This document discusses the concept of rest in Christianity. It explores what rest is and is not, according to scripture. The key points made are: 1. True rest is found in Jesus Christ, who invites us to find peace by communing with him and taking on his gentle yoke. 2. Rest does not mean idleness but allows us to cease from fruitless striving. It produces good works through salvation. 3. By learning from Jesus, we gain the freedom of knowing God and experiencing his unforced rhythms of grace. True biblical rest is confidence in Christ, participation in his grace, and the freedom of our relationship with God and Jesus. It is the solution to

1. Greetings from Dr. Joseph Tkach

2. Real Rest In Christ

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8. Matthew 11:28-30 28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

9. What does this Scripture tell usabout REST? A. The futility of man’s striving What wears us out? What causes us to be tired? Physically: All of us wear out physically. We get tired. It is amazing that we need a vacation from taking a vacation. Our bodies waste way. That is called the aging process. We start dying from the time we are born.

10. What does this Scripture tell usabout REST? A. The futility of man’s striving What wears us out? What causes us to be tired? Emotionally: This is a deeper kind of restlessness. This is the weariness of the heart. People are also emotionally tired, carrying different burdens, problems, hurts, worries and fears. People strive to find comfort or solace in people, or things. But these are not the best solutions. People fail and let us down. Things may bring satisfaction but only for a while.

11. What does this Scripture tell usabout REST? A. The futility of man’s striving What wears us out? What causes us to be tired? Spiritually:here we speak of the thirsty soul, and the broken spirit that often goes with the guilt of doing some things that we know hurt us and others. People like to reach out to God, and in the process, they are led by some people towards things to do in order to be acceptable to God. That is called the legalism of religion, replacing Gods activity for activity towards God.

12. Types of Religious Legalism From Rick Warren Freddy the Pharisee: Rigid, narrow-minded, and legalistic, he has a rule for everything. His favorite word is "don't." And it's only natural for some people to fear they may become just like that if they become a Christian. But Jesus called people like Freddy the Pharisee, "blind guides," saying, "You strain your water so you won't accidentally swallow a gnat, but you swallow a camel!" (Matthew 23:24 NLT).

13. Types of Religious Legalism From Rick Warren Sam Self-righteous: Holier-than-thou attitude and judgmental of others, her favorite phrase is "Thank God, I'm not like you!"

14. Types of Religious Legalism From Rick Warren Billy Bible-thumper: He's an obnoxious and overzealous crusader. His favorite phrase is "Turn or burn!" Yet, God's plan for bringing us home to him is full of love, grace, and sacrifice (John 3:16-17 NIV).

15. Types of Religious Legalism From Rick Warren Pauline Praise-eluia: She can't speak without religious clichés. Everything is a miracle or the Devil did it. But God doesn't want you to stop thinking when you become a Christian; in fact, he wants to give you the mind of Christ(1 Corinthians 2:16 NIV).

16. What does this Scripture tell usabout REST? A. The futility of man’s striving What wears us out? What causes us to be tired? B. The sufficiencyof Christ

17. The Sufficiency of Christ He is the door to eternal life that we might go in,He is the great Shepherd who has offered his life for our need, He is the great physician by whose wounds we are healed, he is the bread of life that sustains us, the one who has calmed the storm, and He is the one who raised the dead to life. And He is risen. If you are weary and burdened with life’s burdens, He is someone you can count on.

18. 1 The Confidence of Communion with Him Come to Me…

19. The closer we are to Him subjectively, the greater and deeper is our peace. The farther from Him we get and on to other things, the greater is our striving.

20. Before we can even come to Him, He has come to us. Before we can even accept Him. He has already accepted us. Loved us. 2 Corinthians 1:3 says He is the God of all comfort. We worry about many things, and while it is right to be concerned, the Lord invites us to entrust our cares to Him. This is what faith and trust in him is about.

21. His nearness to us is true, regardless of our doubts and feelings. The invitation remains fresh: Come to Me. It is the call of the Lord to believe and be in union with Him. He is there wherever we are and whoever we may be.

22. 2 The Grace of Participating with Him Take My Yoke…

23. The yoke is also a symbolism of OBEDIENCE. Submission to Christ’s Lordship, which is an obedience that produces joy. Submission to Christ is the greatest freedom of all.

24. Dictionary Definition rest (rest) noun peace, ease, and refreshment as produced by sleep or repose, or a period of thisrefreshing ease or inactivity after work or exertion a period or occasion of inactivity, as during work or on a journey relief from anything distressing, annoying, tiring, etc. peace of mind; mental and emotional calm; tranquillty the repose of death absence of motion; state of being still; immobility a resting or stopping place; shelter or lodging place, as for travelers, sailors, etc. a thing or device for supporting something; support: often used in combination: a footrest Music a measured interval of silence between tones any of various symbols indicating the length of such an interval Prosody, a short pause in a line of verse; caesura

25. Dictionary Definition rest (rest) intransitive verb to get peace, ease, and refreshment by sleeping, lying down, etc. to sleep to get ease and refreshment by ceasing from work or exertion to be at ease or at peace; be tranquil to be dead to be or become quiet, still, or inactive for a while to remain without change or further action: to let a matter rest to be, or seem to be, supported; specif., to lie, sit, or lean to be placed, based, or founded (in, on, upon, etc.)

26. What this REST is NOT: It is not a life of idleness. Good works do not produce salvation, but salvation produces good works (Ephesians 2:10)

27. What this REST is NOT: It is not a life of wrecklessness. "Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly.“ – Matthew 11:28-30, The Message

28. 3 The Freedom of Knowing Jesus and the Father Learn from Me…

29. What this Scripture tells us: Jesus is the One who reveals the Father. He is willing to share His knowledge and relationship with everyone. To Him, this is the ultimate wisdom: whoever knows Jesus, knows the Father in heaven.

30. 1 The Confidence of Communion with Him Come to Me… 2 The Grace of Participating with Him Take My Yoke 3 The Freedom of Knowing Jesus and the Father Learn from Me

31. Reflections Believe and embrace the Confidence, the Grace and the Freedom that we have in Christ.

32. Live that dream, for Life!

33. Psalm 62:5-6 Find rest, my soul, in God alone; My hope comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will not be shaken.