HEBREWS 4:1-11

BE AFRAID, VERY AFRAID OF MISSING GOD'S REST

November 8, 2015

Todd Chapman

Hebrews 4:1-11: 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. 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. 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,’” 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.” 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.” 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. 11 Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. 

GOD’S REST

  • Sabbath
  • Promised Land
  • Present Experience of Genuine Faith
  • Future, eternal rest, being in the immediate presence of God. No pain or sadness, joy, happiness delight in being with Jesus. 

 

GOD’S OFFER OF REST IS STILL AVAILABLE

 

WE SHOULD BE AFRAID OF NOT ENTERING GOD’S REST

Because we understand what’s at stake:

  • We examine ourselves.
  • We commit to exhorting one another. “Self-deception is almost impossible to self-diagnose”
    --    Keith Gove.  
  • We use God’s standard as our criteria.  

 

THOSE WHO DO BELIEVE GET IN

  • Entering God’s rest has always been an option. 
  • We should choose to enter TODAY

 

GOD’S ETERNAL REST IS SOMETHING BETTER AND BEYOND WHAT WE CAN EXPERIENCE OR IMAGINE NOW.   

 

WAYS WE STRIVE…

  • Examine my thinking about Jesus. 
  • Examine my feelings about Jesus.
  • Examine my commitment to “exhort” others.
  • Examine my commitment to being “exhorted”.

LIFE GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: 

WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

  1. How would you summarize Hebrews chapter 3?
  2. What does the author tell us we should be afraid of?
  3. Why didn’t the good news benefit some of the folks (4:2)?
  4. How does someone enter God’s rest?
  5. Who was it that missed God’s rest (4:3)?
  6. Why does the author tell us God rested on the seventh day?
  7. Joshua didn’t provide the kind of rest the author of Hebrews is talking about, what is the day referred to as “another”?
  8. What kind of rest is the author talking about?
  9. Why should we “strive” to enter God’s rest?   How do we “strive” to enter God’s rest?   What does that striving look like?
  10. What are the benefits of entering God’s rest?
  11. How would you summarize 4:1-11?

HOW DOES IT APPLY?

  1. How long have you treasured Jesus?  How did you first come to place your confidence in him?
  2. Have there been times when your confidence and boasting in Jesus has waned?  Would you mind explaining?
  3. Who do you have in your life that helps keep you focused on Jesus (exhort)?   What do they do?
  4. Do you have folks that you intentionally encourage to keep focused on Jesus (exhort)?  What do you do?
  5. What has encouraged your confidence in Jesus in the past?
  6. What would encourage you to have even more confidence in Jesus?  To boast even more about him?