Hebrews 4:6-10

Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those 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 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.

The availability of rest does not guarantee that we will experience it.  There are many who hear the promise but do not experience God’s rest for a variety of reasons.  The author of Hebrews warns of this possibility and wants to prepare his readers so they can avoid these pitfalls.  

DON’T DISOBEY: The children of Israel were given a promise but failed to receive what was promised to them because of disobedience.  God has commanded that we believe the Gospel of Christ’s sacrifice on our behalf so that we might have forgiveness of sin.  No amount of obeying the Law can save anyone from sin.  We can, however, obey the Gospel.  When we insist on relying on our own works, religion, family, heritage, church membership, or anything else apart from the Gospel; we are being disobedient.  Israel’s rebellion and insistence on doing things “their way” resulted in condemnation.  The same is true today.  We must believe and follow “God’s way” of salvation or face eternal condemnation.

DON’T DELAY: There is a tendency to that we have to delay obedience.  However, we must always remember that delayed obedience is disobedience.  When it comes to salvation, when the Spirit of God is moving in our hearts there is a grave danger in a delayed response because we are never guaranteed another opportunity.  None of us knows what tomorrow will bring and in the blink of any eye we could find ourselves stepping into eternity.  Once we harden our heats to the working of God in our lives, we may never experience another time where we hear God’s Word in a way that our hearts are softened to the point of surrendering our lives to Christ.  This same principle is true in the area of sanctification.  We must respond faithfully to the promptings of God’s Spirit through His Word.

DON’T DESPAIRE: The children of Israel hardened their hearts in the desert after leaving Egypt.  God could have turned His backs on them at that point, but He didn’t.  A generation later Israel entered the Promised Land.  However, they did not stay there.  They were taken into captivity and at the time of this writing were under the domination of Rome.  However, David, at the apex of Israel’s time in the Promised Land spoke of a future rest.  So, whatever portion of rest we experience on earth, or however difficult our lives on earth might become; we must recognize that there is a future rest that is still to come.  At some point, we will enter into the rest of our Lord.  No matter how difficult our lives might become or how many times we might fail; there is always hope in the Gospel.

APPLICATION: Trust Christ and obey the instructions from His Word.  Have a tender heart that responds immediately to the Word of God and the promptings of the Spirit.  No matter how much we suffer or sin; never lose hope in the promises of God.