In this sermon, the preacher focuses on the words of Jesus in Matthew 11:28, where He invites all who are burdened and weary to come to Him for rest. The preacher emphasizes that Jesus is the only one who can truly give us rest because He took upon Himself our sins and paid the penalty for them on the cross. The preacher shares a personal experience of finding rest in Jesus at a young age. The sermon also references Hebrews 4:1-13, highlighting the importance of entering into God's rest and the need to fear failing to receive this promise.

Well, we want to thank the Lord for gathering us together here. I feel that it may be of the Lord that this time when we are together, we will consider before Him two different aspects or features of our Christian life. And they are rest and fight. Now these are the two opposites. And yet you find in the working of God, in the life of a Christian, these two things work together to accomplish God's purpose for us. On the one hand, we as believers must know what rest is. We are as weaned children, resting in the bosom of our God. And yet on the other hand, we as believers are the army of the Lord. And we need to fight the good fight of faith. Now brothers and sisters, without rest we cannot fight. Rest gives us strength to fight the fight of faith. And it is only through fighting that we enter into rest. So these are the two features, aspects of our Christian life. And we need to know both. We know that our Christian life is patterned after the life of Christ. The way that our Lord Jesus lived while He was on earth is the way that we ought to live. Now if you look into the life of our Lord Jesus in the days of His flesh, you will find that there is in Him a Sabbath rest. A rest that never leaves Him, even though He was on earth. And yet He was still in the bosom of His Father. You remember in John chapter 1, it says, No one have ever seen the Father, but the Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him. So even when our Lord Jesus was in the flesh, He came from the Father to this earth. And yet all the while He was on earth, He is still in the bosom of His Father. So you find that throughout the life of our Lord Jesus, there is a rest in Him. No matter how turbulent His environment is, nothing can disturb His peace. He is always with His Father, in His Father, and His Father is always in Him. You remember one day when He was on a little boat with His disciples crossing the sea, and there was tempest. The waves were raging. And His disciples, some of them, they were fishermen. And yet the situation was so bad that they were afraid. And all the while, our Lord Jesus was resting, was sleeping. They woke Him up and said, Lord, we perish. And the Lord said, Fear not. And He commanded the waves and the sea to go back to calmness. So you know, through the life of our Lord Jesus, there is a peace, a rest in Him that nothing can disturb. And this is the kind of rest that we as believers should know. And yet at the same time you find throughout the life of our Lord Jesus, He is always fighting that good fight of faith. It is a battle for life. You find how He fights against the sin in this world, to the point of shedding His own blood. He fights against all the temptations in this world, never compromised. He fights against the evil forces in the heavenlies. And He fought until He got the victory. The life of our Lord Jesus is a constant fight. Fighting against anything that is against the will of God. And fighting all the time for the will of God. Now this is the life of our Lord Jesus. And this is the kind of life that He expects us as His disciples to live. Now this morning we would like to concentrate on rest. Now will you please turn to Matthew chapter 11. The gospel according to Matthew chapter 11. We will just read two verses, 28, well three verses, 28, 29 and 30. Matthew 11, 28. These are the words of our Lord Jesus. Come to me, all ye who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest to your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. And then please turn to Hebrews. The letter to the Hebrews, chapter 4. We will read the first 13 verses. Hebrews, chapter 4, verse 1. Let us therefore fear lest a promise being left of entering into His rest. Any one of you might seem to have failed of it. For indeed we have had glad tidings presented to us, even as they also. But the word of the report did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard. For we enter into the rest who have believed, as He said, as I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest. Although the works have been completed from the foundation of the world. For He has said somewhere of the seventh day thus. And God rested on the seventh day from all His works. And in this again, if they shall enter into my rest. Seeing therefore it remains that some enter into it, and those who first received the glad tidings did not enter in, on account of not hearkening to the word. Again He determined a certain day, saying in David, Today, after so long a time, according as it has been said before, Today if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts. For if Joshua had brought them into rest, he would not have spoken afterwards about another day. There remains then a sabbatism to the people of God. For He that has