Mt11:28-30 Play for the Glory of God

# Play for the Glory of God
## Matthew 11:28-30

>>>
+ 2-week topical series:
  + Christian perspective on **work**
  + Perspective on **leisure**
+ **what** leisure time?
  + **suffering** as currency: one-up
+ proper attitude to **work**:
  + **review** last time:

---

## Work for the Glory of God
1. Aspire to be a **fool**, not a professional
1. Work to train your **heart**
1. Toil for God's **kingdom** by resting in His **victory**

>>>
+ Pitfall: snare of **Professionalism**
  + Chasing the **Guild**
  + Building **Ambition**
  + Earning **Wages**
+ Purpose: blessing of **Employment**
  + Rejecting **Idleness**
  + **Sharing** Generously
  + Training our **Heart** Attitude
+ Promise of peace: grace of **God's Work**
  + Welcoming His **Return**
  + Steadfast because of His **Victory**

---

You have made us for **yourself**, O Lord,

and our heart is **restless** 
until it **rests** in you.

[Saint Augustine, *Confessions* (Lib 1,1-2,2.5,5: CSEL 33, 1-5)](# "ref")

>>>
+ first, a reflection:
+ our **purpose** + **identity** are in Christ
+ pursuit of anything **else** leaves us
  + drained, unfulfilled, **restless**

---

## Your highest **joy** is to glorify God.

## **Clear** your calendar.

## **Wake up** to Christ’s return; **Rest** in His care.

>>>
+ for **working**
+ for **students**
+ for **retired**

---

## Play for the Glory of God
1. Christian **Hedonism**
1. Calendar **Zero**
1. Active **Rest**

---

## 1. Christian Hedonism
1. Made for His **Glory**
1. The Highest **Joy**

>>>
+ hedonism: pursuit of **pleasure**

---

But now thus says the LORD, 
he who **created** you, O Jacob, 
he who **formed** you, O Israel:

“Fear not, for I have **redeemed** you; 
I have **called** you by name, 
you are **mine** ...

[Isaiah 43:1 (ESV) (p.1/2)](# "ref")

---

Fear not, for I am **with** you; I will ...

Bring my **sons** from afar and 
my **daughters** from the end of the earth,

everyone who is **called** by my **Name**, 
whom I **created** for my **glory**, 
whom I **formed** and made.”

[Isaiah 43:5-7 (ESV) (p.2/2)](# "ref")

---

**Bless** the Lord, O my soul, 
and forget not all his **benefits**,

who forgives all your **iniquity**, 
who heals all your **diseases**, ...

[Psalm 103:2-3 (ESV) (p.1/4)](# "ref")

---

who redeems your **life** from the pit, 
who crowns you with steadfast **love** and **mercy**,

who **satisfies** you with good so that 
your **youth** is renewed like the eagle's. ...

[Psalm 103:3-4 (ESV) (p.2/4)](# "ref")

---

For as high as the **heavens** 
are above the **earth**,

so great is his **steadfast love** 
toward those who **fear him**;

as far as the **east** is from the **west**, 
so far does he remove 
our **transgressions** from us. ...

[Psalm 103:11-12 (ESV) (p.3/4)](# "ref")

---

As a **father** shows compassion 
to his **children**,

so the Lord shows **compassion** 
to those who **fear him**.

For he **knows** our frame; 
he remembers that we are **dust**.

[Psalm 103:13-14 (ESV) (p.4/4)](# "ref")

---

If we consider the unblushing **promises** 
of reward ... in the Gospels,

it would seem that our Lord finds 
our **desires** not too strong, but **too weak**. ...

[C.S. Lewis, "The Weight of Glory", 1941 (p.1/3)](# "ref")

---

We are **half-hearted** creatures, 
fooling about with 
**drink** and **sex** and **ambition** ...

when **infinite joy** is offered us, ...

