How to Win @ Life!

Brenden Bridges

Greater than • Sermon • Submitted 6 years ago

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We are in a sermon Series in the book of Hebrews…Entitled - Greater than… this morning message is entitled “How to win @ life”…

I have yet to meet somebody who loves to loose at something… If you have competed or played on a team of some sorts - you will know that Winning always feels better than loosing.

It’s lkie

Sometimes life can be hard and we feel that life is getting the better of us… we can feel that we in this cycle of hopeless and how do we get ahead? You may identify with the young boy when playing chess with his grandfather says, “Oh, no! Not again! Grandpa, you always win!”

A boy playing chess with his grandfather says, “Oh, no! Not again! Grandpa, you always win!”

like young boy expressed when playing chess with his grandfather and says, “Oh, no! Not again! Grandpa, you always win!”

“Yesterday, for one brief moment I was happy. But just when I thought I was winning in the game of life, there was a flag thrown on the play and life dealt me a blow.”776

In a “Peanuts” comic strip, there was a conversation between Lucy and Charlie Brown. Lucy said that life is like a deck chair. Some place it so they can see where they are going; some place it so they can see where they have been; and some place it so they can see where they are at present. Charlie Brown’s reply: “I can’t even get mine unfolded.”

Grandpa says, “What do you want me to do, lose on purpose? You won’t learn anything if I do that!” But the boy replies, “I don’t wanna learn anything. I just wanna win!”

1500 Illustrations for Biblical Preaching Life, Happiness In

Charlie Brown, pondering his plight in life, thought, “Yesterday, for one brief moment I was happy. But just when I thought I was winning in the game of life, there was a flag thrown on the play and life dealt me a blow.”776

Sometimes life is throwing us all these lessons and we don’t what to learn we just want to win… That’s exactly like my golf game… I don’t want have to spend time learning… I just want go out there and play like Tiger Woods! These young Christians didn’t want to have to go through lessons.... they didn’t want the challenges and as they faced persecution…

In a “Peanuts” comic strip, there was a

Winning in life is possible because God has already Won the battle…the challenge is how to appropriate all the blessing and the promises that come with that Victory.

The Challenge is how to appropriate the blessing and the promises that come with Christ Victory that is already secured..

We are in the book of Hebrews in a series entitled Greater than… The book of Hebrews is sermon written to young Jewish Christians who had hit setback in their Christian lives.. and some of them were turning back to Judaism… The difficulties had come into their lives and they had more questions than answers....

This External pressures was causing them to rethink their faith and some of were turning back to Judaism…This is exactly what happened to their forefathers in the wilderness..

Why is life so difficult?

and some of them were turning back to Judaism…They had come to the Brink of the promise land… about to go into the promise land and when life got difficult turned back through unbelief…they hardened their hearts towards the word of God……

Some how they believed that it would be easier when they left Egypt… but it wasn’t…

Scott Peck wrote a well-known book called A Road Less Traveled. It opens with a line everyone can identify with: “Life is difficult.” That’s true statement. Life is difficult, and the Christian faith never promises it will deliver a life free of such difficulty…

Israel had come to the Brink of the promise land… about to go into the promise land and when challenged to trust God - Have faith --- they faulted — their hearts were harden towards the word of God… and fell into unbelief...

persevere to inherit the promise...

We have all these things in Christ… but still have to persevere to inherit the promise...

Winning at the Christian life is about perseverance… it’s not a sprint… it’s a marathon… It’s the same lesson we learned as children that it wasnt’ the hare that one the race but rather the tortoise — slow and steady wins the race..

But when it comes to the challenges and difficulties of life — God never promise that he would wipe away every problem we faced....The psalmist put it like...

Psalm 34:19 ESV

Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.

“The good man does not escape all troubles—he has them too. But the Lord helps him in each and every one” ( tlb).

to exhort v. — to earnestly support or encourage a response or action.

Message Bibles says it like this.. “Disciples so often get into trouble, sit, God is there every time..

