Root to Flourish: Sabbath 04 | Worship and God's Heart for Creation with Josh Liem

Pilgrim Church

What does true worship look like in light of God's Sabbath rhythm? Join us as we explore how Sabbath keeping shapes our understanding of what God finds precious. We'll dive into Scripture to uncover how our worship - not just on Sundays, but every day - can align with God's heart for justice, healing, and rest for all of creation.

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For reflection & discussion:

1. In what ways is it easy for your practice of Sabbath to become “sabbish,” more of a day off than a day of worship?

2. How do you enjoy God? What practices, disciplines, or activities bring you genuine joy in God?

3. What “false gods” are you tempted to worship, which, while they may be very good things (or not), pull you away from your holy center in God?

4. What does it mean to you that the land itself needs rest? How might this understanding change our approach to environmental stewardship?

5. Jesus often performed healings on the Sabbath. How might this inform our own Sabbath practices? What could "healing" look like in our context?

6. How might adopting a "Sabbath imagination" change the way we engage with issues of justice, rest, and care for the vulnerable in our community?

Exercise for the week:

Plan a Sabbath feast! Ideally, do this together with the people around you, such as your small group or your family. Whether it’s 20 people for a giant cookout in the backyard or just one or two close friends out to dinner, plan out a meal together. Cook or order your favorite foods. Make sure there’s dessert. If you drink wine, save your best bottle for this meal.

Don’t forget, this is an incredible chance to practice hospitality. If you have a home or apartment, host. If you know how to cook, use your skills. If you know people who don’t have community or family, bring them in. Reach across the lines that divide our society–socioeconomics, race, politics, etc. Jesus’ dream is for our dining room tables to look as diverse and beautiful as the kingdom of God, where every tribe, tongue, and nation is on display.

Recommended Resources for continuing the journey:

Abraham Joshua Heschel, The Sabbath Dan Allender, Sabbath “Sabbath” and “Practicing the Way Course” at www.practicingtheway.org Rule of Life, Podcast