SERMON SUMMARY
Sunday, May 13,
2007
The Year of the Invitation : The Rest of God
Sermon given by Senior Pastor, Dan Tabolt
My thoughts went
to all the stories I have heard in my lifetime of hidden treasures. It
seems like we are almost programmed through life not to believe in
treasure. We are told stories of gold at the end of the rainbow, and there
isn’t any. Of a fountain of youth, and there isn’t any. Tales of a long
lost pirate treasure or of a Jeanie-in-a-Bottle that would grant us three
wishes. Pie in the sky. We are told, “if it sound too good to be true it
probably is”.
I remember once as a young boy getting a tin box and putting some coins in
it and a letter and then burying it with a dream that maybe some day it
would be a treasure for someone. [I ended up digging it up weeks later, I
needed the money!] If we are not careful, these old wife’s tales can cause
us not to believe there are any treasures to be had in this life. The
Bible teaches us that we have a treasure available both now and in the
world to come and that when we believe in Christ, we have an inheritance
that begins now and will follow us all of our days and into all eternity.
1 Tim 4:8 For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is
profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of
that which is to come .KJV
Heb 3:12- Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of
unbelief in departing from the living God; 13 but exhort one another
daily, while it is called "Today," lest any of you be hardened through the
deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold
the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, 15 while it is said:
"Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the
rebellion."
16 For who, having heard, rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came out of
Egypt, led by Moses? 17 Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not
with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness? 18 And to
whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did
not obey? 19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.
Introduction: The Promise of Rest
As we look at the following Bible verse, let us take note that the Bible
teacher here uses the word “rest” in three different ways. This was
typical of the culture of that day. It was as if he wants to squeeze every
drop of meaning out of the word, rest, so that we could fully settle in
the power of God’s complete work for us.
He breaks it down to: 1. The Peace of God. 2. The Promised Land
3. The Sabbath Rest of God.
Hebrews 4:1 Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let
us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. 2 For indeed the
gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they
heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard
it.
3 For 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. 4 For
He has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way: "And God
rested on the seventh day from all His works";
5 and again in this place: "They shall not enter My rest." 6 Since
therefore it remains that some must enter it, and those to whom it was
first preached did not enter because of disobedience, 7 again He
designates a certain day, saying in David, "Today," after such a long
time, as it has been said: "Today, if you will hear His voice,Do not
harden your hearts."
8 For if Joshua had given them rest, then He would not afterward have
spoken of another day. 9 There remains therefore a rest for the people of
God. 10 For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his
works as God did from His. NKJV
I. The Peace of God.
Matt 11:28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will
give you rest NKJV
Rom 5:1Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God
through our Lord Jesus Christ, NKJV
I sometimes think that when we first come to Christ we act like spiritual
two years olds. We are out of control and we can not sit still. We wiggle
and fuss as God begins His reconstruction of our lives. We must grow in
spirit.
II. Taking Our Promised Land.
2 For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the
word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in
those who heard it.
The Israelites in the long ago, failed to enter into the rest of God. Here
the rest is being used in the sense of the settlement of the Promised Land
after the wilderness years. In Numbers 13 – 14 we see the children of
Israel coming to the border of the Promised Land. They sent out spies that
reported back to them that the land is great but it has all kinds of
problems as far as them taking it. Only two of the spies believe that with
God they could take the land, the rest believe the cowards and disobey God
and never were able to go in. They did not trust God to bring them through
the difficulties that were ahead of them and because of that they never
enjoyed the blessing of the rest they could have had.
1. The Promised Land is there for every Generation. It is not a pie in the
sky, it is a promise to every generation that we can possess the Land. We
still have many spies that are saying to us we can not overcome the
people, the policy, and the culture of our generation. But I will stand
with Joshua and Caleb and say we are able to up and take the country.
2. David heard a voice say, “Today”. Each generation has their “Today”.
He designates a certain day, saying to David, "Today," after such a long
time, as it has been said: "Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not
harden your hearts." 8 For if Joshua had given them rest, then He would
not afterward have spoken of another day. 9 There remains therefore a rest
for the people of God.
Never think that you have arrived too late in history; never think that
the days of great promise and great achievement lie behind. This is still
God’s today. There is blessedness for you as great as the blessed of the
saints, there is an adventure for you as great as the adventure of the
Christians in the past. God is as great today as ever He was.
III. The Sabbath Rest of God.
This thought of completion is the dominate or foundational rest the Bible
is speaking to us from.
"And God rested on the seventh day from all His works"
1. The Strange fact about Genesis and the story of creation. On the first
six days of creation it is said that the morning and evening came; or that
each day had a beginning and an end, but on the seventh day, the day of
God’s rest, there is no mention of evening at all. God’s is at rest
because all things have been set in place.
2. All things are now made ready.
a. The Lamb has been slain.
b. The power of sin and death have been broken.
C. Fellowship with God is now available.
d. The invitations have gone out for the marriage of the lamb.
The Word Discovers Our Condition
Heb 4:11 Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone
fall according to the same example of disobedience.
12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any
two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of
joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the
heart. 13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things
are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
Our Compassionate High Priest
14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through
the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For
we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses,
but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us
therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and
find grace to help in time of need. NKJV
Are you Resting in His Peace, taking the promise land, resting in, “it is
finished”?
A tape recording
of today’s message is available from the church. To get your cassette tape
recording of this message, just send $5 (to cover costs of tape and
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Ministry
Abundant Life Fellowship
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Boonville, NY 13309-0022
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