracy. 00:14:58.700 --> 00:15:02.360 Meritocracy is a system where you're rewarded for your merits, right? 00:15:02.600 --> 00:15:05.360 Your value for what you can do, what you can produce. 00:15:06.340 --> 00:15:08.539 Arthur Miller, in his play, reminds us, 00:15:08.899 --> 00:15:13.060 one of the reasons we work so hard is we want to justify ourselves. 00:15:13.800 --> 00:15:15.740 To prove that we are good enough. 00:15:16.220 --> 00:15:17.399 That we should be accepted. 00:15:17.399 --> 00:15:21.139 So there's a work underneath the work. 00:15:21.919 --> 00:15:25.100 And that work is to prove that we have worth. 00:15:26.019 --> 00:15:29.600 But the Bible reminds us that we are valued. 00:15:29.980 --> 00:15:34.240 But not because of what we can produce or what potential we have to produce. 00:15:34.819 --> 00:15:36.879 But because we are a creation of God. 00:15:37.579 --> 00:15:39.340 We're created in the image of God. 00:15:39.340 --> 00:15:42.220 And that is the reason we have worth. 00:15:43.480 --> 00:15:45.100 So in summary of this section, 00:15:45.639 --> 00:15:47.720 there are some external issues. 00:15:47.960 --> 00:15:49.360 Globalization, technology. 00:15:49.720 --> 00:15:51.340 That is driving hyper-competition. 00:15:52.340 --> 00:15:55.860 But there's also an internal issue. 00:15:56.379 --> 00:15:59.460 And that is our need to feel justified. 00:15:59.460 --> 00:16:01.340 Our need to prove our self-worth. 00:16:01.340 --> 00:16:07.139 And that is one of the reasons why we drive ourselves to overwork. 00:16:08.860 --> 00:16:12.160 Now, the answer to the problem, thankfully, 00:16:12.340 --> 00:16:15.600 thankfully, as I was reading through and studying for this, 00:16:15.720 --> 00:16:20.240 thankfully, the Bible foresaw Uber and Airbnb. 00:16:20.240 --> 00:16:28.259 It foresaw that we will go into this cycle of self-justification. 00:16:28.759 --> 00:16:34.320 The key principle in the Bible to help us to be good stewards of time is the Sabbath. 00:16:35.080 --> 00:16:37.180 In Exodus 20, it says, 00:16:37.240 --> 00:16:40.379 Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. 00:16:41.060 --> 00:16:43.960 Six days you shall labor and do all your work. 00:16:44.340 --> 00:16:48.220 But on the seventh is the Sabbath to the Lord your God. 00:16:48.220 --> 00:16:52.180 So six days you shall labor and do all your work. 00:16:52.500 --> 00:16:58.000 The verse is stressing that the key to maximizing the return from our time at work 00:16:58.000 --> 00:17:00.060 is to observe the Sabbath. 00:17:00.639 --> 00:17:04.640 You cannot be effective in what you do at work for the six days 00:17:04.640 --> 00:17:08.740 unless you take a break from it, both physically and emotionally. 00:17:09.519 --> 00:17:13.259 We need to be able to separate our identity from what we do. 00:17:13.259 --> 00:17:19.220 And the Sabbath was designed to remind us that we are not only what we do, 00:17:19.720 --> 00:17:24.420 but the true value in us is because we're created in God's image. 00:17:24.879 --> 00:17:27.339 We need to be able to walk away from our work, 00:17:27.660 --> 00:17:29.680 from our grades at university, 00:17:30.099 --> 00:17:32.379 or from our need for approval from others, 00:17:32.599 --> 00:17:34.460 from our bosses, or from our peers. 00:17:34.460 --> 00:17:41.720 So what do you call somebody who can't walk away from their work? 00:17:42.759 --> 00:17:45.000 Well, Deuteronomy 5 actually tells us, 00:17:45.680 --> 00:17:49.860 You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, 00:17:50.420 --> 00:17:54.860 and the Lord your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand 00:17:54.860 --> 00:17:56.440 and an outstretched arm. 00:17:57.420 --> 00:18:01.319 Therefore, the Lord your God commands you to keep the Sabbath day. 00:18:01.319 --> 00:18:05.259 We've talked a lot about slavery in the last month, right? 00:18:05.419 --> 00:18:08.500 Especially the Israel slavery under Egypt. 00:18:09.119 --> 00:18:11.779 And we're no longer under the Egyptians, 00:18:12.220 --> 00:18:14.439 but we do have a new slave master. 00:18:15.740 --> 00:18:19.039 The Oxford Dictionary tells us a definition of a slave 00:18:19.039 --> 00:18:26.399 is a person who is excessively dependent upon or controlled by something. 00:18:26.400 --> 00:18:32.680 A person who is excessively dependent upon or controlled by something. 00:18:33.140 --> 00:18:34.920 Anyone who can't put down his work, 00:18:35.240 --> 00:18:37.280 anyone who can't walk away from his work, 00:18:37.620 --> 00:18:41.019 anyone who overworks is a slave by this definition. 00:18:41.860 --> 00:18:44.600 We can be our slave to our own expectations, 00:18:45.259 --> 00:18:48.259 our own need for success, materialism. 