Episode Transcript
WEBVTT
1
00:00:00.960 --> 00:00:04.960
If you would please remain standing and
let's hear God's Word now from Genesis,
2
00:00:05.000 --> 00:00:24.980
Chapter Two, verses one through three. Genesis two, verses one through three.
3
00:00:25.660 --> 00:00:30.980
This is the word of God.
Thus the heavens and the Earth were
4
00:00:31.019 --> 00:00:35.340
finished, and all the host of
them. And on the seventh day God
5
00:00:35.500 --> 00:00:40.009
finished his work that he had done
and he rested on the seventh day from
6
00:00:40.009 --> 00:00:45.170
all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and
7
00:00:45.409 --> 00:00:49.570
made it wholly because on it God
rested from all his work that he had
8
00:00:49.649 --> 00:00:55.320
done in creation. May God bless
this to us. You may be seated
9
00:01:06.790 --> 00:01:10.989
well. As we hear in Genesis
two, verses one through three, these
10
00:01:11.230 --> 00:01:15.269
acts of God, his finishing the
work of creation and then resting, of
11
00:01:15.469 --> 00:01:21.819
blessing and making the day wholly hum
we are reminded, of course, of
12
00:01:21.980 --> 00:01:26.659
our own need to rest. We
all know that we need to rest.
13
00:01:26.780 --> 00:01:33.329
We know how important it is,
we know how necessary rest is. Today,
14
00:01:33.609 --> 00:01:36.969
of course, is mother's Day,
and is there anyone who knows the
15
00:01:37.090 --> 00:01:42.370
importance of rest more and desires it
more than a mom? Our mothers,
16
00:01:42.409 --> 00:01:47.049
of course, are the ones that
teach us from early on how important it
17
00:01:47.159 --> 00:01:52.159
is to get to bed how much
we need a good night sleep and how
18
00:01:52.239 --> 00:01:57.200
will feel so much better in the
morning. But of course, even as
19
00:01:57.280 --> 00:02:00.359
she says these things, we learn
as adults, we know that she is
20
00:02:00.469 --> 00:02:05.989
longing for them herself. She knows
how much you need to go to bed
21
00:02:06.069 --> 00:02:08.870
because she knows how much she needs
to go to bed. She knows how
22
00:02:09.110 --> 00:02:14.310
tired she is and how desperately she
wants to be free of your care for
23
00:02:14.509 --> 00:02:19.780
just a little while so that she
can recoup. That is to say,
24
00:02:19.860 --> 00:02:23.340
then, when it comes to rest, we're all in this together, children
25
00:02:23.580 --> 00:02:30.370
and parents, young ones, adults, all of us. We all share
26
00:02:30.490 --> 00:02:36.810
this common need and this desire for
rest. But it's not just sleep that
27
00:02:36.930 --> 00:02:42.009
we need. The rest that we
need goes deeper than that. We want
28
00:02:42.129 --> 00:02:45.719
rest for our bodies, of course, but but also for our souls.
29
00:02:46.919 --> 00:02:51.120
It's why, even though our MOM's
may be very tired at the end of
30
00:02:51.159 --> 00:02:55.039
the day, she might stay up
an extra hour just to unwind before she
31
00:02:55.199 --> 00:03:00.430
sleeps. That's why one of the
number one selling APPs in the iphone store
32
00:03:00.909 --> 00:03:06.150
was an APP that helps you get
the most out of your sleep, not
33
00:03:06.349 --> 00:03:07.949
just to help you get to sleep, but to get the most out of
34
00:03:08.030 --> 00:03:15.379
it, to be most restful,
most rejuvenating, most refreshing. So it's
35
00:03:15.460 --> 00:03:19.580
not that we just want rest.
We want something more than that, and
36
00:03:19.699 --> 00:03:27.409
rightfully so. We want refreshment,
we want meaning as well. We want
37
00:03:27.449 --> 00:03:30.569
our work to be finished in a
way that we can sort of breathe freely
38
00:03:30.729 --> 00:03:36.650
and and be satisfied with, to
say that that was a good job,
39
00:03:37.370 --> 00:03:43.879
I did a good thing, it's
completed and I can rest. We want
40
00:03:43.879 --> 00:03:47.240
our moments of rest not to be
mere sleep, but to be meaningful and
41
00:03:47.360 --> 00:03:53.639
refreshing, whether it's a week end
break or a midyear vacation or just a
42
00:03:53.680 --> 00:03:58.789
good night's sleep. We want our
work not just to end, but to
43
00:03:58.830 --> 00:04:02.389
end in a satisfying way. We
want our work not just to stop,
44
00:04:03.509 --> 00:04:08.669
but we want to rest in peace, as we say at the end of
45
00:04:08.830 --> 00:04:15.699
life. Genesis two, one through
three explains why this need is so deeply
46
00:04:15.860 --> 00:04:21.259
in us. It explains this need
for meaningful, refreshing rest. It helps
47
00:04:21.300 --> 00:04:27.970
us understand why we are the way
we are. As you will see,
48
00:04:29.089 --> 00:04:33.050
God worked and rested in the way
he did, not because he was tired,
49
00:04:34.129 --> 00:04:39.759
not because he ran out of energy, but to set a pattern for
50
00:04:39.839 --> 00:04:46.600
us. God worked and rested in
this refreshing and meaningful way to set a
51
00:04:46.680 --> 00:04:50.920
pattern of life for us, a
pattern for us to follow, a law
52
00:04:51.079 --> 00:04:57.949
to obey and a reward to enjoy. You work as I have commanded,
53
00:04:58.069 --> 00:05:02.509
to be fruitful, multiply rule as
I have commanded, and you will enjoy
54
00:05:02.750 --> 00:05:11.420
this satisfying rest. Work as I
did and rest as I did. But
55
00:05:11.500 --> 00:05:15.459
we have to be careful as we
consider this, this pattern God gives us
56
00:05:15.500 --> 00:05:20.889
to follow, because it's not an
optional pattern. These instructions for life are
57
00:05:20.930 --> 00:05:26.370
not like the instructions for a new
set of legos. They're not optional.
58
00:05:27.050 --> 00:05:30.170
You won't be considered a master builder
if you decide to take another path or
59
00:05:30.529 --> 00:05:34.839
figure out a way on your own. You will be a failure. If
60
00:05:34.920 --> 00:05:40.199
you do not do as God has
required, your work will not be blessed,
61
00:05:41.000 --> 00:05:45.560
but will be cursed instead. Of
course, you know this already.
62
00:05:46.120 --> 00:05:50.269
The reason you feel the need for
rest so deeply, the reason refreshing rest
63
00:05:50.310 --> 00:05:55.910
is not optional as because God did
not just establish a pattern that you might
64
00:05:55.949 --> 00:06:00.589
follow, but that you must follow. That is why we need it.
65
00:06:00.750 --> 00:06:04.620
It is ingrained in us, it
is a part of us. It's established
66
00:06:04.699 --> 00:06:11.660
this way because of the particular relationship
God put us in the particular way in
67
00:06:11.699 --> 00:06:15.980
which he institutes these things. So
let's look at Genesis two, one through
68
00:06:15.980 --> 00:06:21.329
three and see both what it is
God did and what it is he made
69
00:06:21.329 --> 00:06:28.970
us to do. So first let's
consider very carefully what it is God did.
70
00:06:30.490 --> 00:06:33.279
The first thing we have to say
is that God created the world and
71
00:06:33.519 --> 00:06:40.600
finished it. It finished it.
We start here because this is so clearly
72
00:06:40.759 --> 00:06:46.639
and so obviously a major point of
these three verses. You get this in
73
00:06:46.040 --> 00:06:51.910
in all kinds of ways. Notice
the repetition of this phrase. Were finished.
74
00:06:53.149 --> 00:06:56.910
The these verses begin this way.
Thus, the heavens and the Earth
75
00:06:57.149 --> 00:07:01.220
were finished, and all the host
of them here were reminded that the world
76
00:07:01.420 --> 00:07:08.860
came into existence and was completed by
God. This is remarkable on several accounts.
77
00:07:09.500 --> 00:07:13.500
We could spend all day reflecting on
just this one thing, but consider
78
00:07:13.660 --> 00:07:17.050
just a narrow, narrow thing.
Consider what this means in relation to our
79
00:07:17.089 --> 00:07:24.089
own work. What can you point
to in your life and say with complete
80
00:07:24.329 --> 00:07:30.439
satisfaction it is finished. What can
you point to in your life and say
81
00:07:30.959 --> 00:07:34.759
this thing right here, this one, maybe not this, but this one,
82
00:07:34.920 --> 00:07:39.720
this is over and I've done it
well and I've done it perfectly and
83
00:07:39.800 --> 00:07:44.949
I can rest satisfied. Of course
the answer is nothing. Sure you have
84
00:07:45.189 --> 00:07:49.149
completed tasks in your lives. You
might have closed a sale, you might
85
00:07:49.230 --> 00:07:54.990
about to be about to get a
degree or fold a basket of laundry or
86
00:07:55.310 --> 00:08:00.579
any kind of a number of things
we might do, but the customer always
87
00:08:00.620 --> 00:08:05.779
wants more. Some aspects of your
learning will prove to be inadequate. Even
88
00:08:05.819 --> 00:08:09.220
things you thought you had mastered.
The laundry will just keep coming and coming
89
00:08:09.339 --> 00:08:13.649
and coming. There's nothing that we
can ever really point to and say this
90
00:08:13.689 --> 00:08:18.850
is completed, this is finished,
and I've done it perfectly and I've done
91
00:08:18.850 --> 00:08:22.850
it well, I've mastered it in
a way that God speaks of his own
92
00:08:22.889 --> 00:08:30.720
work here in creation, and so
this is God finishing his work. He
93
00:08:30.839 --> 00:08:35.519
doesn't just finish it, but he
finishes it perfectly. And what he finishes
94
00:08:35.639 --> 00:08:39.919
as well is nothing less than the
creation of the heavens and the earth.
95
00:08:41.789 --> 00:08:46.149
God did not in a degree or
fold some laundry or clean some dishes or
96
00:08:46.230 --> 00:08:52.429
close a sale. He created the
heavens and the earth and all the host
97
00:08:52.549 --> 00:08:56.980
that is in them and he finished
that work. He finished it completely.
98
00:08:58.620 --> 00:09:03.220
This is the first action of God
and we see that underlined in the following
99
00:09:03.340 --> 00:09:07.940
verses and verses two and three.
On the seventh day, God finished his
100
00:09:07.100 --> 00:09:11.889
work that he had done. And
again in the second half of verse two,
101
00:09:11.929 --> 00:09:16.529
and he rested on the seventh day
from all his work that he had
102
00:09:16.649 --> 00:09:20.610
done. And then verse three.
So God blessed the seventh day and made
103
00:09:20.610 --> 00:09:26.480
it holy because on it God rested
from all his work that he had done.
104
00:09:30.039 --> 00:09:33.120
And as you read that and you
hear that repetition, as you hear
105
00:09:33.279 --> 00:09:37.990
that hit again and again and again, there's this sense of completion that comes
106
00:09:39.029 --> 00:09:46.629
even more done, done, done, done. So the point couldn't be
107
00:09:46.710 --> 00:09:50.509
more clear. God finished his work
of creation. He didn't sort of do
108
00:09:50.629 --> 00:09:52.980
it, he didn't almost do it, he didn't try his best, he
109
00:09:54.059 --> 00:09:58.860
didn't create a prototype or a Beta
addition to be improved upon after some testing.
110
00:09:58.580 --> 00:10:03.659
God made the heavens and the earth. He did it well, he
111
00:10:03.740 --> 00:10:09.529
did it perfectly and he finished it. So, versus one through three,
112
00:10:09.690 --> 00:10:15.090
you tell us that God finishes this
work of creation, but we also hear
113
00:10:15.809 --> 00:10:20.409
what happens after he finished it.
We're told that after God finished the work
114
00:10:20.490 --> 00:10:26.960
of creation, he rested. And
this is so important because here we see
115
00:10:26.159 --> 00:10:33.000
that there's a big difference between stopping
your work and resting from it or even
116
00:10:33.039 --> 00:10:37.990
in it. The word used here, for rest, has the sense of
117
00:10:39.669 --> 00:10:46.230
breathing easy or freely, being satisfied, being refreshed, being at ease and
118
00:10:46.309 --> 00:10:50.500
light of what has been accomplished.
So, as I mentioned earlier, God
119
00:10:50.539 --> 00:10:54.740
does not rest because he's tired.
He rests as an expression of his self
120
00:10:54.940 --> 00:11:01.539
satisfaction of what he has done.
There's no evaluation period here, no probation
121
00:11:01.820 --> 00:11:07.250
period, no product testing. God
doesn't try to learn from his mistakes now
122
00:11:07.289 --> 00:11:11.169
that he's finished his work and see
what he can do better next time.
123
00:11:11.250 --> 00:11:18.570
He simply rests. He finishes his
work and he rests. He rests in
124
00:11:18.639 --> 00:11:24.559
the perfection of his Almighty power.
He rests in the perfection of his perfect
125
00:11:24.600 --> 00:11:31.240
accomplishment of his perfect will, which
is to say that God rests not just
126
00:11:31.480 --> 00:11:41.789
in his work, but he rests
self sufficiently in himself. The last thing
127
00:11:41.950 --> 00:11:46.990
God does is bless and consecrate the
day. You see that in verse three.
128
00:11:46.980 --> 00:11:52.419
We say that God bless the seventh
day and made it holy because on
129
00:11:52.539 --> 00:11:56.460
it God rested from all his work
that he had done in creation. Because
130
00:11:56.539 --> 00:12:00.940
of God finished his work and he
rested. On that day, he blesses
131
00:12:01.019 --> 00:12:05.210
it and makes it holy. What
does it mean to bless? What does
132
00:12:05.250 --> 00:12:09.450
it mean to make holy? To
bless it something is to bestow good on
133
00:12:09.570 --> 00:12:16.039
it. It is an action from
a superior to an inferior. In the
134
00:12:16.159 --> 00:12:22.480
Bible it is this divine action most
often, in which God bestows good,
135
00:12:22.360 --> 00:12:28.600
causes good to flow out from himself
onto the things that he's made. The
136
00:12:28.720 --> 00:12:37.269
first time we see this is in
creation, in the creation of the animals
137
00:12:37.309 --> 00:12:41.549
and things that populate the waters and
the skies and Exodus one hundred and twenty.
