WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:09.400 Thanks friends for having me along. Again, as I said before, I met Paul a couple of months 00:00:09.400 --> 00:00:16.600 ! ago now through a connection with my father-in-law. My father-in-law is Welsh but he served as 00:00:16.600 --> 00:00:21.400 a minister at Grove Chapel and I think Paul was there as a student for a while. As you 00:00:21.400 --> 00:00:27.359 can tell by my accent, I'm not Welsh, I'm Australian. I'm not English either. My wife and I, as we 00:00:27.359 --> 00:00:34.799 said before, live in Tasmania and I've studied at the Theological College in Australia, Presbyterian 00:00:34.799 --> 00:00:39.700 College there and served as a pastor as well. I'm currently looking for a job if you know 00:00:39.700 --> 00:00:47.260 of any going. We've really enjoyed seeing more of the UK while we've been here but as 00:00:47.260 --> 00:00:53.600 you know, this is my segue into the sermon, as you know, holidays aren't always restful. 00:00:53.600 --> 00:00:58.100 We just drove through London and I thought it was a Sunday afternoon in our hire-a-car 00:00:58.100 --> 00:01:03.240 that we've had a nice, we had a Sunday afternoon driving in Australia where you get big Volvos 00:01:03.240 --> 00:01:10.560 on the road and they just cruise at 10 miles an hour. But yeah, we did 10 miles an hour 00:01:10.560 --> 00:01:15.340 the whole way here from Crofton Park or less than that, probably 5 miles and then the roads 00:01:15.340 --> 00:01:19.040 were shut because of cycling so it turned into a bit of a stressful time. I walked in the 00:01:19.040 --> 00:01:26.040 door about 3 minutes past 6. But holidays aren't always restful. We had a 24 hour quiet 00:01:26.040 --> 00:01:30.040 over here with a toddler. That wasn't restful. We'd been sleeping in strange beds, driving 00:01:30.040 --> 00:01:36.040 on the wrong side of the road in France. So what's meant to be restful can leave you feeling 00:01:36.040 --> 00:01:42.040 restless sometimes. You know, like sleeping for instance. They have, you know, REM sleep where 00:01:42.040 --> 00:01:48.200 you, if you don't get that REM sleep during the night, I don't know how long it goes for, 00:01:48.280 --> 00:01:51.700 90 minutes or something. But if you don't get that certain amount of sleep during the night, 00:01:51.760 --> 00:01:58.420 you don't get a deep rest. So the Bible speaks a lot about rest. It has a lot to say about 00:01:58.420 --> 00:02:03.600 rest. And I want to speak to you this morning about how you can find true rest. How do you 00:02:03.599 --> 00:02:10.419 mind true rest, deep rest that you really need, that we all need? Well the answer here 00:02:10.419 --> 00:02:16.280 is in Mark chapter 2. So we're going to look at, I want to look with you at the problem first, 00:02:16.459 --> 00:02:20.659 the thing that ruins our rest, that gets in the way of our rest. And then look at the solution 00:02:20.659 --> 00:02:29.299 where true rest is found and how you and I can have it. So first, the problem. What is it 00:02:29.300 --> 00:02:33.760 that really ruins our rest and gets in the way of our rest? And no, it's not toddlers 00:02:33.760 --> 00:02:40.800 or bad pillows or traffic. There's something much deeper to do with the human heart. And 00:02:40.800 --> 00:02:46.500 I want to sum it up like this. It's religion. Let me show you why. Let me show you why. 00:02:46.720 --> 00:02:50.980 It's right here in this passage in Mark chapter 2. If you've ever read through the Gospels, 00:02:51.060 --> 00:02:55.720 you would have realised that Jesus plus the Pharisees plus the Sabbath equals trouble. 