D. Min, Director of Pastoral Care
The Theology of Rest will help you to find the rest you need to survive and thrive in life, work and ministry. This course is about desire for God and intimacy with God. Jim Anderson reminds us of the ongoing validity and importance of the fourth commandment – and provides help in how to live in the light of it. The course is divided into three segments. The first discusses how God is pleased when we rest. The second sergment consists of five session pertaining to how we rest in a restless world. The third segment explains how to take this rest into our workplaces and homes.
- 1
1. Rest, the Pleasure of His Image. Introduction. Sabbath Definitions.
Sabbath is a way of life that helps to discover a radiant life in ministry and work. And yet it is almost totally absent from the existence of contemporary Christians. In this session Jim Anderson shares several definitions to reveal what is encompassed in one biblical term, 'Sabbath'. - 2
2. Rest, the Pleasure of His Image. Rest as a Core Value.
We argue against the Sabbath commandment more than all the rest. The world today is restless and it has lost the value of rest. In this session Jim Anderson speaks about the importance of resr to the God-man relationship. After years of studying the theme of rest in the Scriptures, he came to believe that rest is a core value with God. - 3
3. Rest, the Pleasure of His Image. Back to the Beginning.
In this session Jim Anderson goes back to the beginning, the first book of the Bible. Since God empowered man to work, He takes pleasure in seeing mankind at work. But this is not the only way in which the image of God is evident in our lives. If we want to reflect the image of God, we need to learn how to rest. So what is God's definition of rest?" - 4
4. Rest, the Pleasure of His Image. What is Divine Rest?
What is it that God did that was rest? From God's perspective rest is more than sleep or leisure. In this session Jim Anderson shares several principles about divine rest which will help us to understand that the refreshing powers of life are received through declared periods of rest. - 5
5. Rest, the Pleasure of His Image. Rest in a Fallen World.
If rest was a value before the fall, it is of greater value in the world of thorns, sweat, childlabor and heartaches.There is no doubt that people who live in a fallen world infiltrated with sin need rest. In this section of the lecture Jim Anderson looks at Genesis 3:17-19 and quotes the words of the Jewish writer Abraham Heshel, who compares the Sabbath to an island of relief. - 6
6. Rest, the Pleasure of His Trust. Exodus 16:21-30. Bible Study Method.
Jim Anderson begins this session by talking about his father, who received great pleasure when people made good on his trust and developed into trustworthy people. He also received many blows from those who abused it. Trust is the big idea in the narration about Israel's wilderness excursion. Making good on God's trust also pertains to following instructions. You will use the Bible study method to find keywords and a key verse to summarize Exodus 16:21-30. - 7
7. Rest, the Pleasure of His Trust. Exodus 16:21-30. Gathering.
Gathering or making a living is rewarded by free progressive societies. God is not opposed to gathering; He is the one who told the Israelities to do so in the first place. Jim Anderson uses Exodus 16:21-30 to explain how God rewards gathering as long as it is accompanied by the will power to cease, demonstrating trust in God as the ultimate provider. - 8
8. Rest, the Pleasure of His Sabbath. God's Gift to Man.
In this section of the lecture Jim Anderson explains the problem with focusing on human needs and invites us to focus on pleasing God who can meet our essential needs. Rest is a gift from God for He understands man's need for rest. The teacher uses verses from Scripture to help us view rest as a gift of God. - 9
9. Rest, the Pleasure of His Sabbath. Man's Gift to God.
How can we make Sabbath-rest a Sabbath unto the Lord? How can we make the Sabbath a pleasure to the Almighty? In this section of the lecture Jim Anderson gives answers to these questions. First, a Sabbath unto the Lord is made to reflect His character. Second, a Sabbath unto the Lord puts His work ahead. Third, a Sabbath unto the Lord celebrates deliverance. - 10
10. Rest, the Pleasure of His Sabbath. Summary.
Rest has a higher appeal than satisfying our need for it. Rest is about pleasing God by entering it. A Sabbath unto the Lord requires more than discipline and self-denial. It requires a revolution. In this section of the lecture about rest as means of pleasing God Jim Anderson says that without personal revoulution of celebrating a Sabbath unto the Lord is apt to be boring. - 11