entered into His rest, He also has rested from His works, as God did from His own. Let us therefore use diligence to enter into that rest, that no one may fall after the same example of not hearkening to the word. For the word of God is living and operative, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and penetrating to the division of soul and spirit, both of joints and marrows, and a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is not a creature unapparent before Him, but all things are naked and laid bare to His eyes, with whom we have to do. Let us commit this word to the Lord. Dear Lord, we have just read Thy word, and now we just look to Thy Holy Spirit to bring Thy word to life to us. Lord, Thy words are life and spirit, and may it be done this morning to the praise of Thy glory. We ask in the name of our Lord Jesus. In Matthew chapter 11, we find there is the call to rest. The Lord said, Come unto Me, all ye who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Now this presupposes that there is no rest in this world. This world, our hearts, are like the raging waves of the sea, forming out its own shape. And that is in Jude 13. How true it is that you find human hearts as raging waves, raging waves of the sea, forming out its own shape. There is no rest. People everywhere are looking for rest, for peace, but there is no peace. I remember many years ago, back in China, in interior China. I was crossing the mountains from Yunnan, through Quechua, to Sichuan. And we were riding on a bus. And even riding on a bus was very hard, very tired, very wearisome. But when we were climbing these high mountains, we noticed there were people climbing these mountains. With a very high bamboo bags on their back. And it was filled with salt bricks. They were carrying these from Yunnan, crossing Quechua, to Sichuan, all the way. Bringing these salt bricks to the interior. And when these people were carrying these salt bricks, in the early morning, people will have to help them to put this basket upon their shoulder. They couldn't take it down, during the day. So the way they did was, when they were really tired. You know, we were riding on the bus, and we got very tired. But they were climbing, with this heavy bag upon them. And when they wanted to rest, we saw them just standing there, putting a rod under this bed. And then just stood there and rested for a while. They couldn't take off their bed until evening. And they did it day after day, day after day. When they arrived and sold these salt bricks, they have already eaten up all that they had earned. And they had to go back and did it again. That's life. So when I look out of the window of the bus, I saw these people. It came to my mind, that is life on this earth. How hard it is. But is this the original idea of God for mankind? Certainly not. We find that when God created man, He created man on the sixth day. And on the seventh day, God looked at all that He had created. They were very good. How could anything come out from the hand of God and is not good? Not very good. God looked at all that He had created, and they were very good. So God rested on the seventh day. Now remember, man was created on the eighth day. And probably towards the afternoon. Towards the evening of the eighth day. Because man was the last creation. And the next day was Sabbath. In other words, the first day that man lived on earth, was a day of rest. Now is it not that God is trying to tell man, that His intention for mankind is that they may rest. Now brothers and sisters, don't take it wrong. Thinking that rest is doing nothing. No. When God created man, God put man to work. God said, you kill the ground, you guard the garden, and you have dominion over the flowers of the air, the beasts of the field, and the fishes of the sea. God did put man to work. It is good for man to work. But work at that time is not hard labor. It is a pleasure. You work that you may fulfill the will of God. And that is the highest honor, the greatest pleasure in this world. So in the beginning you find that man did work, but it was not laboring hard, and heavily burdened. It was a delight. It was a pleasure, that man could work to fulfill God's purpose. It wasn't until man sinned against God. And I believe you all remember the story, how Adam and Eve, our forefathers, they rebelled against God's command, and they took the forbidden fruit. And because of sin, curse came upon this world. Women will bear child, in pain, prevailing pain. Man had to work, to make a living, with the sweat of their brow. Because the earth was cursed. So brothers and sisters we remember, life becomes so hard today. It is because there is sin in this world. People are laboring, under heavy burden, and they labor for vanity. Because the end is death. The dust returns to dust. And yet you know, there is that lust within man, desiring for more, never satisfied. It's vanity. All of vanity. So the wisest of men, King Solomon, he wrote a book called Ecclesiastes, and he said he had experienced everything that man is able to experience. Because he was king. He was the wisest of men. He was the richest. He could do anything. He said, I want to do everything according to my desire, to satisfy me. He built gardens, many servants, many maids, many concubines, many wives, singing