COME --- ENTER INTO HIS REST
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
Matthew 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
I. CAN WE ACCEPT THE CORRELATION BETWEEN TRUST AND PEACE AND REST?
Isaiah 26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
4 Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength:
A. REST:
To refresh oneself to recover and regain strength.
TO BRING RELIEF.
Support to hold steady.
Rest: a state of ceasing from work, activity, motion and labor
Greek katapausis: Hebrew equivalent to Hebrew word NOAH.
Greek anapausis: to rest from weariness
Matthew 11:28-29
Greek sabbatismos: a Sabboth rest, to rest from work.
A rest like God did when He had finished the work of creation.
B. Every field needed to rest from production of fruit every 7th year.
C. We should not grow weary in well doing and Christian labor.
We grow can weary in our work, and be hurt?
II. THERE IS A STRANGE STORY IN THE BOOK OF 2 SAMUEL.
RUNNING REAL FAST IS NOT EVERYTHING!
WE MUST WAIT ON THE LORD, GET THE MESSAGE FROM GOD’S WORD.
A. Let me tell you a true story about a friend that was always tired.
We knew an old lady that complained all the time that she could not sleep?
We pondered and prayed for her to be able to sleep and rest.
One day I started enquiring more about this problem.
The lady slept until 1 PM.
She got up and fixed her some breakfast/lunch.
She laid down on the couch and took a nap until 3 PM.
She watched her favorite continued show.
Then she took a nap until about 7 PM.
She then watched Wheel of Fortune and laid down to take a nap until around 9:30 PM. Then she got up to watch the news.
Then she just could not figure why she could not sleep at night?
I COULD NOT EXPLAIN TO HER, IF YOU SLEEP ALL DAY, HOW DO YOU EXPECT TO SLEEP ALL NIGHT?
B. JUST BECAUSE WE KNOW HOW TO RUN FAST DOES NOT MEAN WE ARE RUNNING WITH THE MESSAGE AND THE ANOINTING.
C. The army needed to get a message to the KING DAVID.
David had been in time of trouble and sorrow.
D. AHIMAAZ KEPT ASKING, LET ME RUN, LET ME RUN AND TELL THE KING.
Please General Joab, LET ME RUN!
E. JOAB TOLD AHIMAAZ, NO YOU CAN’T RUN.
Joab knew AHIMAAZ WAS NOT REAL DEPENDABLE.
2 Samuel 18:19 Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, Let me now run, and bear the king tidings, how that the Lord hath avenged him of his enemies.
20 And Joab said unto him, Thou shalt not bear tidings this day, but thou shalt bear tidings another day: but this day thou shalt bear no tidings, because the
king’s son is dead.
21 Then said Joab to Cushi, Go tell the king what thou hast seen. And Cushi bowed himself unto Joab, and ran.
F. AHIMAAZ KEEPS ON, UNTIL JOAB AGREES TO LET HIM RUN WITH THE MESSAGE.
2 Samuel 18:22 Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok yet again to Joab, But howsoever, let me, I pray thee, also run after Cushi. And Joab said, Wherefore
wilt thou run, my son, seeing that thou hast no tidings ready?
23 But howsoever, said he, let me run. And he said unto him, Run. Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain, and overran Cushi.
G. AHIMAAZ NEVER HAD THE MESSAGE, HE WAS THE FIRST TO THE KING, BUT HE APPROACHED THE KING AS A FOOL.
H. Ahimaaz get out of the way, LET CUSHI TELL US THE NEWS.
I. RUNNING WITHOUT THE MESSAGE WILL ALWAYS BRING WEARINESS.
J. JUST BECAUSE WE ARE RUNNING DOES NOT MEAN WE ARE RUNNING WITH THE MESSAGE OF GOD’S BLESSINGS?
III. WE CANNOT HARDEN OUR HEARTS TO THE THINGS OF GOD! WE MUST HAVE A DIET OF MORE THAN JUNK FOOD AND ENERGY DRINKS? MAYBE THOSE BEFORE HAVE MISSED THIS HAVEN OF REST? WE CAN KNOW DIVINE REST IN A PERSONAL WAY.
A. The book of Hebrews was more than a man writing down words on paper.
There is a message from God, catch the message before you run.
B. If we take basic garbage into our ears and hearts all day, we will only have basic garbage to withdraw our power.
C. Junk food can make a tired, weak sleepy person.
Hebrews 3:7 Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, 8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the
wilderness:
D. TODAY TOO MANY FAIL TO ENTER INTO THE DIVINE REST JUST AS IN MOSES’ DAY WHEN THEY WERE SATISFIED TO WANDER IN THE DESERT.
Will we know the Father’s Promise for our daily lives?
E. THE MORE OFTEN YOU REJECT GOD, THE EASIER IT IS TO REJECT HIM.
Why would a believer ignore God’s sweet Spirit’s directions?
F. WE SEAR OUR CONSCIENCE WITH A HOT IRON?
1 Tim. 4:2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
OFTEN BURNED MAKES THE HEART NOT SENSITIVE.
IV. DO WE EVER REFUSE TO ENTER INTO THE HAVEN OF REST?
THERE IS A HAVEN OF REST.
A. HAVEN:
PORT, OR HABOR OF A PLACE OF REFUGE.
B. There were 7 CITIES OF REFUGE TO FLEE IN THE OLD TESTAMENT.
One was safe there as long as they stayed in the city limits.
C. There is a possibility of believers totally missing the promised port of rest.
Hebrews 3:18 And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not?
19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.
V. THERE ARE MANY DEGREES OF REST, WE MUST NOT COME SHORT OF REACHING WHAT GOD HAS PROMISED THE BELIEVER!
Hebrews 4:1 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.
2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.
3 For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
4 For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.
5 And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest.
A. DO WE BELIEVE JESUS TAKES OUR FAILURES AND BURDENS AND GIVES US REST?
B. Will we enter His Divine Rest?
C. CAN WE IDENTIFY THE ROLE OF CHOICES IN HAVING OR NOT HAVING PEACE AND REST?
VI. GOD’S REST IS NOT EARTHLY
Hebrews 4:8 For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.
9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. 10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
VII. THIS DID NOT CATCH OUR GOD BY SURPRISE. TRUST HIM.
It is soothing comfort to know God knows my name!
1 Peter 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
A. This crushing weight is nothing to Him.
When it is over your head, it is UNDER HIS FEET.
B. Sleep not in despair, HOPE ON, HOPE EVER, HOPE AGAINST HOPE.
C. GOD BINDS THE BROKEN HEARTED!
D. THERE IS A PHYSICAL REST AND THEN THERE IS A SPIIRITUAL REST.
Exodus 33:14 And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.
E. BE A GIVER OF REST!
Romans 15:32 That I may come unto you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
