Sabbath rest for God's people (Work, home, church, balance)
Text Genesis 2:1-2; Hebrews 4:8-11
In Genesis 2:1-2, we are told that God worked six days and rested on the seventh day. In Hebrews 4:8-11, we are told that the people did not have rest because of unbelief. However, there is still a Sabbath rest for God’s people; therefore, we must try to enter that rest.
Our prayer is that the Lord gives us time to do His work.
God wants us to have rest and enough time for ourselves, our family, the church, etc. Sadly, many people do not have enough time for themselves, their families, work, church ...etc.
How to enter God’s rest
To enter God’s rest, you must be a child of God, accept your assignment, and follow God’s instruction (see, e.g., Matthew 11:28-32). Anyone who enters God’s Sabbath rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his (Heb 4:10). The rest is the result of our labour in the Lord.
We don’t get tired because of work; we get tired because we do not use our rest days well.
The greatest scandals in the Bible? Adam and Eve, David and Bathsheba got themselves in trouble because they did not focus on their assignments (e.g., 2 Samuel 11:1-5).
What does God do on His rest day? We can learn this from Jesus.
Jesus lived only 33.5 years, but he finished his assignment on earth:
How did Jesus do it?
On Sabbath, Jesus prioritises worship, helping people in need (e.g., Luke 13:10-16) and sleep (Matt 8:23-34).
Some blessings will take some of your time. Therefore, you cannot complain about not having enough time (e.g., marriage. 1 Cor 7:28;32-34).
Rest after death: It is evident that the rest here said to remain to them is also the rest of heaven, of which the seventh-day rest is only an imperfect emblem. That is why when someone dies, we say Rest In Peace (Rev 14:12-13).
Are you a child of God?