I invite you to turn this morning to Hebrews chapter 4, Hebrews chapter 4, as we're working through this book this morning and these past weeks. And this morning we come to this great section on the promise of entering the rest and Israel's struggle with that and how that applies to the New Covenant Church. So Hebrews chapter 4, beginning at verse 1, we'll read through verse 11. who listened. For we who have believed enter that rest. As he has said, as I swore my wrath, they shall not enter my rest, 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. 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 were formerly 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 will 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. So then there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. For whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. Let us therefore strive to enter that rest so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. And there ends the reading of God's word. I remember years ago in college, a professor who was trying to explain what Christianity believed. This was a secular college, a very secular college. And he was trying to explain Christianity to the class and she, this professor, used John Calvin, ironically, to explain Christianity and said Calvin believed that no one can ever really know in this life if they're going to heaven. They're really going to have to figure it out. They're going to have it figured out for them at the end based upon whether they've worked hard enough in this life. And I sit in the back and I thought, that is the worst characterization of anything that I've ever heard Calvin or Christianity teaches. I mean, that's just terrible. It's contrary to the heart of what the Christian faith is saying to us. And that's what I want to explore with you today. The scriptures do not come at us that way. As if we should just hope and have this hopeful sort of perspective that maybe in the end all will turn out well for me. There are a lot of people who live that way And there are a lot of people who go to their deathbeds that way. What the author of Hebrews is doing is pressing us to faith today. He's not talking about the last day of your lives. He's pressing you today. He wants you to think about today. And he desires for us to live in full assurance and confidence of God's favor upon us in Jesus. That's one of the big things that he's accomplishing here. So it's not that we have to stand back and wait and try to answer the question on the last day and what will happen to us on the last day is whether we're going to enter into heaven and whether we will actually get there. He is saying something absolutely profound to us in Hebrews chapter 4. And the heart of it really today comes to the fact that he is saying that this rest that is held out for us is something that we can be certain of. It's something that not only can we be certain of, it's not that even though we're in the valley, even though we're walking to the valley of the shadow of death, that we just have to grin and bear all of this. He is actually giving us the perspective that it's a rest that we not only can be certain of, but that we can enjoy right now. but he's pressing us with a very important question. Have we entered it? Have we entered it? That's the question of the text. That's the question of the author. Have you entered this rest? He's pressing, he's bearing down on the church with that great question, and that's what we're exploring today. How many times has he said to us in these sections, today, if you will hear his voice, Count it. How many times has he interacted with Psalm 95 and he keeps throwing this at us? Today, if you will hear his voice, don't harden your hearts like they did. What keeps people out? What keeps people out of heaven? That's what the text is explaining to us today. That's what the text is helping us with today. And so that's where he moves in chapter 4 to consider God's rest and whether we've entered. And I want to look at it today by seeing this great call that he gives to enter this rest. And then the perspective that we are today to enjoy this rest. And then the eager expectation of what's coming in the final rest. So we're going to kind of look at it that way. We'll begin with this great call. The beginning of the text comes as this great call to enter the rest. Look at verse 1 carefully there. 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. That's a remarkable statement. He's working with the story of Israel, isn't he? He's working with Israel's story and the great salvation event in Israel's history was coming out of Egypt, wasn't it? All the Psalms, all the Old Testament celebrated that great event. And that great event was all what we call a type of the cross of Jesus. It's all types and shadows that we're studying there as we now live in the day of fulfillment. So they saw all these wonderful signs. They saw all the great plundering that God did of the Egyptians and all the great wonders of his deliverance and his great power and his great shielding care over Israel. All that he did in lifting up, heaping up the waters of the Red Sea and making them pass on dry ground. And their sandals didn't even wear out, he says, in the wilderness. All of that was a type of a deliverance that Jesus brings. It was looking to Jesus. All of it. And that's what he's been making the case in this book. Showing that Jesus is better in every way than the old covenant. He even says, Paul does in Romans 10, that they were, when they went through the sea, baptized into Jesus. And then they were given the Passover. Any of that sound familiar? We have baptism that signifies the washing that we get in Jesus of all of our sins. And then he gives us the supper, the fulfillment of all the feasts in the Old Testament to celebrate his broken body and his broken blood for us, which is, remember, the Passover, a perfect lamb, had to be sacrificed. Well, we sure look and sound a lot like Israel. There's a reason Galatians 6 calls the New Covenant Church the Israel of God. But then God brought them to the wilderness. And for 40 years they were tested. Forty years they were tested. And we looked at the comparison that the author is drawing from and he wants us to say, wow, we really