The Gift of Rest

3,400 years ago, that’s 1400ish BC an Israelite, Moses, is writing the stories of their people. Where they come from. So he started at “the beginning”, the Genesis.

He’s writing about God (Elohim) the only and only God, creating everything by speaking it into being. Intentionally, lovingly, out of chaos and into order.

Such a better story than the stories being told by others at that time, and so much better than the story being told today.

God he made everything very, very good. Nothing to complain about. The last couple of weeks we’ve been looking at that, in terms of how we are made in His image, to represent Him, manage His good world, and how we treat each other. Last week we looked at the gift of work, and how God has given us the ability to provide, serve each other, and be godly by working in and for the place God has put us.

Work is good. But so is rest. Sometimes you have to stop. Even God does.

Check Genesis 2:1-2

English Standard Version Chapter 2

Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 2 And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done.

1. After six days of creating, God rested.

a. Rested: I use the word because that’s what the ESV translation uses.

b. But… does God need rest? The mighty one?

c. What does rest mean?

שָׁבַת Shabbat

ii. Literally “stopped” or “ceased”. Stopped.

iii. The word “rest” can be used because we use that word to basically say a plane came to rest on the ground. Stopped flying. Landed. Arrived.

iv. Doesn’t mean he’s tired, worn out, etc. Just stopped what He’s doing.

d. So a basic understanding of this can be that God created the universe and everything in it in 6 days and stopped, doing no creating on the 7th day.

e. But that would be wrong to only see it as saying that. Because look at what God does next…. We get the word “sabbath” from this, and that name is applied to the 7th day.

English Standard Version Chapter 2

3 So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.

God blessed the 7th day… First use of the word blessed.

What does it mean:

בָּרַךְ Barak to kneel or bless.

A good definition: A condition or state of being in God’s favor. God’s saying “this day has my favor!!!” So much so that he…

i. He “made it holy”

ii. First use of that word in the Bible too!

iii. What does holy mean?

קָדַשׁ Qadosh. Set apart. Different from the rest. Special in its uniqueness.

v. God is holy in/from creation. He created it all and nothing created Him. He’s the only one- there’s nothing here completely like him (we’re an image of him but that’s it) therefore there’s nothing holier than him.

vi. How is a day holy?

1. The first 6 days were work days for God, “creating”. He doesn’t just go into the next week with whatever is next to do. God pauses and says “let’s have a day of not doing things. And do that weekly.

2. And this must have been the plan all along.

a. We understand the cycle of trips around the sun, a year, to correlate to approximately 52 weeks (52 sets of 7 days). Which correlate also to the moon’s cycles, 12 months.

b. The cycles of nature were set up for this cycle of 7 days in repetition.

c. Weeks aren’t random, God designed them. And His design is for their to be 6 days of work, and a day of rest.

2. God made the week to end with a day of rest.

a. Work is good. It’s something God gave. Everything God does is good.

i. Why? Because being active, working with what is here in the way you can, is Godly. He’s a creator. Create something. Provide something.

ii. There’s a time for it. A lot actually. Over 80 percent of the week!

b. But rest is also good. God gave us that too. Everything God does is good.

i. If you’re tired, you need rest.

1. What happens when you don’t rest?

2. According to Forbes: “The research found that working 55 hours or more a week was associated with a 35% higher risk of stroke and a 17% higher risk of dying from heart disease than a workweek of 35 to 40 hours. ” “Why Taking Vacation Time Could Save Your Life.” Caroline Castrillon, Forbes Magazine, May 23, 2021

3. Research also shows that people who don’t take days off are irritable, come to hate their job, and therefore don’t do it as well as someone who takes time off.

4. Web MD says that when you aren’t getting enough rest your skin can break out, your vision impairs, you gain weight, eat the wrong foods, are moody and depressed, focus and memory goes off, you try to self medicate with caffeine which only goes so far.

5. Ever been so tired you’re not thinking straight? You’re no good for the work you’re doing.

6. We are not made to work non-stop. You need that stop, that rest.

ii. Rest is good even if you’re not tired. It’s about using time. Demonstrates priorities.

1. God gave you time to rest also to call you to enjoy the world He gave you, and enjoy the life provided by that work. Share it with family, friends, etc. Do I need to get into what happens to families and friendships when someone only works with no day off?

2. Rest also gives you the opportunity to stop and see how good God is, and thank Him, worship Him, make time for Him.

3. It’s also a call to trust God. Some of us work too much because we think if we don’t, we won’t have enough of whatever we need- money, food, opportunities, etc.

4. God says, that’s what the 6 other days are for. Take the 7th day off and trust me to make sure you have what you need.

5. If I don’t take a day in 7 to rest, I’m saying that it’s up to me to make ends meet. I don’t trust that God will provide for me if I stop even if He tells me to.

a. And my relationships will suffer

b. And I won’t be well.

c. And I’ll have little to no joy in life.

6. But if I choose to remember that God is the one who provides, not me, and I give Him the one day He actually asks for…

a. I learn that all things are His- the garden, the animals, etc.

b. All time is His- the 7th day is time He asks for like the tithe and the garden. Everything is His but He only asks for this.

c. I depend on Him and learn to have gratitude for the time and energy and abilities and opportunities He provides.

d. Regular and intentional rest, if used correctly, reminds me of this and thereby builds faith, and trust in my life, keeps my mind right, and keeps me and my relationships healthy.

3. Regular and intentional rest helps me take care of myself, my relationships, and teaches me to trust God.

a. There’s no better way to enjoy work, the blessings it brings, God and the people around you, than to be in a regular rhythm of rest. To stop and enjoy.

b. Do you stop sometimes? Regularly?

c. If not why not?

d. And do you see it as part of your trust in God?

e. A rhythm of work and rest is very important. It’s how he created the universe and you.

f. To rest is godly, self care, and a way to care for others as well. It fosters relationships, and joy. It frees you to enjoy and worship God. It teaches you to trust Him and give back to him a little of your time.

g. To disregard it is to behave in a selfish, unnatural and unholy way.

h. Rest also points to eternity:

4. Rest reminds me of the ultimate rest that is available because of Jesus.

a. It’s here, and is coming. Already/not yet. What do I mean?

b. Not yet:

i. There’s a rest that is coming. This world is broken, hard, and is a struggle. Sin happens to me and I am a sinner.

ii. The gospel says that if I place my trust in Jesus, I can look forward to a day that sin will no longer be a part of my life, or the world. Are you looking forward to that?

c. Already:

i. So much of life is spent trying to be good enough for others. So much religion is about “will God accept me?” Can I do enough? Non stop stress that isn’t necessary.

ii. The Gospel: Jesus did all the work.

Ephesians 2:8-9

English Standard Version Chapter 2

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Hebrews 4:9-11 “So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience.”

Enter His rest!!! Jesus died having lived perfect so you don’t have to work to be forgiven of sin and enter God’s rest.

Reflection: Have you entered His rest? Are you a follower of Jesus? Are you enjoying the blessing of rest in this life as it reminds you of the rest to come? Is worry and stress describe your condition? Rest in Jesus.

Prayer

Blessing

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