00:18:48.500 --> 00:18:50.920 We can be our slave to unreasonable bosses. 00:18:51.759 --> 00:18:54.380 Some of us can be a slave, you know, in Asia especially, 00:18:54.380 --> 00:18:56.600 to parental expectations, right? 00:18:57.620 --> 00:19:02.940 Both Angie and I work a lot with our young adults within our congregation. 00:19:03.500 --> 00:19:05.460 And there's a lot of pressure for young people 00:19:05.460 --> 00:19:09.600 to meet what their parents are expecting from them. 00:19:10.200 --> 00:19:11.320 Now, some of you are parents. 00:19:11.920 --> 00:19:14.500 I'm going to get to you in a second to talk about, 00:19:14.660 --> 00:19:16.380 you know, some of the... 00:19:16.380 --> 00:19:21.140 Sometimes it's very easy for us to put a lot of expectations on our kids. 00:19:22.160 --> 00:19:30.300 So, Deuteronomy 5 tells us that Sabbath is actually a decoration of freedom. 00:19:31.320 --> 00:19:34.220 Sabbath was given to us by God to give us rest, 00:19:34.520 --> 00:19:35.720 the rest that we all need. 00:19:36.120 --> 00:19:39.360 More than physical rest, it's a rest from self-justification. 00:19:39.359 --> 00:19:41.719 And as Arthur Miller said, 00:19:42.059 --> 00:19:46.459 it's a rest from this pointless litigation of existence. 00:19:47.359 --> 00:19:50.059 What we all want is we want that rest. 00:19:50.139 --> 00:19:51.119 We long for that rest. 00:19:51.679 --> 00:19:56.000 So, in summary, in terms of what the Bible says about Sabbath, 00:19:56.419 --> 00:19:58.839 God knew long ago that we were going to get caught up 00:19:58.839 --> 00:20:01.319 in this cycle of self-justification. 00:20:01.679 --> 00:20:03.639 As a result of the fall, really, 00:20:04.299 --> 00:20:06.399 if you can go all the way back to Genesis, 00:20:06.400 --> 00:20:13.300 the way we want to be justified is we want to succeed in our work. 00:20:13.840 --> 00:20:15.420 We want to get good grades. 00:20:15.800 --> 00:20:17.240 We want to get that big bonus. 00:20:17.940 --> 00:20:18.100 Okay? 00:20:18.580 --> 00:20:19.780 So, let's own the problem. 00:20:20.160 --> 00:20:24.980 The Sabbath was designed to free us from the cycle of self-justification 00:20:24.980 --> 00:20:28.660 by setting aside a time that we can be reminded 00:20:28.660 --> 00:20:33.280 that our worth comes from being a creation of God, 00:20:33.480 --> 00:20:34.900 not from what we produce. 00:20:36.400 --> 00:20:41.019 So, let's go down to this application piece. 00:20:41.180 --> 00:20:42.259 This is the piece I like. 00:20:42.420 --> 00:20:42.600 Okay? 00:20:43.560 --> 00:20:47.000 What could Sabbath look like in 2016 for us? 00:20:47.300 --> 00:20:47.560 Okay? 00:20:47.780 --> 00:20:49.820 I mean, Sabbath is such an old word. 00:20:49.940 --> 00:20:52.280 It's kind of an Old Testament word. 00:20:52.780 --> 00:20:55.060 And, you know, what does that look like? 00:20:55.460 --> 00:20:59.580 So, two natural questions that come from application is, 00:20:59.579 --> 00:21:01.059 how much time do I need off? 00:21:02.240 --> 00:21:02.559 Okay? 00:21:02.799 --> 00:21:04.179 And what should I do with that time? 00:21:04.539 --> 00:21:08.639 What activity constitutes, you know, a good Sabbath? 00:21:09.199 --> 00:21:09.439 Right? 00:21:09.659 --> 00:21:11.379 I mean, when you talk about Sabbath, 00:21:11.639 --> 00:21:14.220 you automatically kind of have this vision of, 00:21:15.220 --> 00:21:16.859 for the Jewish community, 00:21:17.039 --> 00:21:18.579 you know, there's a whole list of, 00:21:18.579 --> 00:21:22.299 I think, 39 things that they can't do on the Sabbath. 00:21:22.819 --> 00:21:24.639 And, you know, you shouldn't play sports, 00:21:24.759 --> 00:21:27.539 and you shouldn't ride in cars, and so forth. 00:21:27.879 --> 00:21:31.980 So, let's deal with it practically in 2016. 00:21:32.199 --> 00:21:33.279 How much time off do you need? 00:21:33.639 --> 00:21:36.480 Well, Tim Keller, in his talk on the Sabbath, 00:21:36.799 --> 00:21:39.079 suggests you should have one and a half days off a week. 00:21:39.079 --> 00:21:42.279 So, if you are at church today, 00:21:42.379 --> 00:21:44.079 and you are busy in the morning, 00:21:44.179 --> 00:21:45.659 you could be teaching Sunday school, 00:21:45.799 --> 00:21:48.460 or you could be helping music, and so forth. 00:21:48.879 --> 00:21:50.179 You have the afternoon off. 00:21:50.480 --> 00:21:52.859 You should have one entire day off. 00:21:53.299 --> 00:21:55.039 Say, for many, it would be Saturday. 00:21:55.799 --> 00:21:56.059 Okay? 00:21:56.339 --> 00:21:58.319 So, 1.5 days. 00:21:58.699 --> 00:22:00.379 If you can't get 1.5 days, 00:22:00.639 --> 00:22:02.639 what he suggests is you should have one day off, 00:22:02.980 --> 00:22:04.279 plus three evenings. 