Laying Down Our Pride and Ceasing from Ceremonies that are Fading Away

November 24, 2013 Evening:

Title: Enter God's Rest

Old Testament Passage: Psalm 50:23 – The salvation of God

Gospel Passage: Mark 14:43-52 – Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus

Sermon Text: Hebrews 4:10 – Resting in Jesus and resting from works

Sermon Point: Jesus is our Day Seven of creation – He is at work within us both to will and to do according to His good pleasure

10 for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.

God has a rest for us. We consider that rest every Sabbath Day. It is not the rest of the land of Canaan, but another place, another person, another time period, another creation. Yet all of these things that are “another,” can live within us by the Word of God, and be expressed through us in your place, by your own person, in your time period, in this same world of creation where you live.

“The Word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart.”

This is something Moses said in Deuteronomy, but it was also something Paul wrote about in Romans 10. How can they hear without a preacher? We preach. You hear. You believe. You call upon the Name of the Lord. The Word is very near you.

Out of your inmost being flow streams of living water. This stream comes forth from God's rest. Where that stream flows, there is good work for us.

Why then does the author of Hebrews say, “Whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works?” Isn't there plenty of good work for us to do now for the Lord?

The natural man thinks He has so much to offer to God.

In John 6:28-29, those who came to Jesus wanting Him for their own agenda said this:

“What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”

The work that comes from the rest that God has won for us begins with God. It is a gift. It is our privilege that the river that flows from heaven flows through us. We can only accomplish heavenly works if we cease from our own works of self-recommendation.

This is the pattern that God established for that Day 7 rest. He stopped working. When we come before Him, our first step is to stop working, to receive His rest for us, which is Jesus, His Son, and to let Jesus work through us.

The only work that will last is God's work. But now He is at work within us, both to will and to do according to His good pleasure.

Today if you hear His voice, put down your work, put away your pride, receive His work for you, believe, and follow. Do not harden your hearts as they did in the rebellion. You can never even enter His rest that way.