Sermon Tone Analysis

INTRODUCTION

Image

It’s been said “There is no rest for the weary” – it’s also been said “There is no rest for the wicked.”

Well that explains why some of us are so tired this morning!

I’m not going to identify who fits into which category.

Apparently not everyone agrees.

· Dwight Schrute – Office MEME

Rest is a vital part of your lives.

Is there anyone here that feels fairly rested this morning?

Nice!

I suspect many of us come here wiped out and in desperate need of some rest.

· Story – man/joggers (trying to get some rest)

Rest is a vital aspect of life.

We primarily think of rest as something physical, some of you are in desperate need of a Sunday afternoon nap to get caught up on some rest – a group of weary parents would see that as a huge blessing.

Need

We desperately need rest and often miss out on the blessing of rest in our lives because of our own choices (stay up too late, don’t take time for a vacation, or refuse to take a nap because you have too many things to get done).

What if the blessing of rest is freely available to you this morning – not simply the blessing of physical rest but the blessing of rest for your soul – and it’s the kind of rest you don’t want to miss out on in your life.

The availability of God’s rest and enjoyment of God’s rest is the heart of today’s message as we continue our series through the book of HEBREWS.

Review

Today is week seven of our series in HEBREWS: Encountering the Greatness of Jesus (so that we can experience the greatness of Jesus).

Hebrews was written to encourage Jewish Christians living in the first century to persevere in their faith.

The believers in that day were suffering from intense pressure and persecution, as a result they were tempted to return to Judaism, so the penman continually urges them to keep believing, to keep persevering because Jesus is greater.

Up to this point we’ve learned that Jesus is greater than the prophets, greater than the angels, and greater than Moses.

The book of Hebrews is like a giant banner that says “Don’t turn back – Jesus is Greater!” We’ve been warned about “The Danger of Drifting” from the gospel (Jesus) and now “The Danger of Unbelief.”

Last week we left off in which revealed “The Danger of Unbelief” – as we considered a tragic illustration of unbelief from the life of God’s people after being freed from slaver in Egypt – the Israelite’s possessed sinful, unbelieving hearts that rebelled against God and disobeyed God – therefore God declared they would not enter into His rest in the promised land of Canaan.

The entire generation died wandering in the wilderness never enjoying the promise of His rest in Canaan.

The penman used this tragic illustration so the Jewish Christians (and us) would not follow in their footsteps – and we were challenged to “Keep watch over our own hearts” and “Encourage one another daily” (I trust you were the giver and receiver of encouragement this past week) to safeguard our lives from unbelief.

Preview

Today we pick up right where we left off - considering Part II of “The Danger of Unbelief.”

If you have your Bible (and I hope you do) turn to .

Hebrews Chapter 4. .

Grab your Bible and turn to . . .

If you don’t have a Bible there are several copies available in the pew rack so you can follow along as well.

is a continuation of last week’s warning about “The Danger of Unbelief.”

The entire warning () is a part of the larger declaration that Jesus is greater than Moses.

Jesus is greater than Moses because He was a faithful Son over God’s house and Jesus is greater than Moses because He offers a better rest.

In we’re going to see that the penman is deeply concerned that his readers will follow in the footsteps of their ancestors living in Moses’ day—living their lives in hard-hearted unbelief that would cause them to turn away from their identification with Jesus and return to Judaism – causing them to miss out on God’s rest like the people in wilderness.

Today we’re going to be reminded of the serious consequence of unbelief – missing out on experiencing God’s rest – and consider the call to experience and enjoy the rest available to us in Jesus.

As we walk through this section we’re going to consider (1) “The Availability of God’s Rest” (4:1-10) and (2) The Encouragement to Attain God’s Rest (4:11-13).

Read 4:1-13

I) ENJOYING GOD’S REST

I’ll be honest, this is a challenging text, it’s logical and yet complex, and there is a lot going on.

I spent a great deal of time this week in my study wrestling with what the penman was trying to communicate to his audience.

I’ve been begging God that I could communicate it clearly.

My prayer is God will give us a better understanding of God’s rest, a deeper enjoyment of God’s rest, and a greater confidence in the rest we have in Jesus.

The entire section is connected to last week’s warning about missing out on God’s rest due to unbelief.

Last week we considered the tragic illustration from God’s people in Moses’ day who did not enjoy rest in the land of Canaan due to their unbelief and disobedience.

God judged His people – an entire generation died wandering in the wilderness and did enjoy God’s rest in Canaan – the penman will remind them of Israel’s failure to enjoy God’s rest in an effort to encourage them to persevere in Jesus so they won’t miss out on a greater rest in Him.

A) The Availability of a Better Rest in Jesus (4:1-10)

In the penman reveals “The Availability of a Better Rest” in Jesus.

“The Availability of a Better Rest” in Jesus.

The entire section looks back to people of God in Moses and Joshua’s day who did not enjoy God’s rest in Canaan due to unbelief.

The penman is concerned that the Jewish Christians will follow in their footsteps—if they forsake their trust in Jesus and return to Judaism—they will miss out on enjoying the better rest they have in Jesus.

1) A Fear of Failing to Enjoy God’s Rest (4:1-3)

We begin with the penman’s concern that the Hebrew (Jewish Christians) will fail to enjoy God’s promised rest—"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 (4:1)—the penman’s personal concern is felt in the tone of this text.

