What is Sabbath?

The word Sabbath comes from the Hebrew word ‘Shabbat’, which means ‘to stop’ or ‘to cease’. The concept of Sabbath is first introduced in Genesis 2:2-3. In this passage, God takes six days to create the world. Though He is not tired, He rests and delights in what He has made, establishing for us a rhythm of work and rest. God then invites His people into this rest and delight. Adam, the first man, was charged with work to do, but he failed to enter God’s rest because of his own failures. God promised to restore this 'rest' through a coming Redeemer. When the Law of Moses is given, Sabbath laws are introduced to remind the people of God to stop working and join in God's rest.

Pete Scazzero defines Sabbath as “a twenty-four-hour block of time in which we stop work, enjoy rest, practice delight, and contemplate God.” The traditional Jewish Sabbath begins at sundown on Friday and ends at sundown on Saturday. In most Christian traditions, Sabbath is observed on Sunday.

In the New Testament, we see how Jesus engages with the Sabbath. Mark 2:27 records Jesus saying, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” Jesus emphasizes that Sabbath is a gift for humanity, not merely a strict law. Ultimately, Jesus points to Himself as our rest. He is the Redeemer who accomplishes God’s work perfectly and invites us into the rest He has earned for us.

WhY DO WE Sabbath?

Sabbath was once a law, a part of the old covenant that compelled the people of God to reflect Him and remain in right relationship with Him. But now, because of Christ, practicing Sabbath is an ordinary way we can be like God. God worked hard for six days and rested for one. Not because he was exhausted or as a precaution from exhaustion, but to delight in what He made. Sabbath is a gift for us to enjoy. Sabbath is the day when we acknowledge our limitations and pause from work. It’s a time to sit and recognize that we will never complete all our goals and projects; indeed, one day we will pass away with unfinished tasks. Sabbath is when we embrace the reality that God, not us, is sovereign over the universe. By pausing, we uncover any imbalances in our relationship with our work. It reveals where our identity and trust are placed.

WhY HAVE A CHURCH-WIDE SABBATICAL SEASON?

We believe that practicing a weekly sabbath leads to a healthy soul, furthermore, we’ve added this season of Sabbath for a few reasons.

  1. To celebrate the work God is doing in our church

  2. To give our teams and leaders rest

  3. To cultivate spiritual intimacy with God and prepare for the next year

We want to invite you into a summer of resting and delighting alongside one another. We will be suspending all ministry meetings/functions other than a limited pastoral counseling schedule and the Sunday gathering.

PRACTICING SABBATH

The goal is to have days or blocks of time that allow us to, as Eugene Peterson says, pray and play. If we want our Sabbath to be restful and full of opportunities for contemplation and delight, we will need to have some intentionality around preparing for our Sabbath. Below are some questions for you to consider as you prepare to engage in Sabbath.

PREPARATION

When?

It is a good idea to be as consistent as possible in planning a time of rest. You might decide that you are going to enjoy Sabbath every Saturday, for example. For those who don’t have the same day off each week you might find it helpful to think through your week in advance, so that you can try and plan ahead. For those who serve on a team, use the time you would have spent attending meetings or preparing to serve to pray and play. Remember that a day off isn’t automatically a Sabbath. There is intentionality around stopping, resting, contemplating and delighting. Decide what your time frame is going to be. Mark the Sabbath on your calendar.

How?

Spend some time considering how long you are going to Sabbath for. Ideally, you will one day be able to enjoy a regular rhythm of having a 24 hour period of rest once a week but if that is currently unavailable to you, then consider some of these options:

  • a 3 hour block

  • a Sabbath meal

  • a half day

  • a 12 hour period

What?

Spend some time in advance thinking about what you are going to do on your Sabbath. Are there any preparations that need to be made? You might want to consider some of the following questions:

  • What are the activities that I want to refrain from on my Sabbath?

  • What are the sorts of activities that I want to create room for?

  • How will this day look and feel different from other days?

  • How will my interactions with technology differ on my Sabbath?

  • Are there any errands I need to run in advance so that I can rest on my Sabbath - pay bills, do laundry, go grocery shopping, respond to text messages?

  • Are there any special food items or materials I want to get in advance so that I can eat something in particular or engage in some form of creative expression?

  • If you would prefer not to cook on your Sabbath, what food do you need to prepare in advance?

  • If you have children, are there any activities or resources you want to prepare in advance?

You don’t need to have every minute planned – leave room for being slow and spontaneous!

Where?

Spend some time in advance thinking about where you would like to spend your Sabbath. Will you be at home? Will you venture out to a particular place of beauty or inspiration? Would you like to be in nature? You might find it helpful to consider some of the following questions:

  • Do I need to clean up my apartment or bedroom in advance so that I can enjoy an environment that is conducive to rest and delight?

  • If I want to attend a performance or go to a museum or gallery, do I need to book anything in advance?

