Finding Inner Rest

Today on Summit life slowing down a bit with pastor Jeannie Greer, the amount of your spring quality rest in Christ. Those who are most mature in their faith or not necessarily those who work the hardest for Jesus but those who rest, the best life with pastor theologian JD Greer.

As always, I'm your host Molly made a batch you know if there's one thing Americans are proud of busyness. Everyone feels the pressure to work harder and longer to take on more jobs get the next raised to be successful, respected and popular that today pastor JD challenges us to be obedient to God to slow down and enjoy the blessing of rest. In fact pastor Jeannie reveals that your ability to rest in God directs the course of your entire Christian walk. Let's get started.

Pastor JD Greer titled today's message finding inner we are on our third week. This weekend we are in chapter chapter 4 he introduces a very important concept that is absolutely crucial if you are going to make it spiritually born again introduces a concept in chapter 4 that is absolutely crucial if you are going to make it spiritually and that is learning to rest in Jesus. Now there's a great deal of irony in that you would think that he would tell those who are struggling in the faith that they need to work harder but that's the irony of the gospel. But our strength comes not from how hard we work our shrink calls from how well we rest totally back Isaiah 3015 where the prophet Isaiah said it is quietness and confidence that our strength will be bound so here is the lesson for the day in one sentence. If you want to write it down.

The amount of your strength is equal to your rest in Christ, the amount of your strength is equal to the quality of your rest in Christ. Those who are most mature in their faith are not necessarily those who work the hardest for Jesus but those who rest, the best in Jesus that is completely counterintuitive for many of you because all your life you have measured those disciples of Jesus and evaluated them based on how busy they are for God if they went to a lot of meetings that they read the Bible a lot if they do a lot of stop and there always will be will to Christ will clearly that if somebody was on fire for God and I'm not trying to tell you about applied all the Christians are not the kind of people who work fervently for Jesus, but I will you this for sure based on Hebrews chapter 4 our majority is demonstrated, not how hard we work for Jesus and how well we rest in Jesus that I will tell you I think it's hard for me to think of a more relevant concept for our culture. Many of you are genuinely tired people and we have a culture that chronically works, healthcare professionals have traced billions of dollars of medical conditions over work, including heart disease, cancer, lung ailments, accidental injury, cirrhosis of the liver, just to name a few.

CNN study released earlier this year showed that those who work 11 hour days are get this 250% more likely to become depressed than those who only work eight hour days over work destroys a lot of families. I thought some of the Saturday service you came up afterwards and told me that very thing destroys a lot of families.

Many of you men end up being bad fathers because your bad people, not because you don't care about your children.

You do you'll have the energy for them even when you get home before they go to bed used up every ounce of energy at work at all they know about their dad is a stressed-out zombie you did your best. Your job is nothing left for them. There's a reason there were there several reasons actual where suppressants are driven in our work. The first one obviously is at work as I would provide for ourselves don't work don't work hard. You don't work well you do without you put in long hours to make the extra sales to get the promotion on or make the grade you take on a second or third job to give you a little cash bulk which grieves the wills and make life just a little bit easier. That's one of the reasons were suppressed over work but you know there's more to our work than that work for most of us as a source of identity.

We determine our worth are personally worth by our work. Not talking about finances. I'm talking about your self-image or self-worth is determined by your work and the second question we asked people in your first question was, what is your name. Second question is what do you do and because we know that people sometimes judge us based on what we do will always try to beef up how important we are there hideous people come up that chemical bees ridiculously long job titles and I think you know the ones that me, the vice president cannot company of 15 people actually have your crazy stone guy was one of his message with Veronica, my wife and she said she could say this is a struggle. Whatever she said for a long time.

She said no she's a stay-at-home mom of four children.

She will run into one of her old UVA friends, University of Virginia friends in Alaska, Reno.

So what you do now and she knows that they don't want to hear stay-at-home mom.

So for a while.

She said I was looking for an alternative way of saying it is what you came up with. I'm socializing for Homo sapiens and of the dominant values of the Judeo-Christian tradition in order that they might be instruments for the kind of transformation of the social order in the kind of eschatological utopia that God will be the beginning of creation. What you do not appreciate that not original with orbit. Note that is not the reason that we feel like that is because we know that people evaluate us as our self-image are our personal work. You can see this as early as college right you asked any any freshman coming in UNC Chapel Hill with their major is and you will get one. Two answers in the right premed prelaw anybody comes in. One is made sounds important, but we can make fun of them out of there not here.

