Christ’s Rest is Salvation (Part B)

No universe to the bottom.

Now, not being mixed with faith in those who hurt the word of God did not benefit them because they didn't believe it.

I have had places in my life where I've come across things where I know what God promised nervous and I would make the prayer we know that New Testament prayer of the father Lord, I believe, help my unbelief. That willingness those miles with the Lord is looking for. This is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston. Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville. Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of Hebrews. Please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching, and now here's Pastor Rick with part two of his message. Christ's rest is salvation. This is being taught from Hebrews chapter 4. They said we remember the fish which we ate freely in Egypt. Numbers 11 verses five and six cucumbers, the melons, the leaks, the onions and the garlic making you hungry some of but now our whole being is dried up.

There is nothing at all except this manna before our eyes. That was their complaint against God they didn't like God did business. They remembered the good things about Egypt, but how convenient do not remember the evil things, loss of their again newborn baby boys. So he takes his audience. The writer of Hebrews does back to that moment and says don't be like this don't start hurling complaint to Christ.

As you getting persecuted for Christ expect to be persecuted. Rose your faith that it is genuine. People are persecuted for a lot of things you happen to be being persecuted for the truth.

Stand fast in it says list, let us fear lest any of you seem to come short of it. This is frustrating to see how many want to say no, it doesn't mean come short, it means something else that means just what he is saying the prophet with this left us. 13 of these. Let us appears in this Hebrew writing and the reason why is the writer is not putting himself above the people is including himself with the people I'm one of you whatever warnings come from heaven that apply to you. They apply to me to all the prophets included themselves because they are not above the message will get to this next session in Hebrews. In the 12 verse of this chapter that the word of God is a two edge sword cuts both ways, and whoever is in the way gets cut prophet and people alike Peter when he wrote to the persecuted Christians in the fifth chapter of his letter. He said to the elders to the shepherds to the pastors of the flock. He said shepherd the flock of God which is among you, not shepherd the flock of God that you are above shepherd the flock of God because you're one of the sheep to you've just been given teeth a little bit sharper and you've been given.

Assignment little bit different, but that's the flock that that belongs to the Lord, and he says, serving as overseers, not by compulsion, but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly he says here now again in verse one comes, lest you fall short of it. Hebrews 3 again. Now, with whom was he angry. Verse 17, 40 years, was it not those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness that they came short, what difference does it make if you swim almost to safety. It's about the finish line. It's about getting all the way there. That's why Paul with up with the word of relief. I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge give to me on that day and not to me only to all those who loved his appearing. When Paul makes as you said this is the great apostle Paul expressing that finally is reaching the finish line.

He knows they going to chop his head off is only hoping that the henchman makes a clean-cut so he can get out of here is something wonderful. No Christian need to be paranoid about these things. We have an advocate with the father. One reason why so many Christians get so emotional about this. I don't believe that hardly want something always because they think of your sin as a Christian, but now you lost. We have an advocate with the father we have someone who speaks on our behalf. He stands and intercedes, it is Jesus Christ who died for us. Didn't die for you, so that if you get angry at your neighbor you now go to hell getting a die die views of you commit some great sin. Look at the sins of those in the Old Testament David King David.

What he did.

Yet even David as an advocate with the father will head because David is now in glory. But until the resurrection.

He had an advocate with the father and that's how he makes it into no Christian need be paranoid. I believe in blessed assurance of the saved those who love Christ. I believe there is no blessed assurance for those who reject him is plain and simple. There is now therefore no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. What is that mean you would hear to the Lord you walk with him to stay with him. How wonderful is that why would I want to walk that back at you. 24 you you know he is able to present you faultless for the presence of his glory with exceeding joy in spite of yourself with exceeding joy and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Surely goodness and rhyming these verses, but his were jobs that he captures what the Christian spirit on salvation should be all those who love the Lord can say this. I know that my Redeemer lives and he shall stand at last on the earth and after my skin is destroyed, this I know that in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself and my eyes shall behold, and not another. How my heart yearns within me.

