
GOALS FOR SESSIONS ON SABBATH:
MAIN IDEA
Honoring the sabbath is a decree from God that allows us to rest and recharge without guilt.
HEAD CHANGE
To know that sabbath is a divinely ordained rhythm we’re called to practice.
HEART CHANGE
To feel peace rather than guilt when we decide to rest for a day.
HEART CHANGE
To worship God through keeping the sabbath on a regular basis.
Connection
How do you typically spend your days off? How do you fill up your days when you don’t have to work?
Prepare to Watch Session 1
As you watch John Mark Comer’s teaching, pay attention to how he answers the following questions:
What word did John Mark say is the most literal translation of sabbath?
According to John Mark, what are the four movements of sabbath, and why is each one important?
How does taking a sabbath impact our spiritual lives? Why is sabbath about much more than refusing to work?
VIDEO REVIEW
What comes to mind when you think of the sabbath? How have you participated in the sabbath in the past?
How do you feel when you have unfinished work but try to rest anyways?
When you imagine “observing” the Sabbath, taking a full day to stop and rest, what scares you? What makes it seem difficult or impossible to pull off?
When was the last time you took a day away from your schedule and pressing responsibilities? What do you think it would look like for you to actively rest in Jesus?
Consider the question John Mark asked us: “What could you do for a 24-hour period that would bring you deep, soul-level, throbbing joy?” What could it look like for you to “pleasure stack” on your next sabbath?
Besides attending church, what would it look like for you to dedicate a day to God? What do you think worship looks like outside of your church worship service?
FROM INFORMATION TO TRANSFORMATION
PRACTICE | The Digital Detox
Digital addiction is real! For many, the idea of turning off all your devices for a full day sounds terrifying. Some people even label it irresponsible or lazy. But there are so many benefits to a weekly digital detox, not the least of which is an increased capacity to encounter God and one another in rest.
1. Make a plan. We recommend you turn your devices entirely off for a full day. But you may decide to simply limit your time, or avoid all social media, but still call your mom or FaceTime a friend in another city. If so, I still recommend you put your devices away for the unallotted times.
2. Make any social plans ahead of time. Include this in your preparation day. Schedule times for coffee, brunch, or your picnic at the park with family or friends, so you can stay offline as much as possible.
3. Put your devices away.
Whether you completely power off all devices or just choose to limit your time, either way, put them away — in a box, drawer, or closet. Out of sight, out of mind.
4. Spend an entire day in rest and worship.
Note: If you think this is legalistic or far too impractical, we simply encourage you to try it for a few weeks. Ideally, try it for a full month, as it takes a while to get over the dopamine addiction we have to technology. If after a month, you don’t feel a marked increase in love, joy, and peace in your emotional health and spiritual life, feel free to try something else.
GO DEEPER
READ
Read the chapter “Sabbath” in Part Three of John Mark’s book The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry.
DISCOVER
Explore the ways you and your family or friends could enjoy the sabbath. How would each of you want to enjoy that day?
ACT
Commit to taking a day of sabbath sometime in the next week and, as best as you can, refrain from working and guard your time from mindless distractions.
MEMORIZE
Memorize Mark 2:27: Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.