They all left last week see that mentality produces constant striving is always trying to prove ourselves so Wall Street Journal article this week is that most of us even intend to inflate the number of hours that we work because saying that we work a lot makes us feel important to get about $40. Me, did 70 hours on board. I am 70 hours a week at my job. So we inflate how much we were because it just makes us feel like were more important sometimes we are work because were trying to please other people. Those you follow type errors in here right your firstborn's you want to let people down so you got answer the email. You gotta return the phone call. You gotta get the job done you attached your phone like it's an IV in your are you check it six times so you men since the time I started this message this morning. You know you will. I know you are. I can tell you look down and I look in your Bible there's anything up later come out.

You got a deal with right at the bid that there's this pressure that causes us to overwork for all those reasons why we depend on the opinions of people were trying to establish her identity were trying to provide the gospel offers us a rest from all of those things. According to this chapter. Listen to this V proof that we have found the gospel is that our lives are characterized by a profound rest verse three. Look at it, for we who have believed enter that rest, the proof that you found the gospel is that your life is characterized by rest. On the flipside, and inability and inability to find rest is proof that we haven't experienced the gospel and that we are still under the wrath of God. Again, look verse three as I swore in my wrath shall not enter my rest so I got two things that I want to try to do with this message this morning, first I want to explain you what this concept of Sabbath is that appear so frequently for what it's all about why it's the source of rest and why it is so important. Second, I want to explain to you how it is that you can enter that Sabbath rest now real quick before we get started, don't to confuse when I said the word Sabbath, most Christians understand that recognize that as to be a command in you.

Note that the Big Ten Big Ten about a specific day of the week that you were supposed to take off right and and that it is what the writer of Hebrews is saying is that the law itself. The fourth commandment was a shadow that would ultimately be fulfilled in Jesus. So, by all means honorable all you do on the fourth commandment for some reason Christians fill it visible on this is optional.

You better keep that when I was operating. It in your small group on this conversation would never to question your small group time you doing spiritually I'm doing pretty good. I just keep sleeping with my neighbors wife other than that things are going fine. I made pretty good.

I just murdered a guy last week and I got another murder next week but beyond that, things are going fine that that would never take place. Yet this conversation takes place on the top are you doing a lament under put together this really tired. I haven't had a day off like four weeks whatever reason would like this of the commander gets to be optional and that we could just break it whenever it's not really that convenient for us. I was about all means honorable, all but don't miss the bigger point of how all this is going to be fulfilled in Jesus.

Ultimately we would find rest in him. Okay, so that the clear is that I will come back. That subversive. You also have the development of the Sabbath law in Scripture.

The development of the Sabbath on Scripture. The first time to see the Sabbath instituted is that creation God created the world six days a rested on the seventh day, through Moses, God commanded that we do the same so the command for command is found in Exodus 20 verse nine. Here is six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God, for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them any rested on the seventh day.

Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. One day a week there were to cease all their labors and they were to harass because God made the day holy. Know why. Why did God tell them to stop. On that day there were a couple of things that they were supposed to remember on that day it was the first one, one, the Sabbath reminded them that God was the point of everything. We were created from God in everything we do is for him. Sometimes because of how much we work in all the banks were doing. We tend to forget that we get ahead of ourselves we consumed and paying bills and raising children get ahead.

So one day a week. God commands us to cease from our labor and think about why were here in the first place. Sabbath is not a rest from our primary pursuits. Sabbath is itself. Our primary pursuit. We were created for a job. We were created from God. We get so caught up in everything that were doing all the pressures all the bills and all the bank that we forget that it got that one day a week every day and remember why you're here because we forget that everything else in your life is going along resting sounds pretty important, doesn't it. You're listening to a message in our teaching series called Christ is better here on Senate life here. We are prone to drift spiritually and when that happens we lose sight of God's greater plan and purpose for our lives. The writer of Hebrews can't promise us that everything is always going to go right when he can't tell us is that Christ is better than anything else you can name on all 10 parts in this Bible study include interactive examination of Scripture which then helps us examine our own heart. We like to encourage you to reserve your copy today by calling 866-335-5224 visit us online@jeanniegreer.com. Thanks for being with us today. Now, let's return for this thing about wrath.