The Bible teaches that when you give your life to Christ, your eternal destiny is altered, you experience a radical reorientation of your priorities, you find a new purpose in life, and you encounter the power and work of God in your life. But these experiences are far different from the instant removal of every problem, every struggle, or every issue of pain. Christians believe that the Bible says God can and does do miraculous, incredible things when you are in relationship with him, but that’s not what you should look for, or what God always promises to deliver. Instead, God’s power and presence, which come from being in relationship with him, give us the ability to go through the difficulties of life with strength and hope. “The good man does not escape all troubles—he has them too. But the Lord helps him in each and every one” ( tlb).

As Tim Keller apply said Hebrews is a journey from - from isolation to the city of God..

life is presented as a Journey.... picture of isolation to the city of God..

God’s power and presence, which come from being in relationship with him, give us the ability to go through the difficulties of life with strength and hope.

God is committed to the righteous… there is no guarantee of a trouble free life… but in his closeness to us the Lord safeguards… choose us agains our opponents… offers himself as a place to take refuge…

We are in the book of Hebrews in a series entitled Greater than… The book of Hebrews is sermon written to the your Jewish Christians who were struggling with continuing with and some of them were turning back to Judaism… life is presented as a Journey.... picture of isolation to the city of God..

The preacher of Hebrews is encouraging them to perserver in their journey…

Winning at Life means pushing on to what lies ahead.

Winning @ life is not the absence of pressure… but the promise of presence and the power of perseverance.

So the sermon is about the importance of perseverance…

and like Israel in their wilderness journey they had come so far but soon as the hit a road block and they started to look back at the old structures of their lives.... Winnitn as a Christian is always ahead of us -its forward to the prose ....it’s appropriating what Christ has already achieved…

The

The picture of winning at life is given by Paul in the book of Philippians.

promises His power and presence, which come from being in relationship with him… It is this relationship that gives us the ability to go through the difficulties of life with strength and hope.

Philippians 3:13–14 ESV

Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Paul conveyed this idea of pressing forward in Philippians.. When he compares the Christian life to a marathon… because we are always striving to what lies ahead..

Title -- How to Win at life!

When things hoy difficult in Israel’s wilderness journey they started to look back at the old structures of their lives.... but they were insufficient to support and sustain them… Paul conveyed this idea of pressing forward in Philippians.. When he compares the Christian life to a marathon…

I remember reading Steven Covey - 7 habits of highly effective people... One of the habits he shares was...Sharpen the Saw... (chainsaw illustration -- try's to use it without)

as a Christian is always ahead of us -its forward to the prisse ....it’s appropriating what Christ has already achieved…

Ingression.. we are going to look at three principles about winning at life from the book of Hebrews the first is...

1. Recognize the Opportunities that are right in Front of you.

In Chapter 3 there is the retelling of israels failure to enter into the promised land. The children of Israel came to the borders of the promised land, how they sent out scouts to spy out the land, how ten of the twelve scouts came back with the verdict that it was a good land but that the difficulties of entering into it were insuperable, how Caleb and Joshua alone were for going forward in the strength of the Lord… However, instead of believing the good news... the people listened to the the voices of unbelief, and the result was that that generation that died in the wilderness and never enjoyed the rest they could have had.. . Israel had Missed their opportunity… but the Good news was the promise was still available.

In Chapter 3 the preacher of Hebrews is making comparisons by between Israel’s opportunity.. and the Christians opportunity to enter into God’s promises… The promises before Israel was to enter into Canaan and possess the land… Blessing was ahead of them --- the land represented… Rest… opportunity ahead...

Hebrews 4:1 ESV

1 Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it.

Hebrews 3:16–4:1 ESV

16 For who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those who left Egypt led by Moses? 17 And with whom was he provoked for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? 19 So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief. 1 Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it.

Hebrews 4:1 ESV

Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it.

Hebrews 4:7–8 ESV

7 again he appoints a certain day, “Today,” saying through David so long afterward, in the words already quoted, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” 8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on.

Hebrews 4:7–10 ESV

again he appoints a certain day, “Today,” saying through David so long afterward, in the words already quoted, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on. So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.

