The Rest Giver | Pastor Michael Alfaro

Hi, going family.

This is Pastor Michael, and welcome to our church podcast.

I'm so grateful for you tuning in today, and I believe today's message is gonna strengthen your faith in Jesus.

The rest giver.

The rest giver.

I remember one time I uh my family's here, so I'm telling on myself a little bit.

They kind of know, they probably forgot.

I will never forget.

I remember that.

Um, how many of you remember your first used car or your first car?

Hopefully you had a used car, your first car.

How many of you remember your first car?

I mean, man, come on, y'all.

All right, this new generation don't want a driver's license.

They don't want to drive.

But um maybe I'm the last of the generation of Mohicans where I could not wait to get my driver's license.

Does anyone remember that?

Man, I was, you know, I wasn't I wasn't married to Pastor Kareen at the time, but I did have a girlfriend.

You know, I did, I'm just I'm telling the truth.

It's what I couldn't wait to get a driver's license so I can, you know, uh go see my girlfriend and go play baseball, you know, and and and and go to the movies.

Back then we used to love the movies.

Come on, how many of the movies, y'all?

All right, that's a few of you.

That's all right, it's all good.

All right.

Uh uh, I I could not wait to drive, and uh one of my first cars was a Honda Accord, a 94 Honda Accord, and I love, man, those Hondas are amazing cars.

How many can testify to that?

How many of you have a Honda?

Those are take care of your Honda, baby.

That thing, that's gonna outlast the apocalypse.

That thing is a good car.

Or Toyotas, all right?

Toyotas are good cars, except them Priuses, those are dangerous.

They come up, sneak up behind you, they're quiet like ninjas.

All right.

I will never forget my first car was a Honda Accord, and um, I was driving it up Kellogg Hill.

How many know where Kellogg Hill is off of 10 freeway, up by Kal Poly, and and my car was overheating, and the temperature gauge was all the way up.

And my family worked really hard to get me that car.

My um thank God for grandmas and great grandmas, um, my Awelita, she she helped me out a lot in my life.

Come on, somebody, amen.

I'm gonna be grateful for your Awelita, your grandma, all right, your grandparents, amen.

And they they got me that car.

Well, my knucklehead self thought, you know what, the temperature is hot, it's all it's already overheating.

I'm gonna, I'm, I'm gonna, I'm gonna put, I'm gonna uh step on the gas and I'm gonna go up this hill.

And everything within me, it was probably the voice of the Holy Spirit saying, an angel, somebody said, Stop, don't do this, don't do this, don't do, don't step on that throttle.

Well, I did.

And I didn't go down the hill, I made it to the top of the hill, and I blew a head gasket.

In other words, the the engine was messed up, all right?

And I could go nowhere.

You know, Jesus doesn't want you to run on empty.

Somebody say amen.

Jesus has come to give us the abundant life, a life of a life of overflowing from the inside and out.

And I'm I think American culture is all about the hustle.

Come on, somebody.

And we watch Instagram and we envy what other people have and the money they're flaunting, and that's not the life that God has for you.

I don't know about you, but as I get older, I feel more rich when I got peace.

Somebody say amen.

When I got peace in my life and I can just go to bed.

Oh man, I feel rich.

Man, there are people who have money who can't even go to bed at night.

Come on, somebody.

And then they're yeah, so I uh to me that that's a blessing.

God desires for you to live your best life.

And I used to say this a lot, but you know what?

No one's gonna live your best life for you.

Might as well, if you can steam up a mirror, might as well start living your best life in Jesus' name.

Come on, somebody, make that decision.

And I believe that you cannot live your best life until the Lord lives in your hearts, until he makes you new, a new creature, till he till he till uh till you find hope and salvation in his name.

So, Jesus, let me give us some context.

Jesus is speaking to an audience who's very tired, they're exhausted, they're burnt out, not just from working and laboring, but they're burnt out from their oppressors, the Romans, the occupiers.

The Romans were vicious people.

Do you know that they brought crucifixion to the Jewish people?

Why?

Because they believed that those people, the Jewish people, were beneath them and they treated them as slaves.