00:22:05.539 --> 00:22:05.839 Okay? 00:22:05.839 --> 00:22:06.720 Three nights off. 00:22:06.939 --> 00:22:08.079 So, after 6 o'clock. 00:22:09.079 --> 00:22:16.179 Now, what should you do on the Sabbath? 00:22:16.939 --> 00:22:17.199 Okay? 00:22:18.139 --> 00:22:19.779 We all need some veg time. 00:22:20.220 --> 00:22:22.559 We all need some time to just chill. 00:22:23.079 --> 00:22:26.299 In Hong Kong, we are terrible at this. 00:22:26.519 --> 00:22:26.779 Okay? 00:22:26.859 --> 00:22:28.399 Because as soon as we get any time off, 00:22:28.759 --> 00:22:32.359 we go and schedule it to the last microsecond. 00:22:32.460 --> 00:22:34.539 We're going to do this, this, this, this, this, this. 00:22:34.980 --> 00:22:35.259 Okay? 00:22:35.259 --> 00:22:38.039 Now, as a parent of three kids, 00:22:38.039 --> 00:22:39.619 I have to admit, 00:22:40.059 --> 00:22:41.099 as parents, 00:22:41.480 --> 00:22:43.019 I'm going to speak to parents now, 00:22:43.960 --> 00:22:46.740 we also over-schedule our kids. 00:22:47.500 --> 00:22:47.759 Okay? 00:22:48.079 --> 00:22:50.159 Soon as they have any time off, 00:22:50.500 --> 00:22:51.659 they've got to go to Tudor, 00:22:51.759 --> 00:22:53.079 they've got to have music lessons, 00:22:53.299 --> 00:22:54.720 they've got to do tap dancing, 00:22:55.240 --> 00:22:56.259 and then, you know, 00:22:56.500 --> 00:22:57.180 after that, 00:22:57.259 --> 00:22:58.879 they can, like, go and do, you know, 00:22:59.339 --> 00:23:00.579 revision on Kumon, 00:23:00.579 --> 00:23:02.539 and other things. 00:23:02.799 --> 00:23:05.679 So, we totally over-schedule our kids. 00:23:05.899 --> 00:23:06.039 Okay? 00:23:06.899 --> 00:23:10.220 And this is just a sidebar, right, 00:23:10.240 --> 00:23:11.740 because it's really another sermon. 00:23:12.119 --> 00:23:13.059 But I would just say, 00:23:13.639 --> 00:23:17.059 we spend so much time in preparing our kids 00:23:17.059 --> 00:23:20.599 to overwork for the rest of their lives. 00:23:20.599 --> 00:23:24.259 So, we build their resumes, 00:23:25.039 --> 00:23:26.059 okay, 00:23:26.599 --> 00:23:27.559 for work, 00:23:27.799 --> 00:23:30.559 or to get into that name brand university. 00:23:31.099 --> 00:23:31.439 Okay? 00:23:32.319 --> 00:23:34.119 But we don't prepare them for life. 00:23:34.699 --> 00:23:36.299 We don't help them build their character. 00:23:36.959 --> 00:23:39.079 And character building takes time. 00:23:39.879 --> 00:23:41.419 And it's not about activity. 00:23:42.079 --> 00:23:43.539 It's more about experiences. 00:23:43.819 --> 00:23:45.339 It's more about learning from failures. 00:23:45.659 --> 00:23:48.099 We're also not very good at letting them fail. 00:23:48.099 --> 00:23:50.339 So, sometimes we do need to let them fail. 00:23:50.559 --> 00:23:50.879 But anyway, 00:23:51.219 --> 00:23:51.939 I'm diverting. 00:23:52.079 --> 00:23:53.959 That's another passionate topic of mine. 00:23:54.299 --> 00:23:56.980 But we do need some unstructured and unplanned time. 00:23:57.199 --> 00:23:57.259 Okay? 00:23:57.539 --> 00:23:57.859 So, we, 00:23:58.240 --> 00:24:01.159 it's okay to go and watch Zoolander 2. 00:24:01.500 --> 00:24:01.759 Okay? 00:24:01.959 --> 00:24:05.519 It's okay to go and play League of Legends. 00:24:05.799 --> 00:24:06.099 Okay? 00:24:07.179 --> 00:24:08.359 That's not all your Sabbath, 00:24:08.879 --> 00:24:11.919 but it's okay to go and just get some veg time. 00:24:12.219 --> 00:24:12.439 Okay? 00:24:12.839 --> 00:24:15.139 So, Leviticus 25 tells us 00:24:15.139 --> 00:24:17.919 this analogy of letting the field 00:24:17.920 --> 00:24:18.660 live fellow. 00:24:19.180 --> 00:24:19.460 Okay? 00:24:19.640 --> 00:24:20.440 So, you know, 00:24:20.539 --> 00:24:21.960 for every time, 00:24:22.380 --> 00:24:23.560 you should let the field 00:24:23.560 --> 00:24:25.360 just have nothing grow on it. 00:24:25.500 --> 00:24:27.600 That is veg time for us. 00:24:27.640 --> 00:24:27.860 Okay? 00:24:28.620 --> 00:24:30.600 So, the second part of Sabbath, 00:24:31.120 --> 00:24:32.180 apart from the veg time, 00:24:32.279 --> 00:24:33.100 so I'm not suggesting 00:24:33.100 --> 00:24:35.060 you should veg for 1.5 days 00:24:35.060 --> 00:24:37.800 because that would make you kind of sad. 00:24:39.580 --> 00:24:41.700 You should have some avocational time. 00:24:41.900 --> 00:24:42.039 Okay? 00:24:42.100 --> 00:24:42.960 What's avocational? 00:24:42.960 --> 00:24:44.920 So, these are more structured time. 00:24:45.700 --> 00:24:45.960 Okay? 00:24:45.960 --> 00:24:46.039 Okay? 00:24:46.460 --> 00:24:47.880 Doing something you enjoy. 00:24:48.400 --> 00:24:48.640 Okay? 00:24:48.819 --> 00:24:49.720 And I'll break that down 00:24:49.720 --> 00:24:50.720 into three sections. 00:24:51.140 --> 00:24:51.360 Okay? 00:24:51.660 --> 00:24:52.900 So, one is you need some time 00:24:52.900 --> 00:24:53.740 for contemplation. 