Where Do I Find Rest?

Last week Andrew did a great job of highlighting the differences between Moses and Jesus. He highlighted the fact that Moses is denigrated, Jesus is just exalted.

Moses is the servant, while Jesus is the son.

That is an important designation and will factor into our message today.

Jesus is Greater!

Hebrews 3:7–4:13 ESV

Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness, where your fathers put me to the test and saw my works for forty years. Therefore I was provoked with that generation, and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart; they have not known my ways.’ As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest.’ ” Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. As it is said, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.” For who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those who left Egypt led by Moses? And with whom was he provoked for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief. 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. 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.” 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. 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.

That is a chunk of scripture. I want to be ready as we go line by line through this passage. I’m just kidding. I chose this chunk because it has a common theme throughout.

Israel did not find rest because they were disobedient and failed to enter the promised land. Even though Moses was highly regarded, he did not get them into God’s rest.

Disobedient here means they did not believe

Hebrews 3:19 ESV

So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.

Why this parallel or comparison?

Because what we say we believe and the belief that we live are often two different things.

But.let’s get to the two points I really want us to get from these verses.

God’s Rest Exists.

However, It cannot be found by simply doing works, It can only be found by trusting in the work of Christ.

Why do I say that?

Because every-time the Israelites heard of salvation, they would immediately start looking for some lever they could pull themselves.

“Trust the Lord” was never enough for them.

True rest is found in the finished work of Christ.

That is why He is greater, Jesus is greater.

There Is A Way To Find It.

Hebrews 3:5–6 ESV

Now Moses was faithful in all God’s house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, but Christ is faithful over God’s house as a son. And we are his house, if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope.

These two verse tells us something to keep in mind if we desire this rest.

Moses was a servant, but Jesus is a son

The word servant here is a derivative of the word that means

to render assistance or help by performing certain duties, often of a humble or menial nature—‘to serve, to render service, to help, service, help.’

Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains (New York: United Bible Societies, 1996), 459.

It means to do work or perform service for your master.

If you were to ask a servant who he is to the king, he would likely list all the things he has done or does do for him. He would list his works. I bring him his robe, I bring him his cup, I deliver his mail.

Son means a male who is in a kinship relationship either biologically or by legal action, son, offspring, descendant

A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd ed. υἱός

of one whose identity is defined in terms of a relationship with a person or thing

William Arndt, Frederick W. Danker, et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 1024.

A Servant is defined by his work-A Son is defined by his name

Hold Fast Our Confidence

Philippians 1:6 ESV

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

John 6:25–40 ESV

When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” So they said to him, “Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ ” Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.” Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

1 Corinthians 1:26–31 ESV

For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

Boast in Our Hope

My hope is built on nothing less Than Jesus' blood and righteousness

My hope is built on nothing less Than Jesus' blood and righteousness

My hope is built on nothing less Than Jesus' blood and righteousness

My hope is built on nothing less Than Jesus' blood and righteousness I dare not trust the sweetest frame But wholly lean on Jesus' name

On Christ the solid rock I stand All other ground is sinking sand All other ground is sinking sand

When darkness veils his lovely face I rest on His unchanging grace In every high and stormy gale My anchor holds within the veil

His oath, his covenant, his blood Supports me in the 'whelming flood When all around my soul gives way He then is all my hope and stay

On Christ the solid rock I stand All other ground is sinking sand All other ground is sinking sand

When He shall come with trumpet sound Oh may I then in Him be found Dressed in his righteousness alone Faultless to stand before the throne

On Christ the solid rock I stand All other ground is sinking sand All other ground is sinking sand

On Christ the solid rock I stand All other ground is sinking sand All other ground is sinking sand

My hope is built on nothing less Than Jesus' blood and righteousness

My hope is built on nothing less Than Jesus' blood and righteousness

Let the Word of God bring the conviction necessary for us to realize whether we are resting our works, which is really no rest, or on Christ’s work where true rest may be found.

Matthew 11:28–30 ESV

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Where do I find rest? I find it in Jesus Christ, and so can you.

Jesus is Greater