Enter God’s Rest (Heb 4:1-13)

Enter God’s Rest Fear God and enter His promised rest through a tested heart of faith. (Hebrews 4:1-13) The promise of entering God’s rest still stands. (v. 1a) ◦ Let us fear to miss it. (v. 1b) ◦ Let us strive to enter it. (v. 11) For good news came to us. (v. 2) ◦ We who have believed enter that rest. (v. 3) ◦ The message is of no benefit to those who do not receive it by faith. (v. 2) There is a deeper meaning to this rest—that is, a permanent rest from works. (vv. 3c-5, 10) “Today” the door remains open to enter God’s rest. (vv. 6-7) ◦ This promise of true rest was not fulfilled in entering Canaan. (v. 8) ◦ There remains a Sabbath celebration for the people of God. (v. 9) We will enter God’s rest only through a proven heart of faith. (vv. 11-13) ◦ God’s living word tests the genuineness of our faith because it discerns hearts. (v. 12) ◦ We are accountable to the One who makes the promise. (v. 13) ARE YOU PASSING THE REST TEST? • There is only one method of entry into God’s future rest—through the gospel of Jesus Christ. • If you believe, you do not labor as a servant but a son. • There is rest, joy, and motivation today in God’s eternal rest still to come. Take It Home: (for further discussion and reflection) • Having read and thought through this text, which aspect of it is really piercing for you? (captures your attention and exposes your heart) • Do doubts mean that our faith is not genuine? How do you know your faith is genuine? • Talk about the relief, comfort, joy, motivation, and even current restfulness of being among those who will experience God’s final rest. • Are there people you desire to pray for whom you think might not truly have a proven heart of faith? Will you pray for how you might talk to them about it? Hebrews 4 (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. 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. 3 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. 4 For he has somewhere spoken of the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works.” 5 And again in this passage he said, “They shall not enter my rest.” 6 Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience, 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. 9 So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, 10 for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. 11 Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. 12 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. 13 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.