2002.2.10. Rev. Sang Keun Kim

We Also Need to Rest

Matthew 11:28-30

Preaching person's one of the most difficult tasks is selecting an appropriate sermon title, and the title which corresponds to Bible's content is not easily found. When I selected this week's title as "We also need to rest", people around me laughed. I believe Rev. Cho was the loudest. As you read today's title, you probably know my sermon's intention and as well as the content. We all know that after next week's service, Rev. Cho starts six months of sabbatical leave. Based on my close observations on Rev. Cho, I am not sure whether he will be serious of taking six months of sabbatical leave. Nevertheless, officially he will be under sabbatical leave.

Mrs. Cha, Jung-Ok, the chairperson of the Pastor-Parish Relation committee, suggested two special conditions to Rev. Cho. The first one is upon returning from the leave, 10- pound gain of weigh is expected whereas the second condition includes staying 10-miles away from the church. Also, the chairperson of the Administrative Council, Mr. Yang may contemplate changing all the locks of the building to keep him away from the church. For many years the shepherd who has guided the congregation members diligently is about to embark a sabbatical leave. Rev. Cho, we wish you a happy sabbatical leave and safe return.

When a rest is upon us, how should we handle it? The answer is found in today's sermon; we also need to rest. This is the pivotal point of my sermon. "We also need to rest." What does resting indicate? Do nothing and just sleep late? Is this resting? How about watching football game in TV? Is this resting? One day I attended at small cell-group meeting where a person was introduced to me as a "farmer" digging ground with sticks. Naively, I thought he was really a farmer but later I learned that he uses special metal sticks designed to hit a small ball -a golfer! Because our church has 50-years old history, there is significant number of people enjoying comfortable resting life that includes occasional digging of the ground with special sticks.

Today I want to share with you the meaning of "rest" which differs from the preceding connotation. The Bible says we need to rest. Then what kind of resting does God expect from us? Resting is an important biblical teaching. As we all know the Bible, from the beginning chapter, emphasizes the importance of resting. The God, creator of universe, selected seventh day for resting. "Seventh day God had finished the work He had been doing; so on the seventh day He rested. And God blessed the seventh day and was made it holy, because He rested from all the work of creation that Her had done." - (Gen 2:2-3)

God created the universe, and then rested on seventh day. This was mentioned twice and the Old Testament continuously emphasizes the importance of Sabbath day from the commandment perspective. Not only human were required of Sabbath but also the land was to have a year of rest.

In today's reading (Matt 11), the Sabbath has a different meaning. It starts as follows: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Here the word "rest" does not mean doing nothing. It signifies approaching Jesus and reestablishing the relationship with Him. As we become weary, tired and shaken, our Lord calls us with gentile voice. "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Approaching Jesus and reestablishing the relationship is resting. One Friday evening of the last month, I had a shameful thought. For a week I had to lead the early morning prayer service, Barnaba's training class, church history class, cell group meetings, etc. I was extremely exhausted with continuous stress saturated with heavy schedules. Physically and emotionally, I was very tired. On Friday evening I finished next day's morning sermon and other tasks. Upon completion, I turned on TV to listen the news through which I learned that the moisture from Georgia area and the cold high-pressure from Buffalo area would result a big snow storm for this area next morning around eleven o'clock. I said to myself - why from eleven o'clock and not from five so that the entire area can be paralyzed, thus I can rest for one day. God, please let it start early. This silly thought was an indicative of my physical and emotional exhaustion. Next morning around four o'clock, I opened the curtain with a wishful thinking but I saw only clear sky with twinkling stars.

And following Sunday night, first time in my life, I fainted and fell down becoming unconscious. Suddenly, I experienced shortness of breath and could not hear anything. Shortly after, I slowly gained conscience, and dragged myself to balcony to catch fresh air. As I tried to open the door, I fell down again. Upon hearing the knocking noise, my father woke up and brought me a glass of Kim-Chi juice. Obediently, I consumed the juice that slowly improved my condition. For a while I was wondering whether this could be a carbon monoxide poisoning. Could this happen in America? Next day, doctor gave me a diagnosis; compared to the Korean male, my blood pressure was low and there was an over exertion on my liver. As I learned about my liver, Rev. Cho's liver ailment came to my mind, and thought I may, too, be famous as Rev. Cho. I told My fainting episode to a preacher friend in Los Angeles who commented that the optimum time and place to fainted is during the sermon.

