( HEBREWS 4:9-11 )

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 ) LRT US LABOUR THEREFORE TO ENTER INTO THAT REST, LEST ANY MAN FALL AFTER THE SAME EXAMPLE OF UNBELIEF.

As we begin to study the ( rest of God ) I see it as a great problem in our Churches today. It’s my desire to possibly shed some light on exactly what he is speaking of here. As you can see, we are looking at ( Hebrews 4 ). However I’d like to move foward and show you a verse of scripture in:

( Hebrews 6, verse 1 ).

Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and faith toward God,

We could show more verses here in ( Hebrews 6 ) but, I believe I can use this one to make the needed point that we are looking into today. ( I believe ) that the book of Hebrews was written by the Apostle Paul. He is speaking to his own people the Jews. As he spoke to them, he is reminding them of their own ( unbelief ). What does he mean by that word? If we use the Nation of Israel for an example. they were ( God’s Chosen People ). There was no need in even considering that fact as they looked at unbelief. That was an established fact. If we relate that fact to any person that has been born again then, it is an established fact to you are now within the very body of Christ, ( the Church ).

The problem they had was not recognizing who they were but rather, could they trust God in any situation? The word ( unbelief relates to our inability to trust God in the situations we face in our lives. It’s not a question of salvation. Again ( I believe ) that our inability to ( rest in Christ ) is due to the lack of spiritual education we receive in our local Churches. We are continually taught ( salvation messages ) and we never move foward in our spiritual growth. If we never get satisfied within the ( doctrine of salvation ) then we are left in bondage to always seeking to grow spiritual because of our own ( unbelief ).

( We never ) ( enter into that rest ). So, what is he telling us in this verse:

( Hebrews 4:11 )

Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

He’s saying to us, as well as the ( born again believers ) among the Jewish people to learn to trust God ( rest in what he says ). I’m going to use ( David the shepard ) as an example here because I believe it shows a picture of The average person in the Jewish nation at that time and, compared to what God was looking for in them.

You can read this in ( 1 Samuel 17 ). David was the youngest of his brothers, he was the shepard of his father’s sheep. All the rest of his brothers we ( shall we say ) in the King’s army. David’s father told him to take food to his brothers. When he arrived where they were, there was a giant named ( Goliath ) that was making little of them and their God. These big brothers were afraid of him and, wouldn’t go up against him.

When David arrived on the scene and witnessed what was happening, this is what he said:

( 1 Samuel 17:29 )

And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?

Most people know the story of David and Goliath. We all know that little David killed him and so on. However, can you see that the army of Israel were afraid of him because of their own physical ability. David was not even considering his own ability but he was totally depending on God to do what he knew well he could not.

Therefore, if we go back to our own salvation. I’ll use myself as an example, I can no more live good enough, perfect enough to win my salvation than David could win against Goliath in his own strength. ( The unbelief ) of Israel’s army is what defeated them. ( The Belief and trust in God ) was what made David victorious.

God’s desire is for me as his child, a born again believer to look boldly at every sinner and tell them ( I know ) I have salvation and, ( I know ) I’m going to heaven when I die! To David, it was something more important that just his life. If Goliath killed him, then, as far as he was concerned another man should stand up and fight for the same greater cause. Aren’t we the same way? Often we fear being made fun of, even killed sometimes for what God desires for us to stand on. However, Is there not a cause? If I, as a man that says he’s saved look at my Children and only tell them them that ( I hope ) I have salvation, then what am I teaching them?

The verse we begin with said ( let us labour )! What are we labouring for? Look at this verse:

( 2 Peter 1:10 )

Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

This verse ties back to what he is teaching in ( Hebrews ). There is no lobor to being saved, born again. It is simply you realizing your sinful condition and asking Jesus Christ to be your savior. However, it take ( labor ) as in studying to understand all that comes with the free gift of salvation. I often say it this way ( salvation is free but, everything else you have to work for ).

We are often left to believe by our Churches that we have to live right to be saved. Now I’m not saying that living right is not a good thing but, living right is not earning salvation. If we seek to live right to earn salvation, we will never reach that rest he is speaking of. I personally believe that the essence of Church teaching today is based on ( right living ) and, not helping people to understand the assuranse of their salvation.

God wants each of us to ( rest in his finshed work ) just as he did. When we speak of labor, we are speaking of allowing God’s spirit to teach us ( how to ) ( rest ) in his salvation, that he so freely gives. If we go back to David, was he not victorious ove the gaint? The giant we often face is ( unbelief ).

If you will study David, you will see that God had already prepared him for this day. He didn’t back down from the animals that threatened the sheep he protected. That my friend is a picture of you learning small lessons preparing you to face the big ones. Look at yourself, how do you feel about facing death? are you afraid of taking that step? If we never face the battle of ( making our calling and election sure ) then we will always be afraid of the gaint we face! ( Death ).

Often in our Churches and this , for many different reasons, we continuse to swim in the ( children’s pool ) and never dive of the diving board into to deep, deep water. We depend on the knowledge of our pastor or teachers as our complete understanding of God’s word. We never get grounded in faith and we stay continually in ( the salvation mode )!

My grand dad in law died in 1975. He had an aneurysm right next to his heart that he was to be operated on for. The night just before that operation, his pastor came to see him. He asked him if he were prepared for what might happen in the operating room? This is how he answered. He said, If I go into this opereration and everything goes well, I’ll get well and go home! If something goes wrong and I die, I’m going home!. In 1975, I wondered how he could make such a statement? By the way, he died on the operating table! Now I know, it goes far beyond just saying you are saved. You have to ( Labor ) to ( make your calling and election sure ). That labor is simply you studying and allowing God’s Spirit to give you the assurance you need!

I’d say; ( it a shame ) we can’t depend on most Churches to bring us to that ( spiritual understanding ) in our salvation journey. But, we must seek it if we are ever to rest in Christ Jesus!

God the Father desire for each of us to lay our heads on our pillows and rest, knowing that if we never wake up; ( we can rest in him ). If we get cancer, no matter what ( we can rest in him ). If we die in a accident ( we can rest in him ). This type of rest can only be taught you by God’s Holy Spirit. Pastors, teachers and study guides can help but, it must be made real within you by God’s Spirit.

I’ll close with this verse:

( Hebrews 4:10 )

For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.

When God created the world in six days, the Bible says he rested on the seveneth. ( Genesis 2:2-3 ) It was finished. As you labor to learn to trust God, one day that labor will be complete meaning that from that day foward ( your rest is finished ). You will still work to help other people, even continue to study to ( know Chist ) more completely, maybe even to accomplish other things but, from that day foward, you will never be concerned about your ( security in Christ ).

Do you know Jesus Christ as your Savior? If so, then kill the giants in your spiritual life, trust him in all things!

Marshall Clayton

2 Timothy 1:7 )