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The Day God Rested
Sermonette by Ryan McClureGod gave the Sabbath as a blessing for man, which, if kept correctly, gives rejuvenating rest, a relief from stress, and a defense against illness.
God's Rest (Part 1)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughGod's act of resting, as depicted in Genesis 2:2-3, carries profound significance in the process of spiritual creation. On the seventh day, God rested from His labor, not out of weariness, for He neither faints nor grows tired, but from a sense of satisfaction in a job well done. This rest, rooted in the Hebrew word meaning to cease or Sabbath, reflects His joy and pleasure in the beauty and peace achieved through His creative efforts, transforming chaos into order. His resting is not for Himself alone but signifies His desire to rest in us, taking delight in what He has accomplished within His new spiritual creation. Furthermore, God blessed and sanctified the day of His rest, setting it apart as a memorial of His labors. This day is designated for His use in our lives, a time when He continues His spiritual work within us. While God ceased His customary physical labor, His spiritual efforts persist, and we are called to imitate Him by stopping our normal work on this day and devoting it entirely to spiritual pursuits aligned with His purpose. True rest, as shown through His example, comes only when His will is done, whether for us, in us, or through us, bringing a state of peace and satisfaction. This rest also points to a future fulfillment when God completes His spiritual plan, a time when His labors will culminate in an ultimate Sabbath rest. Even now, entering into His rest offers a foretaste of this future blessing, reflecting His favor as we yield to His ongoing creative work. His rest is not idleness but a shift in focus to the spiritual creation of His image in us, a process that continues until He is fully satisfied with what He has formed.
The Sabbath: Rest
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughIn the beginning, as recorded in Genesis 2:1-3, the heavens and the earth were completed, and on the seventh day, God ended His work and rested from all that He had created and made. He blessed and sanctified this day because in it He ceased His labor. This act of resting on the seventh day establishes a pattern of cessation from physical work, reflecting a deeper significance for humanity. God's rest, as described, is not born of fatigue, for He does not grow weary. Instead, in Genesis 2:2, the emphasis is on stopping, using the Hebrew word shabbat, meaning to cease or desist. This cessation is distinct from mere repose, as seen in Exodus 20:11, where the term nuach is used, implying a settling down or resting after activity. This distinction highlights that God's rest involves a deliberate halt to creative physical work, shifting focus to a different purpose. The promise of entering His rest remains, as noted in Hebrews 4:1-3, a call to believers to avoid the disobedience of past generations who failed to enter due to unbelief. Hebrews 4:9-10 further clarifies that there remains a rest, termed sabbatismos, for the people of God, where one ceases from personal works as God did from His. This rest is both a present experience in type, through observing the Sabbath, and a future hope in the fullness of His Kingdom. God's presence offers rest even now, as promised in Exodus 33:14, where He assures His people that His presence will accompany them and provide rest. This is echoed in Psalm 95:7-11, where a warning is given not to harden hearts as in the rebellion, lest one fails to enter His rest, identified as His resting place, using the Hebrew term menuchah, derived from nuach, meaning to settle down or be quiet. Ultimately, as depicted in Revelation 21:1-7, the culmination of God's rest is seen in the new heaven and new earth, where He dwells with His people, wiping away tears, death, sorrow, and pain. This eternal rest begins once all unrighteousness ceases, aligning with the complete cessation of human carnal works, allowing true peace and stillness to prevail, fulfilling the deeper meaning of God's rest.
Sabbathkeeping (Part 1)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughHow and why a person keeps the Sabbath determines whether this test commandment is really a sign between God and His people or an act of futility.
The Fourth Commandment (Part 1)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughThe Sabbath is a special creation, a very specific period of holy time given to all of mankind, reminding us that God created and is continuing to create.
The Sabbath: Redemption
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughGod has blessed us with the Sabbath, a period of holy time, when He redeems us from the clutches of our carnality and this evil world.
Magic Doesn't Work (Part One)
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughWhile God is consistently depicted as working, magic seemingly provides a shortcut that bypasses overcoming and growth, attaining something for nothing.