Every Family Needs Margin

Sermon Notes

Main Idea:

Every family in the world is imperfect. But our imperfection should not keep us from pursuing God’s best.

Important Insight:

Busyness is stifling our spiritual development. The two greatest commands are for us to love God with all that we are and to love our neighbor as ourselves. But this is almost impossible to do when we are killing ourselves in hurry. Fortunately, the most impactful person of history has something to say to us about finding what our souls ultimately need- rest.

Survey:

Take a quick inventory. Do you have this disease (Hurry Sickness)? Do you:

1. … treat everything like a race?

2. … find it impossible to do just one task at a time?

3. … get highly irritable when encountering a delay?

4. … feel perpetually behind schedule?

5. … interrupt or talk over people?

6. … stay obsessed with checking things off your to-do list?

Hurry Disease Has Consequences:

• Bad for your effectiveness
• Bad for your health

Key Quote:

Our time-saving devices, technological conveniences, and cheap mobility have seemingly made life much easier and interconnected. As a result, we have more information at our fingertips than anyone in history. Yet with all this progress, we are ominously dissatisfied. In bowing at these sacred altars of hyperactivity, progress, and technological compulsivity, our souls increasingly pant for meaning and value and truth as they wither away, exhausted, frazzled, displeased, ever on edge. The result is a hollow culture that, in Paul’s words, is “ever learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth” (2 Tim. 3:7)—increasingly so A. J. Swoboda, The Subversive Sabbath

In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus teaches us how to escape the hectic pace of the hurried life. This story is set between two extremes:

• Warnings against unbelief about God’s rule  (Matthew 11:20-27)
• Warnings against overvaluing man-made rules (Matthew 12:1-14)

1. Coming to Jesus means leaving something else behind (v. 28).

• Who is invited to come to Jesus? (v. 28).
  • All who have
    • Weariness
    • And a heavy burden

• Jesus does two things:
  • Jesus gives rest (v 28-29).  
    • Rest (ἀναπαύω, anapaúō) A pause of cessation of work, so that one is refreshed
    • This is more than body rest- it is soul rest (v 29).
  • Then Jesus offers us his yoke.
    • Not the yoke of
      • Religion (Sirach 51:25-26)
      • “Acquire wisdom for yourselves without money. Put your neck under her yoke, and let your souls receive instruction.”
      • Or oppression (Lam 5:5)
      • But learning of Jesus
      • A Yoke that is easy and light.

Application:

Stop doing your day-to-day work

Start learning about the lifestyle and habits of Jesus

Consider the Three R’s

• Refuse (say “No”)
• Reduce (say “Yes” but do less)
• Rethink (say “Yes” but be strategic about activities)

Discussion Questions

TALK IT OUT:

1. Pastor Rusty suggests we take this “Hurry Sickness Inventory.” Ask yourself if you tend to: 1) Treat everything like a race? 2) Find it impossible to do just one task at a time? 3) Get highly irritable when you encounter delays? 4) Feel perpetually behind schedule? 5) Interrupt or talk over people? 6) Obsessively check things off your to-do list? How many of these describe you?
2. We have more knowledge at our fingertips today than ever before, but are increasingly exhausted, frazzled, displeased and on edge. To paraphrase Paul’s words in 2 Timothy 3:7, we tend to be “ever learning but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” How well does Paul’s statement describe you?
3. Pastor Rusty observes that what Jesus says in Matthew 11:28-29 is set between these two extremes: 1) Warnings against unbelief about God’s rule, and 2) Warnings against overvaluing man-made rules. Which of these two tendencies are you most susceptible to?
4. In verse 28 Jesus says “Come to me…” Coming suggests we will leave something behind. What does Jesus want you to leave behind as you draw closer to Him?
5. Jesus invites those who are weary and carrying heavy burdens to come to Him and promises to give them rest. What spiritual or emotional burden do you need to turn over to Jesus?
6. Jesus offers us His yoke. Pastor Rusty observes that it is not a yoke of either religion or oppression, but involves learning of Jesus. What do you know about Jesus which suggests He can lighten or carry your load?
7. Jesus promises when we take His yoke upon us we will find “rest for our souls.” How can taking Jesus’ yoke offer us rest?

LIVE IT OUT

• The passage suggests we need to stop merely doing our daily work and instead need to begin learning about Jesus’ lifestyle and habits. What habits of Jesus do you most need to incorporate into your life this week?
• Pastor Rusty suggests we consider the “Three R’s”
  • Refuse— what things in your life do you need to say no to?
  • Reduce— what will you say yes to, but commit less time and energy to?
  • Rethink— what things in your life should you strategically say yes to?
• Ask God for help and wisdom to adopt the habits Jesus wants you to develop. Ask for God’s wisdom regarding what you need to refuse, reduce and rethink.