"THAT THEY MAY REST FROM THEIR LABORS"


A. "BLESSED ARE THE DEAD WHICH DIE IN THE LORD FROM HENCE FORTH; YEA, SAITH THE SPIRIT, THAT THEY MAY REST FROM THEIR LABORS; AND THEIR WORKS DO FOLLOW THEM"
  1. A voice from heaven:
    1. Makes the message of our text specially significant and thought-provoking
    2. There can be no doubt as to whose voice it is; it is the voice of the God of love and great compassion
  2. The message of our text concerns those who die in the Lord:
    1. To die in the Lord means that they died in Jesus Christ our Lord
    2. Paul writes about them that have fallen asleep in Jesus B. THAT THEY MAY REST FROM THEIR LABORS IS THE BURDEN OF MY MESSAGE THIS AFTERNOON
  3. The Bible gives repeated emphasis to the labor of God's people:
    1. Our Lord speaks of the labor of the prophets - John 4:38
    2. Writes Paul, "Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labor of love" - I Thes. 1:3
    3. Says the true witness, "And has borne and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast labored and hast not fainted" - Rev. 2:3
  4. To labor:
    1. Is to toil, to put forth effort, objectively - Examples: The potter and the clay - Jer. 18:1-6; the sower, the seed, and the soil - Matt. 13:24-32
    2. It has reference, also to those of us who are co-workers with God, sowen the seed of the word of truth - Phil. 4:3; 2 Cor. 6:1-3
  5. No one else knows the meaning of the word - "Labor" than does a mother, whose life is in truth a labor of love until she falls asleep in Jesus:
    1. Memory of my sainted mother
    2. Thoughts about the sacrificial labor of my wife
    3. The labor of a loving and self-sacrificing mother is most comprehensive - includes body, soul and spirit
    4. It consists of fervent prayer - day and night; and admonishing the children to love and fear the Lord; to avoid the pitfalls of sin; and to love an honest honorable life
    5. Only God, knows and marks such labors of love and sacrifice - Mal. 3
    6. To them He says, "Thy work shall be rewarded" - Jer. 31:15-17
    7. He recognized and honored the labor of Dorcas - Acts 9:36-43 C. THE MESSAGE OF COMFORT FOR THIS HOUR IS CONCERNING THE SAINTS THAT HAVE FALLEN ASLEEP
  6. For them death is:
    1. A heaven provided rest - "Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee; hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast" - Is. 26:20
    2. Said the Lord to Daniel who had toiled many years, "But go thou thy way till the end; for thou shalt rest, and stand up in thy lot at the end of days" - Dan. 12:13
    3. Said Job about the dead, "There the weary be at rest" - Job 3:13-17
  7. The rest of God's people is fourfold:
    1. Their rest is security and assurance forever, reasons, they died in the Lord, and that means eternal security - Rom. 8:1, 31-38
    2. They rest in the hope of the first resurrection from the dead - Rev. 20:6; Luke 14:14; Is. 26:19
    3. They rest in the hope of immortality and eternal life - Heb. 11:39-40; Rom. 2:7
    4. Finally, they rest in the full assurance of God's promises to His children - they know that He cannot lie, who promised - I John 2:25; Heb. 11:11; 10:23
  8. How reassuring and comforting are the words of our opening text at a time like this when our hearts are filled with sorrow and grief:
    1. Loved die - but God will not overlook the labors of love for Him and humanity
    2. Says Jesus, "Behold I come quickly an My reward is with Me - to give unto every man as his works shall be" - Rev. 22:12
    3. Let us, dear friends, labor not for things that perish, but for the things that will abide forever" - John 6:27


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