The Promise of Rest Hebrews 4:1-13

-We must remember that God’s rest is received through obedience to God’s Word.

Have you ever lost anything? I’m usually pretty good about keeping a grip on the things that are mine, but I made a big mistake on our New York trip. I left my toiletry bag behind, with my contacts and all of my medicine! I’m in a bad way currently. I’m working to get it back, but there’s a real cost to what I’ve lost. The same thing is true for us. Even as God’s people, we can miss out on all that God has for us through disobedience!

I. Remember the Promise of Rest vv. 1-5

In the last passage that we studied, the author of Hebrews issued a stern warning that we need to hear:

There are those of the people of God who have seen His work and are a part of His people, but who miss out on the rest that He offers to us

However, there is a flip side to this: there is a promise of rest!

The promise, however, is conditional:

Not everyone who is one of God’s children will experience the benefits of His rest

This is not a threat against losing eternal salvation, but it is a warning against missing out on some of its temporal benefits

We need to examine ourselves to see if we look like we are failing to reach God’s rest

How do we insure that we receive the full benefit of salvation?

It is not enough to hear the message

We have to receive it and believe it!

We have to be mixed in with God’s people who are listening to His Word and obeying it

We must remember that this rest is from God. We share in His rest

On the 7th day, God’s work was completed and He rested from all of the work that He did; His work is eternally complete in some sense

Our work is ongoing, but we are sharing in what He has already accomplished

What does this rest look like?

It is peace with God

It is freedom from slavery to the Law

It is sonship as a child of God

It is joyful worship of God

II. Remember the Time for Obedience vv. 6-7

There is some serious good news here: God intends for us to enter His rest

However, as we have seen, it is possible to miss it:

We miss it by disobedience

We miss it when we miss the time for obedience: today!

In light of the fleeting opportunity for obedience, we must do two things:

We must listen to the warning

We must soften our hearts to the Word of God

We'll have all eternity to celebrate our victories, but only one short hour before sunset to win them.

 Robert Moffat.

III. Remember the Person of Rest vv. 8-10

Next, the author draws a comparison, pointing back to the Old Testament

Previously, he demonstrated the superiority of Jesus over Moses, the leader who missed God’s rest

Now, he demonstrates the superiority of Jesus over Joshua, the leader who could not give God’s people the fullness of His rest

Joshua was a good leader

He was found faithful and brought his generation into the Promised Land

However, this did not result in real rest. It did not last!

The real rest for God’s people comes through Jesus

We join in God’s rest when we are joined to God’s work

The key then is to abide in Him

300 Illustrations for Preachers Bad Bosses Cause Heart Attacks

From 1992 to 2002, Swedish researchers at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm tracked more than 3,000 men, rating them and their perceptions about their bosses. By the end of the study, 74 of the men had suffered heart attacks or other serious cardiac events. The lower an employer’s leadership score, the higher the worker’s risk of heart problems. The chance of heart attack also increased with the number of years of exposure to the bad boss.

Anxiety, whether generated at work or at home, will do nothing to increase a person’s lifespan or quality of life.

John 15:5

[5] I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. (ESV)

IV. Remember the Text of Obedience vv. 11-13

In light of all this, we must pursue the rest that God has for us and be wary about the possibility of missing out on it

How do we do this?

First, we listen to the Word of God

It is living and actively working

It is sharper than a sword

It pierces us, not only in the flesh, but in the soul and spirit

It discerns the thoughts of our heart

Second, we must live with an understanding of the eyes of God

He sees us!

He knows us and holds us accountable for our actions

We will not be able to experience the rest that He has for us if we do not live in light of His Word!

Professional golfer Tommy Bolt was playing in Los Angeles  and had a caddy with a reputation of constant chatter. Before they teed off, Bolt told him, "Don't say a word to me. And if I ask you something, just answer yes or no." During the round, Bolt found the ball next to a tree, where he had to hit under a branch, over a lake and onto the green. He got down on his knees and looked through the trees and sized up the shot.

"What do you think?" he asked the caddy. "Five-iron?" "No, Mr. Bolt," the caddy said. "What do you mean, not a five-iron?" Bolt snorted. "Watch this shot." The caddy rolled his eyes. "No-o-o, Mr. Bolt."

But Bolt hit it and the ball stopped about two feet from the hole. He turned to his caddy, handed him the five-iron and said, "Now what do you think about that? You can talk now." "Mr. Bolt," the caddy said, "that wasn't your ball."