Discussion Questions

1. How would you describe the rhythm of your life? List a few adjectives. Adam and Eve’s first experience of the garden was the Sabbath. Do you tend to “rest from your work” or “work from your rest”? Look at Exodus 20:2-17 - verse 2 says “you once were slave, now you’re free and verses 3-17 online how they can stay free. Sabbath is within the Ten Commandments. How might living the Sabbath bring more freedom to your life?

2. Why would God want to prune things in you that do bear some fruit? Why would He want to cut off things that don’t bear fruit? Why would He want you to rest? What does this say about His character and love for you?

3. You may not think that you have a daily or weekly routine, but whatever your habits are point to the fact that you do. What does your current morning/evening and weekly routine look like? How does each support the concept of Sabbath? How does each impair the concept of Sabbath?

4. What has a Sabbath Day looked like for you traditionally? Is there anything you desire to alter about it?

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In Western American culture, we can be prone to feeling success from “getting things done” and working hard. In Scripture, we see that God wove a work/rest rhythm into creation and that rest was actually Adam and Eve’s first experience of God’s great creation. John 15 speaks to this rhythm of Rest leading to Fruitfulness, then full fledged Word peeling back into Pruning so that we will eventually “bear much fruit”.

Sabbath Rhythms are daily (morning and evening routines), weekly (a Sabbath Day), monthly (a “seek week”), and yearly (restful and fun vacation). Ideas for your Sabbath Day can come from the acronym PRUNE: Pray, Reflect, Unify, Notice, Enjoy.