Tag Archives: rest

Pastor Wrinkles: Laboring To Rest Pt. 2

Posted on by under Pastor Wrinkles

This post is part two in our sermon from Sunday 11-30-14. If you missed part 1 you can find it here:

http://wp.me/p39vIx-1mB

Our leading Scripture is found in Hebrews 4:11

“ Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest lest any man lest any man fall after the  same example of unbelief.”

 

So what does laboring to rest mean?

Does it mean that if we work hard eventually we will get to rest in Heaven as a reward for our labors?

Some say that Christianity is a religion of “do’s” and “don’ts”, that if we are ever to make it to Heaven we have to work very hard for it.

They might say something like,”Be good.Be saintly and God might just find you good enough to let you enter Heaven.”

Many people  labor under the false idea that God  is up in Heaven with a calculator right now tabulating good works versus bad works. When asked if they expect to go to Heaven their answer is that they hope that they are basically good people and that God will find their good works to outweigh their bad works and so He will let them into Heaven; But this is not biblical and it is certainly not what Jesus or the writer to the Hebrews meant when they suggested that we labor to enter into rest.

Paul the apostle Paul questioned

 “What shall we conclude then? Do we have any advantage?”

And he was right when he concluded

” Not at all! For we have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin. 10 As it is written:

 “There is no one righteous, not even one;

11     there is no one who understands;

    there is no one who seeks God.

12 All have turned away,

    they have together become worthless;

there is no one who does good,

    not even one.” Romans 3: 9-12

Later he wrote:

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Eph. 2:8-10

The work and the labor spoken of do not speak of our own works or of Heaven.

Good works can never earn us entrance into Heaven. Our works will never be good enough to earn us a place in Heaven. Our place in Heaven is only guaranteed by our faith in Jesus Christ.

Jesus , himself,said “For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

So we see that what God requires of us in order to get into Heaven is not a list of good works but a daily living faith in Jesus Christ.

Paul the apostle wrote in Romans 10 that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: 9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. 11 As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame. 12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

And again in the book of Ephesians chapter 2 He tells us it is by grace you are saved through faith.

Have you realized what we are to labor at yet? Tune in tomorrow!

Pastor Wrinkles: Laboring To Rest Pt. 1

Posted on by under Pastor Wrinkles
Me reclining after walking up the "Rocky" stairs at the Philadelphia Art Museum.

Me reclining after walking up the “Rocky” stairs at the Philadelphia Art Museum.

Today in our church we continued our study through the paradoxes of Scripture. As our  Lead Pastor, Barry Risto,  has shared many times over the past few weeks:

a paradox is simply- Something that is made up of two opposite things that seems impossible but that is actually true or possible.

Here are some examples of paradoxes.

 

“You are never too old to become younger!”

― Mae West

 

“The Universe is very, very big.

It also loves a paradox. For example, it has some extremely strict rules.

Rule number one: Nothing lasts forever.

Not you or your family or your house or your planet or the sun. It is an absolute rule. Therefore when someone says that their love will never die, it means that their love is not real, for everything that is real dies.

Rule number two: Everything lasts forever.” Craig Ferguson

Today’s Scriptural paradox  says, “If we are ever to find rest then we must labor for it.”

This is found in Scripture verses like Hebrews 4:11

“ Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest lest any man fall after the  same example of unbelief.”

And Ma 11:28-30

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

 

So how do we find ourselves laboring to rest? How is it possible to work hard and rest at the same time? How can we labor to enter rest? How can we take on a yoke (a burden a chore) and find rest?

Let’s start by talking about some of the myths about Christian labor and rest. Let’s talk about what it does not mean.

  1. Laboring to rest does not mean that Christians never get weary. Some people say if you labor for God perfectly and in the things that God wants you to really do, then you will never get tired. Some say that any sign of weariness means you are not listening to what God is really telling you to do because if you were you would have enough energy.
  2. and not be tired.

But even Paul the apostle said he had served the church…

“In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.” 2 Cor. 11:27

We will get weary.

Isaiah 40 says, “Even princes get weary… but they that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength.”

Weariness is to be considered a normal part of this life.

  1. Neither does laboring to rest mean we should never rest. Some people say that the Christian life is all about exhausting every bit of energy you have and never resting.  I have heard Christians say “I’ll rest when I’m dead. There are souls to save.”

But we are not the savior and the same Lord that told us to go out into the harvest field said “The Sabbath the day of rest was made for man.”

What are some myths you have discovered about labor and rest in the Christian life?

The Call To Peace

Posted on by under Pastor Wrinkles

Ireland is calling my name. My daughter Amanda and I started planning this trip a year ago. It was paid off in May and by August I was having misgivings as I looked at how packed the fall schedule was. There have been moments in this journey toward Eire that I wondered how I was ever going to squeeze it in between worship leading, camps, Fall fests, art shows, committee meetings, concert promoting, preparing for double worship services starting OCtober 19th and two weddings (one of which is my youngest daughters).

As I sit typing this last live post before boarding Aerlingus (the rest of the next two week’s posts are scheduled so please be prepared to keep reading) I see God had this in mind after all.

I am completely spent. Weeks of hard work both physical and mental have left me spent and hurting. I have developed tendonitis in both wrists and I have two fingers that are completely numb. I am having trouble lifting one of my arms above the shoulder and I just really need a break from details.

What amazes me is that God knew even when I did not that I would need this twelve day respite in the midst of my autumn harvest if I was going to make it through. He is a God who calls us to peace and even though we cannot predict our path He can! All we have to do is keep committing our way to Him and He will direct our paths aright!

We Are Not Done Yet!

Posted on by under Pastor Wrinkles

To all those weary souls out there who think they have no fight left in them Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Ma 11:28-30

Rest can only be found in the arms of Jesus, nowhere else. It’s time to take Jesus up on His invitation. Come away from the world through quiet prayer and solitude and you will be healed.

 

 

 

Gettin’ On the Slow Train (A bop)

Posted on by under The Stories

100_0763A.M. train runs too fast.

Commuters out the door before she slows to stop.

Buttons pushed on elevators going nowhere,

Deadlines drive the fingers shut out the mind.

Push. Push. Push. the boss man drives to the top floor

Can’t fall behind. The boss man texts “Get ‘er done.”

The Message says, “One step ahead. Stay one step ahead”

This midnight train don’t run to Georgia. The project’s on my mind.

A clackety-clack text trap  made in pillows.

I hear the hummin’ even in my dreams.

I wish for  tunnels that aren’t filled with dreams gone dead.

” Remind. Rewind. Be kind to yourself.” I hear but then,

“Push! Push! Push!” goes the Monday to Sunday message

The boss man wants to get to the top.

But is it so? Ain’t He already there?

The message says, “One step ahead. Stay one step ahead.”

Take a breath. Take a break. Missed the train today.

Sabbath comes when pillows make no sound and nights don’t hum with texted goals.

When dreams are tunnels that lead to lands where Mammon ain’t no god

Slow is the word heard.

To “Push!” I just puff and accept “Up” is the boss man’s business not mine.

I am born again the little boy who played with trains but never rode them.

The message says, “One step ahead. Stay one step ahead.”