Hebrews 4:7 ESV

7 again he appoints a certain day, “Today,” saying through David so long afterward, in the words already quoted, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.”

heb 3.16-

Hebrews 4:1

heb 4:

Life Application New Testament Commentary Promised Rest for God’s People / 4:1–13

While the next generation of Israelites (after those who sinned and died in the wilderness) did enter and possess the land, this was still only a shadow of the final “rest” that was to come. The

The Promise still Stands -

Opportunity was right in front of them but they failed to take hold of what was before for them.

, however the people listened to the advice of the cowards, and how the result was that that generation never enjoyed the rest they could have had.

Israelites failed to enter into the rest of God. Here, the word rest is being used in the sense of the settlement of the promised land after the wilderness years. The reference is to and 14. These chapters tell how the children of Israel came to the borders of the promised land, how they sent out scouts to spy out the land, how ten of the twelve scouts came back with the verdict that it was a good land but that the difficulties of entering into it were insuperable, how Caleb and Joshua alone were for going forward in the strength of the Lord, how the people listened to the advice of the cowards, and how the result was that that generation of distrusting cowards was barred forever from entering into the rest and the peace of the promised land. They did not trust God to bring them through the difficulties that lay ahead; and, therefore, they never enjoyed the rest they could have had.

therefore refers to The tragic aftermath of death in the desert as the result of failing to believe God constituted the basis of warning for the hearers.

Some of the best lessons we can learn are from others…

We can save our some heartache is we learn from the failures of others… When many of the Tele evangelists were falling those around Billy Graham met in Modesto and leaders put somethings in place to protect the legacy of Billy Graham… it was called the Modesto Manifesto.... We can learn from the failures of others.... The preacher of Hebrews is giving these young Christians lessons from their history...

The author wants his readers to feel that they have something in common with the ancestral generation. Both have heard the word of God, and each must make the appropriate response to that word. Since failure to believe prevented some of the ancestors from entering into the promised rest, were the readers to follow their example they would suffer a fate similar to the one suffered by the wilderness generation

Hebrews Interpretation

The lesson is that partial obedience is not enough..

. The lesson is that partial obedience is not enough..

Israel had begun in obedience… they had heeded God’s command to make the sacrifice of the passover lamb…placing blood on the lentils and the door posts of their home… They had heeded the voice of Moses to go into the wilderness… but then the got to Mara and tasted of the biter springs they wanted to go back… … they began to complain…long for the pleasures of Egypt and harden their hearts to the word of God…

because they were disobedient and hardened their heart…

Those who were unfaithful in the wilderness generation failed to accomplish what they had set out to do; they did not receive the fulfillment of what God had promised them

We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations. — Charles Swindoll

Those who were unfaithful in the wilderness generation failed to accomplish what they had set out to do; they did not receive the fulfillment of what God had promised them

We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations. — Charles Swindoll

Because of unbelief they were refused entry into the promised land…As long as we are in the present tense… today… this promise of rest still stands… When the Bible refers to Salvation or to Faith it is always in the present tense… today is the day of Salvation…

The readers still have a chance as long as “today” remains open.

The Promise still stands… is amassing proposition of Hope… but it is coupled with warning…

Hebrews 11:1 ESV

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Volume 33: Hebrews The Rest of God

the timing of obedience is a critical factor. There is a “window” called “today

they were refused entry into the promised land…As long as we are in the present tense… today… this promise of rest still stands… When the Bible refers to Salvation or to Faith it is always in the present tense… today is the day of Salvation… Now faith is the confidence of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen.

t blood on the lentles and the door posts…

Now faith is the confidence of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen.

The lesson comes in form of warning...

The timing of obedience is a critical factor. There is a “window” called “today - The opportunity of obedience is opened --- but so is the opportunity of disobedence..

The Promise still stands… is amassing proposition of Hope… but it is coupled with warning…

The timing of obedience is a critical factor. There is a “window” called “todayThe Promise still stands… is amassing proposition of Hope… but it is coupled with warning…

At first glance the land is the rest. The Israelites had been refused entry to the land by an angry God because of their disobedience.

