Harvest Bible Chapel Ashburn

Rest is part of God's design and it is a gift. But do we want that gift? What patterns and rhythms of rest need to be established in your life and in your household? What is holding you back? Trust in God's provision? A desire for more?

We are walking back into Genesis 1-11 to look closer at some bigger themes. This week we are looking at marriage. Some commentators have called Genesis 2:18-24 and Ephesians 5:22-33 the two most significant passages in all the Bible on marriage. From the Ephesians passage we learn the amazing meaning behind marriage and God's design. To understand the rest of what the Bible says about marriage we have to start with that basic understanding.

Every single person is made in the image of God. This has massive implications on life. We are looking back into Gen 1-11 at some major themes and topics before conintuing with the rest of Genesis.

The evil in the world is getting worse and worse. Death and death and death and more death. But there is one major exception, one person doesn't die! It gives us a glimmer of hope into the gospel.

Mankind has been expelled from the Garden. But maybe it won't be so bad? Nope. It gets bad really fast. We learn a lot about sin in this passage, we see God's mercy, and we are reminded that our ONLY hope comes from the promised offspring of Genesis 3:15, Jesus.

God shows us three foundational things about himself in the seven days of creation. 1. I must listen to Jesus and obey because his word is powerful. 2. I have nothing to fear because God is providential. 3. I can trust God because his design is good.

God has reconciled us to him and commissioned us to share his reconciliation with others. We are ambassadors of Christ!

God brings the fruitfulness but we are expected to be faithful with what God has given us. The parable of the talents in Matthew 25 shows us that sins of omission are as bad as sins of commission. Be a faithful steward of what God has given to you and trust him with the fruitfulness.

Fruitfulness that glorifies God comes from the Spirit working in and through us. Our job isn't to produce good things like patience, God does that. Our job is to walk in the Spirit.

We want to be fruitful for God's kingdom. But that is impossible if we don't kill consumerism. Covetousness is an idol that demands to be worshipped. We cannot serve both God and money.

A church is not a building. A church is not club. A church is not a community center. A church is a local group of people united in the gospel of Jesus. Therefore we've got to show up! This passage of Hebrews says we should come together with confidence because of what Jesus has done. And when we gather we should consider how we are going to stir one another on toward love and good deeds. Everyone plays a part!

Unity or oneness in God is fundamental to the health of a church. We will never fulfill our Vision to walk together with God, bearing fruit for his kingdom if we are not unified.

Jesus gave his disciples a "new command" to love one another in the church community. But how do we do that? Through the "one anothers" of the New Testament. Love is the bigger category and the "one anothers" give the specifics. This passage through starts by exhorting us to a critically important ingredient to church community. We have to each be humble for this to work.

Are you living under expectations that you can't live up to? The burden that Jesus offers is easy and light. We can experience his rest by 1) Seeking him, 2) Following him, and 3) Learning from him.