November 1, 2020

Work & Rest


Welcome / Call to Worship
Heidelberg Catechism, Lord's Day 10
Q #27. What do you understand 
             by the providence of God?

A. The almighty and ever present 
         power of God
       by which God upholds, as with His hand,
           heaven and earth and all creatures,
       and so governs them that 
           leaf and blade,
           rain and drought,
           fruitful and barren years,
           food and drink, 
           health and sickness, 
           prosperity and poverty—
           indeed, all things, come to us 
               not by chance
               but by His fatherly hand.

Q #28. How does this knowledge
             of God's providence help us?

A. We can be patient in adversity,
       thankful in prosperity,
       and for the future 
              we can have firm confidence
           in our faithful God and Father
       that no creature
           shall separate us from His love.
       For all creatures are so completely
           in His hand that without His will
           they can neither move nor be moved.
Song – “I Love You Lord / We Exalt Thee”

I love You, Lord and I lift my voice
to worship You, O my soul, rejoice!

Take joy, my King, in what You hear:
may it be a sweet, sweet sound in Your ear.

We exalt Thee, we exalt Thee,
We exalt Thee, O Lord!

Announcements
Prayer

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Message – “Work & Rest”

Scripture: Genesis 2:1-3 & Deuteronomy 8:11-18
Speaker: Pastor Joshua Scheid
Series: Work as Worship

Sometimes we worship our work, and it leads to stress, bitterness, and burnout. What if we see our work as an act of worship? There is a Redeemer, who rescues our rhythms of work and rest, significance and purpose.



There is a real relationship between work and rest—they serve each other: each one strengthens and enhances the other.

blessed (bârak) : to give specific capability, empower

In Genesis 1 & 2,
God blesses three things with the ability to give life:

  1. living creatures — so they can bring forth life
    Genesis 1:22

  2. human beings — so they can bring forth life
    Genesis 1:28

  3. seventh day — how does that work?
    Genesis 2:3; Exodus 20:11

There can be a failure to honor work—
      which the Bible calls idleness;
There can be a failure to honor rest—
      through making our work an idol.


A. trusting God in our work
Deuteronomy 8:11-14




Apart from trusting in God,
a godly desire for excellence will turn into
an ungodly obsession with perfectionism.

B. trusting God in our rest
Exodus 16:1-30




Resting is a way to break the addictive power
of accomplishing & accumulating more—saying no
to the endless, restless cycle of consumerism.

C. thanking God for all of it
Deuteronomy 8:14-18




When a spirit of gratitude 
stirs up our affections for God
then both our work and our rest
become acts of worship and witness.



Jesus says, “Come to me all you who labor and I will give your rest.” If you’re anchored in Christ, trusting God and treasuring the gospel, then you will find the soul-satisfying rhythm of good work and good rest, to God’s glory.

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Sacrament – The Lord’s Supper
×As the family meal of Christians, the Lord’s Supper is a gift of grace. If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart God raised him from the dead, you are invited to partake of this meal.

One: The Lord be with you.
All: And also with you.
Lift up your hearts! We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
With joy we give our thanks and praise!

With joy we praise you, gracious Father…
…we proclaim the glory of Your name:

Holy, holy, holy, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is He
who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest!

Father, You sent Your Son to show us Your glory…
…we proclaim the hope of our faith:

Christ has died!
Christ is risen!
Christ will come again!

Send Your Holy Spirit upon us, we pray…
Even so, come Lord Jesus!

This is my body broken for you.
This is my blood poured out for you.
Do this in remembrance of me.
The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father, who art in heaven:
hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come, Your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread,
and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For Yours is the kingdom, the power,
and the glory forever. Amen.

Song – “The Church’s One Foundation”

Verse 1
The church’s one foundation
is Jesus Christ, her Lord;
she is His new creation
by water and the Word.
From heaven He came and sought her
to be His holy bride;
with His own blood He bought her,
and for her life He died.

Verse 2
Elect from every nation,
yet one o’er all the earth;
her charter of salvation:
one Lord, one faith, one birth.
One holy name she blesses,
partakes one holy food,
and to one hope she presses
with every grace endued.

Verse 4
Mid toil and tribulation
and tumult of her war,
she waits the consummation
of peace forevermore;
till with the vision glorious
her longing eyes are blessed,
and the great church victorious
shall be the church at rest.

Verse 5
Yet she on earth has union
with God the Three in One,
and mystic sweet communion
with those whose rest is won:
O happy ones and holy!
Lord, give us grace that we,
like them, the meek and lowly,
may live eternally.

Benediction / Sending
We are so grateful for how God provides 
through your faithful generosity & partnership 
to renew hearts, lives, and Long Island 
with the good news and hope of Jesus Christ!

    Thank you for mailing tithes & offerings to:
     302 Ocean Avenue, Massapequa NY 11758

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