58 Sermon Illustrations on Rest

RECREATION, Benefit of Lute-strings sound all the sweeter for being sometimes let down; and fields sowed every year become barren. So it is with both body and mind.

Legends of the Wandering Jew run thus: When Jesus was led to death, oppressed by the weight of the cross, he wished to rest himself near the gate of the house of Ahasuerus. This man, however, sallied forth, and thrust him away. Jesus turned towards him, saying, "I shall rest; but thou shalt move on till I return." And from that time he has had no rest, and is obliged incessantly to wander about. Another version is that given by Matthew of Paris, a monk of the thirteenth century: When Jesus was led from the tribunal of Pilate, to death, the doorkeeper, named Cartafilous, pushed him from behind with his foot, saying, "Walk on, Jesus, quickly: why dost thou tarry?" Jesus looked at him gravely, and said, "I walk on; but thou shalt tarry till I come." And this man, still alive, wanders from place to place in constant dread of the wrath to come. A third legend adds, that this wandering Jew falls sick every hundred years, but recovers, and renews his strength.

The nearer the soul is to God, the less its perturbations; as the point nearest the centre of a circle is subject to the least motion.

O weary sons and daughters of Adam! you will not have to drive the ploughshare into the unthankful soil in heaven; you will not need to rise to daily toils before the sun hath risen, and labor still when the sun hath long ago gone to his rest: but ye shall be still, ye shall be quiet, ye shall rest yourselves. Toil, trouble, travail, and labor are words that cannot be spelled in heaven: they have no such things there; for they always rest. Spurgeon.

An old legend says, that Rabbi Judah and his brethren, the seven pillars of wisdom, sat in the temple on a feastday, disputing about rest. One said, that it was to have attained sufficient wealth, yet without sin; the second, it was fame and praise of all men; the third, it was the possession of power to rule the state; the fourth, that it consisted only in a happy home; the fifth, that it must be in the old age of one who is rich, powerful, famous, surrounded by children's children; the sixth said, that all that were vain, unless a man kept all the ritual law of Moses. Then Rabbi Judah said, "Ye have all spoken wisely, but one thing more is necessary: he only can find rest, who, to all these things, addeth this, that he keepeth the tradition of the elders." There sat in the court a fair-haired boy, playing with his lilies in his lap, and hearing the talk, dropped them with astonishment from his hands, looked up, and said, "Nay, nay, fathers, he only loveth rest who loves his brother as himself, and God with his whole heart and soul. He is greater than wealth and fame and power, happier than a happy home, happy without it, better than honored age, he is a law to himself, and above all tradition." The doctors were astonished. They said, "When Christ cometh, shall he tell us greater things?". And they thanked God; for, they said, old men are not always wise; yet God be praised, that out of the mouth of this young suckling has his praise become perfect! T. Parker.

Augustus the Emperor, hearing that a gentleman of Rome, notwithstanding a great burden of debt wherewith he was oppressed, slept quietly, and took his ease, desired to buy the bed that he lodged on. His servants marvelling thereat, he gave them this answer: That it seemed unto him to be some wonderful bed, and worth the buying, whereon a man could sleep that was so deeply engaged. Spencer.

May Morpheus shed his benignant influence upon your eyelids that are now heavy with watching, and diffuse a pleasing languor through your limbs that are fatigued by labor! May he cause the most delightful dreams to sport around you, fill your imagination with gay ideas, and keep far from you whatever might chase them away too soon! Fénelon.

Compared with the Western world, with its indescribable hubbub, Korea is a land of the most reposeful silence. There are no harsh pavements over which horses are tugging their lives out, no jostling of carts or dray-wagons, no hateful clamor that forbids quiet conversation, but a repose that is inherent and eternally restful. The rattle of the ironing-sticks is not nerve-racking, but rather serves as a soporific to put all the world to sleep. Apart from this, one hears nothing but the few calls and echoes of human voices. What a delightfully quiet land is Korea! In the very heart of its great city, Seoul, you might experiment at midday in the latest methods of restcure and have all the world to help you.--JAMES S. GALE, “Korea in Transition.”

Sermon on the Sabbath. Two reasons for it: Rest & Worship. NT says it is done away by cross, but still good reasons to follow it: to remind us of God's grace and goodness to us, to remind us we are free people and not in bondage to work, and to remind us of our hope in God's Kingdom (Heb 4).

References:

Christianity Today, "Day of Rest and Gladness," p. 102, October 2, 1981.

Christianity Today, "Rest? Never on Sunday," p. 16, September 19, 1986.

(good, focuses on "rest" without bringing up issue of Sabbath/Sunday)

[See #609]

#612

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Sermon in Leviticus series:

"WHAT'S SO BLESSED ABOUT BEING POOR?" Lev 25:35-43

I. Current political climate.

A. Anti-poor?

B. Poverty is gaining in America.

C. What should a Christian's attitude be?

D. The Old Testament gives some concrete answers.

II. Poor and God's Kingdom.

A. Due to God's blessing, there shouldn't be poverty. Deut 15:4

B. Harsh reality - always poor among us. Deut 15:11

C. Believers should do something about it. Deut 15:7-10

III. Self-help: Gleaning.

A. Poor are allowed leftovers. 19:9f; 23:22; Deut 24:19f; Ruth 2

B. Gleaning on Sabbath years. Lev 25:6

C. Jubilee - everyone starts out fresh. Lev 25

D. Helping hand: Redemption of poor brothers.

IV. Dignity and compassion.

A. Treat as hired worker, not a slave. (Don't humiliate) 25:39-54

B. Dignity - let him bring pledge out of own house. Deut 24:10-11

C. Don't hold pledged coat overnight since he needs it. Deut 24:12

D. Don't hold back wages. Lev 19:13; Deut 24:14-15; Matt 20:8

E. Don't oppress the poor. Exod 23:9

V. Justice.

A. Don't deny justice to the poor. Exod 23:6; Deut 24:17

B. Don't favor the poor. Lev 19:15; Exod 23:3

C. No slavery of poor brothers. Lev 25:39-54

VI. Religion.

A. Sabbath rest applies to all. Lev 16:29

B. Sliding payments (vows & sacrifices). Lev 5:7,11; 27:8

C. Tithe used for poor to celebrate. Deut 14:29; Deut 26:12

D. Same atonement price (1/2 shekel). Exod 30:15

VII. Before Almighty God, we are all empoverished sinners.

A. Put God first & material needs will be met.

B. Christians must get involved, not sit back and criticize.

C. Opportunities to serve:

D. When Jesus judges us, the criteria of our spirituality will be

how we treated our weaker brothers. Matthew 25

#1876

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Sermon in Ten Commandments series. #4: The Sabbath. Exodus 20:8-11

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YOU NEED THE REST

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I. Remembrances of Sundays past.

