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Deep soul rest. Can you imagine that? When was the last time you felt deeply rested?
Will you close your eyes with me for a minute and try to go there? Envision some time where you felt
deep rest? Maybe it was pushing back from the table after Christmas dinner, your belly full,
your grandkids running around laughing, Christmas carols playing in the background.
Some of you I know, for you, the kids need to be napping, not running around. You're picturing
that and you're hearing waves ashore on the beach. You read your book. You talk to a friend.
Maybe the time you're picturing was after you'd finished mowing the grass or weeding the flower
bed or organizing the closet, whatever, and you're sipping ice-cold lemonade on the back porch and
smelling the freshly mowed grass and the birds are chirping. Maybe some of you are thinking of a moment in
this room after we'd sung that song or read that scripture that you love and you're coming to the
Lord's table and you could just breathe deep inside and feel at rest.
I suspect that some of you may be honest enough to admit right now, even with your eyes closed,
you can't hardly envision a time where you felt the feeling like that of deep satisfaction and
peace and nothing else was bombarding your mind, your senses all the time.
Maybe Jesus wants to invite you into that in your very soul deep down today. He already has, right? He's
already extended that invitation. Now Hebrews wants to extend it again to all of us and explain it to us
just a little bit more. You can look at Hebrews 4 now. That was a long time for some of you. We've arrived at Hebrews 4.
The author has just finished pleading with God's people not to harden our hearts like God's people in the wilderness
who didn't believe in the wilderness.
Who didn't believe him so they couldn't enter into the promised land because of their unbelief.
Chapter 4 verse 1. God's very word inviting you into rest.
Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands,
let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it.
For 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.
As he has said, as I swore in my wrath, they shall not enter my rest.
Although his works were finished from the foundation of the world.
For he has somewhere spoken of the seventh day in this way,
and God rested on the seventh day from all his works.
And again, in this passage, he said,
they shall not enter my rest.
Since therefore it remains for some to enter it,
and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience,
again he appoints a certain day.
Today, saying through David so long afterward,
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 have spoken of another day later on.
So then there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God.
For whoever has entered God's rest
has also rested from his works as God did from his.
Let us therefore strive to enter that rest
so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience.
For the word of God is living and active,
sharper than any two-edged sword,
piercing to the division of soul and of spirit,
of joints and of marrow,
and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
And no creature is hidden from his sight,
but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him
to whom we must give account.
This is indeed God's word.
Let's ask for his help.
Father, you've given us something that is alive
and active and sharp.
the sword of your word,
and it cuts deep.
And if we'll listen,
it will show us things in our hearts,
sometimes things we don't wanna see.
Would you do that this morning?
Would you make us have soft hearts
that are open
to the surgery you would do on us?
Because we trust
that you're doing it for our good,
to heal us.
Help us.
Speak to us and help us hear
and respond.
In Jesus' name, amen.
My heart for us this morning
is that you not just listen,
but that together you taste
some of the rest that God offers,
at least enough of a taste
that it makes you long for more.
Okay?
I'm gonna try not to overdo
the explanation of this.
You may have noticed as we read,
the passage talks a lot about rest.
Took me hours of study to figure that out.
Just kidding.
But when you read it,
while it's obvious
it's talking about rest,
it may be a little tough
at first reading
to know even what he's talking about.
There's so many different things.
By rest,
do you mean
complete physical inactivity?
Doing nothing?
Do you mean
a Buddhist sense of nirvana,
like out-of-body experience
I'm gonna have?
Is it some kind of
out-of-date concept
of a slower pace of life
than I've ever experienced?
Is that...
Well, as he's talking about it,
the preacher of this sermon
to the Hebrews
once again quotes
other scripture passages
to help us understand
what he means.
So let me look back
at the rest
he keeps talking about
and help us see
that the rest
Jesus offers
for our souls
is,
these are my words,
God's joyful satisfaction
with his,
just reverse the words,
contented celebration
of finished work.
I think it will help
to look at the rest
in this passage
chronologically
in the Bible's story.
He's gonna hit
several different epics
in that story
and we learn here first,
God is the first one
to rest.
