REST Sermon Series

The concept of REST is counterintuitive and counterculture for today, yet God calls His people to enter His REST. Rest. Freedom from work or activity. The source of the Christian doctrine of rest is the rest of God himself, who, after completing the work of creation in six days, “rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had done” (Gn 2:2). This provides the basis for the Hebrew sabbath as the weekly seventh day of rest (sabbath is the Hebrew term for rest), which is presented as an ordinance of creation. The fourth commandment enjoins the consecration of the sabbath day to God and the limitation of labor to six days precisely because God made all things in six days and rested the seventh day: “therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and hallowed it” (Ex 20:8–11). ἡσυχάζω (hēsychazō). vb. be quiet, rest, abstain from work; remain silent. Usually refers to being quiet, but can also refer to resting from work. Most uses of hēsychazō in the nt refer simply to being quiet or silent (e.g., Luke 14:4, Acts 11:18). However, Luke 23:56 uses it for resting on the Sabbath: “On the Sabbath they rested (hēsychazō) according to the commandment.” *INSIGHTFUL – The rest of God in the sense of His presence with the people.

The REST Sermon Series will be based on the study of the book of Hebrews chapters 3 and 4 and will equip God’s saints to freshly encounter Jesus who provides ‘rest for your soul,’ to experience the Scripture by regularly establishing a rhythm of rest & by engaging in deeper fellowship with ‘near ones’ in seasons of rest. Following 2 years of global turbulence, many people’s mental health has negatively been impacted resulting in increased anxiety, sleeplessness, stress, depression, eating disorders, alcohol consumption or substance use and worsening chronic condition due to worry. 4 in 10 adults in the US would admit to struggling with feelings of anxiety and depression. So What’s the answer? Our Creator who knows us better than we know ourselves gives the antidote to the mental, emotional and spiritual stressful feelings we are experiencing. The Creator’s antidote is REST. In this series of messages, let’s enter God’s REST.

• Sunday, July 10, 2022 @ 10:30am – “REST with a Heart to Encounter Jesus” (Hebrews 3:1-8)
• Sunday, July 17, 2022 @ 10:30am – “REST with a Listening Heart to God’s Voice” (Hebrews 3:7-11; 16-18)
• Sunday, July 24, 2022 @ 10:30am – “REST with a Heart to Love One Another” (Hebrews 3:12-15)
• Sunday, July 31, 2022 @ 10:30am – “REST with a Heart that is Free” (Hebrews 4:1-11)