Sermon Tone Analysis

Enter My Rest

We are studying the book of Hebrews and going through it verse by verse and thought by thought.

It is critical for us to examine the context of any passage and the intent of the writer of that passage.

Now that we have been studying Hebrews for several weeks, I thought it would be a great time to look at a little more of the intent of the letter that we have.

We still call it a letter although it doesn’t start out like any normal letters that we see in the NT but it does end as one.

Hebrews itself looks and reads more like a sermon than a letter and that may have been the intent of the writer.

Can’t deliver it as a sermon in person, therefore, write the sermon out and send it as a letter.

That would explain the closing of this book in letter form.

Hebrews actually is broken down into three main sections and we are closing out the first section today.

shows and establishes the development of Jesus as God’s Son. will deal with the development of Jesus as God’s High Priest.

And deals with the development of Jesus as God’s Great King.

All of Hebrews points to the finished work of atonement and what it means to us.

When we talk about atonement, we are talking about the paying of a penalty for wrongdoing.

, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

That is the wrongdoing.

the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

That is the penalty for the wrongdoing.

, But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

That is the atonement.

I have been talking for weeks now trying to explain (as well as anyone can) what it exactly means for God to come to earth as a man.

Jesus was NOT created when He was born to Mary.

Jesus is, was, and will always be God.

The Holy Spirit impregnated Mary and God Himself was born as a man, with all that that means.

In doing so, Jesus had to live like each one of us.

He went to the cross of His own free will, choosing to do what it was that God the father wanted.

, And He was withdrawn from them about a stone's throw, and He knelt down and prayed, 42 saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.”

43 Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him.

44 And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly.

Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

NKJV

And He was withdrawn from them about a stone's throw, and He knelt down and prayed, 42 saying, "Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done."

43 Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him.

44 And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly.

Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

This is where Hebrews comes in.

The obedience of Jesus to the will of the Father to go to the cross, His death on the cross for something that He didn’t do, his burial and resurrection breaking the stranglehold of death for those who would believe.

Through out the first four chapters, we have seen the establishment of Jesus as God’s Son.

His one and only Son, in whom He was/is well pleased.

And at the end, we see what this means for us.

Let’s read some of this.

NKJV

, 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.

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.

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.

13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.

NKJV

The Word Discovers Our Condition

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.

13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.

This is the wrap-up of the Sonship of Jesus.

Our gift from Him is the rest.

We finished last week looking at a promise that Jesus offers of that rest for those that remain faithful, and do not depart from Him.

Those of us who enter His rest, His abode can then cease trying to work for salvation because that will never happen.

NKJV

Look at verse 11, Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience.

Be diligent to enter.

Clarke says, it “implies every exertion of body and mind which can be made in reference to the subject...All things else omitted, this one thing let us do.

We receive grace, improve grace, retain grace, that we may obtain eternal glory.”

Barnes explains it this way, “Let us earnestly strive.

Since there is a rest whose attainment is worth all our efforts; since so many have failed of reaching it by their unbelief, and since there is so much danger that we may fail of it also, let us give all diligence that we may enter into it.

Heaven is never obtained but by diligence; and no one enters there who does not earnestly desire it, and who does not make a sincere effort to reach it.”

implies every exertion of body and mind which can be made in reference to the subject.

Rebus aliis omissis, hoc agamus; All things else omitted, this one thing let us do.

We receive grace, improve grace, retain grace, that we may obtain eternal glory.

(from Adam Clarke's Commentary, Electronic Database.

Copyright © 1996, 2003, 2005, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc.

All rights reserved.)

What this boils down to is that we need to secure our faith in Jesus.

It needs to be solid as a rock for us to enter that rest, that abode with Him.

Once we are solid in our faith, we won’t fall to disobedience.

This is not something to be taken lightly.

Here in America, many people play with faith.

It’s great while all we have to do is say we believe, go to church, do some good things but how will our faith be when it is truly put to the test?

How many will show that their faith was no faith at all when the price of that faith rises?

What if it cost you your job?

What about your family…your freedom…your life?

How many will stand and say “Jesus is my Lord and Savior” when the penalty for doing so will be your life?

Among the Apostles and disciples, many paid the ultimate for their belief.

And millions more have done the same ever since.

Let us earnestly strive.

Since there is a rest whose attainment is worth all our efforts; since so many have failed of reaching it by their unbelief, and since there is so much danger that we may fail of it also, let us give all diligence that we may enter into it.

Heaven is never obtained but by diligence; and no one enters there who does not earnestly desire it, and who does not make a sincere effort to reach it.

In verse 12, we find the reason that we should enter that rest, remain in our faith and not fall to disobedience.

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.

13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.

NKJV The Word of God, the Logos (explain), the entire divine revelation, the doctrine of the Gospel that is preached and brought to us by the Lord, the Truth, the Lord Himself.

We find in , He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.

NKJV

(from Barnes' Notes, Electronic Database Copyright © 1997, 2003, 2005, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc.

All rights reserved.)

He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.

Living and powerful, it’s active, it produces effect, it is never out of date or culture and it brings trembling to the souls of the wicked of the upcoming judgment and power to deliver the saved from death.

It is sharper than any sword for doing what needs to be done.

Circumcising our spirit and separating it from that which is leading our body, our soul (mind, will, and emotions).

It strips everything within us naked and bare and exposed before the One who is our judge, the Discerner and there is no one and nothing that is hidden from His sight.

But, be not dismayed.

If we are in His rest, His abode, our sins have been forgiven and have been removed as far as the east is from the west.

The Word will expose our works though (explain).