II. Jews were distinctive in making seventh day special.

A. Ancient, eternal, serious commandment.

B. The Sabbath is about a balanced life.

C. The Sabbath is about acknowledging God's place in life.

D. Desecrating the Sabbath. Amos 8:5

III. The influence of Christianity.

A. Jesus clarified the Sabbath by his actions. Luke 4:16

B. Jesus clarified the Sabbath by his announcements. Mark 2:27-28

IV. From Saturday to Sunday.

A. Earliest Christians were Jews and accepted the Sabbath.

B. In the New Testament Sunday was becoming the main holy day.

C. Sunday and the Sabbath are different.

V. The advantages of Sabbath-keeping.

A. Grace. God rested, so should we.

B. Freedom. We are not slaves to labor.

C. Hope. God has good things in store for us.

#3163

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You can rest even when you have a hundred things to do.

You punch the accelerator. The speedometer needle edges up. The world outside your window is a blur. Faster, faster you zip around the track, exhilarated by the speed and the whine of an engine pushed to the limit. Skillfully, you weave past other cars -- watchful, alert. And suddenly tense.

SOMETHING IS WRONG.

A red flag catches your eye. Your crew chief is signaling you to pull in for a pit stop. What will you do? Will you heed the warning, even though it means giving up your position? Or will you ignore the signal and press on?

As a driver on the race track of busyness, I've experienced the thrill of zipping smoothly through my days, exhilarated by the speed and the hum of a schedule pushed to the limit. I've also suffered the pain of a crash because I've refused to obey the signals of the Holy Spirit warning me to temporarily pull out of the race for needed maintenance and refueling.

Why do I keep going when the Holy Spirit urges, "Pull over"? Do I subconsciously resent someone else controlling my life? Am I prideful, thinking I know best? Is my need to perform stronger than my desire to obey? Do I fear disapproval from others?

I crash for many reasons, but the result is always the same. Peace vanishes. I become anxious, nervous. People and their needs annoy me. Hurtful words slip out. I can't sleep. God seems distant. The warning light of my life flashes "Out of Control."

Perhaps the "frenzies" wouldn't bother me so much if I had never experienced peace in the midst of the whirlwind. But I have! Because of this, I feel an urgency to recapture my lost peace, and then to remain at peace -- always! But is this possible?

The world thinks it knows how to find peace in the whirlwind. Yoga instructors insist the answer is meditation and "out of body experiences." Magazines offer "Ten Ways to Beat Busyness." Corporate trainers promote "proven techniques for stress-free living." Travel agents claim peace is available in Hawaii -- for only $3,000!

But God said peace is not found in a program or a place, but in a Person. Jesus. "My peace I give you," Jesus said. "I do not give to you as the world gives" (John 14:27).

The peace the world offers is short-lived and shallow; the peace of Christ is immeasurable and eternal. His peace transcends human understanding and earthly circumstances (Phil. 4:7,12).

In Christ, I can be at peace when I have five major projects due at the same time. I can enjoy serenity in the midst of screaming children, a ringing phone, and an unexpected visit from my in-laws. I can remain calm when my car breaks down on the way to a job interview.

The secret to peace in the whirlwind of busyness is to abide in Christ.

GLUED TO JESUS

"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee," we're told in Is. 26:3 (KJV). "Remain in me, and I will remain in you," says John 15:4.

According to these verses, to have peace I need only to stay glued to Christ! Easy, right? No. In the stress of daily living I often become unglued.

My seven-year-old daughter, Amanda, came home from vacation Bible school and proudly announced, "I asked Jesus into my heart." "But honey, you asked Jesus into your heart two years ago," I replied. She shrugged her shoulders and sighed. "I know. But He keeps escaping."

Like Amanda, I sometimes feel as though I can't keep Jesus in me. He unexpectedly slips away, taking His peace with Him. Actually, the reverse is true. I slip away from Jesus and leave His peace behind! I try to "fix [my] eyes on Jesus" (Heb. 12:2) to "take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ" (2 Cor. 10:5). But my mind and heart wander. People and situations clamor for attention. Interruptions steal my time. Unexpected problems pre-empt my plans. Suddenly, I'm no longer "in Christ," but in chaos!

MEANINGFUL MOMENTS WITH GOD

Because God lives outside of time and space, He can pack the intensity of a week-long prayer retreat into a single moment. Following are examples of my meaningful moments with God. I trust you will not see this list as a formula for achieving intimacy with God. Intimacy with God has to do with who He is, not what I do! Intimacy flows from who you are as an individual. You are unique, so your own "list" will look quite different from mine. My primary challenge is this: look expectantly to see God in everything, and your meaningful moments will multiply. God Greetings Each morning as I open my eyes, my first thought is, "Good morning, Father." At the end of the day as I lay my head on the pillow, I whisper sleepily, "Good night, Lord." These simple greetings acknowledge God as the Alpha and Omega of my day. Traveling Tabernacle Often, surrounded by active children and talkative adults, I relish the time in my car when it is just Jesus and me. I pop a tape into the cassette player and sing praises to my Father. In the joy of expressive worship, the cares of the world slip away. I'm not even bothered by the driver next to me who is looking at me like I'm a few bricks short of a full load.

POTS AND PANS PRAYERS

Brother Lawrence, who worked in a monastery kitchen, said that whether he was in the kitchen or on his knees in the sanctuary made no difference. God was there just the same. This thought has inspired what I call "pots and pans prayers," a time in which dishwashing becomes communion with God. One evening as I was scraping greasy slime off a pot, my husband volunteered his help. "Go away. Can't you see I'm having a meaningful moment?" I teased. (However, I did offer to let him have his own meaningful moment the following evening!) Bible Break A slooowww moving train was making me late for an appointment. I drummed my fingers impatiently on the steering wheel. Then Psalm 131 (NASB) came to mind: "I do not involve myself in great matters ... too difficult for me." Why was this train moving at turtle speed? "Surely I have composed and quieted my soul. Like a weaned child rests against his mother, my soul is like a weaned child within me." Reflecting upon that verse was like receiving a half-hour massage. I arrived at my appointment late ... but relaxed.

