This sermon explores the importance of rest as modeled by Jesus in scripture, and discusses three rhythms that can help us balance productivity and rest in our lives.
If you have been with us for the last three weeks, you have come a long way and hopefully feel more confident about redeeming your time. A quick recap for those who may have missed: In Ephesians 5:15-17, God commands us to “redeem the time.” Why? So that we can do “the will of the Lord.” We’ve been looking at seven principles from the life of Jesus as an example of how we can redeem our time. Here’s a quick summary of where we’ve been so far: Principle #1: Start with the Word Principle #2: Let Your Yes Be Yes Principle #3: Dissent From the Kingdom of Noise Principle #4: Prioritize Your Yeses Principle #5: Accept Your Unipresence
When thinking about time management and to-do lists, it is so easy to get overwhelmed. We have so much to do, so many things coming at us from all directions, so many responsibilities. It can seem like an impossible task.
Today will hopefully feel like a deep breath. A breath of fresh air. As Jesus says in Matthew 11: 28-30: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 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. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
With this in mind, allow me to introduce the sixth timeless time management principle of this series: Principle #6: Embrace Productive Rest - To redeem our time in the model of our Redeemer, we must embrace the God-designed rhythms of rest which are counterintuitively productive for our goals and our souls.
Principle #6: Embrace Productive Rest - To redeem our time in the model of our Redeemer, we must embrace the God-designed rhythms of rest which are counterintuitively productive for our goals and our souls.
We live in a “hustle” culture. If you want to get more done, the world will often tell you to “work harder,” “burn the midnight oil,” or “sleep when you’re dead.” But the biblically-based, scientifically-verified truth is that rest is a counterintuitive key to being wildly productive. In order to do more, most of us need to do less and rest more.
So what are these God-designed rhythms? Where do we see Jesus implementing these examples of rest?
#1 Daily Breaks
We see Jesus displaying the first rhythm in Mark 6:30-32: “The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.”
The disciples had been working hard, teaching and ministering to the people. While our culture would say, just teach one more sermon, reach one more person...Jesus recognized that what his disciples really needed and what was going to be best for everyone was rest.
Most of us treat our days as sprints—going as hard and fast as we can until we finally collapse in the afternoon. This is just not how God designed us to run. God created us to operate not as if we’re in a sprint or a marathon but a workout.
Scientists have discovered that God has hardwired us to “pulse” every other hour in what are called ultradian cycles. Essentially, our brains move from higher to lower levels of alertness every ninety minutes. At the end of that ninety-minute cycle, our brain needs a break. Ultradian cycles are our body’s way of demanding we work for ninety minutes, rest for fifteen to thirty, and start all over again, repeating the cycle on a bi-hourly basis throughout the day.
This seems like a colossal waste of time, but I dare you to give it a try. I wouldn’t be surprised if these brief rests ironically help you get more and better work done.
#2 Nightly Sleep
The second rhythm is sleep ... View this full sermon with PRO Premium
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