Participants:
Series Code: SSP
Program Code: SSP210027S
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00:01 Hello, friends, welcome to our 3ABN Sabbath School Panel.
00:03 Today, we begin a brand new quarter 00:05 and the entire theme is Rest in Christ. 00:09 We thank you so much for taking the time to join us. 00:11 We know that you enjoy 00:13 what God does through this panel, 00:14 and we pray that you'll stay with us 00:16 as we walk through the Word of God together. 00:19 We know that you'd like to get a copy of the lesson, 00:21 you can go to ABSG.Adventist.org 00:25 to download a copy 00:26 or go to your local Seventh-day Adventist Church 00:29 where you can join with them in an exciting study. 00:33 We thank Gerald and Chantal Klingbeil 00:35 for authoring this lesson. 00:37 But today, the lesson is living in a 24/7 world. 00:41 Join us for an exciting excursion 00:43 through God's Word. 01:14 Hello, friends, welcome to our 3ABN Sabbath School Panel. 01:17 Once again, I'm John Lomacang. 01:19 Thank you for taking the time to join us in a new quarter. 01:23 As I reiterated at the, as I shared at the beginning, 01:25 this is about rest in Jesus. 01:27 And we're going to talk about rest on various levels. 01:30 We're going to talk about worn and weary 01:31 which is what we're going to cover today. 01:33 And then Pastor Kenny is going to do running on empty. 01:36 Jill is going to do defining rest of the Old Testament. 01:40 Ryan, defining rest in the New Testament. 01:42 And, Shelley, a restless wanderer. 01:44 That's not what she is, 01:46 but that's what you're gonna talk about. 01:47 Thank you. 01:48 And our 3ABN family is always excited 01:50 that you take the time to join us. 01:51 Pastor Kenny, thank you for being here today. 01:53 It's good to be here always to study the Word of God. 01:56 Really I'm excited about these lessons 01:58 as it brought about some things in my own personal study. 02:00 It's been a blessing to me. Yes. 02:01 And, Jill, are you ready? 02:03 I'm ready. Absolutely. 02:04 I always love a new quarter 02:06 as we dive in on rest in Christ. 02:08 It's great topic. 02:09 And, Ryan, I know you're mister theology therein. 02:12 I don't know about that, but I'm certainly... 02:14 Excited about it. 02:15 Excited as always, 02:16 and here on 3ABN Sabbath School Panel, 02:18 if nothing else, you will get 02:19 the rest of the story right here. 02:21 Oh, I like that. 02:23 Shelley, what do you have today? 02:24 I'm not even going to try to follow up on that. 02:26 I'm just glad to be here with you all. 02:29 It's an, you know, it's really a great study. 02:32 When you see the title rest in Christ, 02:34 it's kind of like where are we going? 02:36 But, boy, we're gonna cover a lot. 02:38 Okay? 02:40 Well, Ryan, would you have prayer for us? 02:41 Yes, absolutely. Let's pray. 02:43 Our Father in heaven, Lord, here we are, again, 02:46 another quarter, another blessing 02:48 that we can receive Lord and also bestow 02:51 upon those who are joining us from all around the world, 02:54 Lord, as we take a head first dive 02:57 into Your Word once more 02:58 to talk about rest, rest in you. 03:01 And, Lord, I just thank You so much 03:02 for the opportunity that each and every one of us 03:04 have here on this panel 03:05 to be able to participate in this study, Lord, 03:08 and we certainly need Your Holy Spirit right now. 03:11 So, Lord, bestow Your Spirit upon us, 03:12 give us the leadership and the guidance that 03:14 we need to rightly divide Your word of truth 03:17 and may this message go out 03:18 and draw so many including us to our Savior, Jesus Christ. 03:21 We ask in His name. 03:23 Amen. Amen. 03:25 You know, as we began, 03:26 we look at our memory text for today in Psalm 84:2. 03:30 The psalmist write, 03:32 "My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth 03:36 for the courts of the Lord: 03:38 my heart and my flesh crieth out 03:41 for the living God." 03:43 Sounds like a person who's experiencing anxiety, 03:45 but know that he needs something 03:48 other than what he already has. 03:50 And I'm sure you've heard the phrase, 03:51 time waits for no one. 03:53 We're going to talk about that today, 03:55 because we live in a 24/7 society. 03:57 We live in a digital world, wrapped in a 5G environment 04:01 making nanosecond decisions. 04:03 And we think about all the things coming at us 04:05 from different directions, the young and the old. 04:07 There are those that are sick, those that are tired. 04:10 There are those that are sick and tired. 04:13 And there are those that are running on empty 04:15 as the lesson is going to be as we're going to see today. 04:17 And there are those who have households 04:21 that are always on edge 04:23 that comes into a vortex of activity. 04:26 Mom is not able to rest from the children 04:28 that are pulling at her from different directions. 04:30 And I think about sometimes how we face the Sabbath, 04:32 we're just sliding into Sabbath preparation. 04:35 And the sun is just setting and we're just turning off 04:39 the very last thing that we need to get rid of 04:42 before the Sabbath starts. 04:43 So we're gonna talk about 04:44 how needed it is for us to rest in a world like today. 04:49 We don't only have email, we have texting nowadays, 04:51 and that's something you can't shut down. 04:53 Who came up with the idea of texting? 04:55 They ought to be arrested. 04:57 We ought to have a chance to rest. 04:59 There was a time that when you get in your car, 05:02 and you are driving away from the phone, 05:03 you can actually rest until you get to the house 05:05 where the phone is. 05:07 Somebody found out how to make the phone portable, 05:09 and we have less rest. 05:11 And people are impatient. 05:12 They text you, and they text you 05:14 a second later, did you not get my text, 05:17 while you're answering someone else's text. 05:20 Boy, do we need rest. 05:22 Amen. 05:24 I like to lead in the question 05:25 as the Sabbath School writers pointed out, 05:26 why would God create a day of rest before man ever sinned? 05:32 You know, the answer simply is 05:33 God is a forward-looking God. 05:36 He knew how He created His beings. 05:38 It's like saying, why create a gas station 05:40 before you build the next car. 05:42 Because we knew that 05:44 that car is going to need fuel to continue to go on. 05:45 Why create all these extra parts 05:47 before the car even breaks down? 05:50 Because the manufacturer knows what the car's limitations are. 05:53 And when God made us, God knew our limitations. 05:56 So this entire quarter, we're going to talk about 05:58 the limitations that God sees on us. 06:01 The limitations that God knows 06:03 has been imposed on us because of sin. 06:05 And I'm going to dive into the lesson called 06:07 Worn and Weary, which is Sunday's lesson. 06:10 Turn to Sunday with us. 06:11 And let's look at our text in Genesis Chapter 2. 06:15 We're going to point out the beauty of God knowing 06:19 what His creation would need, 06:21 and how God always moves ahead of humanity. 06:24 I'm so thankful that God doesn't say, 06:26 well, you know what? 06:27 I think I need to create holidays 06:29 because they need a vacation. 06:31 God saw everything that He knew we would need. 06:35 And He included that in creation. 06:38 Genesis 2:1-3, on the lesson Worn and Weary. 06:44 We read in Genesis 2:1, 06:46 "Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, 06:49 and all the host of them. 06:52 And on the seventh day God ended His work 06:56 which He had made, 06:57 and He rested on the seventh day 07:00 from all His work which He had made." 07:03 Look at that, God rested. 07:04 Yeah. Amen. 07:06 We know that 07:07 he who keeps Israel neither sleeps nor slumbers. 