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Rest
Sabbath Realigns God's Purpose In Me
Sunday October 23, 2022 - Pastor Wungreiso Valui
Ezekiel 20

But I said to their children in the wilderness, "Do not walk in the statutes of your fathers, nor observe their judgments, nor defile yourselves with their idols. I am the Lord your God: Walk in My statutes, keep My judgments, and do them; hallow My Sabbaths, and they will be a sign between Me and you, that you may know that I am the Lord your God." Ezekiel:20-18-20

THE MESSAGE

In this message I will share with you God's Three Dos and Three Don'ts. At the end of the message, I will share with you how to experience Sabbath rest and why Sabbath rest is a sign between you and God.

DESIRED OUTCOME

To Realign God's Purpose In You

CONTEXT

  • 1. God chose Israel and raised His hand in an oath to the descendants of the house of Jacob saying, "I am the Lord your God." (v 5)
  • 2. God raised His hand in an oath to them, to bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land that I had searched out for them, 'flowing with milk and honey,' the glory of all lands. (v 6)

PROMISED KEPT

  1. God took His people out of Egypt (v 10)
  2. God gave His people His statutes (v 11a)
  3. God showed them His judgments to "live by them" (v 11b)
  4. God gave His people the Sabbaths to be a sign between His people and Him (v 12)

THE THREE BIBLICAL SIGNS OF COVENANT

SABBATH AS A SIGN

The Sabbath is

  1. an identifying mark of God's people
  2. a statement of faith
  3. a visible practice of trust in God

PROBLEM

  • 1. The Generation that came from Egypt rebelled against God.
  • 2. God spoke to the next generation and told them to not repeat the same mistakes as their fathers.
  • 3. The next generation repeated the same mistakes.

THE SOLUTION

SABBATH REALIGNS YOUR PRIORITIES (Boundaries), RELATIONSHIPS (Behaviors), VALUES (Beliefs)

I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD

  1. God spoke to the next generation, born and raised in the wilderness to follow His path and an opportunity to walk in His ways.
  2. God is also giving us His path and the opportunity to walk in His ways.

THE THREE DON'TS

Do not walk in the statutes of your fathers

The first generation disobeyed God and refused to put away their idolatry. (vv 5?9)

Question Your Why

  1. Why do you do what you do?
  2. Align your priorities and your actions

Do not observe their judgments

Because the first generation rebelled against God, He told them they would not go to the land, but die in the wilderness. (vv 10-17)

Examine Your Why

  1. What do you stand for?
  2. Align your values and your actions

Do not defile yourselves with their idols

But the second generation also rebelled. They did not learn the lesson God gave them. They also became involved in idolatry. (vv 21-24)

Write Down What's Important And Why

  1. What will and what won't you tolerate?
  2. Align your whys and your actions

THE THREE DOS

Walk in My statutes

God's statutes set boundaries for life (set them in stone).
Setting boundaries will require you to do something you may not want to do.

Set Boundaries

  1. Make Sacrifice if you desire to rest
  2. Make room for some discomfort

Keep My judgments, and do them

God's judgment is just and fair.
Getting things done doesn't necessarily mean you are doing the right thing.

Do The Right Thing

  1. Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness
  2. How will my action impact spouse and family
  3. Am I needed by my community
Hallow My Sabbaths

Be vertically aligned to experience a Sabbath rest.

Honor the Lord and God will honor His promises - Isaiah 56:1-8

  1. Blessed is the man who keeps the sabbath, justice and does righteousness (vv 1-2)
  2. To the eunuch: God will give in His house a name better than that of sons and daughters, an everlasting name (vv 3-5)
  3. To Foreigners: God will bring them to His Holy mountain, make them joyful in the House of prayer and accept their offerings and sacrifices (vv 6-7a)
  4. For My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations (v 7b)

Vertically Aligned Your Heart With God

  1. How long has it been that I had a good conversation with God?
  2. Have a system (order and structure) for evaluating your boundaries, behaviors, & beliefs to aid you in your daily key decisions

YOUR WEEKLY TAKEAWAYS AND REMINDER

  • 1. Walk in My Statutes, keep My Judgments and do them, hallow My Sabbaths.
  • 2. They will be a sign between Me and you.
  • 3. You may know that I am the Lord your God.