SHARED SECRETS

Like a lover's wink across a crowded room is the sweetness of my shared secrets with God. He alone knew how much I wanted the $250 dress at the department store for an upcoming party. He knew the temptation I fought to buy the dress when it went on sale. He knew my disappointment upon discovering that even at 60 percent off, the dress was more than I could afford. Then, several days later, I came across a similar dress in my size at a garage sale -- for $15! As I paid for the dress, I blushed with joy! God's personal gifts endear me to Him in a way too intimate for words. Holy Hike God and I take walks together at least three times a week. Sometimes we share companionable silence. Other times we talk -- I share my heart and He shares His. Often I tell Him how much I love Him, how grateful I am for all He has done for me. In these moments I realize that all my life is a walk with Him, a joyful journey of new discoveries and growing closer to the One I love. -- Lorraine Pintus

Oswald Chambers writes in My Utmost for His Highest that we must begin with the end in mind. Focusing on the end simplifies the middle. When I fix my eyes on my end -- to glorify Jesus in all I say and do -- and I abide in Christ in the present, the days take care of themselves.

DELEGATION

Jesus did not attempt to handle His busyness on His own but, as God directed, He delegated; first to the 12 apostles, then to the 72, and later to His future church (Lk. 6:12-15, 10:1; Mt. 28:19-20).

Throughout Scripture, delegation is encouraged. "The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone," Jethro told Moses (Ex. 18:18), who then established overseers to help him lead Israel. Nehemiah would never have dreamed of rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem by himself.

Delegation is an effective tool for managing busyness. When coupled with empowerment and instruction, delegation minimizes burnout, builds up the Body of Christ, and advances the Kingdom of God.

REST

In our performance-oriented society, many of us, like the Energizer bunny, keep going ... and going! But God commands us to rest (Ex. 16:23, 31:15). In the Old Testament, rest came through observing special occasions: Weekly rest (the Sabbath), seasonal rest (feasts and holidays), and extended rest, as in the seventh Sabbath year in which the land and people rested. In the New Testament, rest comes through a relationship with Jesus.

Jesus proclaimed Himself "Lord of the Sabbath" (Lk. 6:5), suggesting that His rest supersedes the rest found in the Law. Old Testament rest involved occasional, physical rest. New Testament rest is continual and spiritual. Old Testament rest occurred because of something the people did out of respect for God. New Testament rest occurs because of what God did out of love for His people. Jesus' death on the cross put to death my sin, the root cause of all restlessness.

How do I tap into this rest? Simply abide. The core of my every thought must be: I am in Christ and He is in me. To rest, I have only to shut out the distractions of the world, draw deep within, and commune with my Lord in the quiet center of my heart where He resides. Though winds of conflict and waves of busyness assail me, I rest safely in the arms of the One who whispers, "Peace, be still."

Jesus wants me to combine the wisdom of the Old Testament physical rest with the concept of New Testament spiritual rest. He illustrated this as He instructed His weary disciples, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest" (Mk. 6:31). Such instruction reinforces what I know to be true (but often forget): apart from Christ, there is no rest.

PRAYER

Jesus prayed unceasingly. Certain prayers expressed praise; others acknowledged His ongoing fellowship with the Father. One prayer expressed agony.

In His plea for the Father to remove the cross, Jesus sweat drops of blood (Lk. 22:44). He did not want to do what God was asking Him to do! Ultimately Jesus surrendered His desires to the Father's will. The cross remained, but in His mercy, God sent an angel to strengthen Jesus for what lay ahead.

Recently I agonized over something God was asking me to do. I pleaded with Him to remove the situation from my schedule, but His response was no, that He would use this to accomplish His purposes in me and in others. In His mercy, God sent two "angels," Sandy and Linda, to encourage me. Through the prayers of these friends, my burden lifted. My schedule had not changed, but now I had the peace to deal with what lay ahead.

LIVE ONE DAY AT A TIME

"Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself," Jesus said in Mt. 6:34.

Panic over my schedule almost always comes from looking too far ahead in my Day-Timer. Activities swell tsunami-size, and a giant wave of anxiety crashes down upon me.

Scripture warns us not to borrow trouble from tomorrow. God instructed the Israelites concerning the gathering of manna: "The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day" (Ex. 16:4). Some people disobeyed and gathered tomorrow's manna. The extra portion spoiled and became a breeding ground for maggots.

In Lk. 11:3, Jesus tells the disciples to pray, "Give us each day our daily bread." Charles Spurgeon comments on this thought in his daily devotional: "He only permits us to pray for daily bread and only promises that as our days our strengths shall be."

MANAGING BUSYNESS

If I lived in a secluded mountain cabin, being at peace would be easy. But I don't. Instead I must learn to be at peace on the racetrack of busyness. The Holy Spirit is my Helper, warning me when I stray from Christ. Anxiousness and worry are His signals that I am going too fast, that it's time to pull over and reconnect with my Lord.

What must I do to stay connected to Jesus? Depend upon Him. Obey Him. Focus continually upon Him. How do I effectively manage my busyness? The same way He did -- delegate to others, rest, pray, and live one day at a time.

Are you at peace in your busyness? If not, Jesus invites you: "Come to me ... and I will give you rest" (Mt. 11:28). Remain in me, and I will remain in you" (John 15:4). Peace in the midst of the whirlwind is that easy ... and that difficult.

Still, it is possible to consistently be at peace in the midst of busyness. I know because Christ did it. Christ was most likely the busiest person who ever lived. Crowds pestered Him. Strangers grabbed His clothing. People with needs disturbed His sleep and interrupted His teaching. In one day alone, Jesus encouraged the disciples, healed the sick, taught the multitude, fed 5,000,and helped a friend through a storm! All this, and He still found time to be alone with His Father (John 6:1-24). How did Jesus remain at peace in the midst of such busyness? He had help. Supernatural help. "By myself I can do nothing" (John 5:30). "It is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work" (John 14:10). Jesus lived a life of unbroken fellowship with His Father. It was His constant connectedness to God that enabled Him to have peace in the midst of turmoil. If I abide in Christ, I, too, can experience peace in the midst of chaos. But I must stay connected to my Lord, as Jesus stayed connected to His Father. Jesus demonstrates how this is possible. Following are seven things Jesus did that allowed Him to remain connected to His Father. Dependence "I do nothing on my own" (John 8:28) seemed to be the theme of Jesus' life. When a hemorrhaging woman touched Jesus' garment, hoping to be healed, power drained from Him. If power drained from Jesus each time He healed, why didn't He become "empty"? Dependence upon the Father allowed Him to draw from a well of limitless resources. Jesus invites me to draw from this well so that I, too, need never feel empty or drained. But access to the well is only gained through wholehearted dependence upon Christ. I must allow Jesus to be my all: the breath in my lungs, the thoughts in my head, the words on my lips. My spirit must proclaim, "Apart from [Christ, I] can do nothing" (John 15:5). My actions must declare, "I no longer live, but Christ lives in me" (Gal. 2:20). How does this work? When I am weary but have a Bible study to teach, I picture the tired me resting in a chair while Christ in me teaches the study. When I want to look at a magazine but my children want me to read them a book, I order the selfish me to step aside while Christ in me reads Hop on Pop (for the millionth time). When I feel anger toward the driver who has just cut me off, the angry me moves over and Jesus in me offers a sympathetic you-must-have-had-a-bad-day wave. Much of my dependence upon Christ involves me getting out of the way so that the King of kings may speak and act through me.

