Rest OR The Sabbath: God's Gift of Rest, Freedom and Purpose!
May 23, 2009
Larry R Evans
Introductory Reflections
Perhaps you’ve seen the film, Mr. Holland’s Opus. It is a powerful story of one man’s life lived seemingly in vain, that is until he saw the real purpose of his life. Mr Holland was filled with ambition. His dream was to be a great composer but he was dogged with having to pay bills. In order for him to meet his financial needs he and his wife moved to a small town where he taught music to high school students. During his spare time he worked on his dream: to write his dreamed of masterpiece—his own composition or opus.
Unfortunately life has its demands and its intrusion put on hold for fifteen years his completion of his masterwork. One day when Mr. Holland was old the school board decided it was time for him to take an early retirement. The scene shows him packing his desk and he reflects over his time spent in this little town and, of course, on his unfinished opus. During these reflective moments his wife and grown son come to get him. As they walk down the empty school hallways, he hears a sound in the auditorium. He goes to see what it is.
It is a surprise!
Hundreds of his students from his years of teaching—many now old themselves—dozens of his colleagues, both current and former, hundreds of friends, fans, well-wishers, the room is packed. All have gathered to say thank you. Perhaps most meaningful is the orchestra made up of Mr. Holland’s students through the years. They’ve been preparing to perform Mr. Holland’s opus—the composition that over four decades, he hammered out and tinkered with,, polished, discarded, recovered, reworked, never finished.
They play it now. But, of course, he knows, everyone knows: his opus isn’t the composition. His real opus, his true life’s masterpiece, stands before him. It’s not the music. It is all these lives that his life has touched. Their presence represents what his own convictions and passions helped shape and encourage.
It is easy to be so focused on what we think is important that we fail to see what is really significant. The Sabbath is one of those easily misunderstood truths of the Bible. Many struggle with the Sabbath because of the way some have used and abused it. Good things can be tarnished when they become institutionalized. Then the day comes when the fog lifts and the real beauty of a Sabbath experience emerges. What a difference perspective makes. Meaning, joy, hope emerge. This week’s lesson only begins to touch the beauty behind this gift from God. That’s the way it is with anything that’s filled with God’s grace. We see so dimly the goodness of God and His plans for us. During this week allow yourself sometime to reflect on God’s special weekly gift to you. As with Mr. Holland, your journey to this point may have seemed in vain but in the end you will see God’s blessings have been with you all along despite the hardship and disappointments.
Reflective Quiz
1. A common characteristic of driven people is that, at some point, they forget purpose. [Matt. 17:1-8; 18: 1-4] True or False?
2. The Sabbath began when God became tired and rested from His work of creation. [Gen. 2:2-3] True or False?
3. We are holy. [Ezek. 20:12; Ex. 31: 13; 1 Pet. 2:4-5] True or False?
4. We make the Sabbath holy by how we keep it. [Gen. 2:3; Ex. 20:11] True or False?
5. Rest is a condition of liberty. [Deut. 5:6, 12-15] True or False?
6. While the first day of the week is the memorial of redemption, the seventh day is the memorial of Creation. [Lk. 23:55-24:8; Ex. 20: 1-2, 8-11; Isa. 58:4-14] True or False?
7. Regardless of how it may be kept; if kept on the right day the Sabbath blessing applies. [Isa. 58:12-14] True or False?
8. How the Sabbath should be kept was an issue that led Jesus to the cross. [Mk. 2:23-3:6] True or False?
9. Finding and keeping the Sabbath rest is another way of working our way to Heaven. [Eph. 2: 8-10; Jn. 14:15] True or False?
10. Our weekly rest from our secular, worldly works stands as a symbol of our rest in the completed work of Jesus for us. [Heb. 4:9-11] True or False?
Concluding Reflections
[Our plan, if our personal schedule permits, is to upload the full class notes by Thursday or Friday including the “Concluding Reflections.”]
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