The Resurrection of Rest

Hebrews 4:1-11

We are going to take a pause from our series Love one Another and will dive back into it next Sunday. I want to apologize for last week's mix-up and confusion with my scriptures.

Today we celebrate the resurrection—the greatest moment in history.

Jesus conquered death, crushed sin, and rose again. But here’s what I want you to know today:

The resurrection didn’t just give us victory… it gave us rest. Not a nap.

Not a break. True rest.

Rest from striving, guilt, shame, fear, and performance.

I know this is a man-made weekend that we try to magnify Jesus and his death, burial and resurrection. But we celebrate every single Sunday. Easter and every Sunday is an invitation to live in the resurrection of rest. And for that reason we seek his presence and guidance to direct our steps and prepare our hearts for blessings and missions he has in store for us. I’m just amazed how God in his infinite wisdom brought His plan through His son that was put in way before this world existed.

So let’s turn our Bibles to the book of Hebrews, chapter 4. Our title for easter Sunday is “His Resurrection His Rest. Through Christ’s resurrection, God offers us a greater rest — one that’s not just a day, but a lifestyle, a promise, and an eternal hope. We live in a restless world. We chase peace but rarely find it. We take vacations, but come back more tired. We try to numb the noise but still feel empty. But the Bible speaks of a rest, not just sleep or relaxation, but a deep, soul-level rest — the kind only God can give. And here’s the good news: That rest didn’t die in Eden. It didn’t end in the Old Testament Sabbath. It was resurrected in Christ. So today, on this Sunday, we are talking about the Resurrection of Rest — how Jesus brings back what sin tried to steal. Our peace, remove our wholeness, and eternal rest with God.

Have I given you time to locate chapter 4? Chapter 4 is a continuation of this powerful sermon. The sermon title is “God Has Spoken through His Son” Today if you hear His voice harden do not harden your hearts. When you hear these words coming from my voice, What do you hear? On the nature of voice and how we hear it. It's all vibration and resonance. I we step back 2000 years ago when this sermon was first preached, the science is the same. The Preacher’s speaks, his vocal chords vibrate compressing the air creating rhythms of sound waves that carry the preacher's words to our ears. Eardrums catch the rhythm resonating those same frequencies. Then the path changes. The ear converts analog to electric signals and the brain interprets. What does the brain interpret? it interprets Sound, voice, meaning, but the journey is not yet done. We hear, we understand, now there is a decision to make will we allow those words to travel from mind to the heart. Now I can’t tell you about the voice of God, but he is very capable of reaching our minds with His message. And yet he leaves that final step to our discretion. The one who created us and made us in His image surely can touch us deeply. But our heart is ours to harden or soften as we choose. A harden heart resist but a soft heart resonates with God’s voice. It recognizes it connects it knows His voice above all others. It like when your in the super Market and a child yells mom. That moms know thats a call coming from her child.

So I want to begin with good contextual understanding so lets begin with the first word in chapter 4. Therefore which is written in the NKJV and NIV. This word has connection to chapter 3. Chapter 3 closed out with a dramatic illustration the wilderness wondering. The Israelites heard God’s voice and harden their hearts with unbelief. The results was they never entered God’s rest. So now we have the background lets look at verse 1 from the NIV

New International Version (2011) Chapter 4

Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it

The NLT says that God’s promise still stands. This is what the Hebrew writer wants us to hear is a promise. Remember growing up and saying these word "Cross my heart, hope to die, stick a needle in my eye" is a childhood oath used to emphasize a promise or a statement. Our promises meant something.

Here we read God’s promise of entering His rest. The Hebrew author will dive deep into one of the bibles essential theme. “Rest is a beautiful thing”. A basic Human need, its wired into our human nature, schedule into our days, our weeks, years, and our lives. And yet it so allusive. Why is it so hard to get one good night sleep.? One true weekend? Yeah, well, the Bible speaks extensively of the rhythms of physical work and rest. The promise of entering God‘s rest is clearly something deeper. Jesus captures it clearly in Matthew 11: 28 when He says “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened 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.” every time I read it it’s like Jesus voice resonates like something in my soul needs. Its a daily dosage of spiritual promise to keep trusting me, keep believing in my providence and my provision.

It was designed for it and that’s exactly what the Hebrew writer wants for us to hear Jesus promise and soften our hearts so we don’t fall short. The Israelites fell short in the wilderness its like running 80 feet to home plate or 95 yards to the end zone, They started well but fell short the result no runs no points and no rest. Verse two our story begins much like theirs “For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us just as they did, but the message they heard was of no value to them because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed” so they heard just like you and I heard, but there was no rest for the wicked the message was worthless without faith. So what must we do to ensure that we don’t fall short that we allow our ears to hear and not harden our hearts. Well let’s see what the hebrew writer says about those questions. He identifies the issue

GOD’S ORIGINAL REST WAS BROKEN (vv. 3-5)

New International Version (2011) Chapter 4

Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said,

“So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’ ” And yet his works have been finished since the creation of the world. 4 For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: “On the seventh day God rested from all his works.”  5 And again in the passage above he says, “They shall never enter my rest.”

In Genesis, On each of the first six days, God creates something and concludes with, “And there was evening, and there was morning…” But on the seventh day, He rests and blesses the day and makes it holy.

New International Version (2011) Chapter 1

God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.

New International Version (2011) Chapter 2

By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.

