"Take Time To Rest"

Pastor Matt

Today we are going to talk about taking time to rest.

Many people never rest until they sit still on Sundays and fall asleep during church.

Some of you cannot remember when the last time you rested was.

Mark 6:30-31

30The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. 31Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest."

-        A large crowd gathers to hear teachings and to be healed

-        Jesus feeds them with five loves of bread and two fish

Mark 6:45-46. 

45Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. 46After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray.

What does the Bible teach us about rest?

WE ARE TO WORK SIX DAYS AND THEN REST

Exodus 20:8-11 (4^th commandment) says “remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy”

“Sabbath”….to cease, to rest, to desist from labor, to put an end to

There is this day called the Sabbath where we are to stop doing what keeps us busy all week long.  We are to rest from our work in this world.

“Keeping it holy”….is set apart and dedicated to the Lord.  It is set apart for a specific purpose.  This is God’s day, not ours. 

We are to have a specific day of the week that we see as a sacred day to keep us from work.  It’s like having your anniversary every week.  You would not dare schedule to work on your anniversary unless you want to sleep in the dog house.  You have a special day that you do not want anything to get in the way of.  You are guarding it, protecting it.

o       Some will look down on you if you work on Sunday

§        This commandment never indicates what day you are to take off

§        The Jewish nation made up their calendar and picked their day off as a nation

§        In reality, we do not have accurate calendars that go back to the time the 10 commandments were written, so we are really only guessing what day of the week we are actually on.

§        Some have based their religion on a man-made calendar

Colossians 2:16. tells us that we should …not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day.

-        the commandment tells us that we are to work six days and then we must rest

o       that’s all it says

o       everything after that has been added to God’s Law

o       it makes sense for us all to get together on the same day, but that does not mean it always has to be on a Sunday

How can I make this happen?

Some practical suggestions:

A. Schedule a day off every week (remember we are to set it aside/ make it holy)

-        The Jewish Day of Preparation

-        Plan your week in such a way that you can rest on your day off

o       (don’t have to make 18 trips to Wal-Mart and waste all that time)

-        When you get ready to go on vacation, you prepare so you don’t have to worry about the everyday stuff while on vacation.  Pretend Sunday is your once a week vacation.

-        Just because society is so busy does not mean you have to be.

o       Busyness is not part of God’s plan for you

B. Find out what God wants you to do and do it. 

Romans 12:2.  “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.

-        Start your days and weeks by asking God, “What do you want me to do today?”

This is especially true when it comes to the church as a whole…

Romans 12:6.  We have different gifts, according to the grace given us.

1 Corinthians 12.  One body many parts

We often can not rest because we are doing things we do not have any business doing

If we stop doing the things we do not have the gifts to do, God will provide (most likely He already has) the people we need to do what needs to be done

If we limit our weeks and days to doing just the things God wants us to do, we will find that we have plenty of time to rest. 

C. Do not allow other things or people to control your life

Exodus 31:12-13.  Then the LORD said to Moses, "Say to the Israelites, `You must observe my Sabbaths. This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am the LORD, who makes you holy.

Our Sabbath day (day of rest) is God’s way of showing us He is in charge. 

It is hard enough doing what we need to do on a seven day week, now to do it in just 6?!

God has a funny way of asking us to do less so He can do more.

When we give an entire day to rest we are saying, “God you are in control of my life, because taking a day off does not make sense.

Rest lets God know that he is still in charge.

We are trusting Him with our time and the rest of the week. 

When we do not settle down, we are staying in control all of the time.  God wants to be in control.

Psalm 46:10. “Be still, and know that I am God.”

1 Corinthians 6:12.  "Everything is permissible for me"--but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible for me"--but I will not be mastered by anything.

The church was disputing over goofy religious rules (Food to eat, etc.)

Paul responded by saying…

There are a lot of things a believer can do, but not all things are to their benefit.

Regardless of what you do, nothing should be in control of your life except the Lord. 

Galatians 2:20.  I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. We died to self to live for Him

For example…

…if you work too much so you can pay your bills, lesson your bills so you do not have to work too much. 

D. When you are physically resting, put your mind at rest too.

Matthew 6:25-31

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?  Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?  Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life ?  "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin.  Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.  If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?  So do not worry, saying, `What shall we eat?' or `What shall we drink?' or `What shall we wear?'

In your rest, don’t worry about this life, trust that God will provide

1 Peter 5:7

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Closing

Ultimately, you can never truly rest unless you have a relationship with the Lord.

Matthew 11:28-30

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."