The Rock Weekly – May 29, 2024

  • Tonight – REGIONAL Prayer & Worship Night! @ 7pm in the Chapel or via Livestream.  Growing in the Word – 6pm in the Prayer Room or via Zoom. 
  • Youth Summer Camp Car Wash Fundraiser – This Sunday, 6/2 during service. Car Wash is free, donations for camp scholarships are appreciated.
  • Family Sunday & Breakfast at 9am – Join us this Sunday (6/2) for our Family Sunday, a time where we enjoy breakfast together and group discussions during the service. We look forward to growing together in community.

 

The Role of Faith in Rest

“Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep [or “rest”].”
Psalm 127:1-2 ESV

There are many things Solomon could have listed in Psalm 127 to illustrate the fact that if we do things apart from God, and apart from faith, it’s done in vain. I believe “sabbath rest” could have easily been one of them. I imagine it like this,

“Unless the LORD is with you on your day off, those who vacation do so in vain. Unless the LORD is your focus, your resting will be in vain. It is in vain that you pursue hobbies and entertainment to escape your stress, for God is the only source of true rest.”
– An Imagined Psalm (not scripture)

“It is in vain that you rise up early… eating the bread of anxious toil,” also makes me think of Exodus 16. This is the passage that records the Israelites complaining that Moses brought them into the wilderness to die of hunger. The Lord says to Moses that He will rain bread (manna) from heaven (Ex 16:4). The Lord instructs them,

“For six days you will gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will be none.” Yet on the seventh day some of the people went out to gather, but they did not find any. 28 Then the Lord said to Moses, “How long will you refuse to keep my commands and instructions? Understand that the Lord has given you the Sabbath; therefore on the sixth day he will give you two days’ worth of bread. Each of you stay where you are; no one is to leave his place on the seventh day.” So the people rested on the seventh day.”
Exodus 16:26-30 CSB

God was offering rest to his people, and they were denying it because of their lack of faith that God would provide.  Rather than accept the gift of God and rest in his goodness, they went out to work and gather what I believe might be one application of the Psalm 127 “bread of anxious toil”.

“…for they [the people of Israel in the wilderness] did not believe God or trust him to care for them.”
Psalm 78:22 NLT

God’s rest does us no good if we don’t believe or trust him.

“For this good news—that God has prepared this rest—has been announced to us just as it was to them. But it did them no good because they didn’t share the faith of those who listened to God. 3 For only we who believe can enter his rest.”
Hebrews 4:2-3 NLT

Ecclesiastes teaches us that there’s a time and season for everything (Ecc 3). But whether we are working or resting, if we do it without faith it’s not just ‘in vain’, it’s actually sin (Romans 14:23).

The commandment to rest and sabbath (Ex 16, Ex 20, Ex 23, Ex 31, Ex 34, Ex 35, Lev 19, Lev 23, Lev 26, Deut 5, Isa 56, Isa 58, Isa 66, Eze 20–wow! That’s a lot) isn’t a command to binge-watch TV or mindlessly scroll through your smartphone. Rather, it’s an invitation to walk by faith and trust in God. 

To sabbath in a way that honors God is an exercise of faith. 

 

As we prepare for Family Sunday, and our group discussions during service, think about and meditate on some of the scriptures referenced here and consider the following questions: 

  1. Do you believe that Sabbath is still important to New Covenant believers? 
  2. God’s rest requires faith…a trust in the Lord.  Is there an area where you are not believing God or trusting him to care for you (Psalm 78:22)? Are you trying to ‘gather manna’ on the 7th day? (Ex 16)  
  3. Is there any pride or arrogance I need to repent from that has kept me from admitting my need for God’s rest? (Psalms 127:1-2) 
  4. Are there any frameworks we could implement to help us honor God’s Sabbath? (look at Isaiah 58:13-14 & Psalm 92:1-3)
  5. God requires that we keep the Sabbath day holy. What does it mean to keep this day holy?
  6. Jesus did “good works” on the sabbath. In what ways may God be asking us to actually do more (rather than less)? 

 

Have a blessed week,
Pastor Andrew and your Rock Staff

 

 

 

IMPORTANT SERVICE & WEEKLY INFORMATION:

WEDNESDAY NIGHT WORSHIP & PRAYER SERVICE  7:00pm * In-Person & On-Line *
Facebook Live:  https://www.facebook.com/rockchurchco
The Rock Online Livestream:  https://www.therock.org/live/

 

GROWING IN THE WORD – 6:00pm Wednesdays
Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7709609677?omn=83428418208

 

YOUTH ~ BASE CAMP (6th – 12th Grade) – WEDNESDAY NIGHT – 7:00pm
Invite a friend and come have a great time. If you have any questions, email jaden@therock.org

 

FOOD BANK DISTRIBUTION – ON BREAK UNTIL JULY 6TH
https://www.therock.org/foodbank/
Email Lindy@therock.org if you would like to volunteer or have questions.

 

SUNDAY MORNING PRE-SERVICE PRAYER  8:15-9:15am – *In-Person & On-line*
ZOOM Direct Video Link:
           https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85340164797?pwd=V0lmWFRRL0R6Tm56QTdRUHNoMWI3QT09
ZOOM Meeting ID: 853 4016 4797
          ZOOM Phone Option +12532158782,,85340164797#

 

SUNDAY MORNING SERVICE 9:45am  *In-Person & On-line*
           Facebook Live:  https://www.facebook.com/rockchurchco
The Rock Online Livestream:  https://www.therock.org/live/

 

OPPORTUNITIES TO GIVE  Here are some ways you can partner with The Rock as you practice generosity – our regular tithe/giving, compassion help, missions, and our food bank.  Click on the following link or graphic.  www.therock.org/give

 

Have a Question, Need Prayer, Help, Feel Alone, or Disconnected?

Please email us at family@therock.org and put QUESTION, PRAYER, NEED HELP, or CONNECT ME at the top of your email.