"I’d love to rest - if I only wasn’t so busy." That’s a statement a lot of us could make. Our society is one of constant motion and activity - if we aren’t always doing something we feel useless and worthless.
This can invade our spiritual lives as well. We feel like if we aren’t always "on" and "active" in our ministry - always doing more and more and being more and more perfect - then God must not be pleased with us. It’s the "what are you going to do for me today" syndrome.
Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. ESV
We don’t create the works, we don’t do the works - we simply "walk" in what God has already done. This is such a freeing concept - and yet how many times do we end up striving for God’s approval instead of resting in what He has done - then walking in what He has prepared for us - at times, that means doing nothing at all.
In chapter 3 they key was rebellion - not believing what God said and wanting to go back to old ways in order to find answers. Chapter 4 focuses on what you give up by rebelling - rest in God -
Rest from the search for who to rely on
Rest from striving for righteousness
Rest from hiding from God
Rest from the search for who to rely on by trusting in Jesus
At the end of chapter 3 the author says: "19 So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief." The picture used is of the rebellious heart of the Israelites as they traveled through the wilderness - discounting the provision of God for the journey and not trusting in God’s promise of an abode in the Promised Land. What we’re going to see here is that promise of provision and abode still exists - but we have to respond in faith.
Verses 1 - 3
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.
(1) There is still a promise of rest today - not a physical rest but a spiritual one - not in the Promised Land of Canine, but the Promised Person of Jesus Christ. The last part of verse 1 is difficult to translate from Greek but could be understood to read: "Take care lest God be able to say to you "you didn’t go all the way." A lot of people approach Jesus Christ but never seal the deal.
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.
(2) It didn’t benefit the Israelites to hear about the Promised Land because they didn’t believe that God would give it to them. Instead they believed the report from the spies that it was too much for them.
The people who got this letter needed to understand that the old way of Judaism fails to provide salvation - it is only a pointer to the real salvation in Jesus.
Romans 10:8-10 "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); 9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. ESV
You don’t get saved by people speaking words around you - but by hearing and believing then confessing God’s Word of salvation.
I say this all the time - you can believe anything you want, but if it won’t actually have an effect, what good is it? It’s like getting exposed to Saran nerve gas and taking a sugar pill. You are going to die unless you inject yourself with Atropine or whatever it is they use. You can stare at the syringe all you want, but it is the cure - just like the cure for the fatal disease of sin - it comes only from appropriating salvation through belief.
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,’"
(3) You have to "enter in" to the rest. Take the plunge, step out on the ledge, put your weight down - believe and trust in what Jesus said and did.
And God planned for all this happen when He made the earth:
3b 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."
This doesn’t mean that God just sat back after creating the world and said "boy that was fun now on to my nap!" No - He has been active ever since, but the plan was already in place - He knew exactly what He was going to do.
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." (Psalm 95)
The rest in the Promised Land was there - but only Joshua and Caleb entered in - they obeyed and had faith in God. The rest in Jesus is there and some will enter into it by faith in Him - is this your day when you will choose to enter the rest offered in Jesus?
So - rest from the search for who to rely on by trusting in Jesus
Rest from striving for works of righteousness by resting in God’s
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.
Jesus is better - better than Moses, better than Joshua - who led Israel into and settled the Promised Land. But if that had been the final plan of God, He would not have said "today" in Psalm 95 - written by David much later.
We now have a "Sabbath" rest - this doesn’t mean the literal Sabbath day as practiced by the Jews - but a Sabbath life. I’m not saying that taking a Sabbath day is bad - it’s a good principal, but the Sabbath day was a picture - a shadow - of the rest from works that we have because Jesus has finished the work of gaining righteousness for us.
Colossians 2:16-17 Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. 17 These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. ESV
Rest from Hiding by being transparent to God
Verses 11 - 13
11 Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience.
(11) "Strive" means "enthusiastic effort." "no one may fall" is again bringing up the idea of those who fell in the desert because they rejected God’s promise and were thus "disobedient". What’s being offered to us is the most important gift in the universe - it’s worth enthusiasm and effort.
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.
(12) Verses 12 and 13 are the climax of this entire section.
"Word of God is living" (when He speaks - things happen) and active (effective or does whatever God intends it to do)
The idea of these verses is that what God has said, both in the Old or New Testament - is more than mere words - they do things - including the ability to penetrate our defenses and go right to the center of who we are and what we want. Soul could be thought of as that which causes life - and spirit is that which reaches out to God.
We cannot ignore the rest that God has offered. His word of that rest will penetrate us and reveal our true intentions and the true nature of our souls.
1- One day we will all be held account for how we responded to this word.
2- God’s Word has the ability what our words can not do.
Next time we see the other incredible verse - verse 14 - as it relates to our access to Jesus the High Priest whenever we need Him.
Conclusions
Are you at rest?
Another way to translate verse 10 is: "the resting place God used on the seventh day is still available to his people." We can go to that place - so why do we still strive so much? Relax - and let His Spirit invade you, bringing you His righteousness and His direction.
What does the rest give us?
The Israelites got four things from the rest of the Promised Land: (Deut 12:9-11) the land, security and protection, rest from fighting, and God’s presence through the Tabernacle.
We who have entered into the rest promised in Jesus Christ get these same four things: The land (heaven), security and protection, rest from struggling against the world and against sin, and God’s presence in our lives through the Holy Spirit.
How do we fail to enter the rest today?
Pre-Christians
There is no real rest outside of Jesus
You can’t earn your way into heaven. Our righteousness is like dirty rags.
You’ve "heard" the gospel - will you unite your hearing with faith? Vs2
Is it time for you to "seal the deal?"
Christians
Once a believer you can’t earn points with God (Galatians)
Verse 10 - do you rest in God’s work for you?
Galatians 3:3 After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? NIV
Jesus sat at the right hand of the Father - His work was done, so is yours
Heb 12:2 let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. ESV
Take His yoke upon you - be "yoked" to Jesus - His yoke is easy and His burden is light
Matt 11:28-30 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 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. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." ESV
Now - be anxious for nothing
Phil 4:5-7 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. ESV
For more Bible studies, including an audio version of this message, go to: www.CalvaryChapelNewberg.org.
