Date: June 4, 2023 (Trinity Sunday)

Scripture: Genesis 2:1-4

Scripture Reader: Dan Ward

Sermon Title: “God of Rest”

Preacher: Rev. Dr. Bob Jon

You can also listen on Podcast from iTunes and Spotify. Search for “Podcasting from Rev. Bob Jon.”

I want to say “thank you” to all those who reached out to me with cards, emails, texts, and phone calls to tell me that you prayed for my healing as I struggled with shingles this past week. Janice called me to give me some tips on pain. Dottie even came to the parsonage and gave us some scones. From time to time, we suffer, feel vulnerable and struggle helplessly, but that is often when we feel how much we are loved and matter to others. I say “Thank you” from the bottom of my heart again and pray God blesses you in your generous hearts. 

After I was diagnosed with shingles last Sunday, I was sent to the Mass General ER on Tuesday due to some concern about shingles spreading to my eye. Thankfully, Peter gave me a ride down to Boston and sat with me the whole time. Bless his heart. As I told the doctor I had shingles, she said, “Oh, you are not alone. Actually, there have been an increasing number of those under 50s who come down with shingles lately. We think it has something to do with stress, especially as we are coming out of the pandemic.” If you have not had shingles, my advice to you is “just don’t get it.” It is quite painful. But one thing seems clear. Whether we are young or old, we are stressed. 

A recent article that appeared in American Psychological Association argues this pandemic has made many people struggle with even basic decisions such as what to wear or what to eat, not to mention the stress from inflation, the war in Ukraine, and global uncertainty. As we will continue to learn more about the lasting impact of this pandemic in the future, it seems urgent that we need to pay attention to our stress, whether they are low or high. There are many self-help guidebooks on how to manage our stress, such as exercising, eating well, or enjoying hobbies. But I want to invite us this morning to pay attention to the biblical notion of how to manage our stress effectively. Sabbath. I want to share with you three points. What is Sabbath? Why do we practice Sabbath? And finally, how can we practice it? 

First of all, what is Sabbath? The Hebrew word for Sabbath is “Shabbath,” meaning “cease, rest, or end.” And our reading today from Genesis tells us how it was created in the beginning. In the beginning, the earth was complete chaos, and darkness covered the face of the deep while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. And God brought order out of this chaos through God’s words. “Let there be light,” and there was light. God called the light Day and the darkness Night. “Let there be a dome to separate the waters from the waters.” God called the dome Sky. As the days went on, God continued to work by speaking. “Let there be land. Let there be lights in the day and night. Let there be living creatures in the ocean and birds in the sky. Let the earth bring forth living creatures. On the sixth day, God created humans in God’s image to be stewards of all God’s creation. God saw everything God created, and the Bible says, “It was very good.” After six days of work, God rested on the seventh day and blessed it. 

Abraham Heschel is a distinguished Jewish scholar and activist. In his book, The Sabbath, Heschel points out that it is our human tendency to be occupied with space. It is the objective of many people to enhance their power and influence over others by conquering space. We work to buy our homes and summer cottages. We work in companies to expand our territory of gaining more consumers globally. Countries go to war against each other to invade or defend their space called borderline. But Sabbath is a sanctification of time. It is a sacred time hollowed by God that is not bound by what happens in this world. Therefore, Heschel says, “Sabbath is a day on which we are called upon to share in what is eternal in time, to turn from the results of creation to the mystery of creation.” So, what is the Sabbath? It is a day of rest from work in the participation of God who graciously sanctifies this day as joyous, restful, and generous. 

Secondly, why do we practice Sabbath? A simple answer would be, “It is because God commanded us to do.” A quick quiz. What is the fourth commandment? “Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy.” I know that some people might cringe at the words “commandments” when we believe that we have our personal freedom to say what we want to say and live the way we want to live, maybe except for paying taxes to IRS. Theologically, God gives us Sabbath and commands us to keep it holy because God wants to give us freedom in God. 

Toward the end of Genesis, we read how Jacob and his eleven sons, their wives, and their children entered the land of Egypt in times of famine. Although the ten brothers sold Joseph into slavery, God elevated him as the prime minister in Egypt so that his family could be saved in times of trouble and multiply in great numbers. As a matter of fact, looking at how strong the Israelites grew among them, the Egyptians grew fearful of them. They thought in times of war, these Israelites might join their enemies and attack them. So, they enslaved these Hebrews. They gave them hard labor to build supply cities for Pharaoh. They put them into work and made their lives bitter and miserable, working with mortar and bricks. And they had no rest because they are slaves. 

