The Rest of the Story

When I was growing up, every so often during the summer months or on spring break, I would have the opportunity to hang out during the day with my dad while he was at work.

My dad was my hero, and I loved getting to spend time with him. Sometimes when I was with him, he asked if I wanted to run errands with him.

I always wanted to go not only because I liked being with him, but normally an errand run included a trip to the gas station for an Icee or somewhere else for a treat of some sort.

Every time I ever ran errands with my dad around lunch, he would have the radio on and he would listen to a show hosted by a man named Paul Harvey. 

Paul Harvey had a very unique voice and cadence, It’s seared into my memory (Page 2!). Sometimes as he was reading a story from the news, he would leave you on a cliffhanger. The show would go to commercial and he would come back and say, “and now the rest of the story.”

We are currently looking at scripture and for wisdom from it to better understand how we care for our souls.

Few stories from the Bible give us as clear of instruction or information about caring for our souls as Matthew Chapter 11.  In this chapter, some followers of John the Baptist come to Jesus and they ask him if he really is the Messiah.

Jesus reminds them of the physical evidence, the healing of the sick, raising of the dead, and blinded eyes that have been able to see.

Jesus also reminds them of his cousin John, who they followed. That he was a fulfillment of prophecy. 

Jesus further shows them the evidence that just as it had been predicted, he had been outcast, and that his own had not received him. 

The end of this discourse, Jesus offers those listening, something amazing. He says, “28. Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30 CS) 

We must come face-to-face with the truth that often the greatest thing lacking in soul care is that our souls are unrested. 

I believe that Jesus’s offer of rest for the spiritually tired was not just for those listening that day, but it’s for us. In a hustle culture, work your way to the top by stepping on anyone in the way, anxiety inducing, rat race world, Jesus offers what often feels unthinkable…. rest

This is the summation of Jesus’s ministry and life. He came to give us rest. You could say, the rest of the story is that there is rest in the story.

Jesus offers us and modeled for us with a life of rest looks like. His whole life he rested rhythmically.  Just as music has a rhythm to which a band might march or people might dance. The rhythm of our life should be one of rest. 

As part of the Jewish faith, Jesus would have practiced the Sabbath. Sabbath rest was something God commanded his people to do in Exodus chapter 20. Sometimes, wrongly, we get the idea that because something was in the Old Testament means it’s not helpful for us today.

While it’s true, we aren’t bound to the law of Sabbath, we were made to rest. God created the world in six days and on the seventh he rested. The example of Jesus’s life is one of regular, planned rest.

Jesus certainly was a hard worker. Jesus was definitely intentional with his time. But intentionality with his time included time to rest. 

I worry about our culture that screams, “the grind never stops!” And, “no days off”. Think about how contradictory this is to the life of Jesus. 

Jesus was the son of God and he took time to rest. Who do we think we are that we don’t make space for rest in our lives? 

We know this to be true physiologically. Studies have shown that taking rest periods of 24 hours between working out gives our bodies enough time to fully replenish our muscle store of carbohydrates. 

Neuroscientists have found that brain structure is altered by chronic exposure to the stress hormone cortisol, which can be a major contributing factor to anxiety and depression. Feelings of calm arise from time away from work and relieve stress, which allows the body and mind to heal in ways that it couldn’t if it were still under pressure.

You need rest. I need rest. Jesus showed us that our lives should feature rhythmic rest. 

Jesus also retreated regularly. Jesus often got away from the noise to refocus on the mission at hand. 

Before Jesus started his ministry in Matthew chapter 4, he took time away alone. Before he called the 12 in Luke chapter 6, Jesus got alone. After he feeds the 5000 and Mark chapter 6, Jesus retreated to be alone. Before he went to the cross in Luke 22, we see Jesus getting alone.

Look at what Luke’s gospel said about him, “15 But the news about him spread even more, and large crowds would come together to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. 16 Yet he often withdrew to deserted places and prayed.” (Luke 5:15-16 CSB)

Sometimes we need to get away. This is not just “me time,” although I’m not against that. This is more than just vacation, although I believe you should take it. To find rest and live a life of rest like Jesus, we’ve got to be willing to get away from the noise. 

We live in a noisy world. The noise of social media and outrage culture is constantly screaming. The noise of our work, school, family, and sports constantly keeps us moving. While not all of these things are bad things, we need to be challenged to be still and know that God is with us.

Jesus never became so enamored with the crowd that he neglected quiet moments of an audience with his father. The miracles were amazing. The cross was brutal. The stories are powerful. We can’t miss the rest of the story, though. 

I love this moment in Matthew chapter 11. Because ultimately it tells us that rest is available. Jesus came to restore the relationship of humanity and heaven.

Rest might seem disconnected if you just read this chapter and don’t understand all that Jesus is saying. He starts by confirming the physical proof that he was the Messiah. In John, he confirms the Old Testament prophecy and then again in his story he does the same.

Jesus is saying that I am the Messiah. He tells them that the only ones who can know the Father are those who know the Son. Look at what he has just done though, he has proven that he is the Son and that he is here to know us.

Jesus is saying now that you know who I am, let me tell you what I can do for you. It is at this point that he offers them and us rest for our souls. 

Truly, Jesus’s purpose on this earth was to come and give us rest. He gives us rest from trying to earn our way to God. In Him, we’re given rest from the weight of legalism and religion. 

In defeating death, hell, and the grave on the cross, Jesus offers us eternal abundant rest for our souls.  

Jesus is true rest. 

So how do we care for our soul? Take time to rest. Fight for rest in your life. Choose rest. Ultimately, rest, your life, your plans, your dreams, your hopes, your ideas in the hands of the Savior. He is true rest.