So that's why they brought the form of execution.

You know, when Jesus died, he died alone and he did not have a sackcloth around him.

He died naked.

They were vicious, they taxed them, they were overbearing to them.

Not only so, but we get this the the syrup of this context is this not only were did they have the Roman oppressors, but the religious elite, the Pharisees, were also oppressing the people.

They were oppressing the people in a religious, spiritual way.

They told the people uh these these these are things from their traditions that were heavysome on the people.

Did you know on the Sabbath, the Jewish people back in Jesus' day, they had to count how many steps they could take, because if they took one more step, they would be a dirty rotten sinner.

They couldn't work on the Sabbath.

Do you know they got on Jesus for healing people?

Do you guys remember that?

They got on Jesus for trying to heal people on the Sabbath.

One time Jesus was having dinner with the disciples, and the the Pharisees looked down on his followers because they didn't wash their hands and they they had these traditions that were just burdensome.

In fact, it was so heavy that the people, the disciples one day were going through fields of grain, picking heads of grain just to have a snack, and they were sinners because they were doing that.

They couldn't even, they couldn't even have a little nutrient bar on a Sunday.

Come on.

So Jesus gets upset with the religious people of the time because they put burdens on the people, and Jesus says, Why do you do this to them?

You won't even help them, you won't get lift a finger to help them.

And that's why Jesus says, Come to me, all of you who are tired of religious games and tired of religious dances.

Come to me and walk with me and learn from me.

I don't know about you, but I love walking with Jesus because Jesus ain't in the business of playing games.

Some churches are in the, I'll be honest, some churches are in the business of playing games.

There's some spiritual leaders, don't say nothing out loud, okay?

There's some spiritual leaders who can play some games.

But I love the Bible, and Jesus don't want to play no games with you.

Jesus wants a vibrant living experience with you, not games.

Someone say amen.

And by the way, I just have to say this.

Every person, whether you follow Jesus for 30 years or three months, everyone needs salvation.

Everyone has sinned, everyone has fallen short of the glory and the standard of God, and the ground at the cross is level for everyone.

Someone say amen.

We all need Jesus, and that's what makes the church beautiful is we're covered by his blood and his forgiveness and his mercy.

You guys with me?

So watch this.

Following Jesus is not a performance or a ritual to perfect.

Following Jesus is a relationship to pursue.

Let me say that again.

Following Jesus is not a performance to perfect, but a relationship to pursue.

It is true that the God of the universe loves you and loves you and cares about you.

It's true that God wants to give you rest.

In fact, can you do this with me for a moment and exercise?

Can you just take a deep breath?

Go release that.

Ready?

Here we go.

Ready?

One, two, three.

Come on.

Just release that.

God wants to give you renewal and restoration.

Because he sees how much you work and how hard you're laboring and your life.

And he doesn't want to play a game with you.

You know, Bible reading, prayer, church attendance, fellowship, those types of things.

Those are things that God doesn't demand from you.

Those are things that God wants for you.

Let me say that again.

Reading your Bible, prayer, being in time, spending time with other believers, going to church, praise.

That's not something that God demands from you.

That's something that God wants for you.

Why does he want that for you?

Because he knows that if you do those things, they will draw you closer in your relationship with him.

Do you guys hear me?

It'll draw you closer.

It'll make your love for Christ grow more and it'll help you realize his love for you.

God doesn't desire obligation.

God doesn't want obligation, obligative worship and praise.

God desires devotion.

Amen?

God desires devotion from us.

So following Jesus is not a performance to perfect.

Some of you, you might feel like God wants you to perform.

I can't come and pray to him because he's gonna be upset with me from what I did last night or the years past.

And that's not what the Bible says at all.

Look what the Bible says.

Our first task, our first action or command in the text is this.

Point number one is he says this come to me.

Come to me.

All of you just come to me.

I can ask you for a moment.

What's keeping you from going to Jesus?

What's keeping you from going to Jesus?

Is it an addiction?

What's preventing you from coming to Jesus?

Is it a hurt?

What's preventing you from coming to Jesus?

Is it shame?

Is it embarrassment?