“let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it”

Now not all Fear is a bad thing… it is actually can be a positive motivation.... The fear is not about loosing ones salvation --- that not the issue… The issue is Hope of missing what God has for you and your family… What happens if we don’t fully obey God… what does that mean for those who follow us… The Bible tells us that fear of the Lord is the begining of wisdom… One of the tragedies in life is what could have been…

- You will never achieve what you cannot see...

The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Volume 33: Hebrews The Rest of God

At first glance the land is the rest. The Israelites had been refused entry to the land by an angry God because of their disobedience.

It’s talking reverence and an Awe for God… It so easy to loose this concept that God is Awesome…

The preacher demonstrates how the offer of Rest still stands...

The promise is not fulfilled, because in David hears God’s voice saying to the people that if they do not harden their hearts they can enter into his rest. That is to say, hundreds of years after Joshua had led the people into the rest of the promised land, God is still appealing to them to enter into his rest. There is more to this rest than merely entry into the promised land...

there is a continual tendency in the Church to look back, to believe that God’s power has grown less and that the golden days have passed. The writer to the Hebrews sounds a trumpet-call. ‘Never think’, he says, ‘that you have arrived too late in history; never think that the days of great promise and great achievement lie in the past. This is still God’s “today”. There is a blessedness for you as great as the blessedness of the saints; there is an adventure for you as great as the adventure of the martyrs. God is as great today as he ever was.’

The Letter to the Hebrews The Rest We Dare Not Miss (Hebrews 4:1–10)

There is a continual tendency in the Church to look back, to believe that God’s power has grown less and that the golden days have passed. The writer to the Hebrews sounds a trumpet-call. ‘Never think’, he says, ‘that you have arrived too late in history; never think that the days of great promise and great achievement lie in the past. This is still God’s “today”. There is a blessedness for you as great as the blessedness of the saints; there is an adventure for you as great as the adventure of the martyrs. God is as great today as he ever was.’

God rested from his creative work from the foundation of the world. That very rest was offered to the wilderness generation, but some of them failed to achieve it..

The rest being spoken of is possible because of God’s rest at the completion of his work from the foundation of the world. That very rest was offered to the wilderness generation, but some of them failed to achieve it

Hebrews Interpretation

As Joshua was instrumental in leading some of that generation to it, although not in a final way, Jesus makes possible the offer of the completion of that rest

rest (change) n. — a change of state from activity or work to a cessation from work that results in a feeling of refreshing tranquility and an absence of tension or worry; especially that God provides.

The author’s argument is based on God’s rest still being open even during David’s reign.

Joshua did not bring all of the children of Israel into rest. This is using the term “rest” not in the sense of Canaan, but God’s spiritual rest (cf. vv. 9–10). From vv. 8–10 it is obvious that the author of Hebrews is using “rest” in three historical/theological senses:

1.the Promised Land of Canaan (v. 8, Joshua’s day, )

2.the opportunity to trust God (cf. v. 9 i.e. David’s day, )

3.the (v. 4) rest of God at creation (v. 10)

4.heaven (vv. 1 and 11)

There was first an initial promise of rest (cf. ); there was second a historical fulfillment (Joshua); there was third a later opportunity (David’s day); and there is still a fourth opportunity for anyone who chooses to exercise faith in God’s promises.

Westcott assists us here, taking the first entrance to mean an ideal fulfillment of the highest destiny of Israel in perfect fellowship with God.

The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Volume 33: Hebrews The Rest of God

Westcott assists us here, taking the first entrance to mean an ideal fulfillment of the highest destiny of Israel in perfect fellowship with God.

Consider Joshua, who led Israel into the promised land so they could experience rest from their wanderings. Neither he nor the kings following him secured full rest

As Joshua was instrumental in leading some of that generation to it, although not in a final way, Jesus makes possible the offer of the completion of that rest

Those who find the rest of God are those who discover the strategy of God, submit to His timing for events, and appropriate the resources God provides, refusing to fall to the temptation of distrusting or judging the capabilities of others.As Joshua was instrumental in leading some of that generation to it, although not in a final way, Jesus makes possible the offer of the completion of that rest

Our Promised Land and Sabbath rest may culminate in heaven, but an earthly Promised Land exists for you and me.

