Rest for the Weary: A 40 End Goals Study on Sabbath and Identity

on November 1, 2022

Rest. We all long for it, but it sometimes feels illusive or unattainable. That is true for teenagers as well. They are stressed out, overwhelmed, and exhausted. We pray this four-week study on rest will give you space to explore what God’s Word has to say about rest and Sabbath and provide practical ideas for how to incorporate more rest into their lives.

Weekly Themes

Week 1 – Rest for the Weary
Rest is a gift God gives His people! Enjoy it! This is a high-level overview of a few places in Scripture that talk about rest. It ends with Jesus’ invitation in Matthew 11 to come to Him to find rest for our souls.

Week 2 – No Longer Slaves
Here is where we really dive deep into the practice of Sabbath and the third commandment. Sabbath is a gift. God intends it to be a delight. It is also a command. Students will wrestle with how these things all fit together.

Week 3 – Take a Nap and Eat a Snack
Following God’s call in our lives is not always easy. Sometimes it is downright exhausting. Yet, He provides all we need in those moments! By unpacking the story of Elijah in 1 Kings 18 and 19 we will explore what it means to care for ourselves or let others care for us as God equips us to carry out His will in our lives!

Week 4 – Rest as Good News!
Living lives of rest can be a powerful witness in a “go-go-go” world! Perhaps it could be our greatest evangelism tool. Not only will we talk about the counter-cultural nature of rest, but also about times when rest does not feel possible. We will do this by exploring two examples from Jesus’ life.

Attached Devotions

These lessons have four devotions that run parallel to the Bible study. These are designed for you to use if you meet multiple times a week or for you to share through email or social media in between lessons.

Devotion for Lesson One
Devotion for Lesson Two
Devotion for Lesson Three
Devotion for Lesson Four

Click to download Leader’s Guide.

Click to download Participant’s Guide.

Published November 1, 2022

1 Kings 19 40 End Goals Deuteronomy 5 Exodus 20 Four Part Genesis 1 High School Ministry Identity Jeremiah 6 Luke 13 Mark 2 Mark 3 Mark 6 Matthew 11 Rest Romans 8 Sabbath

About the author

Rebekah Freed

Rebekah Freed is Kansas-grown girl who now lives in cornfields of Nebraska (with a 9-year stop in Buffalo, NY). She currently serves the students of Concordia University, Nebraska as the Director in the Student Life Office and loves helping youth and young adults know how much Jesus loves them. (Hint: It’s a lot!) She is a Director of Christian Education (DCE) and has a master's degree in Discipleship in the context of Trauma and Crisis Response. She enjoys kayaking, conversations about things that matter, fresh-baked cookies, the sound of little kids giggling, sunshine, traveling, a fuzzy blanket on a cold winter day, hugs from her nieces, hiking, peanut butter chip ice cream, and celebrating the everyday blessings in life …often with confetti! She occasionally writes about ministry and life at joyfullblessedblog.com.

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