Finding rest, for the soul… resting in the One in Whom we rest and from Whom we gain our strength - Matthew 11; Hebrews 4; Isaiah 40
Matthew 11 -
Questioning in the waiting (John the Baptist in prison - Matt 4:12; 14:1-12; Mk 1:14; Luke 3:1-20)
Violence in the taking - “We have heard it, we have seen it, this is what we want!”
Turmoil and work, conflict and contempt in the living and learning (Isaiah 23) - “Oh, if you would only…”
Rest for the soul - the encouragement of God’s gracious and kind, His loving, care
Isaiah 40 - and who is this God in whom we rest and are refreshed?
God’s loving compassion, comfort, and care
God’s being able and, despite His utter grandeur, desire to love and bless mankind
“Wait in the Lord”
Job 7:17 “What is man that You should exalt him, that You should set Your heart upon him…”
Psalm 8:4 “...what is man that You are mindful of him, or the son of man that You care for him?”
Psalm 144:3 “O LORD, what is man, that You regard him, the son of man that You think of him?”
Hebrews 4:12-16
Jesus calls us to rest in Him, ushered in by our Priest and King… (Heb 2:14-18)
Hebrews 4:8-13 - And what is its beginning, this entering God’s rest? Is it not Who (Jesus - the Word) and what He has spoken (scriptures - the words of the Word) to us as truth and that truth’s ability to give the heart assurance of its, now in Jesus, right place in and with Him - resting?
Accomplishing God’s will (Isaiah 55:10-11; Matt 4:4; 24:35; Luke 4:4; Deut 8:3; 29:29; 2Peter 1:21)
Establishing - salvation (Matt 13:1-23; Mark 4:1-20; John 5:36-39; Eph 1:13; 2Tim 15)
Instructing, reminding (admonishing), correcting (Psalm 119; 2Tim 3:16; James 1:22-25)
Encouraging - strengthening (Rom 15:4; 2Tim 3:16)
Affirming - peace and confidence (2Peter 1:5-11)
Growing in wisdom - maturity, character, stature and equipping (Prov 1-4; 8; 2Tim 316-17)
2Tim 3:14-17
“14But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of because you know those from whom you learned it, 15and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