That night's episode made me rethink about my life style. After consulting with fellow preachers and doctor, I began to introspect my life and ministering styles. I always believed that carrying heavy burdens was my reasonable duty. By toiling and carrying heavy burdens, I thought I would face a bright future. Through my fainting incidence, God taught me how wrong I was. Achievement used to bring satisfaction to me but God showed me that I was wrong. I, as an associate minister of this church had misconception of my duty, which was thought to include only toiling hard and carry many heavy burdens. To promote 80% cell group participation, many plans and review processes were required in addition to activities for caring of new comers. All my activities I planned from the beginning of the year consisted of only toiling and carrying heavy burdens. Jesus told us definitely to come to Him who is weary and burdened but I was walking by my own way.

What Jesus wants from us is not just toiling and carrying heavy burdens. Now, He is calling us who are weary and burdened. "All come to me, I will give you rest." By responding to His invitation, we can experience real rest in our souls. The Koreans, especially the immigrants like us, have a tendency of admiring being called "workaholic." When we hear this word, we think of a gradual achievement of successful life. We are misunderstanding. In strange land with strange language, the survival necessitates workaholism but I emphatically tell you that it destroys not only the relationship between God and us but also between our neighbors as well. It can be a dreadful disease. Only laboring and carrying heavy burdens, that is thought to solve our problems, actually generates unbelief of God and over self-confidence. During the accomplishment of our life journey, drifting away from God and relying on our own effort lead us to become conceited in front of God ignoring the daily blessings. We also become proud of self-achievement, and may despise under achieved ones.

What is the outcome of workaholic? Destruction of health, disappearance of family dialogue, and deterioration of human relationship are apparent. Last week Elder Hahn stressed a new concept in solving our parking crisis; paradigm shift is urgently needed. Likewise, in understanding Sabbath, a paradigm shift is in order. Until today Sabbath meant us working hard for six days and resting one day afterward. But this traditional concept has to be shifted; six days of hard working followed by a day of rest is wrong. For today's one happy Sabbath, six days of earnest preparation is needed. Resting with the Lord is not a result of our living but should be a purpose of our life. To rest with our Lord we toil diligently for six days in the world. The Hymn No. 57 (O day of rest and gladness); O day of rest and gladness, O day of joy and light. O balm of care and rest ….sing Holy, Holy to the great God trinity.

Not too long ago, a church member asked me a question. As a newly arrival to this country, he located a job which required working on every Sunday. "Reverend what should I do?" I was deeply sympathetic because, for new immigrants, this requirement presents difficult problem. My friends, resting on Sunday with the Lord signifies surrendering ourselves to the Lord. On this day there may be no profit due to closed doors, and a refusal to work on every Sunday may deprive the opportunity but we cast all these anxieties to our Lord. I advised him carefully that since God looks after our life journey, a different job should be searched. Since then I have never heard him that he had to skip meals. Instead, he is always smiling and helping the church works with his wife. Whenever I see them showing dedication for our church, I have felt that God should be glorified. After last week's service this couple was working as volunteers for registering congregations' names. To them I like to read the following verses (Matt 6:25-30): "Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink or what to wear. Look at the birds! They do not sow or reap or store in barns, and yet your Father feeds them? And why worry about clothes See how the lilies of the field grow; they do not labor or spin. If God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven. Will He not much more clothe you?"

Resting means surrendering to God; unloading our heavy burdens and all the problems at Him. What are your heavy burdens? Is it running-down business due to poor economy? Difficult mortgage payment and unpredictable job security, hidden family crisis, unfaithfulness between spouses, mother-and daughter-in-law conflicts and problem-children? Our Lord is telling us, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest, for I am gentile and humble in hear. Take my yoke and learn from me." Jesus is calling us to give rest who are weary and carrying heavy burdens. Having rest with Jesus is taking His yoke, then what does it mean taking His yoke? In His time, in Palestine area, there was a certain requirement to have a yoke placed on ox. One yoke was to be shared by two oxen. Then Jesus told us to take his yoke. What does it mean taking His yoke? It means that Jesus wants to share His yoke with us. He is willing to place a part of his yoke on our tired shoulders.

Even if our life becomes unmanageable, is about to be abandoned and facing unhappy human relationships and adverse financial situations, we still have hope because Jesus promised to share His yoke with us. Because of His sharing, the yoke becomes comfortable and the burden will be lighter. Our friendly Jesus, bearing our sins, is saying to us, "come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Do you wish to find comfort in His arm? Do you wish to have His rest? The Hymn No. 487 is urging as follows: "cast your anxieties and heavy burdens to our Lord." Yes, that is right; because He promised to share His yoke, we need to cast temptations, anxieties, all pains and heavy burdens at Him. Where can you find such a sincerely friend? If you have heavy burdens, and wish to receive genuine rest in Christ, let's sing with me the Hymn No. 487 (What a Friend We have in Jesus).