Daily Cares
Is it possible for a person to rest in the work that another accomplished?
(Gen. 2:1-3; Jer. 45:1-5; Matt. 11:28; Mark 6:30-32) Blog June 27-July 3, 2021
Prepared by Richard A. Marin: Present Truth PO Box 700, Fallbrook CA 92088-0700 USA
INTRODUCTION: During this new quarter, our subject will be “Resting in Christ.” This will involve the subjects of salvation, grace, creation, the Sabbath, the state of the dead, and the soon coming of Jesus. In today’s world rest is a rare commodity but Jesus said, “I will give you rest.”
Priorities
1. What type of life did God design for Adam and Eve? God designed a life of joyful labor interspersed with nightly & weekly rest for Adam & Eve (Gen. 1:4; 2:3, 15; Mark 2:27).
2. How did human employment change after the fall? After the fall childbearing became difficult & painful & fruit bearing became difficult & painful (Gen. 3:16-19).
3. After creating a perfect environment and inhabiting it with living creatures including Adam and Eve, what was God’s first priority? Having completed creation God rested & set apart a weekly Sabbath rest for all future generations as his first priority. (Gen. 2:1-3; Ex. 20:11).
4. What aspect of God’s original design for human activity and rest became increasingly important after human fruit bearing became more difficult and painful? After the fall nightly and weekly rest became increasingly important for humanity (Ex. 20:8; Matt. 11:28).
5. What should we learn from the meaning of the word “Sabbath”? The word “Sabbath” means to cease & that is exactly what God did after six days of creation, so in sanctifying & setting apart that day he gave to humanity a day to cease work & to enjoy communion with him (Gen. 2:1-3; Ex. 23:12; Mark 2:28).
6. What was the matter with the priorities of Lazarus’ sister Martha? Martha was worried about many things & in her frustration forgot to spend time with her Saviour (Luke 10:38-42).
7. What priority is usually lacking in the lives of those who reject God? Apart from God & his design for living, the priority of daily & weekly rest is frequently neglected. (Isa. 57:20; Rev. 14:11).
Disasters
8. When their entire world was about to crumble around them what message did God tell Jeremiah to give to his scribe, Baruch? God said, tell Baruch not to be so concerned about his own troubled future but rather to be thankful that amidst it all God would preserve his life. (Jer. 45:1-5)
9. How did Jesus give a similar message to his disciples like that of Jeremiah to Baruch? Jesus told his disciples: “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
10. In what location did Jesus say that his disciples would have peace? Jesus said that in him his disciples would have peace even when separated from him (John 16:33).
11. What did both Baruch and the disciples fear that led God to speak comfort to them? Both Baruch & the disciples feared being traumatically scattered having no peace or rest. (Jer. 45:3; John 16:32)
12. How does the Apostle Paul say that those at peace with God should face tribulation? Justified believers should glory in tribulation because it develops patience in them (Rom. 5:3).
13. Why could the Psalmist rest peacefully amidst disaster? David could rest peacefully amidst disaster for he trusted in God. (Psalm 4:8).
14. According to Psalms, what attitude characterizes those that have peace? The righteous that love God’s Law have great peace (Psalm 72:7; 119:165).
Reminders
15. What can we learn about Sabbath rest from Exodus 23:12? There God teaches that Sabbath not only provides rest from six days of labor but that it also refreshes (Ex. 23:12; 31:17).
16. What form of rest is implied in Exodus 5:5 and implicit in Exodus 16:23? These texts in Exodus show how God through Moses was trying to restore the weekly Sabbath rest among his people who had been slavishly working under Egyptian bondage with no day of rest (Ex. 5:1-9; 16:22-23).
17. Why did Jesus suggest that his disciples take a break from being busily engaged in Christian service? Jesus desired that his disciples even take a period of rest from Christian service because a person cannot freely give unless they also take time to freely receive from God (Matt. 10:8; Mark 6:30-32).
18. Why did Jesus recommend a desert place for rest? Jesus recommended a desert place because there would be fewer daily cares & interruptions there. This tells us that in order to refresh our bodies & spirits we should also seek a place where cares & interruptions are minimal (Matt. 6:6; Mark 4:19; 6:30-32).
19. How does the story of Cain illustrate what Jesus said in Mattew 11:28? Cain, being banished from God’s presence became a restless wanderer because true rest is only found in Jesus & in the vicarious work he finished in our place as a human being (Gen. 4:14; Matt. 11:28; Heb. 4:1-6).
20. How is it that a person can rest in the work that another person accomplished? Although it appears like robbery God recommends that we not trust in our good behavior to be accepted & be rewarded with eternal life but rather that we trust in the good behavior of Another for acceptance & eternal life (Rom. 3:21-22; Heb. 4:3, 9).
21. Give some Bible examples of people who rested in the labors of another: Adam & Eve rested during their first Sabbath in the work that God had done throughout creation week; Ruth rested in all the hard labor Boaz had put into his farm; Solomon rested in the ample provisions his father had made for the construction of the temple; the holy women, disciples, & we can rest in the work of redemption that Christ finished during his life on earth (Gen. 2:2-3; Mark 2:27; Ruth 4:13; 1 Kings 7:51; John 4:38; Col. 2:10).