men, singing women, power, everything. And yet he said, he looked at all these and said, vanity of vanity. All is vanity. What for? That is labor and heavy laden. No rest. But worse than that, because of sin, we were under the yoke of sin. Many things we knew we should not do, we did. Many things we knew we should do, we couldn't. We didn't have the strength to do it. And because of this, our conscience accused us. We live under a bad conscience, a guilty feeling, and we try to bribe our conscience. We try to do some good things to compensate for the bad things that we have done. And yet, there was no rest. There was no peace in our heart. That is the world. Who can give us rest? Where is rest? In this world, only one man. Because he is more than man, he is God, who came to be a man. He is the only one who is able to cry to the multitudes and said, come to me and I will give you. Many people may be able to give you some help. Some people may give you some wealth, some position. But is there anyone who can say to you, come to me, I will give you rest. In this whole world there is only one person, our Lord Jesus. He is the one who can give us rest. Why? Because he came into this evil world. He took upon himself our sins. He bore our sins in his body on the cross. He paid a penalty of the wages of sin that is death. And because of the shedding of his blood, his blood can cleanse our conscience from our heart from the evil. When we come to the Lord Jesus, he gives us rest. A rest that no one can take away. I can vividly remember when I was fourteen years old. Before that I always felt as a student I was better than most people. What can we students do? We are not yet in society. We are studying with good environment. We are pure. So I always felt that I was better than most people. I was brought up in Christian family. I heard the gospel when I was a child. I knew the Bible. I even prayed. I went to church. But I felt well, Jesus Christ is the savior of the world. Well, the world. But I'm too good. I don't need him. Not until when I was fourteen years old. Because of some environment. For a whole year even though nobody was talking to me a sense of the sinfulness of me came upon me. Nobody pointed his finger at me. And yet somehow the Holy Spirit convicted me that I was a great sinner. From the top of my head to the sole of my feet there is nothing good. Now even though as a student in school I couldn't commit these hideous crimes as in society and yet the Lord convicted me. I was under that guilty conscience for a whole year. I sensed my sinfulness. When I was alone I wept. When I saw coffins passing by I trembled. If I should die how can I meet my maker? I had wasted his gifts, his grace. I had sinned against him. That burden was so heavy upon me I couldn't bear it. But one day in 1930 I could remember vividly I went to a conference with a desire to be saved. And thank God one afternoon he met me. And when I confessed my sin before him and just trust him as my savior suddenly that burden I got up I could fly. There is such peace within my heart. A peace that I never experienced before. Now I believe brothers and sisters you who have believed in the Lord Jesus you have all experienced this. When you come heavy laden you come to the Lord and that burden is rolled away. There is peace in your spirit. And even after so many years that peace is still there. The world just cannot take that peace away. The Lord said I will give you. Now if there is anyone here who hasn't yet experienced that rest I pray to God that you come as he commands you. Come to me. Just come to the Lord. Not come to Christianity. Come to Christ Jesus. Because he is the only one who can give you rest. And without exception you will have this rest. If you just come to him. Now this is the gospel to the world. But of course this morning I'm talking to you believers. And hear our Lord Jesus continue and say take my yoke upon you and learn of me. For I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest to your souls. For my burden is easy and my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Now after we believe in the Lord Jesus I believe a peace came into our heart. We think because of this all our problems were solved. And it is true. In the beginning of your Christian life when you first believe in the Lord Jesus when that peace first came into your heart during those days nothing can disturb you. Not even yourself. Because you are in that first love with the Lord. Your eyes are upon him. And you really live by him. You are in the third heavens. Everything is underneath you. And you may think now everything is solved. But strangely after a while you make a discovery. Even though that peace that rest is still there in you. And yet somehow you find a restlessness begin to come forth again. Why? Because the Lord said come unto me all you who labor and are burdened and I will give you rest. And he did. He did give you rest. But it is a rest in your spirit. Deep down in your spirit there is a rest that nothing can disturb. Now how can I describe it? It is like at the bottom of the sea there is a peace a calmness. But maybe on the surface of the water is raging. But no matter how raging are the waves on the surface of the water in the bottom of the water there is calmness. Now