Verse four,
he's somewhere spoken
of the seventh day
in this way,
God rested
on the seventh day
from all his works.
And again,
in this passage,
he said,
they shall not enter
my rest.
It's God's first,
right?
If you look back
to Genesis 2,
you realize
God looks around
at his glorious creation
and he's just pronounced
good,
very good.
And he blessed
the seventh day.
How did he bless it?
He blessed it
by
resting.
Resting
is good.
Not just
necessary
because you're tired.
God wasn't tired
here.
He was satisfied.
He was joyful.
Maybe like that
grandparent
pushing back
from the table,
looking around
at the family
and the home
at a life's work.
Delightedly.
God was finished
with his work
of creation.
Now we know
when we say that,
God didn't cease
activity entirely.
He was still
upholding,
sustaining,
protecting,
preserving his creation.
Jesus says
his father
is always working.
But there is
this really
worthwhile
celebration
of the completion
of a massive
undertaking,
right?
Maybe you've
felt that.
In this case,
God's work
of creation.
This,
in some way,
is the rest
that the writer's
talking about.
My rest,
God says.
It's his
that he's gonna
invite us into.
That his people
have either failed
to enter into
or they're being
called to later
in this passage.
There's another
season of rest
highlighted here,
of course,
maybe the easiest
one to see.
It's the rest
in the promised land.
Here,
primarily,
when he's talking
about this,
this is rest
God was inviting
his people into
that they were
missing out on,
right?
40 years in the
wilderness.
Even though they
heard the invitation,
they missed it.
Now,
Joshua would
eventually
lead the next
generation into
the promised land
where they would
settle.
God would give
them rest
from all their
enemies,
all defeated,
right?
Before God's
people could
rest.
Of course,
who did the
work to make
sure that they
could?
It's very clear
as you read
through the book
of Joshua,
God is the
one,
whether it's
Jericho or
the Jordan
River or
whatever it is,
God is the
one doing
this work to
bring them
into the
land,
but then they
were able to
enjoy his
provision
joyfully,
gratefully,
peacefully,
plenty of
work to be
done in the
promised land,
but they could
do it while
at rest.
Notice in the
description of
promised land
rest that God
was giving his
people not the
full and final
rest, the rest
in him, but
rather giving them
a beautiful picture
of that rest.
That's why he
tells us in
verse 7,
several hundred
years after Joshua
brought the people
into the land,
David in Psalm
95 says,
today,
don't harden
your hearts,
but trust God's
voice.
Come and find
rest for your
souls.
Verse 8,
for if Joshua
had given them
rest, the real
thing, God would
not have spoken
of another day
later on.
Joshua did give
them some rest,
right?
Brought them into
the land, but
not entirely
God's rest,
complete with a
joyful satisfaction.
So the rest God
offers is more
than physical
inactivity,
it's more than
temporal peace
and no more
war, it's always
celebrating his
finished work,
in this case,
his work of
redemption from
their enemies
rather than
creation.
So the preacher
makes clear that
there is still a
rest for God's
people.
Generations after
Exodus and the
wilderness, the
promised land, and
the Psalms.
Verse 9, so then
there remains a
Sabbath rest for
the people of
God.
Don't miss this.
In this context,
what he's saying
is you and I can
still enter into
God's rest.
It's an invitation
to you.
It's an active,
present reality that
he invites us to
enjoy with him.
And then it
clearly goes beyond
this world.
It remains a rest
for God's people
always to enter
into.
We start tasting it
here, and it goes
on forever.
He's telling you
that you can be
joyfully satisfied.
You may not believe
that.
You can be joyfully
satisfied, that your
soul can begin to
settle into a
contented celebration,
salvation.
Not because you
just quit.
You just settled for
something less, but
because you finally
found the real
thing, the true
soul rest that you
were made for.
Before we wrap up
looking at this idea
of rest in this
passage, notice God's
rest that began in
the garden and is
offered to us here
with him is also in
the future.
In this passage, we
understand that because
it remains and
because the promised
land wasn't the real
thing, but rather a
sign, a pointer to
God's true rest.
