Student Ministry - May
Dear Church Family,
During this time of social distancing and home isolation we as a church have continued to make much of the Lord and His goodness and glory. We’ve moved our services to online venues and have switched our Life Groups to Life Group video chats. The students have been video chatting in their Life Groups on Wednesday nights and have been joining a video chat with me on Sunday nights. I want all our people to know that God is still in control, and His people still need to hear His Word. Hearing from God and encouraging one another is how we are going to get through this. And I pray that on the other side, we will be more passionate for God’s glory than ever before!
Unfortunately, we had to cancel our Student Retreat last month, but the Student Ministry has been looking at this whole situation as a God-mandated, long-term retreat of sorts. So, we have been discussing what resting in Christ really means and what it looks like. It has been very relevant for the time we are in. Here are just a few things about true rest that I want to share with you:
True rest happens somewhere between anxious toil and laziness. We can only rest when we trust Christ to work perfectly for us and are then motivated by that freedom to work in His grace and power. God does not want our lives to be filled with anxious toil and perfectionism. Psalm 127:2 says “It is vain for you to rise up early, To retire late, To eat the bread of painful labors; For He gives to His beloved even in his sleep.” Matthew 6:31 says “Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’” God wants us to put our faith in Him and receive our righteousness from what He has done for us through Christ on the cross. Matthew 6:33 says “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” And Hebrews 4:10-11a says “For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His. 11 Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest…”
Trusting in Christ is how we find true rest! But in that, we are not made lazy. The reason is because we now have new desires filled with a God-breathed work ethic. Look at what Titus 2:11-14 says: “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, 12 instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ
Jesus, 14 who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own
possession, zealous for good deeds.” (emphasis mine) This means that once we have put our faith in Christ, we are given a new heart and new hope, and our work ethic actually grows because of our newfound love for God. When we live on mission for Him, He provides us with all the energy we will ever need. Colossians 1:28-29 says “28 We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ. 29 For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.” (emphasis mine)
So, what does this mean for us? It means that we cannot be lazy, but also that the burden of life is not really up to us. It means that we can get up day after day and face what life has to throw our way, because we don’t have to carry it. Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My
burden is light.” As we follow Jesus and trust in Him as Savior and Lord, He is carrying the yoke and He has the burden under control. Trust Him and rest in His grace and power as you zealously live for His glory!
Sincerely,
Brian Van Doren