The Old
Testament (Hebrew Scriptures) provides many fundamental concepts rooted in
stories that are the foundation of the Christian faith. For instance, the story
of Israel’s deliverance from Egypt becomes the redemptive model for deliverance
from sin and captivity. Just as the flood washed away the old world and created
a new one, that imagery lies behind the washing of renewal in Christian
baptism. Consequently, when the writer of Hebrews appropriates God’s resting
from creation and Israel’s denied a rest in the promised land, we are not
surprised.
Perhaps the most surprising thing is
that the writer of Hebrews believes it is a legitimate move to appropriate the
past rest of Israel and God for a present Sabbath rest for the people of God.
This metaphorical move is a rhetorical strategy to engage his readers in
helping to create an understanding of a disobedient people and what they
short-changed themselves of.
The hardest thing for many
Christians to do is read this paragraph (Hebrews 4:1-11) without creating a
legalistic requirement for some sort of Christian Sabbath practice, or even
proclaiming that Sunday is the Christian Sabbath. That is far removed from what
the writer of Hebrews is doing here.
The offer is to rest from the labors
of their Christian journey (implying that they only stop when they are either
martyred or they die from natural causes), in a similar way in which God ceased
from His labors at creation. So, “while the readers are like the Israelites in
that they are on a journey and are invited to enter God’s rest, they must be
diligent to be unlike the Israelites in the matter of falling short due to
disobedience” [Fred Craddock (1998). “Hebrews”: NIB Commentary Series. p. 52. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press.]
The Sabbath rest can be conceived of
in several ways for Christians today: resting in God’s comforting presence,
faithful & loving on-going relationship with God, prayerfully on a daily
basis leaving our burdens in God’s lap through the power of the risen Christ,
taking the time to enjoy divine blessings everyday as we walk hand in hand with
our Savior, etc. “God rested and invites others into that rest with all the
blessings attendant to the presence of God!”
This is much different from some
sort of legalistic pronouncement that we have to honor every Sunday as a
Christian Sabbath and not do anything. That approach misses the tenor and scope
of what the writer of Hebrews is after!
So…are we taking advantage of the
divine rest because of our faithful obedience?
Christian leaders need to model and demonstrate a “restful”
life in Christ. Because of faithful obedience leaders provide a deeply
spiritual and healthy model of tending to their relationship with God. They
take seriously mentoring others and imitating Jesus Christ. This “Sabbath rest”
for Christian leaders today may take on a variety of forms depending on the
needs and calling of individual Christian leaders.
Many Christian leaders are “driven”
and do not know how to rest, nor even how to tell others to rest in God’s
presence. It is out of this restful and prayerful center that Christian leaders
can discern and lead with a wise, spiritually mature stance. From such a
center, the Christian leader takes time to tap into the resurrection power of
Jesus. From such a center, the Christian leader walks in step the Spirit. From
such a center, the Christian leader demonstrates the heart of God.
This Sabbath rest is a way of life.
In order for it to remain a way of life, each Christian leader needs to know
herself or himself well enough to know how to let God, Christ and the Spirit to
provide those restful resources for their own soul. Taking time to allow God
fill our well with living water ensures that we are inviting others to drink
from the fountain of living water rather than from our own depleted resources.
So, is the Sabbath rest a way of
life for us in order that we may invite others to the well of living water?
In Christian love, Curtis
