TITLE: Out of the Wilderness

TEXT: Hebrews 4:1-11 THEME: The believer should enter into God's rest

Rodney Harrison

“He would tell me that the only time he truly felt at peace was when he was with his children or in the surf. He would say, "When I'm on those waves, it's the greatest feeling. I have no worries, no stress, no problems. I just forget about everything.”

Many are plagued with worry and anxiety.

Many are plagued with worry and anxiety.

Many are plagued with stress.

Many are plagued with worry and anxiety.

Many are plagued with stress. Many are plagued with disillusionment.

The Bible, Old and New Testament, has at its core a

promise to anyone who trusts and obeys Him. The promise is

rest

“Why do so few professing believers enjoy the benefit of this

promise.”

How do move from the wilderness of life to God’s

promised rest?

I. God has promised us a place of rest. (1-2)

Hebrews 4:1-2Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. 2 For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed.

Three different senses of Rest

(i) He is using it as we would use the peace of God. It is the greatest thing in the world to enter into the peace of God.

Three different senses of Rest

(i) He is using it as we would use the peace of God. It is the greatest thing in the world to enter into the peace of God. (ii) He is using it, as he used it in 3:12, to mean The Promised Land. To the children of Israel who had wandered so long in the desert the Promised Land was indeed the rest of God.

Three different senses of Rest

(i) He is using it as we would use the peace of God. It is the greatest thing in the world to enter into the peace of God. (ii) He is using it, as he used it in 3:12, to mean The Promised Land. To the children of Israel who had wandered so long in the desert the Promised Land was indeed the rest of God. (iii) He is using it of the rest of God after the sixth day of creation, when all God's work was completed.

I. God has promised us a place of rest. (1-2)

A. The Israelites fell short of it. 1. By ignoring the Good News proclaimed to them.

Numbers 13 and 14.

• Children of Israel came to the borders of the Promised Land

Numbers 13 and 14.

• Children of Israel came to the borders of the Promised Land

• They sent out scouts to spy out the land

Numbers 13 and 14.

• Children of Israel came to the borders of the Promised Land

• They sent out scouts to spy out the land• Ten of the twelve scouts came back with the

verdict that it was a good

Numbers 13 and 14.

• Children of Israel came to the borders of the Promised Land

• They sent out scouts to spy out the land• Ten of the twelve scouts came back with the

verdict that it was a good • Caleb and Joshua alone were for going

forward in the strength of the Lord

Numbers 13 and 14.

• Children of Israel came to the borders of the Promised Land

• They sent out scouts to spy out the land• Ten of the twelve scouts came back with the

verdict that it was a good • Caleb and Joshua alone were for going

forward in the strength of the Lord• The people hearkened to the advice of the

cowards

I. God has promised us a place of rest. (1-2)

A. The Israelites fell short of it.1. By ignoring the Good News proclaimed to them.2. By not believing and obeying.

I. God has promised us a place of rest. (1-2)

A. The Israelites fell short of it.1. By ignoring the Good News proclaimed to them.2. By not believing and obeying.

B. That rest is still available.

I. God has promised us a place of rest. (1-2)

A. The Israelites fell short of it.1. By ignoring the Good News proclaimed to them.2. By not believing and obeying.

B. That rest is still available.1. By hearing the Good News of Jesus.

John 10:10

“I have come that you might have life and have it more abundantly .”

John 3:16

“whoever believes in Him shall have eternal life.”

I. God has promised us a place of rest. (1-2)

A. The Israelites fell short of it.1. By ignoring the Good News proclaimed to them.2. By not believing and obeying.

B. That rest is still available.1. By hearing the Good News of Jesus. 2. By believing and obeying His word we will experience that rest.

How do move from the wilderness of life to God’s promised rest?

II. God’s rest has no ending. (3-6)

Hebrews 4:3-6

3 Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said,“So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’”And yet his works have been finished since the creation of the world

Hebrews 4:3-6

4 For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: “On the seventh day God rested from all his works.” 5 And again in the passage above he says, “They shall never enter my rest

Hebrews 4:3-6

6 Therefore since it still remains for some to enter that rest, and since those who formerly had the good news proclaimed to them did not go in because of their disobedience,

II. God’s rest has no ending. (3-6)

A. Even if others failed to enter it

II. God’s rest has no ending. (3-6)

A. Even if others failed to enter it B. God rested on the seventh day

II. God’s rest has no ending. (3-6)

A. Even if others failed to enter it B. God rested on the seventh dayC. Rabbinical tradition: The day of rest had no night

How do move from the wilderness of life to God’s

promised rest?

III. Entering the Promised Land did not complete the promise. (7-11)

Hebrews 4:7-11

7 God again set a certain day, calling it “Today.” This he did when a long time later he spoke through David, as in the passage already quoted:“Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.”

Hebrews 4:7-11

8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. 9 There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; 10 for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. 11 Let us; therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.

III. Entering the Promised Land did not complete the promise. (7-11)

A. David speaks of a rest yet to come.

III. Entering the Promised Land did not complete the promise. (7-11)

A. David speaks of a rest yet to come. B. This is hundreds of years after Joshua entered to Promised Land.

Charlotte Elliott was learning the lesson Paul had learned: that handicaps are not handicaps but challenges; that brokenness is but a step on the way to wholeness; that feeling like you are nothing is not a barrier to Kingdom service. That we all must come to Jesus humbly and in full trust and we must wait no longer.

APPLICATION

1. Remember at its core the message of the Bible is the message of God who wants us to enjoy a quality of life that is not absent of suffering and hardship but even in that suffering and hardship enables us to rise above it.

APPLICATION

2. God wants us to enjoy the quality of life that defines Him- a rest that starts now and continues on past our earthly life.

APPLICATION

3. What keeps us from enjoying that rest is that we fail to trust God and obey Him. When hardships come we try to take control of our lives when we should give control over to Him.

Our society has chosen to reject God yet we are surprised when

we find life is empty- and we become disillusioned. God wants you to have rest and peace but it comes only those who trust and

obey him.