Listen to how
Revelation speaks of
it.
Blessed, blessed
indeed, says the
spirit are those who
have died in the
Lord, that they may
rest from their
labors.
That's what is
offered to us that
we look forward to
even beyond this
life.
Once again, in this
passage, you notice
rest is what?
It's a blessing.
It's a good gift.
And in some way,
even eternally, we
cease from our
labors.
We rest from our
works.
As verse 10 told us,
we would have to in
God's rest.
God's rest involves
that we stop our
works.
There's a sense in
which work is
finished eternally.
We rest forever.
Thankfully, we know
by now, don't get
confused, there is
work in heaven.
We know by now that
doesn't mean that
there's total
inactivity, just
disconnection from
everything and
eternal boredom.
That's not what
he's describing.
He's describing a
never-ending party,
right?
Joyful celebration,
satisfaction, with
deep contentment.
How is that
possible?
With God.
Without burdens.
Without tears.
Without pain.
Don't that just
help you?
Don't you start
tasting rest when
you think about
that?
I'm with God.
I'm without anything
to burden me.
I'm without any
struggle or sorrow.
What I mostly
would like to do
is talk the rest
of our time about
how this passage
tells us to enter
into this rest.
It is such good
news.
It's so freeing.
It's so life-giving,
but it's so hard
for us.
But briefly,
before we do
that, I don't
want to skip
over the urgency
that God gives
this invitation.
This is not a
casual.
I know you get
something like
this.
Hey, come to
the party if you
like.
Drop by sometime.
Say hey.
If it's convenient.
That's not the
kind of invitation.
Listen to the
words.
Verse 1.
Let us fear
lest any of you
should seem to
have failed to
reach it.
He's saying
approach this
invitation to rest
with reverence,
with sobriety,
because God is
saying these are
matters of whether
you are with him
or not.
With him,
the greatest good,
the one your soul
was made for,
the one you so
deeply need.
And we're
reminded that
some of those
among his people
who have seen
and heard of him
missed out
on the rest he
offered.
They heard the
invitation you're
hearing in a
different generation,
in a different
way, and they
missed out.
Thus it's urgent
that you respond
while the promise
of entering his
rest still stands.
When is that?
Today.
It's like,
it reminds me of
the pastor who
once said that
Satan seeks to
convince us not
that there's no
heaven or there's
no hell, but that
there's no hurry.
That, oh, I'll get
to that later.
I'm going to just
keep rushing on
with life until
it's too late,
until my heart
has gotten hard
to hearing God's
voice called to
me over and
over and over.
No, the preacher
says, today strive.
Make every effort
to enter God's
rest.
Friends, please
don't file what
we're about to
hear about how
to enter God's
rest under
optional or
unimportant
things.
How tragic
would it be
for anyone here
this morning
to hear this
invitation,
to have it
extended to you
again and to
miss out on
true rest forever,
never to know
what you really
were made to
experience.
Listen to the
invitation and
reply, please,
please reply.
Verse 11 boils it
down for us.
Let us
therefore strive
to enter that
rest so that
no one may
fall by the
same sort
of disobedience.
Don't let it
happen to you.
Don't get left
out in the
wilderness like
them.
Instead,
strive.
Make every
effort.
Urgently
prioritize
this rest.
Now that's
confusing.
That feels
like a
paradox,
right?
Work hard
to rest.
You know,
get really
focused on
calming down.
What's he
talking about?
What does it
look like?
How can we
not just brush
that aside and
say, ah, it
was exaggeration,
strive to enter,
it's no big
deal, really?
No, he's saying
something important.
What does it
look like when
we enter Jesus'
rest?
Can we just
take a couple
minutes and be
honest that most
of us know what
it doesn't look
like?
If the rest
we're talking
about is joyful
satisfaction,
contented
celebration,
finished work,
it doesn't look
a lot like
21st century
America, does
it?
people trying
to control
our own
lives or
perhaps having
given up on
controlling our
own lives,
trying desperately
to control our
children's lives
or our
neighbors or
our coworkers
or our world.
Somewhere we're
going to find
it.
Y'all, even the
most successful
of us, those
who control the
best, are
tired, tired
of it.
