Hebrews 4

Hebrews  •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented   •  42:42
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Geeking out over iced macchiato (I love the flavor of a hot macchiato but I love the presentation of an iced macchiato, which should be served unmixed) because it is the visual of where chapter 4 begins

Therefore…again

Hebrews 3:18–19 NKJV
18 And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? 19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.
Rest was promised to the people of God, but they refused to believe God could bring them to a place of rest.

Believing like an Iced Macchiato, 1-12

Hebrews 4:1–2 NKJV
1 Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. 2 For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it.

You have to mix it

Gospel = Good news. Jesus died in my place, for my sins. He took the punishment I deserve, allowing God to forgive me, allowing me to enter into relationship with God, and ultimately, allowing me to go to Heaven.
It is not enough to hear, or understand, the gospel. Until I mix it with faith (literally trust the good news and trust that God can and will forgive me as He said), then it does me no good. It’s like sipping a macchiato through a straw, I’m not getting everything until I mix it.

But not everyone does, or will

The people of Israel, whom Paul is speaking of, did not mix it. If they had, they would have entered into a place of rest.
Hebrews 4:3–5 NKJV
3 For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said: “So I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest,’ ” although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. 4 For He has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all His works”; 5 and again in this place: “They shall not enter My rest.”

It is better mixed

Those who do mix what they know and what they trust enter into rest.
Hebrews 4:6–10 NKJV
6 Since therefore it remains that some must enter it, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience, 7 again He designates a certain day, saying in David, “Today,” after such a long time, as it has been said: “Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts.” 8 For if Joshua had given them rest, then He would not afterward have spoken of another day. 9 There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. 10 For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.

Working IN your faith, not ON it

Verses 9 & 10 are monumentally important! There remains a rest for us and we can stop working. The model Paul cites is God taking His rest. He stopped working on creation; nothing new was added. But He continued working in it, maintaining it. If God had rested completely, creation would have ceased to be. He stopped working on it and enjoyed what he had made as He started to work in it.
At some point, we stop working on our faith and just sit back and enjoy working in it. If we have trusted Christ for salvation, that is done—it’s a one time event for us—we enjoy our faith and our relationship with our Father and the work that we do is not the hard work of attaining faith but the fulfilling work of fleshing it out.

Beyond the Metaphor…How do you know for sure?, 11-13

It is easy to know when your macchiato is mixed: you can see it and you can taste it. The same is actually true of salvation, but there are still people who struggle with assurance.

Working to Rest

It takes some effort to get there. Since Rest is possible we need to Work to get there.
Hebrews 4:11 NKJV
11 Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience.

Judge Yourself

Hebrews 4:12 NKJV
12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
This famous verse about the Bible is often taken out of its context. Assuming it is used correctly, that is ok, but it has meaning here, in its context. One of the benefits of having the Bible is having its ability to critically discern ourselves.
“division of soul and spirit” it is able to separate things we cannot even see
“discerner of the thoughts and intents” it is able to enable us to see ourselves as we truly are.
Does it show us as perfect? No.
Does it show us as forgive? Yes. (assuming we are)

Or Be Judged

Hebrews 4:13 NKJV
13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
God’s Word is the standard by which we will be judged. The face that we have such access to it is a benefit to us. But it still seems like a lot to take in. So...

A Better Blend, 14-16

A better blend of Christ and Christian makes all the difference to us, because we all need help and Jesus provides it.
Hebrews 4:14–16 NKJV
14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Jesus can sympathize with our weakness

To sympathize is not to merely understand, though He does that, too. To sympathize is to suffer with. It is to walk through the struggles of life with us every step of the way. And, in His case, it is to walk with us because He knows the way.

Jesus can supply both mercy and grace

mercy = not getting what I do deserve
grace = getting what I do not deserve
We all need help.
Jesus is help.
So the next time you get a macchiato, or have to stir anything, let it remind you that you have to mix trust and truth to get a better blend…a better life!
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