Preschool
He hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted (Luke 4:18).
A Promise of Rest
Memory Verses
Primary
He hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind (Luke 4:18)
Junior
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised (Luke 4:18).
Background Scripture: Hebrews 3-4
Lesson Scripture: Hebrews 4:1-11
Introduction
A promise of rest only applies to the weary. At the close of the day, rest becomes more and more desirable and necessary. Food, drink, and rest are essential elements of functional life. During a busy or exciting time, rest may seem like time wasted, but most often we appreciate it as a reward for a day well spent, a vital part of God’s plan for a healthy life. God’s plan for Christian life is not very different. We must have a place to securely rest our spirits.
Key Verse
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest (Matt. 11:28).
Lesson Scripture
Hebrews 4:1 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.
2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.
3 For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
4 For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.
5 And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest.
6 Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:
7 Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
8 For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.
9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
Studying the Lesson
Our lesson scripture is taken from the epistle to the Hebrews, who were Jewish Christians trying to blend their established thought patterns and rituals with the new covenant. This letter was to a people evidently well grounded in the knowledge of their own history, of Scripture, and of the one true God. The historical background of a unique, national relationship with God, with them being his chosen people and their worship of God’s laws given to them through Moses, was a part of their identity. The struggle for independence from Roman rule also identified the Jewish people of the first century, leaving us to conclude they were a restless and rebellious people.
The Son of God made his appearance in the nation that God had predetermined and prophesied to through his faithful prophets. As the gospel began to be preached, it was the Hebrew people who came to believe it first. They entered into a new way of thinking and believing. The writer of this letter was knowledgeable of his readers’ religious and historical background. The book of Hebrews presents a thorough and logical argument for the importance of maintaining their faith and resisting the inclination to unbelief. They were pointed to the cost of their forefather’s bad choices. He reminded them that the forty years in the wilderness was not the entire point of the story. They as Christians would also be denied a promised rest if they chose to refuse to believe. This is now true for all believers. Therefore, this message is timeless and is a stern warning for today’s believers.
Practical Truths for Today
When we feel the need for rest, it is because we are tired. Jesus spoke of weariness and oppression. Carrying a heavy load or working hard all day makes us tired. Operating machinery, sitting at a desk, or any other work that requires vigilance and attention is tiring as well. A day’s work in a place of service, such as teaching, serving customers, or answering the phone, can be exhausting too. Normal daily life makes a person tired and thankful for a safe, comfortable place to lie down, go to sleep, and get the required rest.
If this is the tiredness and the rest that Jesus was talking about, we should not have any difficulty in finding rest. God has made sleep the natural remedy for the daily tiredness of life. “The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep” (Eccles. 5:12). Clearly, the Word of God, even Jesus Himself, is referring to something else than the daily, physical weariness of a healthy, working person. Although we ought to thank God each day for the gift of physical rest, Jesus is talking about weariness of the mind and spirit.
Restlessness is not usually associated with tiredness. Although we may spend a restless night tossing and turning and rise feeling tired and unrefreshed when morning comes, we usually think of being restless as having some kind of irritating or frustrating energy with no outlet. Was not Jesus’s invitation “come unto me” just for such? Often what makes it hard for us to relax and be restful are worries, doubts, and fears. These are the burdens Jesus knows are tiring us to death, and He invites us to bring them to Him. He is able to bear them, but this is often hard for us to accept because of our pride. We tend to think there is some virtue in being concerned and troubled about things, especially if it seems like others are not. What looks like indifference or carelessness in others may actually be the result of finding rest from their burdens in Jesus.
The spirit of conflict is devilish. Living with conflict, even conflicting feelings and emotions, is oppressive. Guilt, indecision, and lack of resolution can render a Christian helpless and ineffective in just about any area of life. “The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion” (Prov. 28:1). Do we find our adrenaline pumping or end up feeling threatened? Remember Jesus’s invitation, and accept it. Jesus offers an abundant, peaceful, joyful life, one without pressure and conflict, a life available to all. To have it, we must come to Him unconditionally, allowing Him to sort it out for us. We then take what He gives us to carry willingly and with gratitude. His love for us is unconditional, and our surrender and trust in Him must be unconditional as well if we are to realize the promised outcome.
By taking examples, incidents, and lessons from the Bible, we can better understand the future rest of God‘s people. The promises of eternal rest with God can be a comfort for those inclined to grow weary and doubt God’s plan. To all of us, they are a good reminder to be diligent in keeping our eye on the eternal goal. God has promised an eternal rest to all who will endure in their faith and belief.
Satan is given different descriptions in the Scripture. He is a thief and a robber, a roaring lion, an angel of light, a prince of darkness. He is very cunning and readily takes advantage of man’s natural inclinations. His ultimate goal is man’s eternal destruction. The spirit of the world, like a channel on the radio, is always on the air and is our preprogrammed, default station. Unless we make a decision to not listen to the devil’s broadcast, we will grow unaccustomed to hearing the voice of God. Our ways will seem more and more right in our own eyes. A sense of accomplishment can loom large enough that we fail to notice the emptiness in our restless hearts. On the other hand, we may have spectacular failures that convince us there is no hope. The everyday cares of life may gradually wear us down so that, try as we might to get through life on our own strength, our connection to God is finally cut off completely. In all these real-life scenarios, an evil spirit will be there to take advantage of us and make a bad situation worse.
However, if we keep our minds on God and his Word, his Spirit will bring those things to our mind that will give us rest for today and promise for tomorrow. He will give grace and strength for the duties and issues of the day. Today we are being reminded of his promise of an eternal rest prepared for the faithful believer. Let us not be faithless but believing.
Questions
- What are some of the avenues in which unbelief is most likely to come into our lives?
- How do our experiences in life strengthen our faith? How do they weaken it?
- Why do we think the children of Israel were more inclined to unbelief than we are? Were they?
- If we had less media access, would ignorance of today’s world of unrest and uncertainty be a good thing?
Source: COGICM Daily Bible Readings (Daily Bible Readings, PO Box 124, Glenn, CA 95943).