are in the same position as Israel. We're right up to the promised land. We've walked, we've journeyed, we've been tried, we've been tested. We're in a pilgrimage. The cross already happened in AD 30 in the month of Nisan. The great sacrifice was made. And last time we looked at that the whole wilderness journey is a time of testing, just like Israel faced. That's why he said in 1 Peter, you have been grieved if necessary by various tests and trials so that the tested genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold that perishes, though it's tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and honor and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Here's the problem. The church in Rome, Hebrews here, they're refusing Jesus in these tests. They've given up because this is so hard. They're facing persecution. There was no real commitment to Jesus. And they're looking back to Moses to go back to the Old Testament system. And they weren't putting together the whole story. They weren't realizing that they were just like Israel, wanting to go back to Egypt. In their tests in the wilderness, what Israel did the whole time was complain against God. And then they get right up to the border of the promised land after those only took a couple years to get there. Remember, he would send them back 38 years to mull around in judgment till those bodies dropped. They get right to the border of the land. And they looked at the land and they looked at all the opposition. And there's one key word that the author was drawing off of from Numbers chapter 14, and they rebelled against the Lord. And the Lord said to Moses, how long will this people despise me? How long will they not believe in me? And the heart of the Psalter, Dr. Godfrey's pointed out in Psalm 81, But my people did not listen to my voice. Israel would not submit to me. Now there's a remarkable thing that the author says. All this good news was preached to them. I mean, you can just imagine it out in the wilderness. They probably had a little pulpit set up. And all this good news was preached, just like it is today. That's what's said here. You'll notice in verse 2, 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. The word was not believed. And the remarkable thing is that the author wants us to understand, look at how much good news has been preached to us. all this good news all these years Caleb and Joshua he says good news is preached to them Caleb and Joshua one of the great moments of gospel preaching came when they got to the border of the land and Joshua said and Caleb said there's good news for you cross over the land is good cross over God's giving you the land. Go over. Cross over. It was a call. Cross over to the land. It's a good land. It's a land of milk and honey. It's a land prepared for you. What happened? I mean, it's an astonishing thing. They didn't. They didn't cross over. And the author of Hebrews is saying at the heart of this was unbelief and god uses israel as a teaching tool to have us all the nations not do what israel did to not mix if you think about this to mix what they're hearing with the good news with faith these were good run-of-the-mill people you would say oh they're just such respectable people he's um he continues to work here with psalm 95 and he says that because they didn't mix what they heard with faith he swore that they would not enter his rest and that generation you remember a certain age and older did not enter the promised land so so you see the whole story coming together he's looking at the new covenant community and there's an astonishing thing that's happening in the New Covenant Church. An astonishing thing. Some are doing the very same thing as Israel did. All this goodness. All this care. All this gospel preaching. And some aren't entering. Notice he begins, Since a promise of entering his rest still stands. This is the day of salvation. This is the best time ever to live. Have you considered this? Since the promise of his rest still stands today, there should be great fear that there are some that aren't entering. you see one of the things that hebrews does that's remarkable is he never places that burden individually he places that burden on the whole church he's having us enter into the concern of this for those who are not entering remember he already encouraged us to consider how to stir up we'll get there one another to love and good works it's a community it's it's a community of faith you're never alone in this and and the lord sees all of us as together helping and encouraging but really concerned about any who aren't entering. Let us fear, he says. Let us tremble. If there's any among us who have not entered this rest, what's he concerned with? Well, what has this book shown us? There's this general attitude to God and His Word that the author knows is completely unacceptable in the community. There's a kind of a quality of response to the Word of God that the author is after here. Being saved is not just coming to hear sermons. Being saved is not looking for the great worship experience. Being saved is mixing what you're hearing with faith. He's after faith. He's after trust. His son came from heaven to die on a cross. Do you know what that cost? Do you know what that cost? If all this good news that we hear is not mixed with faith, just like them, you will not enter heaven. That's what he's saying here. This is serious stuff. That's why worship is serious. It's not a show. Psalm 95, as I swore in my wrath, they will not enter my rest. But here it's as if the promise of the gospel is completely renewed. That's what I love about this passage. Today, hear the happiness in he's saying this. Today, enter his rest. Now that's why this concept of rest is so important. We have to explore it just for a minute here. The land of Canaan that he was speaking of here was a type of the rest he's talking about. What was the land of Canaan? Well, it was a land of milk and honey. It was a land intended to bring happiness. It was a land intended to bring fulfillment. It was a land intended to bring provision and freedom from all enemies and peace. And even though Israel didn't wipe out their enemies, the last day shows us in Revelation what the fulfillment of what that land is to be where there's