Series: The Best Summer Ever
Sermon Title: Summer is For Healing
Passage: Luke 14:1-6

Reno Campus
Pastor Jericho Toilolo

Carson Campus
Pastor Dusty Braun

Sparks Campus
Pastor Dave Pretlove

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Series: The Best Summer Ever
Sermon Title: Summer is For Healing
Passage: Luke 14:1-6

SERMON POINTS: 

1. Health and Healing are at the Very Essence of the Sabbath.
   Luke 4:18-19
2. Sabbath is Meant to Be a Standing Appointment with the Great Physician.
   Mark 2:27
3. Sabbath is the Original Holistic Medicine.
   Genesis 2:2-3

 

GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

Jesus heals on the Sabbath in Luke 14:1-6, emphasizing health and restoration. How does this challenge or reshape your understanding of what Sabbath rest is meant to accomplish in our lives? Reflect on a time when rest brought unexpected healing to you—physically, emotionally, or spiritually.

• Follow-Up: What specific area of your life (physical, emotional, or spiritual) do you need God’s healing touch in right now, and how can Sabbath rest help you receive it?
• Supportive Scripture: Isaiah 58:13-14 

In Luke 4:18-19 ties His mission to freedom and healing, and He performed seven healings on the Sabbath. What does this reveal about God’s heart for us on the Sabbath? How can we align our Sabbath practices with Jesus’ example of bringing life and wholeness?

• Follow-Up: How can you intentionally create space on the Sabbath to participate in Jesus’ mission of healing and freedom for others?
• Supportive Scripture: Luke 4:18 

What makes it difficult for you to “stop” and be unbusy? How might practicing Sabbath help you reconnect with God and others in a deeper way?

• Follow-Up: What is one practical step you can take this week to remove a distraction and focus on God or others during your Sabbath?
• Supportive Scripture: Psalm 46:10 

How does viewing Sabbath as a “standing appointment with the Great Physician” change your perspective on rest? What practical steps can you take to prioritize this appointment in your weekly rhythm?

• Follow-Up: How would treating Sabbath as a non-negotiable appointment with God impact your weekly schedule or priorities?
• Supportive Scripture: Mark 2:27 

Genesis 2:2-3 shows God resting on the seventh day, setting a rhythm for all creation. How does the idea that Adam and Eve’s first day was a day of rest, before they had worked, challenge your view of productivity and rest? In what ways have you experienced rest improving your physical, mental, or emotional health?

• Follow-Up: What might it look like to prioritize rest as a foundation for your productivity rather than a reward for it?
• Supportive Scripture: Genesis 2:2-3 

How does scientific evidence shared in the sermon encourage you to embrace Sabbath rhythms? What specific Sabbath practice (prayer, meditation, unplugging, etc.) could you incorporate to support your well-being?

• Follow-Up: Which Sabbath practice (e.g., prayer, meditation, or unplugging) feels most accessible to you, and how can you start incorporating it regularly?
• Supportive Scripture: Matthew 11:28

How can you use Sabbath time to nurture relationships with family or friends? Share an example of a time when a restful connection with others boosted your emotional or relational health.

• Follow-Up: Who is one person you could invite to share a Sabbath moment with, and how might that strengthen your relationship?
• Supportive Scripture: Hebrews 10:24-25 

The sermon suggests Sabbath is about living from a place of rest, not just resting from work. What would it look like for you to live from a place of rest in your daily life? How might this shift impact your approach to work, stress, or decision-making?

• Follow-Up: What is one area of your life where stress dominates, and how could practicing Sabbath rest help you approach it differently?

Supportive Scripture: Exodus 20:8-10

PERSONAL REFLECTION QUESTIONS:

 Day 1: Embracing Healing Through Rest

• Reflective Question: Where in your life—body, mind, or spirit—do you feel worn out and in need of God’s healing touch? Take a moment to name one specific area and ask God to meet you there in rest today.
• Scripture: Matthew 11:28 
• Respond: Spend 5 minutes in silence, inviting God to bring His healing presence into that area.

Day 2: Reconnecting with God’s Heart

• Reflective Question: Have I created space in my schedule and soul for God to do the slow work of restoration?
• Scripture: Mark 2:27 
• Prompt to Respond: Visualize your calendar for the week. What would it mean to block off time for healing the way you would for a doctor’s appointment? 

