R.E.S.T.

Introduction: (What?)

The title of this week’s message needs a little unpacking. Back in my Student Ministry days I was known as the Minister of Acrostics. In this message we are using the Acrostic; R.E.S.T. R= Relax after busy times

E= Engage with people when the opportunity arises

S= Survey your assets; know what is at your disposal

T= Trust God to make MUCH out of LITTLE

Resting is the antidote for exhaustion. In the KJV He says in v. “Come apart…” Vance Havener elaborated on this and said that Jesus said, “Come apart, or you will come apart.” As we have referenced several times, Elijah the prophet had to deal with burnout and overload after his encounter with the 800 pagan prophets on Mt. Carmel. Often we are more vulnerable to the Devil’s attacks right after we have experienced a spiritual “high”.

Explanation: (Why?)

REST: VV 30-32 The disciples were filled with adrenaline. They had experienced the power of God working in and through them and had seen people set free from demonic possession. They had seen people whom they anointed with oil be instantaneously healed. On top of that, they were seeing their friends for the first time in weeks, and they were comparing their experiences. Jesus recognized that the “high” they were on would soon crash. Although they were not fasting from food on purpose, they were just too wired to even eat. When Elijah suffered his crash in 1 Kings 19:4b-8, The LORD’s prescription was rest and food. “He sat down under a broom tree and prayed that he might die. He said, ‘I have had enough! LORD take my life for I am no better than my fathers.’ Then he lay down and slept under the broom tree. Suddenly an angel touched him. The angel told him, ‘Get up and eat.’ Then he looked, and there at his head was a loaf of bread baked over hot stones, and a jug of water. So he ate and drank and lay down again. Then the angel of the LORD returned for a second time and touched him. He said, ‘Get up and eat, or the journey will be too much for you.’ So he got up, ate, and drank. Then on the strength from that food, he walked forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mountain of God.”

The message to you and me is that we should not ignore bodily and personal spiritual needs in order to accomplish the work of God. As we mentioned in the last message, some people get so overloaded with “church work” that they ignore their own physical and spiritual needs and soon burn out. Most of us know people like this. Once they were “gung ho” for the LORD’s work and then, suddenly they are no where to be found. There is a reason that God provided the “Sabbath” for us. We need to rest and relax. I love the interpretation of Psalm 46:10 that goes, “Relax! I’m God!”

2. Engage: