Find Rest in Jesus

I find rest for my body every night.  It’s easy for me!  My head hits the pillow and I’m out for seven or eight hours every night.  But it might be helpful to talk about what rest is and what rest is not.  When I was a lad, I was commanded by my folks to take a nap.  I have ALWAYS hated naps.  I felt like I was missing out on fun!  As ludicrous as that might sound for you, I found a way around the naps.  All I needed to do was to rest – by putting a puzzle together, by playing a game, by reading a book, do you see where I’m going.  Inevitably, I would be checked on and I was told that my activities weren’t exactly the same as a nap and I still needed to take a nap.

My quiet activities might have been resting to one degree or another, but technically my folks wanted me to be unconscious for my nap – not playing.  There are other faiths that might look like Christianity, but unless they offer Jesus in all his perfection, in all his divinity.  If Jesus didn’t die, and if he didn’t physically rise from the dead, it’s not spiritual rest.  I’ve spent time this summer already talking about a few of the more dangerous cults that are around.  You can find that message from last month HERE.

Spiritual rest means having a relationship with God – that can only happen through Jesus.

²⁸ “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Let’s just stop hear before we get to the yoke.  First, Jesus is calling to us.  Have you ever had a problem but you don’t know if anyone cares?  Your God if calling to you!  Come all who are weary and burdened.  Who exactly might that be?  EVERYONE.  Do you remember what you’re supposed to do if you didn’t feel the need for God’s forgiveness?  Pinch yourself, as you still clothed in sinful flesh?  Look around are you still in a fallen world that groans under the weight of sin?  Trust me – the devil hates you.  Finally, this rest isn’t earned.  This is a gift that Jesus is promising to give to you.  Want to hear more?  Watch this Sunday’s message taken from our series on the Extraordinary Ordinary Life of the Christian:  Find Rest in Jesus.