Bible Study 12th January 2022, “Sabbath rest" courtesy of the BibleProject™ on Zoom
Bible Study January 12th 2022 “Sabbath rest”
For most of the week, we run around providing security and basic needs for ourselves. But Sabbath rest is about stopping to recognize that our lives and provisions ultimately come from God. And while he might be leading us through a wilderness at the moment, our ultimate future hope is in God’s plan to rescue and renew our world.
This week’s Bible Study focuses on the theme of Sabbath rest in the Bible. The Sabbath is a weekly reminder of God’s provision in the past, and it’s meant to foster hope in God’s plan to restore creation. Tracing this biblical theme can give us a new perspective on the instability of our current moment.
You can listen to this week’s Podcast here Sabbath Rest Take some time to prayerfully ask God to show you what He wants to teach you from the Podcast.
You can watch this week’s video here Sabbath
Read and Discuss
1 Read: Genesis 2: 1 – 3
Reflection 1:
How do you find yourself responding to this unwelcome slowdown of life? What thoughts and emotions do you experience? What fears are you aware of?
Reflection 2:
God's rest in Genesis 2 is all about filling a sacred space with his divine presence and celebrating the beauty and abundance of creation. The Sabbath practice is a way for humans to remember God’s presence and his ideal purpose for creation. What are some of the simple things you can celebrate or are grateful for? Who can you share that with this week?
2 Read: Exodus 16: 1 – 36
Reflection 1:
To observe Sabbath is to rest from one’s work. But work is a good and productive thing throughout Scripture. For example, it is one of the reasons God places the human in the garden of Eden, “to work it and keep it” (Genesis 2:15). So why would God command a Sabbath rest from work?
Reflection 2:
The first Sabbath observance takes place in the wilderness in a time of scarcity. God wants Israel to trust that he is their true source of provision and life instead of hoarding or trying to control. In what ways do you try to control things in your life or environment that are not in your control? Take a moment to let go of these things and commit to trusting God to provide instead.
3 Read: Matthew 11: 28 & Matthew 12: 1 - 14
Reflection 1:
Jesus says that rest is found in him, specifically in following him or learning from him. What could this rest look like in your own life practically? What brings you life, makes you thrive, and/or allows you to trust and rest in God?
Reflection 2:
Jesus was not doing away with the concept of Sabbath; rather, he was defining what it truly meant. The purpose of the Sabbath was mercy and harmony or wholeness, not legalism. Does this change how you think about resting in the current situation in any way?