Hebrews 4

Welcome back ladies, thanks for joining us again.

Heb.4.1-16.ESV Therefore**, while the promise of entering his (God’s) 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.

What is the therefore, there for? What good news do we have? The Israelites had a promise of salvation too. From the literal slavery of Egypt. Why did they not receive the benefit?

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 (God) 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.”

Today, God keeps “renewing the appointment” as the Message so eloquently puts it. God keeps renewing the promise and resetting the day as today. I am not that patient w perceived offence. And the Israelites offenses were real, not perceived. How do you respond when you are offended? How would you like to respond?

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.

Again, what was the disobedience? Do you have bouts of unbelief aka doubts? That is normal and expected. See Mark 9:23&24.

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 (God’s) sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him (God) to whom we must give account.

There will be no faking it when we stand before God. His Word is living and active and He knows our hearts. Is this a scary or a peaceful thought for you today?

 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.

The priest that speaks to God on our behalf is Jesus. He is not just a beloved leader like Moses or David, He is God’s own Son. He also knows first-hand what it is like to be fully human and how hard it was to make it thru a day without sinning. I can’t, but He can and did. Perfect qualifications for a high priest.

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Grace is getting what we do not deserve. Mercy is not getting what we do deserve. We get to enter into God’s place of rest. We cannot earn it, but He is God, a merciful and loving God.

Oh how He loves us!