The penman is deeply concerned that the Jewish Christians will follow in their ancestor’s footsteps, turning away from their trust in Jesus and turning back to Judaism, which would cause them to “fall short” (fail to attain or reach) of God’s rest.

The Israelite’s failure to enter God’s rest in Canaan (past) did not mean God’s rest was not longer available to them (present).

The promise of God’s rest (a better rest) stands, the promise of entering God’s rest still existed (remains), God’s rest was presently available for them to enjoy.

The availability of God’s rest prompted a personal exhortation—"let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it (4:1)—the thrust or seriousness of the exhortation is softened a bit in the NIV transition.

The invitation “let us be careful” is literally “let us fear” (NASB) or “Let us be wary” (NET) of missing out on God’s promised rest.

Falling short (missing out) on God’s promised rest should be cause an emotional reaction—the thought of missing out on God’s promised rest should cause severe distress or intense concern in their hearts—this is a big deal!

The penman wanted them to be fearful of failing to experience and enjoy God’s promised (greater) rest available to them in Jesus.

The Jewish Christians should fear that anyone of them would fail to enter (come short) God’s promised rest due to unbelief.

In the penman of Hebrews compares the similar circumstance between God’s people after the Exodus and the Jewish Christians he was addressing—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—the penman highlights the common ground (similarity) between the generation that rebelled against God in unbelief with His readers.

The penman revealed the place of common ground between the Israelite’s in the wilderness and the Jewish Christians in the first century.

The “good news” had been proclaimed to the Jewish Christians and to Jews in Moses’ day.

The “good news” preached to the people of God in Moses’ day was that Yahweh would give them rest in the promised land of Canaan and make them a kingdom of priests and a holy nation to Himself ( & ).

The “good news” preached to the Jewish Christians was first and foremost the “gospel”—God’s saving work in Jesus—but this “good news” also included the promise of a greater rest in Jesus.

The point of comparison or parallel (common ground) between God’s people in Moses’ day was both generations heard the good news.

The “Comparison” (common ground) between the people of God in Moses’ day and the Jewish Christians in the first century is followed by their contrasting responses to the good news.

Both generations had heard the good news but there was a stark contrast in their response to what they heard—"but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed.

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.’

”—the people of God in Moses’ did not believe the good news of God’s promises so what they heard was of no value (benefit) to them.

The people of God in Moses’ day did not share the faith of those who obeyed (Joshua & Caleb), their hard-hearted unbelief had severe consequences, God was angry and declared they would never enter His rest in the promised land of Canaan.

The generation of God’s people died in the wilderness without experiencing and enjoying God’s rest.

The people of God in Moses’ day did not believe so they did not enter God’s promised rest in Canaan.

The Jewish Christians had “believed” in the good news that had been proclaimed to them—“Now we who have believed enter that rest”—and as a result of their faith they enter (present tense) God’s rest.

The Jewish Christians enjoyed God’s rest due to their faith in Jesus!

The Hebrew Christians should fear that forsaking their ongoing trust in Jesus and returning to Judaism would cause them to miss out on the present rest they enjoy in Jesus.

2) The Identification of God’s Rest (4:3-10)

Now we come to a very important question – “What is the rest” the Jewish Christians should fear missing out on if they forsake their trust in Jesus and return to Judaism?” – What is the promised rest that remains that we should fear missing out on in our lives as Christians.?” Some suggest the “rest” we must fear missing is our future eternal rest in heaven – and this is a solid understanding of God’s rest if addressed to mere professing believers in that their unbelief in Jesus would cause them to miss out on eternal rest – and yet in light of the audience (Jewish believers tempted to go back to Judaism due to persecution) and the penman’s argument the rest we should fear missing out on is a better present rest we have in Jesus.

What is the rest the Jewish Christians should fear missing out on in their lives?

In we find gain some much-needed clarity about the promised rest we should fear missing out on in our lives as followers of Jesus.

Let’s consider a few characteristics about the better rest in Jesus we should fear missing out on in our lives.

· First, this rest is better than the rest God’s people eventually enjoyed in Canaan ().

& 4 repeatedly reveals that Israel’s unbelief in the past caused them to miss God’s promised rest in Canaan – and yet the rest they eventually experienced was merely a shadow of a better rest available in Jesus.

The Canaan Rest for God’s people in Moses’ day was the promise of “rest from their enemies” ( & 25:19).

The penman once again quoted to remind the Jewish Christians that a generation of God’s people in that day failed to enter (enjoy) His rest from their enemies in Canaan due to their unbelief (hard-hearted rebellion).

The penman also reveals that God’s rest in Canaan did not provide true rest for God’s people.—"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, 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.”

For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day—the penman’s declaration clearly reveals the availability of a better rest that Canaan could not offer.

The penman provided proof of a better rest than Canaan.

Here’s the logic of the argument.

If the promise of a better rest is no longer available, why would God proclaim in David’s generation in about hearing God’s voice and not hardening their heart if rest was possible for God’s people beyond the rest of Canaan.

If Joshua gave God’s people rest when he eventually led them into Canaan, why would God have spoken hundreds of years later (David’s day) about the opportunity to enjoy God’s rest.

Joshua did lead them in Canaan but did not give them ultimate rest.

The psalmist in David’s day and Joshua’s failure to give God’s people rest prove a better rest was available.

· Secondly, it’s a rest that comes by faith.

The penman declared “Now we who have believed enter that rest” (4:3).