That is the voice of the righteous bickering about my safe yes you are safe if you love the Lord believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved. That was for the Philippian jailer and it is for everyone else to what warnings abound in our Scripture.

They abound.

Nonetheless, just take two of them. Second Corinthians 511 pulses knowing. Therefore, the terror of the Lord we persuade men is process we know the people reject Christ going to go to hell. So we present we persuade them with truth. Hebrews 1031. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God, and judging hands. That is, that two edge sword is not if you want to be spared of sped fed if you want to be spoonfed. That's the word I was looking for words that are lies, but they make you feel good. There plenty of those workplaces outside these walls crouched outside these walls like a roaring lion if you want to be fed lies. What are you doing in the house of God who would dare come into God's house, expecting to be told lies who would dare come into God's house with the script in their hand. This is what I want to hear from you and if you don't tell me what I want to hear from you on out or the pastor should be out where church is this. I'm going to some serious problems in my life.

I want to know about how God's going to fix those problems as blasphemy to dictate to God. So many have gone before you with the same, and worse problems coming into the got house of the Lord just simply wanting his presence wanting him to just minister to them as only he can and he does do that he doesn't have to do it in his else, but he does do it in his house. Verse two. For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them with the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard you see the writers who wrote the Scriptures presuppose that the audience were not fools. They knew their audience were going to keep up with them and what they spoke and if they did not they would take the time and explain it as best they could. The gospel that they heard this good news but not the good news of the New Testament developed gospel. As we have it, that's not possible. Jesus himself said that Luke's gospel chapter 10 verse 24 and I have to put this here, someone will certainly come up while I'm in literal is familiar not knowing can be not and still make sense of things. But anyway, I tell you that many prophets and kings have desired to see. Would you see and have not seen it, to hear what you hear and have not heard it.

Peter talks about it to another places mentioned but the point is, they had the good news of God, we belong to that unbroken witness.

The same God that spoke to them in the wilderness is the same God that speaks to us and his will was expressed to them. This care was made available to them. That is the good news for them to make that distinction a little further down work on all say I'll use that word. The secret word today is distinction distinct feel he'll come and make that again will get scrambled if I jump to it too early.

Therefore, to them.

The good news of their deliverer of Yahweh and all that he revealed himself to be was given to them what they did with it is not belief. Simply said, yet we know you're speaking to us but we all think you can do what you said you can do because the giants in the land and we can get past these giants so we don't believe that I'm I'm simplifying it, but that's what they did and that is what brought the ire of God upon them. They had the promise of entering the promised land and they said the promise is no good. So God was angry was infuriated with them is just been expressed in chapter 3, and some of the verses we've taken from chapter 3, so now he tells his audience don't you think you with a better gospel message or more developed message I should say you with a more developed message. Don't you think for one moment that if you reject that message you're going to be spared. They weren't spared and they did not have the life that you have and if you mess up here, you deserve what you get is no reason to mess up here. He says, but the word which they heard did not profit them.

The word which they heard. That is, the distinct is that word that that's the point that distinguishes the New Testament gospel that we have from the good news that they had. They they did not know Jesus by name the go to the cross and died for their sins. They had that symbols they had types and emblems. They had shadows. The substance did not come until the New Testament and he'll talk about that later on in chapter 10 Hill who really hammer that point again and again, if you were to sit down and read Hebrews one sitting. You would be deluged by these points that this writer is making to them. Deuteronomy chapter 1.

Here's what God said. Here's the good word to them. Yahweh your God has set the land before you go up and possess it is Yahweh God of your fathers has spoken to you. Do not fear or be discouraged.

That's just one part of the good news they received concerning entering the land which is using is a parallel is saying they were to enter the land you Christians are to enter heaven. They were abide in Christ. Of course, is a covenant people. They would go to heaven to because he did not go into the land I should point out does not mean instantly that they didn't go to heaven that's that's not what's being discussed. That's not why he's bringing them up but that's a side note, for instance, Moses and Aaron did not get into the promised land. They certainly are in heaven, and many others to with this the land that they were disqualified from. However, even within that number. There were some that were just outright nonbelievers.

