Hebrews 4

1. Now God has left us that promise that we may enter and have His rest. Let us be very careful, then, so that none of you will fail to get that rest.

What is the opposite of rest? Working like a crazy person to fix everything is the opposite of rest. Here is an example of what we can find in God’s rest:

What if something bad happened to your family? What if many people were angry and they have destroyed the peace of the family so badly that it will take years to fix it? What if the angry ones say that they will do even more things to show how they are angry?

Think about what your decision would be here. You can tell them that you also will do some angry things. You can fall into a pit of sadness because you see that no matter what you do they will not stop their anger.

May God help you get to the place where you see that you can take a day to give this whole situation to God and tell Him that you cannot do anything and you cannot live like this and you are giving this thing to Him and taking your hands off of it.

Then Jesus said, “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you. Let Me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

2. The Good News was preached to us just as it was to them. But the teaching they heard did not help them. They heard it but did not accept it with faith.

Churches who bring the things of the world into the church so that unbelievers will come need to see that these people are not stupid and they know that this will mean that they can live the old life and just come to church for their own reasons.

The people were afraid to join the church in the book of Acts because they saw that it is a serious thing to give up your old life. Acts 5:13

3. We who have believed are able to enter and have God’s rest. As God has said, “So I was angry and made a promise. ‘They will never enter My land of rest.’” But God’s work was finished from the time he made the world.

The people said that there was no way that they could trust God, even after all He had done. Numbers 13:33

So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Word of God. Romans 10:17, Psalm 95:11

4 – 5

Somewhere in the Scriptures He talked about the seventh day of the week: “And on the seventh day God rested from all His work.” And again in the Scripture God said, “They will never enter my land of rest.” “Today listen to what He says. Do not be stubborn.”

God told us to set aside one day out of every seven days to bring ourselves before Him as a way of reminding ourselves every week that He would provide the food and money we need without having to work on that day. If we do not do this then we are not reminding ourselves to trust Him.

6 – 7

It is still true that some people will enter and have God’s rest. But those who first heard the way to be saved did not enter. They did not enter because they did not obey. So God planned another day, called “today.” He spoke about that day through David a long time later. It is the same Scripture used before:

God knows that if we do not make a decision today then the devil will suggest more reasons why we should wait before trusting God. Psalm 95:7-8

8 – 10

We know that Joshua did not lead the people into that rest. We know this because God spoke later about another day. This shows that the rest for God’s people is still coming. For anyone who enters and has God’s rest will rest from his work as God did.

Some people still did trust God even after they went into the Promised Land. Stop yourself from pushing buttons to make things happen. Mind your own business and be careful that you are no trying to control things. Do not be a “fixer” who thinks they know what is best for everyone.

11. So let us try as hard as we can to enter God’s rest. We must try hard so that no one will be lost by following the example of those who refused to obey.

Do not tell yourself that you have a situation where God cannot help you. The devil loves to tell you this! People will say, “Nobody can live this way of trusting God about everything!” They are right. Fall on your knees and ask God to take it from you. Tell Him you cannot do it anymore. He was waiting to hear this.

12. God’s Word is alive and working. It is sharper than a sword sharpened on both sides. It cuts all the way into us, where the soul and the spirit are joined. It cuts to the center of our joints and our bones. And God’s Word judges the thoughts and feelings in our hearts.

The only way to tell the difference between our body and our soul (mind, will, emotions) is our words. God’s Word searches you as you read it. God’s Word can heal you as you read it. Proverbs 3:8

13. Nothing in all the world can be hidden from God. Everything is clear and lies open before Him. And to Him we must explain the way we have lived.

Watch out! Do not do your good deeds to be seen by others. Matthew 6:1

You know what I am going to say even before I say it, LORD. Psalm 139:4

14. We have a great high priest who has gone into heaven. He is Jesus the Son of God. So let us hold on to the testimony we have.

People are watching us to see if the Christian way works in real life. How else will they see it working if we are not tested?

15 – 16

For our high priest is able to understand our weaknesses. He was tempted in every way that we are, but He did not sin. Let us, then, feel free to come before God’s throne. Here there is grace. And we can receive mercy and grace to help us when we need it.

We do not need a priest to go speak to God for us.  We do not have to wait until we are better Christians to come before God’s throne.  If a little child did something wrong we would forgive them. God also forgives us through Christ.