Sabbath | Cultural Exegesis
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Crisis Formula
Burnout comes when the weight of your life is too much for your soul to bear.
Blue Laws
Financial Revolution
Industrial Revolution
Informational Revolution
Anne Helen Petersen, Can’t Even: How Millennials Became the Burnout Generation - “We’re trying to build a solid foundation on quicksand.”
Anne Helen Petersen - A lot of sadness and regret…Many people I heard from believed they made the choices they were supposed to make and it led them to a deeply unsatisfying place. They had confidence in the path, society assured them it was the right path, so they went to college and took out debt and expected things to work out. Or they pursued a certain career and found themselves continually exploited and continually behind. The end result of that is a kind of despair and anger…
Walter Brueggemann - According to some the word “Sabbath” is a name of the Holy One. The primary awareness, then, is one of our being within the Sabbath rather than of the Sabbath being within us…the air of the Sabbath surrounds us like spring which spreads over the land without our aid or notice.
So that we might receive…
Rich Villodas - “The sabbath is a literal 24 hour period without anxiety, (without) “have-to’s,” or “shoulds,” which over time is to result in deep rest and renewal.”
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Each Sunday we come together we offer an open invitation into the way of Jesus. An invitation to enter into sacred rhythms - to draw near to God through singing, giving, learning, and praying.
As a community that desires renewal in Des Moines as it is in Heaven, we recognize that we cannot offer what we ourselves do not have. We cannot lead where we ourselves have not been led; in turn, these questions aim at reflection. Reflecting on God’s word and making space for his leadership.
After watching or listening consider the following discussion questions as a large group or in groups of three to four:
What stood out from the teaching?
In what ways do you feel modern life straining against human/your limitations?
What does Jesus’ invitation to “come to him” with your weariness and burdens elicit (draw out) in you (surprise, fear, gladness)?
What is your current understanding of the Sabbath?
Is the Sabbath part of your life currently? Why? Or, why not?
What thoughts and feeling do you have going into this sabbath practice?