Continuing on with Hebrews 4:8 and beyond concerning Rest.
8 For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. 9 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.
Here it is in the ERV – “So let us try as hard as we can to enter God’s place of rest. We must try hard so that none of us will be lost by following the example of those who refused to obey God”. This is one place where scripture tells us we can work as hard as we want. Work at what? Work hard to keep from working, performing, and laboring to get God to recognize us for our efforts. So basically He’s instructing us to work as hard as we can to keep from working, so that we can enter His rest. Isn’t that cool?
12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged 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.
This scripture is part of our ministry theme. We selected our ministry name from this scripture along with Nahum…..yep that’s right Nahum 3:3. That’s the part of your bible where the pages are still stuck together, so I’ll let you look that up for yourselves. You’ll find a reference to bright or flashing swords and glittering spears, depending on which version you look at. Hence, Shining sWord Ministries. The s in sWord is small on purpose to accentuate the word – Word. We didn’t labor to select a ministry name, we rested in that which God gave to us. I mean, really, would you look in the book of Nahum for a ministry name? Come on.
Now I could go off on a tangent right here about what Jesus knows concerning every single sin that has ever been committed and will ever be committed, but I won’t. Except just a little. The only way Jesus could complete the work at the cross and call it finished, which means every single sin possible was settled in Him, would be for Him to have experienced every single one of those sins Himself. Not performing them, but actually being those sins. WHAT!!! THAT’S HERECY!!! Well, it would be if I had said it, but I didn’t. Scripture said so.
2 Corinthians 5:21 – He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (NAS)
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. Here’s the ERV – “With Jesus as our high priest, we can feel free to come before God’s throne where there is grace. There we receive mercy and kindness to help us when we need it.”
We can feel free to come before God’s throne. As a matter of fact we can come boldly. What type of throne? His throne of Grace. How do we come? With good works, performance, legalism? No, freely we come with boldness, because Jesus is our high priest. What can we find there? Judgement and wrath and punishment? NO. We find mercy, grace and kindness in time of need. Are you getting this?
I didn’t expect this to get so long, but let me end it by asking the same questions I asked earlier about resting in our everyday lives as it applies to our spiritual lives. Are we not resting spiritually in the finished work of Christ because we feel guilty if we’re not doing something to win God’s favor? Do we think we’re wasting time if we’re not laboring at furthering the Kingdom? Or is it because we’ve placed upon ourselves such a high demand of accomplishment or obedience to rules, laws, and edicts placed on us by the religious/legalists that we have no time to truly discover what scripture says about resting and receiving everything Jesus has done for us? Look what Jesus said about our labor beyond what we’ve already discovered in Hebrews 4.
Matt 11:28,29. 28 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.
Here it is in the ERV. 28 “Come to me all of you who are tired from the heavy burden you have been forced to carry. I will give you rest. 29 Accept my teaching. Learn from me. I am gentle and humble in spirit. And you will be able to get some rest.
I like how the ERV says we are tired from the heavy burden we have been forced to carry. Let’s quit putting ourselves in bondage or letting others try to put us in bondage to any kind of works oriented christianity that would say we need to or have to perform to get anything from God. Get set free from the tyranny of others and from the tyranny of yourself and simply be obedient to accept Jesus’ teaching.
In these verses we see the only action we must take is to Come to Him. Our promise is that we can come boldly. Just rest in the finished work of the cross, because “Until you fully comprehend the finality of the cross, you’ll never experience the power of the resurrection”. Grace and peace.