00:02:55.719 --> 00:03:03.139 The Sabbath was a holiday, a day of rest. But when Jesus and the Pharisees hung out, sparks 00:03:03.139 --> 00:03:09.460 would fly. And look at verse 23 there. It's the Sabbath. One Sabbath it says. Jesus and 00:03:09.460 --> 00:03:15.120 his disciples are going for a leisurely stroll through the grain fields. It says corn fields 00:03:15.120 --> 00:03:19.699 here. And they're making their way through and it says his disciples began to pluck ears 00:03:19.699 --> 00:03:24.740 of corn. So they're snacking as they're walking along. It sounds relaxing, doesn't it? 00:03:24.740 --> 00:03:29.240 They're going for a stroll and snacking as they go along. But the Pharisees, check out 00:03:29.240 --> 00:03:35.780 the Pharisees, they're on patrol in verse 24. They say to Jesus, the Pharisees were saying 00:03:35.780 --> 00:03:42.680 to him, look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath? So they're like parking 00:03:42.680 --> 00:03:49.280 ticket officers, traffic wardens that go around when other people are having the day off and 00:03:49.280 --> 00:03:53.800 they're booking people, looking for infringements. And that's what the Pharisees were doing here 00:03:53.800 --> 00:03:59.300 on the Sabbath, the day of rest. They're looking to hand out infringements. But can you blame 00:03:59.300 --> 00:04:06.120 them? The Sabbath is central to the Jewish identity. It's number four in the Ten Commandments, 00:04:06.200 --> 00:04:13.120 isn't it? Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Work was forbidden on that day and rest 00:04:13.120 --> 00:04:20.980 was commanded. The Pharisees were concerned about keeping this day holy and they, so much so 00:04:20.980 --> 00:04:26.160 that they added, they started adding their own rules so that people wouldn't break this 00:04:26.160 --> 00:04:31.960 day. 39 types of activity, actually, they were forbidden on this day that the Pharisees 00:04:31.960 --> 00:04:39.180 came up with. And that included reaping grain or corn, corn ears or whatever, ears of corn. 00:04:39.180 --> 00:04:47.060 And that included. And also, one of the other things was walking more than a thousand steps in a day. 00:04:47.939 --> 00:04:53.579 And here's Jesus here with his disciples and his disciples are plucking grain heads as they're 00:04:53.579 --> 00:05:00.340 going and they're walking along too. So was that classified as reaping or not? It says they were 00:05:00.340 --> 00:05:06.180 plucking here, they weren't plucking ears of corn, they weren't reaping. And have they walked more than 00:05:06.180 --> 00:05:13.879 a thousand steps? We don't know. It's not clear from the passage what the infringement was. And I don't 00:05:13.879 --> 00:05:19.400 know if it was clear to the Pharisees either. They had ongoing heated debates at the time about what 00:05:19.400 --> 00:05:25.680 was prohibited on the Sabbath day and what was allowed. So much so that the day wasn't actually 00:05:25.680 --> 00:05:33.620 restful anymore. It had become a day about restrictions rather than a day of rest. You can think about it 00:05:33.620 --> 00:05:40.819 like this. If my son, who's two years old, we had the day off with him, a holiday, and we took the day 00:05:40.819 --> 00:05:46.060 off. But before, in the morning, I said to him, son, listen here, we're going to have a day off today and 00:05:46.060 --> 00:05:50.899 it's going to be a nice relaxing day together. But before we do, we give you some rules. You can't play 00:05:50.899 --> 00:05:55.959 with your favourite toys. You can't go outside. You can't make too much noise. You can't eat your favourite 00:05:55.959 --> 00:06:02.740 food, etc, etc. So if I was to layer on these extra rules, that wouldn't be a day of rest, would it? 00:06:02.740 --> 00:06:07.900 Because he'd be worried about whether or not he was going to break these rules and I'd be worried 00:06:07.900 --> 00:06:12.439 about whether or not he's keeping them. So the day wouldn't be restful anymore. And that's exactly 00:06:12.439 --> 00:06:18.600 what's happening here on the Sabbath, in Jesus' day with the Pharisees. It turned into more work 00:06:18.600 --> 00:06:26.620 because they were worried about keeping the rules. The word Sabbath means to cease, to stop. 00:06:26.620 --> 00:06:35.160 And one day in seven, the Israelites were commanded to cease from their work, to stop. And that's 00:06:35.160 --> 00:06:40.780 a good thing. I wonder if you, have you ever thought where the concept of the week comes 00:06:40.780 --> 00:06:47.879 from? Seven days, you know, a month is because of lunar cycles, years because of the earth revolving 00:06:47.879 --> 00:06:54.319 around the sun, you get seasons. But where does the concept of the week come from? Well, 00:06:54.319 --> 00:07:00.519 Genesis tells us that God created the world in six days and on the seventh day he rested. 