Is it insecurity?

Is it a lie?

Jesus says, Come to me.

And watch this.

Bring your shame.

Bring your heavy burden heart.

Bring your confusion.

Bring your brokenness.

Bring your hurt.

I'm so thankful that Jesus gives us an invitation to come to him how we are, not as a performance.

Some of us, that's why we're not going to Jesus because we're afraid that you know what?

I'm gonna, I literally went to uh the Middle East one day and we were evangelizing there, and one guy did not want to receive Jesus literally until he took a shower.

That was his true statement.

I need to get clean before I can receive Jesus.

And we're telling, you know, the gospel is that once you receive Jesus, Jesus will make you clean, not your performance and not your effort.

Your salvation doesn't it doesn't depend on you, it depends on Jesus on the cross, raising from the dead three days later.

Some of you won't come to Jesus because you feel unclean.

No, Jesus is the one who makes you clean.

Someone say, Amen.

Bring your addiction, bring your brokenness, bring your hurt.

Jesus, that's why I love worshiping Jesus.

That's why I love church, because he is the one that saved me, not me.

It is him that has performed the miracle of salvation.

Someone say amen.

That makes me devoted, passionate, desiring to seek him.

So Jesus says, Come to me.

Don't let nothing prevent you.

And you know what?

Sometimes in my tiredness, I hear the Holy Spirit say, Come to me, even in your tiredness.

Well, well, Jesus, I'm gonna fall asleep if I'm gonna pray right now.

I'm gonna be honest with you, Jesus.

It's been a long day, and I'm gonna fall asleep.

Jesus said, Come to me anyway, fall asleep in my presence.

Come on, somebody, amen.

Come to me anyway.

Come to me anyway.

You know, I got so much going on in my life, so to speak, I'm just like generally speaking, you might feel that way.

I got so much going on in my life, I have no time.

Well, let's talk about that.

Jesus says, Come to me.

You know, one of the things that I know is making you weary and tired and depleted.

I feel like God wanted me to tell you this is the way you're processing in your mind.

You are weary and you are tired because of the way you are thinking in your mind.

You're not only does your body need a break and your emotions need a break, but your mind needs a break.

And Jesus says in Matthew chapter 6, verse 33, he says, Do not worry.

Matthew 6:33

So watch this.

Worry is making you weary, and that is preventing you from experiencing the true hope and the lasting rest that Jesus wants to provide for you in your life.

Your mind is over there, and Jesus, watch this, your mind is over there, and Jesus is right here.

Your mind is on tomorrow, but Jesus is right here on today.

And I believe that uh you can't you can't rest because you keep processing tomorrow when Jesus wants to help you right now.

You know, the other day I caught myself in prayer.

I was thinking about my kids and when they grow up and what school, what I was thinking about high school.

I was thinking about high school and you know, where are they gonna go to school and you know what the friends that they're gonna meet, and I caught myself, I was just worrying.

I was pacing, I was worrying.

I felt like God was like, homie, what are you thinking about?

You're not over there, you're a long ways from over there.

I'm right here today.

I think a lot of us do that in our minds.

Look what Psalm 31, chapter 15 says, and the NLT says, My future is in your hands.

Look what Proverbs chapter 27, verse 1, the NLT says.

Proverbs 27:1

Don't brag about tomorrow since you don't even know what the day will bring.

Someone once said, Worries focus on tomorrow, but faith focuses on today.

Faith chooses today's grace instead of tomorrow's problems.

So, church, how about we let Jesus handle tomorrow and you got today?

Come on, somebody say amen.

Let Jesus get tomorrow and you get today.

Jesus says that don't worry about tomorrow.

Tomorrow will worry about itself.

And I think we can't rest because our mind is like a freeway, and our mind is just moving and racing and moving and racing, and the Holy Spirit wants to share with you rest.

You know what I found in my journey with Jesus is that there are seasons in my life where he will lead me, or sometimes life will lead me.

There are seasons where I call them I don't know seasons.

I don't know.

I don't know the answer to that wife.

I don't know the answer to that, church.

I don't know.

I'm in a season where this seems like I just don't know.

