The Power of a Rested Soul
February 2002
Matthew 11:28-30
“Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Weary – Tired or exhausted because of burdens
· Fatigue is second only to alcohol as the cause of fatal car accidents in America.
· Hundreds of people are admitted to hospitals every day because they are suffering from physical and emotional exhaustion.
Burdened – to carry an unnecessary load
Soul – Mind, will, and emotions Are you a:
· The mind thinks and reasons. * Pack Mule
· The emotions feel. * Thoroughbred Race Horse
· The will decides and acts. (115 lb. jockey, 2 lb. Saddle)
What happens when our soul is exhausted?
1. Our thinking deteriorates. Our ability to process information is inadequate and restricted.
2. Our emotions are numbed. We can become insensitive, inconsiderate, rude, and unkind.
3. We become indecisive, or simply make the wrong choices. (No major decisions after 4pm)
· Most of the decisions of our past that we regret were made while we were under pressure, stressed or fatigued.
How do we find rest for our souls?
1. “Come to me”
· What is the only thing you can fill your car’s tank with that will make it run correctly? Why are we so precise and obedient with a piece of machinery, but are willing to try many different strategies for our own renewal.
Psalms 116:1-17
“I love the Lord for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. Because He turned his ear to me, I will call on Him as long as I live. The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came upon me; I was overcome by trouble and sorrow. Then I called on the name of the Lord: O Lord, save me! The Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion, the Lord protects the simplehearted; when I was in great need, he saved me. Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the Lord has been good to you.”
2. “Take my yoke” (No more self sufficiency, no more self-effort, self-preservation)
· Man-made burdens have been killing Christians for centuries. The Pharisees and Sadducees added 10,000 additional rules to make sure the people kept the 10 commandments.
· Illustration: Old man getting a ride but not taking the load off his back
Ecclesiastes 2:22-24a
“What does a man get for all the toil and anxious striving with which he labors under the sun? All his days his work is pain and grief; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is meaningless. A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work.”
Psalms 62:5-8
“Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; He is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.”
3. “Learn from me” (Learn – Hear, practice, make a habit, teach others)
· You will learn the most from those whom you are most committed.
Mark 4:35-41
“That day when evening came, he said to His disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to His disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey Him!”
· Jesus was immortal until He had accomplished everything he was supposed to.
· God did not choose to rest on the seventh day because He was tired; He rested because there was nothing left to do.
· Jesus said: “It is finished” – the curse of Adam was broken. There was still a church to plant, people to heal, demons that needed expelling, messages that needed preaching and truth that needed to be spoken.”
Rest: Spiritual meaning and a physical meaning
a. Intermission or recreation – Hebrew = vacation
b. Chains falling off someone’s hands
c. A door that seems hard to open that suddenly springs open
d. An envelope full of cash arrives in the mail to pay your debt.
