Finding True Rest in Jesus' Presence
Summary
Today’s focus is on the deep, soul-level rest that God offers, a rest that goes far beyond a day off or a good night’s sleep. In a world that is noisier and more exhausting than ever, we often find ourselves chasing after distractions, hoping for relief but rarely finding true rest. The story of my favorite blanket serves as a picture: it didn’t solve my problems, but it gave me comfort and a sense of shelter. Yet, God offers us something far greater—He doesn’t just give rest; He is our rest.
Looking at Hebrews 4, we see that the rest God promises is not about ceasing activity or escaping responsibilities. The Israelites were tired—tired of religious rules, tired of oppression, tired of waiting. We, too, are tired: running from one thing to the next, burdened by news, conflict, and our own striving. But God’s Sabbath rest is not merely a day off; it’s a state of soul, a place where we stop striving and start trusting.
Jesus, in Luke 6, reminds us that He is Lord of the Sabbath. The Sabbath was never meant to be a burdensome rule, but an invitation into relationship. Rest is not found in a place or a practice, but in a person—Jesus Himself. He offers restoration, not more requirements. The cross is the ultimate declaration: “It is finished.” We don’t have to earn God’s approval or hold everything together. We can exhale, knowing that Jesus is strong enough to carry what we cannot.
So, what do we do with this invitation? We come to Jesus with our burdens, our brokenness, our exhaustion. Matthew 11:28 is not just a poetic verse, but a living promise: “Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” This is not a nap, but rest for our souls. Whether you are new to faith or have walked with God for years, the invitation is the same: stop running, stop striving, and rest in Him. Like a child safe under a blanket in her father’s arms, we are invited to draw near, to be with God, and to find our true rest in His presence.
Key Takeaways
- True rest is not found in circumstances, vacations, or distractions, but in the person of Jesus. The world offers temporary relief, but only Christ offers a rest that reaches the depths of our souls, inviting us to stop striving and start trusting. [27:10]
- The Sabbath was never intended as a burdensome rule, but as a gift—a relationship, not a requirement. Jesus, as Lord of the Sabbath, redefines rest as entering into His presence, where we are restored rather than regulated. [32:44]
- The cross is the ultimate declaration that our striving can cease. “It is finished” means we no longer have to earn God’s approval or carry the crushing weight of perfectionism. Rest is not about doing nothing, but about trusting everything to the One who has already finished the work. [36:53]
- God’s invitation to rest is for the weary, the burdened, and the broken. He sees beyond our public smiles to our private sighs, offering not just a solution to our problems, but Himself as our shelter and our peace. [39:32]
- Rest begins not when we have it all together, but when we bring our mess, our exhaustion, and our need to God. Whether you are new to faith or a seasoned believer, the call is the same: come, sit with Him, and let your soul find its home in His love. [41:28]
Youtube Chapters
[00:00] - Welcome
[00:45] - Introduction and Special Music
[15:34] - The Need for Spiritual Rest
[27:10] - God Offers More Than Comfort
[28:41] - The Exhaustion of Religion and Life
[29:44] - Our Modern Restlessness
[31:19] - Rest Is Found in a Person
[32:44] - Jesus, Lord of the Sabbath
[33:49] - Religion vs. Restoration
[35:09] - The Illusion of Rest as a Luxury
[35:56] - Trusting God with Our Burdens
[36:53] - The Finished Work of the Cross
[37:39] - Jesus’ Invitation to the Weary
[39:32] - God Sees and Knows Us
[41:28] - Resting Like a Child in God’s Presence
[42:00] - Closing and Invitation to Prayer
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide: Finding True Rest in Jesus
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### Bible Reading
- Hebrews 4:1-11
- Luke 6:1-5
- Matthew 11:28
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### Observation Questions
1. In Hebrews 4, what kind of rest is God promising to His people? How is it different from just taking a break or a nap?
2. According to Luke 6:1-5, what was Jesus’ response to the Pharisees when they accused His disciples of breaking the Sabbath?
