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Sermon #2095[i]                                                                    Miscellaneous Sermons

 

Title:                           “Let Us…

 

Text:                            Hebrews 4:1-16

Subject:                     Entering into Rest

Introduction:

 

Hebrews chapter four is a chapter about faith, the blessed rest of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Yet, it is a chapter filled with exhortations and admonitions, giving us very clear instructions about our responsibilities, as we seek to honor God our Savior, living by faith in him. — Faith in Christ is not a passive, indifferent, or dormant thing. It a vital, living principle of grace.

 

Four times in these sixteen verses we are given two words of admonition. Four times the writer admonishes us, with himself, to do something. Look at them with me.

 

4:1 “Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.”

 

4:11 “Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.”

 

4:14 “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.”

 

4:16 “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

 

The title of my message is — “Let Us… When I was in college, my professor of homiletics and pastoral theology used to tell us something every preacher ought to always bear in mind. He repeated it almost every time he talked to us about sermon preparation and preaching. He said, “Men, where there is no summons there is no sermon.”

 

In other words, every sermon preached ought to call for action, not physical action, but moral, spiritual action. If a sermon does not call for those who hear it to make some kind of response to it, it is not much of a sermon.

 

My Summons

 

Let me give you my summons first. Then I will give you my sermon. When I get done, I trust that the summons will be echoing in your hearts as well as my own.

 

Verse 1 — Here is something for us to fear. — Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.” We ought to fear missing Christ.

 

Look at verse 11 — Here is something for us to do. — “Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.” Let us labor that we may cease from all labor. — Labor to rest in Christ.

 

Verse 14 — Here is something for us to hold.“Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.” This we must hold with a death grip, for life and death are the issues, eternal life and eternal death. Whatever we do, we must hold Christ.

 

Verse 16 — Here is somewhere for us to go. — Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” In every time of need, at all times, come to God your Father, who sits upon the throne of grace, come through the merits of Christ your Savior, the merits of his blood and righteousness, and get the mercy and grace you need by the power of his Spirit.

 

Now, I want us to look at these sixteen verses of Holy Scripture. May God the Holy Spirit be our Teacher. I pray that he will graciously speak through these lips of clay to your hearts, taking the things of Christ and showing them to you.

 

Hebrews 4:1-16

 

Verse 1Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left [us] of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.”

 

LET US FEAR

 

We ought to fear, lest we also, after hearing the gospel and professing to believe it, fall short of eternal life, like those Jews who perished in the wilderness.

 

1 Corinthians 10:12 “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.”

 

Philippians 2:12 “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”

 

Let us not come up short of the promise of eternal life, like those foolish virgins described by our Lord. Rather, let us ever run with patience the race that is set before us, ever looking to Christ, trusting his blood, seeking to be found in his righteousness, seeking to know him (Philippians 3:7-14).

 

Philippians 3:1-14 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe. 2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. 3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. 4 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: 5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; 6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. 7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, 9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. 12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. 13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

 

May God graciously make my heart pant for Christ, like David’s did, as the hart pants after the water brook!

 

Psalms 27:4 “One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple.”

 

Philippians 3:10 “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.”

 

Verse 2“For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard [it].”

 

I do not pretend to understand this, but I know there is such a divine authority attending the preaching of the gospel that the most solemn business on this earth is the business of preaching it and the business of hearing it (Romans 10:13-20; Proverbs 1:23-33).

 

Romans 10:9-20 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? 17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. 18 But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world. 19 But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you. 20 But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me.

 

Proverbs 1:23-33 23 Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you. 24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; 25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: 26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; 27 When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. 28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: 29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD: 30 They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof. 31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. 32 For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them. 33 But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.

 

The word preached must be mixed with faith, received by faith, embraced in the arms of faith, or the word preached is of no profit to our souls.