138
00:12:41.629 --> 00:12:46.379
God says, let the waters swim
with swarms of living creatures and let
139
00:12:46.500 --> 00:12:50.820
birds fly above the earth across the
expanse of Heaven. So God created the
140
00:12:50.899 --> 00:12:56.220
great sea creatures and having living creature
that moves with which the waters swarm according
141
00:12:56.259 --> 00:13:00.970
to their kinds, and every winged
bird according to its kind, and God
142
00:13:01.049 --> 00:13:05.730
saw that it was good and God
blessed them, saying be fruitful and multiply
143
00:13:07.169 --> 00:13:11.169
and fill the waters in the seas
and let birds multiply on the earth.
144
00:13:11.570 --> 00:13:16.480
It is a command that has something
of a of a promise to it as
145
00:13:16.600 --> 00:13:20.399
well. This thing, this intention
that God has for them. He wants
146
00:13:20.480 --> 00:13:26.759
these animals to be fruitful and to
multiply and to fill the next time we
147
00:13:26.879 --> 00:13:31.549
see this bestole of good is,
of course, on man. In the
148
00:13:31.629 --> 00:13:35.909
sixth day, God creates man,
male and female, and he calls them,
149
00:13:37.509 --> 00:13:41.350
blessing them, and calls them to
do similarly, to be fruitful and
150
00:13:41.429 --> 00:13:46.419
multiply, and we read this in
Verse Twenty Eight of Chapter One. And
151
00:13:46.580 --> 00:13:50.259
God bless them and said to them
be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth
152
00:13:50.299 --> 00:13:54.460
and subdue it. But here we
see also that they're not just equal in
153
00:13:54.539 --> 00:13:56.690
the animals in this but they rule
over the animals. Part of this,
154
00:13:58.610 --> 00:14:03.889
this command includes this have dominion over
the fish of the sea and the birds
155
00:14:03.929 --> 00:14:07.970
of the heavens and over every living
creature, over every living thing that moves
156
00:14:09.610 --> 00:14:13.039
on the earth. And so in
this blessing, in this bestole of good,
157
00:14:13.159 --> 00:14:20.919
we see God's this desire, this
command, this will of God for
158
00:14:20.519 --> 00:14:26.509
mankind. If we continue to trace
this word. We won't do that now,
159
00:14:26.070 --> 00:14:30.149
but if you continue to trace this
word throughout genesis, you'll see it
160
00:14:30.269 --> 00:14:35.750
connected in very specific ways. I'm
to God's promises to his people after the
161
00:14:35.830 --> 00:14:43.379
fall of man. I'm God blesses
Shem, the Noah, then Ham and
162
00:14:43.580 --> 00:14:48.220
then Abraham. And when God gets
to Abraham, if you're too if you
163
00:14:48.259 --> 00:14:50.620
were to do a search of this
word, you'll see that all of a
164
00:14:50.700 --> 00:14:54.730
sudden this word starts happening a lot. Bless bless, bless, bless,
165
00:14:54.769 --> 00:15:00.090
bless, blessed, blessed all throughout
Genesis, Chapter Twelve, throughout the story
166
00:15:00.169 --> 00:15:03.330
of Abraham and Abraham's sons, when
God makes this promise to them, this
167
00:15:03.529 --> 00:15:09.720
covenant of Grace, he begins to, I'm cause this blessing to really out
168
00:15:11.200 --> 00:15:16.080
out pour in a special way.
He Bestows Approval, He Bestows Peace,
169
00:15:16.200 --> 00:15:22.549
He bestows temporal blessings, eternal blessings
and promises. Well, this word blessing
170
00:15:22.669 --> 00:15:28.269
that is poured out on these creatures
is here poured out on a day,
171
00:15:28.190 --> 00:15:33.110
the seventh day. God blesses the
seventh day. He Pours Out Good,
172
00:15:33.309 --> 00:15:41.500
bestows good on this day, and
he also makes it holy. To make
173
00:15:41.659 --> 00:15:46.820
it holy, to make something holy
is to consecrate it unto God. It's
174
00:15:46.899 --> 00:15:50.769
to set it apart, and so
here we see God setting apart the day
175
00:15:50.250 --> 00:15:58.409
for himself. There are some contraries
to holy. One is unh holy.