Learn the second thing we were supposed remember B here Sabbath also reminded them that God was the provider when God commanded that they take one day off. I am sure aren't you. I'm sure people objected. What are you kidding crops to harvest themselves. The water has to be obtained. Daily times are tight, providing for ourselves and our family large enough to cut your productivity in an agrarian culture right by one Sabbath was not prudent. But God commanded them to do it because he wanted to listen. He wanted them to leave space for him to provide for them. He promised them that they would work six days and take all the Sabbath he would multiply their effectiveness. On the other six days to make up for what they missed on the seventh. She God never wants us to forget that ultimately we depend on him, not ourselves for provision. She God normally provides rusty natural mates right. We work with our money replacing our town money typically doesn't just magically appear in your account. It does a bank error and you should probably report right you are going to like all of my bank account. So how does the OIC direct deposit from God that would be awesome.

And if that happens, by all means receive it but it just not certain that God's normal it's not his normal MO what he typically provides for us is through natural means. Because of that note very easily. We begin to assume that when you're the ones listen who bear the responsibility of taking care of ourselves is in the way to raise your children in meeting all of our needs, providing for future that ultimately that rest upon us and God does not want us ever thinking that he wants us to be faithful yes to use the opportunities and the talents and strengths that he's given us. But he never wants us to bear the weight of responsibility so he commands us to work six days to provide for ourselves by natural means within a take one day off and let him work take one day off and do nothing, nothing that we could be doing something.

Sometimes we all want to be doing something on that day were saying the God God I am doing less that I'm able to do because you commanded me to, and ultimately providing for me is your responsibility and so I'm depending on you to make up what I'm missing here but not working that will Sabbath was created Sabbath that God gave one day to stop and remember the guy was the point guy with the provider but in the book of Deuteronomy God gives a second purpose for the sale.

You did Ronnie know that word means. Deuteronomy Diderot second know me wall the second giving of the law. It's like the directors cut of the law of Moses going to give you little behind-the-scenes stop at sewing when he repeats the commandments, he explains that he becomes the fourth commandment on the second giving of it. This is what he what he explains. Deuteronomy 5 verse 12 observe the Sabbath and keep it holy watchlist restricting you shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt and the Lord your God brought you out out from there with a mighty hand and outstretched arm. Therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day not hear what you see is that the Sabbath was given to them to give them space to reflect on their salvation, namely, that God had accomplished it all by himself, the Lord brought you out by mighty hand. How much did Israel contribute to their deliverance from Egypt, much interest zero right did they help stimulate the flags was coming I got a great idea. Once you determine how the blood what you would knock off all the cows got cow tipping tonight, that'll be the third leg like all the folds and release them on Pharaoh's porch did and I would be more like the 10 practical jokes just ignored Pharaoh no, he did those all by himself at the Red Sea great.

I could deliverance were God separated them from the armies of of each of the date that they help out with that deliverance was Moses like a group of people standing on the side of your blog this way and say here you go that way will super chemical treads of the water walk across it that I went down no I God did it all by himself and there were to stop her day and reflect on that that God had accomplished less than their greatest need ever faced.

God did it all by himself and what he shows in his God didn't doubt for you in your moment of greatest need.

When you're a slave, don't you think that God will provide for you now that you are his sons and daughters shown in verse 15 it talks about their new identity.

You were a slave.

Now you are a son, you were under the clear reign of Pharaoh. Now your under the tender care of a father.

Of course you can trust me to provide for you I accomplished your salvation all by myself. Now that I'm your father, what you think I want to take care of you.

So on that day they were supposed to stop and think about how good God was what got it done for them that you'd save them for himself and they could trust him because he was not a cool Pharaoh. He was a tender father is an exempt was your second development of the Sabbath, but there was 1/3 purpose for the Sabbath and that's what our writer here in Hebrews refers to syllabi, culture text there. Hebrews 4 verse eight for if Joshua had given them rest. Joshua was Moses's successor want to finish conquering the promised land is as if Joshua given them rest, not spoken of another day. Later on, so then there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. For whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his arrest that he is talking about here. The rest the final rest. The rest that all these other things pointed to was Jesus. The Sabbath commands and all the Sabbath teaching ultimately pointed forward to Christ.

