Our Good Work Will Carry Us Over The Rest Period
(Leviticus 25:2, 3, 4, 6)
I. Concentration: on six years, then a Sabbath year
1. “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you enter the land I am going to give you, the land itself must observe a sabbath to the Lord. (v.2)
2. For six years sow your fields, and for six years prune your vineyards and gather their crops. (v.3)
3. But in the seventh year the land is to have a year of sabbath rest, a sabbath to the Lord. Do not sow your fields or prune your vineyards. (v.4)
4. Whatever the land yields during the sabbath year will be food for you—for yourself, your male and female servants, and the hired worker and temporary resident who live among you, (v.6)
II. Meditation: on observing the seventh year – rest . . .
1. The LORD establishes the rules for the land – even the land deserves a rest.
2. They were instructed to work their land for six years - six years of agriculture.
3. The weekly Sabbath was a rest for man and beast – the Sabbath Year (seventh year) was a time owners of the land had no right to use the soil causing them also to rest.
4. How like God to show His people He is in charge, not them; the land will spontaneously produce – God is the sower in the seventh year!!!
III. Revelation: on overworking and stripping away the passion
1. Even when God leads us to a situation or a ministry, it doesn’t mean He expects us to work until we drop – He wants us to have a break – to rest, periodically.
2. There is a time for producing and a time for resting – the LORD knows when it is time for each; He will cause us to rest as He sees fit for us.
3. The LORD teaches us if we overwork things we can strip them of value; if we overwork ourselves we can lose our passion for what was previously so precious to us.
4. All the good work from our past efforts will carry us during this rest period – our minds and bodies will be nourished from those accomplishments, not diminished due to a rest.
IV. Application: As a Christian, I need to:
1. Listen to the LORD when He says it is time to “rest awhile”
2. Accept my recent bout with the flu as a blessing – a “rest” period prescribed by the LORD; a time to get a new perspective – as my Spiritual Mentor shared . . . a time to return to being “God-directed” and not “project-driven”
3. Not feel that I have anyone to please, other than the LORD; do not spend time worrying about what others are going to say when I scale back – allow Him to prune me back to where He wants me focused – on His plans for me.
4. Remind myself to enjoy the waiting for what He has planned for me during this “Sabbath year”; make room for Him to nourish me with Him, with His Words and through His Greatness.
Our God IsAn Awesome God
(Leviticus 26:14, 16, 40, 45)
I. Concentration: on disobedience
1. “‘But if you will not listen to me and carry out all these commands, (v.14)
2. Then I will do this to you: I will bring on you sudden terror, wasting diseases and fever that will destroy your sight and sap your strength. (v.16)
3. “‘But if they will confess their sins and the sins of their ancestors—their unfaithfulness and their hostility toward me, (v.40)
4. But for their sake I will remember the covenant with their ancestors whom I brought out of Egypt in the sight of the nations to be their God. I am the Lord.’” (v.45)
II. Meditation: on repentance restores
1. The LORD tells Moses that His people, the Israelite’s, will be rewarded . . . providing they follow His decrees and obey His commands . .
2. The price they will pay for their disobedience will be severe and destructive.
3. But . . . our LORD is a loving and forgiving God; no matter their offense to Him – He will make His anger dissipate and He will listen to the confessions of His people
4. After their repentance, He will keep His promise (covenant), restore them and welcome them back into His arms.
III. Revelation: on discipline and love
1. There is nothing God tells us that is not for our own good – He never misleads us – only Satan does that; Satan will trick us and dangle exciting things before us to distract us.
2. Our Father is a Disciplinarian – He disciplines us for our own good – so that we learn from our mistakes and don’t keep making them over and over.
3. Like a disobedient child we need to go to our Parent and tell Him how sorry we are for not listening to Him – we need to ask for His forgiveness.
4. Our Father softens His heart toward us; we feel His love and promise obedience again.
IV. Application: As a Christian, I need to:
1. Listen more and act less on my own – know that He has it all worked out for my good; when I take things into my own hands the only one I am fooling is myself.
2. Check myself when I am in a dark place – ask myself how I have gotten here – retrace my steps to see where I have gone off His path for me – crawl toward the light.
3. Return to Him – tell Him I know I failed Him – ask Him once again to help me get back on the right path – ask for His forgiveness – seek His guidance.
4. Feel His Love – feel His Grace – feel His Blessings; be thankful that “My God Is An Awesome God” . . . Halleluiah!!!!