11. Rest, the Pleasure of His Perspective.The Loss of Perspective.
First Kings nineteen provides a startling portrayal of lost perspective. After reading the passage about Prophet Elijah, Jim Anderson uses the Bible study method to identify key words and comes up with a summary sentence. No one performed more magnificent miracles by the power of God than Elijah and yet he suffered from a loss of perspective on at least one occasion. There came a day when even John the Baptist, blinded by his own circumstances, lost perspective. But Jesus didn't rebuke him for his lack of faith, he renewed John's perspective. - 12
12. Rest, the Pleasure of His Perspective. Symptoms of Lost Perspective.
Symptoms sabotage our best attempts to conceal our weaknesses. Symptoms indicate that something needs correction or adjustment. In this section of the lecture Jim Anderson goes back to First Kings nineteen to identify the symptoms of lost perspective: fear of man, despondency and martyr syndrom. But what are the causes of loss of perspective? What is the key to restoring perspective? Watch this video to find the anwers. - 13
13. Rest, the Pleasure of His Perspective. Perspective, a God's Eye View.
God desires that we view heaven and earth as He views them. That's a unique privilege and if it requires settling down into a restful state of solitude, it is worth it and God is worthy of it. In this section of the lecture Jim Anderson looks at passages of Scripture which are given so that God's people could gain and regain a true perspective. We can serve God in many ways, but God is pleased when we diligently devote ourselves to maintaining His perspective. - 14
14. Rest, the Pleasure of His People. Limits of Leasure.
Leisure activities have their place and serve as a good introduction to rest. Leisure activities also serve as effective bridges after extended peroids of test. They help us transition back into our work zones. In this section of the lecture Jim Anderson also talks about the limits of leisure. While leisure activities have limited value for those who can afford them, God offers lasting satisfaction to all who come to Him. - 15
15. Rest, the Pleasure of His People. Where is the Joy?
We need something beyond leisure activities, we need joy which becomes the true pleasure of God. In this section of the lecture Jim Anderson looks at the passage of Scripture about pretentious behaviour of Israelites towards the Sabbath. Through repentance God provides what the pursuit of pleasure could not. Repentance produces joy that is no match for leisure activities. - 16
16. Rest, the Pleasure of His People. Rest is about Repentance.
Repentance is a prerequisite to rest. If we want to experience the fruit of repentance that leads to Sabbath-rest, we must ask God to open our hearts and investigate them until we have no other response than repentance. In this section of the lecture Jim Anderson talks about rest beyond leisure which brings true joy which cannot be taken away. - 17
17. Sabbath, a Time to Discover. First Sabbath Experience.
The minister who fails to practice what he preaches places himself in a precarious position. In this section of the lecture Jim Anderson shares his first Sabbath experience and talks about people who encouraged him to walk the path of Sabbath-rest. This first experience of what God enjoyed on the seventh day set the stage for many to follow. - 18
18. Sabbath-rest, a Time to Discover. Statements about Sabbath Rest.
In this section of the lecture Jim Anderson reads statements of different people who discovered Sabbath-rest and shared their struggles as well. David R.Mains writes about God's Sabbath principle which cannot be repeatedly ignored without damaging one's soul. Peter Scazzero was too busy building a bigger church and had no time for reflection. You will also learn about ninteenth century English Parliamentarian William Wilberforce who was a busy man but modeled Sabbath-rest. - 19
19. Sabbath-rest, a Time to Discover. From Sabbath to the Lord's Day.
Why do most Christian groups recognize Sunday, the first day of the week, as the day for worship and rest? Are there any biblical reasons to worship God on Sunday? In this lecture Jim Anderson shares some reasons for not becoming legalistic about which day we worship or rest. This religious observance is by no means a way of gaining salvation or sanctification. It is a means of deepening one's relationship with Christ." - 20