That's the whole story. When the serpents bit them in the put the bra brought brazen serpent opposite. Just look at it you will be for healed and they wouldn't. The ones I would look at it would die they rejecting God's word so coming back to this now again in verse two at the bottom. Now, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it word of God did not benefit them because they didn't believe it. I have had places in my life where I've come across things where I know what God promised nervous and I would make the prayer we know that New Testament prayer of the father Lord, I believe, help my unbelief.

That willingness those miles with the Lord is what is looking for. You reached a point where in your your human strength.

You cannot trust anymore.

You default to spiritual strength and you give it to Jesus and that's where that that father did Lord I can't believe like you want me to believe Peter's similar thing. Peter do you love me, do you agape me well I fly later you I love you Lord love you like you want me to love you because I can. I tried, I thought I had it I thought all these would fail. But my love would prevail over this trials and temptations that awaited me and I failed so humbly, I love you as best I can but I love you. Jesus knew that Jesus, if you wanted to get on the wrong side of Jesus just telling Peter didn't love Jesus would fix your clock for you even if you didn't have one so this understanding, the person of Jesus Christ is not a religion. We have asked religion in the sense of dictionary sense of the word. We have this dynamic relationship. There are forces at work when we are related to Christ every born again believer knows that yeah you have laws you go through struggles one proof of your salvation is when you're very disappointed with what got what God is doing there going to be those tell what should be happy when something someone something sorrowful happens we praise the Lord. In spite of those things that does not mean we would've voted for their many things I would like to change about this life. Even little things haircuts why do they have Mike and you just have G.I. Joe hair, which is stays right there is a lot of stuff in this life.

Those are deal breakers with us. Well anyway, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it. Faith is the detonator.

The word is is the explosive, but faith detonates those things, and believing them accepting them and always recognizing that he actually is Lord you can read something in the Scripture and like it wanted for yourself and not get it.

He still my Lord. That is faith that is with those in the wilderness were not willing to do and that's what they're tinkering with here in this audience. Verse three we who have believed do enter that rest, as he has said so I swore in my wrath, they shall not enter my rest.

Although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. We who believe we enter we enter is rest in this life or yes from time but there is a final rest that is coming with. There is no more labor in the realm of sin with which sin present with us is simple enough we enter heaven, not not Canaan, where he says they shall not enter my rest is quoting Psalm 9511 and is doing that to say to them.

Joshua didn't give them the rest that they would've had. But God did not leave it there.

When he finished them off in the wilderness, God still said this rest for my people and that is developed through the ages and that's why he quotes David, who came 500 years after Joshua and he says although the works were finished since the beginning is twice quoting Genesis 22 ways is the foundation of the world part of God's plan is not something random, so it is now salvation.

Ephesians 14 just as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world. We should be holy and without blame before him in love from the beginning. This is been God's plan.

It's been intercepted by sin. Verse four for he is spoken in a certain place of the seven day in this way God rested on the seventh day from all his works. So the idea of this restless concept of rest for believers originates with God for his people. It is made available to us. Also God's Sabbath out of Eden was broken by man's disobedience.

God rested the seventh day within man sin.

Now God is at work. Jesus said my father works until now and I work and so do we.

Because of sin, but before send it was just rest. Everything was nice. Adam walked in the cool of the day with the Lord.

We are going to have a superior rest. When we enter those gates in heaven. Verse four for he is spoken in a certain place the seventh day. In this way and God rested on the seventh day from all his work verse five and again in this place, they shall not enter my rest was keeping the parallel before them is not letting them lose sight of the severity of the of the consequence that will befall them.

God is serious he is serious about rejecting those who reject him. This is our message to the world and we can't lose sight of it world we have what they can get nowhere else.