Obedience

In John 15:9-10, Jesus challenges, "Remain in my love, ... just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love." Jesus said, "I love the Father and ... do exactly what my Father has commanded me" (John 14:31, emphasis mine). Sometimes this verse translates in my life as, "I love the Father and do pretty much what He commands me." I do not make it a point to disobey God, but neither do I make it a point to wholeheartedly follow the holy standard God prescribes. The Bible says, "Do not judge"; instead I "discern." Scripture commands me to forgive as I have been forgiven; I sometimes forgive as I think the offender deserves. God warns, "Do not lie"; so I exaggerate.

"The man who says, 'I know him,' but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him" (1 John 2:4). I cannot abide if I will not obey. If the peace of God is absent from my life, perhaps it is because I am refusing to obey the Holy Spirit warning me to align my life with the Word of God. Focus Jesus said, "I know where I came from and where I am going" (John 8:14). Christ's every action was embedded in His purpose. He did not debate over whether or not to include certain activities in His schedule. Rather, the deliberateness of His every action spoke, "That is why I have come" (Mark 1:38; see also Luke 5:32, 9:21-22, 12:49-51, and John 12:27).

LET SLEEPING DOGS LIE

One afternoon, I was in the backyard hanging the laundry when an old, tired-

looking dog wandered into the yard. I could tell from his collar and well-

fed belly that he had a home. But when I walked into the house, he followed

me, sauntered down the hall and fell asleep in a corner. An hour later, he

went to the door, and I let him out. The next day he was back. He resumed

his position in the hallway and slept for an hour.

This continued for several weeks. Curious, I pinned a note to his collar:

"Every afternoon your dog comes to my house for a nap."

The next day he arrived with a different note pinned to his collar: "He lives

in a home with ten children - he's trying to catch up on his sleep."

----------------------------

By Susan F. Roman, from Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul, Copyright 1998

by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Marty Becker and Carol Kline

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RIDGEWOOD, N.J. - The TV was off-limits for the night, and the phone was only for emergencies. Dinner was take-home pizza so no one would waste time cooking.

And the highlight of the evening at the Winkler home was board games with the grandparents.

It was all part of Ridgewood Family Night, a concerted effort by the community's nearly 30,000 residents to set aside just one night with no sporting events, practices, office meetings or homework.

"It's very exciting - no soccer, no lacrosse, no baseball," said Kathy Winkler, 43.

It took Ridgewood officials seven months to plan for Tuesday's one night off. An 18-member committee had to meet several times, school officials and spiritual leaders had to be convinced, and a publicity campaign was launched.

The city's slogan after all this additional work was "Ridgewood Family Night - Ready, Set, Relax."

Kathy Winkler and her husband David, 45, spent Tuesday night playing Monopoly with their three children, Max, 11; Jack, 9; and Alex, 6; and grandparents, 85-year-old Joe Winkler and his 73-year-old wife Gerrie.

The whole family gathered around a worn wooden table in the corner of their living room and chose up sides for Monopoly.

"I just realized that it's ironic. This is a game I played when I was a teen-ager," said Joe Winkler.

It appeared that most of Ridgewood stayed home Tuesday night. Vehicles flowed freely through the usually traffic-choked downtown and shops and restaurants were nearly deserted, although a cold drizzle may have had something to do with that.

Marcia Marra, a frustrated mother of three, came up with the idea for family night last year. As she helped other families through her work with the nonprofit Family Counseling Service, she realized her own family was spending less time together.

Marra took the night so seriously that she re-recorded her own telephone answering machine to inform callers that she was enjoying a quiet night at home with her family, and to please call back tomorrow. Leaving a message was not an option.

Despite the best of intentions, not everyone who wanted to observe family night could. Rosemary Chersi looked forward to some quality time at home with her husband and three sons. But a busy day at work stretched into the evening, and he couldn't make it home until late.

Ridgewood, about 20 miles west of New York City, is not alone in its stand against overscheduling. Three years ago, the Minneapolis suburbs of Plymouth and Wayzata formed an organization called Family Life 1st, urging parents to think carefully before signing children up for new activities.

Kathy Winkler said it was particularly difficult getting the many sports leagues to agree not to hold games or practices on a particular night.

Usually, half the family hardly sees the other half between kids being shuttled back and forth to various practices and games.

"We rarely eat together," said David Winkler, a corporate insurance broker who commutes 45 minutes to an hour to Manhattan every day. "There's really not time for family dinners too often. We fit it in when we can."

The best thing as far as the children were concerned was not having any homework.

Kathy Winkler said her children average two hours of homework a night.

"Sometimes they're doing their homework on the sidelines of a basketball game or in the car on the way there or the way back," she said. "If we get one night a month without anything scheduled it's a lot."

"I didn't even have to yell tonight," she said, laughing. "It's always, 'Get upstairs! Do your homework! Get your cleats on! Get your uniform on!"

In addition to a night with no homework, Jack Winkler said he just enjoyed having his entire family together.

"I think it's important to spend more time with your family because some families don't get to do it too much."

AP-NY-03-27-02 0247EST

According to tradition, when the apostle John was bishop in

Ephesus, his hobby was raising pigeons. On one occasion an Ephesian

elder passed his house as he returned from hunting. When he saw John

playing with one of his birds, he gently chided the old bishop for

spending his time so frivolously. John looked at his critic's bow and

remarked that the string was loosened. "Yes," said the huntsman, "I

also loosen the string of my bow when it's not in use. If it always

stayed tight, it would lose its rebounding quality and fail me in the

hunt." "And I," said John, "am now relaxing the bow of my mind so

that I may be better able to shoot the arrows of divine truth."

"Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me... and you will find rest

unto your souls. \reference{Matt. 11:29}{Matthew 11:29} When a person

trusts Christ for salvation, he experiences a deep, settled peace. He

knows that his sins are forgiven and that he is on his way to heaven.

But he still may lack peace in facing the trials and difficulties of

life. F. B. Meyer talked about this problem in his book "The Christ

Life for Your Life." He wrote, "There are tens of thousands of

Christians who have got the first rest, but have not got the second.

They could look death in the face without wavering, but they cannot

look panic, disaster, bereavement, pain, or trial in the face without

disquiet." Yet \reference{Matthew 1}{Matthew 1} 1:29 clearly shows

that there is a way to find "rest for your souls. " On one occasion F.