07:10 So there has to be something deeper to this 07:12 than just God saying, 07:14 I'm just so tired, how many galaxies it is, 07:18 I need a break. 07:20 No, God is not one who gets exhausted. 07:24 So there has to be a deeper reason 07:25 why God rested. 07:27 And then we read what else He did in verse 3. 07:29 "And God blessed the seventh day, 07:32 and sanctified it: 07:34 because that in it 07:35 He had rested from all His work 07:37 which God created and made." 07:40 So, Jill, I'm gonna bring out five points, 07:43 gonna kind of beat you to the point today. 07:45 Five things that we could find can be a benefit 07:47 why God allowed rest to be a part of our diet. 07:52 And let me just say this, 07:53 if you're not a person that takes time to rest, 07:56 you're going to wear out very quickly. 07:58 Rest is essential. 08:00 And rest is not something that we can put off 08:02 for many, many, many, many months down the road. 08:04 God has built into creation a weekly rest 08:07 for each one of us. 08:09 Don't take that weekly rest to work on something else. 08:12 Take that weekly rest, to spend time with the Lord, 08:14 shut the world down, close the books, 08:17 close the laptop, 08:19 put the iPad down, turn off social media, 08:22 and find a refreshing time in the presence of God. 08:25 So here's the question, 08:27 why did God create a rest day before anyone was even tired? 08:30 Let's go to Mark 6:31. 08:33 The first point I want to make is God did not create man 08:36 for a perpetually busy life. 08:40 God did not create us for a perpetually busy life. 08:44 Mark 6:31. 08:48 Jesus speaking to His disciples. 08:50 "And He said to them, 08:52 'Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place 08:57 and rest a while.' 08:59 For there are many coming and going, 09:02 and they did not even have time to eat.'" 09:05 Sounds like you, Pastor Kenny. 09:07 You haven't eaten for a while, 09:09 taken a six day hiatus from food. 09:13 And how you feel? Yeah. 09:15 Good. Okay. 09:16 Actually feel good. Actually feel good. 09:18 Yeah. 09:19 And sometimes we do that, sometimes we take a, 09:21 what do we call that, a hiatus from... 09:22 What do they call that? 09:24 Fasting. Yeah. 09:25 And giving the organs in the body 09:28 a chance to rest digestively. 09:30 Got to be careful how you do that though. 09:33 But notice what the Lord said here. 09:35 He says, "Come aside and rest a while." 09:37 And when you study the life of Jesus. 09:38 In one instance, Jesus went to a secular city 09:42 to get away from religious people. 09:45 Now think about that. 09:46 You got to think about that. 09:48 He went to a secular city to get away 09:49 from religious people. 09:51 But when they heard that Jesus was going to be there, 09:54 and they Follow Him and met Him there. 09:57 The Lord is saying, 09:58 don't get locked in a perpetually busy cycle 10:01 and forget to eat. 10:03 Because the things that are going to come to you 10:05 are going to be more demanding 10:07 than you can ever handle unless you take time to rest. 10:09 Second one, Psalm 4:8, 10:12 God created us to have a time of rest 10:15 and refreshment. 10:16 Psalm 4:8, we read, "I will both lie down in peace 10:21 and sleep, for You alone, 10:23 O Lord, make me dwell in safety." 10:27 Yes. 10:28 Lie down in peace and sleep. 10:30 There's some people that lie down that can't sleep. 10:32 Has it ever happened to you? 10:34 You know, when you think and I learned as a young pastor 10:36 how to shut my mind off. 10:38 I was doing an evangelistic series. 10:39 And you know, I can't afford to lose 10 pounds, 10:41 but I lost 10 pounds. 10:42 Because all I was thinking about all the details 10:45 that I need to work on what the Bible says, 10:47 take no thought for tomorrow. 10:49 And I had to learn that. 10:51 So now when I go to bed at night, 10:52 I don't care what tomorrow is going to be. 10:54 I'll be out in five minutes. Yeah. 10:56 That's just how I've determined in my mind, 10:58 I'm going to lay down in peace and sleep. 11:02 The third point, Exodus 32:12, 11:05 God knew that in difficult times, 11:08 people would misunderstand Him. 11:10 You know, when you get exhausted, 11:12 it skews your understanding about Christ. 11:14 Look at Exodus 32:12. 11:15 Do you have that, Jill? 11:17 Exodus 32:12. Oh, I'm in Genesis 32:12. 11:20 I was thinking, where are you going with that? 11:22 Exactly. 11:23 Okay, Exodus 32:12, 11:26 "Why should the Egyptians speak, 11:27 and say, 'He brought them out to harm them, 11:29 to kill them in the mountains, 11:31 and to consume them from the face of the earth?' 11:33 Turn from Your fierce wrath, 11:35 and relent from this harm to Your people.'" 11:37 Okay, now, you might wonder what that's all about. 11:40 They were begging for rest from the bondage of Egypt. 11:43 That's right. 11:44 Now God freed them from the bondage of Egypt 11:47 to give them rest, and all of a sudden, 11:50 because of their recalcitrant behavior, 11:53 they began to be subject almost to the judgments of God. 11:58 But in this passage, if God had had poured on them 12:03 His judgments, the Egyptians would have said, 12:05 you know, we don't have anything to worry about. 12:07 God took care of them for us. 12:09 And so this is in essence saying, 12:10 turn from your fierce 12:12 wrath, and relent from this harm to Your people. 12:15 They were not telling God to stop. 12:17 But the intermediary Moses appealed to the Lord 12:22 to give his people a second chance. 12:26 And I think the Lord that sometimes we have people 12:28 that are intermediary, 12:29 they mediate for us to our Lord, 12:33 so that what God knows that we are worthy of, 12:37 what God knows that we deserve. 12:40 God doesn't change His mind because we manipulate Him. 12:43 But God is a God of mercy, who gives us a second chance. 12:46 Praise Him for that. 12:47 Two more points. 12:48 Deuteronomy 5:14, 12:50 God established a time 12:51 where all of creation can rest, where all of creation can rest. 12:56 And this, by the way, 12:57 is the second writing of the Ten Commandments. 13:00 This is to the generation that grew up 13:03 in the wilderness journey. 13:05 The children that came out of Egypt, 13:07 they didn't have a clue about what the Sabbath was. 13:09 But here's what the Bible says, as they are reminded. 13:11 Deuteronomy 5:14, 13:13 "But the seventh day 13:14 is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. 13:16 In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, 13:18 nor your daughter, nor your male servant, 13:20 nor your female servant, nor your ox, 13:22 nor your donkey, nor any of your cattle, 13:25 nor your stranger who is within your gates, 13:27 that your male servant and your female servant 13:31 may rest as well as you." 13:34 Reason I don't go to restaurants on Sabbath, 13:37 because they deserve rest too. 13:38 And by giving them rest, and they say, 13:41 "Well, I haven't seen you this Big Bowl? 13:42 I don't do this. 13:44 You need to take a day of rest as I do. 13:45 And finally, God established a time 13:47 where all of creation can find solace in Him. 13:51 This is an appeal to you. 13:54 Matthew 11:28, "Come to Me, all you who labor 13:58 and are heavy laden," together, "and I will give you rest." 14:03 So if you are worn and weary, 14:06 this is a good time to plan rest in your calendar 14:09 because God did not create you to be perpetually busy. 14:12 Pastor Kenny? 14:14 Beautiful. Thank you very much said. 14:16 A good foundation, 14:17 always appreciate a good foundation 14:19 and building construction for years that's important, 14:21 and in the Word of God even more important. 14:23 We're going to be talking about Monday's lesson, 14:24 Running on Empty. 