Rest

Introduction:

• We live very restless ways. We are almost chronically busy. Discuss what your ideal day of rest would consist of. What are the things that get in the way of experiencing true rest?

In the wilderness on our way to Canaan:

• Structure:

  • Hebrews 1-2 compare Jesus to the prophets and the angels. The emphasis is that Jesus is God’s superior representative and messenger.
  • Hebrews 3-4 compare Jesus to Moses and Joshua. The emphasis is that Jesus is God’ superior deliverer bringing about a superior rest.

• Hebrews 3 – Don’t rebel in the desert. Hebrews quotes Psalm 95 at length in order to remind his audience to not commit the same error that Israel committed when they were in the desert. They were rescued. They were given a promise. But when times got difficult, they rebelled against God’s promises and God’s messenger (Moses).

• Hebrews 4 – Enter into God’s rest. Just like Israel, we have been promised rest. He basis this promise on several observations:

  • God’s rest is woven into the fabric of creation. You were designed for rest.
  • The rest established by Joshua was incomplete.
  • God was still promising rest at the time that Psalm 95 was written which shows that the need for rest is timeless.

Some important notes about rest:

• It is God’s rest, which means that true, lasting rest only comes from God through Jesus. Any other rest will ultimately lack fulfillment.
• It is an urgent rest. Notice the emphasis on the word “Today” in this section.
• It is also a rest that we still wait for. We enter rest in Jesus even as we wait for perfect rest in hopeful expectation. (Compare Matthew 11:29 and Revelation 14:13.)
• True rest includes body and spirit.

Application:

• Return to the conversation you started with. What are the things right now that are keeping you from experiencing rest?
• Read Hebrews 3:12-14. How are we “hardened by sin’s deceitfulness?” What are some ways that you need to encourage others who are at risk of falling in the desert?