A Life of Rest — Sandeep Poonen

So I wanted to take the time today to start by spending some time for us to go through something that the Lord has been laying on my heart. And I want to take some of the time, at least, to speak on it.

We want to have times of prophecy, because that's instructed in scripture. But it's also good to have some times in which there are focused times of teaching and instruction. So that, as a group, we really meditate on some of the things.

If we were to study John again, we'd probably learn a lot more things. We can never get done studying God's word. So this is not the be-all and the end-all of the summary understanding of the book of John or anything.

Jesus' Death and Intimate Access to the Father

But as I've been meditating on John chapter 4 and 5, I wanted to share some thoughts that the Lord has laid on my heart. Let's come before him, let's bow our heads in prayer and ask him. Father, I pray that your Holy Spirit may be present in this room.

The words and the thoughts of my mind are meaningless. If it is not able to sink in by the power of your Holy Spirit and be blessed. So that it can be multiplied and be a blessing to others. My five loaves and two fish can't feed 5 ,000, let alone 20.

Lord, we really need you to bless us. We need you to really be present as I speak these words. That it will be your Holy Spirit who works and speaks to every heart here. That lives may be changed, Lord Jesus.

Help us be attentive to your Spirit, in Jesus' name, Amen. I haven't written down thoughts in a long time when I've spoken here. But I really hope that these truths will be helpful to many of us. It's definitely been helpful to me.

John chapter 5, verse 18. This is a pivotal verse that I think we all must keep in mind. Because this tells me at least two main reasons why my Lord Jesus was killed. Your Lord Jesus was killed. Was crucified on the cross.

Suffered a heinous death, but much more than that, suffered separation from the Father. And this verse tells me two main reasons. And I find that very often God is trying to get me back to these main two reasons.

Because if these were two things that the people were willing to kill Jesus for. But Jesus was willing to lay down His life, saying I'm not relenting on these two issues. They must be very important. We see that when a woman was caught in adultery He had a different position than his own spoken word 3 ,000 years ago that he gave through Moses.

He said neither do I condemn you, go in peace, even though the law says stone you. Here we see that Jesus was saying I don't care what you do to me. You can kill me if you want. So there must be some things very important in this.

And I don't want to touch about all of it. Because I want to go through it slowly. And we'll get as far as we need to get. But I want to impress maybe just one area of it. Verse 18 it says, John chapter 5.

For this reason the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him. The Israelites of that time were seeking to kill Jesus because He not only was breaking the Sabbath. But was also calling God his own Father, making himself equal to God.

There are two messages there. One, Jesus was bringing a new message that said human beings Had a completely different and intimate access to God than they ever knew before. Just this week God again reminded me.

You need to hold on to the hand of your Heavenly Father. You have to hold on to the hand of your Heavenly Father. This is not about you getting through your trials on your own strength. It is about you holding on to the hand of your Heavenly Father.

And the other thing that they killed him for was because Jesus was making people well. It says that in verse 15 that he made this person, the man who was sick for 38 years, he made him well. Even when it violated what seemed like a reading of the law.

The Pharisees killed Jesus because they stumbled over their reading of the word of God. Is it possible that we too can kill Jesus? Even as we read God's word? In our attempt to read God's word and understand something.

We kill, we crucify Christ yet again. We crucify the Christ that is in other people. The Pharisees are meant to be our warning. The Pharisees are meant to be our warning that this is possible. This is not something that is only possible under the law.

It is happening today. It has happened in my life. I am sure if I am not careful it will happen again. It will happen in this church if we are not careful. Many Christians are crucifying Christ. Paul says that They are crucifying Christ all over again.

Putting him to open shame. And it is possible if we are not careful. That we can kill the Jesus that is trying to be birthed in our own lives. In other people's lives. We can stifle him, we can stamp him out.

We can grieve the Holy Spirit. We can quench the Holy Spirit who is trying to work in us. The same thing that the Pharisees did to the physical body of Jesus. Physical body was really nothing. It was God who was in that body.

That the Pharisees really did assault to. And we can do the same thing to the spirit who was within us. This week I want to talk just about that important concept that God must be my father. And I want to draw on it with something new that the Lord seems to be revealing to me.