The truth concerning God. Sin, mankind using Canaan to illustrate the destination and the consequence of failing and unbelief of the Jews. Again, it was the promised land. The church ultimately it is heaven. Verse six. Since therefore, remains that some must enter it. Those to whom it was first preached, did not enter because of disobedience. You get the feeling this is being driven plot driven and repeated over stressing it over is not letting them get away. If not for one moment they catching their breath is holding up before them judgment, judgment, judgment for unbelief. They would come away from this doing some serious thinking about departing the faith.

There has to be fear at work. What if you had no fear of hell you would answer the cry of your flesh every time it made a noise, why not, what consequence do I have to fear from a holy God help changes everything.

And that's where the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. Yes, we have grace we boldly enter into the presence of the Lord, that does not mean, for one moment we are free to be sacrilegious and blasphemous free to parade about as though God is not holy and serious about the things that he he is he is made clear to us.

Interesting thought about the sixth verse that that they were practicing the Sabbath, the fourth commandment that did not entitle them to be right with God. While I practice the Sabbath yellow you going to do a lot more than that they had got eventually became that very way with Jesus Christ whole look with your disciples breaking the Sabbath there eating grain off the hug and on the good or off the stems in this nonsense we hold up the Sabbath. Jesus said the Sabbath was made for man, not the man for Sabbath, church churches made for us. We not for it were not slaves to ministry or service. In that sense God is given us these things and we are to avail ourselves of them. He says because of disobedience consequence. So we find this this was something that was stated in the early 1900s concerning Christianity, at least in this country. What would happen if Christians did not adhere to the spirit of God. He goes this way they will seek religion without the Holy Spirit we have that forgiveness without repentance we have that. In other words, I don't have to say I'm wrong before God. Just forgive me just behave as though I'm fine. Doesn't matter what I do. This is something that many Christians are infuriated when the church upholds the word we take them snow and how to let you do that you can't come back here to fix this. This is what the Bible says right here they get very indignant.

Often times not all the time.

Sometimes they submit and corrected wonderful story, but other times they don't they want forgiveness without repentance.

Repentance involves more than just say I was wrong means you change the direction you're going in salvation without rebirth.

I don't need to be born again.

I just need to go to heaven. Is he to save me because it's me see this happening today and then the fourth one fourth warning for the church. Those who seek heaven without hell. Well, in the sense that yet is no hell in heaven. Of course, but what's meant by that is, there are those that think only have an exist.

There is no hell that is to again call God a liar. I point these things out so that we can be ready to address them.

When given the opportunity.

Verse seven. Again, he designates a certain day, saying in David, today, after such a long time as it has been said today if you hear his voice, not harden your heart that long. Time is from the time of between Joshua Lord and Moses when the people didn't enter in the land, and they perished to the time David wrote this, and then from the time of David to its being preached right now so great urgency is placed on this today. Bryce, this is the third time he did it twice in chapter 3, and he's doing it here now. It is always time for a lost soul to come to God. God will never sell and are not yet at the ready for you will never do that. He says today. The essence of Christianity is getting right with God in this life through faith in Jesus Christ alone. There are no auxiliary saviors. There is no plan B for salvation through Jesus Christ. And if you don't open your heart today, then tomorrow you may find it is too late. So falling short of that risk. That is heaven would also say when he mentions David here that if Jesus is not the Messiah, then they will never be one because it is now no way for the June prove that he is on the line of David Messiah has to do that. Jesus did you been listening to cross reference radio the daily radio ministry of Pastor Rick asked Calvary Chapel in Mechanicsville, Virginia. As we mentioned at the beginning of today's broadcast. Today's teaching is available free of charge at our website. Simply log on to cross reference radio.com that's cross reference radio.com would also like to encourage you to subscribe to the cross reference radio podcast subscribing ensures that you stay current with all the latest teachings from Pastor Rick, you can subscribe cross reference radio.com or simply search for cross reference radio your favorite podcast to the next time as Pastor Rick continues teaching through the book of Hebrews right here on cross reference radio