Temple Baptist Church - 1-2-2019
Hebrews 3:16-4:11
Introduction:
A. Over the past couple of weeks, we have look at the possibility of hard heartedness (Reality) and the productivity of exhorting one another daily(Responsibility). Tonight, I want to look at the word “rest.”
B. In chapters 3-4, the word “rest” is found 11 times. In the Bible, the word “rest” does not necessarily mean to come to a complete halt or to stop doing the things that need to be done. There is the rest of sleep for which I am grateful. I have very little problem falling asleep. Someone once said, “A clear conscience makes for a soft pillow.”
C. I want to look at the First Mention of the word “REST” found in the Bible as it contains a great spiritual truth.
Genesis 8:6-9 And it came to pass at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made: (7) And he sent forth a raven, which went forth to and fro, until the waters were dried up from off the earth. (8) Also he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters were abated from off the face of the ground; (9) But the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him into the ark, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth: then he put forth his hand, and took her, and pulled her in unto him into the ark. (The raven, a type of the worldly, finds its life in the sinfulness of this world, but the dove—a type of God’s children—finds NO rest and must return to Ark of God’s safety. The raven rests upon the carcasses of the death but the dove will not light there.)
D. There is more than just one type of rest found in the Bible but I want to take a short look at the soul’s rest tonight.
E. There is the possibility of believers not learning to rest in the Lord. Through our circumstances, trials, disappointments, discouragements, personal failures, or sometimes no evident reason at all—we have a “disquieted” soul.
Psalms 42:9-11 I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? (10) As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me; while they say daily unto me, Where is thy God? (11) Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.
F. Our text reminds us that a state of spiritual unrest is a state of spiritual unbelief. (3:18-19)
G. I want to look at four areas of Rest that unbelief will keep us from entering:
1. Rest In Your Battles - Joshua 1:13 Remember the word which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, saying, The LORD your God hath given you rest, and hath given you this land.
a. Rest in war. Though Canaan is a type of the victorious Christian life, there are giants to be faced, walls to tear down, enemies to conquer, death to be faced. Life is hard and so often unfair, but God will give you rest!
2 Timothy 4:17-18 Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. (18) And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
b. God promised Joshua rest. “Hath given,” not will give. It was already available.
2. Rest In Your Service - 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.
a. Rest in labor? I found out years ago that you can work equipment of equipment can work you. Though God wants us to serve, He does not want us to burn out or rust out. Too often, we get so busy that we suffer spiritual burn-out. A man once said that he would rather burn out than rust out but you are OUT either way.
b. We are to rest in the Lord in our labor knowing that the work is His.
3. Rest In Your Soul - Psalms 37:7 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.
a. Soul’s rest is found in patience. We always tend to get ahead of the Lord and thus suffer disappointment and discouragement. Tribulation worketh patience, patience experience, experience hope, and hope maketh not ashamed.
b. God’s yoke is to be easy and its burden light as we trust God to do His work through us.
Hebrews 4:9-11 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. (10) For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. (11) Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
4. Rest In Your Sorrow - 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. (14) For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
a. When we lose a loved one in the Lord, we have the confidence that they are where God intended for them and us to be. With Him!
b. We certainly sorrow, but not as the sorrow of eternal loss such as the world endures. We cannot lose that which is not lost. We know where to find them!
4. Rest In Your Hope - Revelation 14:13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.
a. Resting death. in death. Eternal rest will be found in eternity.
b. What a blessing to know that “the former things are passed away” will one day become an eternal reality to the child of God.
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