  • If I am going to travel somewhere, can I plan my route in advance to eliminate any stress on the day?

Who?

Be intentional about who you invite into your Sabbath rest. If you are going to spend time with others, ensure that they are people who understand the value you are placing on this practice and can support and champion you in it. Who do you need to tell about this new practice that you are trying to engage with? 

If you have children, you can share with them that you are going to try something new as a family, so that all of you can enjoy being present with one another, having a slow morning and prioritizing rest and fun.

BEFORE WE SABBATH

When we begin to practice a regular rhythm of Sabbath, we will want to pay attention to the distinction between activities that are simply recreational (binge watching Netflix/scrolling social media, etc. that often provide a false sense of rest) and activities that are actually restorative and lead us into a deeper awareness of God’s loving presence.

Take some time to reflect on the following questions:

  1. What gets in the way of me stopping and resting?

  2. What do I think will happen if I stop?

  3. What gives me my sense of worth and value?

  4. To what extent am I motivated by fear and guilt, rather than desire, freedom and the invitation of the Holy Spirit?

  5. What activities or practices make me feel the most rested?

  6. How do I experience beauty and delight?

  7. What awakens in me a sense of wonder or worship?

WHAT SABBATH ISN’T

  1. Binging TV/Video games

  2. Over eating

  3. Drug use

  4. Alcohol abuse 

  5. Neglecting responsibility 

  6. Pornography use

WHAT DO WE DO FOR THE PRAYER tIMES?

  1. Read a Psalm or say a prayer, consecrating this time of rest to God, as an act of worship.

  2. Journal your prayers

  3. Listen to worship music 

  4. Enjoy silence and solitude

  5. Go for a walk

  6. Read a book

  7. Go on retreat

  8. Get into nature

  9. Switch off your phone

  10. Take a long shower or bath

  11. Day dream

  12. Have a slow morning

  13. Take a nap

HOW DO WE PLAY?

As an adult, it can be hard to play. We often associate play with children, however it is crucial for us as followers of Jesus to be child-like and enjoy God’s world as an act of worship. Spend some time reflecting on the following prompts: 

  1. What activities or experiences bring me a sense of wonder and delight?

  2. What is beautiful to me? 

  3. What does it look like for me to play?

  4. What makes me feel most alive or content?

  5. What makes me laugh?

  6. When do I experience the delight of God over me?

  7. When I was a child, what brought me pleasure and delight?

  8. When I was a child, my favorite game/activity was….

  9. I don’t do this much anymore, but I used to really enjoy…

  10. Music that makes me feel happy is…

  11. If it weren’t too late I would….

  12. The person I most enjoy being with is….

  13. If I could take any class it would be…

  14. I’ve always wanted to try…

  15. If I could wear anything it would be…

  16. Something silly I would like to try once is…

  17. If I was a little braver I would…


Some Suggested practices:

  1. Sing or dance

  2. Play a game

  3. Be in nature

  4. Paint/sketch/build/write/make art

  5. Go for a bike ride

  6. Wander the city taking photographs

  7. Be a tourist in the city

  8. Read a book or poetry

  9. Make love (if you’re married!)

  10. Visit a museum or gallery

  11. Go on the swings

  12. Bake something delicious

  13. Spend time with people you love

  14. Rollerskate

  15. Wear something fun

  16. Play Basketball

  17. Express gratitude

  18. Visit somewhere you’ve never been

  19. Do a puzzle

  20. Laugh

  21. Watch a movie

  22. Write a letter to someone you love

  23. Take a long bath

  24. Spend time with kids

  25. Catch up with a friend

  26. Take a nap

  27. Play sports

  28. Try new food

  29. Sabbath meal

  30. Exercise

  31. Day/Weekend Retreat

  32. Creativity

  33. Being present

  34. Enjoying a nap

  35. Doing something fun

  36. Silence and Solitude

  37. Making love (if you’re married!)

SABBATH AS A COMMUNITY

Sabbath is only possible together. For many of us, sabbath isn’t easily done given our busy lives, kids, jobs, etc. Therefore, we need each other’s help to take God’s invitation to rest. Also, God has provided relationships in the church that can give you rest and delight. Here are some things to consider as we rest together:

  1. How can I help my brother or sister rest in this sabbatical season?

  2. Is there a responsibility I can take off of someone's plate for an hour or two?

  3. Who can I connect with during this sabbatical season?

  4. Is there a fun activity that I can invite someone from the church to?

  5. Does my schedule align with anyone else's?

SABBATH WITH KIDS*

Parenting is exhausting and there is definitely a need for parents to intentionally plan for times of rest and retreat away from their kids. However, as parents, we also need to cultivate time with our kids that feels slow, restful and maybe even delightful. As adults, learning to slow down is challenging, and for kids it will be too. Making any change to your family routine will take time and intentionality. Every family is unique and your family will have its own unique challenges and limitations, but learning to Sabbath with your kids is within your reach. This is a great opportunity to get creative and dream a little about what you want your family life to look like, and then to begin making slow steps towards that becoming a reality.