00:07:01.180 --> 00:07:09.860 And he made us do the same. Imagine if there was no week and the days just rolled into one 00:07:09.860 --> 00:07:16.659 another. It's kind of like that now. Most places seem open on Sundays here. I know in the communist 00:07:16.659 --> 00:07:21.600 regime, they tried to change the seven day week and introduce the ten day week or something, 00:07:21.600 --> 00:07:27.120 but it only lasted for a certain amount of time and they had to change it back. Why? Because 00:07:27.120 --> 00:07:34.100 God didn't create us to be slaves. He created us to work and rest. He didn't create us as 00:07:34.100 --> 00:07:42.720 cogs in the machine. He created us as humans, made in his image to work and to rest like him. 00:07:42.720 --> 00:07:49.440 And if you remember at one point in Israel's history, they actually were cogs in the machine 00:07:49.440 --> 00:07:56.220 under Pharaoh. They were slaves. Pharaoh was a hard taskmaster. If you remember, he used to 00:07:56.220 --> 00:08:02.780 get them to make the mud bricks and they couldn't get any time off. They were slaving away under 00:08:02.780 --> 00:08:08.060 Pharaoh, like working like dogs. And then remember the Lord delivered them. That's what Exodus 00:08:08.060 --> 00:08:14.360 is about. And he redeemed them from slavery. And he revealed himself, didn't he, as the 00:08:14.360 --> 00:08:21.360 God of rest. The God from Genesis that rested. The God that calls his people into his rest, 00:08:21.480 --> 00:08:28.379 calls them into the promised land. In Deuteronomy chapter 5, the Lord is commanding the Israelites 00:08:28.379 --> 00:08:34.159 to keep the Sabbath day holy. And he says, he links it to the Exodus when he brought them out 00:08:34.159 --> 00:08:40.579 of Egypt. And he says, remember that you were slaves in the land of Egypt. And the Lord brought 00:08:40.579 --> 00:08:46.059 you out with a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm. And then he says, therefore, the Lord your 00:08:46.059 --> 00:08:53.659 God commands you to keep the Sabbath. So the Sabbath was about remembering. What do you do? 00:08:54.059 --> 00:09:00.939 You remember, you're passive, aren't you? You're trusting in what God has done. Ceasing from 00:09:00.940 --> 00:09:06.420 your work and trusting in this God of rest. The God, that's what the Israelites were meant 00:09:06.420 --> 00:09:13.900 to do. Remembering and resting in the God who had redeemed them from slavery. So here I want 00:09:13.900 --> 00:09:19.780 to say that here we see the heart of the problem with the Pharisees. The heart of the problem. 00:09:20.160 --> 00:09:25.960 So by creating, here it is, by creating all these extra laws, extra rules on the day, they 00:09:25.960 --> 00:09:29.560 changed the Sabbath from remembering. That's what they were meant to do. That's what it says, 00:09:29.559 --> 00:09:33.739 remember the Sabbath day. So remember what God had already done. That's what they were 00:09:33.739 --> 00:09:42.079 called to do. Past tense. And changed it into what I must do. So do you see that? Do you 00:09:42.079 --> 00:09:47.799 see the difference there? They changed it from remembering past tense, resting in what God 00:09:47.799 --> 00:09:53.859 had done in his deliverance, and changed it, created these laws and changed it into what must 00:09:53.860 --> 00:09:58.320 do you see that? And that's what I mean by