# Striving for Rest



## Semper Fidelis (Feb 20, 2013)

This is a really good sermon by Sinclair Ferguson. I listened to it last night on my way home from a long day.

Striving for Rest? - SermonAudio.com

I don't want any commenting on the particulars unless they've taking the time to listen.

In it, though, I think he captures the essence of our "orientation" as believers toward the Law of God - in this case the Sabbath. He provides a good analogy, therein, that nobody accuses Saint Andrews, who produce the rules of golf, for being "legalists". It's just the way the game is played. 

There is certainly a condemning power of the Law and we who were once dead in sins and trespasses only experienced its Curse but I fear that those who can only orient themselves to the Law in terms of its curse or burden have never rightly understood the transforming work of the Spirit whereby the character of God is no longer a condemning and consuming fire but a gracious Father in whose arms we find rest.

Lest those who find themselves to be fully persuaded that the Sabbath is a good thing and have nothing to be concerned about, I think it's also helpful to note the tone by which Sinclair Ferguson exhorts believers in this matter. There is a sense of rebuke that we all ought to feel but it's not so much a "Tsk, tsk" kind of anger but a "...it's sad to think what you're missing out on..." kind of rebuke. I think we all need to learn to orient our exhortation appealing to the Spirit of God within fellow Christians to argue for the sweetness of fellowship with God in contrast to the way the world might look at the same. This is in contrast to simply bringing to bear the Curse of the Law upon those who would violate it. It's not that the latter judgment is not true but the exhortation for believers is to encourage that all should strive to enter that rest and we'll let God be the one who decides who is hardened by such exhortations.

Anyway, just a few thoughts. Please, again, listen to the sermon and, after you have done so, you are free to comment.


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## jwithnell (Feb 20, 2013)

I'll try to give this a listen later today. I've been listening to Dr. Ferguson for many years, he's wonderful on all levels.


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## irresistible_grace (Feb 20, 2013)

I just listen to it & will listen again. Thank you got sharing. It was amazing.


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## Peairtach (Feb 20, 2013)

Very good sermon.

We enter that eternal rest by making use of the means that God has given us, including the Christian Sabbath.

If we had entered God's rest, in the ultimate sense of the Heavenly Eschatalogical Kingdom (Genesis 2) - as Jesus has already done (Hebrews 4:10) - why are we in a warfare against the world, the flesh and the Devil, as were Joshua and David against Israel's enemies?


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## jwithnell (Feb 20, 2013)

An excellent sermon that provided great refreshment on a day when I missed my typical morning time in the word. Thanks for sharing. The golf mention makes me wonder if the same could be said for each of the laws -- that we have a great freedom in behaving in the manner for which we were created.


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## Semper Fidelis (Feb 20, 2013)

jwithnell said:


> that we have a great freedom in behaving in the manner for which we were created.



Indeed. When you read about freedom in the Scriptures it's not the type of freedom that the world considers "free". That is to say that the world considers freedom as: "I decide what I want to do and, if anyone stops me, that's bondage."

The Scriptures see this bent-inward view of the world as slavery. The natural man is enslaved to sin and its power and so is not free. Freedom is deliverance from the bondage of sin and death so that we are able to obey God - not out of slavish fear - but as those who were created so to do. Isn't it our blessed hope that we will one day be set free from the groaning of our current temptations? This battle against the old man where we don't do the things we want to do is taxing. 

Some look at it and think: "It seems like that guy is all hot and bothered that he struggles with temptation. I'm free from such cares because I don't deny myself any pleasures nor is my conscience bothered."

Such a man is a slave. It is, paradoxically, the man who has been set free in Christ that gives battle to temptation because he is freed from the bondage of sin.


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## Edward (Feb 20, 2013)

Thanks. As with all of Sinclair's teaching, an excellent use of our time.


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## housta (Feb 20, 2013)

Downloading it from sermon audio now. Thanks!


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## irresistible_grace (Feb 20, 2013)

Edward said:


> Thanks. As with all of Sinclair's teaching, an excellent use of our time.




It was so amazing, I listen to it three times today!
"God's Word goes for the jugular!"


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