00:24:54.460 --> 00:24:56.240 You need time to spend with God. 00:24:56.600 --> 00:24:58.279 You need time to read the Word of God 00:24:58.279 --> 00:24:59.759 or listen to the Word of God 00:24:59.759 --> 00:25:01.559 and meditate on the Word of God 00:25:01.559 --> 00:25:02.299 and prayer. 00:25:02.640 --> 00:25:02.880 Okay? 00:25:03.360 --> 00:25:05.440 Second, you do need some recreational time. 00:25:05.920 --> 00:25:07.940 So, you should go and do some sports. 00:25:08.120 --> 00:25:08.299 Right? 00:25:08.360 --> 00:25:09.340 It could be dragon boat. 00:25:09.340 --> 00:25:10.680 It could be just go for hikes. 00:25:10.799 --> 00:25:12.120 Beautiful day this afternoon. 00:25:12.119 --> 00:25:14.439 You know, just go for a walk. 00:25:14.759 --> 00:25:14.979 Right? 00:25:15.079 --> 00:25:17.519 Or go and enjoy whatever sports you play. 00:25:18.019 --> 00:25:18.279 Okay? 00:25:18.639 --> 00:25:20.879 And then the last is aesthetics. 00:25:21.679 --> 00:25:23.039 You should have some time 00:25:23.039 --> 00:25:25.859 to be exposed to the creation of God. 00:25:26.839 --> 00:25:28.179 And that could be in Hong Kong. 00:25:28.339 --> 00:25:29.699 I mean, there are beautiful trails. 00:25:29.799 --> 00:25:30.619 You can go outside 00:25:30.619 --> 00:25:32.039 and look at the nature of God. 00:25:32.599 --> 00:25:34.259 That could be spending some time 00:25:34.259 --> 00:25:35.500 with music, 00:25:36.039 --> 00:25:36.959 with art. 00:25:37.519 --> 00:25:37.899 Okay? 00:25:37.900 --> 00:25:39.400 With theater. 00:25:40.019 --> 00:25:40.800 You know, Hong Kong, 00:25:40.920 --> 00:25:42.220 I mean, here's another 00:25:42.220 --> 00:25:43.180 little advertisement. 00:25:44.240 --> 00:25:46.140 You can go to a concert 00:25:46.140 --> 00:25:47.900 with the Hong Kong Philharmonic 00:25:47.900 --> 00:25:50.019 for under $200 Hong Kong. 00:25:50.160 --> 00:25:50.360 Okay? 00:25:50.400 --> 00:25:51.320 It's like $150. 00:25:51.860 --> 00:25:53.900 That is the cheapest in the world. 00:25:54.180 --> 00:25:54.440 Okay? 00:25:54.860 --> 00:25:57.160 You cannot go to a Philharmonic 00:25:57.160 --> 00:25:58.759 anywhere in the world 00:25:58.759 --> 00:26:00.200 for $20 US. 00:26:00.600 --> 00:26:00.920 Okay? 00:26:01.000 --> 00:26:02.540 So, you can do that in Hong Kong. 00:26:03.000 --> 00:26:04.320 But every time I go, 00:26:04.440 --> 00:26:05.060 it's empty. 00:26:05.240 --> 00:26:06.120 There's nobody there. 00:26:06.540 --> 00:26:06.800 Okay? 00:26:06.799 --> 00:26:08.700 I mean, there's like me 00:26:08.700 --> 00:26:09.639 and the orchestra. 00:26:11.659 --> 00:26:13.680 And it's like a private thing. 00:26:13.859 --> 00:26:14.059 Right? 00:26:14.740 --> 00:26:16.319 Which is kind of weird. 00:26:17.059 --> 00:26:18.379 But I'm just saying, 00:26:18.480 --> 00:26:20.019 there's just so many cool things 00:26:20.019 --> 00:26:20.740 to do in Hong Kong. 00:26:20.799 --> 00:26:21.759 You could go to a play 00:26:21.759 --> 00:26:22.960 in Hong Kong 00:26:22.960 --> 00:26:23.960 in a theater company 00:26:23.960 --> 00:26:25.700 for about $150 Hong Kong dollars. 00:26:25.899 --> 00:26:26.019 Okay? 00:26:26.599 --> 00:26:26.779 So, 00:26:27.220 --> 00:26:28.940 aesthetics. 00:26:29.159 --> 00:26:30.680 It's important to be exposed 00:26:30.680 --> 00:26:32.099 to the creation of God. 00:26:32.279 --> 00:26:32.919 And art 00:26:32.920 --> 00:26:37.039 is one of mankind's expression 00:26:37.039 --> 00:26:38.580 of our dreams 00:26:38.580 --> 00:26:39.300 and our hopes. 00:26:39.880 --> 00:26:41.100 And sometimes with good art, 00:26:41.360 --> 00:26:43.300 if there's a piece of music 00:26:43.300 --> 00:26:44.080 that you love 00:26:44.080 --> 00:26:45.340 and there's a painting you love, 00:26:46.420 --> 00:26:47.460 by looking at that painting, 00:26:47.580 --> 00:26:48.460 listening to that music, 00:26:48.560 --> 00:26:50.060 you actually get a little sense, 00:26:50.100 --> 00:26:50.660 a glimpse 00:26:50.660 --> 00:26:52.480 of what heaven's going to be like. 00:26:52.560 --> 00:26:52.860 I know, 00:26:52.859 --> 00:26:54.759 I don't mean like 00:26:54.759 --> 00:26:56.059 Belinda Carlisle's song, 00:26:56.139 --> 00:26:56.719 Heaven on Earth. 00:26:56.839 --> 00:26:56.959 Okay? 00:26:57.019 --> 00:26:57.500 I just mean, 00:26:57.759 --> 00:26:59.519 there are some times 00:26:59.519 --> 00:27:01.319 that it touches your soul 00:27:01.319 --> 00:27:02.740 with good art. 00:27:03.379 --> 00:27:03.579 So, 00:27:04.740 --> 00:27:05.519 contemplative, 00:27:06.159 --> 00:27:06.659 recreational, 00:27:07.219 --> 00:27:07.799 and aesthetic. 