The Disciplines: Rest I. Introduction A. What does the practice of the Christian faith look like on a day-to-day basis? B. We recognize many of the standard expectations 1. Avoid sin (Galatians 5:19-21) 2. Read and study the Bible (John 8:32, 2 Timothy 2:15, etc.) 3. Pray (1 Thessalonians 5:17-18) 4. Do good as opportunities arise (Galatians 6:10) C. These standard expectations are well and good, but what do we see from Scripture about day-to-day practice? D. An ancient understanding of at least some of the standard practices on a day-to-day basis involved the spiritual disciplines 1. 1 Corinthians 9:27, 2 Timothy 1:7: Paul disciplines his body; God has given us the spirit of sophronismos, discipline or self-control 2. Galatians 5:22-24, 1 Peter 4:7: Christians are expected to live lives marked by self-control and sober-mindedness 3. How we are to maintain discipline is a matter of liberty 4. Nevertheless there are glimpses in Scripture of some ancient practices known as the disciplines and that Christians used them to help them maintain discipline in important spiritual practices E. Let us consider the spiritual discipline of rest 1. We emphasize how the Sabbath is no longer bound on Christians, and appropriately so (Colossians 2:14-18, Hebrews 4:1-11) 2. Yet in the process have we enshrined "busyness," effort, and work to almost divine levels? 3. Why did God give Israel the Sabbath? Is there a place for rest in the life of a Christian? 4. What does the spiritual discipline of rest look like? II. Rest as Spiritual Discipline: Scripture A. When most people think of "rest" in Scripture they often think of the Sabbath 1. The fourth commandment (Exodus 20:8-11, Deuteronomy 5:12-15) 2. Its logic rooted in God's rest on the seventh day of the creation (Genesis 2:1-3) 3. Sabbath a day for Israelites, sojourners, servants, animals to do no work: no kindling a fire, no gathering sticks, no buying and selling, no carrying of burdens (Exodus 35:3. Numbers 15:32-36, Deuteronomy 5:14, Nehemiah 13:15-17, Jeremiah 17:22-24) 4. The consequence for profaning the Sabbath was death (Exodus 31:14) 5. Yet there were exceptions: priests making offerings at the Temple, guards keeping watch at the Temple, watering animals, emergencies, circumcision (Numbers 28:9-10, 2 Kings 11:5-7, Luke 13:15-16, 14:5, John 7:22-23) 6. The Sabbath was a time of rest but not necessarily inactivity; later Israelites especially would gather to read and hear the Bible read aloud, to hear a word of encouragement, and/or to pray (Acts 1:12, 13:15, 27, 15:21, 16:13) B. Israel was also to give the land a Sabbath rest every seventh year (Leviticus 25:1-6) C. Yet by the first century the point of the Sabbath had been lost on many in Israel 1. The Pharisees, among others, were obsessed with proper observance of the Sabbath, and quickly condemned anyone who did anything they would define as work on the Sabbath (e.g. Matthew 12:2, John 5:16) 2. Sabbath observance was used as a litmus test; disagreement could not be tolerated (John 9:16) 3. Many of the arguments between Jesus and the Pharisees involved the nature of work on the Sabbath and reason for the Sabbath; Jesus declared that the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath, that He was Lord of the Sabbath, that deliverance from bondage was not contrary to the purposes of Sabbath, demonstrating how legalistic the observance of Sabbath had become in Israel (Mark 2:27-28, 3:4, Luke 13:14-16) D. Whereas Sabbath observance was not only prevalent in Israel but indeed a litmus test for Israelite faithfulness in the Second Temple Period, observing the seventh day Sabbath was not a part of early Christianity 1. Examples in Acts show that Paul would preach to Jews on the Sabbath but indicate no Christian observance of the practice (e.g. Acts 17:2-3) 2. Early Christians assembled on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7, Justin Martyr, First Apology 67) 3. Yet this was not a "moving of Sabbath"; the first day of the week was not identified as the Sabbath in the New Testament or among early Christians 4. Instead, as argued by Paul in Colossians 2:13-17, Christians are not to be judged for not observing the Sabbath day, for it is a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ E. The Hebrew author makes a long, sustained argument regarding the Sabbath, its relationship to creation, and Psalm 95 in Hebrews 3:5-4:11 1. The Hebrew author picks up on Psalm 95:7-11, particularly Psalm 95:11, speaking of the faithless generation of Israelites who saw God's wonders but did not believe and thus were condemned 2. In Hebrews 3:5-4:1 the concern is about not falling away or being hardened by sin's deceitfulness as they did 3. Yet in Hebrews 4:1-11 the Hebrew author considers the implications of Psalm 95:11 in light of Genesis 2:1-3 and Exodus 20:11 4. Argument: Moses commanded the Sabbath; yet Psalm 95:11 says that God swore the first generation would not enter His rest; if Joshua had truly given them the rest God intended, there would be no need to speak later about a rest that could be entered; since Psalm 95:7, 11 opens up the possibility of later generations entering God's rest, there remains a Sabbath rest for God's people beyond the seventh day Sabbath (Hebrews 4:1-11) 5. This is the rest Christians may enter into, resting from their labors as God did from His creative work on the seventh day (Genesis 2:1-3, Hebrews 4:1-11) 6. Whereas Moses explains the