14:25 And I think this probably was especially maybe for me 14:28 and I hope each one of you think 14:30 kind of the same thing. 14:31 There's something we can glean out of this 14:33 when you run on empty. 14:34 I always said myself, what good am I? 14:37 What good am I to myself? 14:38 What good am I to God, to my fellow man, 14:41 when I'm on empty. 14:42 And, you know, Jeremiah describe, 14:45 I think was Baruch received a message from God 14:48 and this really come out in the lesson real strong. 14:50 I think some we need to really consider, 14:52 all that was going on, 14:53 all that was soon to happen the city's destruction, 14:56 you know, by the Babylonians 14:58 that the exile, the loss, 15:00 everything that was getting ready to happen. 15:02 And I think at this point in time Jeremiah 15:04 was in jail, prison. 15:06 And so, you know, 15:08 his scribe really couldn't get to talk to him 15:11 the way he wanted to. 15:12 So all this stuff was laid upon him. 15:14 And so he became discouraged. 15:17 He became despondent. 15:18 He became to the point to 15:20 where he just didn't know what he was going to do. 15:22 And, you know, this guy was maybe 15:24 like many of us today, 15:25 he was in a situation to where he, 15:28 he loved to work for others, he loved to work for God. 15:31 But he had aspirations. 15:33 He had some aspiration of doing more than 15:35 what he was doing at that point in time. 15:36 And so he wanted to see that happen. 15:37 And now that with 15:39 what was happening in the country, 15:40 where he's at, he's saying that 15:41 there's no way that I can expand the way, 15:43 I can grow in a way, I can continue on, 15:44 the uncertainty of the world that we live in. 15:48 I look at that today and some of the aspirations 15:50 that some people have, 15:51 that young people have and older people have, 15:53 you're wondering, 15:54 will these things ever play out? 15:56 And sometimes it can cause a little depression, 15:58 little anxiety, and sometimes 16:00 we lose our hold on Christ. 16:02 And I've said some time, and I've heard people say, 16:05 I'll tell you, I'm just drained. 16:07 Have you heard that? I'm just drained. 16:08 Right. 16:09 And sometimes I feel like I'm just drained. 16:11 And I don't know 16:12 if it's wrong to really say that or not, 16:14 I don't think we should get to that point. 16:16 Because just Pastor John laid the foundation, 16:18 there's rest, and we need to take that rest. 16:20 And sometime I use that myself, come apart and rest a while. 16:23 And I need to use that more. 16:25 But sometimes we run on empty or we run, you know, 16:28 to where we're... 16:30 My dad sometimes said, son, you're running on fumes. 16:33 You know, I don't know 16:34 what empty means and running on fumes, 16:36 but running on fumes means you're just about out. 16:38 It's about all she wrote. 16:40 And so, again, what do we have to give to someone else. 16:43 It's more than just about us. 16:44 It's more than about even our family. 16:46 It's about God's work. 16:47 We need to be top condition mentally, physically, 16:50 spiritually, that we might help others along the way. 16:53 And again, I don't want to be running on fumes. 16:55 We have aches and we have pains and, 16:57 you know, and sometimes we ask ourselves, 16:59 "Does God really care?" 17:01 I just had a man yesterday that said, 17:02 I don't think God really cares. 17:04 Well, that's, it's a sad question to come 17:06 from an individual who knows God, you know, 17:09 and sometimes we say that and then say, 17:11 "How can we do it in our human mind 17:13 and in our human thinking?" 17:16 God, at least to me, 17:17 God has had His share of disappointments too, 17:19 His share of disappointment 17:20 when He look at each one of us sometime 17:22 and how miserably we have failed, 17:23 that we'll come back to Him. 17:25 Praise God. 17:26 But you know, a little different maybe 17:27 than way we look at here 17:29 because we've rebelled against Him. 17:30 Lesson on Monday Sinners around Jeremiah 45. 17:32 So get your Bible out and just jot down these. 17:34 We won't be able to go through it all. 17:35 But Jeremiah 45:1-5, 17:38 which just tells of Baruch's emotional health, 17:42 and maybe ours, you know, we think about mentally, 17:45 physically, so he's emotional. 17:47 And so, as we read Jeremiah 45:1, 17:49 it tells us that the word that Jeremiah spoke, 17:52 he spoke to his prophet. 17:54 Again, he was in prison himself, 17:55 but he was encouraging. 17:57 You love it. 17:58 Sometimes people are going through 17:59 some terrible things them self, but you know, 18:01 they can speak words of encouragement and share 18:02 when somebody else 18:03 needs that along the way in time of need. 18:05 Jeremiah 45:3 just simply says this that Jeremiah's, 18:09 we call his secretary, this point, he ran empty. 18:12 He was running on empty. 18:14 He couldn't really seem to go anymore. 18:15 And he said, what? How do we know that? 18:17 Well, Jeremiah 45:3 said, Woe is me. 18:21 I don't know if anybody's ever said that beside me. 18:24 Woe is me. 18:25 And, you know, sometime if I get, 18:26 if I come to that point, woe is me. 18:29 The Holy Spirit, I thank God for impressing me, woe is you. 18:31 Is that right? Really. 18:33 You know, really, you look around, 18:34 and that's all we need to do. 18:36 Woe is me. 18:37 And so and it really because, you know, Jeremiah as he visit, 18:41 the scribe visit him in prison, and so on and so forth. 18:43 We had the king and his men, 18:45 everybody seemed to turn against him. 18:47 The prophet's message we say here. 18:48 It was enough going on, he almost lost his mind. 18:53 Again, he was looking for a future, 18:55 he was looking to do something, 18:56 maybe in the cause of Christ, 18:57 he was looking for something different, 18:59 but he's running on empty 19:00 because of what was going out. 19:02 He was depressed, and sometime we call it down and out. 19:05 I don't like that down and out. 19:06 I don't like that, I've been depressed and so on. 19:08 Many people go through that by the millions. 19:10 And, you know, I know God is our way out from that. 19:13 Absolutely. Of individuals. 19:15 Again, as an individual, 19:17 this scribe had a office of high position. 19:21 To me that's a lot of stress, 19:23 that can cause a lot of anxiety some time 19:26 and you have one thing happening 19:27 upon the other 19:28 and you can't get done one thing for something else 19:30 is coming upon you. 19:32 And so we find it, 19:33 Jeremiah faced bitter disappointment himself. 19:35 So he was good to help his scribe, 19:38 because he faced these difficulties 19:40 and he had come through it. 19:42 I like to talk to somebody sometime that's been in it. 19:45 Right, that's been in a battle, that's done it and say, 19:48 you know, I've been there. 19:49 And here's what God has done for me, 19:51 and what a blessing that is, 19:52 and that's exactly what he was, you know. 19:54 We talk about bittersweet. 19:56 That's the word that's kind of interesting. 19:57 It's a bittersweet. 20:00 We had to realize in this life, there is, there is better, 20:02 and there is sweet. 20:04 You know, it rains on the just and the unjust. 20:06 That's what the Bible says. 20:07 But, yeah, and there's failure and some time 20:10 and there's prosperity also. 20:12 Jeremiah 5 there, 45:5, 20:14 we're looking at encourages him to seek not, 20:17 here's what he said, 20:18 "Seek not the things of this earth." 20:20 He knew his scribe, right? 