Rest In Christ Is One Of The Most Important Messages Of Christmas

Sermon Outline I prepared for the Christmas Program of International Care Ministries, Inc. - 12/09/14 Zone 6

It’s my great honored to stand before all the pastors and wives. In our meeting I did not expect that I will be the one to speak on this Christmas party of the ICMI. … But anyway, I will try my best with the help of the Holy Spirit to deliver God’s message to all of us.

I know that everyone is happy, and your joy cannot be bought even with a million pesos. So we have joy now worth more than a million pesos.

I am afraid if the time given to me is not enough with the message I have prepared.

The REST of Christ

Matthew 11:28 “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

Rest of Christ is one of the most important messages of Christmas. Rest is in one of the I WILLS of our Lord Christ.

The synonym of REST is peace, as well as joy, happy, contentment, blessed, etc. Contentment and joy is the characteristic of generous, unhappy is the characteristic of greed.

A song in Christmas – “Peace on earth, Joy to the world”

Jesus said, my peace I give unto you that the world cannot give John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

- Jesus has come to give the people his rest. Rest if not the number 1 and important need of man for others, for me it’s the number one why Jesus as come.
- Since the fall of man, REST is the craving of every heart, either you are a believer of God or not we always need Rest.
- Rest is needed in every area in our life. But many times rest is neglected and it’s the reason why we have come to the point of stressed and worry.
- Why we must have to wait to the point of being stressed before we will find rest, that in reality we can find rest before we are stressed out? It is because we neglected the solution of tiredness.
- If we fail to find out the real rest we cannot have actually enjoy life. The real solution of being tired of the heavy loads is REST.

But where to find real REST?

- Some seek rest in honor, others in wealth, some others in love and many others the beautiful places etc. There is no wrong with all of these, but this kind of rest is not the real rest that Christ can give; there is a big difference between the rest of Christ and the rest of the world.
- I am not talking for the sinners here who need rest from the burden of sin, but I am talking here for the pastors, all of us who somewhat need the rest in some areas of our life that you tired and weary. And I believe Christ, is not give rest for the sinners; he also wanted to give us rest in every area in our life.

The 3 Cs of Christ REST

1. Complete Rest – Not Perfect Rest – I will give you rest – Jesus will not something incomplete, the Bible says, we are complete in him.

Col. 2:10 “ And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:” - Complete vs. Perfect
- Perfect Rest is in heaven – Christ will never give you perfect rest unless if he wants you to depart from this life.
- Complete because we have our responsibility to use that rest. “My yoke is easy and my burden is light”

Illustration: My mother in law was about to cook with gas range.

2. Comfortable Rest - with freedom - having labored and heavy leaden no freedom.

- Comfortable in prison but without freedom - honorable people in prison.

Illustration: My freedom in my senior year in Bible School.

3. Conditional Rest – Come!

- Christ will not give his rest unless we will come to him.

Illustration: His disciples in the troubled sea with Jesus sleeping.

Conclusion:

-It is not the fault of Christ, if people will not have his rest. Illust. Barber
- I believe Jesus will never neglect anyone who needs rest that come to him by faith.