God’s Greater Rest
Hebrews 4
September 15, 2024
Jay Haugh

Jesus is greater in His person and His work.

Moses is “in” God’s house, and Christ is “over” God’s house.

Moses is a sinner saved by grace.

Jesus is the savior of sinners!

A promise remains.

Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it. —Hebrews 4:1 ESV

God’s rest is not the land of Canaan. God’s rest is heaven and it’s obtained by a greater Joshua – Yeshua.

Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it. —Hebrews 4:1 ESV

Fear that you would even seem to look like a phony!

For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened. —Hebrews 4:2 ESV

God’s word and works didn’t benefit them because it wasn’t united with belief.

Only believers enter God’s rest.

For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said, “As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest,’” —Hebrews 4:3 ESV

although his works were finished from the foundation of the world. For he has somewhere spoken of the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works.” —Hebrews 4:3-4 ESV

And again in this passage he said, “They shall not enter my rest.” Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience, again he appoints a certain day, “Today,” saying through David so long afterward, in the words already quoted, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on. —Hebrews 4:5-8 ESV

So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, 10 for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. —Hebrews 4:9-10 ESV
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” —Matthew 11:28 NIV

We enter the rest of God through belief!

Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. —Hebrews 4:11 ESV

A faith that saves is a faith that works.

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. —Hebrews 4:12 ESV

The word of God is just and thorough.

And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account. —Hebrews 4:13 ESV

Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. —Hebrews 4:14 ESV

We hold fast to our confession and our confession is Christ.

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. —Hebrews 4:15-16 ESV

Big Idea:

God offers His ultimate rest for those who hold fast to their confession in Jesus.

SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

Memory Verse: Hebrews 1:1-2a NIV
Long ago in many ways and at many times God’s prophets spoke his message to our ancestors. But now at last, God sent his Son to bring his message to us.

The goal of these questions is to foster meaningful discussion and to encourage participants to reflect on God’s Word to lead to heart transformation. Feel free to modify or expand upon these questions based on the dynamics and needs of your Small Group.

Read Hebrews 4
The author is providing a warning to the people about hearing good news and then doing nothing about it. Evangelism question: considering the Wilderness Generation saw miraculous signs but didn’t have faith in God, how can we make our Gospel message compelling?

Canaan is a symbol of a greater future rest. What does the concept of “rest” in Hebrews 4 mean to you personally? How do you differentiate between physical rest and the spiritual rest mentioned in this passage?

How do you see the role of faith and obedience in experiencing God’s promised rest? What is the correlation between faith/obedience and unbelief/disobedience? How do a person’s actions reveal what they truly believe?

What does it look like for you to “make every effort to enter that rest?” What changes would you like to make to prioritize your spiritual development? How can you balance the fear of missing God’s rest with the confidence of approaching His throne of grace?

Just like God rested on the seventh day, we are commanded to physically rest. Why is this often looked at as a suggestion instead of a command? If you were to be obedient to this command, what would look different in your life? What obstacles do you see in being able to live this out and how can you take steps to overcome them?

Discuss the attributes of God’s Word as expressed in v.12-13. Share a time when you have felt the penetrating power of God’s Word. God cutting the sin out of our life is a good thing. What needs to change in your heart to become a servant who willingly exposes yourself to God’s cosmic scalpel? How does God’s Word challenge your thoughts, attitudes, and actions?

Holding fast to our confession is not something that is done passively. How do you actively hold fast to your faith? What intentionality have you built into your spiritual walk? If you could pick one practice that has been most helpful that you would encourage others to do, what would it be?

Reflect on how Jesus was tempted in every way we are. How does this impact your view of Him? In what ways can you draw strength/wisdom from the example Jesus set when facing your own temptations? How do you see God’s strength being made perfect in your weaknesses?