20:21 He knew he was seeking things of this world and going on. 20:24 He said, "Don't seek the things of this world, 20:26 but seek out God's will for you." 20:29 And so I encourage you, each person has a special plan, 20:32 no doubt in my mind, to work, to be able to work for God. 20:36 If you want to work for Him, God has a plan for you. 20:38 It's already mapped out. 20:39 You just need to open your ears, and your eyes, 20:41 and your mind and follow His plan. 20:43 Many a young man, I think in ministry, 20:46 maybe you find in the church that they're setting out 20:49 in this world, you know, and they had aspirations 20:53 and they want to accomplish an awful lot, you know. 20:56 And some of them are aware that God can use them, 20:58 others are not aware that God can use them. 21:00 I think we need to be an encouragement. 21:02 And when this suffering came, and the mental aspect of it 21:05 and the grief and the sorrow and so on. 21:08 Here's how he looked at it. 21:10 I have one problem after another. 21:13 That happens, I think, probably most of us said, 21:14 oh, no, not something else. 21:16 But every day something breaks down 21:17 and we say, not something else. 21:19 Something else went haywire. 21:20 Someone else is gonna have to take my time. 21:22 Baruch was a good young man. 21:24 He was doing service for God. There's no doubt about. 21:26 But let me just get quickly, a couple minutes here left, 21:28 a little counsel for the young. 21:30 Since I'm older, I can say well, 21:31 we get a little counsel for the young, 21:33 so at least keep yours open, 21:34 if it goes along the Word of God take it, 21:36 if not, then you can certainly throw it out. 21:38 Young beginners are apt to become discouraged, 21:41 number one, with small difficulties. 21:44 But it seemed overwhelming, 21:45 and to them they are overwhelmed. 21:46 But we have to realize it's maybe God is so gracious. 21:49 It's small, it's not overwhelming. 21:52 Proverbs 20:14. 21:54 If the faint, this is what it says," 21:55 If thou faintest in the day of adversary, 21:58 thy strength is small." 21:59 You see? 22:01 And so, that's the way it begins out for the young. 22:03 And, of course, number two, some of God's servants, 22:06 when a storm comes their way, they run for it. 22:10 They don't hit it head on. 22:11 They don't say meet the thing. 22:12 They just, they run for cover. 22:14 And, you know, they think, "Well, there's no way that 22:16 I'm going to be able to get through this." 22:18 Number three, God takes notice of our behavior. 22:22 He knows every, all the frets, all the discomforts, 22:26 all the anxiety, all the... 22:28 I wanna say a lack of faith if you allow me do that. 22:30 Sometime God is there, but remember, 22:32 He's there to help to correct us 22:33 and to lead us and to guide us back. 22:35 But still, God encourages each one of us 22:38 in a very clear way to live our life know that, 22:41 that we might be what He would have us to be. 22:44 I feel like I'm challenged sometime. 22:45 You feel like you're challenged? 22:47 You feel like you're challenged at home? 22:48 This lesson brings out that when these challenges come, 22:51 again, maybe your city is going to be destroyed 22:53 as it was here, it's talking about here. 22:54 Maybe your job is on the line. 22:55 You know, you have family problems 22:57 and disasters that may come. 22:59 But remember, God is there, He's not going to leave, 23:01 He's not going to forsake you. 23:03 He expects us, He said to you, I'm gonna cause you to ride 23:06 on the high places of the earth, 23:07 just to be obedient to Him, you know. 23:10 Well, God gives us life I believe, 23:11 we can't really complain about the disappointments 23:14 and even though we have that tendency 23:16 as human beings, right? 23:17 What's it like, oh, 23:19 you don't like for us to change. 23:20 But again, I'm saying don't by the grace of God, 23:23 whatever you do, don't run on empty. 23:26 Don't even get close to that. 23:28 I don't know about you, 23:29 but I look at my gas tank sometime 23:31 and it's usually pretty close to empty sometime 23:33 when I need to get somewhere fast. 23:36 And I don't have time to stop. 23:38 And sometimes spiritual life is kind of that way, 23:40 that's what we need to look at too. 23:42 But remember, don't wait till you go on empty. 23:44 You run that vehicle out of gas and I guarantee you, 23:47 it's gonna be more difficult to start. 23:49 It's going to take maybe a professional, 23:50 it's going to take somebody maybe to come and help you 23:52 because sometime you just, 23:53 you can't just put gas in and grind it 23:55 because sometime you grind it 23:56 and your battery is not charged if you know what I mean. 23:58 Battery can't take it and it just won't start. 24:01 And so, when I look at that gas gauge 24:03 and when you're looking at your spiritually today, 24:05 and you're running low, you're not feeling like, 24:08 you know, God is there. 24:09 I tell you right now, God is there, 24:11 God's gonna speak good words to you. 24:12 Open your ears and listen, He's gonna help you. 24:14 Amen. 24:16 Well, Pastor Kenny, running on empty. 24:17 Yeah, mercy. 24:19 We don't want you to run on empty. 24:20 But don't go away, 24:22 we'll be back in just a few moments. 24:23 Amen. 24:29 Ever wish you could watch a 3ABN Sabbath School Panel 24:32 again, or share it on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter? 24:36 Well, you can by visiting 3abnsabbathschoolpanel.com 24:41 A clean design makes it easy to find the program 24:44 you're looking for. 24:46 There are also links 24:47 to the Adult Bible Study Guide so you can follow along. 24:51 Sharing is easy. 24:52 Just click share and choose your favorite social media. 24:55 Share a link, save a life for eternity. 25:00 Welcome back to our Sabbath School Panel. 25:02 And Jill Morikone is going to take Tuesday, 25:04 Defining Rest in the Old Testament. 25:07 Thank you so much, Pastor John and Pastor Kenny, 25:09 what an incredible kickoff to this quarter. 25:11 I know as you were sharing, 25:13 I was thinking, there's a lot of things 25:15 that I need to learn, 25:16 and I'm looking forward to studying together. 25:19 Now, their lessons were very encouraging 25:22 for lack of a better term. 25:24 And mine is very theological. 25:26 That is the nature of the way this lesson is written. 25:29 We're looking at Defining Rest in the Old Testament, 25:31 and specifically, the Hebrew words 25:34 in the Old Testament that define rest. 25:37 And what does that mean? 25:39 Now before you turn the channel, 25:40 and you say, I don't even want to get into that. 25:42 Hold on, because at the end, we're going to talk about, 25:46 specifically about five different Hebrew words 25:48 during our lesson. 25:50 But then we have seven takeaways, 25:52 and what I have learned from those five words, 25:55 and how we can find rest today, 25:57 just like they did in the Old Testament time. 25:59 If you were, if anyone was counting, 26:01 there are 34 Hebrew words in the Old Testament 26:06 that referred to rest, rested, or resting. 26:11 And there's one actually in Chaldea, 26:13 Chaldean from the Book of Daniel. 26:15 We're not going to look at all 34 of those or 35, 26:18 we just picked five, and I just picked five 26:20 that just jumped out at me. 26:22 So the first word is shakhab. 26:25 It means to lie down or asleep. 26:27 There it occurs 208 times in the Old Testament, 26:32 and we find that one of the times 26:33 is Genesis 28:11. 26:35 This is, of course, talking about Jacob. 26:37 Genesis 28:11, he, that's Jacob, 26:40 he's running, remember from the wrath of his brother. 26:43 "He came to a certain place and stayed there all night, 26:46 because the sun had set. 26:48 And he took up one of the stones of that place 26:50 and put it at his head, and lay down, shakhab, 26:54 and went to sleep." 26:57 There it just means to lie down or to sleep. 27:00 Now the same word shakhab has a different connotation, 27:04 and it can refer to sexual intimacy. 27:07 We see this in Genesis 39. 