Intro of Resting

• “What do you think about when you hear the word rest?”
  • Today we will learn about a rest that isn’t sweet because of the hard work that I did, but a result of the completed work that God did
• MPT-God has a promised Sabbath rest for His people, but everyone does not enter it. 

(Intro) Warning & Comparison

• V1-8

• Compare rest of them and us
• 1 Corinthians 10:11-12 1 Now these things happened to them as an example, but tthey were written down for our instruction, uon whom the end of the ages has come. 12 Therefore vlet anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.

 

What is Sabbath rest?

v9-11

• • The rest of completion that must be entered into by faith
    • Alluded to in v3b although his works were finished from the foundation of the world  4For he has somewhere spoken of the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works.”
  • This rest is described in verses 1 and 2 as promised and received by faith
  • Lets describe this sabbath rest
    • 1) sabbath rest is holy (exodus 20:8)
      • 8“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, 10but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. 11For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
      • The difference though between this sabbath and the sabbath rest is that one is a rest from your work, the other is resting in His completed works
    • 2)sabbath rest is to rest and rely on His work for my salvation
      • Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith.
    • 3) sabbath rest is to rest and rely on His presence
      • Exodus 33:14 my presence will go with you and I will give you rest
    • 4) sabbath rest is to rest and rely on Him to provide

• Matthew 6:25-33

25“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?g 28And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

• • • 5 Sabbath rest means to rest and rely on His strength
      • Isaiah 30:15 in returning and rest you shall be saved; in quitness and in trust shall be your strength
    • 6 Sabbath rest means to rest like a baby in hope

• Psalm 131 

1O LORD, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me. 2But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me. 3O Israel, hope in the LORD from this time forth and forevermore.

• • 7 To sabbath rest is to rest in His sovereignty

• Psalm 135 6-13

• Ephesians 1:11 11In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,

What does it mean to rest from our works?

Read vs 9-10 again

• • To rest from our works doesn’t mean that we stop working
    • It means that we instead work in His strength
    • Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
    • Talk about the children of israel fighting for the promise

• 1 Peter 4:10-11 10As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: 11whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

• We rest from our works for salvation, but instead work the works He has prepared for us.  (HIs works vs our works) 
  • Ephesians 2:8-10  8For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

 

Back to text

 

Vs 11

• Let us strive to enter that rest

• How do we enter this rest of completion?  This sabbath rest? This rest that no longer relies on our works?
  • Matthew 11:28 28Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
  • Gospel for the saint and the sinner

Sermon Outline on Hebrews 4:9-11