The Challenge Of Choosing Eternal Rest Series

SERIES: The Careful Considerations of Our Christian Confession—Hebrews 3:1-6; 7-17; 3:18--4:11; 4:11-13; 4:14---5:11

The Hebrews writer pressed upon his audience to deeply/profoundly consider the aspect of their Christian confession concerning Jesus as their Apostle & High Priest.

Thus the Hebrews writer pressed upon his audience to further consider the intricacies of a Christian confession.

’Christians,’ tempted by tradition, are encouraged toward a deeper/further consideration of a Christian confession.

What barriers/tendencies do ’Christians,’ tempted toward tradition(traditionists), face in a Christian confession?

5 Challenges traditionists must face/reckon with in a Christian confession.

A—A challenge traditionists face in their Christian confession is acceptance of a...

GREATER vs. LESSER STEWARDSHIP(3:1-6) Faithfulness

B— A challenge traditionists face in their Christian confession is acceptance of a...DEVOTED/SINGULAR/UNDIVIDED vs. DIVIDED HEART(3:7-19)

C— A challenge traditionists face in their Christian confession is acceptance of an...

ETERNAL(Permanent) vs. TEMPORAL(Temporary) REST(4:1-11)

D— A challenge traditionists face in their Christian confession is acceptance of an...

INVITING vs. FAILED SECRECY/Protection(4:11-13)

E— A challenge traditionists face in their Christian confession is acceptance of a...PERFECT vs. LIMITED/Grounded/Earthly PRIESTHOOD(4:14--5:11)

Today’s Consideration is...

C— A challenge traditionists face in their Christian confession is acceptance of An...

ETERNAL(Permanent) vs. A TEMPORAL(Temporary) REST(3:18--4:11)

The writer to the Hebrews set before his audience a deeper/further consideration of Jesus’ Rest.

’Christians,’ tempted by tradition, are encouraged toward a deeper/further consideration of Jesus’ Rest.

What challenges do ’Christians,’ tempted toward tradition(traditionists), face in the consideration of Jesus’ Rest?

3 Challenges traditionists must face in a confession of Jesus’ Rest.

What you do, whether you know it or not, is to declare to others the Rest which Jesus offers.

Is your confession one of God’s truth & reality or one of your own contrivance?

Summary of 3:16-19—Those who were led by Moses out of Egypt, rebelled in disobedience(3:16-18). They did this even though they had heard God’s desire, design & provision for their lives(:16). He thus was angry with them for 40 years & did not allow the rebels to “enter His rest.” Their rebellious disobedience(:18) prevented their entrance into God’s rest, as it was evidence of their willful choice to have “sinned”(:17). Thus the root cause of their rebellion, disobedience & sin was an inward “unbelief” which they harbored against YHWH, the very God who designed & implemented their salvation.

1—The challenge of choosing Eternal Rest is accepting the challenge of...

FAITH(:1-2)

Explanation:(:1-2) “Not Being Mixed with Faith”

:1—“Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it.”

Seeing as Israel “could not enter God’s rest due to their willful unbelief, there is a resulting promise which still stands for those who exhibit the opposing trait of belief. This belief, if it is real, should produce in believers a holy “fear” of failing to enter in like manner as the rebellious unbelievers. This fear will overshadow & form the backdrop for the believer’s every step.

“Promise”—epaggelia—Strong—An announcement (for information, assent or pledge; especially a divine assurance of good):-- Message, promise.

“Remains/Being left/Still stands”—kataleipw—To leave behind. Strong—To leave down, i.e. Behind; by implication, To abandon, have remaining:-- forsake, leave, Reserve.

“Entering”—eisercomai—1) To go out or come in: To enter; 2) metaph.—2a) Of entrance into any condition, state of things, society, employment.

“Rest”(thruout)—katapausiv—1) A putting to rest; 2) A resting place. From Ps. 95:11—hxwnm men-oo-khaw’ —Resting place, rest.

“Fear”—fobew—To put to flight by terrifying (to scare away). Strong—to frighten, i.e. (passively) to be alarmed; by analogy, to be in awe of, i.e. revere:-- be (+ sore) afraid, fear (exceedingly), reverence.

“Seem/Be found”—dokew—1) To be of opinion, think, suppose; 2) to seem, to be accounted, reputed; 3) It seems to me. Refers to the subjective judgment, which may or may not conform to the fact.

“Come short”—usterew—1) Behind; 2) To suffer want, to be devoid of, to lack (be inferior) in excellence, worth. Strong—To be later, i.e. (by implication) To be inferior; generally, To fall short (be deficient):-- Come behind (short), be destitute, fail, lack, suffer need, (be in) want, be the worse.

: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.”

This past example is applied directly to the current audience because this same good news “was preached” to rebellious Israel as well as to those who are the recipients of this letter.

In what sense was “the gospel”(of Christ?) preached to Tribal Pre-national Israel as the people of God? This was the good news (“gospel”) specific to their generation/need/calling as the children of Israel. Indeed, Christ was preached to them, yet not in readily apparent or plain terms. Note Lk. 24:25-27 on the road to Emmaus & 24:44-45 among the disciples.

Lk. 24:25-27—“Then He said to them, “O foolish ones, & slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! “Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things & to enter into His glory?” And beginning at Moses & all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.”