Day 3: Do I Believe Rest is Holy?

• Reflective Question: Do I treat rest as indulgence—or as sacred space where God can meet and restore me?
• Scripture: Genesis 2:3
• Prompt to Respond: Ask, “What old narratives make me feel guilty for resting?” Then actively replace a true narrative from scripture: “Rest is not weakness—it’s worship.”

Day 4: Where Has Busyness Become My Identity?

• Reflective Question: Have I been using activity or productivity to avoid what’s broken or unhealed in me?
• Scripture: Psalm 46:10  
• Prompt to Respond: Pray slowly: “I am not what I do. I am not what I produce. I am loved and known in stillness.” Set an alarm in you phone to stop and pray this prayer 3 times. Be intentional. 

Day 5: Rest as Holistic Health

• Reflective Question: Where in my life—body, mind, and soul—am I in need of restoration that I’ve been ignoring?
• Scripture: 3 John 1:2  
• Prompt to Respond: Pause and scan your life like a physician would—your physical rhythms, emotional burdens, and spiritual hunger. Ask: “God, what part of me have I neglected that You long to restore?” Write one step you can take today—however small—to honor the healing rhythms of rest, reflection, or renewal.

Day 6: Building Relational Rest

• Reflective Question: Sabbath is about community, and studies show shared rest strengthens relationships. Who’s one person you could connect with today in a restful, meaningful way—maybe over coffee, a walk, or a phone call? How might this connection draw you closer to God’s design for wholeness?
• Scripture: Hebrews 10:24-25 
• Prompt to Respond: Reach out to that person and plan a simple, restful moment together, focusing on presence over productivity.

Day 7: Living from Rest

• Reflective Question: What’s one area of your life where busyness is crowding out God’s peace? How can you invite His rest into that space today to live more fully in His presence?
• Scripture: Isaiah 30:15
• Prompt to Respond: Journal about one way you’ll carry a “Sabbath mindset” into your week, trusting God to sustain you in rest.

 

SCRIPTURES TO MEDITATE ON:

• Psalm 23:1-3
• Isaiah 30:15
• John 15:4-5
• Philippians 4:6-7

 

RESOURCES:

• ARTICLE | JANELLE ESKER | THE HEALING POWER OF REST
• VIDEO | RICH VILLODAS | THE GOAL OF SABBATH
• BOOK | RUTH HALEY BARTON | SACRED RYTHYMS: ARRANGING POUR LIVES FOR SPIRITUAL TRANSFORMATION
• BOOK | WAYNE MULLER | SABBATH: FINDING REST, RENEWAL, and DELIGHT IN OUR BUSY LIVES

 

MONTHLY SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE: Solitude and Silence

“The soul is like a wild animal—tough, resilient, resourceful, savvy, self-sufficient. It knows how to survive in hard places. But it is also shy. Just like a wild animal, it seeks safety in the dense underbrush. If we want to see a wild animal, we know that the last thing we should do is go crashing through the woods yelling for it to come out. But if we will walk quietly into the woods, sit patiently by the base of the tree, and fade into our surroundings, the wild animal we seek might put in an appearance.” (Parker Palmer, A Hidden Wholeness) 

This story resonates with many of us. Our soul can feel both like a tenacious animal and a shy animal, that is why solitude and silence matter so much. It creates a space for our soul to rest and become quiet. It allows us to receive from the voice of God, that which the noise and chaos of culture drowns out. We become awake to the voice that has been drowned out. Solitude is the time and space where we develop a longing to hear from God, to receive what He desires to tell us, to slow down and enter into space and presence with Him. As we grow more in our faith and relationship with God, our desire to be with Him should deepen. It is here we understand our feelings and sift through the noise and allow our soul to cry out and receive feedback from God.

5-Day Solitude and Silence Practice: “Let Your Soul Come Out of Hiding”

Day 1: Step into the Quiet

• Focus: Make space. Just show up.
• Scripture: “Be still, and know that I am God.” – Psalm 46:10
• Practice:
• Set aside 10 minutes today to be alone in a quiet space.
• Sit comfortably. Turn off your phone.
• Don’t do anything. Just be with God.
• Prayer: “God, I’m here. I don’t have an agenda. I just want to be with You.”
• Reflect: What happens inside you when you slow down? Is your soul restless? Is it relieved?

