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1:01Well, he is risen. If ever there was a time where death towered over the landscape, it was certainly the day that Jesus was crucified. On that day, Jesus was condemned by the leaders of his own nation. Think about that. He was rejected by the crowds before whom he performed great miracles. He was betrayed by one of his own disciples. He was deserted by his closest friends. And he was crucified on a cross as a criminal by Imperial Rome. Death certainly seemed to be the victor.

1:51In fact, some of his very last words were, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Which suggested to many that he thought even God had abandoned him. It was not what those followers of Christ were expecting. They were confident that he was Israel's Messiah and that he was sent by God to deliver the Jews from all of their enemies and exalt the nation. But instead, he died a horrible death right before their eyes. Instead of exaltation, crucifixion. Shocking. And what's more, his death wasn't even that of a valiant warrior out there on the front lines of battle.

2:52No, instead, he died in nakedness, weakness, shame, and disgrace. If ever there was a time when death seemed invincible, it was the day Jesus Christ was crucified. That day, hope died. That day, a movement died. And another great leader went to the grave to return to the dust from which he came. No, it was not Christus Victor that was seemingly the situation, but Moore's or Mortis Victor. Death is the victor. No other time in human history was the sting of death more acutely felt than the day Jesus died.

3:55And the crucifixion of Christ speaks of the darkest moment in human history. But then came the resurrection. And with the resurrection came resurrection faith. It's now a fact of history that the attitude toward the death of Christ and death itself radically changed among the early Christians. Even though the disciples had become bewildered. Had become confused, frightened, and even though they fled and had lost all hope and were scattered, it wasn't long afterwards when all that changed.

4:44And the disciples began proclaiming that this Jesus, who was crucified, had conquered a foe much greater than the Romans. He had conquered death itself. And that through his death, he had rendered powerless the one who held the power of death. In fact, the writer of Hebrews has already said such. If you look back at Hebrews chapter 2 and verse 14, he says this, therefore, since the children share in the flesh and blood, he himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death he might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is the devil, and might free those who, through fear of death, were subject to slavery all their lives.

5:40You see, humanity's fear of death is what enables the devil to control them. But the resurrection proves that Jesus had indeed entered into the strong man's domain and had over. Overpowered him and had plundered his weapons on which he relied. In fact, in Jesus' own words, he said it like this: Luke 11:21. When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are undisturbed. But when someone stronger than he attacks him and overpowers him, he takes away from him all his armor on which he had relied and distributes his plunder.

6:34Among the devil's arsenal was the power of death he used to control those who were fearful of death. But no longer, when resurrection faith came, no longer did death have the power over the early believers as it once did. A martyr's boldness erupted on the landscape such as the world had never seen. They confidently held to their confession of Christ even in the face of horrific treatment, even much like their master had faced a change. History, a fact of history. What caused this change?

7:30What took this sting out of death? What caused the early followers of Christ from being bewildered and delusioned to being so focused and triumphant? What happened? Well, there's only one satisfactory answer to these questions. They believed the good news. He is risen. That is what they believed. And it created a martyr's boldness such that turned the Roman Empire upside down. They knew their master had risen from the dead and that he had put his spirit in them.

8:26Christ had imparted to them the power of his resurrection life. And he does so today. They believed the good news, and that's what transformed them. Well, this is the exhortation in our text this morning. Believe the good news. Look back at Hebrews 4:2. For indeed we have had good news. Good news preached to us, just as they also believe the good news. That's where he's been going, that's what he's been teaching. And the preacher here in Hebrews is exhorting his audience strongly, and that audience trickles down to us as well. He's exhorting them strongly against having an unbelieving heart. To what degree do you really believe Christ is?

9:44Look at what he says in Hebrews 3:12. Take care, brethren, that there not be any in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. You know why people fall away from the living God? It's because they turn away. That's what falling away means. They turn away. And you know why they turn away? Because they choose not to believe the good news. You can either choose to believe God or not. You can either choose to believe the gospel or not. And there's worlds of difference.

10:31But the exhortation, he keeps coming back to this. Why? Why does he say, don't have an unbelieving heart? Because the bottom line is, an unbelieving heart provokes God. Provokes him to anger. Because you should believe. Look at what he says in Hebrews 3, 16. For who provoked him when they had heard? Indeed, did not all of those who came out of Egypt led by Moses? And with whom was he angry for 40 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 those who were disobedient?