176
00:15:58.929 --> 00:16:03.009
Obviously but also common. I'm things
that are not are common, are not
177
00:16:03.250 --> 00:16:07.559
holy. But God here takes a
day. The other days were good,
178
00:16:07.720 --> 00:16:11.000
one, two, three, four, five, six, but on the
179
00:16:11.080 --> 00:16:17.159
seventh day he makes it holy,
special, he sets it apart, unto
180
00:16:17.279 --> 00:16:23.950
himself, for his special honor,
for his special use. Holiness will come,
181
00:16:25.110 --> 00:16:27.710
this word will come to be filled
with meaning as you continue to read
182
00:16:27.830 --> 00:16:33.179
throughout the Bible and throughout the first
five books and in particular, we see
183
00:16:33.220 --> 00:16:40.340
it illustrated in all kinds of ways. Holiness illustrated in Old Testament worship and
184
00:16:40.500 --> 00:16:45.980
the beauty and transcendence of the temple, in God's purity and election, in
185
00:16:47.210 --> 00:16:52.129
worship and holiness and perfection. God
himself is called holy and Isaiah, six,
186
00:16:52.289 --> 00:16:56.409
three, holy, Holy, holy
is the Lord of hosts. This
187
00:16:56.690 --> 00:17:03.480
holiness is then given to this day, not at set apart from God,
188
00:17:03.599 --> 00:17:11.039
but but unto God. And so
we see God making the seventh day because
189
00:17:11.160 --> 00:17:15.150
of the way that he finishes his
work and he rests. He makes it
190
00:17:15.349 --> 00:17:22.029
special by blessing it, by making
it holy. And one other wail tack
191
00:17:22.150 --> 00:17:27.630
on, if I might, by
make it the seventh. There's no particular
192
00:17:27.789 --> 00:17:33.220
reason it had to be the seventh
the fact that it's the seventh really stands
193
00:17:33.299 --> 00:17:38.900
out. Among all the world's of
various religions, most often holy days,
194
00:17:40.140 --> 00:17:45.849
consecrated days, days that are set
aside onto to God or to false gods,
195
00:17:45.329 --> 00:17:52.970
are days that correspond with other things, like calendars in particular months,
196
00:17:53.250 --> 00:17:57.490
years, cycles of the sun,
comments, all kinds of things. There
197
00:17:57.529 --> 00:18:03.640
doesn't seem to be any particular reason
that it's set on the seventh, except
198
00:18:03.720 --> 00:18:10.160
that God rested on that day and
made it holy. And in this we
199
00:18:10.240 --> 00:18:15.390
see the great sovereignty of God.
We see him setting, by his own
200
00:18:15.589 --> 00:18:19.150
perfect and holy will, a number
that will come to symbolize a number of
201
00:18:19.349 --> 00:18:25.190
perfection and scripture, of wholeness and
completion. And so in all kinds of
202
00:18:25.349 --> 00:18:30.900
ways, God is signifying that this
day is special because of the work that
203
00:18:30.980 --> 00:18:34.980
he had done and the rest that
he had entered into. So this is
204
00:18:36.019 --> 00:18:40.099
the work that God did. He
finished his work of creation, he wrested
205
00:18:40.220 --> 00:18:45.089
from it, he blessed this day
and he made it holy. Now how
206
00:18:45.089 --> 00:18:49.970
does this relate to man? There's
nothing here that explicitly tells us this is
207
00:18:51.049 --> 00:18:53.450
for man, but there are several
things that we might consider, both from
208
00:18:53.529 --> 00:19:00.160
genesis and from other passages in scripture. First, remember that this didn't just
209
00:19:00.400 --> 00:19:06.559
happen in the abstract. This is
happening in time and in space on the
210
00:19:06.640 --> 00:19:11.390
seventh day. And you remember who
was created right before the seventh day?
211
00:19:11.150 --> 00:19:15.349
It was man. We might say
in a certain sense, that what the
212
00:19:15.470 --> 00:19:19.750
things that God is doing and saying
here on the seventh day are coming within
213
00:19:19.910 --> 00:19:25.059
earshot of the one that he has
made, this one that he has called
214
00:19:25.180 --> 00:19:27.660
to bear his image and to work
after is is the one whom he is
215
00:19:27.740 --> 00:19:33.420
seeing his Lord, his commander,
his sovereign, his maker, working and
216
00:19:33.859 --> 00:19:40.089
then resting. This pattern is made
explicit in other places in scripture, liken
217
00:19:40.170 --> 00:19:45.970
at in the Ten Commandments and Exodus
Chapter Twenty. We read in Exodus Twenty,
218
00:19:45.009 --> 00:19:49.890
verse eight, remember the Sabbath Day, to keep it holy. Six
219
00:19:49.930 --> 00:19:55.519
days you shall labor and do all
your work, but the seventh day is
220
00:19:55.599 --> 00:19:59.920
a Sabbath to Jehovah, your God. On it you shall not do any
221
00:19:59.960 --> 00:20:03.839
work, you or your son or
your daughter, your male servant or your
222
00:20:03.880 --> 00:20:07.869
female servant, or your live stock
or the soul journer who is within your
223
00:20:07.950 --> 00:20:14.069
gates. For here's the reason why. For in six days Jehovah Made Heaven
224
00:20:14.109 --> 00:20:17.430
and Earth, the sea and all
that is in them, and rested on
225
00:20:17.470 --> 00:20:21.579
the seventh day. Therefore, the
whole of a blessed the Sabbath Day and
226
00:20:21.779 --> 00:20:26.859
made it holy. And so God
explicitly tells us what, how was happening
227
00:20:26.900 --> 00:20:30.299
in the beginning of creation, a
kind of cycle that Israel is called to
228
00:20:30.380 --> 00:20:34.099
repeat over and over and over again
in their lives. Work, then wet
229
00:20:34.180 --> 00:20:37.650
rest, work then rest, work
than rest. This is the pattern that
230
00:20:37.769 --> 00:20:42.329
God is set. Because he did
things this way, you shall follow after
231
00:20:42.450 --> 00:20:48.529
this. There's one more thing I
want to point your attention to, back
232
00:20:48.650 --> 00:20:52.720
in Genesis two one through three,
and that goes back to this blessing and
233
00:20:52.839 --> 00:20:59.240
making holy. Remember that God blessed
the day. He bestows good on it.