And that's from verse 17. And actually the corollary to that. Where it says in verse 17 My father is working. This is the way he kind of talked about God as being his father. And I myself am working. Now the Jews were really upset.

Because how dare you say that you are working. God is working when the law clearly states That you shall do no work on the Sabbath. That wasn't just a traditional law. That was on the Ten Commandments That was written by the finger of God.

Don't do work on the Sabbath. You shall keep my Sabbath day holy. You shall keep that day of rest holy. If we don't understand the way this balance works. Of why God was saying I'm working all the time.

Because my father is working. But understanding the principle of the Sabbath In our lives as it applies today. We too will make the same problem With stifling the Holy Spirit in our lives. We have to understand this balance.

Rest as God's Original Design

Turn with me to Genesis chapter 2. Because I want to show you Where the principle of the Sabbath came from. It goes all the way back prior to the law. To very creation. This is how important rest was.

And there are two concepts here. There is rest and there is working. The Sabbath indicates resting. Not doing any work and then there is working. Jesus seemed to be saying My father is working, I am working.

But yet we see that the principle of rest Is all the way from creation. God himself ordained it, mandated it. In Genesis chapter 2 verse 1 Heavens and the earth were completed. Verse 2, by the seventh day God completed all the work which he had done.

And he rested on the seventh day. From all his work which he had done. Genesis 2 .2. And then it says in verse 3. Then God blessed the seventh day. Sanctified it because in it he rested from it. And from all the works that God had created and made.

So is rest important to God? Absolutely. Was rest important to God when he created it? The first thing God did after he completed his work. Was he rested? Was it because God was tired? God doesn't get tired.

What happened right before God rested? The last thing God did was he created man and woman. So the first thing God wanted man and woman to do Was to rest. It wasn't for God to kick his feet up and say I've been busy all week, I need to rest.

He was ordaining a different principle. About the first day of creation for man. Does that make sense? Did you understand that? That God created man and woman on the sixth day. On the second half of the sixth day.

Then God said The first thing we're going to do now that I've created you. Is we're going to rest. Wait, I'm ready to go. I just came onto this earth. I'm ready to go and conquer the world. And rule the world.

And have dominion over all of creation. And have authority over it. I'm ready. I've got all of life within me. No, the first thing you're going to do is rest. Man and woman. Why? What was in that rest?

Because the first thing God wanted man and woman to do Was to spend time with him. The first thing God wanted man and woman to do Was to spend a dedicated time with him. That was the centering philosophy.

That was going to drive everything else. That was the centering principle. That was going to drive the rest of their lives. All the remaining six days when God was going to tell Adam Go and take care of this garden.

Go and have authority over all creation. God was telling him Before you do that. You know where you're going to get the energy to do that? In the Sabbath rest you're going to have with me. And just to make sure you understand That the law of the Sabbath is over.

But the principle of the Sabbath still exists. Turn with me to Hebrews chapter 3. This is something that Brother Lennon also shared with us A couple of weeks ago. That talked about the rest. He highlighted something different.

But it's in this passage that I want to talk about Where he talks here about rest. And about not hardening our hearts. This was the word we heard from Lennon a few weeks ago. Hebrews chapter 3 verse 7.

Therefore just as the Holy Spirit says Today if you hear his voice Today. And the author will go on to talk about today being really this very day. June whatever 28th 2012. Today if you hear his voice Do not harden your hearts when they provoke me.

As in the day of trial in the wilderness. Verse 8. Where your fathers tried me by testing me And saw my works for forty years. And said Therefore I was angry with this generation. And said they always go astray in their heart.

And they do not know my ways As I swore in my wrath. They shall not enter my rest. These people. It's good for us to recognize who these people are. These were the Israelites Back in Moses' time. But I want you to understand that it's not just those.

Because in verse 16 always he tells you who these people are Who God was so angry at. He said I will not let them enter my rest. I will not let them enter my rest. These are people Who had come out of Egypt Verse 16 Had gone through the Red Sea And were in the wilderness Had seen God give the Ten Commandments Through Moses on Mount Sinai.

That they all fell on their faces. These are the people Who God said they will not enter my rest. Now the Old Testament picture of Israel Going from Egypt to the Promised Land Is a picture of us as Christians.

