Good morning and welcome to January 23, 2019. Wasn’t New Years Day just like a few days ago? Time really does fly. I think it moves faster the older you get. Maybe it’s more of a reference thing. When your young your only comparison is to a short period of time but as you age your reference is expanded. One year to a 50 year old is 1/50th of life, but to a 10 year old it’s a huge one-tenth of their life. Huh.
Today we move along into Hebrews chapter 4 and what a great chapter it is. This book was written to the Hebrew nation and we have seen Paul clearly presenting the superiority of Jesus Christ. The Jewish community throughout their history with God had several figures of worship and they were reluctant to let them go as Jesus came, died and then ascended back into Heaven. We saw in chapter 1 that Jesus is greater than angels. Chapter 2 stated that Jesus is greater than the prophets and chapter 3 that He is greater than Moses. Today in the latter part of the chapter we see the clear declaration that Jesus is greater than the Levitical priests.
“Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.” Heb 4:14
In the days of the Old Testament High Priests were a regular facet of the people’s worship. The high priests represented God and actually barred the approach to God. A person had to go ‘through’ a priest to achieve access to God. The people would bring their needs and prayers to the High Priest and He alone would present them to God. Part of the temple was the Holy of Holies where the High Priest would present these prayers. It was separated by a tall, thick curtain (veil) to bar entry and keep anybody from even looking in. Access to God was forbidden to all but the High Priest. But as God sent His Son here it all changed. As Jesus took His last breath on that rugged cross, he uttered the words, “It is Finished.” At that moment the veil was torn from top to bottom and access to God was achieved…through Jesus Christ. As a result the high priest was out of a job, no longer needed. Every single person on the planet now has access to God through His Son, Jesus Christ. There is no need for us to consult a man that will talk to God on our behalf. In fact, this arrangement, even when observed today, denies the finished work of Jesus. It is finished indeed, Jesus is our High Priest and if you have called on His name as your Savior you have direct access to God the Father through Him. Amazing what God did to unite us with Him.
But what I want to also look at today is the first part of the chapter…rest. Resting in God. The word rest occurs 10 times throughout the first 11 verses. When God repeats something 2 or 3 times, we’d better take extra special notice. When He says it 10 times in 11 verses, He REALLY wants us to focus and learn that principle. The principle is God’s rest.
I think we all can relate to rest in our lives. Rest is sleep. Rest is relaxing. Rest is chilling out, watching some TV and just taking it easy. But when I think of rest it almost exclusively brings physicality to my mind. That rest is purely for the body. But what about rest for the spirit. What about rest for our mind? What about rest for the heart? All items we don’t really relate with the idea of resting. Let’s take a closer look at what it means to “rest in God.”
There are actually several different kinds of rest mentioned in God’s Word, 5 in fact. Sabbath rest, Canaan rest, Salvation rest, Consecration rest and Heaven rest. In addition to rest being mentioned 10 times alone on Hebrews chapter 4, I easily found over 70 different verses that also deal with rest. The idea of rest is one that God clearly wants us to be aware of, on many different levels.
So of course, there’s physical rest. I think this is the easiest one to figure out. How much physical rest do you give your body? Last week in Seattle I was with about 40 undergraduate students and as I was interacting with them, I would inquire about their schedule which would quickly lead into their sleep (rest) habits. When I asked them how they were, the standard response was “tired.” When I ask adults this same question, the standard reply is either busy or tired or both. Let’s face it, most people just don’t get enough physical rest. In fact, check out these stats. 97% of teenagers don’t get the recommended sleep they need. 35% of all Americans get less than 7 hours of sleep a night. We are living in a nation of sleep deprived people! We are not getting physical rest!