Sometimes you are led into a season of I don't know, so that you can discover who can, who can move the mountains, who can bless you, who can who can uh open up opportunities for you.

I want to speak to someone, your mind has been pacing, your mind has been racing, and you can't sleep at night because you are so worried.

But God's message to you is focus, don't focus on tomorrow.

Let Jesus bless your today.

Someone say amen.

You out there?

Focus on today.

My second point is this, and by the way, um, my second point is this.

So Jesus says, Come to me.

You know, Charles Charles Spurgeon, they call him the Prince of the Preachers, an English uh world shaking preacher, uh, said this, talking about coming to Jesus.

He says, Jesus doesn't give rest to the worthy, Jesus gives rest to the weary.

Don't count yourself out because you haven't been to church.

Don't count yourself out because maybe you've not cracked open a Bible.

Come to Jesus anyway and let him give you true lasting rest.

Someone say amen.

Jesus goes on to say this.

Take my yoke upon you.

Take my yoke upon you.

How many know what a yoke is?

How many know what a yoke is?

Some of you, okay, a yoke is a a wooden device that was made for animals to be linked up together in synchronization, all right, uh uh to cultivate the land.

Uh to cultivate the land.

They were in sync, all right, and it went around the back of their neck, and uh the the the operator used that power to make the oxen or the animal move uh the device that was cultivating the ground.

Yokes were often fashioned and grooved and made customized to the neck of the animal so that it would not chafe the animal, or what we would call it would cause the animal to be stiff-necked.

It could injure the animal if the yoke is not rightly fitted.

And here the people, the Jewish people of the day, they have an ill-fitted yoke on them because the Pharisees have created their own traditions, not even in the Old Testament, they created these old their own man-made traditions, put them on the back, so to speak, of the people, and they could, it was too burdensome for them to experience a living God.

And so, what Jesus is saying, you know what?

Take that yoke off of you, put my yoke upon you and be linked up to me, walk with me.

My yoke is custom fitted to you, it will not hurt you.

My yoke is easy and my yoke is light.

What Jesus is saying, stop playing your religious games and walk with me, experience the living God, and you'll see your life take off like it has never had before.

Someone say amen.

Jesus doesn't want to burn you out, he's the solution to having true hope and true life.

You know, how many of you ever been on a hiking trail before?

You've hiked.

Have you hiked before?

And we have these beautiful mountains here, and I feel like I don't hike enough.

But I want you to imagine with me for a moment taking a hike through a trail, being by yourself with nobody, never experiencing that trail before.

That trail can be frightening.

You may not know where to go, you may not know where to turn.

You know, Jesus is the one who has uh, by example, has uh led this amazing life.

And he is like an amazing trail buddy who knows where to take you, where to help you.

He doesn't want you to feel alone.

Being in the mountains in the middle of nowhere can be very scary because you can get lost and you can be get lost amongst the trees and the cliffs, and there's bears out there, and there's uh there's uh pumas out there, and there's all kinds of animals, but but but a trail buddy will help you along the path.

And what Jesus is saying, link up with me, I'll help you with what you're going through.

I want to speak life into what your marriage looks like.

I want to help you parent your child your children, I want to help you raise your kids, and moreover, I want to be the king of your hearts.

For some of us today, we're coming back to church for the first time in a long time.

For some of us, we've been, you know, we've been down in the dumps and we want to give God a try again.

Let me tell you, God is so proud of you, God loves you.

And as you link up to Him, our prayer for you is that your life will take off like it never has before.

Some of us have never experienced the living hope of Jesus, and he wants you to experience true life and true peace.

I'm gonna have the band come on up here.

I want to make our time short because I know I think the time we actually pray this morning for a miracle of the temperature just staying cool, all right?

But it's getting hot, alright?

But Jesus really wants you to know this this week.

You're tired, you're heavy laden, you're burdened.

Come to the fount that never runs dry.

You may say, Pastor Michael, I don't have time.

I don't have time.

I got kids, I got a job, I got two jobs.

Can I just say this in a loving manner?

You cannot afford to not make time with the one who is the author of life.

