The Christians Rest

1
The Christians Rest

• Hebrews Chapter Four

2
The Christians Rest

• The Prize
• Verses 1-11

3
The Prize 1-11Heavenly Rest 1-5

• They are told to fear.

4
The Prize 1-11Heavenly Rest 1-5

• let us therefore fear
• Paul is reminding these Hebrew Christians of the
  consequences of apostasy.
• The Christian doesnt need to fear anyone but
  God.
• A proper fear of God is one of awe and reverence.

5
The Prize 1-11Heavenly Rest 1-5

• The promise being left us of entering into his
  rest
• The word rest in the Greek ?atapa?s??
  (katapausis) means abode.
• When God promised rest to the ancient Israelites
  he meant more than just a land promise.
• Paul mentions the word rest, which he takes
  from Psalms 9511

6
The Prize 1-11Heavenly Rest 1-5

• seem to come short of it
• seem
• The word seem d??e? (dokeo) can also mean
  think or judge, which gives the reader a since of
  impending punishment for coming short of the
  rest.

7
The Prize 1-11Heavenly Rest 1-5

• They are told to listen.

8
The Prize 1-11Heavenly Rest 1-5

• for unto us was the gospel preached as well as
  unto them
• Us includes Paul and his readers.
• Them refers to the ancient Israelites who came
  out of Egypt.
• the gospel preached was the message of a coming
  rest.

9
The Prize 1-11Heavenly Rest 1-5

• did not profit them
• Both Pauls readers and the ancient Israelites
  have the same message.
• Both groups are expected to respond to the
  message.
• The Israelites did not act upon the promise and
  therefore it did not profit them.

10
The Prize 1-11Heavenly Rest 1-5

• not being mixed with faith
• This is the first time Paul uses the word faith
  in the book of Hebrews.
• This word will be used over thirty times before
  the letter is finished.
• Gods people were expected to act on what they
  heard.

11
The Prize 1-11Heavenly Rest 1-5

• They are told to believe.

12
The Prize 1-11Heavenly Rest 1-5

• For we which have believed do enter into rest.
• This is a claim that believers will enter into
  rest.
• These believers had not obtained the rest yet,
  but could obtain it through a process of
  continual belief.
• It was something that the believers could come
  short of (v. 1)
• They were to make every effort they could to
  accomplish the reward of rest (v. 11)

13
The Prize 1-11Heavenly Rest 1-5

• as he said
• Paul goes back to Psalm 95 and shows that the
  rest promised to the Israelites was never fully
  accomplished.
• Jesus clearly is the agent who fulfilled this
  promised rest for all people.

14
The Prize 1-11Hebrew rest v.6-7

• They did not listen.

15
The Prize 1-11Hebrew rest v.6-7

• There is still a promise of rest.
• The Israelites were preached a message of rest.
• The Israelites had the promise of rest but could
  not obey God.

16
The Prize 1-11Hebrew rest v.6-7

• They did not believe.

17
The Prize 1-11Hebrew rest v.6-7

• They failed to enter because of unbelief.
• God is repeating his invitation today

18
The Prize 1-11Hebrew rest v.6-7

• They hardened their hearts.

19
The Prize 1-11Hebrew rest v.6-7

• They would not hear Moses, and in doing so, they
  hardened their hearts.

20
The Prize 1-11 His rest v. 8-11

• The Christian is offered rest.

21
The Prize 1-11 His rest v. 8-11

• There is a parallel between the Old Testament
  Joshua who led his followers into the earthly
  Canaan, and the New Testament Jesus who leads New
  Testament followers to Heaven.
• If the rest that God had promised to Joshuas
  generation was only a land promise that was
  fulfilled in his day, than why does God continue
  to speak of a rest even in Davids day.
• The rest that the Israelites looked for is
  found in Jesus.

22
The Prize 1-11 His rest v. 8-11

• The Christian must watch for his rest.

23
The Prize 1-11 His rest v. 8-11

• Jesus is the he that is entered into his rest
• We will find rest because Jesus has made rest
  possible.

