The Bridge Church
Father's Day: The Great Invitation
June 19, 2022
Locations & Times
Englewood SKY Academy
871 S River Rd, Englewood, FL 34223, USA
Sunday 9:00 AM
Sunday 10:30 AM
1. Jesus is the only One to give our soul rest
2. Sabbath is God’s rhythm to restore our soul
3. Spend intentional time with God
4. Be available for God to use
Is the pace at which I’m living driven by pressure or priorities?
MY NEXT STEP TODAY IS:
I need to receive Jesus Christ as my personal Savior for the first time
I need to be baptized
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/baptism
I need to attend Starting Point
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/starting-point
I need to join a small group
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/small-groups
I need to join a serve team
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/serve
I need to receive Jesus Christ as my personal Savior for the first time
I need to be baptized
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/baptism
I need to attend Starting Point
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/starting-point
I need to join a small group
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/small-groups
I need to join a serve team
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/serve
Dig Deeper:
1. How do you feel when you get an invitation in the mail?
2. What’s the greatest invitation for an event or gathering that you’ve received? What did you have to do to prepare for the event? How did you feel leading up to it?
3. Is there a difference between hurried and busy? If so, what is it?
4. Why do we feel so rushed in today’s world? Identify some reasons why we feel this way.
5. Do you connect with any of reasons Pastor Josh mentioned as to why we might feel busy (fear of missing out, wanting to do everything, fear of failure)? If so, how?
6. Are we really as “busy” as we think we are? Why or why not?
7. Read Matthew 11:28-30. Identify all of the verbs in this passage to see what must be done to find rest. Who provides the rest? What active part do we play in finding rest?
8. Why can’t our souls rest apart from a relationship with God?
9. Read Psalm 23. Should rest only come at certain times in our lives or is it ongoing?
10. Read Exodus 34:21 and Mark 2:27-28. What do these passages reveal to us about taking a Sabbath?
11. What does it mean to rest? How is that different from relaxing, sleeping, or taking a break? How can you rest both externally and internally?
12. What should a Sabbath include? When actively choosing a Sabbath, what are you saying to God? How does trusting God play a part in this?
13. Read Matthew 11:29-30. Have you ever seen oxen work when yoked together? How does a yoke symbolize partnership?
14. Have you ever had a friend who makes you feel lighter, refreshed, or more relaxed after you’ve spent time with that person? What do they do to make you feel this way?
15. How does this image of being yoked, or linked, to Christ change your perspective of rest? When should we feel “at rest”?
16. Describe your closest relationship. How has that relationship changed as you’ve spent time together? Is it possible to have a deep relationship with God without spending time with him?
17. In what ways can you spend time with God? How can you spend time with Him, yoked together, throughout your day?
18. Read Ephesians 5:15-16. How is resting related to this passage?
19. How does busyness lead to selfishness? Can you love others well when you are hurried?
20. How does the knowledge of complete rest in Heaven provide comfort in your busyness today?
Live It Out:
1. Reassess your current pace. Is the pace at which I’m living driven by pressure or priorities? Rate yourself on how hurried or distracted you are right now. Consider your Sabbath and what it currently includes. Make a list of both wise and unwise activities that can fill up your calendar. Are you making Jesus the priority instead of Him being included in your list of priorities?
2. Find your rhythm by being intentional in all areas of your life. Write out how you can find rhythm in your life that makes Jesus the priority. Ensure that your Sabbath includes worship, replenishment, and relationships. In addition to a specific time of the week for a Sabbath, make space each day to find a small period of replenishment for your soul. From your list of wise and unwise activities above, decide how to move forward with being focused just on the wise activities. If there are too many wise activities, narrow them down to specific ones for specific time periods if appropriate.
3. Restore your soul by making Jesus the priority. Take up His yoke in all areas of your life. Pray to God for guidance, strength, and perseverance. Implement the rhythms you wrote out. Find a trusted friend who can partner with you in both pray and application.