Can I say that again?

You you cannot afford to not make time for the one who made your life, for the one who knows your life better than your mama, who knows you better than you.

We cannot afford to do that.

There is a an amazing uh woman who started the Four Square denomination, her name is Amy Simple McPherson in the early 1900s, led an amazing Movement here in downtown LA and still the her church is still there.

She founded the church uh the uh the Angelus temple.

She would she had she would only have three kids.

And what she would do in those literally, I think the wagon trail time.

You know, back then they were layers of dresses, and what she would do is she would pour one layer over her head and read the Bible with her kids just to have some alone time with Jesus.

You cannot afford not to spend time with Jesus, even if it's five minutes on the way to work, even if it's on your lunch break, even if it's going to a life group.

I'm here to tell you today that Jesus offers lasting rest to the weary soul.

You know, what this scripture for sure means is that your soul, for those that don't know Jesus, our soul will constantly be restless and weary until Jesus makes his home in our hearts.

Man's pursuit of meaning, looking for hope, looking for worth, looking for value.

There are a lot of people looking for that, searching.

And the Bible's clear on that.

We're gonna continue to search, and some people search in bars, some people search in through addiction and drugs, some people search in girlfriends and boyfriends and relationships they have no business being in.

Some people search in the wrong things, but the Bible says that if you search for Jesus, you're gonna find your value, you're gonna find your worth, you're gonna find true meaning in life.

So, are you searching today?

And can I just share with you that if you're searching for hope, true healing, I'm gonna share this with you.

A lot of times people come to church and they just want a band-aid, they just want pastor to say a prayer, and you know, God bless you, and you know, my life is good again.

No, Jesus, we're called the calling church because you have a calling on your life.

Heaven is real, and heaven has a plan for you.

Wow, isn't that amazing?

Heaven has a plan for you, and heaven wants you to come home, and heaven and Jesus wants you to live up to your potential and your value and your work.

If you live to the value of this world, my goodness, you're gonna be confused, you're gonna be beaten in your soul, you're gonna be lost.

Culture may change, but Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

He offers real hope and real rest.

Somebody say amen.

I'd rather be broke, lonely, uh broken alone with Jesus than rich and a big old house with nice cars without him.

Somebody say amen.

He is amazing, God, and he wants to give you lasting rest this morning.

Maybe you say, Pastor Mark, I got a bunch of problems in my life.

Well, welcome to the club.

Even Pastor has problems, but you know what?

I don't carry my problems alone.

When I'm weak, he is strong, he lifts me up when I feel low.

We've been looking for a building.

I'm gonna be honest with you, pray for me.

We've heard so many rejections, we've heard so many no's as we pursue a church building.

We thought we had one, and it's been tough, but I know that I know I can rest in God because I trust Him.

See, some of us can't rest right now because we're not putting complete trust in the Lord.

Watch this.

Yes, you may have problems, yes, your bank account might be whatever, whatever it is, yes, you might have debtors, whatever it might be.

Jesus understands all that.

But watch this.

What if today you put your trust in him and are anchored to him and say, God, I don't got this, but I know God, you are Almighty, you have great hands, you're a big God, you're a mighty God.

Nothing is bigger than you, nothing can conquer you.

And God, if I put my trust in you, I know God, I'm gonna be okay.

Come on, somebody say amen.

I'm gonna be alright, God.

God wants to give you that rest this morning.

Have every head bowed and every eye closed.

Just for a moment.

You know, almost every weekend now we've been not just preaching, but almost been doing a little bit of ministry time.

You know, some of you you might feel burdened and heavy laden.

The world is heavy on you.

Your world might be heavy on you.

You might got a lot of things going on in your world.

You might be, you might feel like you're being crushed spiritually, emotionally.

If that's you today, I just want you to raise your hand.

I got a burden on my back, and I Lord, I need your mercy.

I God, I need your rest.

If you need rest, just raise your hand, whether it's emotionally, spiritually, amen.

I see a bunch of hands going up everywhere.

I need rest in my life, the kind of rest where I can relax in Jesus.

I don't need a spa day, I need I need Jesus.