00:27:08.519 --> 00:27:08.699 Okay? 00:27:08.700 --> 00:27:09.259 Now, 00:27:09.700 --> 00:27:10.440 there's a few things 00:27:10.440 --> 00:27:11.420 to take into account 00:27:11.420 --> 00:27:12.880 when you kind of 00:27:12.880 --> 00:27:13.819 shape your Sabbath. 00:27:14.000 --> 00:27:14.299 Firstly, 00:27:14.420 --> 00:27:15.160 are you introvert 00:27:15.160 --> 00:27:15.880 or extrovert? 00:27:16.700 --> 00:27:16.960 Okay? 00:27:17.640 --> 00:27:17.880 So, 00:27:17.980 --> 00:27:18.700 the introverts, 00:27:18.940 --> 00:27:19.660 you probably need 00:27:19.660 --> 00:27:20.559 a little bit more time 00:27:20.559 --> 00:27:21.140 by yourself. 00:27:21.779 --> 00:27:22.500 Maybe reading 00:27:22.500 --> 00:27:24.120 or listening to music. 00:27:24.680 --> 00:27:25.160 Extroverts, 00:27:25.420 --> 00:27:26.240 you can probably spend 00:27:26.240 --> 00:27:27.100 more time with, 00:27:27.279 --> 00:27:28.000 you know, 00:27:28.319 --> 00:27:28.680 groups 00:27:28.680 --> 00:27:30.220 and larger groups. 00:27:31.100 --> 00:27:32.259 The problem comes 00:27:32.259 --> 00:27:33.340 when an introvert 00:27:33.340 --> 00:27:34.240 marries an extrovert, 00:27:34.539 --> 00:27:35.299 which happens 00:27:35.299 --> 00:27:35.940 all the time, 00:27:36.000 --> 00:27:36.360 by the way, 00:27:36.720 --> 00:27:37.920 because opposites attract, 00:27:38.100 --> 00:27:38.299 right? 00:27:38.700 --> 00:27:39.259 So, 00:27:39.460 --> 00:27:40.279 at that point, 00:27:40.720 --> 00:27:41.759 you do need to find 00:27:41.759 --> 00:27:42.539 the right balance. 00:27:43.140 --> 00:27:43.299 And, 00:27:43.380 --> 00:27:43.860 you know, 00:27:43.940 --> 00:27:45.559 I think after 22 years, 00:27:46.140 --> 00:27:46.279 oh, 00:27:46.380 --> 00:27:48.120 21 years of marriage, 00:27:48.500 --> 00:27:49.480 we are finding 00:27:49.480 --> 00:27:50.279 that balance. 00:27:50.680 --> 00:27:50.779 Okay? 00:27:51.200 --> 00:27:51.720 So, 00:27:52.400 --> 00:27:52.900 introvert, 00:27:53.799 --> 00:27:54.880 take more time 00:27:54.880 --> 00:27:56.019 to be by yourself. 00:27:56.240 --> 00:27:56.759 Extrovert, 00:27:57.680 --> 00:27:58.279 it's okay, 00:27:58.420 --> 00:27:58.680 you can, 00:27:58.740 --> 00:27:58.960 you know, 00:27:59.039 --> 00:28:00.140 be in group activities. 00:28:01.680 --> 00:28:02.920 The other thing is, 00:28:03.299 --> 00:28:03.840 we go through 00:28:03.840 --> 00:28:04.519 different seasons 00:28:04.519 --> 00:28:05.319 in our lives. 00:28:05.660 --> 00:28:05.920 Okay? 00:28:06.400 --> 00:28:06.680 So, 00:28:06.799 --> 00:28:07.880 if you're in a new job, 00:28:07.880 --> 00:28:08.520 you're starting 00:28:08.520 --> 00:28:09.420 a new business, 00:28:10.020 --> 00:28:10.340 okay, 00:28:10.620 --> 00:28:11.220 you're parents 00:28:11.220 --> 00:28:12.100 of little ones, 00:28:12.660 --> 00:28:12.940 okay, 00:28:13.120 --> 00:28:14.080 you're not going 00:28:14.080 --> 00:28:14.940 to get a full Sabbath. 00:28:15.360 --> 00:28:16.520 That is just the reality. 00:28:17.340 --> 00:28:17.980 And don't feel 00:28:17.980 --> 00:28:19.180 guilty about that, 00:28:19.260 --> 00:28:20.240 don't feel too bad 00:28:20.240 --> 00:28:20.760 about that, 00:28:20.860 --> 00:28:21.160 okay? 00:28:21.640 --> 00:28:22.320 I know there's some 00:28:22.320 --> 00:28:23.100 doctors out there, 00:28:23.160 --> 00:28:23.740 if you're starting 00:28:23.740 --> 00:28:24.660 in your medical career, 00:28:24.740 --> 00:28:25.360 you're not going 00:28:25.360 --> 00:28:26.160 to get a full Sabbath. 00:28:26.600 --> 00:28:26.860 Okay? 00:28:26.900 --> 00:28:27.620 You're going to work 00:28:27.620 --> 00:28:28.500 long hours. 00:28:28.940 --> 00:28:29.500 You work in the 00:28:29.500 --> 00:28:30.240 finance industry, 00:28:30.320 --> 00:28:30.860 you're going to work 00:28:30.860 --> 00:28:31.660 long hours. 00:28:31.900 --> 00:28:32.700 But be careful, 00:28:32.700 --> 00:28:34.160 that can't go on 00:28:34.160 --> 00:28:34.500 forever. 00:28:34.700 --> 00:28:35.420 That's a season 00:28:35.420 --> 00:28:36.100 in your life. 00:28:36.740 --> 00:28:37.259 Make sure you have 00:28:37.259 --> 00:28:37.960 somebody accountable 00:28:37.960 --> 00:28:38.580 in your life 00:28:38.580 --> 00:28:39.000 to say, 00:28:39.340 --> 00:28:39.480 hey, 00:28:40.580 --> 00:28:40.900 you know, 00:28:41.279 --> 00:28:41.819 it's been going 00:28:41.819 --> 00:28:42.480 on for like 00:28:42.480 --> 00:28:44.259 17 years, 00:28:44.680 --> 00:28:45.340 maybe 00:28:45.340 --> 00:28:47.259 the season's over, 00:28:47.759 --> 00:28:48.539 you know? 00:28:49.299 --> 00:28:49.700 So, 00:28:49.920 --> 00:28:50.200 you know, 00:28:50.700 --> 00:28:51.480 we've got to be 00:28:51.480 --> 00:28:52.299 honest with ourselves, 00:28:52.420 --> 00:28:52.600 right? 