[C.S. Lewis, "The Weight of Glory", 1941 (p.2/3)](# "ref")

---

like an **ignorant child** who wants 
to go on making **mud pies** in a slum

because he cannot **imagine** what is meant 
by the offer of a **holiday at sea**.

We are far **too easily pleased**.

[C.S. Lewis, "The Weight of Glory", 1941 (p.3/3)](# "ref")
[© 2006 David K, CC-BY-SA 2.0](https://www.flickr.com/photos/plasticrevolver/228226305/ "caption")

---

# Your highest **joy** is to **glorify** God

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## Play for the Glory of God
1. Christian Hedonism
1. **Calendar Zero**
1. Active Rest

---

## 2. Calendar Zero
1. **Exercise** is of Some Value
1. **Friends** of the Heart

---

**Train** yourself for godliness:

for while **bodily** training is of **some** value, 
**godliness** is of value in **every** way,

as it holds **promise** for the **present** life 
and also for the life **to come**. ...

[1 Timothy 4:7b-8 (ESV) (p.1/2)](# "ref")

---

For to this end we **toil** and **strive**:

because we have our **hope** set 
on the **living God**,

who is the **Savior** of all people, 
especially of those who **believe**.

[1 Timothy 4:10 (ESV) (p.2/2)](# "ref")

---

Do you not know that in a **race** 
all the runners **run**, 
but only one receives the **prize**?

So **run** that you may **obtain** it.

Every **athlete** exercises 
**self-control** in all things.

They do it to receive a **perishable** wreath, 
but we an **imperishable**. ...

[1 Corinthians 9:24-25 (ESV) (p.1/2)](# "ref")

---

So I do not run **aimlessly**; 
I do not box as one beating the **air**.

But I **discipline** my body 
and keep it under **control**,

lest after preaching to **others** 
I **myself** should be disqualified.

[1 Corinthians 9:26-27 (ESV) (p.2/2)](# "ref")

---

## 2. Calendar Zero
1. Exercise is of Some Value
1. **Friends of the Heart**

---

[Pray] for us as well, 
that God will open up to us 
a **door** for the Word,

so that we may **speak forth** 
the **mystery** of Christ, 
for which I have also been imprisoned;

that I may make it **clear** 
in the way I ought to **speak**. ...

[Colossians 4:3-4 (NASB) (p.1/2)](# "ref")

---

Conduct yourselves 
with **wisdom** toward outsiders, 
making the most of the **opportunity**.

Let your speech always be with **grace**, 
as though **seasoned** with salt,

so that you will know 
how you should **respond** to each person.

[Colossians 4:5-6 (NASB) (p.2/2)](# "ref")

---

## 3. Active Rest
1. **Awake**, for the **Night** is Coming
1. **Rest**, for the **Sabbath** is Coming

---

For you are all **sons of light** and sons of day.

We are not of **night** nor of darkness; 
so then let us not **sleep** as others do,

but let us be **alert** and **sober**.

[1 Thessalonians 5:5-6 (NASB)](# "ref")

---

## 3. Active Rest
1. Awake, for the Night is Coming
1. **Rest, for the Sabbath is Coming**

---

**Come** to Me, 
all who are **weary** and heavy-laden, 
and I will give you **rest**.

Take My **yoke** upon you and **learn** from Me, 
for I am **gentle** and **humble** in heart,

and you will find **rest** for your souls.

[Matthew 11:27-29 (ESV)](# "ref")

>>>
30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.

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So then, there remains 
a **Sabbath rest** for the people of God,

for whoever has entered **God's rest** 
has also rested from **his works** 
as **God** did from his.

Let us therefore **strive** to enter that rest, 
so that no one may **fall** 
by the same sort of **disobedience**.

[Hebrews 4:9-11 (ESV)](# "ref")

---

## Your highest **joy** is to glorify God.

## **Clear** your calendar.

## **Wake up** to Christ’s return; **Rest** in His care.