religion. When I say religion, and it's the 00:09:58.320 --> 00:10:05.320 enemy of true rest. Religion is things I must do to gain acceptance with God. So religion 00:10:05.320 --> 00:10:16.000 says if I perform, if I obey, then I am accepted. If I perform, if I obey, then God accepts me. 00:10:16.000 --> 00:10:23.000 Martin Luther, you know, the reformer, he said that the default mode of every human heart is 00:10:23.000 --> 00:10:32.000 this. You operate, I perform, I obey, then I'm accepted. So it's working to get right with 00:10:32.000 --> 00:10:41.000 God. My worth and acceptance is based on what I do, rather than what God has done for me. 00:10:41.000 --> 00:10:48.000 I don't know if you're here and you're just visiting maybe, you walked into church and you're 00:10:48.860 --> 00:10:55.279 not religious. Well, I think all of our hearts act in this way. If we're not finding it in 00:10:55.279 --> 00:11:01.059 things we do, religious things we do, we're finding it in work or study or acceptance from 00:11:01.059 --> 00:11:08.000 people. And the thing is, it makes you restless because how do you know if you've ever done enough? 00:11:08.000 --> 00:11:14.559 How do you know if you've kept these rules to a point where God will accept you? It's an 00:11:14.559 --> 00:11:21.740 eternal struggle because you can never get that verdict now because you're basing your 00:11:21.740 --> 00:11:25.879 identity on the things you do and trying to get acceptance that way. 00:11:29.059 --> 00:11:34.000 You know, in Sweden, I read about this the other day, some of the best working conditions 00:11:34.000 --> 00:11:39.820 in the world, short work days and long holidays. But at the moment, there's a bit of a crisis 00:11:39.820 --> 00:11:45.759 going on over there with young people burning out. And it's not the work that's doing it 00:11:45.759 --> 00:11:50.919 because they have great work conditions. It's this extra pressure and anxiety that comes from 00:11:50.919 --> 00:11:58.460 wanting to perform, be healthy and look great. And there's pressure that comes from that, always 00:11:58.460 --> 00:12:02.379 having to look great and feel good. And good is never good enough. When you're constantly 00:12:02.379 --> 00:12:08.159 comparing yourself to people on social media or whatever. So there's this work that happens 00:12:08.159 --> 00:12:17.500 underneath our work, the work of self-justification. It's a work that even when you're resting, 00:12:18.059 --> 00:12:25.980 you're doing it. Even at times of rest, your heart can be not resting and trying to gain acceptance 00:12:25.980 --> 00:12:32.519 and compare yourself with other people. So you know that film, Chariots of Fire? 00:12:34.320 --> 00:12:40.940 It was based on a true story about two Olympians competing in the Paris Games in 1924. 00:12:41.759 --> 00:12:46.620 One of them was Eric Liddell, or Liddell, however you pronounce it. He was a Christian. 00:12:46.759 --> 00:12:51.360 Remember, he refused to run on the Sabbath day. And because of that, he actually missed out 00:12:51.360 --> 00:12:58.840 on his chance at winning a gold medal. And he's compared with another runner in that film, 00:12:58.980 --> 00:13:05.860 Harold Abrams. Abrams and Liddell were both trying to win gold medal. They were working hard. 00:13:06.659 --> 00:13:12.300 The difference was seen in the film that Abrams was doing it out of a need to prove himself. 00:13:12.720 --> 00:13:15.879 He was doing it out of a need to prove himself. At one point in the film, he says, 00:13:15.879 --> 00:13:24.799 I've got ten seconds to justify my existence. Ten seconds to justify my existence. 00:13:25.720 --> 00:13:30.419 But Liddell, on the other hand, he only wanted to please God who had already accepted him. 00:13:30.600 --> 00:13:34.620 He knew he accepted, he had believed in the gospel and he knew that God accepted him in Christ. 00:13:35.480 --> 00:13:38.220 And that's why he can say to his sister in the film, 00:13:38.399 --> 00:13:42.500 God made me fast and when I run, I feel pleasure. 