20. Sabbath, a Time to Release. Dangers of Workaholism.
In this section of the lecture Jim Anderson shares the story of a nobleman named Victor who had to endure strenuous physical labor when he married a peasant girl and was bahished from his parents' land. One of his sons Elmer aslo made heavy work his trademark. The same drive to survive lodged itself in Elmer's son Harold. Harold's second child inherited the worst of his workaholic tendencies. Jim Anderson shares this personal history of his ancestors because of the pattern it presents. Each generation had to discover on his own that life has an edge, a place of no return." - 21
21. Sabbath, a Time to Release. The Lord's Ministry of Deliverance.
Setting people free on the Sabbath was not only a trend with Jesus; he was quite intentional about it. In this section of the lecture Jim Anderson shares how the Lord released people from various forms of captivity, especially the grip of satan. Jesus not only fulfilled the function of the Old Testament Sabbath by releasing the unfortunate from their bondage, He set a precedent for a say of release in the New Testament and the age to come. - 22
22. Sabbath, a Time to Release. Exercise for Releasing Concerns.
Releasing our concerns to God will have positive effects on our lives. Once anxieties are released, one is able to think objectively. In the section of the lecture Jim Anderson gives a practical step by step means of releasing your concerns and worries. God is so ready to respond to our needs when we are willing to release them to Him. - 23
23. Sabbath, a Time to Review. Personal Approach.
In this section of the lecture Jim Anderson shares the memories of his childhood and adulthood, the things he did to get attention and feel loved. God helped him to review his life and showed him how restless and driven he was. Lois Anderson also speaks about this aspect of Sabbath-rest. - 24
24. Sabbath, a Time to Review. Systematic Approach.
A more systematic approach to reviewing your life in light of God's Word is to examine various facets of your personality. In this section of the lecture Jim Anderson looks ar several avenues through which we can review our lives in the light of Scripture. You can review your life by examining your actions, your speech, your attitudes and your emotions. If this sounds more like work than rest - it is! Is is work that leads to rest. - 25
25. Sabbath, a Time to Remember. The Bible as the Family Photo Album.
Destroyed photo albums are possessions that cannot be replaced. Photo albums help families to remember the good old days of being together with loved ones. In this section of the lecture Jim Anderson talks about the Bible that serves a photo album reminding God's family of their spiritual heritage. Throughout Scripture we are exhorted to remember the Lord as Creator and Redeemer. Sabbath is a time to remember God and to be released from consuming self-thoughts. - 26
26. Sabbath, a Time to Remember. Exercise on Remembering God.
In this section of the lecture Jim Anderson shares a practical exercise which will help to remember the Lord. He uses an illustration about a spider building a web which brings to mind both the work and person of God. You can remember God and praise Him with words, songs, and prayers. You can do some activities as an expression of your appreciation of God. - 27
27. Sabbath, a Time to Look Forward
Sabbath-rest opens a window to the future. It has eschatological significance projecting our thoughts into the future. While our bodies rest from work, our minds review the hope of final rest from toil, when all consequences of the curse are removed from the believer. In this lecture Jim Anderson talks about eternal rest reflected through the Sabbath.Heaven is the intended place of rest suggested through the Sabbath and portrayed through the land. - 28
28. Taking a Load Off as God Intends. Rest from Your Work.
Sabbath keeping is a means of establishing a restful center around which all of the demands of life revolve. In this section of the lecture Jim Anderson encourages us to learn to rest from work by coming to Jesus and recognizing our condition. We also need to recognize our need for recovery and welcome Jesus as our trainer. Bible stories about Jesus help to learn how to rest by observing the Master. But he will not use a stepladder to remove our burdens, He will wait until we humble ourselves. Humility is a prerequisite to taking off the load as God intends. - 29
29. Taking a Load Off as God Intends. Rest at Your Work.
In this section of the lecture Jim Anderson shares his experience of learning how to rest at work and taking the theology of rest from the resting place to the workplace. Resting at work requires that we change masters, agendas and values. We need to learn the unforced rhythms of grace to discover that the yoke of Jesus is best for us. - 30
30. Taking a Load Off as God Intends. Self-Imposed Loads.
Self-imposed loads are often the results of wanting to do big things for God. In this section of the lecture Jim Anderson talks about the loads we impose on ourselves when we want to produce a great impression, try to meet someone's expectations, strive for perfectionism and confuse 'my best' with 'the best'. Jim Anderson uses a historic illustration from the Book of Jeremiah to show that God's work is light when we go about it resting and rejoicing in his protection and provision. - 31
