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Seeing Labor Day in light of God's true rest
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We all love holidays. For many it means sleeping in late, eating grilled red meat, and having a relaxing day with family and friends. Although originally a compromise for unions, Labor Day now symbolizes a break from work and the transition from summer to autumn.
It should not be surprising that Christianity is indirectly centered around the idea of rest. The primary curse laid upon the man in Genesis 3 was that he should have to work the ground for food. That curse stays with us still, despite having communities that work together with each having an important role for sustaining that community. Christianity, which looks back at the Garden as a symbol for our future status, promises that the elect will have the type of rest we so rarely are granted.
In Matthew 11:20-30 Jesus begins by denouncing those cities where he has been rejected. Those that do reject the Gospel are under condemnation. However Jesus also realizes what people need cured in their hearts. This is of course sin, and once we are granted freedom from it we are also gifted with the first glimpses of the rest which Jesus offers.
Matt 11:28-30 (NIV): “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 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. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
The image of the yoke is of course oxen, and many have preached sermons on what it means to be yoked with Jesus. But the main emphasis of this paragraph is rest since this is the specific thing that Jesus promises. Although some great scholarship has been done concerning "rest for your souls," the easiest explanation of this phrase resembles a Sabbath rest. God enjoys rest and built it into creation (Gen 2:2). He then commanded his people to remember to rest, in accordance with his work schedule (Ex 20:11). When we look at eschatological promises, we are told that "[the dead] will rest from their labor..." (Rev 14:13).
Our original makeup included recognizing rest. Through sin, this was corrupted, and so God had to command that his people remember the practice of resting. But now with Christ's sacrifice, we are offered true rest. It will no longer be something we have to remember to celebrate, but will become our entire life in him. But God's true rest can only come through his son. On this holiday remember that we still seek a future, sustaining rest from our labor and praise God for giving it to us.