that probably can describe some of our unfortunate experiences. Deep down within our spirit that rest is always there. But somehow we feel on the surface is raging again. Put it this way. The Lord said take my yoke upon you and learn of me and you shall find rest to your souls. In other words in your spirit there is already rest. You know there is peace with God. And yet in your soul you find no rest yet. Now let me explain. What is the soul? The soul is the seat of your personality. The soul has the facilities the faculties of thinking your mind of feeling your emotion of willing determining choosing your will. In other words our soul is where our personality is. It is our will our emotion our mind. In other words it is you. When we believe in the Lord Jesus and are saved salvation comes to our spirit. The Bible said he that is born of the spirit is spirit. That is regeneration. When you are saved your dead spirit that had been out of touch with the living God was brought back to life. Made new. And immediately your communication with God is resumed. And you can cry out to God Abba Father that is regeneration born again. It happens in your spirit. And that rest also comes into your spirit. But we have to remember it doesn't mean that because you believe in the Lord Jesus you are changed completely changed. Your spirit is renewed into new life. But your soul and your body remain the same. You are still what you are. For instance after you believe in the Lord Jesus does your body change completely? Well, if it does nobody will recognize you anymore. You are still that feature. Right? Well, there is some change of course. When before you believe in the Lord Jesus your long face and after you believe in the Lord Jesus your face get rounder. Because you are joyful. But it is superficial. Not really. And we still have this mortal body with us. Right? And this mortal body is always very cumbersome. Until one day when your body is transformed into a spiritual body then it is completely changed. Now that will come when the Lord comes back. It is still in the future. So we still mourn in this mortal body. Now how about our soul? When you believe in the Lord Jesus yes, the Lord comes into you. There is something or someone that you don't have before. Before that you have only yourself. Me. I. That's all you have. And that is your life. It is my will. I want to do it. I like it. I feel it good. I feel it bad. That is the way I think. I consider. Me. I. That's all you have. But now Christ has come into your life. He is there in your spirit. But it doesn't mean that you have been displaced yet. You are still very strong. And in your first love you are subdued. It doesn't come out. It's all Christ. But after a while that old man began to raise his head and challenge. Challenge Christ. And when that happened restlessness. You know our soul is like the raging waves of the sea. It never stops. Your mind never stops. Even when you are sleeping you dream. Your feeling always changes. And even your will. You may will this today and will that tomorrow. And brothers and sisters when we begin to lose our first love with the Lord our self-life begins to raise its head. Again you will find you want this. You want that. You think this is best for you. You feel it. And because you begin to rise up within you there is no rest in your soul. As a Christian you know you should please God to do God's will. And yet somehow you find it is so difficult to do God's will. You come to the point to feel as if God's will is always opposite to your will. Whatever is hurting you must be God's will. And you struggle. You struggle. You know during that period our life is just like when the Apostle Paul described. He said what I want to do I cannot do. What I do not want to do I do. I know the will of God. I want to please Him. But I cannot. Why? Why? Because there is someone in me saying do the other way. So eventually he cried out O wretched man that I am who will deliver me from this body of death? Now isn't that true? Christians not unbelievers Christians are going through a period when you find there is no rest to your soul. The world seems to come to you with the lust of the flesh. The lust of the eyes. The pride of life. These things begin to come upon you with such force that even though deep down within you you know you should resist these things and yet on the other you seem to like go a paradox no rest to your soul. Our soul needs to be saved. And the salvation of the soul is today. Our soul needs to be saved from self to Christ. Christ shall reign not only in our spirit but even in our soul. And that's the reason why our Lord Jesus said Take my yoke. That is the secret. Now what is a yoke? You know a farmer when he is planting he put a yoke a piece of wood on the neck or the shoulder of the animal to kill the ground. And the yoke is upon that ox or a horse and is connected with a plow. And the farmer will hold the plow and try to plow the field. But you know the ox if it is not trained will go its own way. And that's the reason why in the other hand of the farmer he has a goat a sharp thing and he will touch the leg of the ox to make it feel a little painful so he will learn to obey the farmer and kill the ground in a straight way. And if that ox is trained then you'll find that he