Jesus is the ultimate rest. What I want to do is give you for statements about Christ that show you how is the ultimate Sabbath to show you how it is that you rest in him and I want to show you that this is in rest is not laziness its inner rest and what I will say to you, especially to you men was invited special you until you get this concept. No amount of vacations, no amount of distraction or hobbies are ever going to give you rest that you were looking this is a rest that is an interest that provides you with something in your soul that gives you the ability to actually rest when you do take a vacation from you. Your vacations are not relaxing at all because your soul is never found rest. This is what it means about an arrest. You've got to get this concept that I'm about to explain to you right for things about Christ that make him the ultimate Sabbath in the ultimate rest number one Christ is my righteousness. Christ is my righteousness is all of our lives. Listen are spent in self-justification we been over this a lot but let me make sure this is clear to see all of our lives. We are trying to show that were good enough that we have value that we have worth and it all goes back to the Garden of Eden she Hebrews 4 verse 13 there and no creature is hidden from his site, but we are all was a network neck driving from North Carolina method were all netted and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give an account just a reference back to the Garden of Eden were all naked before God I told you this before again but it's so foundational in understanding your life and understanding salvation with somebody only meet me at this for you again, the first effect of your sin, your massive item regarding what was the verse about we don't make right doctrine? Will be naked before we sent yesterday were, but her nakedness did not bother us widen our nakedness bother us before we send because we were closed in the love and the acceptance of God because we were closed in the love and acceptance of God. Our nakedness did not bother us but when we sin, then we separated ourselves in the love and acceptance of God. That's when our nakedness suddenly became a problem. So what did Adam and Eve do when they noticed they were naked. Want to know if he will be when it is there naked now right to try to cover your site you swing like this be a problem sleepwalking and you show up, you know.

Also, 330 at night and in the morning and you're in Walmart your butt naked right near that point you what you do you like saying all along here my pickup and stuff we need for the house of groceries and I was like this. Profitable tribes of Judah and of course not.

You cover yourself with your normal person can also Walmart up into an enemy that no one there to be donated. I don't know you know what is you if you know what you cover yourself to get you see this, listen, listen that that is a metaphor for your entire life is all your life you have this sense of not being good enough, since it's your guilty. Since that you have very little value since that you are ashamed and all of life becomes. This quest to clothe ourselves to justify ourselves, to show why we are important to show why we are better than the average person to restore the clothing that ultimately be lost in the garden to be the gospel gives you rest from that, because the gospel is Christ clothing you with his righteousness, she Christ restores to you the love and the acceptance by God that you crave since creation.

Christ gave it to you as a gift he gave you righteousness. Christ gave his right beautiful truth from our study in Hebrews here on Senate life with Jeannie clear mission of Summit like to help you deeper into the gospel so JD can you tell us how this study, Christ is better will help us grow in our faith, what you find is that these heroes of the Hebrew Bible were not so much examples that were supposed to emulate right as much as they were signpost that pointed us to a Savior that we were to hope in and adore that.

I think what you'll find is that Hebrews can inspire you if you want to read it correctly. If you read it as a as a bunch of examples emulate examples of crushing visual think like I can never be in Esther and I could never be a David, will you see that they were just broken people like you trusted in Christ the Lord that the same Savior that empower them can empower you. I think this Bible study that were offering alongside of our teaching hero Summit like I think it will take deep into these examples take you back into the stories of some of these people that the writer of Hebrews references and show you how not only you can learn from their examples which you can can can learn to receive the same power Savior. When you get today will send you this brand-new Bible study that follows right along with our current teaching theories here on the program. It comes with our thanks for any join our mission to spread the good news of the gospel to hear suggested giving level is $35 or more and remember every penny you donate these to a ministry today and ask for your copy of Christ is better when you come by 2520 get on our website clear.com Friday.

Pastor Jeannie continues his message God wants us to enjoy my mile even if it's reminding you to him again tomorrow for some in my