B. Meyer visited with D. L. Moody in Northfield, Massachusetts. Moody,

showing Meyer a team of oxen, said that whenever one of the oxen was

being yoked in, the other, which might be on the far side of the farm

yard, would come trotting over and stand beside the first, ready to be

yoked in also. Meyer then made this encouraging application for

believers in their relationship to Christ: "Jesus stands today with

the yoke upon His shoulder. He calls to each one and says, 'Come and

share My yoke, and let us plow together the long furrow of your life.

I will be a true yokefellow to you. The burden shall be on Me.'"

From Lettie Cowman comes this interesting tale from African colonial history:

In the deep jungles of Africa, a traveler was making a long trek.

Coolies had been engaged from a tribe to carry the loads. The

first day they marched rapidly and went far. The traveler had

high hopes of a speedy journey. But the second morning these

jungle tribesmen refused to move. For some strange reason they

just sat and rested. On inquiry as to the reason for this

strange behavior, the traveler was informed that they had gone

too fast the first day, and that they were now waiting for their

souls to catch up with their bodies.

Then Mrs. Cowman concludes with this penetrating exhortation:

This whirling rushing life which so many of us live does for us

what that first march did for those poor jungle tribesmen. The

difference: they knew what they needed to restore life's balance;

too often we do not.

It is incredible to realize that Lettie Cowman wrote these words almost fifty years ago.

___________

Lettie Cowman, “Springs in the Valley,” pp. 196-197.

*

I wasted an hour one morning beside a mountain stream,

I seized a cloud from the sky above and fashioned myself a dream,

In the hush of the early twilight, far from the haunts of men,

I wasted a summer evening, and fashioned my dream again.

Wasted? Perhaps. Folk say so who never have walked with God,

When lanes are purple with lilacs and yellow with goldenrod.

But I have found strength for my labors in that one short evening hour.

I have found joy and contentment; I have found peace and power.

My dreaming has left me a treasure, a hope that is strong and true.

From wasted hours I have built my life and found my faith anew.

See: Matthew 14:23; Mark 1:35

”A violin cannot play a sweet note unless the strings are under pressure, but if you put too much pressure on the strings, they snap. So do you. When the violin is NOT being used you must release the tension on the strings.” — Author Tanya Wheway

Do you ever get stressed out or in a state of being overwhelmed? I know it happens to me working to balance family life and the arrival of our son in a few weeks, generating more business opportunities, researching to prepare for my speaking programs, working on my book, creating new products, shipping out product orders, cutting the grass, washing the dog.

Your list is just as long! I once heard that God would not give us any more adversity that he thinks we can handle. What can you do to avoid the feeling that your current load of responsibilities and challenges is insurmountable? We, like the violin, need to have some time to relax, recover — get a view with a little perspective. What is your strategy?

When is the last time you sat down and enjoyed your backyard (without weeding or mowing), took a hike in the woods or were alone for twenty minutes just to contemplate in prayer of meditation?

We all need to do something. It could be swimming, playing tennis or golf, fishing, a spinning class, attending a concert or play. You may like to be alone; others want to be with a few carefully chosen friends in a unique environment.

Take special care to renew your spirit. Running your life at 110% all year with a few week long vacations — which are usually not very relaxing thrown in, is not enough. Luckily my dad is still alive today. Owning and running that Ford store almost killed him early. I remember pleading with him to take Wednesday afternoon off to leave the store and play golf. His belief was that he HAD to be there.

What is your excuse? The old cliché about no one ever saying on their deathbed that they wish they had spent more time at the office is true. Ask yourself, “Why am I blessed and fortunate to be alive today?” What are your answers dig deep within yourself.

A.J. Jacobs, an editor-at-large for Esquire magazine and a secular Jew, did a special assignment of living for one year by the precepts of the Bible, as literally as he could. The result was his book THE YEAR OF LIVING BIBLICALLY.

One of the hardest commandments for him to keep was the Sabbath. A.J. had been a workaholic who was used to working 24 hours a day. The first thing he would do when he woke up was check his Blackberry. It was a huge struggle to adapt to a work-forbidden day, but he came to see it as a great thing. Instead of constantly checking his email, he spent the day with his family. He said each Sabbath became a real smell-the-roses type of day for him. He found it to be a day for joy, for just really reconnecting with his life and realizing that work is not everything.

The change was such a large one he had to do it in stages but he has come to love it and still practices it. Ironically, he is still an agnostic. But now he is a much more spiritual one.

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Adapted from Christianity Today International/LEADERSHIP Journal. Winter 2008, Vol. XXIX, No. 1, Page 17; copyright © 2008

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[Original illustration at this number was a duplicate of HolwickID #25622]

I love to sleep. In fact, I earned the nickname “Sleeping Beauty” in college. It seems I never outgrew my teenage ability to sleep until 11:00 AM if left undisturbed. My husband, on the other hand, thinks sleeping late is a waste of time. He wakes every morning about 7:00, and couldn’t sleep another wink if he tried. Did I mention I also love to nap?

Despite my affinity for sleeping, I am not very good at going to sleep. My body temperature rises in the evenings and I tend to gain energy as the sun sets. I find evenings are prime-time for me to get things done, particularly once the kids are in bed. I hate to stop my productive work to retire for the day. Once in bed, my head has the same difficulty winding down as my body. My mind is filled with thoughts of the day, concerns for tomorrow and hopes for the future. Do you ever wish there was a switch in your mind you could flip to “off” when you were in need of some rest?

If any man should have had trouble falling asleep, it would have been King David. David was a man after God’s own heart, but he was also a man with many enemies. His own son Absalom rebelled against him and gathered as many as 10,000 soldiers to kill him. In Psalm 3:5 David said, “I lie down and sleep; I wake again because the Lord sustains me” (NIV). The king echoes this thought in Psalm 4:8 when he says, “I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety” (NIV). With so many men seeking his harm, David had left his palace for the cover of wilderness. There in the forest, David declared his life to be in the hands of the Lord and he lay down and slept like a baby. It’s not likely you and I will ever be on the run from soldiers seeking to take our life, but it is likely that this very day we are pursued by strife and stress who seek to take our quality of life. Like David, we should look to the Lord as our source of life, peace and rest.

Jesus told us how we can find rest. He said, “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” (Matt. 11:28-29 NIV). Sleep is like the reset button for the body. It helps us recover from the day’s events. While sleeping our bodies repair themselves at the cellular level and we regain our strength. Coming to Jesus with our burdens is like hitting the reset button for our souls. It too will help us recover from each day’s events. While we pray, the Holy Spirit repairs us at the spiritual level and we regain strength of mind and heart.