will obey the the master and willingly and joyfully he will cut the ground in a straight way. Now that is the yoke. Now before we believe in the Lord Jesus we are all under yoke. You may think you are a free person you are not free. You are not born free. You are born under a yoke. The yoke of sin. Sin reigns within you. That is why you cannot do what you want to do and you must do what you don't want to do. Until one day you want to do what sin wants you to do. And you have pleasure in it. The pleasure of sin. But it leads to death. Now our Lord Jesus was never under the yoke. A yoke had never came upon. You know in the Old Testament in Numbers chapter 19 you'll find that a red heifer that a yoke has never came upon that red heifer. That red heifer is to be offered and then the ashes will be used for the cleansing of the children of Israel. Now that red heifer is a type of Christ. He was never under the yoke of sin. He never sinned. And yet you find that there was a yoke upon our Lord Jesus while he was on earth. So he said take my yoke upon you. Now he did have a yoke. Now what is his yoke? It is not the yoke of sin. It is the yoke of the Father's will. But he took upon himself voluntarily. You know an animal under yoke was not voluntary. It was put upon him. And that's how we were born into the yoke of sin. We have no choice. The yoke was upon us. But thank God he took our yoke away and set us free. But here you find when our Lord Jesus came into this world he purposely voluntarily he took this yoke of his Father's will upon him. He willingly submitted himself under that yoke. So you remember in Psalm chapter 40 it is prophesied of our Lord Jesus. He said, sacrifice an oblation or not what you want but you prepare me a body lo I come to do thy will and thy law is written upon my heart. And then the fulfillment is in the life of our Lord Jesus. So in Hebrews chapter 10 you'll find how this is fulfilled in the life of our Lord Jesus. During the days of our Lord on earth he voluntarily put himself under the yoke of his Father's will. He came came to do the Father's will. Never once he rebelled against his Father. He put himself under his Father's willingly voluntarily without murmuring. The Bible said even though he was a son yet he learned obedience for the things which he suffered that he might become the in the original the causer of our eternal redemption. In other words, he opened a way for us to enter into this rest. And the Lord said, come and take my yoke upon you. Now brothers and sisters remember it is a voluntary action. It is an act of our will. If you want to find rest to your soul you have to exercise your will as you are constrained by the love of Christ to willingly take that yoke. It is a double yoke. You know when a farmer ploughs he sometimes use two oxen or two horses. A double yoke. One on the one side, one on the other side. And the Lord Jesus said, here is this double yoke. I'm on the one side. Now you by your own free will constrained by my love you are willing to take up my yoke. In other words, make my yoke your yoke. Make the will of God your will. In other words, you choose to live your life for the will of God. And you voluntarily put your neck under that yoke. Now, why should it be a double yoke? Now, that is the way the farmer did. Suppose you have a tamed horse. It's already broken. Tamed. That is to say it will follow your direction. And then you find sometimes you use a new horse. And the way to do it is put that new horse together with that old horse. Tamed. Disciplined. Now the new horse is not disciplined. It's not broken yet. Or an ox. It's a wild ox. And when you yoke them together now the broken one will follow the will of the master faithfully. Going straight. But the unbroken, the wild one has its own will. So maybe it sees something good on the other side and she wants to pull to the other side. But he couldn't. Because he double yoked. So when he tried to pull to the other side he finds that that tamed one is so strong that push him, pull him back. You know? And that is the way that gradually the wild one will learn from the tamed one. So the Lord said yoke. Take my yoke upon you. And learn of me. You know how I live. You know that is the way. And now learn of me. For I am weak and lowly in heart. First a will yielded. And then a heart lowly and weak. Brothers and sisters if we will to take the Lord's yoke upon us we will begin to learn. Now the reason why many believers never learn, it is because they are not yoked with Christ. If you are yoked with Christ you will learn. Because He is stronger than you are. You want to go your way, but you couldn't. If you are not yoked with Him you can go your way. But if you are yoked with Him you couldn't. You will be pulled back to the will of God. And gradually your heart is softened. Meek. Meek means without self. Your self-life is being dealt with. I want this. I want that. This is what I desire to do. And you find you couldn't. Until one day you lay down yourself. That is meek. Lowliness. Humble before God. The pride of life is gone. And brothers and sisters it is only when you are broken you find a rest to your soul. Isn't it true when you are fighting against God's will there is never rest in your soul? But when you begin to yield to the will of God even though it's