00:28:52.660 --> 00:28:52.840 I mean, 00:28:52.900 --> 00:28:53.200 they are, 00:28:53.660 --> 00:28:54.440 and by the way, 00:28:54.539 --> 00:28:55.700 because both Angie 00:28:55.700 --> 00:28:56.279 and I work with 00:28:56.279 --> 00:28:57.680 a lot of young 00:28:57.680 --> 00:28:58.180 graduates, 00:28:58.900 --> 00:28:59.819 when you first 00:28:59.819 --> 00:29:00.620 come out to work, 00:29:01.240 --> 00:29:01.980 you do have to 00:29:01.980 --> 00:29:02.440 work hard, 00:29:02.500 --> 00:29:02.779 you've got to 00:29:02.779 --> 00:29:03.519 put in your hours, 00:29:03.700 --> 00:29:03.960 you've got to 00:29:03.960 --> 00:29:04.660 earn your stripes. 00:29:05.539 --> 00:29:05.700 I mean, 00:29:06.420 --> 00:29:06.980 sometimes, 00:29:07.400 --> 00:29:08.059 I don't want to 00:29:08.059 --> 00:29:09.140 be too harsh 00:29:09.140 --> 00:29:09.779 on the millennials, 00:29:10.180 --> 00:29:10.579 you know, 00:29:10.620 --> 00:29:11.140 they come out, 00:29:11.539 --> 00:29:12.519 and I have heard 00:29:12.519 --> 00:29:13.059 a few of them 00:29:13.059 --> 00:29:13.700 say to me, 00:29:13.920 --> 00:29:14.180 you know, 00:29:14.360 --> 00:29:15.200 six months into 00:29:15.200 --> 00:29:15.660 their job, 00:29:15.759 --> 00:29:17.279 my boss don't 00:29:17.279 --> 00:29:18.299 really values me, 00:29:18.680 --> 00:29:19.539 I'm not getting 00:29:19.539 --> 00:29:20.480 a work-life balance. 00:29:22.319 --> 00:29:22.579 I said, 00:29:22.700 --> 00:29:22.799 dude, 00:29:22.880 --> 00:29:23.680 you're six months 00:29:23.680 --> 00:29:23.920 in, 00:29:24.299 --> 00:29:24.559 okay? 00:29:25.900 --> 00:29:26.400 You know, 00:29:26.480 --> 00:29:27.000 and then they 00:29:27.000 --> 00:29:27.759 start describing 00:29:27.759 --> 00:29:28.319 what they're looking 00:29:28.319 --> 00:29:29.220 for from their job, 00:29:29.279 --> 00:29:29.680 and they say, 00:29:29.759 --> 00:29:29.940 you know, 00:29:30.000 --> 00:29:30.799 I want to be valued, 00:29:30.980 --> 00:29:31.759 I want to be useful, 00:29:31.759 --> 00:29:33.000 what I'm talented at, 00:29:33.359 --> 00:29:33.619 and I said, 00:29:34.359 --> 00:29:34.720 I don't know 00:29:34.720 --> 00:29:35.460 what you're describing, 00:29:35.599 --> 00:29:36.559 but it ain't a job, 00:29:36.900 --> 00:29:37.200 okay? 00:29:37.559 --> 00:29:38.859 But the fact is, 00:29:39.200 --> 00:29:39.839 when you first 00:29:39.839 --> 00:29:40.640 come out to work, 00:29:40.879 --> 00:29:41.619 you do have to 00:29:41.619 --> 00:29:42.400 put in the hours, 00:29:42.500 --> 00:29:43.059 and it's not for 00:29:43.059 --> 00:29:43.440 two years, 00:29:43.500 --> 00:29:44.119 not for three years, 00:29:44.160 --> 00:29:44.599 it's more like 00:29:44.599 --> 00:29:44.920 ten, 00:29:45.240 --> 00:29:45.500 okay? 00:29:46.779 --> 00:29:47.579 Before you get 00:29:47.579 --> 00:29:48.240 some credit, 00:29:48.640 --> 00:29:49.500 before you get 00:29:49.500 --> 00:29:51.160 some kind of 00:29:51.160 --> 00:29:52.319 brand equity, 00:29:52.759 --> 00:29:53.500 at that point, 00:29:53.559 --> 00:29:54.160 you can start 00:29:54.160 --> 00:29:55.279 dictating a bit 00:29:55.279 --> 00:29:56.799 more what you can 00:29:56.799 --> 00:29:57.099 do, 00:29:57.440 --> 00:29:57.640 you know, 00:29:57.640 --> 00:29:58.319 what I don't 00:29:58.319 --> 00:29:58.859 want to do. 00:29:59.319 --> 00:29:59.759 But you know, 00:29:59.879 --> 00:30:00.639 don't try and do 00:30:00.639 --> 00:30:01.939 that after six months, 00:30:02.000 --> 00:30:02.079 oh, 00:30:02.079 --> 00:30:02.579 I don't want to do 00:30:02.579 --> 00:30:02.839 that. 00:30:03.500 --> 00:30:03.819 That's, 00:30:04.500 --> 00:30:04.719 you know, 00:30:04.799 --> 00:30:04.979 come, 00:30:05.059 --> 00:30:05.659 we'll get you fired, 00:30:05.740 --> 00:30:06.359 and you will be in 00:30:06.359 --> 00:30:07.019 fellow for a little 00:30:07.019 --> 00:30:07.299 while. 00:30:07.679 --> 00:30:07.839 So, 00:30:08.299 --> 00:30:08.659 you know, 00:30:08.759 --> 00:30:09.479 there's some 00:30:09.479 --> 00:30:10.399 practical issues. 00:30:11.399 --> 00:30:12.740 The other thing is, 00:30:13.539 --> 00:30:14.299 Sabbath is very 00:30:14.299 --> 00:30:15.639 vocation specific, 00:30:16.259 --> 00:30:16.539 okay? 00:30:17.219 --> 00:30:17.659 So, 00:30:18.459 --> 00:30:20.000 it's not helpful 00:30:20.000 --> 00:30:21.059 for a doctor 00:30:21.059 --> 00:30:22.859 to try to advise 00:30:22.859 --> 00:30:23.539 an accountant 00:30:23.539 --> 00:30:24.699 how to manage 00:30:24.699 --> 00:30:25.219 this Sabbath. 