I have found the best way to quiet my body for sleep in the evenings is to stretch to a 20-minute Pilates video or take a 15 minute soak in the tub. I also have found the best way to quiet my mind in the evening is to spend a similar amount of time contemplating my blessings, meditating on promises in the scriptures, and laying my concerns before Jesus in prayer.

The apostle Paul advised in Philippians 4:6-7, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” No sleeping pill is a better prescription for rest than this promise. So when you get ready for bed tonight, spend some time in pillow talk prayer with Jesus, the lover of your soul. Sweet dreams.

My prayer for today:

Dear Jesus, teach me to daily lay my burdens at your feet. Show me I can trust in your loving care. Grant me, your beloved, the nourishing blessing of rest and peaceful sleep.

Application Steps:

Whether it is on a pillow or in the bathtub, find a place to spend time alone with God before drifting off to sleep. Thank Him for all that went well today and release to Him all that did not. Ask Him to develop in you His gentle humbleness, and to give you a restorative night’s rest.

Reflection points:

• God made our bodies in such a way as to require a certain amount of sleep each night for us to function at our best.

• As wives and mothers are we seeing that our families get the necessary amount of rest and sleep each day?

• As wives and mothers are we seeing that we get the necessary amount of rest and sleep each day?

• When your mind is anxious or your body weary, do you turn to the Lord as your source of comfort and strength? How long does it usually take you to turn to Him?

Power Verses:

• Psalm 119:55 (NIV)

• Deut. 33:12 (NIV)

• Isaiah 40:28-31 (NIV)

• Jeremiah 6:16 (NLT)

It is commendable that the city that never sleeps is at least taking naps. MetroNaps, a New York company that was founded in 2003 and tested at Carnegie Mellon University, provides a chance for over-worked employees, shoppers, and travelers to put their busy schedules on hold. For 20 minutes and 14 dollars, the weary are offered a state-of-the-art sleep pod designed to maximize the invigorating effects of a brief rest. Appropriately, the gift of napping is also givable. “Nap Passes” can be purchased for stressed-out colleagues and bosses, friends or family. In any case, even if the notion of paying for a nap fails to catch on, it is probably not reflective of the universal longing, and need, for napping.

The subject of busy lives and well-worn calendars is one that hits close to most homes. In fact, that busyness is the common denominator in so many lives can be seen in the marketing tactics of products from cell phones to portable breakfasts. Everything is meant to improve our demanding lives (or at least make the chains of busyness more comfortable).

I was intrigued once to discover an editorial offering a proposal to counter the chains that bind us to clocks, palm pilots, and inboxes, 24 hours a day. The suggestion, which the author admittedly referred to as radical, was to set aside a day, to set aside our electronics. Calling readers to take a day to refocus and reorder, he urged the world to give itself permission to take a full day off. “Maybe the ancients didn't pick the number seven out of a hat,” he reasoned. “Perhaps they understood that human beings can only immerse themselves in commerce for six days at a stretch before losing touch with anything approaching a civic, social, or spiritual reality.”

Something about the seventh day was not meant to be forgotten. The book of Exodus recounts, “For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day” (20:11). While each of the six days of God's labor was pronounced good, God chose to set apart one day out of seven, pronouncing it holy. And in the form of a commandment, He asked us to keep it that way. It was to be a sign between God and humanity for generations to come, “so you may know that I am the LORD, who makes you holy” (Exodus 31:13).

But after centuries of living with the command to rest, humanity struggled to see it as anything more than a command. In this, Jesus found opportunity to remind the crowds, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27). Daydreaming of sleep pods and power naps as our country observes Labor Day, I realize that I, too, need the reminder. The seventh day is a gift, a nap pass — a gentle invitation, albeit a powerful sign between God and humanity. It is a day set apart from appointment books and pressing schedules to remind us that the most pressing aspect of our lives is most authentically realized and dynamically lived out when we are resting in the presence of God. “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28, ESV).

Slowing down long enough to realize that he is talking to me, I remember that rest is not only a luxury but that it is something I need. I remember that the labor of God is far more significant than my own. I remember that the One who watches over me neither slumbers nor sleeps.

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Copyright © 2004 Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM). Reprinted with permission. "A Slice of Infinity" is a radio ministry of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries.

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”Rest for Your Souls” — Matthew 11:28-30

Scripture reading, Psalm 91:1-7

A. A Gracious Invitation

1. Bible full of invitations

a. Isa 1:18, Come now let us reason …

b. John 6:37, Him that cometh to me …

2. The scripture text is also an invitation; an invitation of God through Christ to man, with three parts

a. Address — to whom it is given

b. Condition — how to accept

c. Promise — what will be received

B. Addressed to the “Weary”

1. Is there any other word which so describes the world … ?

a. wars and rumours of war, both hot and cold

b. insurrections and world tensions

2. This is the context of these words, “labour and heavy laden” – laden with

a. cares

b. sorrows

c. worries, anxieties

3. Is this invitation, therefore, not all-inclusive? Yes, each one of us can be found in this description.

C. Condition: “take my yoke … learn of me … yoke is easy”

1. Christ diagnoses the cause of this weariness

a. rebellion against God

b. man naturally, since Eden, rebellious

2. the solution

a. learning of Christ who is meek and lowley

b. the condition is submission to God

3. Who can meet this condition?

a. it is easy, says Jesus, so that none need be excluded

b. anyone who humbles oneself can meet this condition

c. another way of expressing this is accepting Jesus by faith as one’s own Saviour

D. Promise: “Rest”

1. Not merely a phisical matter

a. bodily rest is not the same as peace and rest of mind

b. this is rest for the soul

c. this is the rest which, known to us or not, we are seeking

2. The poet, A. Legge, had found this rest when he wrote

Rest of the weary, joy of the sad;

Hope of the dreary, light of the glad;

Home of the stranger, strength to the end;

Refuge from danger, Saviour and Friend.

3. Yes, with Jesus Christ as Saviour, we can have this rest. Is it any wonder that the slave trader, John Newton, after his conversion wrote

How sweet the name of Jesus sounds

In a believer’s ear

It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds,

And drives away his fear.

It makes the wounded spirit whole,

And calms the troubled breast;

’Tis manna to the hungry soul,

And to the weary rest.

E. As we conclude this morning, how will we respond to Jesus’ invitation?

1. it is so applicable to us

2. it speaks to each one of us

Weary of earth, and laden with my sin,

I look to heav’n and long to enter in;

But there no evil thing may find a home,

And yet I hear a voice that bids me “Come” (C. Goudimel)

3. what will we do with this invitation?

Sunday is a special day – a cherished day – for Christians. It is a day that is different, not because of our church-going, but because of something God did. Not only did God begin His work of creation on a Sunday (the first day of the week), but God raised Jesus from the dead on a Sunday (Matt. 28:1). That Resurrection Day is what really makes Sunday special. It was a day of new life for a world that was dead in its sins. It marks a new beginning – a new creation.