3. In Matthew 11:28, who does Jesus invite to come to Him, and what does He promise to give them?
4. The sermon mentioned that the Israelites were “tired of religion and all the rules and the requirements and the constant cost that the Pharisees were putting in place.” What were some of the burdens they were carrying? [28:41]
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### Interpretation Questions
1. What does it mean that “rest is found in a person, not in a place”? How does this challenge the way people usually think about rest? [31:19]
2. Why do you think Jesus said, “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath”? What was He trying to teach the Pharisees and His disciples? [32:44]
3. The sermon says, “The cross wasn’t just Jesus saving you and saving me. It was also Jesus saying, it is finished.” How does this statement connect to the idea of rest for our souls? [36:53]
4. The pastor shared a story about his daughter resting under a blanket with him. How does this picture help us understand what it means to rest in God’s presence? [41:28]
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### Application Questions
1. The sermon said, “We want relief, but we settle for distractions.” What are some distractions you turn to when you feel tired or overwhelmed? How do these compare to the rest Jesus offers? [29:44]
2. Jesus invites us to come to Him with our burdens, not just when we have it all together. What burdens or exhaustion are you carrying right now that you need to bring to Jesus? [38:37]
3. The Sabbath was described as a gift, not a rule. How can you make space in your week to intentionally rest in God’s presence, rather than just taking time off? [32:44]
4. The sermon said, “Rest is not about doing nothing, but about trusting everything to the One who has already finished the work.” What is one area of your life where you need to stop striving and start trusting God more? [35:56]
5. The pastor mentioned that God sees “the ones who smile in public but sigh in private.” Are there areas of your life where you feel unseen or unknown? How does knowing God sees and loves you change the way you approach Him? [39:32]
6. Think about the story of the blanket and the child resting in her father’s arms. What would it look like for you to “rest like a child” in God’s presence this week? Is there a practical way you can draw near to Him and simply be with Him? [41:28]
7. Whether you are new to faith or have been a Christian for years, the invitation is the same: come and rest. What is one step you can take this week to respond to Jesus’ invitation in Matthew 11:28? [38:37]
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Devotional
Day 1: True Rest Is Found in Christ, Not in Circumstances
The rest that God offers is not simply a break from work or a temporary escape from the pressures of life, but a deep, abiding spiritual rest that comes from trusting in Him. Unlike the fleeting comfort of a nap or a vacation, this rest is a state of soul—a place where striving ceases and trust in God begins. In a world that is constantly noisy and demanding, God invites His people to experience a rest that is rooted in relationship with Him, not in external circumstances or distractions. [27:10]
Hebrews 4:1-11 (ESV)
Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it. For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened. For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said, “As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest,’” although his works were finished from the foundation of the world. For he has somewhere spoken of the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works.” And again in this passage he said, “They shall not enter my rest.” Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience, again he appoints a certain day, “Today,” saying through David so long afterward, in the words already quoted, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on. So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience.
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you are seeking rest in distractions or temporary comforts instead of turning to Christ? How can you intentionally bring that area to Him today?
Day 2: Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath—Rest Is a Relationship
Jesus teaches that true Sabbath rest is not about following rules or religious requirements, but about entering into a relationship with Him, the Lord of the Sabbath. The Pharisees focused on external observance and control, but Jesus offers restoration and grace, inviting us to trust Him rather than striving to earn approval. Rest is not found in doing less, but in trusting more—knowing that Jesus Himself is our rest and that He desires us to be with Him, not just to follow regulations. [32:44]
Luke 6:1-5 (ESV)
On a Sabbath, while he was going through the grainfields, his disciples plucked and ate some heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands. But some of the Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?” And Jesus answered them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: 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?” And he said to them, “The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”
Reflection: In what ways have you made your relationship with God about rules or performance rather than simply being with Him? What would it look like to rest in His presence today?
Day 3: Jesus Invites the Weary to Himself for Soul Rest
Jesus extends a personal invitation to all who are weary and burdened, promising rest for their souls—not just relief from physical exhaustion, but deep spiritual renewal. This rest is not a poetic idea but a living promise from the Savior, who calls us to bring our burdens, weaknesses, and brokenness to Him. He offers Himself, not just a solution, and invites us to experience the peace and security that comes from being held by Him. [37:39]
Matthew 11:28 (ESV)
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Reflection: What burden or worry are you carrying today that you need to bring to Jesus? Take a moment to name it before Him and ask Him for His rest.
