Hebrews 4:1-13 (Part 2)

Augustine "You move us to delight in praising You; for You have formed us for Yourself, and our hearts are restless till they find rest in You."

I. God has given opportunity to enter His rest "Today."
-fixes = orizo = mark out a boundary, appoint, designate
a. Those who heard failed to enter because of disbelief.
-disobedience = apeitheia = disobedient, unbelief
-John 3:36
b. Joshua didn't fulfill the promise of rest.
c. There remains an opportunity to enter Sabbath rest.
-rest = katapauo = to cause to cease, to rest
-Sabbath rest = sabbatismos; from verb sabbatizo = to celebrate or observe the Sabbath in ceasing from labor
-Exodus 20:8-10, Deut. 5:14-15
d. Be diligent to enter God's rest.
-diligent = spoudazo = to make haste, be in earnest, concentrate energey on, spare no effort

II. God's Word has the power to reveal us.
a. It is living and active.
-living = zao = live, be alive;
-active = energes = energetic, active, productive.
-Is. 55:11
b. It penetrates and discerns.
-sword = machaira = short, doubled-edge blade
-thoughts = enthumesis = reflection, feeling, idea, thoughts
-intentions = ennoia = thought or intent
c. It renders us open and exposed before His searching gaze.
-open = gumnos = without clothing, open
-laid bare = trachelizo = to expose, lay bare; perfect passive verb; from noun trachelos from which we derive trachea

Hebrews 4:1-13 (Part 1)

I. God's rest is still valid.
-remains = kataleipo = leave behind; idea of still being open
-promise = epangelia = what is promised, promise
a. Beware of coming short of God's rest.
-seem = dokeo = to seem, appear, suppose, found or judge
-to have come short = hustereo = fall short, be late, fall behind
b. When the message is heard it must be received.
-united = sunkerannumi = to mix together, blend, unite

II. God's rest is still available.
a. We who believe are entering that rest.
-John 5:24
-Guthrie "Christian realities have been inaugurated but have yet to be consummated. Therefore, the 'rest' is something a beleiver enters (and thus experiences) now, but his rest in its fullness remains a promised destination in the future."
1. Rest from legalism.
2. Rest from worry.
3. Rest on Christ.
4. Rest from doubt.
b. We receive God's rest.
-Morris " The writer is saying that God’s rest was available from the time Creation was completed. The ‘rest’ was thus the rest He Himself enjoyed. The earthly rest in Canaan was no more than a type or symbol of this.”

Hebrews 3:1-19

I. Israel's disobedience serves as a warning.
a. They heard God but hardened their hearts.
-hardened = skleruno = to dry out, dry up, make hard
-heart = kardia = will, mind, desire, intention
b. Their hardened heart prompted their rebellion.
c. They were not allowed to enter God's rest.

II. Heed the warning to remain faithful.
a. Protect your heart.
-take care = blepo = to see, beware; idea of paying special and close attention
-unbelieving = apistia = unbelief, unfaithfulness
-Numb. 14:11
-falls away = apostenai (from aphistemi) = leave, go away, depart, step aside from, fall away
b. Encourage one another.
-deceitfulness = apate = deception
c. Persevere to the end
-have become = ginomai = to become; perfect verb tense
-hold fast = katecho = hold firmly
-assurance = hupostasis = that which underlies, ground, basis, essence, nature

III. Unbelief and disobedience end in judgment.
-disobedient = apeitheo = disobedient, unbelief

Hebrews 3:1-6

I. Fix your mind on Jesus who is superior to Moses.
-partakers = metochos = one who shares in
-consider = katanoeo = fix mind on something, continue to observe; lit. put mind down on.
-How do we fix our minds on Christ?
1. Desire.
-Phil. 3:10
2. Concentration.
-Ps. 1: 2
3. Discipline.
4. Time.

-Exodus 33:11
a. Moses was part of the building, Jesus is the builder.
consider worthry = axioo; perfect tense verb.
-more = pleionos = more by comparison
b. Moses was a servant, Jesus is the Son.
-Numb. 12:6-8
-servant = therapon = server, minister; word showed a person of importance and dignity
-Deut. 18:15, I Pet. 1:10-12

II. Hold firmly to the hope of salvation.
-confidence = parresia = speaking with boldness, confidence, boldness, assurance
-boast = kauchema = ground for boast
-Gal. 6:14
-hold fast = katecho = to hold down, to hold fast to
-II Cor. 13:5
-I John 2:19
-II Cor. 5:17
-Guthrie "He addresses them collectively as believers, but realizes that some in the group may manifest a different reality as time goes on. Perseverance does not gain salvation but demonstrates the reality that true salvation has been inaugurated. If the end comes and a person is not in relationship with Christ, it means that the person had never truly become Christ's companion."