INTRODUCTION
Several years ago I heard a silly little joke about a rabbit that was found sitting in a refrigerator. When the lady of the house opened her refrigerator and saw the rabbit, she asked him what he was doing. The rabbit replied, "This refrigerator is a Westinghouse, isn't it" The lady said, "yes" and the rabbit said, "That's what I'm doing, 'westing.'"

Although we won't be found sitting in refrigerators, we do need to rest. In fact, probably no other generation has told themselves they need to rest and get away as much as this generation.

What we need is to Rest-Up in Christ, receiving the rest He gives and learning the rest we find in
serving Him.
 
 

EXPLANATION
The word in verse 28 translated rest could be translated with our idea of resting up, so please keep that idea in mind.

This rest is not a sit back and take it easy rest. It is rest for renewed service; it is rejuvenation or resting to refresh oneself to serve.

Jesus invites those who have labored in their pursuit for salvation and have only found the burden of continual works. He calls them unto himself as the promised Messiah and offers rest.

The Proposed Rest Is:

Rest from a fear of Divine wrath; It is peace.

Rest from a will bent toward evil.

Rest that begins in heaven, not on earth.

It is rest in trouble, not rest from trouble.

Rest in the mental and physical dimensions of our being.

The Promised Rest Is:

Rest faithfully promised

Although no King or President can offer it.

Although no Engineer can manufacture it.

Although no Billionaire can buy it.

Jesus, who can not lie says, "I'll give it to you."

Rest Previously Promised

Not rest I'll show you

Not rest I'll tell you about.

But rest Jesus will GIVE through His work on the cross.

Rest Appropriately Promised

a) Appropriate because He has the WILL to give it.

Appropriate because He has the RIGHT to give it.

Appropriate because it's Just like my Jesus.

So come unto Him and cease from your worry and anxiety about salvation. He will give you salvation that is rest and will rest you up for service.

ILLUSTRATION
John and Charles Wesley were very religious young men. They attended every worship service, fasted Wednesday and Friday, had morning and evening devotions and prayer time, and during one period of time, John sold his shoes and went barefooted so he could give to the poor.

John Wesley was a missionary to the colonies and worked for a year or so in Savannah, Georgia. However, John was not at rest with God. It was several months after returning from the colonies that he was saved while reading a commentary by Martin Luther on the book of Romans. John Wesley had to lay down his labors and the burden of self righteousness to come to Jesus and obtain this given rest.

In the March (1982) Proclaim magazine, the following words are shared from a salvation testimony of Donna Summer. "I realized one day that I had everything I wanted and I wasn't happy. Something was missing. No matter how much I got in material goodies, nothing was going to fill the gap. I became ill; I had pain everywhere. For one year I was in the hospital more than once a month. I thought I had a brain tumor or cancer. I had everything. I just did not have God. But now," she says, "everything has changed."

If that article is correct, Donna Summer has been given the rest that is salvation. She can Rest-Up for service.

APPLICATION

Are you at rest in the matter of salvation? So you have peace with God through His Son, Jesus Christ? This rest is given to all who come to Him and yield their lives to Him. It is an exchanged life. You can receive it and eternally enjoy it.
 
 

EXPLANATION
The rest that we are learning about today is two-fold. Where verse 28 tells of a given rest, verse 29 tells of a rest that is found. Although these words are very similar in the Greek, the first carries more the idea that Jesus will cause rest to come upon a person. The second rest is the result of activity with Jesus.

Let me call to your attention the following contrast of these two rests:

Given Rest-Is given in Pardon.

Found Rest-Is found in the new yoke and burden.

Given Rest-Is given through the work of Christ.

Found Rest-Is found in copying His life.

Given Rest -Is from Christ coming into us.

Found Rest-Is from Christ coming out of us.

Given Rest-Is from coming unto Him.

Found Rest-Is from going with Him.

Given Rest-Is immediate and eternal

Found Rest-Is progressive and temporary.

Given Rest-Is from faith to Salvation

Found Rest-Is from obedience to service.

In the fullest sense we find the most rest when we serve God.
 

ILLUSTRATION
A hunting party had rented the services of a guide and several laborers for an African safari. The hunters were willing to keep a very rapid pace but the laborers finally rebelled and refused to move until, as they expressed it, "our souls" can catch up with our bodies.

APPLICATION

When Christians serve in their strength or don't serve at all, their bodies are ahead of their souls. Another way of saying the same thing may be that we are serving in our yoke and not in the Lord's.

Do you know who I hear talking most about getting away and resting? It is those who I see doing the least in the Kingdom's work. It's amazing that the Sunday School teachers and Deacons and those who spend the most time in the Word of God need less time to get away and rest-up.

Could it be that your soul needs you to really study the Word? Could it be that your soul needs you to really spend time in prayer? Could it be that your needs you to share a witness? Perhaps the best way for you to get away would be to learn of Jesus, to get away with the Word.

Again and again those words rang through the priest's mind. Was that not what he was looking for all these years? He asked everywhere he went if anyone knew who had spoken those words, but no one seemed to know. He finally gave the wrapping paper to another man who was determined to find out who had spoken or written these words.

This man came across a group of Christians holding an open air evangelistic service. In the course of this service the evangelist shared the words of Jesus, "Come unto me and. . .I'll give you rest. The young man investigated further and acknowledged Jesus as his Lord.

He went away leaving his great search and burden behind. He went away with a new peace to tell others about the message he had learned.

Today we sing a hymn of invitation for you to receive rest for your soul. Come receive Jesus, come unite with this church. Come and make a new commitment to finding the rest of Jesus.