24
The Prize 1-11 His rest v. 8-11

• The Christian must work for his rest.

25
The Prize 1-11 His rest v. 8-11

• Let us labour
• lest any man fall after the same example of
  unbelief

26
The Christians Rest

• The Power
• Verses 12-13

27
The Power 12-13 The Strength of the Word v. 12

• the word of God

28
The Power 12-13 The Strength of the Word v. 12

• This refers back to Psalm 95 and speakst of the
  warnings and promises given in that text.
• The word of God is not Jesus in this passage,
  but his judgments.
• In other passages we see the sword being used not
  in reference to Jesus but coming out of his mouth.

29
The Power 12-13 The Strength of the Word v. 12

• It is Quick

30
The Power 12-13 The Strength of the Word v. 12

• The word of God is active.
• The word translated here as quick is a Greek
  term ?a? (zao) meaning living.
• The idea is that all scripture is constantly
  produce faith in the lives of its readers.

31
The Power 12-13 The Strength of the Word v. 12

• It is Powerful

32
The Power 12-13 The Strength of the Word v. 12

• The word translated here as powerful is a Greek
  term e??e???? (energes) meaning active.
• The word of God is active.

33
The Power 12-13 The sword of the Word v. 12

• It is sharper than any two-edged sword.

34
The Power 12-13 The sword of the Word v. 12

• The word can cut both ways.
• It can bless you, or condemn you.

35
The Power 12-13 The sword of the Word v. 12

• It is piercing and divides.

36
The Power 12-13 The sword of the Word v. 12

• The word pierces the very soul of man.
• It divides the spiritual man from the human
  physical side of man.
• It is able to judge the thoughts and intentions
  of the heart

37
The Power 12-13The salvation of the Word v. 13

• It shows man his sin.

38
The Power 12-13The salvation of the Word v. 13

• manifest in his sight
• Nothing can hide from the sword.

39
The Power 12-13The salvation of the Word v. 13

• It reveals our sin to God.

40
The Power 12-13The salvation of the Word v. 13

• We become naked before God in that our sins are
  uncovered.
• The word translated opened is a Greek word
  t?a?????? (trachelizo) and it suggest the
  throat is left unprotected.
• When a boxer is fighting he never leaves his
  throat unprotected.

41
The Christians Rest

• The Priest
• Verses 14-16

42
The Priest 14-16Translated Priest 14

• He is the great High Priest.

43
The Priest 14-16Translated Priest 14

• No priest in the Old Testament was ever called a
  Great High Priest.
• Jesus is better than any priest from the Aaronic
  priesthood, and this priesthood was the central
  thrust to Hebrew salvation.

44
The Priest 14-16Translated Priest 14

• He is the ascended High Priest.

45
The Priest 14-16Translated Priest 14

• On the day of atonement the sacrifice would not
  be complete when the animal had been killed at
  the altar of burnt offerings
• It wasnt until the blood was taken through the
  holy place, past the veil, into the most holy
  place, sprinkling the blood and water on the
  mercy seat of the Ark of the Covenant before the
  presence of God.
• Likewise Jesus, our Great High Priest, has
  ascended past the veil, beyond the mercy seat, to
  the very presence of God in Heaven.
• It is interesting to note that Jesus atonement
  was not complete until he had entered heaven as
  the high priest, having made atonement for sin.

46
The Priest 14-16Translated Priest 14

• This title is why he is called our Great High
  Priest.

47
The Priest 14-16Tempted priest v. 15

• He has felt our pains.
• He has felt our desires.
• He has remained faithful and true.

48
The Priest 14-16Tender Priest 16

• He is full of Grace.
• Let us therefore come boldly
• unto the throne of grace
• He is full of Mercy.
• He is full of Love.
• It was love that motivated God to make such a
  promise of rest.
• It was love that motivated Jesus to make such a
  sacrifice as he did.

49
The Christians Rest

• We can truly find the Prize.
• We can have the power to make this promise real.
• We have a Great High Priest who makes rest
  possible.