00:30:25.720 --> 00:30:26.620 It's not helpful 00:30:26.620 --> 00:30:27.259 for a banker 00:30:27.259 --> 00:30:28.100 to advise a 00:30:28.100 --> 00:30:28.839 full-time ministry 00:30:28.839 --> 00:30:30.180 worker on how 00:30:30.180 --> 00:30:32.720 their Sabbath 00:30:32.720 --> 00:30:33.400 should look like. 00:30:33.640 --> 00:30:34.299 You should look 00:30:34.299 --> 00:30:34.759 for somebody 00:30:34.759 --> 00:30:35.299 in your own 00:30:35.299 --> 00:30:35.819 field, 00:30:36.579 --> 00:30:37.180 who may be a 00:30:37.180 --> 00:30:38.019 couple years ahead, 00:30:38.100 --> 00:30:38.880 maybe 10 years 00:30:38.880 --> 00:30:39.259 ahead, 00:30:39.559 --> 00:30:40.559 and talk to them 00:30:40.559 --> 00:30:41.779 and start working 00:30:41.779 --> 00:30:42.660 through them what 00:30:42.660 --> 00:30:43.200 your Sabbath 00:30:43.200 --> 00:30:43.860 looks like. 00:30:44.220 --> 00:30:44.360 So, 00:30:44.440 --> 00:30:45.259 it may be worthwhile 00:30:45.259 --> 00:30:46.600 for us in Watermark 00:30:46.600 --> 00:30:46.819 that, 00:30:46.880 --> 00:30:47.039 you know, 00:30:47.100 --> 00:30:47.600 we could have 00:30:47.600 --> 00:30:48.380 groups that are 00:30:48.380 --> 00:30:49.559 more vocation 00:30:49.559 --> 00:30:50.779 specific that can 00:30:50.779 --> 00:30:51.500 get together and 00:30:51.500 --> 00:30:52.039 talk about, 00:30:52.200 --> 00:30:52.279 hey, 00:30:52.519 --> 00:30:53.259 what could Sabbath 00:30:53.259 --> 00:30:54.279 look like for, 00:30:54.279 --> 00:30:55.000 you know, 00:30:55.500 --> 00:30:56.379 bankers or lawyers 00:30:56.379 --> 00:30:57.700 and doctors and, 00:30:57.920 --> 00:30:58.099 you know, 00:30:58.160 --> 00:30:58.839 people in full-time 00:30:58.839 --> 00:30:59.240 ministry. 00:30:59.700 --> 00:30:59.980 So, 00:31:00.079 --> 00:31:00.980 I'm very careful 00:31:00.980 --> 00:31:02.639 to say, 00:31:02.819 --> 00:31:03.039 you know, 00:31:03.619 --> 00:31:05.399 because of the 00:31:05.399 --> 00:31:06.559 stress of the 00:31:06.559 --> 00:31:07.500 different industries 00:31:07.500 --> 00:31:08.799 that we work in, 00:31:09.240 --> 00:31:10.339 Sabbath could look 00:31:10.339 --> 00:31:11.039 very different 00:31:11.039 --> 00:31:13.339 for different folks. 00:31:14.099 --> 00:31:14.259 So, 00:31:14.619 --> 00:31:15.819 just to sum up, 00:31:15.940 --> 00:31:16.200 okay, 00:31:17.379 --> 00:31:19.000 on today, 00:31:19.180 --> 00:31:20.240 we have a tendency 00:31:20.240 --> 00:31:21.119 to overwork. 00:31:21.839 --> 00:31:22.660 We have a tendency 00:31:22.660 --> 00:31:23.740 actually to enslave 00:31:23.740 --> 00:31:24.259 ourselves. 00:31:24.279 --> 00:31:25.099 for multiple 00:31:25.099 --> 00:31:25.619 reasons. 00:31:26.119 --> 00:31:26.500 There are kind 00:31:26.500 --> 00:31:27.099 of global, 00:31:27.259 --> 00:31:28.220 competitive reasons, 00:31:28.720 --> 00:31:29.980 but deep down, 00:31:30.339 --> 00:31:30.660 underneath, 00:31:30.920 --> 00:31:31.460 there's the work 00:31:31.460 --> 00:31:32.139 under the work. 00:31:32.599 --> 00:31:33.539 We need to feel 00:31:33.539 --> 00:31:34.500 justified. 00:31:35.319 --> 00:31:36.180 And we need to feel 00:31:36.180 --> 00:31:37.519 that we matter. 00:31:37.700 --> 00:31:38.240 We need to feel 00:31:38.240 --> 00:31:38.879 we're important. 00:31:40.160 --> 00:31:40.399 But, 00:31:41.079 --> 00:31:41.960 without the Sabbath, 00:31:42.259 --> 00:31:42.819 we're not going 00:31:42.819 --> 00:31:43.579 to find that rest. 00:31:43.839 --> 00:31:43.960 So, 00:31:44.039 --> 00:31:44.559 in summary, 00:31:45.539 --> 00:31:46.160 Arthur Miller's 00:31:46.160 --> 00:31:46.940 character said, 00:31:48.160 --> 00:31:49.220 disaster really 00:31:49.220 --> 00:31:50.460 began when I 00:31:50.460 --> 00:31:51.339 look up one day 00:31:51.339 --> 00:31:52.459 and the bench 00:31:52.459 --> 00:31:53.039 was empty. 00:31:53.740 --> 00:31:54.480 No judge 00:31:54.480 --> 00:31:55.240 in sight. 00:31:56.319 --> 00:31:57.299 In John 19, 00:31:57.359 --> 00:31:57.799 30, 00:31:58.500 --> 00:31:59.319 it tells us, 00:31:59.799 --> 00:32:00.480 when Jesus had 00:32:00.480 --> 00:32:01.279 received the sour 00:32:01.279 --> 00:32:01.679 wine, 00:32:02.179 --> 00:32:02.639 he said, 00:32:02.959 --> 00:32:03.759 it is finished. 00:32:04.619 --> 00:32:05.779 He bowed his head 00:32:05.779 --> 00:32:06.500 and gave up 00:32:06.500 --> 00:32:07.019 his spirit. 00:32:08.439 --> 00:32:09.879 And in Deuteronomy 5, 00:32:09.980 --> 00:32:10.419 we read, 00:32:11.359 --> 00:32:12.079 with his mighty 00:32:12.079 --> 00:32:13.119 hand and his 00:32:13.119 --> 00:32:14.759 outstretched arms. 00:32:14.759 --> 00:32:17.440 If we were 00:32:17.440 --> 00:32:18.519 Arthur Miller's 00:32:18.519 --> 00:32:18.900 character, 00:32:19.039 --> 00:32:19.440 Quintin, 00:32:20.319 --> 00:32:21.000 and we are all 00:32:21.000 --> 00:32:21.740 in that courtroom, 00:32:22.519 --> 00:32:23.480 we're all arguing 00:32:23.480 --> 00:32:24.400 our own case, 00:32:25.079 --> 00:32:25.900 we're all arguing 00:32:25.900 --> 00:32:26.400 a case for 00:32:26.400 --> 00:32:26.920 justification, 00:32:27.920 --> 00:32:28.599 but we can look 00:32:28.599 --> 00:32:29.299 up and that 00:32:29.299 --> 00:32:29.940 bench is not 00:32:29.940 --> 00:32:30.279 empty. 