We are Christians who leave Egypt Which is a symbol of the world system. We're leaving the world. And then we go through the Red Sea Which is a symbol of our baptism. Our identification with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ on the cross And his life through resurrection.

We go through the Red Sea. And then we are walking towards the place of rest Which is the Promised Land. And God said My intention is not for you to be in the wilderness for 40 years. God's intention was for them to be in the wilderness for 2 years or something like that.

They ended up being 40 years Because God said God was angry at them. So I'm talking about you and me Who provoked God it says In verse 8 Do not harden your hearts as when they provoked me. Is it possible that you and I could be provoking God right now?

It's for those who have left the world system. Have been baptized Identified with Jesus in his death and resurrection. And are desiring to go towards the Promised Land. I think that's all of us. Jesus talks about such people That they provoked God.

And verse 10 it says I was angry with this generation. Because they always go astray in their hearts. And they did not know my ways. You see that he talks about it in verse 9. They saw my works for 40 years But never knew my ways.

They saw manna dropping from heaven. They saw quail given to them. They saw 10 pieces of stone with the handwriting of God on it. All kinds of things they saw. They saw God's works. Not the devil's works Not Moses' works.

God's works for 40 years. But they never knew his ways. Can we be in a spirit filled church. Where we see gifted tongues. Where we see healing. Where we see prophecies. Where we see raising from the dead.

And God says you know what you're provoking me. Because you never knew my ways. You saw my works. You saw all the things that I was doing. I was behind those works. But you never knew my ways. Because you always went astray in your heart.

And also think about what these Israelites Seemed to as far as I know. Did they ever break the Sabbath. The Israelites in the 40 years. I don't think so. There's no evidence of them doing it. I think it would have been recorded If they had disobeyed the Sabbath.

That's a pretty big deal back then. Did they ever take the name of God in vain. No indication of that happening. Did they ever commit adultery. I'm sure they did. And then the people were stoned. As was the law.

These were people who were keeping the law Pretty righteously. But yet it says about such people That they never knew the ways of God. And I fear that in our church For us who are serious Who are leaving Egypt and the world system Who are going away And identifying with the death and resurrection Of Jesus Christ through baptism.

What that indicates That we can spend a whole lifetime Waiting for his works Studying his word But never knowing his ways. You search the scriptures Because in them you think they have life. But you're unwilling to come to me That you might have life.

Was this the problem of just the Israelites. No we find the Pharisees Having the same problem. Jesus was saying you never learn from them. And the Hebrew writer is telling me You're not learning from either of them either now.

The problem is still true That we have most Christians Who are probably Maybe seeing his works Maybe seeing his word Reading his word Studying his word But not getting to know his ways. It's so important to know God To know his ways.

That is the way to enter into rest. And remember what I said. That's the first day of creation In the human race. And the first thing all of us need to learn as Christians Is how to be at rest. It's because we are not at rest in God.

That we're so busy trying to do so many things for God That God says I got nothing to do with it. It's because we have not understood That working in the garden And cultivating the garden Was the second day Not the first day.

So we get converted. We get inspired by messages And evangelistic Crucially saying let's do this for God. So we go and try to do things with God. But we forget the Sabbath rest. That we must have in our lives With God most of all.

That is why our labor Is full of sweating and trying so hard. It is not out of a place of rest. It's true in the personal life In your victory over sin. In my victory over sin. And it is true in the corporate life as a church.

Where we're trying to do so much. Apparently small churches are now the hype. A lot more people are meeting in small churches. Some of my old friends from ministry are calling me now. They want to help me build up this church.

To do so many programs. I wonder what a lot of people I ask myself this question. Am I at rest? If I am not at rest with God All my working is in vain. It is because Jesus was at rest With the Father.

I and the Father are one. But he was able to say I am always working. My Father is always working. Because he understood the principle of the Sabbath. Which is being at rest with God. So how do I get to know God?

How do I get to know God's ways? I want to take that passage in Ephesians. That we've been memorizing Ephesians chapter 3. I want us to go through that passage slowly. I want us to understand what Ephesians 3 14 through 21.

