Level Up, Part 3: Rest // Eric Robertson

Victory Fellowship Church Podcast

Here is the problem: According to the World Health Organization, 40% of 10,000 people surveyed reported suffering from burnout in 2023. Burnout is a recognized psychological condition that results in physical and emotional fatigue, where we feel tired and lack motivation. It closely resembles depression.

Analyzing the Problem:

· Is time our problem?

· What about money? Inside of us is this desire for meaning and for life that is only truly filled by knowing and being known by God. In our pursuit of trying to fill this desire we instead chase pleasure, plenty, and power.

1 John 2: 16

· The division in our hearts is one of restlessness and exhaustion. One half of our heart says "I'm tired and I need rest," while the other half says, " I am restless and I want more."

· We know we need to rest, but we don't want to.

In Exodus 13 and 14, God frees the Israelites from the bondage of endless exhaustion. In the chapters that follow, God institutes something called Sabbath ("stop" in Hebrew)

· Later in Amos 8:5 god criticizes Israel for their hatred of rest.

· Israel had one eye on the rest and the other on the clock. This desire for more contributes to our lack of desire to rest. How many times have you felt guilty about taking a break? How many of you sit down only to think about all of the things you need to be doing?

When you continuously run stop signs, you will eventually get into a wreck.

We go and do without restraint in hopes of finding meaning and life. The way to find life is not through doing more but by doing less.

Solution:

Jesus presents us with an invitation to his Gospel of rest. His invitation to rest extends to us today.

Matthew 11: 28-30

· This invitation is to a spiritual rest and a way of life. A rhythm or way of doing life that trusts that God knows my need for rest and will do more in my absence than I could do working overtime.

· When Israel found itself stuck in a cycle of labor and exhaustion, God gave them an exit (Exodus). That Exodus for us is taking time away from the cycle and resting, delighting, and worshipping.

· Jesus gives us an exit. That exit involves resting from our spiritual works AND working into our lives a rhythm of physical rest.

Sitting at the Feet of Jesus

Luke 10: 38-42

1. Martha was right.

"But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made." Resting is about trusting God with what we need to do so that He can give us what we need.

2. Mary chose the better over the good.

This country is great, and the opportunities are good, but Jesus is better.

3. Martha's works could be taken away, but Mary's rest was eternal.

Our stuff can be taken from us, Jesus can't. Never trade the eternal for the external