What's really funny is most people I talk to wear this like a badge of honor, especially my university students. I hear them brag to their friends how little sleep they get and the other friend will try to outdo them. Let me say this, a physically tired and exhausted person is a great target for satan. I heard a term one time called H.A.L.T. It stands for hungry, angry, lonely and tired. The point? These four on their own can hurt you but if you allow 2 or three to surface in your life, you’ve become VERY vulnerable. Vulnerable to temptation, vulnerable to sin and vulnerable to satan. In fact, when Jesus was tempted in the wilderness by satan, what was the first thing satan tempted him with? Food. A physical need. Jesus had fasted for 40 days, He was starving! Satan knows our physical weaknesses and goes straight for them. As much as we want to think that we are immune to needing physical rest, my friends it’s just not true. God rested on the 7th day. Why? Was He tired? No He wasn't tired, He had a perfect plan, executed a perfect plan and He was done in 6 days. He rested on the 7th day to enjoy His perfect work. What an example this is for us today. We live in a world where work never stops. One can never achieve completion. We have created an endless loop of work in our minds and we command and drive our bodies to complete this work with no end. God calls us to find a stopping point and rest. To rest as He did on the 7th day.
So that’s physical rest. Easy to spot, easy to identify, and easy to feel when we aren’t getting enough of it. But what about spiritual rest? What? Spiritual rest? What is that? When was the last time you ever heard anybody say, “I’m so tired, I’m just not getting enough Spiritual rest.” Ha, I’ve never heard that! But the truth is that Spiritual rest in God is just as important, if not more, than physical rest. If we are tired physically and exhausted spiritually also, we have become extremely weak to the enemy. We’re told that we are in a spiritual battle (1 Cor 10:3-5) as we walk this Earth, and we’re even told to put on the armor of God. (Eph 6) Can you imagine a Navy Seal staying up all night and skipping the mission briefing before a dangerous mission the next day? That’s a recipe for disaster. He would be physically exhausted and mentally unprepared. My friends, the world is full of Christians today that are walking right into the battle, physically exhausted, mentally unprepared and Spiritually worn out. So how do we find the spiritual rest we need?
I’m glad you asked. I always say that when I ask a question in the 5MC, its always a safe answer to go with “the Word of God.” If that was your answer, you’d be right! In fact, if you think about it, I can’t think of too many questions in this life that God’s Word cannot answer. God gave the answers to life in His Word. Parise God for His Word.
So how do I know that the answer to resting in God is found by spending time in His Word? He told me….right here in His Word. After God discusses rest for the 10th time, these verses follow:
“Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Heb 4:11-12
I love that phrasing. “let us therefore strive to enter that rest.” Strive is to “struggle or fight vigorously to achieve or obtain something.” Are you fighting for the spiritual rest that comes in God’s Word? Are you struggling vigorously today to find the sweet rest that comes through growing closer to God in His Word? If not, you’re told to, right here. So what if you’re not? Well, back to H.A.L.T., if you’re spiritually tired and weak, you’re a good target for the evil one. Our verse says as a result you could fall into disobedience.
The verse that follows is one of the most famous in God’s Word. What a beautiful image we get of the power and glory of God’s Word. Its living and active. It lives and moves. It’s more than just words in a book, the Word of God will become active and move in your life. It’s sharper than any 2 edged sword. It will cut. But not in just one direction, but two. As the Word of God is given out it effects the giver and the hearer. God’s Word will greatly affect (cut) whoever it touches. It pierces to the division of soul and spirit. Did you know that only the Word of God can divide the Soul and the Spirit? It will affect the very essence of who we are. It can pierce the joints and the marrow. God’s Word moves deep into our sinful flesh and changes us from within. It discerns the thoughts and intentions of the heart. You can hide nothing from God, He made you. He knows your heart, your feelings and your thoughts before even you do. God’s Word discerns your heart, He will recognize your heart as you meet Him in His Word.
Today you can have rest. Not superficial physical rest, or some mental meditation, but true rest. You can rest in God. God can offer you a rest that will truly rejuvenate you. He will rejuvenate your spirit by filling it with the truth, goodness and wisdom of His Word. You cannot get this rest any other place. There is but one way to truly rest in the Lord. I pray that your daily personal time in God’s Word is bringing you that rest and along with it, it is bringing you ever closer to Him and His will for your life.
Rest well in Him my brothers and sisters.
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