234
00:20:59.640 --> 00:21:04.910
But we might ask in what sense? On the day or on the
235
00:21:06.029 --> 00:21:10.910
other or on the day for those
who would follow after him? God bless
236
00:21:11.069 --> 00:21:15.509
the Sabbath Day for our good.
He pours out good in particular for us.
237
00:21:17.430 --> 00:21:21.900
The fact that God is blessing the
day in genesis two three is immediately
238
00:21:22.099 --> 00:21:26.420
reminding us and telling us of our
connection with it. As Jesus puts it,
239
00:21:27.220 --> 00:21:33.529
the Sabbath was made for man.
The Sabbath was made for man.
240
00:21:34.009 --> 00:21:38.009
The same is true for God,
making it holy. It shows us that
241
00:21:38.130 --> 00:21:42.369
our rest is to be found not
in our own working, ultimately, even
242
00:21:42.410 --> 00:21:48.400
though we may follow after God in
this pattern, but we rest in his
243
00:21:48.640 --> 00:21:55.640
rest. We enjoy our rest as
we find it in God. So as
244
00:21:55.680 --> 00:21:57.880
we think of all of these things, as we think of this work that
245
00:21:59.039 --> 00:22:03.349
God did and the way that he
did this work and the context of this
246
00:22:03.509 --> 00:22:07.589
relationship with Adam and eve and all
of those of us who come after them,
247
00:22:07.589 --> 00:22:12.990
we again we begin to get a
very serious and robust explanation for why
248
00:22:14.230 --> 00:22:18.259
you feel the way you feel,
why you need the rest you need,
249
00:22:18.099 --> 00:22:23.940
because you were made for this,
because God specifically established our relationship with you
250
00:22:25.700 --> 00:22:30.250
in this way, a relationship that
you can't opt into or opt out of.
251
00:22:30.730 --> 00:22:37.450
You simply belong to it by virtue
of your being made and called to
252
00:22:37.569 --> 00:22:44.009
follow after him. It explains why
things are the way they are and why
253
00:22:44.130 --> 00:22:52.200
you feel the way you feel,
but what it doesn't explain is why it
254
00:22:52.319 --> 00:22:59.309
doesn't work. It doesn't explain why, despite all your longing and your yearning
255
00:22:59.470 --> 00:23:06.710
for peace, you never find the
rest and you never will it never it
256
00:23:06.789 --> 00:23:10.869
doesn't explain to us why, despite
your longing, in your yearning for peace
257
00:23:10.990 --> 00:23:15.140
and rest, you also hunger after
the very opposite of those things. Why,
258
00:23:15.140 --> 00:23:18.299
when you want peace, you go
to war and why, when you
259
00:23:18.339 --> 00:23:23.099
want rest, you work harder?
And why, even in the most the
260
00:23:23.259 --> 00:23:27.930
times when you have the greatest opportunities
to rest, even as we typically define
261
00:23:29.049 --> 00:23:33.690
them, long periods of vacation or
things like that, you find yourself compulsively
262
00:23:33.769 --> 00:23:41.289
checking your email and trying to get
something done and being productive even in it.
263
00:23:41.920 --> 00:23:47.359
And some really interesting articles lately by
David Zol he makes this great insight
264
00:23:47.519 --> 00:23:53.200
that lately we've been coopting our rest, even for work. We can't even
265
00:23:53.240 --> 00:23:59.470
rest any more for rest's sake,
but we optimize it, we calculate it,
266
00:23:59.750 --> 00:24:03.029
we do the best we can to
make our rest good for work,
267
00:24:04.190 --> 00:24:07.869
as if it's only purpose is just
to allow us to work. All the
268
00:24:07.990 --> 00:24:12.579
more. Why do should you rest
because you'll be more productive later in the
269
00:24:12.660 --> 00:24:18.099
week? You see, in this
sense, are continual striving over and over
270
00:24:18.259 --> 00:24:29.289
and over, even in our resting. There's so many ways in which God
271
00:24:29.690 --> 00:24:33.490
calls us to this rest, and
then we pervert and go after other things
272
00:24:34.849 --> 00:24:40.440
we pursued in our own way.
