Jesus Is Real Rest

The Art Of Abiding

Text: John 6

1 After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. 2 And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. 3 Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. 4 Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. 5 Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” 6 He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. 7 Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.” 8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, 9 “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?” 10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. 11 Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. 12 And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” 13 So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten. 14 When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!” 

15 Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself. 

JESUS IS REAL REST IN A REMARKABLY RESTLESS WORLD

We Live In A Remarkably Restless World

• 2023 most restless year on record*
  (* 2024 Sleep Foundation Survey)
• 40% Chronically Sleep Deprived**
• Only 15% of people claim to wake up refreshed**

The Cost Of This Restlessness

• Our bodies are in distress**
• Increased blood pressure **
• Increased heart rate**
• Crave quick energy**

When You Rest Well

1. Your Mind Is Reset**
2. Your Energy is Replenished**
3. Your Days are Recoded**

(** Hari, Johann. Stolen Focus: Why You Can’t Pay Attention–and How to Think Deeply Again)

“Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” (vs5).

Radical Thought #1
IN MY HANDS IT IS NEVER ENOUGH, BUT IN HIS HANDS IT IS MORE THAN ENOUGH

What do you have?  Surrender it to Him and watch what He does!

“Have the people sit down.” (v10)

Radical Thought #2
YOUR POSTURE TOWARDS JESUS IS AS IMPORTANT AS YOUR PROXIMITY TO JESUS

A weary and worn out people come close to Jesus and He says change your posture

28–30  “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 (MSG).

“All of humanity’s problems stem from man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone.”
—Blaise Pascal, French Mathematician and Theologian (1623–1662)

“he distributed them to those who were seated”

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High, will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.” (Ps 91: 1).

Restlessness is a symptom of being outside His presence

“Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” (vs 12).

Radical Thought #3 
JESUS SHOWS US THE RECIPE FOR REST IN A RESTLESS WORLD

Mark 8:14–15 (ESV)

14 Now they had forgotten to bring bread, and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. 15 And he cautioned them, saying, “Watch out; beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.”16 And they began discussing with one another the fact that they had no bread. 17 And Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? 18 Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember? 19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” They said to him, “Twelve.” 20 “And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” And they said to him, “Seven.” 21 And he said to them, “Do you not yet understand?” 

Bread is symbolic and a reward of hard work

Jesus says, as long as you are with Me, you don’t need to worry about where your bread is coming from

Four Rest Practices Of Jesus

1. RETREAT

Jesus consistently sought out times of silence and solitude.

Jesus would “withdraw to a desolate place and pray” 

Matthew 4:1, Mark 1:35, Mark 1:45, Luke 5:16, Matthew 14:13, Mark 6:31, Luke 4:42, Luke 5:16, Luke 22:39

Let prayer set your equilibrium and scripture set your view

2. RECHARGE

“The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” Mark 2:27 (ESV)

Jesus’s favorite day to heal a person was on the Sabbath

Sabbath means “To Stop” work

Ask yourself on your Sabbath:

Is this rest?

Is this worship?

If not, its for another day!

3.  REDUCE 

“Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay. Acquire no gold or silver or copper for your belts,  no bag for your journey, or two tunics or sandals or a staff, for the laborer deserves his food” (Matthew 10:8–10, ESV).

Kingdom simplification is the intentional promotion of what we value the most and the elimination of anything that distracts us from them 

4. RHYTHM

Jesus never ran, He walked. 

20 Challenges…  

• Drive the speed limit
• Drive in the slow lane
• Come to a full stop 
• Don’t text and drive 
• Arrive 10 min early without your phone
• Get in the long line 
• Turn your smart phone into a dumb phone 
• Ditch the phone for the day
• Put the phone in time out
• Keep the phone off until after morning routine
• Set a time to check your email
• Set screen time and limits for social media
• Cancel the streaming subscriptions 
• No multitasking 
• Walk slower 
• Set aside time for reseting 
• Set aside time for devotion/mediation
• Journal
• Take a long vacation 
• Cook and eat in with family

What we give our attention to is ultimately what we become