Dr Tom Hover
April 23, 2023
Hebrews 4:1–16, I Peter 5:5–10
GOD’S BEST FOR OUR REST! / Part Two: Five Marks Of Spiritual MaturityÂ
GOD’S BEST FOR OUR REST!
Hebrews 4:1–16
Eternal Rest and even Present Rest is available for all who by faith receive God’s Best! There are Three Great and Wonderful Truths that are emphasized in this chapter which portray or are related to the work of Christ in salvation and the Blessings that accompanies the Salvation the we receive by faith. Hebrews 4 can be divided into three major parts as follows:
I. GOD’S REST Hebrews 4:1 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into His rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.
THE SWEET ETERNAL REST OF GOD
Heb. 4:1–11, Isa. 57:20, Matt. 11:28–30
1. God’s Rest Brings a Caution to Us Hebrews 4:1-2, 11:6, Psalm 95:7–11
2. God’s Rest Gives Confirmation to Us Heb. 4:3. Eph. 2:8–9
3. God’s Rest Has a Comparison for Us Hebrews 4:3-4
4. God’s Rest Is Not for All Crowds Heb. 4:5-6, Psa. 95:7–11
5. God’s Rest Is Not by Chance Hebrews 4:7 We use the word “chance” here in the meaning of opportunity. This is a reference to Psalm 95.
6. God’s Rest Comes to Us Hebrews 4:8-9
This text emphasizes that Jesus is better than Joshua because Jesus gives a much better rest than Joshua—heaven is better than Canaan.
7. God’s Rest Comforts Us Hebrews 4:10
II. GOD’S WORD Hebrews 4:12-13
THE SUPERNATURAL EVERLASTING WORD OF GOD
Psalm 119:1-176 Verses all about the Word of God. Names for God’s Word in the Bible: Book of the Law (Deuteronomy 31:26), Gospel (Romans 1:16), Holy Scriptures (Romans 1:2), Law of the Lord (Psalm 19:7), Living Words (Acts 7:38), Message of Christ (Colossians 3:16), Scriptures (2 Timothy 3:16, 2 Peter 1:21),The Scroll (Psalm 40:7), Sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17), Truth (John 17:17), Word of God (Luke 11:28), Word of Life (Philippians 2:16), Words of the Lord (Psalm 12:6).
THE SYMBOLS, OR WORD PICTURES, THE BIBLE USES TO DESCRIBE ITSELF? Milk (Hebrews 5:12-14), Solid Food (1 Corinthians 3:1-2) A Sword (Hebrews 4:12), Fire and a Hammer (Jeremiah 23:29), A Mirror (James 1:23-25), A Seed That Is Sown (1 Peter 1:23), A Lamp and a Light (Psalm 119:105, Matthew 7:13-14) It Is like a Light Shining in the Darkness (2 Peter 1:19), Water (Ephesians 5:25-26), Gold and Honey (Psalm 19:9-10), An Anchor (Hebrews 6:18-19)
1. God’s Word Is Practical
Hebrews 4:12 “The word of God is quick” The word translated “quick” means Living or Alive! No book is so relevant and practical as the Bible.
2. God’s Word Is Powerful Hebrews 4:12 “Powerful” The word translated “powerful” gives us our English word “energy.” Revelation 19:15
3. God’s Word Is Penetrating Hebrews 4:12 “Sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit”
4. God’s Word Is Purifying Hebrews 4:12 “Piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart”
Psalm 119:11, Ephesians 5:26–27
5. God’s Word Is Portraying Hebrews 4:13
“Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight; but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do”
6. God’s Word Is Our Paradigm Hebrews 4:13 “With whom we have to do”
III. GOD’S PRIEST
THE SUPERIOR ENDEARING PRIEST OF GOD
Hebrews 4:14-16, I Timothy 2:5
1. The Place of Jesus Our High Priest Hebrews 4:14
“We have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens” A priest is a mediator between God and man. The location of Jesus Christ is at the right hand of God:
Hebrews 1:3
2. The Person of Jesus Our High Priest Hebrews 4:14 “Jesus the Son of God” I Timothy 2:5 The Aaronic priesthood is past. It is replaced by Jesus Christ.
3. The Prompting by Jesus Our High Priest Hebrews 4:14
“Seeing then … Let us hold fast our profession” Jesus is superior to human priests because His people “hold fast” to their “profession”. The phrase “hold fast” means, “to seize or take hold of”.