27:09 Potiphar's wife, remember, 27:11 she came on to Joseph and what did she say? 27:13 Lie with me, it's the same word, shakhab. 27:16 In that case, it does not mean lie down 27:18 and sleep, it's referring to sexual intimacy. 27:23 The next word we're going to look at is Shabbat. 27:25 And it's actually the verb form of the noun Sabbath. 27:28 We have Sabbath in the Old Testament. 27:31 This is the verb form, it means to cease, 27:34 to desist, to rest, 27:37 to take a holiday, even to celebrate. 27:39 I love that word. 27:41 It occurred 71 times in the Old Testament. 27:44 It's a verb. We see it in Genesis 2. 27:46 Pastor John referenced that, Genesis 2:2-3. 27:50 "And on the seventh day God ended His work 27:53 which He had done, and He rested 27:55 on the seventh day from all His work 27:56 which He had done. 27:58 Then God blessed the seventh day 27:59 and sanctified it, because in it He rested," 28:03 there's our word Shabbat, 28:05 "He rested from all His work 28:07 which God created and made." 28:09 That means to stop from labor, to cease from labor, to rest. 28:14 We also see it in Exodus 5:5, 28:17 and here it has a little different connotation. 28:19 The other connotation means you rest, 28:21 we're encouraged to rest. 28:24 In Exodus 5, it literally means you're forced to rest. 28:28 Exodus 5:5, "Pharaoh said, 28:31 'Look, the people of the land are many now, 28:34 and you make them rest, Shabbat, from their labor!'" 28:38 In that case, it means you're going 28:40 to force them to rest. 28:42 Ezekiel 16:41 has the same connotation. 28:45 "They shall burn your houses with fire, 28:47 and execute judgments on you in the sight of many women, 28:50 and I will make you cease," 28:52 there's that word Shabbat, meaning force to rest, 28:55 "I will make you cease playing the harlot, 28:57 and you shall no longer hire lovers." 29:00 Let's look at our third word. 29:02 This word is nuach. 29:03 Now, I should tell you, 29:05 I should have told you up front, 29:06 I'm not sure any of these words are pronounced correctly. 29:08 So this is just Jill's interpretation. 29:10 This word is nuach. 29:11 And it means to rest, to settle down, to remain, 29:15 to lay down or to be quiet. 29:18 It happened 67 times in the Old Testament, 29:21 and it's a verb again. 29:22 We see it actually in the fourth commandment. 29:24 Exodus 20:11, "In six days the Lord made heaven and earth, 29:28 the sea, and all that in them is, 29:30 and rested, nuach, the seventh day. 29:33 Therefore the Lord blessed 29:35 the Sabbath day and hallowed it." 29:36 It means to repose, to be quiet, to have rest. 29:40 We see it again with the ark. 29:42 This is Genesis 8:4, "Then the ark rested, nuach, 29:46 in the seventh month, 29:48 the seventeenth day of the month, 29:49 on the mountains of Ararat." 29:50 In this case, it means the ark literally settled down, 29:54 and it remained. 29:56 The word for Noah, you know the genealogy of Noah 30:00 and Noah in the Old Testament, 30:02 his name actually comes from nuach as well, 30:04 meaning to rest. 30:05 Noah worked hard 30:06 all those years building the ark 30:08 and what happened? 30:09 He rested when he got on the ark. 30:11 The fourth word 30:12 we're going to look at is shaqat. 30:14 It means to be quiet or undisturbed, 30:16 to be at rest. 30:18 It occurs 41 times in the Old Testament 30:21 and it's a verb as well. 30:22 We see this in Joshua 11:23, "Joshua took the whole land, 30:27 according to all that the Lord had said to Moses, 30:30 and Joshua gave it as an inheritance to Israel 30:34 according to their divisions by their tribes. 30:36 Then the land rested from war." 30:40 Shaqat, meaning the land is at rest 30:43 after Joshua's initial conquest of Canaan. 30:47 The last word we're going to look at is raga. 30:50 And it actually has kind of two different meanings, 30:54 and it only occurs 12 times in the Old Testament 30:56 and it's a verb as well. 30:57 One of the meanings means to be at rest, 31:00 to repose, to be quiet. 31:03 We see that in Deuteronomy 28:65. 31:07 Deuteronomy 28:65, it says, 31:09 "Among those nations you shall find no rest." 31:13 Meaning you're not going to repose, 31:14 you're not going to be quiet. 31:16 But the other meaning that it has is very interesting, 31:18 it means to toss violently. 31:20 Now that's opposite, being at rest, right? 31:23 To toss violently and suddenly, like the sea with the waves. 31:28 We see this in Job 26:12, "He stirs up the sea 31:32 with His power," that word raga, 31:35 "stirs up the sea with his power, 31:38 and by his understanding He breaks up the storm." 31:40 So you might say, what in the world does 31:41 that have to do with me and rest? 31:44 Those are five Hebrew words. 31:45 But okay, what does that mean? 31:47 These are my seven takeaways 31:49 about what rest means biblically 31:52 from the Old Testament, 31:54 just from those five Hebrew words. 31:57 Takeaway number one, rest means complete peace 32:01 and security in Jesus, 32:04 even when you're surrounded by uncertainty and fear. 32:08 Think about Jacob running from his brother Esau, 32:12 running for his life. 32:14 And yet he had complete security 32:16 and peace in Jesus. 32:18 He was surrounded by uncertainty and fear. 32:20 And he laid down and shaqat, he laid down and rested. 32:25 That means today, when we're uncertain, 32:28 when we're surrounded with uncertainties, 32:30 when things are going on in your life that 32:32 you cannot control, 32:34 you can have complete peace and security in Jesus. 32:38 You can shaqat, you can rest in Jesus. 32:43 Takeaway number two, 32:44 rest means intimacy, excitement, 32:48 and joy with Jesus. 32:50 Of course, this is that same word shaqat, 32:52 meaning Potiphar's wife 32:54 in that whole sexual connotation 32:56 of lying with Joseph. 32:58 Now, I do not mean this in a sexual way, 33:00 of course with God, but it means that we can be 33:03 excited about our relationship with Him. 33:05 We can have an intimate relationship with God. 33:10 He is our Father, and we can know Him intimately, 33:14 and He knows us from the inside out. 33:17 Rest means intimacy with God. 33:21 Takeaway number three, 33:22 rest means setting aside your own labor, 33:26 both physical and mental, and resting in God. 33:31 This is what we see with the fourth commandment. 33:33 Every week, God gives us rest. 33:36 Every week, He gives us an opportunity 33:38 to set aside our physical and mental labor and work, 33:43 and we can rest, 33:44 of course, that's the word Shabbat. 33:46 Takeaway number four, rest. 33:49 It can be enforced by God. 33:51 Now that is an interesting twist. 33:54 Remember, we talked that same word Shabbat, 33:57 you can choose that rest, 33:59 but actually can be enforced as well. 34:02 In Ezekiel 16, we saw where God forced them 34:05 to stop playing the harlot, 34:07 you shall cease playing the harlot. 34:10 Rest sometimes in some circumstances 34:13 we go through and we'd say, 34:14 but why are things not opening? 34:16 Well, why are things not happening? 34:17 Well, why is God not moving? 34:19 It might be that He has you in a time of rest. 34:23 Takeaway number five, 34:25 rest means just simply settling down 34:27 to abide with God, like the ark, nuach, 34:31 resting on the mountains. 34:32 We settle down and we abide in him. 34:35 Takeaway number six, rest means I am quiet and undisturbed, 34:40 shaqat. 34:42 This is the land that was at rest 34:43 after Joshua conquered Canaan. 34:46 Rest means that I can be quiet, that I can be undisturbed. 34:51 And finally, takeaway number seven, 34:53 rest sometimes it stirs us up to action. 34:56 Now we might not think that rest does that. 34:59 The sea been stirred up by his power, raga, 35:02 sometimes rest stirs us up to action. 