There's always
something more
to do because
deep down, why
do we have to
do those things?
Because deep
down there's
always something
else to prove,
isn't there?
Someone else to
control, something
else to fix.
It's not all
right, it's not
all the way it
should be.
We know God's
joyful satisfaction
does not look
like an impatient
parent lashing
out at a stubborn
toddler.
We know God's
rest does not
look like a
ranting social
media feed that
reflects a deeply
discontented
heart.
We know
contented
celebration does
not look like a
frantic student
anxiously awaiting
test scores to
decide if life's
even worth living
for the next
four years.
We know Jesus
is not inviting
us into being a
controlling boss
who manipulates
and distrusts
and yells when
someone makes
him look bad.
But we've all
been those people.
at times,
haven't we?
We've all
desperately tried
to work ourselves
into significance,
into comfort,
into success,
into rest.
I want to
suggest to you
something that
might seem,
as you actually
think about it,
too good to be
true.
What if the rest
Jesus offers
actually involves
you needing to
do nothing else?
rest?
What if there was
not yet one more
thing you needed
to put on your
list of things to
do in order to
find rest?
What if it looked
like someone who,
who when life
jostled him,
stood firm and
was able to
remain calm and
to listen to a
child crying or to
comfort an anxious
friend because
you had rest?
rest?
I want to give you
a picture of this
for what we're
about to unpack.
Recently, I was
in the Atlanta
airport.
It's a great place
of rest.
And I needed to
get to the next
flight quickly.
I had to take one
of those airport
shuttles.
I had just enough
time, I thought,
to grab a smoothie
and then to run to
catch the shuttle.
So I didn't slow
down for other
things.
So here I was
with my carry-on,
my smoothie.
I had my coat
off so hot on the
plane, carrying the
coat laptop bag, and
needed the phone out
to make sure I didn't
miss boarding for the
next flight, right?
So I mean, I'm
probably looking a
little bit strange.
And I made it down,
rushed into the
shuttle, just in time
to get on board and
hear the voice remind
me to hold on to
something.
I looked up at the
door in front of me
and it said, you
know, I don't
remember the exact
words, but make
sure you hold on,
sudden stops or
whatever.
And I thought, that's
true.
That is correct.
I've heard that
before.
That's really
important.
But I don't have a
free hand.
And I'm pretty
strong.
This is what's
going through my
mind.
I'm stable.
I can stand.
And sure enough,
the start was just
fine.
So I let my guard
down.
And there I was
sipping on my
smoothie when the
next stop got me.
It wasn't pretty.
I'm going to try not
to reenact it too
much.
I do want you to
know I did not
actually hit the
ground, okay?
But in order for
that not to happen,
I did drop the
phone, the laptop
bag, and the
coat.
They all hit.
And I let go of
them and just at the
last moment was able
to grab that pole
that I could have
been holding on to
to begin with.
You also need to
know I did not
drop the smoothie.
Somehow I dropped
the right things and
held on to that
one.
Saved me from
further embarrassment
and injury.
But rest in that
moment looked like
letting go and
holding on.
Letting go and
holding on.
That's what God
through Hebrews
wants to tell us
to do today.
Both of those
things.
First, let go.
Let go of your
own works.
Boy, this is hard.
The theological
word for this, at
least one of them,
is repentance.
Notice verse 10.
Whoever has entered
God's rest has
also rested from
his works as God
did from his.
To enter God's
rest, first stop.
Let go of your
own works.
Here's why.
If rest is this
joyful satisfaction
with finished work,
how can that ever be
yours?
How could you ever do
enough for God?
How could you ever be
certain that you'd done
enough for eternity?
That you'd found rest?
That you were good
enough for God?
The finished work
to give you
his rest
has to be
his work.
Really important.
It's just the same
with creation, right?
It's just the same
in the promised land.
God has actually been
teaching his people
this for thousands
of years.
They just miss it
most of the time.
It's especially
important.
He really drives it
home when our sins
are being handled.
How's this going to
work when our
sins are being
dealt with?
All the way back
to when he instituted
the day of atonement
for his people.