11:19So we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief. Unbelief provokes God. You and I will fail to enter into God's rest if we do not believe. And that is why this exhortation is so strong when you come into chapter 4. Look at what it says of verse 1. Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise reigns of entering his rest, any one of you may seem to have. Come short of it. You see, when we refuse to believe God, we provoke Him.

12:10This was the history of Israel. This was the history of that Exodus generation of which the preacher in Hebrews is warning us to not be like, to learn from them. Don't do the same thing. Here are your choices regarding the gospel: believe it or provoke God. Receive the gospel or refuse it. Choose to trust in God or choose to reject God. That's where the gospel takes us. The gospel judges us. Are you going to provoke God or are you going to rest in Him?

13:09There is no middle ground in this holy war. Only those who choose to believe the good news will enter into God's rest. Now, rest in this lifetime, and the ultimate expression of that, rest. In the kingdom to come. So, from our text this morning, I want you to see three reasons why you should believe the good news. Three reasons why you should believe the good news. First of all, good news profits only those who believe. Good news profits only those who believe. Look back at verse 2. For indeed, we have had good news preached to us, just as they also, but the word they heard did not profit them because it was not united by faith in those who heard.

14:08We, that refers to the Hebrews generation. They refers to the Exodus generation. You see a comparison going on here. Both generations, notice, had had the good news preached to them. Or indeed, we have had good news preached to us just as they. Good news, we too have been evangelized. We too have heard the promises, the good news. Good news of what? What did the Exodus generation hear? What was the good news? Well, they heard the promise of God's deliverance. They had the promise of God's presence. They had the promise of God's rest, his guidance, his protection, his supply, his eternal favor. And you go on, all of that they had preached to them.

15:00Just like we do in the gospel today. But there was a problem. Look back. But the word they heard did not profit them. The good news didn't profit them. It didn't benefit them. It didn't help them. The good news didn't do anything good for them. It tells us something about the intention of good news. Even the good news that we read every day as we read in the scripture, the good news that is proclaimed, that we talk about in our community here, in all of our associations and gatherings, we talk about this word back and forth. It's evident that the word of God is intended to benefit those who hear. There's a benefit. That's why we want to listen. But that Exodus generation, the preached word did not profit them. Why not? Well, the answer is given to us. Look back at verse 2, because it was not united by faith in those who heard.

16:16It wasn't united with faith. It wasn't mixed together with faith. The word is really blended together. Okay, let's go back to my favorite animal. You ought to know my favorite animal. By now. What is it? The cow. The cow. And why is it the cow? Because the cow eats grass. Stuff that, you know, just stuff that we don't even need or use. And what does it make? Oh, God, milkshakes. Thank you. Let's talk about the milkshake for a moment. And if you're vegan, think smoothie. But we can go milkshake.

16:53Okay, what do you have in a milkshake? Well, you have all those raw ingredients in there. But unless you blend it together, guess what? You don't get the wonderful milkshake. You get a bunch of parts of it. But you need to blend it together to get that full effect. And that's what happens. You don't just throw a bunch of ingredients in there and think you've got a milkshake. No, it's got to be. And that's the same thing what he's saying here. Think about this equation. God's word put into the soul of a person and then mixed together with faith produces the humanity that God is excited about. That's the equation.

17:39And that's what was wrong with that first generation. That was what was wrong with Paul's generation. That's what is wrong, I'm afraid, with many of us today. We hear it comes in, but we don't mix it together with faith, so it doesn't produce its benefit, its profit. We must hear and believe. Mix together the words that we read with faith. That is the delightful product that God is looking for in humanity. Doesn't matter where you're from, what your background is. What matters is: have you heard the word of God? Do you combine it with faith and then go live? I think we can all improve in that area, can't we? Combine the word with faith in our hearts, and it transforms us, but it does not profit those who do not believe it. And so he comes to a conclusion: Had the Exodus generation believed the good news, it would have profited them. But good news profits only those who believe it, it would have helped them enter into the rest that God had for them.

