God First
Audio Recording
Sermon Outline
Speaker: Rev. Scott Strickman
Sermon Series: Sabbath
Deuteronomy 5:12-15 (ESV)
12 “‘Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the Lord your God commanded you. 13 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 14 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter or your male servant or your female servant, or your ox or your donkey or any of your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates, that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you. 15 You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.
Sermon Outline
Be clear on what is first in your life (make sure it is God) and guard that priority with how you organize your time (v14).
1. Remember That You Were Slaves
v15 “You shall remember that you were a slave”
2. Remember That God Brought You Out
v15b “You shall remember that… God brought you out from there”
3. Observe and Keep a Day
v12 “Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the Lord your God commanded you.”
v13 “On it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter or your male servant...”
Prayer of Confession
Almighty God, our great redeemer, again we need your grace. We admit our sin and failings. We remember that we have given ourselves over to what has enslaved us. We have served and devoted ourselves to people, things, institutions and ideologies. We have suffered the miseries of idolatry. We have subjected others to misery because of our corrupt stewardship of power. We have not welcomed your invitation or heeded your warning to keep you first in our lives. Forgive us. As we remember our sin and misery, we also remember you, our deliverer. Thank you for coming in glory and power to rescue us. Thank you for coming with humility and dealing with our sin with such sacrificial mercy. Free us from guilt and shame, and refresh us for our walk with you this week. Amen.
Questions for Reflection
What is your first priority in life? Where is it in your schedule? How have you prioritized it?
Why is it important to have a positive vision of work and rest? Why is rest good, even if it doesn’t feel needed?
Why is it important to discern ways work gets corrupted? What are some ways work has been or become problematic for you?
Why is important to see rest as a means of dealing with how work is negatively impacting you?
What does it mean to “remember you were a slave”? A slave to what? What have you experienced that touches on this theme?
Who do we see God to be in moments like the exodus or in Jesus going to the cross? What do these actions display about the character of God?
Do you need to draw more heavily on God’s strength, as the protector who comes to deliver and defend; or on God’s kindness and compassion, who cares about you and enters your suffering? How are both needed?
How can you put and keep God first in your life? What needs to happen with your rhythms and schedule to safeguard that?
What can you do to make the first day of the week a day where you are connecting with God? What do you need to be careful about?