It was a day each year
that a goat
was going visually
to bear away
the sins of the people
from the camp.
God says,
on that day
in Leviticus 16,
you shall do
no work.
Because atonement,
forgiveness for your sins,
it's going to be
made for you.
It is a Sabbath
of solemn rest.
Why?
Don't miss it,
God says.
When the work
is done
to make you
right with me,
to keep us
in relationship,
you're going
to do
none of it.
And I don't want
you to miss that.
You do
no work.
So,
if you're going
to make every effort
to rest,
the preacher says,
you need to be
exposed
before God.
How insufficient
on your own
you really are.
That is the
primary reasoning
behind the famous
verses about
God's word
as a living
and active
two-edged sword
that exposes
us to our souls
so that even
the motives
you don't realize
you have
are seen
by God.
God,
this is a little
scary.
Now,
you're rightly,
you're supposed
to feel the sense
of I'm undone.
No one
is good enough.
You've got
now to let go
of your
good works
and cling
to Him.
I don't think
we struggle
to realize
striving
to rest.
We know
what it's like
to have a long
list of things
to work on
before we can rest.
We have to finish
the list, right?
To check it all off.
That's why you even
sit at a beach
on vacation
and your soul
is not at rest.
Maybe everything
else is slowed down
but the phone
buzzes
and it's news
from back home
and what really
interrupts my rest
is that I can't
control it.
The kids
complain
but what really
interrupts my rest
is feeling like
I'm not a good
enough parent.
That doesn't go
away at the beach.
To taste
even a day
of rest
think of all
the things
you're going
to have to
let go of.
I'm going to
have to let go
of my phone.
I'm going to
have to let go
of my fearful
grip of control.
Let go of
outcomes
as Bill Nash
helpfully reminds
me so often.
God says
the list
to do
to enter
his rest
is so long
you'll never
get through it
but Jesus
has.
He has
trusted
and obeyed
and suffered
and sacrificed
and loved
and lived
perfectly
so God's
rest
is joyfully
satisfied
with his
finished
work.
You have to
let go of
yours.
He's the one
who's done it.
In case you
haven't connected
these dots yet
that means
repent
of your sins
where you run
far away
from Jesus
and live
your own way
not his.
You've got to
repent of that
and also
repent of your
own attempts
to replace
Jesus'
finished work
with your own.
Those times
where you think
I'm going to be
good enough
not to need
him today.
I'm thinking
if I'm
spiritual enough
God will
love me.
I'm thinking
I'm going to
perform well
enough that
I'll finally
be certain
that I'm
eternally okay
because I was
good enough
today.
Are you
kidding me?
Do you see
how you can
end up
with an
armful
of really
good things
but you're
going to have
to let go
of them
to hold on
to something
really stable
or else
you'll fall?
See God
actually has
something
absolutely
stable
for you
to hold
on to.
This is not
just a let go
message.
That feels
kind of nice
but it's not
enough.
There is
something
and someone
worth
clinging
to.
You know
already
you've been
here the last
few weeks
Hebrews is
going to
tell you
Jesus gives
you a better
rest than
Joshua.
Yes.
The message
of Hebrews
4 is
believe
this good
news.
Believe it
not merely
when you hear
it over the
loud speaker
not merely
when you read
it on a
door in
front of
you.
believe it
when life
throws you
off balance.
Really hold
on to it.
Actually
trust him.
A life
of repentance
and faith.
The people
back then
heard the
good news
verse 2
but they
didn't unite
hearing
with faith.
They didn't
enter rest
because of
unbelief.
So how
do you
enter?
Verse 3
we who
have
believed
enter
that
rest.
Listen it
is that
simple.
God's
rest
the
ultimate
joyful
satisfaction
is yours
when you
trust
Jesus.
Jesus
told us
the work
God called
us to do
was believe
in the
one
that he
sent.
Trust
him.
It is
that simple
and it's
that complex
for people
like us
arms
full
of good
works
and good
things to
do.
Hearts
full
of
mixed
motives
lives
full
of
wanting
to
live
our
own
ways
this
becomes
very
complex
for us.