logic of the Sabbath observance in terms of God resting on the seventh day, the seventh day Sabbath is not exactly like God's Sabbath, since Israelites would have to go back to work on the "eighth" day! F. For Christians, the "Eighth Day" is found in Christ 1. Matthew 28:1-20, etc.: Jesus' resurrection on the first day of the week can be also seen in terms of the "eighth day" 2. As the Hebrew author established, through Christ we can enter into God's rest (Hebrews 4:1-11) 3. This rest comes after our labors here are over (Hebrews 4:9-11, Revelation 6:11, 14:13) 4. So it is that Colossians 2:16-17 is independently verified and its logic explained in terms of the Sabbath: the seventh day Sabbath was but a shadow of the reality of God's rest, and that substantive reality belongs to Christ and comes to those who have labored in His Kingdom! G. Spiritual Rest in Christ 1. Matthew 11:28-29 2. Jesus calls all who are weary and heavy laden to find rest in Him 3. Jesus gives rest by offering reconciliation with God, inner peace despite adversity (Romans 5:6-11, Philippians 4:7; cf. Matthew 6:25-34) H. Christians find their rest, therefore, fully manifest in Jesus Christ 1. Yet this leads to the question: how can we find rest in Jesus now but yet not until labor has ceased (Matthew 11:28-29 vs. Hebrews 4:9-11)? 2. With rest we have the same "now, not yet" paradigm as is true with salvation (cf. 1 Peter 1:3-9): we can enjoy certain aspects of rest now while we continue to labor in God's Kingdom until the final day! 3. In Christ we have reconciliation with God, His peace that surpasses understanding, and continual strength, but while we remain on the earth it is necessary for us to strive to enter into God's rest! III. Rest as Spiritual Discipline: Definition and Purpose A. We have seen in Scripture that Israel was given the Sabbath rest, and Christians have the ultimate Sabbath awaiting them in heaven while enjoying spiritual rest in Christ B. So where does this leave us in terms of rest and our physical lives? C. First we do well to consider what we mean when we discuss "rest" 1. For many people "rest" is associated with complete inactivity or even laziness 2. "Rest" is when you are not doing something 3. But is this the most effective definition of "rest"? D. Depending on the situation rest can have all sorts of connotations 1. Rest may involve very important mental, emotional, and/or spiritual work, even if not much is done physically (e.g. taking time to grieve) 2. Rest may involve staying away from certain specific activities for a period of time (e.g. rest from technology, etc.) 3. Rest may actually involve great physical exertion yet be a break from other activities or mental efforts (e.g. a hike in nature, a backpacking trip, etc.) E. Is there a place for rest in its various forms in the life of the Christian? How can we know? F. The evidence is in: humans must rest! 1. If for whatever reason a person does not get sleep over a long enough period of time, they will die (cf. Fatal familial insomnia, etc.) 2. A lack of sleep is associated with depression, irritability, and anxiety 3. Time and time again research and experience proves that people function better and more creatively when they deliberately take some time away from their normal work patterns and devote themselves to family, nature, creative endeavors, etc. G. This should be expected based on Genesis 2:1-3 1. Romans 1:18-20: God's power, divine nature evident in creation 2. As God made the world and then rested, should we be surprised to discover that His creatures have been made with a need for rest as well? 3. As Hebrews 4:1-11 makes clear, this does not automatically mean that the seventh day Sabbath is the rest of God in Genesis 2:1-3, but it does show us that appropriate rest is something we need! H. After all, why did God expect Israel to observe the Sabbath? 1. God expected Israel to rest, in part to consider Him and what He had done, but really for their benefit 2. All were to experience that rest, not just a few, just as all stand equal before God (Romans 3:23, Galatians 3:28) 3. That rest demanded a reorientation away from the normal distractions of life and gave time for Israelites to consider who they were, where they came from, where they were going, and to work through whatever questions, challenges, and other things going on in their lives 4. The Sabbath was designed to be a release, a sign of deliverance from bondage (cf. Deuteronomy 5:12-18), showing that there was more to life than mundane work! I. Christians are not bound to a weekly Sabbath, to rest in the prescribed manners of the Law of Moses, and ultimately find all rest in Christ, but does that obviate the Christian's need to recognize many of these same principles? 1. Is the Christian walk to be marked by constant busyness without any moment to consider who we are, from whence we have come, and to where we are going? By no means (Ephesians 2:1-18, Titus 3:3-8)! 2. Are Christians supposed to drown their sorrows or try to escape the gnawing questions and difficulties of their existence through constant work or effort? Are Christians supposed to think that they can somehow make good on their salvation through nonstop effort? By no means (Matthew 6:25-34, Ephesians 2:6-10)! 