Day 2: Notice the Noise

• Focus: Bring awareness to what’s cluttering your soul.
• Scripture: “Come with Me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” – Mark 6:31
• Practice:
• Return to your quiet space for 15 minutes.
• Before you begin, write down 3 things that are filling your mind lately (to-do’s, anxieties, relationships).
• Offer them to God as you sit in silence. Let go. Listen.
• Prayer: “Jesus, help me lay down the noise. Teach me to rest with You.”
• Reflect: What noise within you is hardest to silence? What does that tell you about what you’re carrying?

Day 3: Listen Without Demanding

• Focus: Shift from speaking to listening.
• Scripture: “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” – 1 Samuel 3:10
• Practice:
• Spend 15-20 minutes in solitude.
• Begin by slowly praying the verse above.
• Then sit in silence. No agenda. No list. Just listen. If your mind wanders, gently return to: “Speak, Lord…”
• Prayer: “Lord, I believe You are near. Teach me to recognize Your voice.”
• Reflect: Did anything stir in your heart as you listened? A word? An image? A sense of peace or conviction?

Day 4: Rest, Don’t Perform

• Focus: Receive God’s presence without trying to impress Him.
• Scripture: “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength…” – Isaiah 30:15
• Practice:
• Go to your quiet space again for 20 minutes.
• Resist the urge to turn it into a productive time.
• Simply rest. Breathe deeply. Let yourself be loved by God, even if you feel nothing.
• Prayer: “Father, I don’t need to earn Your love. Let me rest in it.”
• Reflect: What parts of you struggle to believe you are enough—even when you’re doing nothing?

Day 5: Come Out of Hiding

• Focus: Let your soul rise to meet God.
• Scripture: “Where are you?” – Genesis 3:9
• Practice:
• Sit in stillness for 20 minutes. Begin by imagining God asking you this gentle question: “Where are you?”
• Let your honest response rise up.
• Offer your full self—your joy, fear, confusion, hope.
• Prayer: “God, here I am. Thank You for pursuing me even when I hide.”
• Reflect: What part of your soul came out of hiding this week? What do you want to continue pursuing in solitude?

The practice of solitude and silence is less about perfection and more about presence. Over time, you will find that your soul becomes less frantic and more free. Like a wild animal stepping out from the woods, your true self will emerge, not rushed, not pressured, but known and held by the God who calls you beloved.

by Rob Hans — LifeChurch NV

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT: “The Healing Rhythm of Sabbath”

Devotional Thought by Rob Hans — LifeChurch NV

I for sure like to stay busy, and have a difficult time resting. Over the years I have wrestled with thoughts that rest demonstrates a weak work ethic or I need to just push through this “season” and then I can rest. What I have found is that the more I agree with those lies, the more my heart and soul becomes callous. I become critical both in my attitude and inner thoughts. I know for me, when my heart and soul experience rest, I actually feel more free to be present with others and with God.

There’s a line Jesus reads in Luke 4 that stirs something deep in us: “He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted…” That’s not just poetic — it’s a declaration. Jesus came to heal what’s broken. And here’s the surprising part: one of the primary tools He gives us for that healing is Sabbath.

Pastor Dave reminded us this weekend that Sabbath is far more than a day off, it’s a standing appointment with the Great Physician. The rhythm of rest God designed isn’t just for recovery from work; it’s for the restoration of the soul. When we step into Sabbath, we are saying, “I trust You to hold the world while I stop.” That trust is healing.

Mark 2:27 says, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” This means God created Sabbath as a gift — holistic medicine for the parts of us that modern life numbs or wears down. The weariness in your soul? The ache in your bones? The fog in your mind? God sees it, and He invites you to pause — not just to breathe, but to be made whole.

So here’s the challenge: Don’t just schedule Sabbath like another task. Receive it. Embrace it. Let it be the sacred space where you let go and let God do what only He can – Heal, restore, and breathe life back into your body, your spirit, and your mind. What would it look like for you to actually rest this week — not just stop working, but open your heart to be healed by God?

Rob Hans — LifeChurch NV