nothing evil that ever offends the land in the land again. So the land of Canaan was intended to teach us something about rest, about our internal inheritance, about as a type and shadow of the rest that God has for us. After coming out of the pilgrimage, after coming out of the struggle, do you know what's held out for you? I mean, that's what's so remarkable about this passage. But there's one thing, as I've never really spent much time in this passage at all, that struck me that I couldn't get away from this week. There's something shocking that's said here. Shock us. It's not shocking if you know what the scriptures show, but it's amazing how in our dullness we don't see things. Now I'm talking about me. Verse 3. For we who have believed will enter that rest. That's not what it says. For we who have believed enter that rest. That's present. It's a present in the verb. His concern here is this. The author wants everyone to enter today. this is a plea as last time. You know, we don't know hearts. We don't know hearts, do we? It's very possible that in a large congregation like this, some have not yet entered. It's all shown in your attitude to God's word and worship. You remember, Israel was never satisfied with either, God or his worship. doesn't that say something about how we need to guard our hearts on this that's how the author is speaking here let us fear whole community tremble at this idea and help your brethren because here's the marvel of the text he's not saying you have to wait whether you're going to get to glory and no that's the beauty of this he is saying today you can enter the rest that's got to be the most encouraging passage and one of the most encouraging passages in the bible beloved we who have believed what is belief it's hearing god's word it's loving that word it's embracing the truth of the gospel it's trusting in god through his word and he's saying when we who have believed, you enter. You enter. What has he been telling us to do the whole time? What do we enter? What do you mean we enter? That doesn't, I don't feel like I've entered anything. Really? What has he been saying the whole time? Consider Jesus, the high priest an apostle of our confession Jesus is the good news so in other words the land was preached to them it was a good land enter that land Joshua stood at the border of the land he threw up his arms and he said come children of Israel enter the land well if we who have believed enter that rest psalm 95 has been saying today if you will hear his voice he quotes again don't harden your hearts that was the issue today if you will hear and believe listen to me you've entered you've already entered that's an awesome claim how do i express that boys boys and girls um years ago i i was at a Sunday school, fifth grade. Do you guys get excited about Sunday school? I don't know if you do, but you should. Fifth grade Sunday school, Hanford Christian Reformed Church. I still remember him, Mr. Grunenberg. And you forget about these teachers that teach you, you know. I remember he looked at me. He didn't know I was going to be a pastor, you know. He's a little renegade sitting there in front of him. He said, Chris, do you know that today you can know you're going to be saved? Now, I don't think I've ever remembered anything from any of my Sunday school classes. But I remember that. Do you know that today you can know? He's pleading with them. You can enter right now Canaan. That's what Psalm 95 was talking about, the day. The eternal rest with the coming of Jesus has broken into the present. That's his whole point. It's an already not yet dynamic. The eternal rest has broken into the present. Jesus is Canaan. When Joshua stood up and said, Enter, come, the land is good. What do you think Jesus was doing when he put up his arms and come to me and I'll give you rest. I'm your Canaan. I'm your land. I'm your happiness. I'm your fulfillment. Enter me. No one makes it to glory except through entering through him. And I think what's on the author's mind is for us to appreciate how wonderful that rest is today. He makes the point in verse 3. We who have believed enter that rest. And then notice the encouragement of this. He ties it to creation. Although God's works were finished from the foundation of the world, for he has spoken of the seventh day in this way. And God rested on the seventh day from all his works. What's so unique about the seventh day of creation? There's no morning and evening. All the other days, morning and evening, it was the fourth day, fifth day. God rested and He entered in that enthronement and that glory of rest, the glory and power and honor holding the destiny of everyone in His hands. The point is, the goal of all salvation in coming to Jesus is that you would enjoy rest in him today. Now, that's what God has intended for you. That you can have that. You see why he's pleading. Therefore, it remains for some to enter. There were those who heard the gospel. They heard all this good news. They really didn't have any care to hear it. It wasn't in the heart. He wasn't believed. And he's saying, are you crazy? Today, if you'll hear his voice, don't harden. See, you can harden your heart. Enjoy your rest. What is that rest? Well, I think Heidelberg says it beautifully. All the days of my life, I rest from my evil works and let the Lord, listen to this, Work in me through his Holy Spirit and so begin in this life the eternal Sabbath. Wow. Where do I start? That's wonderful. What is it worth to know? You want to know what rest is like, enjoying it? You'll know by your response to this. What is it worth to know all your sins are forgiven? What's it worth to you? Does that not give you joy inexpressible and fullness of joy? What's it worth to already know God loves you and you don't have to wait around to figure it out? What's it worth to know there's no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus? What's it worth? What's it worth that you don't have to work for your salvation? Somebody already did. What's it worth to know that he tests you in the wilderness, hard as it may be, and that he's not against you, but that your very maker who has entered into his rest and is bringing you into his rest is absolutely committed to refine you and test you and conform you