Your Promised Land is the place where God’s personalized promises over your life become a living reality rather than a theological theory. He is inviting you to move there and to flourish -

The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Volume 33: Hebrews The Rest of God

God’s design is the fulfillment of our highest identity and development. It

rest means; to be at His place, at His time, doing the thing He has planned for us to do, confident in His strength and resources, in the design of the system.

The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Volume 33: Hebrews The Rest of God

To respond in faith and obedience is to step into or enter that design and know all the sufficiency and peace implied in terms of “milk and honey,” “rain and abundance.”

The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Volume 33: Hebrews The Rest of God

In the condition of rest, the faithful believer experiences the exhilaration of creativity and productivity; stress and anxiety are minimized; joy lifts the spirit above the waves of normal frustrations and a holy purpose stimulates a vitality that is not overwhelmed by difficulties. Serenity and laughter are the marks of being in the place of rest.

Rest isn’t about a coming day. It is about a person who already came: the One who can be trusted now. Rest is about awakening to his resurrection and faithfulness and to our own present risenness from death.

How do we win at life?

1. Recognize the Opportunities that are right in Front of you.

2. Maximize the Benefits through Believing.

Hebrews 4:2 ESV

2 For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened.

Hebrews 4:2–5 ESV

For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened. For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said, “As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest,’ ” although his works were finished from the foundation of the world. For he has somewhere spoken of the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works.” And again in this passage he said, “They shall not enter my rest.”

hebrews 4:2

Heb 2:2-

The preacher makes the comparison between the message (Good News) Israel had received and the good news they had received in the gospel.. Israel had heard the message but not acted on the word and therefore it was not Beneficial -- it was not helpful... Good News can be delivered... …when united with Faith... The word mixed means

but it was not Beneficial -- it was not helpful... Good News can be delivered... ... but it is only helpful until... it is united with Faith...

to be compounded v. — to be or become assembled into a unified whole by the mixing or combining of different parts.

A number of years ago Pam's mom put together the families Recipes into a booklet... and we love cooking from it.. One of the recipes is a Chocolate mouse... and it is good... but I made it and followed everything exactly... except I didn't whisked the egg whites properly and it tasted good... but it wasn't light and fluffy... This is what is meant here... In order to Benefit from the word.. you have parts to fit together in an overall arrangement—‘to put together, to compose, to structure.’

Not only must God’s message be heard, it must also be combined with faith before it will be effective.

learn from past failures... others and your own.Avoid repeat performances..

Hearing a message of good news does not guarantee that what has been promised will be received. Only faith as confident expectation for the future can secure the promised reality.

Not only must God’s message be heard, it must also be combined with faith before it will be effective.

has benefits and obligations.

Not only must God’s message be heard, it must also be combined with faith before it will be effective.

Why did Israel not embrace the offer of Rest?

learn from past failures... others and your own.Avoid repeat performances..

1.the Promised Land of Canaan (v. 8, Joshua’s day, )

1. Lack of Faith in God’s character

2.the opportunity to trust God (cf. v. 9 i.e. David’s day, )

3.the (v. 4) rest of God at creation (v. 10)

4.heaven (vv. 1 and 11)

Despite all they’d seen in their exodus from Egypt and their experiences of God’s day-to-day leadership and preservation, the Israelites nevertheless doubted God’s character.

Why? Because they had not yet been weaned from living on their own provisions and by their own power. They didn’t trust the abundant inheritance that was theirs, already present in the signs of the life-giving waters from the Yam Suph to Meribah to the desert rock. By believing, however, Joshua and Caleb entered the true spiritual rest that the land signified long before they crossed the Jordan into Canaan.

