Rest

[0:00] So we're continuing to think about that theme of rest from Psalm 23 verse 2.

[0:21] ! And this time we're really going to focus on the Lord Jesus, who I've put there as the person,! of rest. Turn with me if you can to Mark chapter 6. Mark chapter 6.

[0:47] And verse 30 to 44. Again, would somebody be up for reading this for us?

[1:01] Yeah? Blessing? Thank you. So, yeah, 30 to 44. Thank you.

[1:12] The apostles. The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all that we had done. Oh, is the mic on? Oh. Just read loudly, that's fine.

[1:27] It's given up the ghost. Go for it. Thank you. The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all that they had done and taught.

[1:42] Then, because so many people were coming and going, they did not even have a chance to eat. He said to them, come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.

[1:52] So they went away by themselves in a boat with solitary plates. But many who saw them, even recognized them and ran and flipped from all the towns and got their head of them.

[2:03] When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.

[2:16] By this time, it was later the day, so his disciples came to him. This is a remote place, he said, and it's already very late. Send the people away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.

[2:30] But he answered, you give them something to eat. They said to him, that would take more than half a year's wages. Are we to go and spend that much of bread and give it to them to eat?

[2:42] How many loads of bread do you have? he asked. Go and see. When they fell down, they said, buy it from two fish. Then, Jesus told them to make all the people sit down in groups from the green grass.

[2:56] So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties, taking the five loads and the two fish and looking up to heaven. He gave eggs and broke the loads. Then, he gave them to his disciples to distribute them to the people.

[3:10] He also divided the two fish among them all. They all ate and were satisfied. And the disciples picked up 12 basket pools and broken pieces of bread and bread.

[3:22] The number of the men had eaten was 5,000. Thank you, blessing. So we've seen already in this theme of rest, the green pastures, the shepherd makes his sheep to lie down.

[3:36] We've seen that there's a day of rest, the Sabbath rest, and the place of rest, the new promised land that he was promising to his people. And then we fast forwarded to Hebrews 4, which picks up on that language, both from Genesis and from Psalm 95, about the day and the place of rest.

[3:59] And it talks to us about the eternal Sabbath rest that is found in the person of rest, who we come across here in Mark chapter 6.

[4:12] And maybe you'll notice that there were some themes from our psalm and from the rest theme that we've thought about.

[4:23] So verse 34, he had compassion on the crowd, the large crowd that he saw, because they were like sheep without a shepherd.

[4:38] The good shepherd for his people has compassion on these people because they seem to be like sheep without any shepherds and how they need a shepherd.

[4:53] How people need to find the Lord as their good shepherd, the one who will provide for them, protect them and lead them through life.

[5:04] And so he has compassion on them by firstly teaching them. And then through this remarkable, miraculous provision of food, they're hungry, they need something to eat.

[5:23] But verse 38, all they have is five loaves and two fishes. And then just look at this detail.

[5:35] In verse 39, Jesus told them to make all the people sit down in groups on the green grass.

[5:46] I don't think that's an accident. I think that's Jesus, the good shepherds, saying that they must sit down on the green grass.

[5:56] He's making them sit down on green pastures and is going to provide food for them. It's remarkable. It's almost like God's involved, isn't it, in the writings of Scripture.

[6:14] It links back to Psalm 23, verse 2, so profoundly. And what he provides for them is very much physical food.

[6:28] In the next few verses, he provides for them enough food out of those five loaves and two fishes.

[6:38] But so much so that there is more left over. Enough for everyone and more. Verse 40, they all ate and were satisfied.

[6:52] And then the disciples picked up 12 basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. Remember this morning, the Lord's my shepherds. I lack nothing.

[7:04] He provides abundantly for people here. He provided everything and more. It should give us confidence that he can and does do that.

[7:20] But he also speaks about rest as well in this little passage. Verse 31. Verse 31. Then because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat.

[7:39] He said to them, his disciples, come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest. He provides for the crowds on the green grass and the food.

[7:55] But he also provides for his disciples. Come here. You need to rest. The good shepherd leading his people to places of rest. But it's not just physical.

[8:10] He also provides spiritually tea. In verse 46, just outside of what we read. After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray.

[8:24] So firstly for himself, he knows he needs to withdraw. He needs to rest. And he needs to pray. He needs to talk to his heavenly father. But also, to read John's account, Jesus teaches the crowds after the miraculous feeding.

[8:45] And he says, you've had your physical fill, but know that in me, I am the bread of life. Not physical bread, but spiritually, in me, you won't grow hungry.

[9:00] I can satisfy your deepest spiritual longing. Feed on me.

[9:15] And then there's another place where he speaks in that sort of way. And particularly about the rest that he gives.

