Spiritual Disciplines: Rest

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Spiritual Disciplines
For just as you presented your members as slaves
to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in
further lawlessness, so now present your members
as slaves to righteousness, resulting in
sanctification. Romans 619 cf. 613, 16
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Spiritual Disciplines
Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of
God, to present your bodies a living and holy
sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your
spiritual service of worship. Romans 121 Luke
222
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the Christian Life
Goal Godliness ...the work of God, requiring our
cooperation, rewarding us now and forever.
Process Spiritual Disciplines ...habits of body
and mind that allow us to effectively cooperate
with Gods Spirit in the process of character
transformation.
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the Christian Life
By themselves the Spiritual Disciplines can do
nothing they can only get us to the place where
something can be done. Richard Foster,
Celebration of Discipline
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the Christian Life
the activities constituting the disciplines
have no value in themselves. The aim and
substance of spiritual life is not fasting,
prayer, hymn singing, frugal living, and so
forth. Rather, it is the effective and full
enjoyment of active love of God and humankind in
all the daily rounds of normal existence where we
are placed. Dallas Willard, The
Spirit of the Disciplines
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the Discipline of rest

• The example of Christ at rest
• Jesus had a lot to do
• Jesus often said No
• Before and after a day of ministry Lk. 516
• After Johns arrest Mt. 412
• After Johns death Mt. 1413-14
• After feeding 5000 Mt. 1422-23
• After teaching Mt. 1521

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the Discipline of rest

• The example of Christ at rest
• Jesus had a lot to do
• Jesus often said No
• Jesus honored the Sabbath

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the Discipline of rest

• The example of Christ at rest
• The meaning of Sabbath rest
• One person regards one day above another, another
  regards every day alike. Each person must be
  fully convinced in his own mind. Romans 145

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the Discipline of rest

• The example of Christ at rest
• The meaning of Sabbath rest
• Why should we keep a Sabbath?
• Principle revealed by God in creation
• Thus the heavens and the earth were completed,
  and all their hosts. By the seventh day God
  completed His work which He had done, and He
  rested on the seventh day from all His work which
  He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and
  sanctified it, because in it He rested from all
  His work which God had created and made. Genesis
  213 cf. Ex 208-11

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the Discipline of rest

• The example of Christ at rest
• The meaning of Sabbath rest
• Why should we keep a Sabbath?
• Principle revealed by God in creation
• Principle emphasized in Gods word
• A reminder of emancipation
• A sign of future blessing

You shall remember that you were a slave in the
land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you
out of there by a mighty hand and by an
outstretched arm therefore the Lord your God
commanded you to observe the sabbath day.
Deuteronomy 515
...I gave them My sabbaths to be a sign between
Me and them, that they might know that I am the
Lord who sanctifies them. Ezekiel 2012
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the Discipline of rest

• The example of Christ at rest
• The meaning of Sabbath rest
• What are the benefits of rest?
• Refreshment and renewal
• Focused prayer
• Worship in truth

Every now and then go away, have a little
relaxation, for when you come back to your work
your judgment will be surer, since to remain
constantly at work will cause you to lose power
of judgment... Leonardo Da Vinci.
And He said to His disciples, Come away by
yourselves to a secluded place and rest a while.
(For there were many people coming and going, and
they did not even have time to eat.) Mark 631
But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the
wilderness and pray. Luke 516
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Sabbath principles to Apply

• Everyone needs rest
• It doesnt matter when or how long
• Just start!

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