We must
drop
our arms
full
of
control
and
performance
and
pride
to cling
to
Jesus
sovereign
care
his
perfect
trust
his
steadfast
faithfulness
it is
true
he will
come
through
I can
lay my
deadly
doing
down
at
Jesus
feet
and
stand
in
him
in
him
alone
gloriously
complete
God's
word
cuts
deep
he shows
you
things
you didn't
even want
to see
in your
own
heart
but not
merely
to expose
!
You
that's
not the
end
goal
also
to
heal
you
right
that's
why the
Sabbath
day
is such
a gift
to our
hearts
it helps
us let
go
and hold
on
ladies
come talk
about it
together
this
afternoon
it
helps
us let
go
of the
work
that we
think
we have
to control
to manage
our lives
and our
world
and practice
resting
and letting
God
control
the world
he's
so much
better at
that
trust me
let
God
care
for us
look
he's
actually
got you
doesn't
need help
the
Sabbath
is rest
now
as a
foretaste
of rest
eternally
from
burdensome
meritorious
wearying
work
that
saps
our
souls
it's
also a
great day
for holding
on tightly
to Jesus
there is
so much
you can
do to
celebrate
his
finished
work
right
the
glorious
perfection
of what
Jesus
has done
obviously
we gather
for corporate
worship
to hear
about it
to sing
of it
to confess
what we
know to
be true
and
then
having
worshipped
him
if you
leave
with your
heart
certain
that
Jesus
is
caring
for you
that
true
rest
that your
soul
is having
then
you're
freed up
to care
sacrificially
of your
time
and your
money
for your
neighbor
for your
lonely
brother or
sister
for your
needy
friend
you got
time
but more
than that
you've
got a soul
freed
to live
like that
there's
so much
to do
and God
has designed
your heart
and his
world
where it
works like
this
an object
at rest
tends to
do what
stay at
rest
it tends
to
he's made
you that
way
if you can
actually start
there
then when
when Monday
morning comes
early
when the
kids are
crying
when anxieties
around you
are attacking
you may
get busier
your body
may be
doing more
but your
soul
has entered
God's
rest
not just
on Sunday
because you
now know
you can
enter that
every day
you can
be joyfully
satisfied
with what
Jesus has
done for
you
contentedly
celebrating
his
finished
work
from which
you can
never
be
shaken
nothing
you do
today
is going
to change
what Jesus
has already
done
amen
so you're
you're
stable
you're
solid
you're
standing
firm
that's
rest
I want
to come
celebrate
his
finished
work
at this
table
before we
do
I just
want to
confess
to you
what many
of you
already
know
which is
the
irony
that
I
would
talk to
you
about
rest
stop
laughing
and it's
not
nice
many
of you
know
that I
have
struggled
with
rest
my
whole
life
I
have
serious
control
issues
that
often
hurt
people
around
me
I
battle
spiritual
pride
as a
good
firstborn
pastor's
kid
become
a
pastor
that's
part
of
just
part
of
why
I
needed
a
sabbatical
a
few
years
ago
sabbatical
is a
fancy
word
for
sabbath
for
someone
whose
heart
needs
months
rather
than
days
to
reset
with
God's
rest
I
was
forced
lovingly
to
let
go
of
all
of
the
good
things
that
I
carry
around
most
days
preaching
sermons
counseling
visiting
people
let
go
of
it
and
I
found
when I
did
that
I
was
worried
about
how
God
and I
would
get
along
when
I
wasn't
doing
those
things
do
you
see
the
lack
of
faith
there
what
commends
me
to
God
when
I'm
not
doing
stuff
for
him
God
I'm
worried
and
I
was
forced
to
sit
!
with
God's
word
and
watch
it
expose
that
selfish
prideful
restless
heart
that had
so little
it felt
to offer
God
no
sermons
or
anything
and
in a
fresh
way
as
God's
word
did
that
I
became
desperate
for
Jesus
you know
what that
feels
like
I
need
I
need
something
else
to
offer
God
better
than
me
I
hope
you've
tasted
that
or
maybe
you
can
taste
it
right
now
that
I
need
his
finished
work
which
in
that
moment
was
so
obviously
so much
better
and so
much
more
than
anything
I
had
I
don't
have
time
to
describe
all
the
ways
that
when
that
happened
God
met
me
there
to
show
me
he
loved
me
to
fill
me
with
joy
to
set
me
at
!
