Be diligent to enter God’s eternal rest in heaven! Don’t slacken, don’t grow slothful or apathetic. Stir yourself up to be diligent to enter!

Teaching Notes:

Enter God’s Rest!

Hebrews 4:1-11

Intro: Read. Pray. My Purpose: to persuade you that radical, all-out surrender to Jesus Christ is the BEST thing you can do with your life!!

Ch.3 – hold fast! What true of those who hold fast? Of God’s house; come to share in Christ. What true of those who don’t hold fast? Won’t enter God’s rest; fall away from living God; hardened by deceitfulness of sin; evident weren’t of God’s house & didn’t come to share in Christ. What must do to hold fast? Take care – exhort one another every day.

1. What is God’s Rest?

A. To Be A Member Of God’s house: 3:6, 7-11. God’s household; God’s family; God’s child.

B. To Share in Christ: 3:14. Partaking of Christ. Either you are in Christ or in Adam. If in Christ, you have entered God’s rest.

C. Salvation Now – Heaven Later: 4:10. Enter God’s rest when are saved. Not trying to work hard enough so God will accept me. This rest lasts forever in heaven. Rev.14:13.

2. How Has God’s Rest Appeared Throughout History?

A. Creation: 4:3-6. God rested at Creation. God’s Creation Rest pictures salvation & heaven rest. Some can enter it.

B. Canaan: 4:8. Israel rested in Canaan. Canaan was not God’s Rest. Pictured our Rest in Heaven. If it was True Rest, David wouldn’t have spoken of rest later.

C. Christ’s: 4:9-10. Believers rest in Christ. Called Sabbath Rest, God’s Rest. Whoever enters, rests from his works. Col.2:16-17. Mt.11:28. Rom.3:20-24,28. Christ Works – I Rest. My faith is in His work, His righteousness. What is your hope of heaven in?

3. What will keep us from God’s Rest?

A. Unbelief: 4:2-3. Good News = Good Report of 2 spies of Land flowing with milk and honey. Of salvation and heaven came to us.

B. Disobedience: 4:6,11. Unbelief is disobedience! 1Jn.3:23. Don’t make same mistake Israel did! They had good news & started out on journey. But none made it in except Joshua and Caleb. Why? Unbelief! You received gospel & started out to heaven. Don’t stop believing, harden hearts & disobey & come short of God’s rest!

Application: Author applies in 4:1 & 4:11. Look at 2 “le us” passages. 13 in Hebrews.

1. Let us fear! Did you know sometimes it is appropriate to fear? Lu.12:5; Phil.2:13; Rom.11:20. Here we are commanded to fear! Certain things believer shouldn’t fear: Satan, man, not having needs met, future, death. But are certain things should fear – failing to reach God’s rest. What will cause us to miss heaven? Unbelief! Fear unbelief! Fear not trusting God! Missing God’s Rest is of such massive importance that we should fear it! Did you know Bible tells us exact words we will hear on Judgment Day? Don’t have to wait to find out. Saved: Mt.25:34; 21. Lost: Mt.25:41; 7:23. Oh, I wish I could help you see this! Play video! Where are people who fear missing heaven? Who is concerned, missing sleep, alarmed, pouring over Scripture because fear missing heaven?! It is a fearful thing to fall away from the Living God, to have your heart hardened by the deceitfulness of sin, to find out that you were not of God’s house, and never came to share in Christ! Heb.10:26-27,31

2. Let us strive! I thought being saved just matter of accept Jesus as my personal Savior & coasting on in. Let go & let God. Just pray a prayer and you’re in – nothing more to do – NO! various translations: let us be diligent, strive, study, make an earnest endeavor, be eager, have a strong desire, hasten, labor, make every effort, NCV = let us try as hard as we can, Amplified – let us therefore be zealous and exert ourselves and strive diligently. Christian life is warfare! 2Tim.4:7. What is this striving? Is it trying harder to be good? No! It is striving against unbelief. Unbelief only thing that will keep you out of God’s rest. 2:1,3; 3:1,7,12,14; 4:1.

A. Unbelief in Truthfulness Of Word: 4:12. Beware of not believing Scripture, not accepting all of Scripture, looking for Truth in other places besides Scripture, not loving Scripture, not living day by day on Scripture.

B. Unbelief in Promises of God: 3:13 – Sin lies! Tells you it is better, more satisfying than God. When we believe its lie, we disbelieve God’s Promise. Heb.13:5; Mt.6:33; Ps.16:11; Ps.36:8. God says more joy, life, pleasure in Him. What are you going to believe? Sin says “Pursue drugs and alcohol”; “get a divorce & find someone else who will make you happy”; “keep your money so will have it when need it”; “hoard your free time for yourself, hobbies, relaxation”; “pursue illicit sexual pleasures”. All these things bring Death! God brings Life! Satan tells me sin is worthy of my time, energy, & money. No – only Jesus is worth of my whole life! Mark my words – when we step out of time into eternity, we’ll be amazed at how easily were deceived to pursue Sin rather than Christ. Mk.8:34-35. A greater passion drives out a lesser passion! Deny yourself lesser pleasures in order to enjoy greatest pleasures!

My Purpose: convince you most reasonable thing is to sell out completely for Jesus Christ! Surrender completely to Him as Lord. He’s Boss, Master. Chief end of man is to glorify God by enjoying Him forever! What’s keeping you back? God’s Rest like a Gate. Got to enter it! Means must leave Old Life behind. To enter means Christ is your All! This is kind of commitment Christ requires of His disciples. Repent of idols, sinful pursuits, unbelief. Consecrate self to God!