The absence of the “evening and morning” phrase suggest that this day is different — it’s not meant to be part of the regular rhythm of time, but a day that transcends time.

It was blessed and holy” set apart to be different and sanctified

The seventh day can be interpreted as a picture of God’s eternal rest, ( we also appreciate how God way are not our ways and His time surely not like ours) But humanity was meant to enter. Since no end is mentioned, it may signify that God’s rest continues — and in Christ, believers are invited to enter that rest.

God rested — not because He was tired, God does not get tired and I’m glad he has not gotten tired of me. but He rested because everything was complete. The rest was an invitation to humanity to live in harmony with Him. But sin broke that rest. Adam and Eve were removed from the garden, and from that moment, humanity has been striving, wandering, and toiling. The Israelites, even after being freed from Egypt, missed God’s rest because of unbelief. we know this from verse 2 that said

“…but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith…” (v. 2)

Sin didn’t just separate us from God — it separated us from rest. Have you ever been in a good rest and someone wakes you up? I don’t know about you but when I’m in a good sleep don’t wake me up.

POINT 2: JESUS RESURRECTED GOD’S REST (vv. 6-8)

New International Version (2011) Chapter 4

6 Therefore since it still remains for some to enter that rest, and since those who formerly had the good news proclaimed to them did not go in because of their disobedience, 7 God again set a certain day, calling it “Today.” This he did when a long time later he spoke through David, as in the passage already quoted:

“Today, if you hear his voice,

do not harden your hearts.”

Psalms 95

New International Version (2011) Chapter 4

8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day

We see another Typology here church. Typology is when something in the Old Testament is like a preview or sneak peek of something bigger and better in the New Testament—usually pointing to Jesus.

“God gave us shadows and symbols in the Old Testament that help us recognize Jesus in the New Testament. Just like a movie trailer shows you what’s coming, these people and events give us clues about who Jesus is and what He would do.”

Let me share a few examples

Adam → Jesus

Adam brought sin into the world.

Jesus (called the “second Adam”) brings forgiveness and new life. Romans 5:14, 1 Corinthians 15:22 Noah’s Ark → Jesus The ark saved Noah’s family from judgment.

Jesus saves us from sin and judgment when we’re in Him. 1 Peter 3:20-21 Passover Lamb → Jesus The blood of the lamb saved Israel from death.

Jesus is the Lamb of God who saves us by His blood. Exodus 12, John 1:29, 1 Corinthians 5:7 God is pointing to His son, that He knows he can do because its his son. You know those parents who voluntold there kids, God does it allot in the bible and this is one of the greatest things Jesus could have ever done for His dad and me. Amen Church

Let me paraphrase verse 8 : Even though Joshua led the people into the Promised Land, that wasn’t the ultimate rest God had in mind. If it was, God wouldn’t have spoken later about another day of rest. So a greater rest still remains for God’s people.

So when God made day 7 different than all the rest, He knew his son would deliver. So the The writer of Hebrews reaches back to Genesis — God’s Sabbath was holy, but it pointed forward to something even greater. The Sabbath was a shadow — a weekly reminder that rest comes from God. But when Jesus came, He said something radical:

“Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” — Matthew 11:28

Rest is a person not a place. He didn’t say come to a rulebook. He didn't say come to religion, He said come to Me.

Easter is not just a celebration of what Jesus did—It’s an invitation to come to who He is.

He is rest.

Rest for the broken. Rest for the tired.

Rest for the one who’s been carrying too much for too long.

Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath. On the seventh day, He rested in the tomb. On the first day of the week, He rose again — and with Him, rest was reborn. Through the resurrection, God shouted, “It is finished” — not just the work of creation, but the work of redemption.

Jesus Is the 7th Day Fulfilled

God rested in creation Why cause the work was done.

Israel rested on the Sabbath Why because they trusted in God’s provision.

Now, we rest in Christ → because the work of salvation is finished.

He is our Sabbath. Sabbath is not a day its our savior. He is our rest. He is our peace. In Christ, every day is a day to live in resurrection rest—not in striving, but in trusting.

POINT 3: WE ENTER THAT REST BY FAITH (vv. 9–10)

“There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God…” (v. 9)

“…for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his.” (v. 10)

This rest isn’t just about stopping work — it’s about trusting in God’s work. Religion says: Do more. Try harder. Be better. Resurrection says: It is done. Rest in Me. When we believe in the risen Christ, we stop striving to earn God’s favor — because Jesus already did the work.

We rest now in His grace. And we look forward to the eternal rest to come — no more death, no more pain, no more striving.

APPLICATION: HOW TO WALK IN THE RESURRECTED REST

Believe the Promise — Don’t be like those in the wilderness who heard, but didn’t believe

Live in Daily Rest — Set aside time not just to stop, but to be refreshed in God’s presence.

Look Ahead with Hope — Heaven is not just a place — it’s the fullness of God’s rest restored forever. The Resurrection Rest Is Yours Today

The resurrection wasn’t just the start of new life — it was the resurrection of rest.

You don’t have to live broken, burned out, or overwhelmed.

The tomb is empty… so your soul can be full.

The cross is finished… so you don’t have to keep performing.

The King is alive… so you can truly live.

This Easter, let Jesus give you what you really need—

Rest.

And that rest is alive. You know why, because Jesus is alive.

So today, come out of the wilderness. come on right now, come If you need help grab the person next to you.

Lay down your burdens.

And enter the rest that Jesus bought with His blood — and sealed with His resurrection.