That's what I need.

Jesus has that for you today.

So in the name of Jesus, Lord, I pray for a fresh release of your Holy Spirit.

For those watching online, for those that are here raising their hands, Lord, first of all, I know it's hot outside, and I know, God, that you are moving because your people showed up today.

They want to experience you, they want more of you, they want rest, they want peace in their life, and I pray that as they uh as we conclude the service, my prayer, Lord, is that they will feel lighter in their body, lighter in their soul.

I pray, Lord, in the name of Jesus, you break the yoke of the enemy, his lies, his deception, the lies we've been walking with, maybe where we feel like we're not a good mom, a good worker, a good boss, a good husband.

I break that in the name of Jesus, that our load might be lighter under you, that we may learn from you and be filled with grace.

I pray today people would sleep better and wake up in a good mood.

I pray, Father, in the name of Jesus, that people will have a better attitude because they're gonna feel lighter.

I ask these things in your precious son's name, Jesus.

Amen.

I'm gonna keep your head, keep your head bowed and eyes closed for a moment.

One other prayer.

You know, maybe you're new in church, maybe you're watching online, you're brand new to this whole thing.

Maybe you used to walk with Jesus for one reason or another.

You've the tides of people and the world have just pulled you away.

But you know what?

You're here now, and that's what matters.

The past is the past.

I have a question for you.

Do you know Jesus?

There is a heaven, there is a hell, there is God Almighty, and every knee shall bow, and every tongue will confess one day that Jesus is Lord.

We will either know Jesus as Savior or we will know him as judge.

And you know, you know, the truth of the fact is Jesus conquered life so much so he went through the door of death and even conquered that, so that those who put their hope in him will have everlasting life.

So you don't have to even fear death.

So watch this.

You say, Pastor Michael, say no more.

I know I need God.

So what do I do now?

The last thing I would say is this put your trust in him, put your faith in him.

The Bible says, Well, how do I do that?

The Bible says, if you confess with your mouth and believe with your heart that Jesus Christ is Lord, you shall be saved.

All that call upon the name of the Lord, the Bible says, shall be saved.

So I'm not gonna put a mic in your face, I'm not gonna ask for your phone number, I'm not gonna ask for your email, nothing like that.

I'm just gonna ask you to raise your hand.

I see, I think I see someone already raising their hand.

So here we go on the count of three.

You know, I need Jesus.

I want forgiveness of my sins, I want his peace.

Amen.

Here we go on the count of three.

One, two, three.

I see hands already going up.

One, two, three, four, five, six.

God bless you.

God bless you, God bless you.

All this side, God bless you.

Anyone online, connect with your chat host.

God bless you guys.

So proud of you.

Love all of you guys.

Wow.

Okay, hands down, amazing.

See you, sir.

All right, heads up, eyes open.

Come on, give the Lord amazing clap and cheer for that.

Wow, thank you, Jesus.

Wow, that's powerful.

Let's never lose our joy when people come home to Jesus.

Because heaven is our true home.

And the angels, but the Bible says, Rejoice when when uh when a sinner comes home.

And that's all of us.

So I'm gonna have a stand up uh as we we're gonna conclude the service.

And if you raise your hand, even if you didn't, let's pray this prayer together.

We call it the sinner's prayer.

Let's invite Jesus into our heart so that he can make his home in our life.

So I say, Dear God, thank you for sending Jesus.

Say it louder, thank you for sending Jesus to die for my sins.

I believe I'm a sinner, I'm in need of a savior.

Lord, make your home in my heart.

Lord, give me peace.

Give me rest.

I trust you.

I confess with my mouth and I believe with my heart that Jesus Christ is Lord of my life.

Come on, let's see if the Lord a mighty clap so good, so good.

Amen.

Thank you so much for tuning in to today's message.

Our mission as a church is choosing Jesus, chasing freedom, discovering our gifts, and serving Jesus.

I have a question for you.

What is your next step with Christ?

Take your next step today by visiting thecallingla.com.

If today's message touched you, we'd love to partner with you in sharing the hope and the message of Christ.

So visit thecallingla.comslash give.