00:13:42.500 --> 00:13:49.679 So here it is. Abrams, in the film, was weary even when he was resting 00:13:49.679 --> 00:13:55.620 because he was trying to justify his own existence by things that he did. 00:13:56.179 --> 00:14:01.340 But Liddell was rested even when he was pushing himself to the limits. 00:14:01.340 --> 00:14:10.340 So how can you and I find this rest, this true rest? 00:14:10.720 --> 00:14:12.740 And I'm going to move on to the solution now. 00:14:13.240 --> 00:14:17.500 It's found in Jesus' response to the Pharisees' accusation. 00:14:20.000 --> 00:14:21.500 So look there in verse 25. 00:14:22.620 --> 00:14:23.800 Jesus says to them, 00:14:23.799 --> 00:14:46.579 This story is from 1 Samuel chapter 21. 00:14:46.580 --> 00:14:51.860 David was an outlaw at the time and he was on the run from Saul 00:14:51.860 --> 00:14:54.500 and he goes into the house of God desperate and hungry 00:14:54.500 --> 00:14:56.940 and he's in search of food. 00:14:57.379 --> 00:14:59.879 And the only food there is the showbread. 00:15:00.480 --> 00:15:03.920 These were 12 newly baked loaves that they lined up, 00:15:04.500 --> 00:15:07.879 laid in two rows before God. 00:15:08.000 --> 00:15:09.379 And this was done every Sabbath day. 00:15:09.580 --> 00:15:13.320 But the thing is, only the priests were allowed to eat that showbread. 00:15:13.320 --> 00:15:17.980 And David took it and he ate it, didn't he? 00:15:18.020 --> 00:15:20.700 And gave it to those who were with him, his hungry soldiers. 00:15:22.020 --> 00:15:24.780 So why does Jesus use this story? 00:15:26.000 --> 00:15:27.220 Well, it could be. 00:15:27.740 --> 00:15:30.379 One of the reasons, I think, is that 00:15:30.379 --> 00:15:34.780 it's an example of putting human need above religious ceremony. 00:15:35.580 --> 00:15:38.040 And that's surely a part of it, I think, 00:15:38.160 --> 00:15:39.700 why Jesus uses this. 00:15:39.700 --> 00:15:44.120 It's that God desires mercy and not sacrifice. 00:15:44.780 --> 00:15:46.340 Jesus shows this by healing. 00:15:46.480 --> 00:15:49.040 In the next story in chapter 3 there, 00:15:49.100 --> 00:15:51.660 he shows it by healing on the Sabbath day. 00:15:52.820 --> 00:15:57.060 God's law should never be at odds with human flourishing. 00:15:57.580 --> 00:15:58.800 Because that's why it was given. 00:15:58.980 --> 00:16:03.340 That's why God gave his law to promote human flourishing. 00:16:03.460 --> 00:16:05.280 Look in verse 27 there. 00:16:05.279 --> 00:16:09.839 Jesus says, the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath. 00:16:10.360 --> 00:16:12.519 So God didn't make you to keep rules. 00:16:12.679 --> 00:16:20.299 He made the rules to keep us, to keep humanity in a state of happiness and flourishing. 00:16:20.299 --> 00:16:25.599 But I think the real reason why Jesus uses this story 00:16:25.599 --> 00:16:29.279 is because David acted above the law. 00:16:29.939 --> 00:16:33.120 And in Mark's Gospel, Jesus is always pointing to himself. 00:16:33.759 --> 00:16:35.899 He's always pointing back to himself. 00:16:36.659 --> 00:16:39.639 David is the true king of Israel, acted above the law. 00:16:40.159 --> 00:16:40.419 Didn't he? 00:16:40.459 --> 00:16:41.219 Got away with it. 00:16:41.779 --> 00:16:44.219 He was given a place of special privilege. 00:16:44.220 --> 00:16:49.639 Jesus is putting himself in the same category as David. 00:16:49.759 --> 00:16:52.879 In fact, he's putting himself far above David. 00:16:53.200 --> 00:16:54.300 Look there in verse 28. 00:16:55.320 --> 00:17:00.379 Therefore, the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath. 00:17:00.879 --> 00:17:04.980 Or here it says, so the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath. 00:17:06.100 --> 00:17:11.539 Okay, what an astounding statement he's making there. 