Day 4: Rest Comes from Trusting God, Not from Doing Nothing
Resting in God does not mean doing nothing or shirking responsibilities, but rather entrusting everything—our work, our worries, our striving—to the One who has finished the work for us. Jesus’ words, “It is finished,” remind us that we do not have to earn our worth or approval; we can rest because He has accomplished what we could not. This rest is a gift of grace, received by faith, and it frees us from the pressure to perform or hold everything together on our own. [35:56]
John 19:30 (ESV)
When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
Reflection: Where do you feel pressure to prove yourself or hold everything together? How can you surrender that pressure to Jesus and trust in His finished work?
Day 5: Rest Is an Invitation to Be with God as His Beloved Child
God’s invitation to rest is an invitation to draw near to Him, to sit in His presence as a beloved child, and to simply be with Him. Like a child resting securely beside a loving parent, we are called to stop striving, stop pretending, and allow ourselves to be known and loved by God. Sabbath rest is not just a day off, but a time to experience the security, peace, and joy of being with our Heavenly Father, who delights in us and invites us to rest in His love. [41:28]
Psalm 131:1-2 (ESV)
O LORD, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me. But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me.
Reflection: Set aside a few quiet minutes today to simply be with God—no agenda, no requests—just resting in His presence as His beloved child. What do you notice as you do this?
Quotes
Because the cross wasn't just Jesus saving you and saving me. It was also Jesus saying, it is finished. He's saying to your soul, it's finished. What Evan prayed about. You don't have to strive anymore. You don't have to work so hard at being approved by me. You don't have to earn your worth. You don't have to hold everything together. You don't have to be perfect in your performance. You don't have to carry what's crushing you. Because when Jesus is your Sabbath, you can exhale. You can breathe. [00:36:21] (52 seconds)
What does Jesus say? He says in Matthew 11, 28, Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. And that's not a nap. It's rest for your soul. That verse isn't just a poetic verse. That is a promise from the mouth of our Savior to each one of us. Come with your burdens. Come with your weakness. Come with your brokenness. Come with your baggage. God isn't just offering a nap. He's offering you and me himself. [00:38:15] (53 seconds)
The Pharisees wanted religion, requirements, control, control, status. Jesus was offering restoration. They enforced the law, all of their rules, and they made up more. And Jesus, he embodied grace. The Sabbath was never just about avoiding work. It was never just a day off. It was about entering worship. Entering his presence. Spending time with God. It's not about doing less. It's about trusting more. Because when you trust him, when you trust God, you can rest even when life doesn't. [00:33:55] (58 seconds)
Well, today I want to tell you that God wants to do more for you than to give you a blanket for comfort. He wants to not just give you rest. He wants to be your rest. God is spiritual rest. And we're going to look at what that means. Let me tell you this, that the rest that you're looking for, it isn't found on a pillow. [00:27:22] (26 seconds)
But Hebrews says, we rest not by doing nothing. We rest by trusting everything to the one who can do that, who can finish the work for us. [00:36:01] (16 seconds)
When Jesus said those words, I'm Lord of the Sabbath, he wasn't saying, you know, he's saying rest isn't a rule, isn't in a requirement, it's a relationship with him. And he wasn't just defending his disciples either. As I look at this, he was declaring, proclaiming a truth. And here's that truth. He is the rest that we're looking for. [00:33:27] (28 seconds)
As we've already heard, you don't just know us. You don't just know our names and where we are. You know every detail about us and you love us still. You see us. And you offer us something better. Not a religion to follow. Not rules to keep. Not requirements to burden us, but a rest to enter into. A rest that flows from a relationship with your son. A rest that tells the weary soul, you don't have to keep striving. [00:39:42] (45 seconds)
For the young, new believer, the one who's still learning to trust you, remind them that the grace that they've received isn't earned. It's a gift that you've given to each one of us. it's received and rest doesn't begin when we get it all right and we get it all together and we have all the answers it begins when we give it all to you and so we do that here in this place right now. [00:41:11] (34 seconds)
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