Finding True Rest in Christ: The Gift of Sabbath

In a world that constantly pushes us to do more, achieve more, and prove ourselves, it’s easy to find ourselves exhausted—even after a vacation or a day off. The deep rest our souls crave isn’t found in simply stopping our work or following a set of rules, but in a relationship with Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath. From the very beginning, God designed rest not as a reward for hard work, but as the foundation of life with Him. Adam and Eve’s first full day was spent not in labor, but in enjoying God’s presence. This rhythm of work and rest was meant to remind us that our identity is not in what we do, but in who we are as God’s beloved children.

Yet, over time, the Sabbath shifted from a life-giving gift to a burdensome set of rules. The Pharisees, in their zeal to protect God’s law, added layer upon layer of man-made regulations, missing the heart of the Sabbath entirely. Jesus confronted this distortion, declaring Himself Lord of the Sabbath and demonstrating that the Sabbath is meant for human flourishing, not restriction. He healed, He fed, and He restored on the Sabbath, showing that God’s heart is for wholeness and joy, not legalistic performance.

True Sabbath is an act of resistance against the slavery of self-justification and endless striving. It’s a weekly invitation to stop, rest, delight, and worship—to lay down our burdens and remember that God is God and we are not. This rest is not passive, but intentional: stopping our work, resting our bodies and minds, delighting in God’s good gifts, and worshiping in community. It’s a rhythm that re-centers us on grace, reminding us that Jesus has already finished the work of redemption. Just as He rested in the tomb after declaring “It is finished,” we are invited to rest in His completed work.

For those who follow Jesus, Sabbath is a practical way to live from rest, not for rest. For those who don’t yet know Him, the invitation is open: come to Jesus, lay down your striving, and find true rest for your soul. The Sabbath points us to the deeper rest found only in Christ—a rest that frees us from the tyranny of proving ourselves and invites us into the joy of being God’s beloved.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Rest is Foundational, Not a Reward God established rest as the starting point for humanity, not something to be earned after hard work. Our first calling is to enjoy God’s presence and live from a place of acceptance, not to strive for it. Sabbath is a weekly reminder that our worth is rooted in who we are in Christ, not in what we accomplish. [06:03]
• 2. Legalism Misses the Heart of God When we elevate man-made rules to the level of God’s commands, we turn gifts into burdens and miss the heart of the Lawgiver. Legalism twists obedience into performance, making the law the goal rather than a means to relationship with God. True obedience flows from love and trust, not fear and control. [16:48]
• 3. Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath Jesus didn’t come to abolish the Sabbath, but to fulfill and embody it. He alone has the authority to define what true rest looks like, and He invites us to experience Sabbath as a day for healing, restoration, and flourishing. Only God can define our theology; we must resist both adding to and subtracting from His Word. [18:40]
• 4. Sabbath is an Act of Resistance and Trust Practicing Sabbath is a way of resisting the culture of endless productivity and the illusion of control. It’s a declaration that we are no longer slaves to achievement, anxiety, or the need to prove ourselves. By stopping, resting, delighting, and worshiping, we entrust our lives to God’s care and acknowledge His sufficiency. [24:48]
• 5. The Deeper Rest is in Christ’s Finished Work Sabbath ultimately points to the rest Jesus offers through His death and resurrection. We cannot fix ourselves or earn God’s favor; we need a heart transformation that only Christ can give. When Jesus said, “It is finished,” He completed the work of redemption, inviting us to rest in His grace and find true peace for our souls.
  
  ** [35:51]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:32] - The Problem of Restlessness
• [02:56] - True Rest: Not a Rule, but a Relationship
• [04:12] - The Sabbath in the Story of Scripture
• [06:03] - Rest as the Foundation of Life
• [07:18] - Sabbath: From Gift to Burden
• [09:51] - Jesus and the Sabbath Controversies
• [13:02] - The Mishna and Man-Made Rules
• [14:19] - God’s Law vs. Man’s Law
• [16:48] - The Dangers of Legalism
• [18:40] - Jesus’ Authority Over the Sabbath
• [22:23] - The True Essence of Sabbath
• [24:13] - Application: Resting in the Lord
• [28:07] - Practicing Sabbath: Stop, Rest, Delight, Worship
• [31:21] - Practical Steps for Sabbath
• [32:37] - Invitation to Rest in Jesus
• [35:51] - Jesus’ Finished Work and the Cosmic Sabbath
• [37:16] - Prayer and Closing

Bible Reading

Luke 6:1-11 (ESV) — 1 On a Sabbath, while he was going through the grainfields, his disciples plucked and ate some heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands.
2 But some of the Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?”
3 And Jesus answered them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him:
4 how he entered the house of God and took and ate the bread of the Presence, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those with him?”
5 And he said to them, “The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”
6 On another Sabbath, he entered the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was withered.
7 And the scribes and the Pharisees watched him, to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath, so that they might find a reason to accuse him.
8 But he knew their thoughts, and he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come and stand here.” And he rose and stood there.
9 And Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to destroy it?”
10 And after looking around at them all he said to him, “Stretch out your hand.” And he did so, and his hand was restored.
11 But they were filled with fury and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus.

Genesis 2:1-3 (ESV) — 1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.
2 And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done.
3 So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.

Matthew 11:28-30 (ESV) — 28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Observation Questions

1. In Luke 6:1-11, what specific actions did Jesus and his disciples do on the Sabbath that upset the Pharisees? What was Jesus’ response to their accusations? [09:51]
2. According to Genesis 2:1-3, what did God do on the seventh day, and how does this set a pattern for humanity? [05:24]
3. In the sermon, what were some of the extra rules the Pharisees added to the Sabbath, and how did these rules differ from God’s original intent? [13:02]
4. What invitation does Jesus give in Matthew 11:28-30, and how does it connect to the idea of Sabbath rest? [32:37]

Interpretation Questions

1. Why do you think God made rest the starting point for Adam and Eve, rather than something to be earned after work? What does this say about how God views our identity? [06:03]
2. How did the Pharisees’ approach to the Sabbath turn a gift from God into a burden? What dangers can come from adding man-made rules to God’s commands? [14:19]
3. When Jesus calls himself “Lord of the Sabbath,” what does that mean for how we understand and practice Sabbath today? [18:40]
4. The sermon says that Sabbath is an act of resistance against the “slavery of self-justification and endless striving.” What does it look like to resist these things in our culture? [24:48]

Application Questions

1. The sermon described how even after a vacation or a day off, we can still feel restless. Can you relate to this? What are some things in your life that keep you from experiencing true rest? [02:20]
2. Sabbath is described as a weekly invitation to stop, rest, delight, and worship. Which of these four (stop, rest, delight, worship) is hardest for you to practice, and why? [28:07]
3. The Pharisees missed the heart of the Sabbath by focusing on rules instead of relationship. Are there areas in your faith where you tend to focus more on rules or performance than on enjoying God’s presence? How can you shift your mindset? [16:48]
4. Jesus invites us to lay down our burdens and find rest in him. What is one burden or area of striving you need to surrender to Jesus this week? [32:37]
5. The sermon encouraged picking a day, making a plan, being gracious, and practicing Sabbath in community. What would it look like for you to intentionally set aside a Sabbath day? What practical steps could you take to make this happen? [31:21]
6. The idea of “living from rest, not for rest” was emphasized. How might your week look different if you started from a place of rest in Christ, rather than trying to earn rest through achievement? [27:28]
7. For those who don’t yet know Jesus, the invitation is to come to him and find true rest. If you haven’t experienced this rest, what questions or hesitations do you have about accepting Jesus’ invitation? [32:37]