Reading Plan:
Monday: Matthew 11:25-30
Tuesday: Psalm 23
Wednesday: Mark 2:23-28
Thursday: Hebrews 4:1-16
Friday:Isaiah 25:1-6
Saturday: Isaiah 40:27-31
Recommended Resources:
"Addicted to Busy” by Brady Boyd
“The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry” by John Mark Comer
“The Burden Is Light” by Jon Tyson
“Rhythms of Renewal” by Rebekah Lyons
1. How do you feel when you get an invitation in the mail?
2. What’s the greatest invitation for an event or gathering that you’ve received? What did you have to do to prepare for the event? How did you feel leading up to it?
3. Is there a difference between hurried and busy? If so, what is it?
4. Why do we feel so rushed in today’s world? Identify some reasons why we feel this way.
5. Do you connect with any of reasons Pastor Josh mentioned as to why we might feel busy (fear of missing out, wanting to do everything, fear of failure)? If so, how?
6. Are we really as “busy” as we think we are? Why or why not?
7. Read Matthew 11:28-30. Identify all of the verbs in this passage to see what must be done to find rest. Who provides the rest? What active part do we play in finding rest?
8. Why can’t our souls rest apart from a relationship with God?
9. Read Psalm 23. Should rest only come at certain times in our lives or is it ongoing?
10. Read Exodus 34:21 and Mark 2:27-28. What do these passages reveal to us about taking a Sabbath?
11. What does it mean to rest? How is that different from relaxing, sleeping, or taking a break? How can you rest both externally and internally?
12. What should a Sabbath include? When actively choosing a Sabbath, what are you saying to God? How does trusting God play a part in this?
13. Read Matthew 11:29-30. Have you ever seen oxen work when yoked together? How does a yoke symbolize partnership?
14. Have you ever had a friend who makes you feel lighter, refreshed, or more relaxed after you’ve spent time with that person? What do they do to make you feel this way?
15. How does this image of being yoked, or linked, to Christ change your perspective of rest? When should we feel “at rest”?
16. Describe your closest relationship. How has that relationship changed as you’ve spent time together? Is it possible to have a deep relationship with God without spending time with him?
17. In what ways can you spend time with God? How can you spend time with Him, yoked together, throughout your day?
18. Read Ephesians 5:15-16. How is resting related to this passage?
19. How does busyness lead to selfishness? Can you love others well when you are hurried?
20. How does the knowledge of complete rest in Heaven provide comfort in your busyness today?
Live It Out:
1. Reassess your current pace. Is the pace at which I’m living driven by pressure or priorities? Rate yourself on how hurried or distracted you are right now. Consider your Sabbath and what it currently includes. Make a list of both wise and unwise activities that can fill up your calendar. Are you making Jesus the priority instead of Him being included in your list of priorities?
2. Find your rhythm by being intentional in all areas of your life. Write out how you can find rhythm in your life that makes Jesus the priority. Ensure that your Sabbath includes worship, replenishment, and relationships. In addition to a specific time of the week for a Sabbath, make space each day to find a small period of replenishment for your soul. From your list of wise and unwise activities above, decide how to move forward with being focused just on the wise activities. If there are too many wise activities, narrow them down to specific ones for specific time periods if appropriate.
3. Restore your soul by making Jesus the priority. Take up His yoke in all areas of your life. Pray to God for guidance, strength, and perseverance. Implement the rhythms you wrote out. Find a trusted friend who can partner with you in both pray and application.
Reading Plan:
Monday: Matthew 11:25-30
Tuesday: Psalm 23
Wednesday: Mark 2:23-28
Thursday: Hebrews 4:1-16
Friday:Isaiah 25:1-6
Saturday: Isaiah 40:27-31
Recommended Resources:
"Addicted to Busy” by Brady Boyd
“The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry” by John Mark Comer
“The Burden Is Light” by Jon Tyson
“Rhythms of Renewal” by Rebekah Lyons