JESUS is our Sabbath Rest

JESUS IS OUR SABBATH REST

(Something fresh and beautiful that Holy Spirit has revealed to me)

Jesus said – “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy burdened and I will give you rest” – Matthew 11:28

Who gives us rest? Jesus.

Notice that Jesus didn’t say that the Sabbath will give us rest or even stopping. No, He said I will give you rest. And He did. In the Cross. Our rest has been given (past tense) to us in the Cross. All the rest we will ever need.

Maybe you’re like me and have been taught that you will find rest and blessing in observing a Sabbath and that the word Sabbath means to stop. While observing a Sabbath, by stopping and taking a day off, is certainly good for resting the bones and muscles of your physical body, it does very little for the soul and the spirit.

“You are not under the law but under grace.” – Romans 6:14

Anyone who knows me, knows that I love to stop, relax, and enjoy some down time as much as the next guy, but to say that we must do this to find rest in our souls and in our spirit is based on a law. An old Covenant Law. What do we know about the old Covenant Laws? Several things:

– They are incomplete (Hebrews 10:4-11)

– They lead to death (certainly not rest) (2 Corinthians 3:6)

– Jesus fulfilled them (Matthew 5:17)

– We have been set free from them and placed under a new covenant which is grace. (Romans 6:14)

– They were a tutor to lead us to Christ (Galatians 3:24)

– They are only a shadow of what was to come: Jesus. (Hebrews 10:1)

CONTEXT –

Consider the life and times of the people under the law:

People at that time grew their own grain and livestock for 2 purposes:

1. SUSTENANCE

Practically speaking, it was for their sustenance – people had to raise crops and animals as their food, as well as selling and trading them to provide for their basic natural needs.

2. SACRIFICES

Spiritually speaking, it was for their sacrifice – to atone for their sins. People had to raise crops and animals as way to provide a sacrifice that would atone for their sins and put them in right standing with God. (Hebrews 10)

In the Old Covenant people needed to work 6 days a week in order to pay for their sins. We know that the work they did for the sacrifices they made were foreshadowing Jesus who would be and do the final work and sacrifice for all sin once for all time. (Hebrews 10:10)

“Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but He died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but He was raised to life in the Spirit.” – 1 Peter 3:18

He is our spotless Lamb. Because of His sacrifice that is finished and complete we no longer have to work to pay for our sins. We no longer have to work to earn favor with God. We no longer have a works focus. Once we place our faith in what He did, we have perpetual right standing with God every minute of every day. We can enjoy perpetual rest in our souls because He paid the ultimate and final price. This is the uncensored Gospel.

Jesus is our Sabbath Rest. Our Rest is in a Person. Our rest and blessings are not found in a day of the week or even lack of activity. Eternal rest for our souls both now and forever is found in Jesus. And in Jesus alone.

“Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.” – Colossians 2:16-17

“There remains therefore a rest to the people of God.” – Hebrews 4:9

Our Rest is in Christ alone, because only He (not our good deeds or good disciplines) reconciled us to God and makes us righteous forevermore.

“How foolish can you be? After starting your Christian lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort?” – Galatians 3:3

Because the blood of Jesus alone earns my right standing with God each day, I am at Rest in my soul! I Rest knowing that my Father is constantly pleased with me not because of what I do or don’t do, but because of what Jesus did.

On your journey consider this…

The practice of the Sabbath in Old Covenant Law, was a foreshadow of the perpetual rest we now have daily in our souls through the reconciliation of the Cross through Jesus alone.

Thank you Jesus!

“May your journey bring freedom and your mind be ever renewed to His truth!” – Angel