Sermon Tone Analysis

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Introduction
Technology has been a game changer in our world in many respects and it has been a positive thing for billions of people.
We know that with advances in technology, we are able to treat diseases and cancers that we used to not be able to treat.
We know that with advances in technology, we are able to travel faster than ever before with planes connecting virtually the whole world.
We know that with advances in technology, we are able to communicate with loved ones located all around the globe.
One thing that technology hasn’t been able to figure out to this point, though, is a cure for our fundamental need for rest.
Phones need to be charged.
Planes need to be refueled.
We all have to slow down at times because without rest, things don’t work properly.
If you look in the dictionary at the definition for rest, you find five different answers.
Rest can be defined as ceasing from action as you simply stop doing something that you are doing such as sitting down in a chair after a long day of work.
Rest can also be defined as being free from something that worries you.
This is Psalm 46:10 type rest as we are to simply be still and rest in God’s grace as it washes over our doubt, guilt, and fear.
Rest can be defined as lying down or grounded.
We know that with Jesus Christ, we are at rest in the sense that we aren’t tossed by the wind of false doctrine, but we are grounded in His Word and at rest.
Rest can also be defined as confidence and trust.
You are at rest as a Christian because you know that God is watching over you and He is trustworthy.
Rest can finally be defined as lean on something.
As a Christian, you rest and lean on the finished work of Jesus Christ.
While you and I might fall, whenever we lean on Him, we don’t have to worry about anything because He is stable.
We know that we need rest in our life and in the book of Hebrews, rest is a topic of great concern in chapter 4. We left off in Hebrews 3 back in November and one of the things that we learned in Hebrews 3 is the importance of encouragement as well as the importance of genuine belief in Jesus Christ.
Gathering with our brothers and sisters in Christ matters as we fulfill Hebrews 3:13 which says this
We need one another in this life to remind ourselves and others about the importance of finding true, lasting rest in Jesus Christ and not buying into the lie that says that we can find rest, satisfaction, and lasting identity in something this world has to offer.
Rest isn’t reached by us doing more or us doing less - the Bible teaches that rest has a name and His name is Jesus.
This morning we’ll look at how we can truly rest in a world that seems to get busier by the day, the person who provides us with rest, and the importance of resting from our works today.
Today if you hear His voice… do not harden your hearts.
Aren’t you thankful that we serve a patient and merciful God who still seeks and saves lost sinners?
Let’s give Him thanks for that reality today.
We Must Rest in Jesus Through Faith (1-2)
What is the therefore doing in verse 1? Hebrews 3:7-19 finds its conclusion in chapter 4. In chapter 3, the preacher was addressing the danger of unbelief… the danger of having heard the good news but failing to respond to God’s message and entering His rest.
Some did not enter God’s rest, they fell short, and the reason why in chapter 3 was because of unbelief.
What exactly is this talking about?
Go back with me in time to Moses and the Israelites coming out of Egyptian slavery.
They have crossed the Red Sea.
They have received the 10 commandments.
God has provided every single time for these people.
He has provided physically as they have survived attacks from their enemies and received food that literally fell from the sky.
God has provided for them spiritually as He gave them the law.
God has provided for them financially as they are bringing back valuable resources from Egypt.
God has provided and God is providing.
Yet… we know that as the Israelites arrive at the edge of the Promised Land, they send the 12 spies over to scout the land out and the spies return saying that its hopeless because there are giants in the land!
Let’s back up here.
God caused the Nile River to turn into blood.
He brought about plagues in Egypt that harmed the Egyptians but not the Israelites.
He parted the Red Sea.
He fed them food from above.
He guided them with a pillar of fire.
He enabled water to come out of a rock.
And they draw the line with giants in the land that GOD PROMISED THEM?
What’s going on here?
How foolish!
They fell short of the mark.
They demonstrated in that decision that they didn’t have true, genuine faith in God.
There was a promise to enter the rest, the promised land, yet they fell short.
Why does the preacher of Hebrews bring up this point over and over in these 2 chapters?
To highlight the fact that it is human nature to fall up short of the mark.
That’s not the most positive message to hear, but think about it.
We all make mistakes.
We don’t always get a 100% on the exams that life throws our way and if we’re being honest, we don’t always even pass those exams in the first place.
It’s easy to point out the fact that other people fall short of the mark, but as we think about our own walk we quickly remember that we do too.
This warning to fear being in this boat should be in our minds to some extent and Paul talks about this back in Philippians 2 as we find this
This shouldn’t lead to paralyzing fear in our lives… we’re called to live a faith-filled live, not a fear-filled one.
Fear Flourishes where Faith Falls.
We shouldn’t live a life of fear every single day where we’re questioning if we’ve fallen short or not responded correctly - there’s grace found in Jesus Christ and He holds you, not the other way around!
But as we think about salvation, that is a serious subject that should cause us to beware and make sure that we’ve placed our faith in Him as His Word commands.
One pastor put it like this years ago and I’m sure you can relate.
He was growing up and his mom and dad would always tell him to not go and play in the street.
As any young boy would do he asked his parents, “Why should I not play in the street?”
Because it’s dangerous - because that car that’s driving could hurt or even kill you or your brothers and sisters.
We want you to be afraid of running into the street because there’s danger.
Did any of you ever have that talk from mom and dad?
I had that stern talking to a time or two, or fifteen!
We understand why - the road is dangerous… but did this mean that you would be afraid of the road whenever you were playing with your friends inside your house?
What about in the back yard?
What about at the park?
Church?
Of course not!
Most of the time you don’t even think about how dangerous and fearful it is to play in the street - only whenever a ball rolled down the driveway near the road and you saw a car coming were you reminded of that fear.
This is how it is with the danger of unbelief.
This isn’t something that should always be on our minds as Christians.
We don’t live with this ever present danger.
We only fear whenever something tempts us to run out into the road and then the fear of unbelief sends us running towards our God and His faithful promises.
So yes, there is a fear associated with falling short of the mark and not trusting in Jesus, but that fear doesn’t have to consume us.
But why is that the case?
What two words are found at the conclusion of verse 2?
In Faith
Faith in Jesus is reasonable.
It’s not blind.
It’s not a random shot in the dark.
It isn’t luck.
It is based on historical facts and a present reality and the actual presence of God being with us through His Holy Spirit.
How does faith exactly work?
Where do we find it?
Where does it start?
Some confuse faith with knowledge and verse 2 warns against that.
The Israelites in the Old Testament knew God’s power.
They experienced it before their very eyes… but they lacked faith to trust in God’s promise whenever push came to shove.
Likewise, the preacher of Hebrews says that “we also have received the good news…” this means that this church heard the full Gospel message.
The Greek verb there is called a perfect passive participle meaning that they didn’t just hear one message that kind of talked about the Gospel.
They didn’t just come to VBS one day and hear about Jesus being born as a baby.
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