35:06 Pastor Ryan. Yeah. 35:07 Thank you so much. 35:08 Well, I'm gonna continue on that 35:10 same note that theological word, 35:12 search and learning of what these words mean 35:14 into the New Testament. 35:16 Because obviously, the concept of rest, 35:18 the idea of rest, 35:20 spiritual rest, physical rest continues 35:22 into the New Testament as well. 35:24 When I was doing, 35:26 when I was thinking of rest in the New Testament, 35:28 of course, the text that come to my mind, 35:30 immediately pastor read it earlier. 35:32 And that is Matthew 11:28, 35:35 probably one of the most famous passages 35:38 and famous phrases 35:39 and sentences that Jesus declares 35:42 in all of His ministry. 35:44 And, of course, this is Matthew 11:28, 35:46 where Jesus says, "Come unto Me, 35:48 all you who labor and are heavy laden, 35:51 and I will give you rest." 35:54 And the word here in the Greek is the word anapauso, 35:59 which simply means to rest, to relax, to refresh, 36:03 and this would probably be, 36:05 there was a word I was waiting for you to say, 36:07 you didn't say it though, but that's okay. 36:08 It's a Hebrew word, known as nefesh. 36:11 It simply means to be refreshed. 36:13 Or, if you could, if you could give 36:15 a physical example of this would almost be like, 36:18 what God did on the seventh day, in a sense, 36:20 is what He didn't physically rested as if, 36:22 in a you know, creating that cow 36:24 took it out of me, right? 36:26 More or less, he was just kind of just sitting back 36:29 and just taking it in like, you know, 36:31 it's a refreshing 36:33 and that's what Christ is saying, 36:34 "Come unto me all you who labor 36:35 and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." 36:38 Of course, a spiritual rest, a physical rest, 36:41 a mental and emotional rest, 36:43 that nobody else can provide, 36:44 but only Jesus Christ, come unto me, He says. 36:47 Of course, this word anapauso 36:49 can also describe or be described 36:52 or be defined as a physical rest as well. 36:56 For instance, in Matthew 26:45, it says this. 37:00 It says, "Then He came to His disciples 37:02 and said to them, 37:03 'Are you still sleeping and resting?" 37:06 Anapauso right there. 37:08 "Behold, the hour is at hand, 37:09 and the Son of Man is being betrayed 37:11 into the hands of sinners." 37:12 So again, this is when He comes 37:13 and catches the disciples sleeping there. 37:15 You know, they are wore out, 37:17 they had a full day ride and so, 37:18 but they fall into sleep, even though Christ said, 37:21 you know, awake, pray, 37:22 because unless you gonna come into temptation. 37:25 Of course, in the final greeting to the Corinthians, 37:28 Paul also uses this word, this expression, 37:31 expressing his joy over the arrival of friends 37:33 who refreshed his spirit. 37:36 We can find that in 1 Corinthians 16:18, as well. 37:41 Another word you will often 37:42 find in the Greek that is often expressed 37:44 throughout the New Testament 37:46 is it's kind of a fun word to say, hesu katso. 37:49 Whoo. Hesu Katso. 37:52 Almost sounds Italian, hesu katso. 37:54 But it's Greek. 37:56 But this is actually, it's interesting 37:58 because one of those famous texts 37:59 that we read often in association 38:01 with Sabbath keeping, Luke 23:56. 38:05 Christ has just been crucified, 38:07 He's going to be obviously wrapped 38:09 and placed in the tomb. 38:10 And then obviously, they didn't have time 38:11 to enbalmed the body of Jesus. 38:13 So notice, Luke 23:56, says, 38:15 "And they returned and prepared spices 38:17 and fragrant oils. 38:19 And they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment." 38:23 So this is referring to the actions 38:26 or what they would have experienced in returning 38:28 for that Sabbath rest. 38:30 It's also used to describe this word, 38:32 again, hesu katso is described, 38:36 and living a kind of a quiet life. 38:38 You hesu katso, when you're just relaxing 38:40 and living a quiet life, 38:41 you can see that expressed 1 Thessalonians 4:11. 38:45 And it also can indicate that someone has no obligation, 38:49 and thus, they're just keeping quiet on 38:51 an issue or in regard. 38:52 I'm just going to stay out of it, 38:54 I'm going to hesu katso. 38:55 I'm going to just kind of back off 38:56 and just rest and just kind of stay out of that. 38:58 I'm going to keep to myself. 39:00 And you see an example of this in Acts 11:18. 39:05 Now, here's where probably 39:07 one of the most powerful passages 39:08 in all the New Testament 39:10 that expresses very clearly and you see the word 39:12 rest come up many, many, many times. 39:15 And that, of course, is Hebrews Chapter 4. 39:18 This is what I like to refer to as the rest chapter 39:21 because this is where we, you know, 39:22 the subject matter, Paul, 39:24 in which we believe Paul is the writer, 39:25 we really don't know for sure, 39:27 but we believe Paul is the writer 39:28 of the Book of Hebrews, at least I do. 39:30 I'm convinced that that's who the writer is. 39:32 But the writer of Hebrews expresses there in Hebrews 4:4, 39:36 he's talking about this rest that we enter into, 39:39 and then notice what he says there. 39:40 Verse 4, he says, "For He has spoken 39:43 in a certain place 39:44 on the seventh day in this way." 39:47 And then notice it refers back 39:49 to the Sabbath commandment and God rested. 39:52 That word there is a little bit different word, 39:54 it's the word katapausis. 39:56 These words are interesting, katapausis. 39:58 In the Greek it's simply is talking about again, 40:02 a resting, a Sabbath rest pertaining 40:04 to the seventh day, weekly Sabbath. 40:06 And, of course, the verse goes on to say, 40:08 "And God rested on the seventh day 40:09 from all His works." 40:11 Now a lot of people, 40:12 I just want to clarify this before we go any further. 40:13 I know we're going to have lots of opportunity 40:15 to talk about Sabbath keeping in this study 40:18 on rest throughout this entire study, 40:21 but I just want to emphasize this very clearly. 40:23 There's a lot of people that take Hebrews Chapter 4, 40:26 and they'll go to that where it talks about rest. 40:28 Oh, isn't talking about the Sabbath, 40:30 this is talking about resting in Christ in Jesus. 40:33 I've actually had ministers who tell me, 40:35 Jesus is now my Sabbath, 40:37 because, you know, Hebrews 4, 40:39 it doesn't mention Sabbath there, 40:40 it just says that he's going to give us a rest 40:43 and then also go back and manipulate this chapter 40:45 in connection with, you know, Matthew Chapter 11. 40:48 I just want to bring that out here 40:49 because even though the word here katapausis 40:52 is simply referring to rest, 40:54 and pertaining to the seventh day. 40:56 If you continue reading down that chapter, 40:58 we know that this is definitely referring to, 41:00 God is definitely pointing back to the Sabbath rest, 41:03 the weekly Sabbath rest in connection 41:05 with the commandment, 41:07 because when you get to verse 9, 41:08 notice what it says. 41:10 It says, "There remains therefore a rest." 41:13 First of all, let me ask is, 41:14 who's the Book of Hebrews written for? 41:17 Hebrews. 41:18 It was written for the Hebrews, right? 41:19 And so it's interesting that, 41:21 notice, verse 9 begins with therefore, 41:23 it says, there remains therefore, what remains? 41:26 Something. 41:27 You drop something, exactly right, 41:29 there's something carrying over, 41:30 because there's something remaining from what was. 41:32 And if you continue to read this entire chapter here, 41:35 it's powerful, because basically, 41:37 the writer says, look, the people, you know, 41:39 the Hebrew people, your ancestors, 41:41 they didn't enter into his rest, 41:43 in what way? 41:44 They profaned God Sabbath. 