00:17:11.539 --> 00:17:15.039 By calling himself Lord of the Sabbath, 00:17:15.460 --> 00:17:20.819 Jesus is saying that I define what's lawful on the Sabbath 00:17:20.819 --> 00:17:23.740 because I instituted it. 00:17:24.839 --> 00:17:32.339 Remember Mark is announcing to us the Gospel of Jesus Christ, 00:17:32.480 --> 00:17:39.220 the Son of God, which is the divine Son of God. 00:17:39.220 --> 00:17:41.740 That's who he's announcing to us. 00:17:41.799 --> 00:17:43.000 Back in chapter 1, you read it. 00:17:43.200 --> 00:17:47.519 He's the eternal Son of God who's become one of us. 00:17:48.039 --> 00:17:49.200 Jesus is the Lord. 00:17:49.980 --> 00:17:52.579 Mark's proclaiming to us that Jesus is the Lord 00:17:52.579 --> 00:17:57.059 who created the world in six days and rested on the seventh. 00:17:57.539 --> 00:18:01.019 Jesus is the Lord who delivered Israel out of bondage 00:18:01.019 --> 00:18:03.460 and thundered the law from Mount Sinai. 00:18:03.559 --> 00:18:07.740 Now here he is amongst us, walking amongst us. 00:18:07.740 --> 00:18:09.620 He's become one of us here. 00:18:10.579 --> 00:18:12.720 The Communists, I think it was Dick Lucas, 00:18:12.900 --> 00:18:15.359 who was, I think he's friends with Paul Levy 00:18:15.359 --> 00:18:19.740 and he's a preacher at, what's the church again up the road? 00:18:20.579 --> 00:18:21.799 St. Helens. 00:18:22.160 --> 00:18:23.779 He was there for a long time, wasn't he? 00:18:23.799 --> 00:18:29.579 And I remember hearing that he did this very clever thing 00:18:29.579 --> 00:18:32.919 with a Communist newspaper around Christmas time, 00:18:32.980 --> 00:18:33.500 I think it was, 00:18:33.539 --> 00:18:37.519 and a Communist newspaper said that the working man 00:18:37.519 --> 00:18:39.000 has become the master. 00:18:40.279 --> 00:18:42.059 And he flipped it around and said, 00:18:42.259 --> 00:18:43.639 talking about the Gospel, 00:18:43.759 --> 00:18:47.599 that the master has become the working man. 00:18:48.319 --> 00:18:50.480 And that's what we see here in Mark's Gospel. 00:18:50.919 --> 00:18:52.359 That's who he's proclaiming to us. 00:18:52.419 --> 00:18:53.679 That's who this Jesus is. 00:18:53.680 --> 00:18:59.960 He's the God of rest that has become the man of sorrows. 00:19:01.000 --> 00:19:01.299 Isn't he? 00:19:01.380 --> 00:19:02.500 He worked with his hands. 00:19:02.680 --> 00:19:03.779 He worked as a carpenter. 00:19:04.420 --> 00:19:06.640 He worked with his hands to heal the sick. 00:19:07.220 --> 00:19:10.960 We see there he worked to keep the law perfectly. 00:19:11.960 --> 00:19:14.480 He worked to keep the law perfectly for you. 00:19:14.880 --> 00:19:15.600 And he did that. 00:19:16.060 --> 00:19:17.940 He even rested perfectly for you. 00:19:18.060 --> 00:19:21.779 For you and I haven't rested, as we should, have we? 00:19:21.779 --> 00:19:26.519 We're constantly, our hearts drifting from God. 00:19:26.700 --> 00:19:29.460 And we've got an unbelieving heart 00:19:29.460 --> 00:19:31.599 when we should be resting and trusting in God. 00:19:32.660 --> 00:19:33.500 We're not really. 00:19:33.639 --> 00:19:37.759 But Jesus, the good news is that Jesus has rested for you. 00:19:37.839 --> 00:19:38.539 He kept the law. 00:19:38.660 --> 00:19:41.019 He kept the fourth commandment perfectly. 00:19:41.259 --> 00:19:47.160 He rested in God for all our self-righteousness. 00:19:48.319 --> 00:19:49.779 He trusted in God, 00:19:49.779 --> 00:19:51.639 even in the most difficult circumstances, 00:19:51.779 --> 00:19:54.200 remember in the Garden of Gethsemane, 00:19:54.319 --> 00:19:55.599 that he was sweating blood, 00:19:56.279 --> 00:19:59.359 thinking about the gruesome work that he had done to take 00:19:59.359 --> 00:20:00.539 on the cross, 00:20:00.920 --> 00:20:02.759 where he would die for the sins of the world. 00:20:02.899 --> 00:20:03.299 And he said, 00:20:03.379 --> 00:20:04.139 not my will, 00:20:04.660 --> 00:20:06.220 but your will be done. 00:20:06.279 --> 00:20:07.319 We just sung that, didn't we? 00:20:08.139 --> 00:20:08.879 He rested 00:20:08.879 --> 00:20:10.720 and trusted in God 00:20:10.720 --> 00:20:12.720 and went to the cross for you. 00:20:12.720 --> 00:20:17.220 Remember on the cross he said that it was finished. 