2. Self sufficancy

Believing in Jesus may seem easy, almost effortless, just a nod, a quick prayer, or a walk forward at a church service. While making a profession of faith in Christ is simple, truly believing in Jesus leads to a life of commitment and discipleship that will put the believer at odds with the greedy, self-centered, cruel, and power-grabbing world.

F. F. Bruce says, “The practical implication is clear: it is not the hearing of the gospel by itself that brings salvation, but its appropriation by faith; and if a genuine faith, it will be a persistent faith”

Life Application New Testament Commentary Promised Rest for God’s People / 4:1–13

vrs 4 The preacher says somewhere it is written that God rested… interesting statement… but what it was a rabbinical idiom of belief in the inspiration of the entire OT…

The Scripture clearly teachers us that God rested...

God rested, not because he was tired, but to indicate the completion of creation. The world was perfect, and God was satisfied with it, so he rested In the creation story in and 2, there is a strange fact. On the first six days of creation, it is said that morning and evening came; that is to say, each day had an end and a beginning. But on the seventh day, the day of God’s rest, there is no mention of evening at all. From this, the Rabbis argued that, while the other days came to an end, the day of God’s rest had no ending; the rest of God was forever. Therefore, although long ago the Israelites may have failed to enter that rest, it still remained.

The Letter to the Hebrews The Rest We Dare Not Miss (Hebrews 4:1–10)

In the creation story in Genesis 1 and 2, there is a strange fact. On the first six days of creation, it is said that morning and evening came; that is to say, each day had an end and a beginning. But on the seventh day, the day of God’s rest, there is no mention of evening at all. From this, the Rabbis argued that, while the other days came to an end, the day of God’s rest had no ending; the rest of God was forever. Therefore, although long ago the Israelites may have failed to enter that rest, it still remained.

This reflects a rabbinical idiom of belief in the inspiration of the entire OT (cf. 2:6). The “where” (i.e. the exact location of the text) and “who\

learn from past failures... others and your own.Avoid repeat performances..

(p. 73).learn from past failures... others and your own.Avoid repeat performances..

You only Get the Benefits from Doing.

3. Discover true Success through Entering into Rest.

Hebrews 4:11–13 ESV

Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Heb 4:11-

1001 Illustrations that Connect Illustration 998: Racing to Death

John Henry once raced a steam drill tunneling through a mountain. He beat the machine, only to fall dead from the superhuman effort.

Sherman James, an epidemiologist at the University of Michigan, named a syndrome after John Henry, saying people with it believe that anything can be conquered as long as you work hard enough. They are the ones who, when completing questionnaires, answer yes to statements such as, “When things don’t go the way I want, it just makes me work even harder,” or “Once I make up my mind to do something, I stay with it until the job is completely done.”

They believe that with enough effort and determination they can regulate all outcomes.

let the word of God do its full work in our lives..

John Henry once raced a steam drill tunneling through a mountain. He beat the machine, only to fall dead from the superhuman effort.

The Timothy Keller Sermon Archive The Rest-Giver

God rested is it means he was satisfied with what he was doing. He said it was good. He said it is finished. He was able to lay it down

We are encouraged to strive to enter into rest...

The Timothy Keller Sermon Archive The Rest-Giver

When you go back to Genesis 1 and 2, we know God created the world. Then we’re told God rested from his work. That immediately is helpful because it throws in the relief that there’s a lot going on in this word rest, because as soon as you think of the idea of God resting, you begin to realize God can’t get tired the way we do. How could God rest from his work? Does he get weary? Does he get physically weary? Does he get emotionally weary?

1. Working @ Rest..

The word rest can be a little misguiding… because it dosn’t mean that we do nothing… Joshua and his contemporaries soon discovered that life in Canaan demanded courageous heroes, not relaxed spectators…God fought on Israels behalf… but when they went against Jericho… can you imagine.. how much Faith — to tackle a city full of Giants… God says listen march arround the walls everyday and on the seventh day--- March around the city 7 times and blow your trumpets.. and the Lord will defeat your enemies..

the rest idea of Rest is completion and not of inactivity.