4. The Pity of the High Priest Hebrews 4:15
For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
5. The Purifying of Jesus Our High Priest Hebrews 4:15 “Without sin”
6. The Praying to Jesus Our High Priest Hebrews 4:16
Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. The precept for praying “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace.”, The plainness in praying “Come boldly.”, The place of praying “Throne of grace.” The product of praying - First, what we will receive. “Obtain mercy, and find grace.” Second, when we will receive it. “In time of need.”
Conclusion: Do you ever need help? Do you ever face trials that threaten to overwhelm you? Do you ever go through temptations that appear to be beyond your power? We have a GREAT High Priest! He spoken to you about some need in your life today? If He has, come to Him and find the help and REST you need today. RECEIVE GOD’S BEST FOR OUR REST TODAY!
ANNOUNCEMENT: Next Sunday is our Fifth Sunday Fellowship and Dinner following the AM Worship Service. Also in the Fifth Sunday PM Worship is our Fifth Sunday Singing and two of our newer members to the Eastside Church family (Chad Haggins and Joshua Savaiinaea) will be sharing a word of testimony and a Word from God's Word.
PM
Part Two: Five Marks Of Spiritual Maturity
TEXT: I Peter 5:5–10 JUMP OFF TEXT: I Peter 5:10
But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
Introduction: Spititual Maturity effects the whole Person! The Spirit, Soul and Body are in line with God and His Holy Word. I Thessalonians 5:23–24 Sprititual Maturity not only effects your life in a very positive way! Also those that come in contact with you are bless by as well. Mark 12:28–31 One of the great needs in the last days and I believe we’re living in the last of the last days is to be spiritually mature, because if you’re not spiritually mature if you’re immature in perilous times you’re going to, perhaps, find yourself folding up and caving in, when you ought to be standing up for the Lord Jesus Christ. In First Peter chapter 5. I want us to see Five Marks of Spiritual Maturity! I Peter is really, a handbook for survival, to teach you how to endure in desperate days. I Peter 5:5–10 “Perfect” Make you teleos, mature. It doesn’t mean sinless. None of us will be sinless, but we can sure sin less—“… make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.”
A mature person is not blown about by every wind of doctrine. And what I want for the membership of this church is for you to be spiritually mature. I Peter 4:7 But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.
You can be instantly Spiritual, but you cannot be instantly Spiritually Mature. And you can be immature for a long time.
You can be young only once, but you can be immature for a long, long time. So, Peter here lists some marks of maturity.
I.?Body, Soul, and Spirit Submissiveness
I Peter 5:5, I Peter 2:13–17, I Peter 3: 1-5 Bill Gothard has rightly said, “If you teach a man his rights,
you’ll have a revolution; teach him his responsibilities, you’ll have a revival.” And, we’re to learn to submit one to another.
II.?Body, Soul, and Spirit Servitude
I Peter 5:5–6 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another,
and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
I Peter 5:6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
A mature person can and will serve. A servant would put on—it means a slave’s apron.
III.?Body, Soul, and Spirit Serenity
I Peter 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.A mature Christian does not run around nervous, worried,
upset all of the time. It’s not right for the upright to be uptight. Romans 8:28
IV.?Body, Soul, and Spirit Sobriety
I Peter 5:8-9
We’re to cast our burdens upon the Lord. But to be carefree doesn’t mean to be careless.
An immature Christian is, so many times, unaware of danger. Little children are what? They’re often unaware of danger, so you have to be careful with little children who are not mature. I John 4:4
V.?Body, Soul, and Spirit Steadfastness
I Peter 5:10
Suffering, rightly reacted to, will just toughen you and will stabilize you. A mature person can stand in tough times.
Now, we stand in His grace. And that grace—that grace—is what makes you a mature Christian.
God’s Grace makes us Spiritually fit.
1. “Perfect” - Spiritually Mature - We Become Fit.
2. “Stablish” - Spiritually Placed - We Become Firm.
3. “Strengthen” - Spiritually Strong - We Become Forceful.
4. “Settle you” - Spiritually Calm - We Become Fixed.
Conclusion: You’re not going to be blown about by every wind of doctrine. We need to be fit. We need to be firm.
We need to be forceful. We need to be fixed. All of that is in the amazing grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