00:20:17.680 --> 00:20:18.339 It's finished. 00:20:18.960 --> 00:20:19.440 It's done. 00:20:19.539 --> 00:20:20.299 The work is done. 00:20:20.440 --> 00:20:22.440 The price is paid. 00:20:23.140 --> 00:20:24.980 So that's the only way that you and I 00:20:24.980 --> 00:20:27.799 can find this deep rest. 00:20:28.940 --> 00:20:30.559 Because you get the verdict now, 00:20:30.640 --> 00:20:33.600 the verdict that everyone is searching for, 00:20:33.720 --> 00:20:35.059 that Abrams was searching for, 00:20:35.120 --> 00:20:37.620 trying to justify his existence. 00:20:37.619 --> 00:20:39.679 You and I can get that verdict now, 00:20:40.199 --> 00:20:41.139 where we're justified 00:20:41.139 --> 00:20:42.719 and sanctified, 00:20:43.259 --> 00:20:44.559 where God looks at you and says, 00:20:44.679 --> 00:20:45.879 this is my beloved child 00:20:45.879 --> 00:20:48.479 in whom I'm well pleased. 00:20:49.019 --> 00:20:50.039 Not because of what you do, 00:20:50.139 --> 00:20:52.239 but because of what Christ has done. 00:20:52.579 --> 00:20:53.239 That's the difference. 00:20:53.579 --> 00:20:55.199 That's how you get that deep rest, 00:20:55.699 --> 00:20:58.079 that's like the REM sleep. 00:20:58.179 --> 00:20:59.519 That's how you get that spiritually, 00:21:00.199 --> 00:21:01.359 is to look to Christ 00:21:01.359 --> 00:21:02.539 and trust in him. 00:21:03.259 --> 00:21:04.219 Trust in Christ, 00:21:04.220 --> 00:21:05.880 believe in Christ, 00:21:06.100 --> 00:21:06.980 rely on Christ 00:21:06.980 --> 00:21:08.180 instead of your own strength. 00:21:08.279 --> 00:21:09.319 He's the Lord of the Sabbath. 00:21:09.880 --> 00:21:10.779 That's what he says here. 00:21:11.339 --> 00:21:12.400 So you can cease. 00:21:12.600 --> 00:21:13.640 The good news is that 00:21:13.640 --> 00:21:14.660 you can cease 00:21:14.660 --> 00:21:15.880 trying to find approval 00:21:15.880 --> 00:21:17.360 from others. 00:21:17.900 --> 00:21:18.940 You can cease 00:21:18.940 --> 00:21:20.779 trying to be righteous 00:21:20.779 --> 00:21:22.440 on your own. 00:21:23.220 --> 00:21:24.120 You can cease 00:21:24.120 --> 00:21:25.480 from running around like crazy 00:21:25.480 --> 00:21:26.400 trying to get approval 00:21:26.400 --> 00:21:27.380 from your parents 00:21:27.380 --> 00:21:28.920 or your teachers 00:21:28.920 --> 00:21:31.940 or even your church. 00:21:31.940 --> 00:21:34.340 there's always something else 00:21:34.340 --> 00:21:35.180 you'll need to do. 00:21:35.720 --> 00:21:36.460 There's always 00:21:36.460 --> 00:21:38.779 someone else 00:21:38.779 --> 00:21:39.799 you'll have to please 00:21:39.799 --> 00:21:41.759 to show the world 00:21:41.759 --> 00:21:42.680 that you're worth something, 00:21:42.860 --> 00:21:43.539 that you're valuable. 00:21:43.700 --> 00:21:44.299 But the gospel, 00:21:44.660 --> 00:21:45.779 the good news about the gospel, 00:21:45.960 --> 00:21:47.200 what Mark is proclaiming, 00:21:47.519 --> 00:21:48.920 that Jesus is the Lord 00:21:48.920 --> 00:21:49.960 of the Sabbath, 00:21:50.120 --> 00:21:51.259 that he's the Lord of rest 00:21:51.259 --> 00:21:52.200 and he calls you 00:21:52.200 --> 00:21:53.480 to come to him. 00:21:53.920 --> 00:21:54.820 The gospel means 00:21:54.820 --> 00:21:55.600 that you don't have to 00:21:55.600 --> 00:21:56.320 prove anything 00:21:56.320 --> 00:21:57.259 to the world 00:21:57.259 --> 00:21:58.120 or to other people. 00:21:59.440 --> 00:22:00.900 You don't have to earn anything. 00:22:00.900 --> 00:22:03.580 The world doesn't depend on you. 00:22:04.080 --> 00:22:04.840 Your salvation 00:22:04.840 --> 00:22:06.380 doesn't depend on you. 00:22:06.460 --> 00:22:07.160 It doesn't depend on 00:22:07.160 --> 00:22:08.180 whether you come to church 00:22:08.180 --> 00:22:09.060 or read your Bible. 