41:46 And now, the people in Jesus' time are in the time, 41:50 of course, this, the Book of Hebrews 41:51 probably would have been written some 30 plus years 41:54 after Jesus died. 41:55 So we're looking at the early to mid 60s AD. 41:58 You're talking about the writer here is writing and saying, 42:00 look, you still haven't quite entered it to His rest. 42:03 And you have to keep in mind this is just a few years 42:06 before the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. 42:09 And so this is powerful to consider that 42:11 even in this New Testament context, 42:13 some 30 plus years after Christ has died, 42:16 the Hebrew writer here is saying, 42:18 hey, you still haven't 42:19 quite fully entered into his rest. 42:21 And here's what's interesting. 42:23 The word rest there in Hebrews 4:9, 42:25 it's not the same word for rest in Hebrews 4:4, 42:28 which is katapausis, right? We said that earlier. 42:30 But the word in Hebrews 4:9, 42:32 there remains therefore a rest for the people of God. 42:35 It's the word sabbatismos. 42:38 What does that sound like? 42:39 It would be the, 42:41 basically the Greek equivalent to the word Shabbat, 42:44 in the Hebrew. 42:45 This is God pointing us back to the Sabbath rest. 42:48 And what He's saying is, 42:49 I want you to enter into My rest fully. 42:52 Your ancestors didn't enter into My rest in its fullness 42:55 because they profaned My Sabbath. 42:57 Now, during the days of Christ, they flipped the script 42:59 and they said, oh, we're gonna keep 43:01 that Sabbath extra well, and now they made it out 43:03 to be this legalistic situation. 43:06 And so that's what the Hebrew writer's talking about. 43:07 So talking about rest in the New Testament, 43:10 it's powerful to consider that even in Hebrews Chapter 4. 43:13 I've had minister say, 43:14 the Sabbath isn't mentioned in the New Testament. 43:16 Help me, help me, Lord. 43:17 Pray for me when I run into brothers and sisters like that. 43:20 It's, the New Testament is flooded with rest talk, 43:23 Sabbath talk in which the Lord 43:25 is pointing us back to rest in Him, especially, 43:27 in taking advantage of that holy seventh day Sabbath 43:30 that He's given us. 43:31 The lesson finishes out with a great point. 43:34 Actually, Pastor, you also mentioned this 43:35 from Mark 6:30. 43:37 The disciples had come back from this mission trip 43:41 where they had been, you know, 43:42 healing people and preaching the gospel. 43:44 But when you get to Mark 6:30-32, 43:47 it says, "Then the other apostles gathered to Jesus 43:49 and told Him all things, 43:51 both what they had done and what they had taught. 43:54 And He said to them, 'Come aside by yourselves 43:57 to a deserted place and rest a while.'" 44:02 What Jesus is doing 44:04 is they have just come back from... 44:05 They were on a spiritual mission, 44:07 they were carrying out the gospel mission. 44:09 But even when they came back, 44:10 even in their state of excitement and joy, Jesus, 44:12 come in, we want to tell you what happened. 44:14 Jesus stopped them and said, "Just hold on, you need, 44:17 you brothers need a break away to a deserted place, 44:19 a quiet place, and you just need to rest." 44:21 All right. 44:22 And I love what the lesson brings out at the very end. 44:24 And it asks the question here. 44:26 It says, what are ways of helping 44:28 and relieving your local church pastor 44:30 or elder, anyone who knows who can... 44:32 Anyone you know who can be burdened out 44:34 from doing the Lord's work? 44:36 What could you do to express your appreciation 44:38 and help this person find rest? 44:41 Even in God's work, 44:43 the busyness of ministry can often, 44:45 you know, I wouldn't say be a burden but certainly can 44:48 require a time once you break away 44:51 and you need some rest. 44:52 You need some time just to nefesh some, 44:55 ah, just to take in that rest and just, you know, 44:58 be able to rest from your labors. 45:00 And I love, I love what that lesson brought out there 45:03 is that oftentimes we need to think of ways 45:05 of how we can relieve our pastors. 45:06 What better way to do that 45:08 than to get involved in the mission ourselves. 45:10 The pastor shouldn't have to do it all. 45:12 We should become involved and be able to work together 45:14 collectively with him. 45:15 Amen. Boy, I'm gonna tell you what? 45:18 I know you both for saying, oh, I've got a theological, 45:21 that was fabulous. 45:22 Praise the Lord. I love both studies. 45:24 That was fabulous. 45:25 All right, we are going to return to the Book of Genesis. 45:30 Thursday's lesson is A Restless Wanderer. 45:34 And let's just look at Genesis Chapter 4. 45:39 We're going to kind of go through 1 through 12. 45:41 But let's just begin with verse 1. 45:43 Genesis 4:1, "Adam knew Eve his wife, 45:48 and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, 45:51 'I have acquired a man from the Lord.'" 45:54 Then she bore again, 45:57 this time, his brother, Abel. 46:01 Now, Abel was a keeper of sheep, 46:06 a keeper of sheep, a shepherd. 46:08 But Cain was a tiller of the ground, farmer. 46:14 Both are honorable vocations. 46:17 "And in the process of time, 46:19 it came to pass that Cain brought 46:22 an offering of the fruit of the ground. 46:26 So the older brother brings an offering 46:28 the fruit of the ground to the Lord. 46:31 Abel also brought, get this, 46:34 of the firstborn of his flock 46:39 and their fat. 46:42 And the Lord respected Abel and his offering, 46:45 but he did not respect Cain and his offering." 46:50 And Cain became very angry, his countenance fell. 46:55 When was the first sacrifice after creation? 47:00 It had to be when God slew, 47:02 had slain the animals to outfit 47:06 Adam and Eve to cover their nakedness. 47:10 But I believe with all of my heart, 47:13 that Adam and Eve understood 47:17 God's substitutionary plan of salvation. 47:20 You know, you said pastors will say, 47:22 "Oh, I don't see it in the New Testament." 47:24 Oh family of God, we're dividing the Bible. 47:29 It goes from Genesis to Revelation. 47:32 And I mean, even the New Testament 47:34 is just a continuation. 47:36 You can look in Luke 1:55 47:39 where Mary is saying in her song, 47:41 she's saying, oh, praise God. 47:43 He's remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. 47:47 The new covenant, I mean, 47:49 the New Testament is merely a continuation. 47:53 And you know what makes me upset? 47:55 People will say, well, Genesis doesn't, 47:59 God didn't give the commandments in Genesis, 48:01 and you will see them all. 48:03 Let me tell you something, 48:04 do you realize that the Bible covers 48:06 about 4100 years of history. 48:09 You know how many years of history 48:12 the first 11 chapters of Genesis cover? 48:16 The first 11 chapters 48:20 cover 2000 years of history. 48:25 And then there's just a couple 100 more 48:27 in the other 39 chapters, 48:29 and it's weighted heavily on Abraham 48:33 and God's covenant. 48:34 So we've got between 2100 to 2300 years of history 48:38 in 50 chapters. 48:41 It's condensed, of course, 48:42 it doesn't have all of the details. 48:44 But I am convinced that God 48:48 had explained to them because this, 48:51 this whole knowledge of God was passed down verbally. 48:56 God explained 48:58 the substitutionary sacrifice system 49:00 we see in Genesis 3:15, 49:02 where he's talking about the seed of the woman 49:04 who's going to crush the Satan's head. 49:07 But you can see Noah, 49:09 God gave Noah instructions of clean 49:11 and unclean food before he got on the ark. 49:14 And you know what? 49:15 They weren't eating animals until after the floods, 49:18 but they took extra the clean 49:20 because they were for the sacrifices. 