 

The gospel of Christ has been preached to us (the gospel of grace, not of works; the gospel of God’s Son — his deity, his perfect obedience, his substitutionary atonement, his resurrection and intercession; how that in Christ the law of God is honored and the justice of God is satisfied — Romans. 3:25-26). But this gospel of Christ was also preached to the Jews who perished It was preached by Moses and Aaron, as it had been by Enoch, Noah, and Abraham. It was preached to them by the types, promises, sacrifices, and examples constantly held before them. Yet, it did them no good. It did not save them or profit them because they did not believe God.

 

If we are to profit by the gospel, we must, like Abraham, believe God. Abraham believed God (Romans 4:20-25). — “The just shall live by faith.”

 

Romans 4:20-25 20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; 21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. 22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. 23 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; 24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; 25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

 

Verse 3“For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.”

 

This is talking about spiritual rest, the rest of faith in Christ. It is rest from salvation by works, rest from the yoke and burden of the law, rest from all toil and labour to gain life. It is an enjoyment of inward peace and rest, notwithstanding trials, toils, labors, and temptations we endure in this world.

 

We have spiritual ease and comfort in Christ, our Lord. Only believers enjoy this rest. God has sworn that those who believe shall not perish. (Matthew 11:28-30; Romans 5:1; 8:1, 33-35). What great rest we find here!

 

Matthew 11:28-30 “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (29) Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. (30) For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

 

Romans 5:1 “Therefore being justified, by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

 

Romans 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

 

Romans 8:33-35 “Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. (34) Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. (35) Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?”

 

Here Paul begins to describe this spiritual rest we have in Christ by removing all other rests mentioned in Scripture.

 

Verse 4“For he spake in a certain place of the seventh [day] on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.”

 

We do not keep a seventh day sabbath as they did in the Old Testament, or a first day sabbath as religious legalists would have us do today. We keep a gospel sabbath, the sabbath of rest in Christ.

·      As God ceased from his own works at the end of the first week, so we cease from our own works when we trust Christ.

·      As God rests in his love (Zephaniah 3:17), so we rest. We sweetly acquiesce in our Savior, resting in his blood and righteousness, goodness and grace, power and providence, promise and person.

 

Verse 5“And in this [place] again, If they shall enter into my rest.”

 

The seventh day rest was a typical day of rest. And the land of Canaan was a typical land of rest. The unbelieving Jews did not enter into Canaan but turned around and wandered in the wilderness until they died. They never entered into God’s rest.

 

Verse 6“Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:”

 

The multitudes perished in the wilderness, but the Word of God did not and could not fall to the ground. Canaan must be inhabited by Israel. Israel must possess the land of God’s promise. Therefore, God raised up Joshua (the type of Christ) to do what Moses (the type of the law) could never do. And Joshua led the chosen nation into the land of promised rest.

 

Don’t miss this. – The type must be fulfilled! The Lord Jesus Christ, our great Joshua, must and shall bring God’s Israel into the blessed rest of eternal salvation, every one of them. The covenant promise must and shall be fulfilled. — “Some must enter therein” (See John 10:16).

  • All God’s Elect for Whom Salvation was Prepared!
  • All Christ’s Redeemed for Whom the Son of God Obtained Eternal Salvation!

 

Verse 7“Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.”

 

Nearly four hundred years passed between Joshua’s day and David’s day; but the Word of God was the same. And the day in which God speaks to us, Today,” is our day, the day of grace and salvation.

 

This seventh verse specifically speaks of this gospel day. God set this day as the day when chosen sinners would enter into this true rest which he promised to all who trust his dear Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Today, this gospel day, is the day of salvation; now is the accepted time. — This is the day of grace. The day of law is over! We have nothing to do with the legal, typical rests (sabbath days) of the Old Testament. We now possess what those days only pictured.

 

Colossians 2:16-17 “Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: (17) Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.”

 

Verse 8“For if Jesus (Joshua) had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.”

 

You will remember that Joshua’s name was changed from Oshea (“Let God save”) to Joshua (“God shall save”), when he was sent to spy out the land of Canaan (Numbers 13:16). — The law may bring us into a dry, thorny, desolate wilderness, where we may pray for a Savior and cry, “Let God save.” But the gospel brings us into the land of rest and gives us a Savior, Jesus, who is Jehovah our Righteousness!