Some of us might be offended even hearing the word “slaves” here. What does such a scandalous word have to do with us? I know we are not slaves, but how often do we feel captivated by our works and obligations? I am a pastor. By the nature of my work, I constantly read, think about my sermon for the coming Sunday, visit parishioners, and jump from one committee to another. And I often bring my concerns about my work as a pastor to my home and complain to my wife. You know, my wife is a great listener, usually. But there is a point when she says, “Could we stop talking about our church and instead talk about us and our children?” Dorothy Bass says, “To act as if the world cannot get along without our work for one day in seven is a startling display of pride that denies the sufficiency of our generous Maker.” 

Pharaoh oppressed the Israelites, demanding them to work ceaselessly. There was no sabbath, no rest for them. On the contrary, our God is a generous God who demanded the Israelites to rest from their works, and not just them. Their animals, slaves, both males and females, and even immigrants among them would take a rest on this holy day in honor of this generous God who deeply cares about the well-being and happiness of all God’s creation. 

Finally, how we can celebrate Sabbath? Well, the most important answer would be to come together as a community of believers and worship our God together. For Christians, every Sunday is the day of Christ’s resurrection. It is a day we celebrate the victory of Christ over death, giving us the ultimate hope in God even when we go through trials and tribulations in this world. It is a day we gather to acknowledge that we are united in God’s generous love for us as we share the body and blood of Christ. We share our fellowship and stories with one another. Although our society and world divide us and define us by many labels, sabbath is a day when we come together and bless one another as God’s precious children. Recently, Evelyn celebrated her 68^th birthday. No? Actually 88^th. I called her and told her what a blessing it is to see her at the church, welcoming little children, as Jesus welcomes the little ones. 

And then, we spend our time with our beloved. Or sometimes, we spend time to rest by reading, reflecting, going out for walk. It is said that Eugene Peterson, a Presbyterian pastor, observed his Sabbath by driving to the country, reading Psalms, taking a silent hike for several hours, or a quiet evening at home. Dorothy Bass argues that it is such a terrible idea to have committee meetings at the church after the worship service, as it violates the Sabbath freedom. And I am glad that Aldersgate is not one of those churches. Some of us may not be able to rest on Sundays because we work, or we have other schedules. But we can find one day per week to honor God, who tells us that it is important to rest, take care of ourselves, and rejuvenate, instead of worrying and working constantly. 

I want to finish my sermon with a story I experienced some years ago. It was one Friday in the summer 2019. My family and I went down to New Jersey for a few days of vacation. If you do not know why we go to NJ sometimes, there is a big Korean town in Fort Lee and Palisades Park in New Jersey, which has many authentic Korean restaurants. Of course, many Korean churches there, too. Wherever two or three Koreans gather, they start a church. It’s ok. I can say it because I am a Korean guy, and it is true. Anyway, while we were in New Jersey, we went to Jenkinson’s Aquarium and enjoyed many rides at the amusement park. Unfortunately, Daniel got into an accident in one of the rides and could have lost his leg. Thankfully, the accident ended with just some bruises on his leg and $25 free coupon as compensation or maybe hush money from the park. 

When we came back to our motel, we were just exhausted both physically and emotionally. As we entered the entrance door, I saw the dining room and saw a Jewish family with a little boy and girl gather at the Sabbath meal. The parents set up a table with candles and meals. The father was reading to them a liturgy and scripture, telling them who God was, where they came from, and how God was blessing them through this holy time. As I saw them, I felt like in this busy world, the time had stopped for this family as they partook in the grace and generosity of God who gave them a family. In this world where we are often preoccupied with what we have to do for our children to be good parents, what we have to do for our spouses to stay in healthy relationships, and constantly worried about what to eat, where to travel, this family understood that our happiness and meaning of our lives come from God who gives them to us as God’s generous gift. 

Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” Jesus has become our rest, our sabbath. As we gather this morning as God’s people redeemed by God’s gracious love, I hope that we approach this table with gratitude because who God is for us, our generous Maker, and what God has done for us through Christ to liberate us from the bondage of worries, arrogance, and death. 

Amen.