I
just
tell
you
that
to
let
you
know
from
someone
who
struggles
with
rest
that
there
really
is
rest
there
when
you
let
go
and
hold
on
when
you're
willing
to let
go
of your
works
and
you're
willing
to hold
on
to
Jesus
it
is
so
much
better
just
peek
ahead
one
verse
to
next
week
this
is
what
he's
going
to
tell
us
when
you're
exposed
by
God's
word
you
have
to
see
Jesus
your
great
high
priest
you
have
to
hold
fast
to
him
by
faith
it's
your
only
option
it's
why
Jesus
gives
us
this
sacrament
it's
a
gift
for
people
who
desperately
need
rest
and
won't
find
it
anywhere
except
in
him
Jesus
comes
to
tell
you
again
today
it
is
finished
he says
push back
from the
table
for a
second
look
at
Jesus
perfect
work
he has
trusted
God
loved
neighbor
sacrificed
himself
conquered
enemies
rest
joyful
satisfaction
is
yours
because
of
him
it's
what
he was
telling
his
disciples
when
he
sat
with
them
the
night
he
was
going
to
be
betrayed
and
he
broke
bread
and
he
gave
it
to
them
as
I
ministering
in
his
name
give
this
bread
to
you
he
said
take
and
eat
this
is
my
body
given
for
you
do
this
in
remembrance
of
me
in
the
same
way
after
supper
he
took
the
cup
and
said
this
cup
is
the
new
covenant
in
my
blood
shed
for
many
for
the
forgiveness
of
sins
those
were
ours
so
as
often
as
you
eat
this
bread
and
drink
this
cup
you
proclaim
the
Lord's
death
until
he
comes
you
say
he
took
what
was
rightfully
coming
to
me
so
that
he
could
give
me
a
life
I've
never
deserved
no
one
should
come
to
this
table
and
look
at
what
we've
done
and
say
yeah
that's
enough
that's
good
enough
no
we
must
see
here
Jesus
what
he
has
done
for
us
so
that
when
he
says
it
is
finished
enough
we
really
believe
it
if
you
trust
him
come
kids
I want
to talk
to you
for just
a
moment
we
love
for you
to come
to these
tables
with your
parents
when we
celebrate
the Lord's
Supper
you get
to see
what it
is
up close
that we're
celebrating
but I want
you to
remember
that just
like
adults
you need
to trust
Jesus
yourself
you need
to have
an understanding
of what
this bread
and this
juice
mean
and Jesus
love
for you
before
you come
and take
it
yourself
you'll
get to
talk
with the
elders
and they'll
approve
you
at some
point
to come
and to
be
taking
these
with us
if you're
wondering
about that
if you're
saying
I'm
ready
or I
think
I
might
be
or I'd
like
to be
there's
actually
a
class
that
starts
today
right
after
this
service
for
you
can
make
one
of
your
parents
come
with
you
because
they
have
to
but that
starts
if you're
wondering
that
or
wondering
if this
might be
a good
time
that's
one
great
way
to start
that
conversation
because
we love
getting to
celebrate
this
together
as a
family
across
generations
let me
pray
and then
we'll
do
that
together
Jesus
for
this
gift
we give
you
thanks
mostly
because
it
reminds
us
of
such
a
better
gift
your
finished
work
to give
us
rest
for
our
souls
rest
now
rest
forever
if
we
haven't
tasted
it
yet
this
morning
would
you
would
you
use
these
common
elements
that
we
might
taste
the
rest
that
you've
purchased
for
us
Holy
Spirit
work
in
our
hearts
that
would
be
true
use
our
bodies
to
that
end
we're
yours
and
you
made
us
this
way
so
help
us
now
to
rest
in
you
afresh
in
Jesus
name
amen
for
more
information
visit
us
online
at
southwood.org
to
!
to
!
to
!