 

Joshua is here called “Jesus” because his name in the Old Testament means exactly the same thing as Jesus in the New Testament, of whom he was a type. The rest he gave in Canaan was a typical rest and spoke of another, more glorious rest.

 

Read on –

 

Verse 9 “There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.”

 

Here the Holy Spirit uses another word for rest. In verses 1, 3, 4, 5, and 8, the word translated “rest” means “to cease from work, to repose.” The word “rest” here is “sabbath” or “a sabbath keeping.” In fact, it is the very word “sabbath.” This rest is Christ our Sabbath, the sabbath rest we find in him. Those sinners chosen of God in eternal election, for whom Christ died, and to whom faith is given, those who believe on the Son of God enter into a spiritual rest. It will be perfect rest in glory; but it is begun here. Heaven is but a perfection and a continuation of what God begins in our hearts when he brings us to faith (John 6:37-40).

 

John 6:37-40 37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. 38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. 39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. 40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

 

All the sabbaths of the Old Testament, all those sabbaths required by the law of God in the days of carnal, ceremonial worship, were designed to portray this glorious gospel rest and the rest of heaven that shall follow. Ours is a sabbath without end.

 

1. Genesis 2:2 — As the Lord God ceased from his works, so we have ceased from our works, when we trust Christ. That is what the law of the seventh day sabbath portrayed.

2. God also required Israel to keep a seven year sabbath, during which the ground rested from its slavery, curse, and toil, portraying that rest which shall soon come to God’s creation and his people (Romans 8:20-21).

3. Then, the law required a seventh seven year sabbath, every 49 years whole land celebrated a year of jubilee. During that time all debts were to be discharged! — All mortgages were to be cancelled! — All bondmen were to be set free! — And all that had been lost was to be restored!

 

Do you get the picture? Christ is our Sabbath. We rest in him by faith, and by faith alone! That is exactly the interpretation the Holy Spirit gives us in verse 10. –

 

Verse 10“For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God [did] from his.”

 

This verse very clearly applies both to Christ and to his people. The Lord Jesus Christ had a work to do in obtaining the salvation and redemption of his people. This work was given to him and he finished it. He ceased from these works never to do them again. He is seated in heaven, having entered his rest (Hebrews 10:5-14), just as we are told God ceased from the works of creation when he had finished them.

 

Hebrews 10:5-14 5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: 6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. 7 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. 8 Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; 9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. 10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: 12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; 13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. 14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

 

This is exactly what every believer does when he comes to Christ. We cease from our works and rest in Christ.

 

Verse 11“Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.”

 

 

Let us labor

 

Let us labor to quit laboring! There is nothing in all the world more difficult, more contrary to our flesh, than this. Without question, we all, if we enter into Christ’s rest, enter into it by degrees.

 

“‘Tis done, the great transaction’s done –

I am my Lord’s, and He is mine!”

 

That is rest!

 

Verse 12“For the word of God [is] quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and [is] a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

 

It matters not whether we say this word is Christ the uncreated Word or the Holy Scriptures the written Word of God. What is said here is true of both the written Word and the living Word.

 

1.    The Word is alive. The word “quick” is an old English word for alive. This is a living Book, the words of our living Redeemer (1 Peter 1:23-25; James 1:18). The Word is the living Seed.

2.    The Word is powerful. Our Lord and his Word are active and effectual. He spoke for the elect in the council and covenant of grace (Hebrews 7:22). He spoke all things out of nothing in creation (Hebrews 11:3; Genesis 1:6,9). He spoke and revealed the Father (John 14:10). He spoke and the dead came forth (John 5:24-25).