3. Are Christians delivered from the bondage of sin only to be put under the never-ending bondage of work? By no means (Romans 6:14-23)! J. Christians are not to be distracted or consumed by anything but are to maintain self-control and sober-mindedness (1 Thessalonians 5:1-11, 1 Peter 4:7) K. Sometimes we must take a break from our normal patterns of behavior in order to see where we might be getting distracted or consumed and departing from the good way of God in Christ! IV. Rest as Spiritual Discipline A. Therefore how can rest serve as a spiritual discipline for the Christian? B. Rest must be taken; it cannot be expected to just happen or be given 1. Matthew 14:23, Luke 5:16: Jesus had to get away at times to pray 2. We endure constant distraction and constant demands on our time; if we want rest, we need to go and make a deliberate choice to do so C. We must be intentional about taking rest; exactly how may depend on our context and circumstances 1. If we work we do well to take vacation time, not as time to just go and do something else, but to be able to stop from work and take stock of our work life 2. If we use technology a lot we do well to take some time off of all technology or specific aspects of technology so as to take stock of our use of technology 3. Even in the midst of day-to-day work we do well to take some moments to "smell the roses," to appreciate God's creation, quality relationships, and the other little things that make life worth living (cf. Ecclesiastes 2:24, 5:19, 9:9) 4. We live in a world full of noise, and we get comfortable with that; at such times we might have to find quiet even if it is disorienting or disturbing, as Elijah had to run away and only perceived God in the thin silence (1 Kings 19:1-13) 5. Perhaps we are attempting to escape some difficult realities through immersion in work or other labors; perhaps those are even religious activities; nevertheless, we cannot be truly well and whole until we confront those realities, and that may well mean a time of cessation of physical activities so as to wrestle with those challenges in meditation, prayer, or in other ways (e.g. Psalm 73) 6. Many times we get so caught up in our daily lives, anxieties, concerns, and challenges that we do not stop to put everything into context, to look forward and plan, or to remember that there is a greater reality and greater purpose in life; at such times we do well to stop and find rest through time of mental clearing, meditation, prayer, etc. (Matthew 6:25-34) D. Such times of rest may involve little physical activity; they may involve redirecting physical activity to something else; but let us never confuse distraction with rest! 1. Entertainment attempts to distract; it does not provide true rest 2. Busy work attempts to distract; it does not provide true rest (e.g. Luke 10:38-42) 3. True rest will allow a lot of things to come to the surface, many of them unpleasant; to find some means by which to turn away is to choose distraction over rest and the grappling with reality that must take place at times! E. As we have opportunity, therefore, we do well to give consideration, time, and space for rest! V. Conclusion A. We have considered the discipline of spiritual rest 1. We have seen that God gave the Sabbath to Israel yet true rest can be found in Christ and awaits the Christian in heaven 2. Nevertheless there is a time and place for rest in the life of a Christian lest he or she become consumed and/or distracted by the cares, fears, concerns, anxieties, or even just the banality of daily life 3. Rest may involve a period of physical inactivity yet need not lead to indolence and laziness B. We do well to take time out to think, reflect, meditate, pray, and give consideration to the grand scheme of things, our place in it, the bigger picture, and come to grips with many of the challenges from which we try to find escape in life's busyness! C. Let us find full rest in Christ! D. Invitation/songbook Scripture, Meditation, and Application 1: And God blessed the seventh day, and hallowed it; because that in it he rested from all his work which God had created and made (Genesis 2:3). After God made the heavens and the earth He rested. His creatures need rest as well; to go without sleep for too long results in death, and we all function better with appropriate times of rest. Let us recognize our need for rest based in the nature of the creation! 2: There remaineth therefore a sabbath rest for the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest hath himself also rested from his works, as God did from his (Hebrews 4:9-10). The seventh day Sabbath rest was not bound upon Christians, for that rest is but a shadow of the full rest from work which awaits Christians in heaven. Christ is our source of rest; let us find rest in Him! 3: "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 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" (Matthew 11:28-29). Jesus offers rest for all who are weighed down with care, anxiety, worry, fear, angst, questions, difficulties, challenges, and whatever else may afflict us. Even now we can have peace in our heart and soul in Christ; we can find rest in Him if we prove willing to trust in Him. Let us rest in Christ! 4: But Jesus withdrew himself in the deserts, and prayed (Luke 5:16). While we are to abound in the work of the Lord there are times when we need to get away, to take stock, re-center, refocus, and transcend the distractions and cares of this world. We can only do that when we find some way to rest. Let us prove willing to find refreshment in the Lord through the discipline of rest!