difficult you may weep, you may cry and yet there is rest in your soul. You'll find it. You'll find it. Dear brothers and sisters what is the purpose of life? Why the Lord save us that we may do God's will? Not my will but thy will be done. That is the purpose of life. And why is it you have no rest in your soul? Because you want your own will. When you begin to want God's will and nothing but God's will there is rest in your soul. You'll find it. So the rest in your soul is something you have to find. It is not given. It is not automatic. You have to go and find it. And where can you find it? You'll find it in Christ. And then you discover really the yoke is easy the burden is light. You know when you fight against it it becomes very heavy. When you yield to it it's very easy. So there is a gospel to the believers. Are you restless? Take the yoke of our Lord Jesus upon you. Be double yoke with Him. And you will learn of Him. And you will find rest. Now we go to Hebrews. Now in Hebrews chapter 4 we find that there is a promise being left of entering into His rest. Now God has promised us a rest. It is called His rest. In other words, God's rest is to be our rest. And then He used the Old Testament examples. You know God after in Genesis chapter 1 we find that God used 6 days to recreate this universe, to make it habitable. And then on the 6 days He created man. We have already mentioned. And then in Genesis chapter 2 verses 1 and 2 you find that God looked at all that He had created that it was very good and God rested on the 7th day. And it was called Sabbath. Rest. God rested. Why? Because His works were done. You cannot rest if the work is undone. But when the work is done, then you rest. So when God's work of creation was done, He rested. And He blessed that day. He blessed it to mankind. That we might enter into His rest. And rest with Him. But unfortunately, we already mentioned man sinned. The rest was gone. So here you find the Lord began to work. And you remember He redeemed a people out of Egypt. The children of Israel. He redeemed them out of Egypt. And brought them to Himself. Then in Exodus chapter 20 He gave them the ten commandments. And one of the commandments the fourth commandment is keep the Sabbath. God gave His rest to His redeemed people. He said, you keep the Sabbath. Don't do any work on the Sabbath. You rest. You rest in My rest. And this became a sign of God's covenant with the children of Israel. So you find that symbolically God gave the Sabbath to the children of Israel as a sign of His covenant with them. That on that day they might rest from all works. But unfortunately they broke that Sabbath. They did not keep the Sabbath. So if you read the Old Testament you'll find one of the controversies between God and His children people was over this matter of Sabbath. Why don't you keep My Sabbath? Now we would think why does God make it such a big thing if I make a fire, if I do something? What's a big thing to God? But it's a big thing with the children of Israel. Because anyone who did not keep the Sabbath will be excommunicated. Cut off from the commonwealth of Israel. They broke the Sabbath because they did not enter into God's rest. God gave them rest. But they still want to work. They don't want to rest. Now that's symbolical. Now typically for the children of Israel when they enter into Canaan Canaan was their rest. You know they were in Egypt as slaves. There was no rest. And God delivered them. But they went through the wilderness and in the wilderness for 40 years there was no rest. But when Joshua led them into Canaan they were supposed to come into rest. But the Bible said they didn't rest. Why? Because they couldn't overcome their enemies. Not because God did not give the enemies to their hands but because they did not obey God. They began to worship idols. So they never really enter into rest. So after hundreds of years God through David in Psalm 95 God mentioned another day. If today you hear my voice hearken, harden not your hearts. That you may enter into rest. But of course they didn't. But thank God! Spiritually! Now remember we are God's spiritual people. The children of Israel are God's physical earthly people. So God's promise to them are earthly physical. But to us it is spiritual. Now as the spiritual children of God through Christ Jesus we are promised as a baptism a rest. Today we shall find our rest in Christ. Now some people say why do you not keep the Sabbath? Now we will say every day to us is a Sabbath. Why? Because Christ is our Sabbath. In Him we have found our rest. It is every day, every hour. Now again the Bible says the children of Israel had the glad tidings that is God gave them the good news that they can enter into His rest. But they didn't enter it. Why? Because they did not believe in the Word of God. They did not mix faith with God's Word. Now today it is the same thing. Christ is our Sabbath. In Christ we shall find our rest. But why is it we do not find rest to our souls? It is because we do not believe. We still want to work out our own salvation. So in Hebrews chapter 4 verse 10 it says for he that has entered into his rest he also has rested from his works as God did from His own. As long as we are struggling and striving we are working we don't have rest. Because we enter in