3.    The Word is sharp as a two-edged sword. The Word is all edge; it has no blunt side. It is alive all over. You cannot come near the Word of God without its having some effect on you (2 Corinthians 2:14-16). Our Lord comes “not to send peace but a sword,” and that sword enters into our own souls, wounding and killing. However, it kills nothing but that which ought to be killed — our pride, envy, lusts, and sins.

4.    The Word is piercing and can find its way anywhere. Although the soul and spirit are invisible and the joints and marrow are covered and hid, so penetrating is the divine Word that it reaches the most hidden and secret things of men and women. It is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Christ knows the heart and will make manifest all that is therein by the Word (Luke 16:15).

 

Verse 13“Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things [are] naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.”

 

Christ, our Lord, is the omniscient God. Nothing is hidden from him. By his Word, he strips us naked and lays us open, exposing the thoughts and intents of the heart.

·      Believers rejoice and find comfort in this – Peter!

·      Unbelievers, hypocrites are made to tremble at the thought of it.

 

Let Us Hold

 

Verse 14“Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast [our] profession.

 

What a Priest Christ is!

·      Real – Not Typical!

·      The Son of God — Not after the Order of Aaron, but after the Order of Melchizedek!

·      Eternal – Needing No Successor!

·      In the Heavens!

 

Yet there is more. Look at verse 15.

 

Verse 15“For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as [we are, yet] without sin.”

 

·      Christ is a compassionate High Priest, one who has been pierced by the very same things that pierce us.

·      He was tempted in all points like we are.

·      He is a Priest accepted in heaven, because he is a Priest without sin!

 

Still there is more. Christ is a Priest upon a throne, and his throne is a throne of grace! — So…

 

Let Us Come

 

Verse 16“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

 

·      Come reverently, as unto God upon his throne.

·      Come freely, as to a friend.

·      Come gladly to him whose throne is the mercy-seat, the place of grace.

·      Come for the grace you need.

·      Come as often as you need it!

 

Here is something for us to fear. — Verse 1 — “Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.” We ought to fear missing Christ.

 

Look at verse 11 – Here is something for us to do.“Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.” Let us labor that we may cease from all labor.

 

Verse 14 — Here is something for us to hold.“Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.” This we must hold with a death grip, for life and death are the issues, eternal life and eternal death. Whatever we do, we must hold Christ.

 

Here is somewhere for us to go. – Verse 16 — “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” In every time of need, at all times, come to God your Father, who sits upon the throne of grace, come through the merits of Christ your Savior, the merits of his blood and righteousness, and get the mercy and grace you need by the power of his Spirit.

 

Sadly, I must confess, I seldom, if ever, come to the throne of grace except as I am compelled to do so by my needs.

  • Trouble
  • Grace
  • Forgiveness
  • Weakness
  • Sin

But, oh, how I thank God for sweetly forcing me to need Christ, to need grace, to need mercy, to need forgiveness!

 

Was not the Lord Jesus made an High Priest purposely that he might be merciful? Was it not his deep love and his deep affection to sinners which made him most fit to be our Great High Priest? And will he not exercise that love toward me? Does not the very nature of an High Priest call for mercy? Would the office itself be needed, if there were no poor sinners in need of grace and mercy to help?

 

Yes, our Lord Jesus is a great High Priest, and is passed into the heavens, in proof of his almighty greatness and his almighty power. More than that, this Great High Priest, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is a merciful and faithful High Priest, in things pertaining to God. He can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way, because he was himself once compassed with our infirmity and was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin! What a lift to poor, tried, buffeted, tempted, fallen souls, enabling us to come boldly to the throne of grace, to obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need!

  • Grace Sufficient (2 Corinthians 12:2-10)
  • Forgiving Mercy (1 John 2:1-2)

 

Hebrews 7:22 22 By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.

 

Hebrews 7:25 25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

 

AMEN.

 


 

 

 

Don Fortner

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[i]    Danville — Sunday Morning — August 4, 2012

     Sovereign Grace Fellowship — Boonville, NC — Monday 08/05/13

 

Tape #                BB-41

Reading:    Hebrews 4:1-16