Our church recently spent a Sunday service exploring the theme of rest and Sabbath. We decided to take a somewhat ‘liturgical’ approach to this theme and so here are a few reflective readings, prayers, and songs that you might want to use in your service.
Sermon First…
It seemed appropriate with this theme of rest to create intentional space to respond and reflect on rest. To accomplish this deliberately moved the sermon to the beginning part of the sermon. This allowed us to get people thinking about the topic of rest and setup some context for a more meaningful time of reflection and response.
Rest On the Journey
Guided Reflection:
- In what ways are you weary on the journey of life?
- Is there something that is stopping you from coming to God to for rest?
- Is there another place you find yourself turning to find rest other than God?
Prayer:
God Of Rest – grant that our souls can find rest in you
Song:
Hungry – Kathryn Scott
Rest From Your Burdens – (Lament)
Guided Reflection:
- What are the burdens you carry that make your soul weary?
- In what ways are you weary from carrying grief?
- In what ways are you weary from your sadness?
- In what ways are you holding tight to bitterness?
- In what ways do you fight with depression and despair?
Prayer:
God Of Rest – grant that our souls can find rest in you
Song:
Come As You Are – David Crowder Band
(Don’t let the beards throw you off – this song is absolutely killer!)
Rest From Guilt – (Confession)
Guided Reflection:
- In what ways does sin make your soul weary?
- How does it sap you of strength
- What are the battles you are fighting with temptation right now?
- Are you weary from an ever present guilt – that seems to follow you?
Prayer:
God Of Rest – grant that our souls can find rest in you
Song:
The River – Brian Doerksen
Rest From Insecurity – (God’s Unconditional Love)
Guided Reflection:
- Are you weary with insecurity?
- What about never feeling good?
- Maybe it’s with your friends, or family, or at your job?
- What about with God?
- Do you feel somehow – that you aren’t good enough – and it’s making your soul weary?
Prayer:
God Of Rest – grant that our souls can find rest in you
Song:
The Pharisee Song – Dan Loewen
Other Song Options:
Before the Throne Of God, In Christ Alone
Romans 5 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we[a] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.
Hebrews 10:19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.
God’s Peace – Rest From Worry
Guided Reflection:
- In what ways is worry – robbing you of peace?
- How does your soul need to be restored?
- What would it look like for you to just take a break from worrying for just a little while?
God Of Rest – grant that our souls can find rest in you
Scripture:
Psalm 23
A Psalm of David.
23 The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
3 He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell[a] in the house of the Lord Forever.
Song:
Lead Me – Dan Loewen
God The Sustainer
Song Story/Context:
(Just a note that while we’ve sung the song Everlasting God by Brenton Brown many, many, many times in our church. Telling the congregation this song story as a bit of an introduction to the song helped the congregation see the song in a new light and added a completely different context to the lyrics. It really helped people connect!)
Reading:
Isaiah 40:28-31
Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
29 He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
31 but those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
Song:
Everlasting God – Brenton Brown & Ken Riley
A Final Note:
If you’re like me, one of the first scripture verses that comes to mind is the verse – Come to me all who are weary, and I will give you rest… While this is a great passage, it’s possibly a bit more nuanced than offering us typical rest for everyday fatigue, or a verse applicable for when you haven’t had enough sleep the night before. The biggest game changer for me was learning that a Rabbi’s way of interpreting the law for his followers was called ‘His Yoke’. Have a look online for some resources on Rabbi and Yoke. This puts a whole new light on this passage and you can quickly see a strong sense of Jesus promising a different way of following God’s law (that is easy and light) in comparison to the Pharisees’ distorted and fatigue inducing version of law keeping.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
