A Remaining Rest

Hebrews 4:4–10 NKJV

4 For He has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all His works”; 5 and again in this place: “They shall not enter My rest.” 6 Since therefore it remains that some must enter it, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience, 7 again He designates a certain day, saying in David, “Today,” after such a long time, as it has been said: “Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts.” 8 For if Joshua had given them rest, then He would not afterward have spoken of another day. 9 There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. 10 For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.

What is this rest that remains?

The Book of Book of Hebrews was an argument.

In this book the writer

++Made a critical analysis of accepted norms

++Lays a solid foundation for faith in Jesus

The book is divided into three narratives about Christ

++Superior Leader (Hebrews 1-4:13)

++Superior Work (Hebrews 4:14-10:18)

++Superior impact on mankind ( Hebrews 10:19-13:25)

Being a Christ follower meant something more

++Than tradition

++Than culture

++Than religious adherence

To understand this rest we must look at

What God had Done

God Created

All things

++Heavenly

++Earthly

Everything connected to heaven God made it

Everything connected to earth God made in

Genesis 1:1 NKJV

1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

All things

Heavenly

Earthly

++Created Man

Genesis 1:27 NKJV

27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

God Blessed

Genesis 1:28 NKJV

28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

God gives them on the earth

++Fruitfulness

++Effectiveness

++Authority

God Declared

Genesis 1:31 NKJV

31 Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

God Rested

There seems to be very few issues in the mindset of Judaism than the teaching of Sabbath. Much is based upon the text in Genesis 2:2-3

Genesis 2:2–3 NKJV

2 And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.

This text expresses

++A revelation

++A reflection

++An observation

God demonstrates the importance of rest

Rest and life

We live busy lives

++Work or school

++Family

++Work life balance

The difficulty of rest

Statistics

Problem

Problem 1

Problem 2

Problem 3

The Importance of rest

Benefit

Benefit 1

Benefit 2

benefit 3

benefit 4

The Promise of Rest

They Heard His Voice

Hebrews 3:7 NKJV

7 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you will hear His voice,

Hebrews 3:14–15 NKJV

14 For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, 15 while it is said: “Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”

They did not believe

Hebrews 3:19 NKJV

19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.

We must find His rest

Hebrews 4:1–2 NKJV

1 Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. 2 For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it.

Don’t miss the promise of His rest

Hebrews 4:3 NKJV

3 For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said: “So I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest,’ ” although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.

Trust in the word

John 1:1 NKJV

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John 1:14 NKJV

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

Hebrews 4:11–12 NKJV

11 Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience. 12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Just believe

1 John 5:12 NKJV

12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.

Hebrews 4:9–10 NKJV

9 There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. 10 For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.

Enter In

++The promise has been made

++The price has been paid

Matthew 11:28–29 NKJV

28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

God is faithful

2 Peter 3:9 NKJV

9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

Hebrews 10:19–23 NKJV

19 Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21 and having a High Priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.