JESUS OUR SABBATH REST (BY ZACH BUNYE)
• Sabbath in Hebrew means to rest.
• The first mention of rest is in Genesis 2:1-3.
• God did not rest because He is tired. Isaiah 40 says that God does not grow tired and weary.
• The word rest here in Hebrew is Shabbat meaning to cease or to stop working.
• God rested because the work was finished not because He was tired.
• On the 7th day, He rested because His work was complete and perfect.
• God has not created anything new since He rested. He put in the mechanism of reproduction.
• God, in His perfect knowledge, has already accounted for everything in this world.
• Lahat ng materials andito na sa earth, na-discover na lang natin. New discovery but not new creation.
• Sabbath also refers to the 7th day of the week where Jewish people rest. (Saturday) Jews are not
allowed to work.
• For us, Christians, we don’t partake in the Sabbath like the Jews because we are not under the law.
We are under the New Covenant.
• We gather and worship on a Sunday (not Saturday); Jesus rose from the grave on a Sunday, the Lord’s Day.
• Colossians 2:17 – Sabbath is just a shadow of Jesus.
• In the New Covenant, Jesus is our Sabbath rest.
• Matthew 11:28-30
o Yoke – wooden beam na nakatali sa leeg ng ox.
o Jesus used this illustration to say His yoke is lighter than the yoke of the law.
o Jesus is telling us that His teachings and His ways will give us rest unlike the law that keeps us
working.
o There is no rest under the law; it is a never-ending offering of sacrifice for sins.
• Once we come to Jesus, we enter His eternal rest. We know that because of Jesus’ finished work at
Calvary, all the requirements of the law have been fulfilled.
• John 19:30 – Jesus said, “Tetelestai!” Meaning it is finished. It is fully paid. Completed transaction.
• Hebrews 10:11-12 – Jesus offered one sacrifice for our sins forever and then sat down at the right
hand of the Father. He rested. Same as the Father.
• Jesus rested because the work was finished, complete.
• Wala na tayong dapat idagdag! This is the gospel, the good news!
• When we are in Christ, all our righteous works also stop. (Hebrews 4:10) We cannot add to the
finished work.
• Just to be clear, Christ’s sacrifice is about our salvation and healing.
• Ephesians 2:10 – Good works – it’s not about getting saved or getting God’s blessings, but our
response to being saved.
• Warning about not being in God’s rest – Hebrews 3:7-11 (talks about the Israelites from Egypt).
• The writer of Hebrews is warning us about being unbelieving and not being able to enter God’s rest.
(Hebrews 3:12-15)
• So we need to encourage each other daily. To stir up each other with the scriptures.
• Proverbs 27:17 – Iron sharpens iron so a person sharpens another.
• Kaya importante talaga that we are in a faith group. We have to be discipled.
• Hebrews 3:16-19 – refers to the Exodus.
• The story of Exodus is a picture of Jesus freeing us from the bondage of sin.
o Egypt represents our bondage to sin.
o Moses represents Jesus.
o Moses freeing the Israelites from Egypt represents Jesus freeing us from the bondage of sin
and death.
o The Promised Land or the Land of Canaan represents God’s rest.
• The Israelites even experienced daily miracle – manna from heaven; the pillar of cloud by day and the
pillar of fire by night, and yet they did not enter into God’s rest because of unbelief.
• Parallel in the New Testament: Jesus died for all but not everyone believes/accepts His sacrifice. Not
everyone believes in Him. (John 3:16-18)
• Salvation is a free gift but not everyone wants to accept. Not everyone wants God; they want to be
their own god.
• Regarding universalists – Yes, God is love. But He is also just and a perfect judge. For the sinners, He
sent His Son. God will not force you to be with Him in eternity; that’s not love. But not everyone wants
to go to heaven.
• Do not be a Sabbath breaker – when we are in His rest, but we have a wrong mindset when we are
doing good works.
• The motivation of good works is not to be saved, blessed, healed. Jesus already did it for you.
o 1 Peter 2:24 – By whose stripes you were healed.
o Ephesians 1:3 – You already have the blessing!
• When we pray, we are just declaring what God has already said and done.
• Why should we read the Bible or go to church? 2 Peter 3:18 – to grow in the grace and knowledge of
our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
• When we cast our cares upon Him, we are resting in Him. (1 Peter 5:7)
• When you tithe and give your
offering, you are resting – “Lord, You
are my Source and You will multiple
what I have sown.”
• Ex. Adam – as soon as he was created,
he entered God’s rest but was kicked
out because of his unbelief. They
broke the Sabbath.
• We must labor to enter His rest –
Hebrews 4:11.
• How? Let us take these truths and
meditate on it day and night: That He
has healed us, made us rich, blessed
us. It has to be a revelation or real to
you. It’s one thing to hear it and
another thing to believe it.
• Hebrews 4:1-2 – Believe. Mix the
word which you have heard with faith.
Sabbath in Hebrew means to rest.
God, on the 7th day, rested because His work was complete
and perfect.
For us, believers, Sabbath is just a shadow of Jesus.
In the New Covenant, Jesus is our Sabbath rest.
His teachings and His ways give us rest
unlike the law that keeps us working.
Once we come to Him, we enter His eternal rest.
Our righteous works also cease because Jesus finished the
work for our salvation and healing.
Instead, we respond with good works.
When we pray, we are just declaring what God has already
said and done.
When we cast our cares upon Him, when we tithe and give
our offering, we rest in Him.
We labor to enter this rest by renewing our minds daily
and we strengthen our faith by hearing the Word of God.
• Many believe they are already saved but not blessed or healed.
• What did God say? What does the scripture say? It will not profit you if you do not believe it.
• Let us labor to enter this rest by renewing our minds daily.
• Strengthen our faith by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God – Romans 10:17.
• Keep on reading the Bible, coming to church, attending your Faith Group, talking to others about the
scriptures.
• Colossians 2:6-7 – Walk in Him, live out your faith.