We fail to even understand what it is
273
00:24:40.799 --> 00:24:45.119
is. We pursue after other ends
and perhaps worst of all, we pursue
274
00:24:45.160 --> 00:24:49.079
them in our own means. God
causes us to follow after him, to
275
00:24:49.240 --> 00:24:55.109
rest in him, to find our
joy and our satisfaction and our peace and
276
00:24:55.190 --> 00:24:59.549
our refreshment in him and in the
things that he has done and our being
277
00:24:59.950 --> 00:25:04.390
and are following after him. But
what did Adam and Eve do? What
278
00:25:04.549 --> 00:25:10.940
do we do? Did they find
their self their satisfaction in God and in
279
00:25:11.019 --> 00:25:14.980
himself? Know, they sought it
in their own power and in their own
280
00:25:14.980 --> 00:25:19.940
ways. They wanted to rest not
in God but in themselves and in their
281
00:25:21.099 --> 00:25:27.049
work. And because of this it
is great sin, it is great disobedience.
282
00:25:29.369 --> 00:25:32.410
And what ends up happening, of
course, and it's a yet another
283
00:25:32.529 --> 00:25:37.079
explanation for why we can't rest the
way we want to, why a good
284
00:25:37.079 --> 00:25:41.599
nap is always sort of elusive and
always hoping for the next thing. It's
285
00:25:41.680 --> 00:25:51.869
because of punishment, and it's not
only a just punishment for failing to obey
286
00:25:51.950 --> 00:25:55.150
God and work as he has called
us to work and then rest as he
287
00:25:55.190 --> 00:26:00.670
has called us to rest. It's
also a necessary punishment. How can man
288
00:26:00.869 --> 00:26:04.900
rest in the holiness of God when
he's not resting in God and his blessing,
289
00:26:06.579 --> 00:26:08.940
but striving after his own way and
wanting to find his own path and
290
00:26:10.059 --> 00:26:15.299
doing his own things. When man
wants to sin instead of obey and then
291
00:26:15.420 --> 00:26:18.569
find true peace and rest in that, apart from God, it is of
292
00:26:18.690 --> 00:26:25.170
course a necessary punishment that rest would
be taken away from him. True rest
293
00:26:25.250 --> 00:26:29.609
is rest in God, and man
wants rest in himself, and so man
294
00:26:29.730 --> 00:26:37.200
will not receive rest, but will
receive curse instead. All this to say
295
00:26:37.480 --> 00:26:41.599
you can strive all you want,
but nothing's going to come of it.
296
00:26:42.160 --> 00:26:47.910
In the fall, your internal wiring
has all been twisted up and corrupted,
297
00:26:48.029 --> 00:26:52.789
that the closer you come to understanding
what true peace and what true rest is,
298
00:26:52.589 --> 00:26:57.710
the more you will separate it like
a magnet hitting its polar opposite,
299
00:26:59.150 --> 00:27:03.259
moving you, repelling you away.
You will continue your striving, you will
300
00:27:03.339 --> 00:27:07.940
continue your cursed work and you're even
in your resting, you will find that
301
00:27:08.019 --> 00:27:14.140
you are continually lacking and wanting.
This is man stayed in the fall.
302
00:27:14.579 --> 00:27:18.769
This is what sin and disobedience brings. It explains both why we want rest
303
00:27:18.849 --> 00:27:23.769
so bad but why we don't have
it. It's a part of the curse
304
00:27:25.930 --> 00:27:30.559
and it's a part of our messed
up insides, are bentedness away from the
305
00:27:30.680 --> 00:27:37.559
things of God. But God,
in His grace and in His mercy,
306
00:27:38.720 --> 00:27:47.029
provides a solution to this problem.
God gives us the rest that you cannot
307
00:27:47.109 --> 00:27:53.109
obtain. He fulfills the work that
he has called you to do. He
308
00:27:53.269 --> 00:27:59.220
blesses you in the midst of your
curse. How does he do this?
309
00:28:00.819 --> 00:28:03.500
He does it by, in the
fullness of time, sending the Lord,
310
00:28:03.539 --> 00:28:07.740
Jesus Christ, who is called in
the Gospel the Lord of the Sabbath,
311
00:28:08.500 --> 00:28:15.170
the Lord of peace, of rest. And he is the Lord of the
312
00:28:15.250 --> 00:28:19.170
Sabbath not only because he is the
one who created all things and rested,
313
00:28:19.890 --> 00:28:25.690
the one who instituted the sabbath and
calls it his own, but he's also
314
00:28:25.730 --> 00:28:30.160
the Lord of the Sabbath and the
way that he brings us cursed, wretched,
315
00:28:30.440 --> 00:28:36.279
sinful people that can't recognize rest and, when they do, flee from
316
00:28:36.359 --> 00:28:40.839
it, and he takes us in
our curse and in all of our sinful
317
00:28:40.960 --> 00:28:51.589
working and he gives to US peace. God comes in Jesus Christ and he
318
00:28:51.670 --> 00:28:56.220
fulfills the law that we were unable
to fulfill. He obeys God in the
319
00:28:56.259 --> 00:29:02.099
way that he called, that God
originally called man to obey. He does
320
00:29:02.140 --> 00:29:07.220
it perfectly, he does it completely
and more than that, he also endures
321
00:29:07.380 --> 00:29:14.890
the Anti Sabbath, the Anti Resting, he endures the curse on the Cross
322
00:29:15.450 --> 00:29:18.250
and the death and the wrath and
all of those things that can were poured
323
00:29:18.329 --> 00:29:25.200
out on him for us. And
do you remember what he says? It
324
00:29:25.400 --> 00:29:33.200
is finished, it is finished,
and it does finished. Jesus Christ finished
325
00:29:33.279 --> 00:29:37.799
the work, not just that God
did in creation, that he did in
326
00:29:37.960 --> 00:29:42.069
creation, but now he is finishing
the work of redemption, of salvation,
327
00:29:42.549 --> 00:29:51.150
of bringing cursed, unrestful, ungrateful
people into peace, into blessing and into
328
00:29:51.190 --> 00:29:57.900
holiness. When God created the world, he established this eternal law and rule
329
00:29:59.019 --> 00:30:03.779
for man, but because of the
fall, man was going to eternally break
330
00:30:03.980 --> 00:30:08.650
that rule and fail to obtain that
blessing, earning for him curse and still
331
00:30:08.849 --> 00:30:12.970
in curse for himself. Instead.