The early disciples recognized the importance of Sunday. We can trace that special designation for Sunday – “the Lord’s Day” – back to the apostle John (Rev. 1:10). Also, we read that New Testament believers held meetings on Sundays (Acts 2:7; 1 Cor. 16:2). And so, throughout Church history up to today, Sunday is the pre-eminent day on which God’s people gather for teaching, fellowship, worship, and prayer. It is a time set apart from our everyday routine, bringing us back to our Centre, refreshing our souls, and realigning our walk.

However, there are some Christian groups that insist on worshipping on Saturdays. Messianic Judaism is one such example. Messianic Judaism encourages Christians to view Saturday as the Sabbath, and thus, the divinely ordained day of rest and worship. They cite the example of Jesus, who kept the Sabbath. They also cite the early disciples who continued to visit synagogues on Saturdays after Jesus’ ascension (cf. Acts 13:14; 16:13; 17:2; 18:4). Seventh-Day Adventism shares this view.

In response to such “Saturday-Sabbath” thinking, many (if not most) Christians will assert the “Christian Sabbath” view. These people whole-heartedly agree that we need to observe the fourth commandment. However, they will argue that Sunday has now become the Christian Sabbath because of the finished work of Christ. Everything that once pertained to Saturday-Sabbath observance now pertains to Sunday.

The story of Eric Liddell, immortalized in the movie “Chariots of Fire,” centres around this very issue. Liddell refused to race in the Olympics on a Sunday because, in his Christian convictions, it was the Sabbath. According to this Christian Sabbath tradition, the observance of Sunday is no less mandatory than is the observance of Saturday in Old Testament times. Unless we observe the Christian Sabbath, we will find ourselves compromising our faith and missing out on a blessing (so it is thought).

But is Sunday truly the Christian Sabbath? Must Christians observe the Sabbath at all? How are we to deal with the fourth commandment or the fact that Sabbath observance is so central to the Old Testament (cf. Ex. 31:13-17)? How can we reconcile this with New Testament teachings that seem to make Sabbath observance irrelevant (cf. Rom. 14:5,6)?

If we would seek to be true to Scripture, obedient to God, and faithful in our worship, we need to give some thought to this issue. Let us not go to our churches next Sunday morning out of mere routine. As Christians, we need to understand why we do what we do. More importantly, we need to understand what God expects of us.

THE OLD TESTAMENT SABBATH

Any discussion of the Sabbath must begin with its roots in the Old Testament. There we begin to see that Sabbath is more than a day – it is a theme that runs throughout the entire Bible, starting in Genesis.

Gen. 2:1-3

In these verses we read that God finished all His work of creation. This work was completed over the space of six literal days (Sunday to Friday), each marked by an evening and a morning. The seventh day (Saturday) was a day of rest. Though God issues no commandment for people to rest, He does set the day apart as holy. We read: “God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.” (2:3). Interestingly, the word for “rested” (shabat) is the root for the word for “Sabbath” (shabbat).

It is pertinent that the seventh day of Gen. 2 is not designated by the passing of an evening and a morning, as the prior six days were. This does not mean that it was not a literal day. Yet this does imply that there is more to the seventh day than just an ordinary day. The seventh day also represents a state. {2} God enters into this state with His good creation after all His work is completed, and as the intended goal of all His work. {3} In this Sabbath-state, after God’s good creation, man possesses a divine rest until the time of his Fall. The later fourth commandment serves to call us back to this Sabbath-state – a state of rest in God.

Exodus 16:22-30; 20:8-11

In these verses, we find the first references to God’s Sabbath commandment. In 16:22-30, the Israelites are given a double portion of manna on Friday so that they will be able to stay at home, refrain from work, and rest on Saturday. Saturday is “a Sabbath rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord.” (16:23). This is further clarified in the fourth commandment (20:8-11), where God orders the weekly Sabbath rest: “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy ... In it you shall do no work.” Later Scripture outlines the observance of Sabbath years as well (cf. Lev. 25). And so, from the Exodus onward, God’s people are to be distinguished by their Sabbath-keeping. They would later suffer divine wrath for their failure in this regard (cf. 2 Chr. 36:20,21).

THE PLACE OF THE LAW

How should we, in this Christian era, understand these Old Testament Sabbath ordinances? One answer comes from Tertullian. Tertullian suggested the Old Testament Law be divided into three parts: civil, ceremonial, and moral. {4} The civil law contains regulations relating to national Israel, which passed away with the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. The ceremonial law contains types and symbols pointing to Christ, which were fulfilled in Him at His death. The moral law, however, is viewed as the eternal “kernel” of the Old Testament Law, which can never be set aside. The Sabbath, some Christians hold, is a part of this eternal moral law. {5}

There are several problems with this view. First, it is notable that the New Testament does not emphasize the need to keep a weekly Sabbath day in the Old Testament sense. The Jerusalem Council did not require it of Gentile converts (Acts 15:20). Also, in the lists of sins which would bar one from the kingdom of God, Sabbath-breaking is conspicuously absent. {6} As well, interestingly, the later Church fathers make no connection between the Old Testament Sabbath and the church’s accepted day of worship – the Lord’s Day. {7}

Furthermore, there is a major flaw in Tertullian’s three-fold division of the Law. When we come to the text of Scripture, we do not find the Old Testament so neatly divided. In fact, all three “divisions” are intermingled and interspersed: it is impossible to delineate which laws apply to which division. For example, the Ten Commandments were portrayed as being in the category of “moral law,” and hence, still applicable today. However, the fourth commandment – the Sabbath law – deals with the observance of a day. As such, it seems more ceremonial than moral.

How then can we understand and apply Old Testament Law, and the Sabbath commandment in particular? Well, every commandment must be viewed as part of an irreducible complex of civil, ceremonial, and moral law that comprises the unity of the one Old Testament Law (torah). This Law can only then be interpreted in the light of Christ, who Himself fulfills the entirety of the Law (Matt. 5:17): “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.” (Rom. 10:4). Thus, if we are going to gain a true understanding of the Sabbath law and its applications for today, we must look to Christ and the New Testament record of what He said and accomplished regarding it.

THE NEW TESTAMENT SABBATH

Matt. 11:28-30

In these verses, Jesus makes a claim about Himself that is extremely pertinent to our understanding of Sabbath. He says: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (11:28). Though He does not use the word “Sabbath” here, the Sabbath theme is in view.

