Rest in the Lord

Investigative

I found myself the other day asking myself what race am I running?

It started with 1 Tim. 6:9…many of you are familiar with 6:10 but the verse before it got me.

Here Paul using wisdom literature structure gives the same idea in two different ways.

The desire to be rich AND the love of money....it’s funny how we split hairs over words

It was in the driven nature of life that I had wandered from the faith in areas of my life. Yet all the while God had granted me rest....now what is rest?

Let’s go back to Genesis and we’re going to unpack some scriptures but I’m going to leave the implications for you to determine.

In Genesis 1 each day is marked by a simple phrase...”there was evening and there was morning...” for each of the first 6 days.

Genesis 2:2 states that there was a seventh day however but that it interestingly doesn’t have an end....it is seemingly ongoing.

A day of “rest”

Now the term rest is interesting because there are 2 Hebrew words that can be translated “rest”

Genesis. 2:1-2

Shabat, meaning to cease from as in it is complete

cf. Josh. 5:12

Exodus 20:11, “new akh”, Yahweh took up residence within his creation

cf. Exodus 10:14, 2 Sam. 7:1, meaning to take up residence.

Genesis 2:15 actually has the same root word when Adam was “placed” or “rested” in the Garden.

Adam’s “rest” actually included “work”, a cultivating, stewarding activity…interesting.

Yet in Genesis 3:17-19 we see that the work was void of the “rest” that Yahweh had intended it.

We see consistently Yahweh is trying to get Israel back to that space of rest....

He implements these periods of 7 all throughout scripture to remind Israel of that rest.

Every 7 days is personal rest, take a whole day to live as if the rest has already come

7 festivals to be done to remind them of the blessing and provision of the Lord

Every 7 years, liberate slaves, land rest

Every 49 years, Year of Jubilee, restoring of land and forgiveness of debts, free slaves....all to remember the idea of what happened on that 7th day of creation.

Now Jesus was well aware of the Sabbath so keep in mind all of the periods of Sabbath rest just mentioned and let’s read the role of the Messiah in Isa. 61:1-2

So if Jesus is the Messiah, Yahweh’s chosen one, he would need to bring these things to be.

Jesus, started his ministry by reading Isaiah in Luke 4:18-19.

Notice what he says, he will bring “freedom” which has the broader meaning of release from burden or bondage, which is rooted in the year of Jubilee concept and access to inclusion for the “poor” which were clearly in the same context as those who were lower in status and usually oppressed or relegated to the outside of society.

We also read Mat. 12:1-13

Here Jesus is confronted when his disciples are picking grain to eat on the Sabbath and he later heals on the sabbath

Jesus states that the point of the sabbath is to have mercy and to do good and that He is the point of the Sabbath.

Meaning, restoration and the point of work will find their completion in Him, not in upholding religious requirements.

We see Paul expound on this stating that while the concept of sabbath should be upheld the substance of how it’s played out belongs to Jesus cf. Col. 2:16-17.

So in Jesus, the complete and residing presence of God, comes to the believer so as to allow them to function and participate in a new creation that has started in them.

So what does that mean for you believer? Is there a space that Jesus isn’t residing in your life? Is there an area where your labor is arduous, unyielding or fruitless? How can you enter into rest there?

TR: I’ll pause there and ask us to take a moment to reflect on what I’ve said and the truths of this passage, in a few moments I’d like for you all to verbally respond in a Q&A time to three questions. 1) Where is this passage challenging or presenting some conflict with you? 2) Where is this passage bringing some clarity to you or confirming something for you? 3) What thoughts does this passage lead you to?

Expressive

As we move into a time of response and explore what God is doing among us, I’d like to outline some ground rules.

Please don’t share more than a minute so other people can have a time to respond, you can also text in a question or statement in the GroupMe.

Please remember we are different humans with different opinions and it’s okay to hear something you don’t agree with.

This is a time to be nourished by listening to what the Spirit of God is doing amongst each other.

Take 5 minutes to discuss as groups then we’ll open it up to the larger room.

TR: SIT DOWN ON A STOOL

Collective

TR: STAND UP

I’d like to take a minute to collect our clarities and our conflicts

What are some themes you see on the board?

What are our feelings? What is intriguing?

What might God’s Spirit be saying?

Declarative

MAIN IDEA: The principle of sabbath is not about ceasing work but more of a restoration and an acknowledgement of completion in God.

It’s an intentional interruption to your labor, to remind you that YAHWEH owns the time, provision, and blessing.

That it is not by the work of your hands that things are produced but through the blessing of Yahweh, you are merely meant to cultivate and yet find your wholeness in Jesus

All that you are and meant to be is complete in Him...

Imagine working from a state of joy....

I love watching my kids paint. There is no obligation but it is purely cultivation and creativity. They are working in the security and completeness of their location in my presence and being objects of my affection. They are working in rest.

It is not about ceasing activity but find the purpose of activity in Yahweh and praise him for the fruit of that labor.

You do this by CEASING from labor because it was never about your labor to begin with! You YIELD to Yahweh all the produce of your hands knowing it is he that grants provision!! It is to Him and for Him and only He grants value!

What race are you running? What item are you pursuing? What will complete you?

Riches? Promotion? A spouse? A new location? A new situation?

NONE OF THOSE WILL GRANT YOU REST!!!

The freedom, liberty, and value that we so desperately need come only from the EXHAUSTIVE, WHOLISTIC, UNALTERED, UNDIMINISHED PRESENCE OF GOD SETTLING ON EVERY ASPECT OF OUR LIVES

This is why I love the seasoned temperance of some of our older saints who have embraced Jesus in such a way where there’s a stillness to them, a restfulness to them.

Us younger folk call that boredom…that’s because you’ve been spun up by this world and let loose.

Are you complete? Is Yahweh abiding in your life? Then you are at rest...

When that takes place we will find rest! We will find peace!

When that takes place you have in fact found Jesus...