Communication

When making any change in your routine and dynamic, start by talking about it as a family. Explain why you want to make this change and how you think it will benefit all of you. Involve your children in the discussion and invite their ideas about what would make for a restful or delightful Sabbath. You could ask them:

  1. What are your favorite things for us to do as a family?

  2. What could we do to make our Sabbath special, or different from every other day?

Being Present

Hopefully your Sabbath with kids will create pockets of time that are restful for you as a parent, but often in order for that to happen, you also need to cultivate times with your kids when you are absolutely and fully present to them. If you’re playing lego with them, then only play lego with them, don’t be half checked out scrolling news stories on your phone. If you’re at the playground, be engaged with them, don’t read a book on the bench and ignore them. If you’re having a princess tea party, then be all in, don’t be half present and half cleaning their bedroom at the same time. When children get your full, undivided attention some of the time, they increasingly become more understanding of the need for them to sometimes play alone or with a sibling, so that you can have some time to yourself.

Time alone

It’s helpful to set aside special toys or games that are only to be used on the Sabbath, so that children will look forward to playing with them for that part of the day when you want some time to yourself. (You can even set aside a few Christmas or birthday presents for this purpose). If playing on their own is new for them, you might have to start with 20 minutes and gradually build.

Families with two parents may want to ‘divide and conquer’ - one parent hangs with the children for a couple of hours to give the other a well deserved break and then they swap. It’s beneficial to have at least part of the day when you can have some family fun altogether.

Creating ritual

Play and delight come easily to children so involve them in thinking about fun ideas for your Sabbath. During the week you can ask them, what would be something fun for us to do as a family on our Sabbath this week? Maybe you can each make suggestions (you can even put these into a pot) and agree to pick a different one each week. What you do will obviously depend on the age of your kids but you could consider:

  1. Visiting a new neighborhood

  2. Going upstate to a State Park

  3. Visiting a museum or gallery

  4. Checking out a new playground

  5. Going out for a fun dessert

  6. Watching a movie together

  7. Eating out

It’s also important that children understand that Sabbath is something that God desires for us, and that we do it as an act of worship. Create space for them to contemplate God too. You can mark your Sabbath by lighting a candle, having a special family meal (breakfast for dinner?! have a special dessert), reading a Psalm or children’s Bible story before dinner, expressing gratitude, or speaking words of blessing or encouragement over one another. You can ask meal time questions like:

  1. What was the best part of your week?

  2. What was the hardest part of your week?

  3. What are you grateful for today?

  4. Where did you experience God or beauty this week?

  5. What is one thing you love about our family?

*SABBATH WITH KIDS CONTENT KINDLY PROVIDED BY OAKS CHURCH BROOKLYN

FINAL NOTES

Resting is hard. It’s the exact opposite of what we’ve been trained, encouraged, and rewarded to do. However, Christ invites us into a better way. A way that provides us the means to meet with God, to enjoy his world, and enjoy one another.

If you need to chat through your sabbath plans, your Pastors are here to help, your community is here to support you, and the Lord hears your prayers.


Passages to Meditate on:

Mark 2:27

27 And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.

Genesis 2:2-3 

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

 
Deuteronomy 5:12-15 

“‘Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the Lord your God commanded you. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter or your male servant or your female servant, or your ox or your donkey or any of your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates, that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you. You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.

Ezekiel 20:12-24 

Moreover, I gave them my Sabbaths, as a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord who sanctifies them. But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness. They did not walk in my statutes but rejected my rules, by which, if a person does them, he shall live; and my Sabbaths they greatly profaned. “Then I said I would pour out my wrath upon them in the wilderness, to make a full end of them. But I acted for the sake of my name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I had brought them out. Moreover, I swore to them in the wilderness that I would not bring them into the land that I had given them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the most glorious of all lands, because they rejected my rules and did not walk in my statutes, and profaned my Sabbaths; for their heart went after their idols. ...

Exodus 20:8-11 

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

Isaiah 30:15-18

15 For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel,
“In returning[a] and rest you shall be saved;
    in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.”
But you were unwilling, 16 and you said,
“No! We will flee upon horses”;
    therefore you shall flee away;
and, “We will ride upon swift steeds”;
    therefore your pursuers shall be swift.
17 A thousand shall flee at the threat of one;
    at the threat of five you shall flee,
till you are left
    like a flagstaff on the top of a mountain,
    like a signal on a hill.

18 Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you,
    and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you.
For the Lord is a God of justice;
    blessed are all those who wait for him.

Psalm 131

O LORD, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me. But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me.

Matthew 11:28-30

28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Philippians 4:8

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.