Work and Rest

                                                            

Work and rest are about as polar opposite as you can get. People work all day then they come home and rest so they can go back to work the next day and do it all over again. It gets very tiring and the routine can just wear you down, but work and rest are just part of our lives.

Look at these two concepts from a Biblical perspective. Jesus made the statement in Matthew 11:28-29, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Jesus is speaking about those who are working to make themselves right with God. They think that because of their good deeds and their religious lifestyle they are making themselves approved in God’s eyes. They

can never rest because it will never be enough; their good works can’t save them. They continually strive and work to obtain a free gift that can’t be earned. Jesus wants us to rest in Him and His finished work on the cross. One of His last statements on the cross was, “It is finished.” Those few words mean that the sin debt has been paid. By placing your trust in Jesus all of your sins are forgiven, even the ones you haven’t committed yet. What rest we have in Christ; it is a rest from striving to make ourselves acceptable to Him by what we do. Cease your striving and rest in Jesus. 

So, does this mean we can just kick back and sin it up and live however we want because we don’t have to work anymore to make ourselves right with God? Absolutely not. That is a ludicrous thought. We are told in the second chapter of Philippians to, “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” The key word in that statement is OUT not FOR. We do not work for our salvation as religious people try to do, but we are to work out our salvation. What does this "working out" look like in the life of a believer?

Simply put it is a lifelong journey in obedience to the word of God. We are to be doers of the word and not hearers only. We will work out our salvation our entire life as we grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

The bottom line is this: from a salvation standpoint, rest in Jesus because of His finished work, work for the glory of God in all you do, and look forward to eternal rest in His presence.

 

Pastor Marty