This would be, of course, in
332
00:30:14.130 --> 00:30:21.720
temporal expressions of this, lost naps, lost sleep, bad vacations, frustrations
333
00:30:21.839 --> 00:30:26.039
and all of all kinds, but
even worse in the eternal expressions of this.
334
00:30:27.240 --> 00:30:30.720
We're in that five or of Hell. Man would rest not a moment
335
00:30:32.839 --> 00:30:37.109
but would endure a curse forever and
ever. But when Jesus came, he
336
00:30:37.309 --> 00:30:45.269
interrupted all of this to give His
grace to those whom he desired to save.
337
00:30:45.549 --> 00:30:49.299
He fulfilled his law in our place
and offers to US rest. Because
338
00:30:49.339 --> 00:30:55.460
of His grace. The Sabbath,
which is a so clearly a law in
339
00:30:55.579 --> 00:30:59.980
Genesis two, one through three and
condemns it if we seek it on our
340
00:31:00.019 --> 00:31:03.329
own, becomes a great blessing to
us and I promise to us, when
341
00:31:03.329 --> 00:31:10.490
we have it in Jesus Christ and
in his righteousness. All of your life
342
00:31:10.529 --> 00:31:14.890
you will struggle to find the rest
that you want and you need. All
343
00:31:15.009 --> 00:31:18.200
of your life you will be tempted, according to the flesh, to find
344
00:31:18.400 --> 00:31:23.720
rest in your own ways, in
another way, but in Christ, God
345
00:31:25.039 --> 00:31:30.039
freely gives to you something that is
separate from yourself, separate from your own
346
00:31:30.079 --> 00:31:33.430
ways and your own glories, a
glory that is of him and a rest
347
00:31:33.589 --> 00:31:38.710
that is eternal and real. In
Christ, God has promised a rest from
348
00:31:38.710 --> 00:31:45.069
your labors, the good ones and
the bad ones, so that you might
349
00:31:45.190 --> 00:31:53.299
rest eternally in him for all the
future and body and soul and so on.
350
00:31:53.380 --> 00:32:00.299
Conclusion, we all know we need
to rest temporarily and eternally. Our
351
00:32:00.420 --> 00:32:05.650
problem is that we don't know how
and that we don't know how. Not
352
00:32:05.890 --> 00:32:07.410
Not only that we don't know how, but we also don't want to know
353
00:32:07.569 --> 00:32:14.250
how. We'd rather work. We'd
rather work for our reward. We'd rather
354
00:32:14.410 --> 00:32:19.960
rest in ourselves and our own productivity
than resting in God. If we do
355
00:32:20.200 --> 00:32:23.079
rest, we want it to be
in our sinful pleasures or in our obedience
356
00:32:23.160 --> 00:32:27.759
to the law. But this,
my friends, is a dead end.
357
00:32:29.279 --> 00:32:36.670
It will result in temporal burnout and
in eternal hell. But Jesus gives us
358
00:32:36.990 --> 00:32:42.150
something different. He gives us a
real solution to a problem that we really
359
00:32:42.190 --> 00:32:47.339
face. He gives us true and
eternal let rest. He gives us himself,
360
00:32:49.339 --> 00:32:52.900
the Lord of rest, the giver
of life. He is that cup
361
00:32:53.019 --> 00:32:59.890
of cold water that quenches the flame
and our thirst. He is that word
362
00:33:00.089 --> 00:33:04.690
that comes and calms the storm and, as he says it himself in Matthew
363
00:33:05.329 --> 00:33:09.450
and twenty eight, come to me, all who labor and our heavy Laden
364
00:33:10.250 --> 00:33:17.119
and I will give you rest.
May God grant this grace to us that
365
00:33:17.279 --> 00:33:22.240
we might rest in him and know
him forever. Let us pray
