Created to Rest

Theme Verse: Matthew 11:28–30 (NLT) — “Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.’”

Series Goal:

To lead believers from exhaustion and anxiety into a rhythm of divine rest—body, soul, and spirit—by understanding God’s pattern of rest, rejecting fear, renewing focus, and trusting His sovereignty.

Big Idea: Rest isn’t laziness—it’s obedience. God modeled rest not because He was tired, but to show us that renewal is sacred.

SERMON OUTLINE

I. God Rested—Not Because He Needed To, But Because We Do

— God declared the seventh day holy.

Genesis 2:3 And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the day when he rested from all his work of creation.

God’s rest was a divine pause to celebrate completion, not exhaustion.

Rest is an act of faith: we stop working because we trust God is still working.

II. Jesus Rested—Even in Ministry

John 4:6

Jacob’s well was there; and Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noontime.

If the Son of God needed to sit down, so do we.

The Sabbath rhythm (work–worship–rest) is woven into creation and Christ’s example.

III. We Must Rest—To Receive His Strength

Matthew 11:28–30 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

Rest is not the absence of activity but the presence of trust.

When we rest, God replenishes what labor, what life depletes

Isaiah 40:31. But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.

Axe Sharpening Story — Sermon Version

You’ve probably heard the old story about the two lumberjacks. One morning, they both showed up at sunrise to start chopping down trees. The first man was strong, determined, and full of energy. He grabbed his axe and got right to work. The second man did the same, but after about an hour, he sat down for ten minutes, quietly sharpening his blade.

The first lumberjack laughed and shouted across the clearing, “You’re wasting time! While you’re sitting there doing nothing, I’m getting ahead!”

But the second man just smiled, wiped his brow, and went back to work.

Every hour or so, he’d take another short break — always stopping to sharpen his axe. The first lumberjack, meanwhile, kept swinging harder and faster, determined to prove his endurance. As the day wore on, the sound of his axe grew duller and duller, the wood splintering unevenly, each swing taking more effort than the one before.

By the end of the day, the first lumberjack was exhausted. He had chopped a good number of trees but was barely standing. The second man, however, still had strength left — and to everyone’s surprise, he had felled almost twice as many trees.

The first lumberjack, confused and out of breath, asked, “How did you beat me? I never stopped working — not once!”

The second man smiled and said, “That’s the problem. You never stopped long enough to sharpen your axe.”

Application to the Sermon

That’s what rest does for your soul. It sharpens you. When you stop to rest in God — to pray, to worship, to be still — He renews your strength and restores your edge. You may think you’re losing time, but you’re actually gaining power, clarity, and endurance for the work ahead.

You can’t keep swinging through life with a dull blade and expect to produce your best. Rest isn’t wasted time — it’s holy maintenance. It’s the pause that gives purpose to your progress.

IV. Practical Rest Rhythms

Sabbath moments each week (a “holy pause”)

Resting in God’s Word daily.

Setting boundaries—saying no can be spiritual obedience.

🪶 Takeaway:

If you don’t come apart and rest, you will come apart.

God would rather have fifty years of fruitful ministry than two years of burnout.