Some of the things that I have learned. As I have memorized this Verse 14 and 15 Ephesians chapter 3. That passage we've been memorizing. For this reason I bow my knees before the Father. From whom every family in heaven and on earth Derives its names.

He goes on to tell us what we are going to do. That we will be strengthened with power through his Spirit. That we will be rooted and grounded in love. And that we may comprehend the love of God. But remember how Paul starts this.

I bow my knees before the Father. If you think. If I think that we can get the knowledge Of the love of God By studying God's word more. By attending a better church. By praying more And just spending quiet time.

It's not going to happen that way. You have to bow your knees before the Father. Not physically but in your heart. It's a constant refrain of Father you are the one who needs to help me with this. Do we feel like we figured out this Christian life.

And got the right balance. And we are getting victory over sin. That we are not bowing our knees before the Father. I'm not talking about physically. I'm talking about in our heart. Do you have that attitude of Paul had that attitude in Ephesians.

I need to bow my knees because of the Father. I could write a letter and tell you that. But I know that's no good. I need to bow my knees before the Father. From whom every family. It's your father, my father.

Every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. It's not my father alone. It's your father too. Bow my knees before the Father. You are not going to get it from spiritual books. Listening to the right series Or going to the right church.

Bow my knees before the Father. That he would grant you According to the riches of his glory To be strengthened with power Through his spirit in the inner man. So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.

What is your father going to do When you bow your knees before him. And you ask him for bread. Will he give you stone. No he won't. He will give you the Holy Spirit. So we bow our knees before the Father In our hearts saying Lord I'm living a decent life.

I'm living a good life. But that's not what I'm interested in. I want the Holy Spirit That I might be strengthened. And when he talks about that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. We know that Jesus Christ is in heaven.

He's not here on earth. So when Paul was praying That the Holy Spirit may strengthen us. So that Christ may dwell in your hearts. He wasn't asking for Jesus To come to dwell in our hearts. Jesus didn't physically come down.

And dwell in each of our hearts. In each of their hearts. Or in each of our hearts. It's the spirit of Christ. It's the spirit that was in Christ. But it is Christ. Because it's that same spirit That is in Christ that's in us.

That motivated and fueled Jesus. That pulsing spirit That fueled Jesus. Is what's pulsing in us. Don't we want that? Don't we want the spirit of Jesus To dwell in our hearts? We have to bow our knees before the Father and ask.

Have we stopped asking? Because we are maintaining Pretty normal Christian life. We're not sitting in the big ones anymore. Have you lost that hunger? Have you lost that hunger to bow down In your hearts and say Lord I need you today.

Christ may dwell in your hearts. Look at the reflection of your hearts. That's been pulsing. Has it been Christ? Dwelling, abiding, residing in your hearts Through faith. That that spirit of Christ That had Him react To pretty women.

Is the same way we are starting to react To pretty women. If we are men. Are we reacting To tough situations. The way Christ would react? I'm not saying we have to be all the way there. Yes, no. But are we checking?

And when we find the difference We bow our knees before the Father and say Holy Spirit. I need your help. I don't see us matching. I don't see the spirit that's in me. Matching the spirit that's in Christ.

In this situation I'm always I'm trying to just get Him down And bash Him up In my heart. Outside I'm smiling. But in the inside I'm hating Him. That's not the spirit of Christ. Lord. I bow my knees before the Father and say Lord you have to give me the Holy Spirit to help me.

Verse 17. So that Christ may dwell in your hearts Through faith. And that you being rooted and grounded in love. This is what I understood from that. Because it almost seemed like two separate thoughts.

But this is the proof For me That Christ is dwelling in your hearts. I'm not telling you whether you're going to go to heaven or hell. We're not talking about that. I'm asking you whether Christ is going to dwell in your hearts.

Is Christ living in your heart? Christ wants to live in your heart. The spirit that was in Christ wants to live in your heart. You know what is the proof of it? That you will be rooted and grounded in love.

If I find myself Thinking broken thoughts. And thinking horrible thoughts About how God is supposed to. How I'm supposed to act in a particular situation towards others. That is a sign That God is not dwelling in my heart.

Because I'm not rooted and grounded in love. I'm not rooted and grounded in love. That is the reason why I sin.