49:23 We see that Abraham when he split the sacrifices. 49:28 He followed God's instructions. 49:30 And when he took Isaac up, you know, Isaac is going, 49:33 "Well, dad, where's, 49:35 where is the lamb for the burnt offering?" 49:37 You know, I've got the wood on my shoulder. 49:40 He was a type of Christ. 49:42 He was carrying the wood on his shoulder, 49:46 and he, then God provided the sacrifice. 49:49 So it's clear that 49:51 the sacrificial system was in place in Exodus. 49:54 The Bible isn't perfectly clear 49:57 why God didn't accept or was happy with Abel, 50:03 but I believe, I mean, with Cain, I believe Cain knew. 50:08 See, the word respected in Genesis 4:4. 50:13 It can mean to investigate, 50:17 to consider carefully, to look closely. 50:21 So God was weighing not only the character, 50:25 but the attitude of Cain. 50:28 When Cain, who knew the substitutionary system, 50:33 he says, I want to worship the way I want. 50:37 He brings the fruit. 50:40 Now, I think Abel came humbly 50:44 before the Lord depending on Him totally, 50:47 because they knew that this sacrificial system. 50:51 So let me tell you, 50:53 Moses wrote Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, 50:56 Numbers and Deuteronomy, 50:57 don't even try to separate all of them 50:59 because the first writing of the Old Testament 51:03 was probably the book of the covenant, 51:06 and that God gave Moses on the mountain. 51:10 And then afterwards, Genesis, 51:12 the book of beginnings 51:14 was written as God gave this to him. 51:16 But now look at verse 4. 51:19 So what happens when Cain realizes that 51:24 God's not too thrilled with the way he's worshiping. 51:29 He gets angry. 51:30 And in verse 6, Genesis 4:6, 51:32 "The Lord said to Cain, 'Why are you angry? 51:36 Why has your countenance fallen? 51:38 If you do well, will you not be accepted? 51:42 And if you do not do well, 51:44 sin lies at the door. 51:48 And its desire is for you, 51:53 but you should rule over it.'" 51:57 I want you at home, you are driving in your car, 52:02 and all of us to remember, 52:04 sin is crouching at the door ready to pounce like a lion. 52:10 He's seeking whom he may devour. 52:12 But we are told by God 52:16 that we are to rule over sin 52:18 because He's gonna give us the power to overrule. 52:23 Genesis 4:8, "Cain talked with Abel his brother, 52:28 and it came to pass, 52:30 when they were in the field, that Cain rose up 52:34 against Abel his brother and killed him." 52:37 Hey, this seems to be premeditated murder. 52:40 He calls Abel out to the field where there's nobody 52:43 that's going to witness this. 52:44 And this is the first death of a human being 52:47 recorded in Scripture. 52:50 Genesis 4:9, "Then the Lord said to Cain, 52:54 'Where is Abel your brother?'" 52:55 Why is God asking this, He knows. 52:58 And here's what Cain says? 53:01 He says, "I don't know. 53:04 Am I my brother's keeper?" 53:07 That is a sarcastic response. 53:10 He was a keeper of the sheep. Abel was. 53:14 So now Cain is just really being, 53:17 he harbored this awful attitude, 53:20 but now it's a sarcastic playing on words. 53:23 Am I my brother's keeper? 53:26 And, you know, you know 53:28 what the Bible's answer to Cain's question is? 53:32 You betcha, you are. 53:34 Leviticus 19:18, "You shall not take vengeance, 53:37 nor bear any grudge 53:38 against the children of your God, 53:40 but you shall love your neighbor as yourself." 53:43 And Jesus repeated that verbatim. 53:46 Verse 10, and he said, this is God speaking, 53:50 Genesis 4:10, "What have you done? 53:53 The voice of your brother's blood 53:55 cries out to Me from the ground." 53:57 This is a figurative speech to show that Abel's death 54:00 was known to God. 54:01 "So now you are cursed from the earth, 54:03 which has opened its mouth to receive 54:05 your brother's blood from your hand. 54:07 And when you till the ground, 54:09 it shall no longer yield its strength to you. 54:12 A fugitive and a vagabond 54:15 you shall be on the earth." 54:18 Cain's punishment destroyed his livelihood as a farmer. 54:23 It turned him into a restless wanderer. 54:28 You know what the consequences of sin are? 54:31 It separates us from the presence of God. 54:35 And let me tell you something? 54:37 When you are separated from the presence of God, 54:39 you can find no rest. 54:41 That's right. I mean, we just... 54:44 So Cain actually started the city, 54:46 to build the dynasty, but God wasn't needed. 54:49 God has put eternity in our hearts, 54:52 and you can try to fill 54:53 that hole in you with everything, 54:56 but until you learn to rest in God. 55:01 Come before Him and spend that intimate time, 55:05 you will never find rest for yourself. 55:10 Thank you, Shelley. Thank you, Ryan. 55:12 Thank you, Jill. Thank you, Pastor Kenny. 55:14 Give you a few moments here to wrap up your day? 55:17 Well, I think this little quote that I have is 55:19 from the Ministry of Healing, 476. 55:21 And I just pay special attention 55:23 because just a few lines, 55:24 but it says, every man, so that's all of us, 55:26 has his place in eternal plan of heaven. 55:30 Whether we fill that place depends upon our faithfulness, 55:35 in cooperating with God. 55:37 Be sure we cooperate with God, will have that place in heaven. 55:40 Amen. I want to read Matthew 11:28. 55:43 We've referenced it several times this week. 55:45 But I love this scripture. 55:46 Jesus speaking, He's speaking to you right now. 55:48 "Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy laden, 55:53 and I will give you rest." 55:55 Do you want rest? 55:57 Do you want to experience peace with Jesus? 56:00 Come to Him just now, and He will give that to you. 56:03 Amen. Amen. 56:05 One of the scriptures I read from Mark 6:31, 56:09 actually it says, "Jesus says to them, 56:10 'Come aside by yourselves 56:12 to a deserted place and rest a while.'" 56:15 Sometimes we just got to get away. 56:17 Sometimes we just got to set aside 56:18 some time just break away us and the Lord. 56:21 And Jesus promises, as we have seen 56:23 that He will give us rest. 56:25 Amen. Shelley? 56:26 When I was young, I got some bad teaching 56:29 from the pulpit in the church, 56:31 the denomination I used to belong to. 56:33 And I got mad at God, 56:35 I shook my fist in His face, and I ran away. 56:38 And I was restless for a couple of years, actually. 56:42 But God chased me down with His love and brought me back. 56:45 You cannot run from the presence of God 56:48 and be at rest. 56:49 Good. Amen. 56:50 Well, thank you so much for all the covering up. 56:52 We're just getting started by the way 56:54 as the quarter is rest in Christ. 56:57 And all the lessons we seek to present 56:59 is centered in Christ and His Word. 57:02 And truly the advice, take the advice that 57:04 you've been given here today, and you can find rest. 57:06 I like the six points a lady by the name of Germany Kent, 57:10 she pointed out six ways we can find rest for our minds, 57:13 stop stressing, stop worrying, 57:17 give rest to the problems weighing you down, 57:21 lighten up, forgive yourself, and also forgive others. 57:25 Don't allow the things of the world 57:27 to sap the rest that God intends for you to have. 57:30 So my advice to you is Hebrews 4:11, 57:34 beautifully said, "Let us therefore 57:36 be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall 57:41 according to the same example of disobedience." 57:44 Did you know that refusing to rest in Christ 57:46 is a sign of disobedience to Christ? 57:49 Well, don't be disobedient. 57:50 And don't forget to join us 57:52 next quarter for lesson number two, 57:54 Restless and Rebellious. 57:56 God bless you until we see you then. |
Revised 2021-07-01