31. Commuting Between Two Poles. Private Life and Public Life.
While rest abuse is a problem for some people, others topple in the direction of activity abuse. In this section of the lecture Jim Anderson explains how to bring balance to the work-rest rhythm of our lives. He believes that balance is best achieved by observing our Lord's life. - 32
32. Commuting Between Two Poles. Three Temptations.
We fail temptations in private before we fail them in public. In this section of the lecture Jim Anderson speaks about the temptations to sacrifice private life on the altar of popularity, productivity and pressure. God allows temptations to come to us in private so that we could process them with Him and work out a godly way of escape. - 33
33. The Twenty-Third Psalm, a Recipe for Rest. Introduction.
In this section of the lecture Jim Anderson shares the workaholic's 23rd psalm which used to reflect his life. But it is more important to understand and to live by the inspired twenty-third psalm. If you understand sheep, you are apt to have a greater understanding of how God views people. Having a shepherd is essential to our survival, and is vital to our temporal and eternal wellbeing. - 34
34. The Twenty-Third Psalm, a Recipe for Rest. The Lord is my Satisfaction.
Everyone seeks satisfaction from something or someone. David discovered tha the Lord was the key to satisfaction; as a shepherd he wanted nothing more. In this section of the lecture Jim Anderson emphasizes that we can't rest without the satisfaction the Lord provides. - 35
35. The Twenty-Third Psalm, a Recipe for Rest. The Lord is my Security
Security is the second ingredient in the recipe for rest. Psalm twenty-three presents the reality of security in the midst of danger. In this section of the lecture Jim Anderson present three vivid portraits of security. You will learn the key to being secure in dangerous places and not fearing evil. - 36
36. The Twenty-Third Psalm, a Recipe for Rest. The Lord is my Success
Success is the third ingredient for rest. Success is something everyone wants but few can define. In this section of the lecture Jim Anderson shared David's definition that comes in word pictures. God's view of success has more to do with relationships than the typical plenty to eat, plenty to have, and plenty to do definitions. Success is knowing you are headed for heaven, the dwelling place of God. - 37
37. Rest, Forgiving as Forgiven. Take the Initiative!
As we ponder forgiving as God in Christ has forgiven us, we cannot help but ask how has God forgiven us? If we cannot answer that question, there is little chance that we will be able to forgive others as God has forgiven us. In this section of the lecture Jim Anderson teaches us that when God forgives He takes the initiative and pays the price for forgiveness. Are we ready to do the same? - 38
38. Rest, Forgiving as Forgiven. Forgiveness and Consequences.
Forgiveness means that we are willing to accept the consequences of someone else's sin. Forgiveness does not automatically remove or reverse the consequences imposed by a careless or evil act. In this section of the lecture Jim Anderson talks about forgiveness as grace in action. Our readiness to forgive is essential for a life of love and ministry. - 39
39. From Rest to Revival. When does Rebellion Happen?
The Prophet Isaiah was called by God to address the rebellion of Israel's Southern Kingdom. Chapter thirty describes their rebellion as a general attitude toward God. In this section of the lecture Jim Anderson talks about rebellion which happens as we exchange the promises of God for the plans of man and exchange the power of God for the protection of man. It also happend if we exchange the truth of God for the talent of man. - 40
40. From Rest to Revival. When does Revival Happen?
Revival happens in individuals as they declare themselves spiritually bankrupt, unable to think, work, or plan their way out of their spiritual poverty. In this section of the lecture Jim Anderson talks about revival which happens when we repent of our rebellion and rest in the power of God for salvation. We must rest from trying to save ourselves, learn to listen to God and trust in His plan. - 41
41. A Sabbath-Rest Experience Briefing
Now is the time to practise what you've heard about the Sabbath and being alone with God. In this short Sabbath-rest experience briefing Jim and Lois Anderson encourage us to begin spending an extended weekly time with God and release our concerns, review our lives and remember the living Lord. Their practical guidelines are not intended as a rigid formula, they are like training wheels designed to help a person learn to ride a bike.