REST AND UNREST
MATTHEW 11:28-30
Introduction:
Christians, by faith in Christ, have entered into rest. He is their peace. To all who come to him he gives rest, rest that is relief from the pressure of life, release from the turmoil of society and satisfaction to the soul.
I. REST
A. Rest for your souls, Matthew 11:28-29, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.”
1. In the old paths, Jeremiah 6:16, “Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.”
2. Walk in the good way, Jeremiah 7:23, “But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.”
B. Peace like a river, Isaiah 48:17-18, “Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go. 18 O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea:”
1. The Lord leads us in the way that we should go, John 6:45, “It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.”
2. If we do His commandments, Deuteronomy 5:29, “O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!”
3. The effect of obedience is peace, Isaiah 32:15-18, “Until the spirit be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness be a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be counted for a forest. 16- Then judgment shall dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness remain in the fruitful field. 17- And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever. 18- And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places;”
C. Rest from the days of adversity, Psalm 94:13, “That thou mayest give him rest from the days of adversity, until the pit be digged for the wicked.”
1. Until the indignation be past, Isaiah 26:20-21, “Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. 21 For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood , and shall no more cover her slain.”
2. The Lord causes the weary to rest, Isaiah 28:12, “To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.”
3. He causes the troubled to rest, 2 Thessalonians 1:7, “And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,”
4. The Lord deals bountifully with us, Psalm 116:7, “Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the LORD hath dealt bountifully with thee.”
D. Be careful not to come short of His rest, 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.”
II. UNREST
A. The Ungodly have NO REST in their soul, Psalm 1:4, “The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.”
1. The future does not look good for the ungodly, Revelation 14:11, “And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.”
2. Their end is destruction, Job 31:3, “Is not destruction to the wicked? and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity?”
B. The heart of man is DECEITFUL, Jeremiah 17:9, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”
1. He walks in the stubbornness of his heart, Jeremiah 16:12, “And ye have done worse than your fathers; for, behold, ye walk every one after the imagination of his evil heart, that they may not hearken unto me:” See Genesis 6:5.
2. He walks on the broad way to destruction, Matthew 7:13-14, “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14- Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”
3. Man is never satisfied, Proverbs 27:20, “Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.”
4. The Lord knows the heart of man, John 2:24-25, “But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, 25 And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.”
C. Knowing man’s need, the Lord offers His rest, Matthew 11:28, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
1. This is rest for the people of God, those who have received Christ as Savior, Hebrews 4:9, “There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.”
2. Theirs is the promise of the celestial city and the heavenly country, Hebrews 11:10, 16, “For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. 16- But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.”
CONCLUSION
God’s rest is the greatest blessing that one can have. It means that he has put his trust in Jesus Christ as Savior. He has a home in Heaven and need not worry about his future. His rest is the rest of the soul.
The lost do not have that rest. Their life may appear tranquil, but at the hour of death their soul will not go to a place of rest, but rather a place of torment in Hell.