(S)

Promised Rest for God’s People

4 God’s promise of entering his rest still stands, so we ought to tremble with fear that some of you might fail to experience it. ² For this good news—that God has prepared this rest—has been announced to us just as it was to them. But it did them no good because they didn’t share the faith of those who listened to God.^[a] 3 For only we who believe can enter his rest. As for the others, God said,

“In my anger I took an oath:
    ‘They will never enter my place of rest,’”^[b]

even though this rest has been ready since he made the world. ⁴ We know it is ready because of the place in the Scriptures where it mentions the seventh day: “On the seventh day God rested from all his work.”^[c] 5 But in the other passage God said, “They will never enter my place of rest.”^[d]

⁶ So God’s rest is there for people to enter, but those who first heard this good news failed to enter because they disobeyed God. ⁷ So God set another time for entering his rest, and that time is today. God announced this through David much later in the words already quoted:

“Today when you hear his voice,
    don’t harden your hearts.”^[e]

⁸ Now if Joshua had succeeded in giving them this rest, God would not have spoken about another day of rest still to come. ⁹ So there is a special rest^[f] still waiting for the people of God. ¹⁰ For all who have entered into God’s rest have rested from their labors, just as God did after creating the world. ¹¹ So let us do our best to enter that rest. But if we disobey God, as the people of Israel did, we will fall.

¹² For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. ¹³ Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable.

Christ Is Our High Priest

¹⁴ So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. ¹⁵ This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. ¹⁶ So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

(O)

What an incredible message of hope today. Doesn’t “rest” sound incredible? We are living in crazy times. Everyday we are bombarded with messages of fear. Covid this and Covid that. Don’t do this, do that. Vote for this guy, vote for that guy. Wear a mask, homeschool the kids, don’t get too close to anyone, don’t touch anything. Anxiety and depression becomes a bigger and bigger issue in society each day. We are mentally exhausted. It really feels like there is so little hope in this world.

But, there is hope. God has promised His rest to all who put their faith in Him. God promises there will be a time when we will be able to enter His rest; Heaven, where there is no more pain or sorrow or sickness or tears. Only love and joy, health and happiness. Now doesn’t that sound wonderful? If you are like me, I had a parent die of cancer. It was horrible to watch and it’s very tempting to get angry and blame God for being unfair. But the fact is, we live in a broken world with sin and sickness. God isn’t up their zapping people with disease. No, He is offering hope to all that accept it. His Holy Spirit is given to His followers to help comfort, guide, teach and strengthen them for this lifetime. Our reward for placing our faith in Him is eternal life with Him in heaven. An eternal rest for us all, the one’s He calls His children.

(A)

I love the last verse. That is our application today. If you have never accepted Christ’s forgiveness, I urge you to do it today. You can approach Jesus with confidence that He has forgiven your sins. He desperately wants you to accept this gift. For those who already have, approach His throne of grace boldly today. Place your worries at His feet and find peace in His presence today.

(P)

To accept Jesus’s forgiveness, simply say this prayer today : Jesus, I know that you are Lord. Thank you for dying on the cross in my place for the forgiveness of my sins and that you rose from the dead so that we may to ascend to heaven someday. I accept this gracious gift from you today.

Thank you Lord for any that said that prayer today. Lord help us all to approach your throne of grace boldly today with whatever is on our heart and mind. Thank you for loving us so deeply. In Jesus name, amen.