to make you like his son? What's it worth? What's it worth to know that you have so much purpose and meaning and value to Him that He has numbered the very hairs of your head and doesn't let one drop without the will of your Father in heaven? What's it worth? What's it worth to know He's given you everything and that you belong to Him in body and soul and that He'll never leave you nor forsake you? What's that worth? You see, only the hardest of hearts could not enter into that kind of rest or play games with him. I know it's probably not a direct implication of this text, and I know people have run with it this way, but it is an implication to say that this is exactly why he gave the fourth commandment. He gave the fourth commandment a day of rest so that we would have a joyful celebration together of the gospel and that we would get to enjoy one another and worship the Lord and receive his word. Yeah, it's wilderness. There's no doubt. We're not there yet. We're not living by sight. We're going to see awesome things in glory. It's faith. But this is a day of celebration and joy and gladness where the Holy Spirit especially works in your hearts when you gather around his word and you get to enjoy your people who you're going to spend eternity with in fellowship and in love and service knowing that you're doing it under the Lord. What has been our attitude to the whole Sabbath principle in this country? Terrible. We have hard hearts to it. We've called it a burden and not a delight. Our biggest challenge is to get hard hearts to appreciate that this day declares that we have already entered by faith our eternal rest. It's meant to be a festive day for you to stop all the burdens and stresses of the world and all the think of all the complications you're going to go face this week. And he says, sons and daughters stop, cease calm down receive my word hear the gospel. I've got good news for you. But the author says in conclusion here that we who have already entered have so much more to look forward to. Joshua didn't give them rest. Did you notice that? This is a pun here. Yeshua did, not Joshua. Verse 8. And all of that was intended to speak to the final enjoyment of the rest that's coming on the last day. when we enter glory forever. It's all ready, but it's not yet. And that's what he says. Notice here, because Jesus has come, God ultimately was speaking of another day later on. Verse 9, so then there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. For whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did. How do you talk about what's coming? A grand reunion in glory with all the saints. I just can't imagine walking in and there's Abraham, you know. I want to talk to that guy. There's Moses. There's David. And I heard a voice from heaven saying, write this. Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on. Blessed indeed, says the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors for their deeds follow them. Then I looked and behold a white cloud and seated on the cloud, one like a son of man with a golden crown on his head. You're going to get to see Jesus. The beatific vision, as we call it, is our hope. You've entered him today. You get to see him in fullness on that day. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore, encourage one another with these words. It's this promise of the final rest that awaits us. And beloved, it's a lot closer than you think. You could die tonight. It's a rest of no more sorrow. It's a rest of no more tears. Complete happiness in a brand new heavens and earth. Don't you know yet what's held out for you? Or are we still so caught up living for this world we can't even contemplate it? When you have Jesus, you've already entered it. and the certainty is the hope of glory forever. Now, do you see why he's concerned? Do you see why a pastor would be concerned? We have to preach these things to ourselves, and we have to preach them to people. How does he end? With a great therefore. Therefore, let us strive to enter that rest so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience that Israel did. Wouldn't it be sad if somebody sat here for 50 years listening to sermons and didn't enter the rest? What does your heart toward God say about your position before Him? Are you still outside the kingdom? Or have you come? Have you believed? I've often thought that one of the greatest problems in the American church is we're so much like Israel. We've been hardened and uninterested in his word. And that's what people base their attendance of church on. What kind of show am I going to get today? That's not entering his rest. This is why we've had worship wars. Because we don't accept the pilgrimage. the struggle, the hardship is real. And this is not about making it as exciting as we possibly can. It's about hearing the gospel and entering the rest. And the Spirit pleads with you today. Instead of saying all the nonsense today, are you hearing the voice? It's not a game. Confess your sins to Him. What does he say? I will abundantly pardon them. And when you believe, you enter a secured rest that remains. That's why holding fast to Jesus is so important. Rest in his word. Don't doubt his promise that is preached to you. Good news that's preached to you. For the Lord God is a sun and shield to us. The Lord will give grace and glory. No good thing will he withhold from those who walk uprightly. Today, let us hear his voice and enter his rest. Amen. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, thank you. What a splendid text and what hope you give us. And it's so comforting to know that when we are on our deathbeds, we will not have to sit there and figure out whether God loves us, but that today we can know. So may we all enter that rest today. And let us have a heart that loves your word and loves you and is not bitter at you or despising you for testing us in the wilderness. but knows you have a good plan for us. You know the plans you have for us. Plans to bless and not harm. And so, O Lord, may we trust you and may we enjoy this rest today. What's it worth? It was worth the very death of your Son to give us this kind of peace and joy. So may we enter it, love it, and enjoy the rest that awaits us. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.