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Formed By Rest

Practical Rest

October 1, 2017 • Rev. David Juelfs

Let’s do this. Hopefully at this point the idea of taking a weekly Sabbath rest sounds like a good idea. It’s now time to move it from an idea to a reality. After all just thinking about rest isn’t very restful, it can actually be stressful! This Sunday we conclude our series on Sabbath rest. Let’s move it from theory to regular practice. We are going to learn two new things about the Sabbath from the gospel of Mark, but mostly we will be talking about concrete practice, the nitty gritty “how to” of Sabbath rest. As part of the sermon I will be taking questions. You can text me while I preach, and I will do my best to answer them, while punting the really hard ones to Pastor Adam. This weekend read, meditate on, and pray through Mark 2:23-3:6. I can’t wait to worship together. Pastor David

Sabbath Rest Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow

September 24, 2017 • Rev. Adam Feichtmann

Was the Sabbath just an Old Testament practice? Does the New Testament say anything about it? Most often when we think about the Sabbath we remember the Old Testament’s teachings. However, when we survey the New Testament we also find plenty of passages on the Sabbath. The teachings in the New Testament on the Sabbath don’t just cause us to look backwards, they show us that part of our Sabbath practices is to look forward to what is guaranteed in the future. Join me in preparing for worship this Sunday by reading, meditating, and praying through Matthew 11:28-12:8 and Hebrews 4. Reflect on how Sabbath and rest were practiced in the Old Testament, can be practiced today, and will be practiced in the future. I can’t wait to worship with you on Sunday! Pastor Adam

Formed by Rest

September 17, 2017 • Rev. David Juelfs

Sleep is a mystery. According to the Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School, “despite decades of research and many discoveries about other aspects of sleep, the question of why we sleep has been difficult to answer.” Researchers can prove it is critical to our health, but how it works exactly remains unclear. Sabbath rest is similar. The scripture tells us that it is critical to our health (spiritually, emotionally and physically), but understanding exactly how it is so powerful is beyond us. In Deuteronomy 5:12–15 participating in the Sabbath has the power to reshape the broken and wounded identity of God’s people, transforming them into a people of purpose and freedom. Regular Sabbath rest takes a slave people and forms them into a people of freedom. What are the obstacles that stand in our way to experiencing the joy and freedom of regular Sabbath rest? Come with a list of your obstacles and let’s see how God’s gift of Sabbath rest can set us free. I can’t wait to worship together. Pastor David

God Rested

September 10, 2017 • Rev. David Juelfs

God is resting. What are we doing? Why? This Sunday we start another installment in our Spiritual Formation sermon series. Last Spring we explored the formative practice of generosity and now we turn to the active practice of rest. Formed by Rest: Finding true rest in a culture of exhaustion God’s word tells us that he is transforming us, conforming us to the image Christ. He does this by the work of his Spirit and guarantees to complete the work he has started. God also calls us to participate in this work by giving ourselves to certain practices; practices that have shaped his people for countless generations. Over the next weeks we will focus on the spiritual practice of Sabbath rest. Tired? Restless? Exhausted? God has so much to offer us. This weekend consider reading all of Genesis chapter 1 through to Genesis 2:3. God rested. Consider that. God rested. Do you hear the invitation? I can’t wait to worship with you all. Pastor David