“The Promise of Rest”

Meditation on Hebrews 4:1-13 for Oct. 14, 2012

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     Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest is still open, let us take care that none of you should seem to have failed to reach it. For indeed the good news came to us just as to them; but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened.

      For we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said, “As in my anger I swore, ‘They shall not enter my rest,’” though his works were finished at the foundation of the world.

      For in one place it speaks about the seventh day as follows, “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works.” And again in this place it says, “They shall not enter my rest.”

      Since therefore it remains open for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience, again he sets a certain day—“today” —saying through David much later, in the words already quoted, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.”

      For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not speak later about another day.

      So then, a sabbath rest still remains for the people of God; for those who enter God’s rest also cease from their labors as God did from his.

       Let us therefore make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one may fall through such disobedience as theirs.

       Indeed, the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

      And before him no creature is hidden, but all are naked and laid bare to the eyes of the one to whom we must render an account. (Hebrews 4:1-13)

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   ‘So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them on the sixth day. 

     God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth. 

      God said, “See I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food.  And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.  And it was so.

     And God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good.  And there was evening, and there was morning, the sixth day. 

    Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all their multitude.  And on the seventh day, God finished the work that he had done.  So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all the work that he had done in creation.’ (Genesis 1:27-2:1)  

    I thought about God’s creating work yesterday while I considered my previous week of ministry, beginning with Sunday’s communion worship, followed by a guest speaker and potluck.  It was busy, but certainly nothing like God’s week of labor, when he spoke creation into being and made human beings in His image.

    Still, for me, it was busy.

    On Monday and Tuesday, there were visits, office hours, phone calls and emails, Sunday worship planning, bulletin prep, and Facebook devotions. Worship committee met with me on Wednesday to plan music and programs through Advent, which include worship at RenVilla in November and tentatively an ecumenical, multigenerational Christmas choral program with the Renville United Methodist Church.  Something new and exciting for our community of faith.

    And then there was planning for adult Sunday school, a missionary couple’s visit in November, and music preparation for our children’s bell choir—the Joyful Jinglers.  And there were conversations with committee chairs to plan the agenda for session Wednesday night.  

    On Thursday afternoon and evening, Jim and I went first to Willmar for his work then on to Hutchinson for the rehearsal and planning for the outdoor wedding service of Lacey Aalderks and Dave Willems that I was blessed to preside over Friday evening.

     On Saturday morning, I woke up feeling so tired.  It had been a good week.  A fruitful week.  A week when the Lord had used me for His purposes, and I am grateful for that. But I was ready for rest! To cease from my labors. And I still had a sermon to write and an order of worship to finish up. 

      So I made myself a cup of tea and pulled out my Bible to consider the promise of God’s rest in Hebrews—our epistle reading today. This passage reaffirms our need as Christians to observe the Sabbath, one of the 10 commandments the Israelites received and continue to hold sacred today.  Yes, though we are the people of the New Covenant, not bound by law or circumcision, but by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ, we are also called to cease from our labors one day each week. Because God ceased from His labors on the seventh day—and not because He was tired. God never needs sleep!  He did it to show us the importance of ceasing from our labors and taking time to contemplate His goodness and His creating work in our lives.

    But what does the writer of Hebrews mean when he says that the promise of entering God’s rest is still open to us?  What does it mean that we should take care that none of us fail to reach it? What is this warning to not be like the Israelites who failed to enter God’s rest because they were not united in faith? What is the writer talking about when he says, “Let us therefore make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one may fall through such disobedience as theirs”?

      This sabbath rest, to which the writer of Hebrews refers, is the same sabbath rest in Genesis that God experienced on the seventh day of Creation.  This sabbath rest that we read about in Hebrews, however, is something that has both already happened AND has not yet come to fruition.

     Creation is not yet complete!  All of Creation, including human beings, are still in the process of re-creation, redemption in Jesus Christ. Creation is complete when, as Paul says in Phillippians 2:10 and 11: “When every knee shall bend, in heaven on earth and under the earth, and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

    Creation isn’t over until it’s over.  Until we in our resurrected bodies see Christ face to face. And our Lord says, “Well done.”

    So I have good news for you, my friends!  The Sabbath isn’t just one day of the week that we are called to cease from our labors and worship God. The Sabbath rest is God’s promise in Jesus Christ!  It is part of God’s gracious gift to those who believe. And it is still open to everyone who seeks it in faith.

     If you feel tired, like I do sometimes, my brothers and sisters, it isn’t just because you need more sleep.  It is because you haven’t made every effort to enter God’s rest! You have let yourself get too busy to notice that you are neglecting your personal devotional time with the Lord.  You have been relying on your own strength too much – and not relying enough on Him.

      Peace doesn’t just automatically come to you when you cease your labors one day a week, come to worship, and take a nap on a Sunday afternoon. You aren’t going to find peace and rest by sleeping in one day a week, either!

     You have to seek God’s rest, His peace, regularly. You have to seek Him and cast all your burdens on the one who wants to carry them for you and strengthen you with His Spirit! You have to pray—without ceasing, if you want His peace, His rest, to be a way of life. It is a promise to claim by faith.

     Brothers and sisters, we are a forgiven people! We are reconciled with God the Father in Christ the Son.

     The day of salvation is today! 

     Let us therefore make every effort, united in faith, to enter God’s rest, and experience Christ’s peace. Now and forever!

Will you pray with me?

   Holy Creator God, we thank you for Your Word that is living and active and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of our hearts.  Let us never seek to hide from you or seek our peace and rest in our work or leisure time activities. Send Your Spirit to awaken and remind us, Lord, to seek your face daily, listen for your voice, and reach out and receive your spiritual gifts.   Thank you for your recreating work in us and all of Creation!  Thank you for your faithfulness to use us, though we are weak and allow ourselves to spend too much time doing so many things, when the important thing is just taking time and making space to be with You.  Thank you for Your salvation in Christ and for the peace and rest we experience as Your gift, Your promise to all who believe!  In Christ we pray.  Amen.