00:22:10.140 --> 00:22:11.740 It depends on Christ alone. 00:22:15.100 --> 00:22:15.840 Well, friends, 00:22:16.160 --> 00:22:17.320 I want to finish up by saying 00:22:17.320 --> 00:22:17.860 can you hear 00:22:17.860 --> 00:22:19.680 the sweet voice 00:22:19.680 --> 00:22:21.440 of Jesus calling you 00:22:21.440 --> 00:22:22.240 when he says, 00:22:22.460 --> 00:22:22.940 come to me 00:22:22.940 --> 00:22:24.620 all you who labour 00:22:24.620 --> 00:22:25.980 and are heavy laden 00:22:25.980 --> 00:22:27.180 and I'll give you rest. 00:22:27.759 --> 00:22:28.000 He says, 00:22:28.060 --> 00:22:28.540 come to me, 00:22:28.600 --> 00:22:28.900 anyone. 00:22:29.420 --> 00:22:29.700 Anyone, 00:22:29.780 --> 00:22:30.960 I ask it without conditions, 00:22:31.140 --> 00:22:32.160 without qualifications, 00:22:32.460 --> 00:22:32.840 anyone, 00:22:33.440 --> 00:22:34.100 to come to him. 00:22:34.140 --> 00:22:35.220 I wonder if you've ever done that. 00:22:35.320 --> 00:22:35.800 Maybe you're here 00:22:35.800 --> 00:22:36.680 and you haven't done that. 00:22:37.080 --> 00:22:38.080 I'd encourage you to do it, 00:22:38.120 --> 00:22:39.640 to come to Christ, 00:22:40.400 --> 00:22:41.680 to enter the rest. 00:22:43.060 --> 00:22:43.820 Believe in him, 00:22:44.420 --> 00:22:45.140 trust in him. 00:22:46.080 --> 00:22:46.820 Just means, 00:22:47.000 --> 00:22:47.500 maybe that's a bit 00:22:47.500 --> 00:22:48.400 of Christian jargon, 00:22:49.620 --> 00:22:50.500 resting in him 00:22:50.500 --> 00:22:51.580 is like you're resting 00:22:51.580 --> 00:22:52.220 in your chair. 00:22:53.019 --> 00:22:53.580 You're putting 00:22:53.580 --> 00:22:54.340 all your weight on it. 00:22:54.460 --> 00:22:55.180 You're leaning on it. 00:22:55.320 --> 00:22:56.019 You're trusting in it, 00:22:56.019 --> 00:22:56.980 that it's going to hold you. 00:22:58.559 --> 00:22:59.720 So we do the same 00:22:59.720 --> 00:23:00.720 with Christ. 00:23:00.960 --> 00:23:01.519 And he calls all 00:23:01.519 --> 00:23:02.119 to come to him. 00:23:03.879 --> 00:23:04.500 And he says, 00:23:04.539 --> 00:23:05.859 I will give you rest. 00:23:06.279 --> 00:23:06.900 Maybe you've already 00:23:06.900 --> 00:23:07.400 done that. 00:23:07.680 --> 00:23:08.019 You're here. 00:23:09.420 --> 00:23:10.279 The Bible says 00:23:10.279 --> 00:23:11.079 you need to strive 00:23:11.079 --> 00:23:12.299 to enter into that rest. 00:23:13.019 --> 00:23:13.240 It says, 00:23:13.319 --> 00:23:13.839 watch out 00:23:13.839 --> 00:23:15.519 for an unbelieving heart, 00:23:15.619 --> 00:23:17.019 an evil and unbelieving heart, 00:23:17.279 --> 00:23:19.180 which goes away from Christ, 00:23:19.279 --> 00:23:20.279 which forgets about him. 00:23:20.660 --> 00:23:21.059 And that's what 00:23:21.059 --> 00:23:21.700 the Lord's Supper 00:23:21.700 --> 00:23:22.119 is about, 00:23:22.339 --> 00:23:22.599 isn't it? 00:23:22.599 --> 00:23:23.980 That's why he instituted it 00:23:23.980 --> 00:23:24.459 for us, 00:23:24.939 --> 00:23:25.859 which we get to 00:23:25.859 --> 00:23:27.059 have later. 00:23:28.199 --> 00:23:28.619 Remember, 00:23:28.719 --> 00:23:28.939 he said, 00:23:29.019 --> 00:23:29.519 do this 00:23:29.519 --> 00:23:31.259 in remembrance of me. 00:23:32.719 --> 00:23:33.240 And then I want to 00:23:33.240 --> 00:23:33.659 encourage you 00:23:33.659 --> 00:23:34.219 that every Sunday 00:23:34.219 --> 00:23:34.919 you meet together, 00:23:35.119 --> 00:23:36.619 it's Resurrection Day, 00:23:36.919 --> 00:23:37.759 it's the Lord's Day. 00:23:38.779 --> 00:23:38.959 Now, 00:23:39.699 --> 00:23:40.359 give expression 00:23:40.359 --> 00:23:41.159 to what you believe 00:23:41.159 --> 00:23:41.959 as you gather here. 00:23:42.059 --> 00:23:42.939 Praise Jesus 00:23:42.939 --> 00:23:44.099 as you gather 00:23:44.099 --> 00:23:46.399 and give yourself a break. 00:23:46.899 --> 00:23:47.359 Let's pray. 00:23:49.359 --> 00:23:49.759 Bye. 00:23:49.759 --> 00:23:49.799 Bye.