The Promised Rest

Phil Woodman - 1/7/2024

Key Passage: Hebrews 4:1-13

They will not enter my rest…

- Hebrews 3:11, 4:3

- The Israelites wandered in the desert for 40 years.

- A loss of blessing, not a loss of connection.

Rest

- Hebrews 4:1-13: Rest is mentioned 11 times in 13 verses

Don’t make the same mistake as the ancient Israelites

- Hebrews 4

What is God’s Rest?

- Hebrews 4:3-4

- The author appeals back to creation.

- On the seventh day God rested.

- Eternal rest. No evening, no morning.

- God offers us this same rest.

Greater than Joshua’s rest

- Hebrews 4:8

- Joshua 22:4

- The work was done. They could go home and rest.

- That must have felt amazing after years of slavery, wandering, and fighting.

- It was incomplete and pales in comparison to the rest offered by Jesus.

- We are a tired and disconnected people.

- Rest.

God’s rest is available today

- Hebrews 4:7

- Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.

- Hebrews 4:9

- …a sabbath rest remains for God’s people.

How do we enter God’s rest?

- Hebrews 4:11-13

- Make every effort to enter that rest.

- Fight for sabbath. It’s ok to say no! Is ok to have free time.

- Rest in God’s Word.

Find Rest

Find Rest

Dave Riddle - 11/26/2023

Key Passages: Hebrews 3:7-19, Psalm 95:7-11

Grumbling in the Wilderness

- Exodus 17:1-7

- Hebrews 3:8 - Test

Watch out brothers and sisters…

- Hebrews 3:12

- Who is the author speaking to? Believers, unbelievers, people who have been exposed to the gospel but haven’t yet accepted it?

- It’s unclear.

- “Departs” = Apostasy / aphestemi: to desist, desert, etc. to depart, fall away, refrain, retire, withdraw or remove oneself, cease from something. To stand alone.

- How does this apply to eternal security, once saved always saved, perseverance of the saints?

- Rest vs unrest

- Testing, rebelling, grumbling lead to a place of unrest and hardened hearts.

- Hebrews 3:12-13

- Mutual encouragement protects us and leads to rest.

- Hebrews 3:13-14

Partners with Christ

- Hebrews 3:14

- Hebrews 3:6

Rebellion in the Wilderness

- Hebrews 3:15-17

- Numbers 13 & 14

- Numbers 14:20-34

- disobedience, unbelief, and rebellion leads to unrest.

- Hebrews 3:18

The Impact of Peace

The Impact of Peace

12/26/2021 - Dave Riddle 

Jesus is…

Isaiah 9:6 - Prince of Peace

• Peace = shalowm (Hebrew: שָׁלוֹם) - a very broad term that means health, security, tranquility, good condition, success, comfort, and more.

  • it has layers of meaning related to peace.

  • Widely used in the Hebrew Bible, shalowm clearly depicts a satisfied condition, an unconcerned state of peacefulness.

Luke 2:13 – 14 - Peace on Earth

• Peace = eirēnē (Greek: εἰρήνη) - a state of tranquility, harmony, and safety. In a Christian context: the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation.

(Re)Connection

• Peace with God Himself

  • Romans 5:1

Confidence

• John 16:33

  • Peaceful confidence provides escape from anger, worry…

Rest

• Matthew 11:28

  • Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest….

A Gift

• John 14:27

  • Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you…

    • Something only Jesus can give.

    • An invitation, a gift.

• Philippians 4:7

  • A peace He gives to us, not something we develop

  • A peace that is so great we can’t understand it!

A Spiritual Orientation

• Galatians 5:22 - fruit of the Spirit.

  • You are peaceful now live in peace.

    • A reality and a challenge

A Calling

• Colossians 3:15

  • Let peace of Christ rule in your heart.

• Romans 12:16

  • As much as it depends on you…

• Hebrews 12:14

  • Strive for peace with everyone.

Surrender your will to the will of the Father

Pray and ask for the peace of Christ to rule our hearts

A Struggle

• Matthew 10:34

  • Jesus becomes the dividing line

  • There is no peace without him.

Blessing

• Matthew 5:9

  • Blessed are the peacemakers.

Reflect, Encourage, Share Peace