00:32:31.220 --> 00:32:32.299 Because up on 00:32:32.299 --> 00:32:32.579 there, 00:32:32.799 --> 00:32:33.240 we will see 00:32:33.240 --> 00:32:33.700 Christ, 00:32:34.240 --> 00:32:34.579 with his 00:32:34.579 --> 00:32:35.359 outstretched arm, 00:32:35.500 --> 00:32:36.279 not like this, 00:32:36.500 --> 00:32:37.359 but like this, 00:32:38.440 --> 00:32:38.879 with our 00:32:38.879 --> 00:32:39.779 outstretched arm, 00:32:39.960 --> 00:32:40.379 nailed, 00:32:40.700 --> 00:32:41.299 outstretched, 00:32:41.819 --> 00:32:43.519 and he said, 00:32:43.640 --> 00:32:44.319 it is finished. 00:32:45.599 --> 00:32:46.359 Sabbath was 00:32:46.359 --> 00:32:46.940 designed to 00:32:46.940 --> 00:32:47.599 remind us 00:32:47.599 --> 00:32:49.000 to look up 00:32:49.000 --> 00:32:49.319 on that 00:32:49.319 --> 00:32:50.480 bench and 00:32:50.480 --> 00:32:51.539 see Christ 00:32:51.539 --> 00:32:52.680 with his 00:32:52.680 --> 00:32:53.160 outstretched 00:32:53.160 --> 00:32:54.660 arms and 00:32:54.660 --> 00:32:55.379 to remind us 00:32:55.379 --> 00:32:56.180 that it is 00:32:56.180 --> 00:32:56.599 finished. 00:32:57.119 --> 00:32:57.839 We no longer 00:32:57.839 --> 00:32:58.619 need to strive 00:32:58.619 --> 00:32:59.160 for that 00:32:59.160 --> 00:33:00.019 justification. 00:33:00.440 --> 00:33:01.000 We no longer 00:33:01.000 --> 00:33:01.940 need to strive 00:33:01.940 --> 00:33:03.579 for that sense 00:33:03.579 --> 00:33:04.359 of why do we 00:33:04.359 --> 00:33:05.019 feel important. 00:33:05.519 --> 00:33:06.259 Because of what 00:33:06.259 --> 00:33:06.759 he's done on 00:33:06.759 --> 00:33:07.240 the cross, 00:33:07.839 --> 00:33:08.500 he's already 00:33:08.500 --> 00:33:09.319 given that to 00:33:09.319 --> 00:33:10.740 us and used 00:33:10.740 --> 00:33:11.539 the Sabbath to 00:33:11.539 --> 00:33:12.519 remind ourselves 00:33:12.519 --> 00:33:13.779 that every 00:33:13.779 --> 00:33:14.099 week. 00:33:14.759 --> 00:33:15.119 Let us 00:33:15.119 --> 00:33:15.359 pray. 00:33:18.299 --> 00:33:18.940 Father God, 00:33:19.019 --> 00:33:19.440 we just want 00:33:19.440 --> 00:33:20.359 to give you 00:33:20.359 --> 00:33:20.859 thanks that we 00:33:20.859 --> 00:33:21.180 can come 00:33:21.180 --> 00:33:21.940 together today, 00:33:22.539 --> 00:33:23.279 Lord, to 00:33:23.279 --> 00:33:23.819 discuss your 00:33:23.819 --> 00:33:25.160 word, to be 00:33:25.160 --> 00:33:25.920 reminded of 00:33:25.920 --> 00:33:26.460 the gift, 00:33:26.740 --> 00:33:27.319 this ultimate 00:33:27.319 --> 00:33:28.019 gift that you've 00:33:28.019 --> 00:33:28.559 given us. 00:33:29.480 --> 00:33:30.220 That is the 00:33:30.220 --> 00:33:30.879 Sabbath day. 00:33:31.460 --> 00:33:32.240 That is a day 00:33:32.240 --> 00:33:32.960 that we can 00:33:32.960 --> 00:33:33.720 look up on the 00:33:33.720 --> 00:33:35.299 cross, that we 00:33:35.299 --> 00:33:36.559 can know that 00:33:36.559 --> 00:33:37.220 we no longer 00:33:37.220 --> 00:33:38.039 need to work 00:33:38.039 --> 00:33:39.359 for our 00:33:39.359 --> 00:33:40.500 salvation, but 00:33:40.500 --> 00:33:41.359 our salvation is 00:33:41.359 --> 00:33:42.059 granted to us 00:33:42.059 --> 00:33:42.539 because of 00:33:42.539 --> 00:33:42.879 what you've 00:33:42.879 --> 00:33:43.299 done on the 00:33:43.299 --> 00:33:43.599 cross. 00:33:43.919 --> 00:33:44.319 On the 00:33:44.319 --> 00:33:44.879 cross, we 00:33:44.879 --> 00:33:45.379 are reminded 00:33:45.379 --> 00:33:47.460 that we are 00:33:47.460 --> 00:33:47.960 much worse 00:33:47.960 --> 00:33:48.480 than that. 00:33:48.980 --> 00:33:49.839 We believe 00:33:49.839 --> 00:33:50.419 you we are 00:33:50.419 --> 00:33:51.000 because it 00:33:51.000 --> 00:33:51.639 took the 00:33:51.639 --> 00:33:52.259 Son of God 00:33:52.259 --> 00:33:52.799 to die on 00:33:52.799 --> 00:33:53.399 the cross for 00:33:53.399 --> 00:33:53.659 us. 00:33:54.259 --> 00:33:55.000 But we are 00:33:55.000 --> 00:33:55.740 loved much 00:33:55.740 --> 00:33:56.919 more than we 00:33:56.919 --> 00:33:57.399 can ever 00:33:57.399 --> 00:33:58.899 imagine because 00:33:58.899 --> 00:33:59.619 you were on 00:33:59.619 --> 00:34:00.460 that cross and 00:34:00.460 --> 00:34:01.059 you died for 00:34:01.059 --> 00:34:01.359 us. 00:34:02.480 --> 00:34:03.179 For all that, 00:34:03.279 --> 00:34:03.879 we lift up to 00:34:03.879 --> 00:34:04.339 you, Lord. 00:34:04.579 --> 00:34:05.059 In the name of 00:34:05.059 --> 00:34:05.700 our Lord Jesus. 00:34:06.419 --> 00:34:06.700 Amen. 00:34:06.700 --> 00:34:06.819 Amen. 00:34:06.819 --> 00:34:06.839 Amen. 00:34:06.839 --> 00:34:07.839 Amen.