I want that to sink in. The reason why Jesus was rooted and grounded in love That is why he never sinned.

So it is not a word of condemnation when you sin. But it is a wake up call. That you're not rooted and grounded in love. Then he says in verse 18 and 19. So that you may be able to comprehend with all the saints.

What is the breadth and length and height and depth. And to know the love of God which surpasses knowledge. When you are rooted and grounded in love I count my blessings. I think about how good God has been to me.

That has been my secret to learning. How to snap out of a bad mood. To fight bad moods. Fight just being glum all day. And rejoice always. The pathway to it is by counting my blessings. And marveling on how good God has been to me.

In my present situations, whatever it may be. Because if I stop and think about how good God has been to me When I think about the Lord How he saved me, how he raised me up. How he filled me with the Holy Spirit.

How he picked me up and turned me around. When I think about the Lord. When I think about his great love I'm comprehending the height and the breadth and the length and the depth. That's what happens when I'm rooted and grounded in love.

That the love of God is constantly. The juice that is coming up from the soil. That's pumping up this tree. But as it says in verse 19 If I keep doing that, as I do that All of us probably can attest.

That we find that the love of God surpasses knowledge. That we can't put the boundary markers around it. That we are overwhelmed by love. That we find that the love of God surpasses all of my understanding and my knowledge and my comprehension.

Have you worked to do that? Have you been diligent to make that? Knowing God? Knowing God's ways? Because God's ways are ways of love. Are we constantly going back to the great and immense love of God?

Trying to draw the parameters. How God is going to be in this area. That's the height. And then in this area. That's the breadth. And that area, that's the length. And that area. And down and up. And left and right.

In every possible direction. Are we doing that? Or are you trying harder to fight that sin? Are you having all these strategies to do this and stay away from that? What's the first thing God asked us humans to do?

Rest. Be with me. Be with love. Have we flipped the script to where we are not trying to fight, fight, fight, fight, fight. Where we are not beginning with the great and immense love of God. And how great God has been to us.

To you specifically. To me specifically. Not to that other person out there. Get to know the love of God and comprehend it. If we don't spend time with Him and talk to Him. Ariana knows me more than any of you guys do.

Doesn't have the brain capacity of any of you. She knows me better than any of you. All of you put together. Except my wife. You know why? Because she's spent a lot of time with me. Have heard more words from me than my daughter has.

Just from Sunday morning. You've heard more words from me. From my two and a half year old daughter. Knows my ways better. She knows what I do when I enter the room. She knows what I do when I wake her up from her nap.

She knows what I do when I'm trying to put her down from her nap. She knows the tricks I play to try to get her. To put away her toys. Or she'll find that out soon. But she responds To the affirmations I give her.

She responds, she looks. Wanting to make me happy. She wants me to close my eyes. When she's putting away her toys. Because she wants me to Have that surprise. That she put away all her toys. While I was not looking and so time didn't exist.

That's what she thinks that happens when you close your eyes. Do you understand that difference? I want to ask you, do you know God? Do you know God's ways? You've heard so many of my words. But this two and a half year old child knows me better.

God has hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent. And from studying scripture, studying scripture in a blind way. And has revealed it to me. It's true then, it remains true now. If we don't learn this secret.

If we don't maintain this secret. We will always go astray and become somebody who watches for God's works. We'll watch for God's word, we'll study God's word. We'll never understand God's ways. John chapter 5.

See what Jesus says. I want you to remember that Jesus was the son of God. He was fully God as well as fully man. When he says what he says in John chapter 5 verse 19 I say to you the son can do nothing of himself.

Unless it is something he sees the father doing. For whatever the father does These things the son also does in like manner. For the father loves the son. And shows him all the things he himself is doing.

And the father will show him greater works than these. So that you will marvel. We see that Jesus copied God. Jesus was not an original. You'd like to think he was an original. But he himself was saying I'm not an original.

I was just a copycat of the father. Too many of us are trying to be original. Trying to be somebody. Jesus was saying I can do nothing. I'm just copying. I'm copying whatever the father does. I want to stress today what it says in verse 20.

