Hot Topic 1: Rest

HOT TOPICS

How to think Biblically about God, Life & Culture

Equipping Workshop, Sandhurst July 2026

Primer on Hot Topics

How to fail it: two ditches

Oversimplify: This is the knee-jerk shout (usually online) to demonize “them."
Overcomplicate: This is the too complex approach - which forces agnosticism.

How to nail it: broader context

Context cools ideas by focusing the energy away from heat and toward light. There are three layers of context to provide the fullest light:

In short: Bible + History + Leaders = a solid foundation for handling hot topics wisely and developing compassionate convictions.

TOPIC 1: REST

Reflection on REST

Why REST matters
- Problem: We all feel - increasing pace, change, rootlessness, restlessness and even emptiness and even numbness - which creates cognitive dissonance with what we think should be true - peace in God. But so many (including pastors!) feel empty, hollow, numb (For examples, see Swindoll (Intimacy), Barton (Embracing Rhythms) and Comer (Ruthless Elimination of Hurry.)
- Promise: Matt 11:27-30 - Jesus offers rest; Ex 33:13-14: God promises His presence and rest for Moses
- Problem: more than read a verse, pray a prayer, attend a service. It doesn’t help to take medicine if you are still drinking poison! What can we do?!?
What REST is NOT
- Sleep or Weekends or Vacations
- Detatchment from life (diversions, substances, etc)
- Concession to human limits (God rested in Gen 2)
- JUST a sabbath day (see Heb 4:1-11)

BIBLE

Defining: ἀναπαύω (“anapauo”) - from two Greek words:

ἀνα (ana) - among

Παύω (pauo) - to restrain, to pause, to release, to end

Bible: Concordance “rest”
- I Kings 4:20, 21, 25 Result of rest - happiness
- Lk 12:19 Same words (including anapauo) but “I” source, ends in death
- I Kings 5:3-4 Rest (for Sol) is deliverance from enemies, given by God
- I Chron 22:9 Rest (for Sol) is deliverance from enemies, given by God
- I Chron 23:25 Rest (for David) is God’s presence, given by God
- II Chron 14:6-7 Rest (for Asa) no war, from seeking God (15:15)
- II Chron 20:29-30 Rest (for Jehoshaphat): deliverance, given by God
- I Sam 16:16 Rest (for Saul) is music from a man of God. NOTE: In this passage, the Hebrew ends with “and it will be good/well for you.” but the Septuagint translators added “and He will give you rest.” this translation clarifies it was not just a bad day or depression Saul needed help with - he needed deliverance from an enemy. And only God could provide that. Which is why when they chose David to play, they stated in V18, “son of Jesse…knows how to play the harp…and The LORD is with him.” And so in V23, when David played, the evil spirit left Saul and Saul was “rested/refreshed” and “good.”
- II Sam 7:1, 11 Rest (for David) is deliverance from enemies, a gift from God

Bible: cross-references
- Matt 11:28-29 - promised gift from Jesus (12x in NT - also “refreshment”)
- Gen 1 - Sabbath day to delight in completed work weekly
- Lev 25:1-12 - Sabbath year (7th) and Jubilee year (50th) to delight in God’s provision
- Dt 12:9-10: rest from battle with enemies bc God is victorious
- I K 8:56 - bc God is faithful to His promises
- Jeremiah 31:2 - bc God is faithful to His people
- Ps 22:2 - God’s presence with us (EXODUS 33:14)

Bible Summary

Both A gift FROM God and the gift OF God (Ps 22:2; Ps 62:1,5)
Both human (we do and receive) and divine (God does and gives)
Both a practice (event) and a lifestyle (way of living)
Both emptying and filling (ex: sleep - radical stopping, and yet triggers muscle recovery, regulates hormones, lowers CV strain, regulates blood sugar levels, boosts immune system, etc)

Sum: Presence of the Shepherd, Path behind the Shepherd, which creates a reversing of the curse and a celebration of God's presence, protection and provision

HISTORY

Historically, the church has taught the theological necessity of rest:

Augustine: "Our hearts are restless until they find their rest in You."
Benedict: "Ora et Labora" (pray and work" balancing physical labor with spiritual rest. Rest was a structured holy cessation from certain activities to reorient the soul on God.
Charlemagne: state enforced cessation of manual labor to establish social order and ensure attenance at mass.
Aquinas (late middle ages): scholastics taught rest / sabbath was a partly moral (natural law to set aside time for God) and party ceremonial (canon law to celebrate worship together)
Reformers (continent): all days equally spiritual but Sunday kept aside for practical reasons of physical rest for workers and spiritual feeding on God's Word
Reformers (English / Puritans): strict Christian sabbath and all labors and even hobbies forbidden for expressly spiritual experiences.
Early/Modernity: Sabbath as rest from professional work defended by Popes and residual in expectations in western Christian nations

History Sum: Christian rest is a gift from God, to defend us from pride and greed, and to renew our bodies and souls.

Reflect: Ps 23 - how do they find rest?

Ps 22 - where does David expect rest?

“Rest is…”

“Rest is hard because…”

“A core reason I fail to rest is…”

“I will practice rest by…”

LEADERS

Practicing REST - from John Mark Comer How to Un-hurry (free here)

Tools Reviewed

Bible
- Ps 62:1-5; Dt 12:9-10; I Kings 8:5-6; Jer 31:2; Gen 2:1-3; Lev 25
- Matt 11:28-9; Exod 33:14; Deut 12:9-10; I Kings 5:3-4; I Chron 22:9
- Search (Bible lang) StepBible.org on “rest”
- Search (Bible tools) BlueLetterBible.org on “rest” (here)
- Search (Bible media) BibleProject.com on “rest” (here)
History
- Ancient Faith Study Bible
- Search Matt 11:28 on BibleHub.com - scroll to “parallel commentaries”
Leaders
- Search (Articles etc) thegospelcoalition.org for “rest” (here)
- Search (Articles etc) desiringgod.org for “rest” (here)
- Rest: Comer workbook: How to Unhurry (short, free PDF & videos)
- Rest: Book: Ruthless Elimination of Hurry at Jack’s Books or Online