[9:25] So, I'd love us to turn to Matthew chapter 11. And just read that wonderful verse. Sorry, it's gone a bit funny on the screen. In Matthew 11 and verse 28.

[9:47] Matthew 11, verse 28. Confession. Thank you.

[9:58] Matthew 11, verse 28. Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

[10:11] The Lord Jesus, the good shepherd, is not just the good shepherd who makes his sheep lie down and rest, but he's also the place of rest.

[10:30] The person of rest. Come to me, and I will give you rest. And I think it's no accident that if you were to read the early part of chapter 12, the few verses following, he talks about himself being Lord of the Sabbath.

[10:47] I don't think that's an accident. He declares himself to be Lord of the day that God has set as a pattern for his creation. To rest.

[10:59] To rest. To rest and remember the Lord of all. The Lord who has created all things. Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath.

[11:14] And as we've seen earlier, that Sabbath day, it's more than just a day. It's an eternal Sabbath. There is an eternal rest.

[11:25] And it's all found in the person of rest. In the good shepherd, who we thought about this morning, who lays down his life for his sheep. He is the person of rest, who says, come and rest in me.

[11:45] If you want to rest in the green pastures and beside the quiet waters that Psalm 23 verse 2 says, we need to go to Jesus.

[11:57] We need to come to Jesus and we need to rest in him. And trust that he's going to lead us on to that eternal rest. When we will be able to fully and satisfyingly, completely lie down and rest.

[12:12] God's people of old, they were promised that land where they could rest secure from their enemies.

[12:27] In the Lord Jesus, we're promised that new creation where everything will one day be under his feet. All the enemies of God's people defeat it.

[12:39] Never to cause us harm again. In the work of the Lord Jesus on the cross, he forgives us our sins, our many sins.

[12:54] And one day in that new eternal future, which we have to look forward to in him, we will find complete rest from the sins that still so easily entangle us.

[13:05] But even now that rest is found in Jesus. We don't need to carry the burden of guilt, of sin.

[13:19] Because we know that the Lord Jesus has paid for our sins in full, each one. And him, our sin is cast away as the east is from the west.

[13:33] And in him, we can trust that he will provide everything we ever need. Remember this morning, I lack nothing in the Lord, my shepherd.

[13:44] We think we need many things. But our creator God really does know exactly what we need.

[13:55] And so we can trust him. We can trust his provision for us. We may have deep longings of all kinds.

[14:11] Our deepest longings can be satisfied in him. He is the bread of life. Knowing him as the person of rest means we really can lie down in green pastures and beside quiet waters.

[14:38] And do you remember this? As sheep will only rest if they're free from fear. Free from friction with others. Free from parasites or flies.

[14:51] Free from hunger. Well, in the Lord Jesus, we can be free from fears. The fear of death. Fear of tomorrow.

[15:04] The Lord Jesus says, do not worry about tomorrow. And what will come? Your heavenly Father will look after you. Free from friction with others.

[15:19] He provides us with peace between us and God. We were enemies of God, weren't we? That's an amazing reconciliation.

[15:29] And with God's help. He may help us to live at peace with others. And we can be comforted that one day in him all wrongs will be made right.

[15:43] And there will be one day no more friction with others. Free from parasites or flies. I don't know about you, but we still get flies in our house.

[15:56] But I think about dangers that come our way. The dangers of sin. Dangers of the evil one who may attack us.

[16:08] Dangers of temptations that may befall us. We can look to the Lord Jesus in those things. And even the greatest danger, if it does mean death for us, we know that in the Lord Jesus wonderfully, we have life forever in him.

[16:32] And free from hunger, we may go hungry, actually, in this life. But he does provide for our spiritual hunger.

[16:45] He is the bread of life, as we've said. We can rest in him. Tomorrow, when we feel those worries, when we feel those fears, we must look to him, mustn't we?

[17:06] When we feel that burden with guilt, we must look to him and remember he has paid for my every sin. He provides us with wonderful rest.

[17:20] But that resting also involves traveling. And next week, we're going to think about him leading us on right paths. And actually, even through dark valleys.

[17:32] But that's for next week. For now, let's rejoice in the rest that the Lord gives to us. It would be good maybe if two or three, maybe more of us could pray.

[17:46] And thank the Lord about some of the things we've seen this evening. And then we'll sing a final song. And please do lead us. I think the laptop needs plugging in.

[17:56] It told me we're running a battery. So I'll do that as someone leads us off in prayer. Thank you. Thank you.

[18:32] Thank you.

[19:02] Thank you.

[19:32] Thank you.

[20:02] Thank you.

[20:32] Thank you.

[21:02] Amen. Amen.

[21:40] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

[22:11] Thank you.