Christ is the Ultimate Rest

I have spent four weeks talking about rest.  The body needs rest.  In our times of rest and sleep, God is still working through His Word and Spirit.  God does the best work in us during our times of rest.  Why? Because Christ is the Ultimate Rest.

Jesus invites us to Himself for rest.  "Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."  Matthew 11:28 (NIV)

In the great Christ-centered book of Hebrews, the author speaks of "rest" nine times in chapter four and concludes with this in verses 9-10 "There remains a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His."

This chapter alludes to the seventh (sabbath) day rest of God from His work in creating the world and listing this as one of the ten commandments in Exodus 20:8-11. The Jews took this so seriously they made multiple, even hundreds, of stipulations of what a faithful Jew could and could not do on the Sabbath (which is Saturday). It became so burdensome to the faithful to "keep the Sabbath."  This is interesting (and telling for us modern followers of Jesus) for what God meant for rest and good becomes a burden and wearisome.  

As we see the law fulfilled in Jesus (according to Matthew 5:17), then this rest prescribed is found and completed not in a day, but in Jesus.  Oh, what a thought!!

Now, is it good to take a day and rest?  Yes.  It is still the wisdom of God. But the truth is more than a day...its a lifetime of resting in the person of Jesus.  

If a sabbath day rest for God and us is to "cease from our works," then that is exactly what we do when we come to Jesus.  He is our rest.  Rest is not a place on a secluded island, but it is a Person. In Christ, we rest from our labor.  How?

First, we cease our labor of trying to be right with God through our good works.  No one is justified by good works before a holy God because in the light of God's holiness and man's sinfulness, we have no good works of which to boast.  So, we are not made right with God by works, but by faith alone in Christ alone.

Ephesians 2: 8-9 "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast."

The only work required for a right standing with God was the work Jesus did on the cross.  He cried, "It is Finished." (John 19:30) The work necessary was complete in and through the person of Jesus Christ.

Have you rested from your works to trust Jesus alone?  We will never be able to do enough good works nor does God even require it, so stop trusting or trying in works and rest in the faith.

Second, we do not "work for God," instead, God works through us.  Philippians 2: 13 "for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure." 

God begins His work in us by giving us His will through which He wants us to work.  We are not required to do everything in His kingdom, church, or community.  Only that which He wills for us.  He gives us the desire to do this particular job, ministry, or work.  We are not to compare ourselves with others because not everyone has been given the same work to do.  Only what God wills.

Then the best news...what He wills for you to do He supplies the ability (grace) for you to do it.  He does not leave us alone in our work, instead, He supplies everything (grace) we need to complete the work "to His good pleasure."  GLORY!!! 

He works through me is the concept, not me working for Him. That produces rest!!!

“After creation God said, ‘It is finished’—and he rested. After redemption Jesus said, ‘It is finished’—and we can rest.”  - Tim Keller 

Selah