Rest via Struggle
The sermon teaches that rest in God is not passive or selfish, but rather yielding oneself up to God's highest activity and ceasing from self-effort.
Miles J. Stanford delves into the concept of finding rest in the Lord Jesus, emphasizing the transition from striving in one's own efforts to surrendering to God's work within. He highlights the two stages in the Christian life: seeking to do God's will through personal effort, and then entering God's rest to find power for work by allowing God to work through us. Stanford clarifies that true rest in God is not passive but involves yielding to God's activity within us, leading to a Christ-centered life where He becomes the motivating force.
Text
"Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28).
Hard as it is for the believer to finally come to rest concerning his spiritual birth, it seems to be even more difficult for him to simply rest in the Lord Jesus for his life and service.
"There are two stages in the Christian life. The one in which, after conversion, a believer seeks to work what God would have him do. The second, in which, after many a painful failure, he ceases from his works, and enters the rest of God, there to find the power for work in allowing the Father to work in him.
"It is this rest from their own work which many Christians cannot understand. They think of it as a state of passive and selfish enjoyment, of still contemplation which leads to the neglect of the duties of life, and unfits for that watchfulness and warfare to which Scripture calls. What an entire misunderstanding of God's call to rest!
"Truly to rest in God is to yield oneself up to the highest activity. We work, because He worketh in us both to will and to do (Philippians 2:13). As Paul says of himself, 'I labor, striving according to his working who worketh in me with might' (Colossians 1:29). Entering the rest of God is the ceasing from self-effort, and the yielding of oneself in the full surrender of faith to God's working." -A.M.
"Not only does the Lord Jesus live in us, but He becomes the motivating Object of our life as Christians. The law is no longer our motive or rule of life. It is entirely displaced by a Person, and that Person 'the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.' Henceforth the soul has a new center and source--it is no longer self-centered, but Christ-centered." -C.A.C.
"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" (Matthew 11:29).
Sermon Outline
- I. Two Stages in the Christian Life
- A. The first stage: seeking to work what God would have us do
- B. The second stage: ceasing from our works and entering God's rest
- II. Misunderstanding Rest
- A. Rest is not passive or selfish enjoyment
- B. Rest is yielding oneself up to God's highest activity
- III. The Power of Rest
- A. We work because God works in us
- B. Entering God's rest is ceasing from self-effort and surrendering to God's working
- IV. Christ as Our Motivating Object
- A. The law is no longer our motive or rule of life
- B. Christ becomes the center and source of our life
Key Quotes
“Truly to rest in God is to yield oneself up to the highest activity.” — Miles J. Stanford
“We work, because He worketh in us both to will and to do” — Miles J. Stanford
“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” — Miles J. Stanford
Application Points
- We must cease from our self-effort and surrender to God's working in order to enter His rest.
- Christ becomes the motivating object of our life as Christians, displacing the law as our rule of life.
- We work because God works in us, and we are motivated by Christ rather than the law.