Joshua and his contemporaries soon discovered that life in Canaan demanded courageous heroes, not relaxed spectators.

that the rest idea is of completion and not of inactivity.

It takes no effort to get stressed and anxious… Reacting to life.... it takes a lot of work to face life with Faith and obedience… When John Wesley returned to England from being a missionary in to the Native Indians in Georgia he was discouraged… no salvations…He was on a boat with a group of Moravian Christians.. and they hit the storm --- while he panicked these Christians sang songs of praise… This changed Wesley....

Working @ Word

The children of Israel had been promised the good land, but it wasn’t theirs until they possessed it. All believers must diligently work out their faith, seeking to obey Jesus day by day, drawing closer to God through experiences in life (). There is no time while living on earth at which a Christian “arrives” at spirituality. Each day God’s people are making a choice either to grow closer to him or to drift away.Working @ Word

Working @ at Apply the Word of God -

A good definition for Striving is to “Give diligence” i. Diligence is the opposite of “drifting” (). How do we give diligence? By paying close attention to the Word of God… It takes effort to read and understand the scriptures.... The word of God is like no other book....NT Wright in his comments the word of God meant not only The OT but the message which Jesus himself announced—that God’s kingdom was coming to birth in and through his work—and then the message about Jesus and what he’d done, essentially the same message but from a new perspective

The word is energetic.

God’s word is like a two-edged sword, sharp as a scalpel, discerning every twist and turn of the human mind.

“Give diligence” is a good translation of this admonition. Diligence is the opposite of “drifting” (). How do we give diligence? By paying close attention to the Word of God

It can scrutinize the unspoken thoughts and hidden conceptions of the heart of man. It can reach deep down where, because of earth’s bewildering and preoccupying noises, no other voice can easily be heard. This word probes more deeply than the mere voice of man however interesting or eloquent. It goes to ‘the inmost recesses of our spiritual being and brings the subconscious motives to light’ (Bruce).

The Message of Hebrews a. The Word of God (4:12)

The word is energetic. It is like a sharp sword cutting its way through this substance or that without any kind of difficulty. This sword of the word can penetrate deeply into the human heart and mind. It can scrutinize the unspoken thoughts and hidden conceptions of the heart of man. It can reach deep down where, because of earth’s bewildering and preoccupying noises, no other voice can easily be heard. This word probes more deeply than the mere voice of man however interesting or eloquent. It goes to ‘the inmost recesses of our spiritual being and brings the subconscious motives to light’ (Bruce).

Resting means obedience to the word of God… letting the word of God work fully in our lives… it is also means

Working @ drawing Near

Hebrews 4:16 ESV

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

We draw close to the High Priest or the Bridge builder who passed through the heavens… and he is one who is able to sympathize with our weaknesses.

Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope come from Him. -

Conclusion

: we have a High Priest who has passed through the heavens; and he is one who is able to sympathize with our weaknesses.

T. The climax of his argument can be found in 4:14–16, where he reminds his readers why this is not only possible but important to do. We hold fast to what we have already agreed to (our confession) for two reasons: we have a High Priest who has passed through the heavens; and he is one who is able to sympathize with our weaknesses.

Choose what God promises and move forward, willing to pay the cost; or stop short, turn around, and return to the life from which God was calling you and to the bosom of those whose perspective had never been quickened by faith.

sympathize with our weakness” A. T. Robertson gives another possible alternative translation, “suffer with our weakness” (cf. 2:17–18).

The Bridge builder is not so lofty or separated that He is incapable of understanding our human situation. Rather He is one who is totally familiar with it, having been tempted at every turn of the road just as we have been

sympathize with our weakness” A. T. Robertson gives another possible alternative translation, “suffer with our weakness” (cf. 2:17–18). Jesus never had a sin nature and never yielded to sin, but He was exposed to true temptation because of mankind’s sin.

These two reasons represent the two aspects of the risen Christ’s identity—heavenly and earthly.Choose what God promises and move forward, willing to pay the cost; or stop short, turn around, and return to the life from which God was calling you and to the bosom of those whose perspective had never been quickened by faith.

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