“Striving to Enter God’s Rest” - Hebrews 3:12-4:11

RUNNING THE RACE TOGETHER series, Message #4

HOW DO WE STRIVE TO ENTER GOD’S REST?

A. FEAR

• 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. (Hebrews 4:1)

• For who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those who left Egypt led by Moses? And with whom was he provoked for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief. (Hebrews 3:16-19)

• “As I swore in my wrath, ‘They will not enter my rest.” (Hebrews 4:3)

• Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.  (Hebrews 3:12-13)

• “Today if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion” (3:8, 15; 4:7)

B. FIGHT

• Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. (Hebrews 4:11)

• For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. (Hebrews 3:14)

C. FOCUS

• Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, you who share in a heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession. (Hebrews 3:1)