Hebrews 4:3-13 // Selfies
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That Rest
That Rest
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.”
What rest is he talking about?
When navigating from a map..need to ORIENT yourself...
Building off of Hebrews 3:7-11
Psalms 95
He already introduced reality that we can miss the offer because of our disobedience.
What we miss is His rest....What rest?
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.
“although his works were finished from the foundation of the world.”
This is being built off of Psalm 95..
invitation to look deeper.
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.”
The truth of “that rest” we are offered is anchored in the sabbath rest we see during creation week.
THIS IS HUGE!!!
Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done.
What do we know about what existed in Genesis 2?
It was good!
Perfect relationship with God.
Unhindered by sin and death.
By tying these two together the author is telling us...
God’s plans for a perfect relationship has not changed.
Thus Saith the Lord
Thus Saith the Lord
Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience, 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.
This sounds great but where do you get this from?
Be like the Bereans...
“We want to believe you but let us look into it.”
What does “today” mean?
And again in this passage he said, “They shall not enter my rest.” Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience,
since (we established)
it remains for some to enter
those who didn’t believe didn’t enter
(then)
He (God) appoints a day as “Today”
Asking them to think about when Psalms 95 was written.
After the fall of man
after the flood
after Israel entered the promised land
God spoke through king David in Psalms 95 and about this offer of rest. And He spoke in terms of “today”.
Two words every Christian should know...
Exegesis: What does the bible say.
Eisegesis: What do I want the bible to say.
The writers of scripture practices biblical exegesis.
“There remains a sabbath rest for the people of God...”
Where does the author get that?
From God’s holy word.
Selfies
Selfies
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.
Most of us have heard this passage in terms to holding up the authority of God’s word.
That is a true and appropriate understanding of it.
However the context shows us that:
The Bible is the final authority in our self evaluation.
“Living and Active”
Why is it so effective?
“Discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
We are spiritual beings
God’s word cuts through all the physical
(that we show everybody else)
and gets to the spiritual.
It should be no surprise that the Devil continues to pull away from God’s word.
Neglect it.
Reject its divine source.
written by men
different “gospels”
Man interprets is wrong
God is a loving God not a mean judgmental God.
God’s word is the only correct source for judgment. But God did not give it to us to condemn us. He gave it to save us.