Christ, the ultimate authority on the meaning of “Sabbath” (cf. 12:8), is saying that He is the Rest-giver. Not only does He provide immediate rest for our souls – a spiritual rest from sin – but also that ultimate physical rest which we will enjoy with Him in heaven. This makes the Old Testament Sabbath a type which points ahead to Christ Himself and our salvation in Him. His rest in the grave on a Saturday (the seventh day) lays to rest this old creation with its sins. It enables us to enter into a new Sabbath state with God in a new creation.

Col. 2:16,17

One of Paul’s major concerns in Colossians was a heresy that advanced Jewish ritual and mysticism. Paul warns that such things do not elevate us to God, for the fullness of God can be found in none other than Jesus Christ (2:8-10). He asserts that the old rituals involving foods and festivals have been done away with. Paul goes so far as to include the Sabbath in this, saying, “let no one judge you ... regarding ... sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.” (2:16,17). Thus Paul sees the Sabbath as reaching its fulfillment in Christ and His saving work alone. {8}

Heb. 3:7-4:13

The writer of Hebrews further clarifies the relation of Christ to the Sabbath. He begins by speaking of the Israelites who sinned in the wilderness. Those who were typified by unbelief fell under God’s wrath, which entailed a barring from His rest. We read: “And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.” (3:18,19).

We should not exhibit the same unbelief, “since a promise remains of entering His rest.” (4:1). That promise of rest is equated with the Gospel in 4:2. This rest is a part of the Sabbath theme – a theme fulfilled in the Good News of Jesus Christ.

As David Robinson explains, in Christ, we re-enter the Sabbath-state that God alone provides. This state existed in Eden, but was destroyed by Adam’s sin. Israel tasted of this state in the Sabbath ordinances, but would not enjoy its fullness. However, with Christ’s death and resurrection, an eternal Sabbath is established which no man can break. So, “There remains therefore a rest (sabbatismos; literally, “Sabbath 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.” (4:9,10). Fred Zaspel asserts that the Old Testament Sabbath “pointed to a finished work of God in providing redemptive rest for His people through the death of His Son.” {9}

THE SABBATH AND THE LORD’S DAY

In summary, “Sabbath” for the New Testament Christian has been fulfilled in Christ. Its ultimate meaning is realized in our state of salvation in Him. The day was part of an eschatological theme – a shadow of a better Day to come. Therefore, we cannot hold to the common Christian Sabbath or Saturday-Sabbath views. Neither Saturday nor Sunday is our Sabbath, because believers have an Eternal Sabbath in Jesus – a state of salvation which can never be abrogated. This Jesus and His salvation is our Christian Sabbath.

However, do not miss the connection between the Old Testament Sabbath and the Lord’s Day (Sunday). The Lord’s Day celebrates the completion of Christ’s work of salvation and, thus, our entry into the Eternal Sabbath. The Lord’s Day looks back to the things which the Sabbath day looked ahead to. And so it would not be wrong to draw some parallels. {10} Both days are linked to worship. Both are commemorative days observed by the people of God. Both are associated with rest – either physical or spiritual. {11} The Lord’s Day, while not the Sabbath, is a day to remember.

TODAY’S CHRISTIAN AND THE LORD’S DAY

How are you observing the Lord’s Day? Certainly the first day has been appointed in a special way for Christians to gather, learn, fellowship, worship, and pray. But, are we distracted from the Person we worship by our day of worship? Or, worse, are we Sunday Christians, living for God only one day a week?

What about those like Eric Liddell or those in Messianic Judaism who hold to a Sabbatarian position? Certainly, Paul provides for differences among Christians over just such an issue: “One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it.” (Rom. 14:5,6). Individual Christian conscience must always be considered. However, a strict Sabbatarianism should be rejected.

Also, we must remember that parallels do exist between the Lord’s Day and the Sabbath. As well, the New Testament does set out principles regarding the Lord’s Day. Christ’s fulfillment of the Law does not mean that there is now no more Law at all! Rather, we must look to Him for the definitive interpretation.

The Sabbath has not been abolished, for “there remains therefore a Sabbath for the people of God” (Heb. 4:9). However, this Sabbath has been fulfilled in the finished work of Christ. We no longer need to observe a Sabbath day, but we must devote time to the Lord who gives us our Eternal Sabbath. It is the Lord’s Day – Sunday – which provides this opportunity in a special way. It is the Lord’s Day that helps us remember that we find our true rest in Jesus; that we have a new beginning in Him.

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Footnotes:

1. Article first appearing in the Winter 2006 edition of The Evangelical Baptist, © David T. E. S. Cooke.. Reproduced here by permission of the author, David T. E. S. Cooke, who serves as a missionary to Toronto’s Jewish community at The Toronto Jewish Mission (www.torotojewishmession.org). He is also involved in an ESL Bible Study ministry for immigrants. He completed his M. Div (Hons) from Toronto Baptist Seminary in 2004. David, his wife Heather, and their new baby, Joshua, reside in Richmond Hill, Ontario and attend Richmond Hill Baptist Church.

2. Based on a sermon by David Robinson, Grace Bible Church, Cambridge, Ontario, Feb. 16, 2003, 6:00 PM.

3. Fred Zaspel, “The Sabbath: A Test Case,” Tom Wells and Fred Zaspel, New Covenant Theology, (Frederick, MD: New Covenant Media, 2002), 214.

4. A. T. Lincoln, “From Sabbath to Lord’s Day: ‘A Biblical and Theological Perspective,’” D. A. Carson, ed., From Sabbath to Lord’s Day, (Grand Rapids: Academie Books, 1982), 380.

5. Douglas Allen Adams, Sunday – The Christian Sabbath, (TBS Thesis, 1977), 8,9.

6. Cf. 1 Cor. 6:9,10; Gal. 5:19-21; Eph. 5:5.

7. Lincoln, 385.

8. Lincoln, 368.

9. Zaspel, 232.

10. Lincoln, 398.

11. Cf. W. O. Carver, Sabbath Observance, (Nashville: The Broadman Press, 1940), 54-57.

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. — Isaiah 26:3.

Two painters were asked to paint a picture illustrating peace. The first painted a beautiful evening scene and in the foreground there was a lake, its surface absolutely calm and unruffled; trees surrounded it; meadows stretched away; cattle gently browsing; a little cottage; the setting sun — all spoke of perfect rest. The second painter drew a wild stormy scene. Heavy black clouds hung overhead. In the center of the picture an immense waterfall poured over huge volumes of water covered with foam. One could almost hear the incessant roar, and yet the first thing to strike the eye was a small bird perched in a cleft of a great rock, absolutely sheltered from all around, pouring out its notes of sweet joy. This is what we should know, perfect peace in the storms of life — God’s peace.

Peace, perfect peace, with sorrows surging round?

On Jesus’ bosom naught but calm is found. — E. H. Bickersteth