Missing out on Rest

 Read Hebrews 4

We talked before about Jesus being greater than Moses. That wasn’t much of a challenge for those of us living in this modern century. Most of us started with Jesus and then had to look back at the full biblical witness to know about Moses and others.

Jesus is greater than Moses is not a stretch for us. It was surely not the challenge it might have been for the Hebrew people two millennia ago.

Now the author references Joshua and the rest of entering the Promised Land in juxtaposition to the rest of entering into the grace of God that we know in Christ Jesus.

The Promised Land offered a sort of rest for God’s Chosen People. They had been slaves for all of their lives as were their parents and grandparents and great-grandparents before them.

The trek through the wilderness took a bit longer than the couple of weeks it should have taken because the people just wouldn’t get with God’s program. Yes, this is the God who delivered them from bondage in Egypt.

Yes, this is the same God who parted the Red Sea so the people could cross on dry land.

Yes, this is the same God who stopped holding back the water when Pharaoh's army tried to cross as well.

Too many liked being slaves to disobedience and rebellion. They were complainers. They found comfort in complaining against Moses and God.  They were not ready to enter into the Promised Land or enter into God’s rest.

And they didn’t.

You might be thinking, are we in the same boat? Is it really once saved, always saved? The Bible doesn’t use those words, but we believe that we cannot undo what God did for us. It makes sense, but there has been some stern language thus far and more to come.

We talked about rest before when we wrapped up our series on the words of Jesus.

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Let me tie this chapter to the full biblical witness. We can rest from the fear of separation from God and eternal destruction and the flames of hell in our genuine profession of faith.  What do I mean by genuine?

We professed what we truly believed: JESUS IS LORD! We believe that God raised him from the dead.

We have what we might call or sing, blessed assurance.  We can rest in our salvation.

But do we have rest in our discipleship? Are we confident that we are doing what God made us to do? Can we experience the rest for our souls that Jesus promises?

There is rest as in a nap or a good night’s sleep.

There is Sabbath rest as in a day set aside for us to rest from our labors and commune with God. The dishes and weed eating can be done in advance or they will wait.

There is rest for our souls that we can only enter into by taking on the yoke of Jesus, learning his way, and then living his way. That comes with peace and hope, and yes, rest—really, really good rest.

This is the blessed assurance sort of rest that we all need in the here and now.

And there is eternal rest. Once this life is done and we are in the hereafter, rest will be so much easier as we will not contend with sin or a sin-filled world.

You will get the same meat in the next service. It will just be sliced a little differently.

The more that you work for the Lord, the more you will rest in him.

The more that you seek God and his kingdom and his righteousness, the more you will rest in this world.

The more that you sacrifice now, the greater your rest later.

The more you help others with their burdens, the more God lifts your burdens from you.

The more we take on his yoke and learn from him, the closer we draw to rest for our souls.

Of course, you have to get Tom’s mantra.

You were designed with rest in mind.

In the context of Hebrews, realize that some died in the wilderness and never knew the rest of the Promised Land. Those who entered rested from their sojourn and from war.

Those who entered the Promised Land had not yet realized the ultimate rest that God has in store for us. That rest comes only in Christ.

In this world, we need to rest from our labors.

When we enter into and live in the Kingdom of God, we rest from temptation, lust, coveting, and the things that desire to pull us away from God.

You know about inertia. A body at rest tends to remain at rest. A body in motion tends to stay in motion.

That law governs bodies in this world but in the Kingdom of God, a body in motion that is putting the words of Jesus into practice will stay in motion but enjoy rest at the same time.

The more we draw near to God, the more that he draws near to us and he brings his perfect rest with him.

So, what do I give you to think about for the rest of the week?

Take his yoke.

Learn from him.

Put his words into practice.

Receive rest for your souls.

Rest in the fulness of your salvation that we know as discipleship.

The more you follow Christ and put his words into practice, the better your rest.

Amen.