this rest we rested from our works. Now how can we rested from our works? It is because we believe in the finished work of Christ. In other words the work is already done. So whether you believe in your own working or whether you believe in the finished work of Christ that makes all the difference. If you can believe in the finished work of Christ mix your faith with the word of God you find rest. So it says the word of God is living and operative to the penetrating and dividing of the soul and the spirit. The reason why you have no rest is because your soul and your spirit are not divided. Or put it another way, your soul is challenging your spirit and you need to have your spirit and soul divided and put your soul under your spirit then you find rest to your whole being. So the picture is what you do? The picture is a sacrifice. You know in the Old Testament time you take a lamb or a bullock and you sacrifice to the Lord. Now in a burn offering when you sacrifice to the Lord that sacrifice has to be cut into pieces. In other words every part of that sacrifice has to be exposed. But after you cut them into pieces you have to put them together into one before you burn them on the altar. Now that's the way it was sacrificed before. So you find the priests they were so trained and they used such sharp knife that they can cut the sacrifice into pieces so neatly that you can put them back together. Now if you want me to cut a chicken you won't be able to put them together forever. It's a mess. You know? So what is here? What the Lord is trying to tell us is here. You are a sacrifice. All you need to do is to lay on the altar. That's all you need to do. Don't try to cut yourself. You will make a mess of yourself. The sword, the two-edged sword is the word of God. Now brothers and sisters today, sometimes we use the word of God to cut our brothers and sisters. Often times. And we do make a mess of their lives. Don't do that. And even sometimes we try to use the word of God to cut ourselves. The same problem. Don't do that. The sword, the word of God is the sword of the spirit. It's not your sword. It's not my sword. You know? Christians today misunderstand so much. We think the word of God is my sword, so I use it to cut. Cut you down. And you cut me down. And it's all quoting the Bible. And make a mess of everybody. The word of God is the sword of the spirit. Only the Holy Spirit is qualified to use the word of God. Never use the word of God by yourself. You as a sacrifice, voluntarily, calmly, lay on the altar. And say, Lord, do whatever you deem necessary. And the Holy Spirit as the priest, He will take the living word of God. And He will begin to cut. He will divide your soul and the spirit. You do not know what comes from your soul. Or what comes from the spirit. Sometimes we think we are talking out of our spirit, but actually it's out of our soul. And we don't know. We never know. And if you try to figure out, you are paralyzed. Many Christians are paralyzed. Good Christians. Nervous Christians. So I often use an example of a centipede. A centipede has a hundred feet. And it crawls very fast. And one day the centipede said, I don't know which of my feet moved first. So he tried to figure out. And in figuring out, he couldn't move anymore. Because he didn't know which foot stopped first. So after he stayed for a while, he said, oh, I give up. And off he goes. You know, many Christians are like that. Good Christians. We begin to feel well, what is our spirit and what is our soul. If it's of the spirit, it may be of God. If it's of the soul, it's of myself. And you try to figure out, and you are paralyzed. Now don't do that. It is the word of God. By the Holy Spirit. By the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit begins to use the word of God to touch you, it penetrates. You begin to see what is of the soul. And you're willing to yield yourself to His word. That is word. Because His word is a discerning, discerner of your thoughts, and intents of the heart. In other words, what your soul really is, it's all exposed before you. And when it is exposed, you're willing to let them go. Go to the death of the cross. And by doing so, so brothers and sisters, there is a rest promised to you. All you need to do is to lay on the altar. That is just like taking the yoke upon you. And then learn of Him. The Holy Spirit in your daily life would use His word to apply to your soul. And divide your soul from your spirit. In that you'll find So this is the gospel to the believers. Now brothers and sisters, thank God. If what He offered to the world that rest is real, then what He promised to us that rest to the soul is also real. You may have it, but remember, you need to yield your will to His will. And the cross will work in your life and bring you into His rest. You seize from your own work because you accept the finished work. Shall we pray? Dear Lord, we do trust Thy Holy Spirit to quicken Thy word to each of our hearts. We do acknowledge that it is not by might nor by power, but by Thy Spirit that anything is done. So we just again bring Thy word back to Thyself and bring ourselves to Thee. And ask that Thy Holy Spirit will make all that we have share this morning. Thy word living and operative. And to Thee be the glory. In the name of our Lord Jesus.