Because it says 4. Now he talks in verse 19 That Jesus is copying the father. Jesus says I'll do whatever the father says. Whatever he does I do. I look at him and I do it exactly. When he says two steps to the left I take two steps to the left.

I think of it like solving the Rubik's cube. You know the Rubik's cube that 3x3 cube. And you got this jumbled up cube. And you we as humans think. Alright let's try to figure this out. Maybe I get one side clean.

And then we can kind of work on that Jesus' way. Was this Father what do you want me to do? Two to the left with your right hand. The right most thing. Alright two to the right hand. But I know I'm stuck.

What do I do next? One to the left the bottom one. One to the left. Whatever I see you doing I'm going to do. Why did Jesus have this philosophy? Verse 20 tells me. Because. Because Because. Because the father loves the son.

That is why I do nothing on my own initiative. If Jesus tells me you know why I don't think my own thoughts anymore. You know why I've never thought my own thoughts. Why I don't think my own agenda. And plan my own initiative.

You know what the reason why I came to that conclusion. Because the father loves me so much. We want to get to the point Where we reflect Jesus. He's telling me the motivation With which he reflects Jesus.

He says because The father loves me so much. That's why I don't. I just I am so indebted to how much The father loves me. I just want to do whatever he does. I've given up trying to build my own agenda.

What is the state of our hearts? I'm not going to ask you. Did you sin in all of these areas? Most of you probably raised your hand Saying no I didn't. Some of these big areas. Did you shatter your wife?

Most of us probably raised our hand Saying no we didn't. Did I shatter my co-workers? Most of us are probably going to raise our hand Saying no. Did I fight with my friends at work or school? If I asked you.

Did you have a heart that genuinely longed To talk to Jesus. This last one week. Because the father loves the son. That's the secret to you. Not doing anything of your own initiative. Did we get so caught up.

Our own agendas And our own plans. That we didn't check in with Jesus Because he's a person. And we didn't check in with the father. Because this is a real love relationship That's going on. Because this is day one Of my existence.

Is intimacy with the father. Is rest. I'm not asking you. Did you wake up at five in the morning And spend one hour of quiet time. Many mothers can't do that. I can't do that I struggle to do that. But I'm asking you this.

Do you check in with God often enough. As you were turning your eyes away From lusting after women. As you were keeping your mouth shut When you were being provoked. Even in spite of all of that. Did that mean very little to you Compared to saying Jesus.

I Want to talk to you I want to know you. You think my daughter is playing CDs of me. Speaking Studying all that Sandeep does at work. Going through all my office stuff Studying my handwriting Listening to all my past sermons.

Is that what she wants to do When she sees me. It's very simple. We have to become like children. Do we have that attitude towards God. Or have we made it all about. Methodological study of God's word And figure out everything.

You know how important we place God's word in this church. We're obeying every small and big command. But for us especially. Do you have a genuine heart That longs for Jesus. Can we say like Jesus. Because the father loves me so much I'll obey him.

Why I'll obey him. Because he loves me so much. Is that the reason why we're obeying him. If we're not Let us learn from the Israelites. Let us learn from the story of the Pharisees. Let's course correct.

It is because of the father's great love for me. And because of Jesus' love. Great love for me That I obey. That is how I know God's ways. If you read in Hebrews chapter 3 verse 7 He says Today when you hear your voice Do not harden your heart.

And it came to me in a new way. What hardening of the heart was. Because for me Hardening of the heart was a rebellious spirit That says God I hate you. Oh God I want nothing to do with you. Oh God I want to go my own separate way.

And it's a rebellious drastic spirit. It is definitely that. But it's a lot more subtle than that. As I studied this passage. And as I studied what the Israelites Did and didn't do. They kept most of the commandments all the time.

They never broke the Sabbath. They never took God's name in vain. They probably never committed adultery. All of those who were not stoned Yet they provoked God. And God was angry at them. And God said I will not let them enter my rest.

Because they always went astray in their hearts And never knew my ways. They always studied the Bible. They were so happy that they didn't sin. Like all the unconverted people. They were happy that they went to a new covenant church.

They were happy that they were not Caught up in the health, wealth, prosperity, whatever All of these doctrines. They comforted themselves in that. But they provoked me Because they were so close to the real thing.