19:14Hebrews' generation faces the same situation about abandoning their confession of Christ. Many embracing Judaism, going back. You see, the gospel. That we have heard will not be of any benefit to any one of us if we do not combine it with faith. So be afraid. That's how this chapter starts. Be afraid. Be afraid of provoking God by not believing. Be afraid of missing out of the benefit of God's word. There is no middle ground in this holy war.

20:07I love this about the gospel. This is like the cowboy spurs that spurs us on. Believe, but it's too good to believe. Then be afraid of not believing. Okay, I'm going to believe. I love it. God wants the good news of the gospel to profit us. And so he gives us this strong motivation. Be afraid of not believing. That's how this chapter starts. Good news profits only those who believe it. So believe the good news. Second, good news provides rest for the believer. Good news provides rest for the believer. Look at verse 3. For we who have believed enter that rest, just as he has said, as I swore in my wrath, they shall not enter my rest, although his works were finished from the foundation of the world.

21:16Good news profits only those who believe. But what does it give? What is that profit? Well, the good news provides rest for the believer. Therein is the prophet right here. What's the benefit of believing? Soul rest. Notice what it says: we who have believed. Speaking about those in an ongoing state of trust. Enter. It's a continuous verb. We are entering. We who have believed are entering. And it speaks of something that is already happening. We are entering and will continue until its conclusion.

22:12What are they entering? Look back. For we who have believed enter that rest. It's the rest he's already spoken about. Remember, we spent one, we spent a lot of time, at least a whole day, looking at Psalm 95. We also spent some time looking at Genesis. Genesis chapter 2. Rest. His rest. Notice back in verse 1. What is that rest? Therefore, let us fear. Well, a promise remains of entering his rest. It's God's rest, his rest.

22:51Think about it when you're looking at Genesis 2, and he's going to speak more about Genesis 2 in the next verse. But what was happening in Genesis chapter 2 and verses 1 through 3? God saw all that he had created. He rested. He ceased. God was contemplating his finished work. And therein we start to understand what biblical rest is. Contemplation upon God's finished work. That, what rest is. He ceased from work and reflected upon it because it was complete. That's God's perspective. Now think about it from our perspective. Rest is a state of soul trust in God. And it causes a person to cease from all worries and strains of self-reliance.

24:00The problem with self-reliance is that we're all too much aware of our self-inadequacies. And so, if you're just navel-gazing, looking at yourself, if your world is just looking and contemplating what is lacking in your life, there never will be rest because the work is not completed, nor can it ever be, and nor are you competent enough to complete it. And that's why it takes a rest that comes from outside of us, a rest that comes by virtue of contemplating God's works, because only they are done by the perfect person, thoroughly done and lacking nothing.

24:49You see, had the Exodus generation believed God, they would have entered into God's rest in all of its manifestations. First, as they left Egypt, when they came to the sea, when they entered into the wilderness, they would have been this soul rest, even though their circumstances would have dictated others. There would have been a soul rest. Would have let that rest, would have taken them all the way to the promised land. And as they saw the giants, there would have been this soul trust and rest to go on in.

25:25And they would have entered into that place that God had for them. But going beyond that, they would have entered into faith, into the assurance, and into the rest of God's loving kindness and future rest. And since God's works were finished from the foundation of the world, they have always been available to contemplate. You see, they could have rested along the way to the place of rest, and then they would have entered that rest. Same is true with us.

26:08When we are in physical need or in physical danger, or when your faith is testing all kinds of challenges, which guaranteed this week is going to throw at you, you can contemplate God's works in creation. You can contemplate God's deliverances. You can contemplate God's provision that we see in biblical history. You can see, contemplate God's expressions of His loving kindness to you personally. Whether it's your own personal history, whether it's what you see in Scripture, whether it you see all around you, you can contemplate something that an individual who is perfect.

27:04You see, had they done this, had that Exodus generation, when they were in physical danger or in need, had contemplated what God had already done, what he did in creation, what he was doing among them, what they had seen even with their own eyes, if they had really entered into taking into what this meant about their relationship with God and what was coming ahead because of who God was, that would have put their souls at rest. It also put their mouths to rest.

27:38But instead, they chose to provoke God by not trusting in him. They constantly questioned God's ability. They questioned his guidance. They questioned his wisdom. They even questioned his motives. And through their unbelief, they saw God to be a liar, to be incompetent, and evil. And that is why they said, Let us appoint a leader and go a different direction. You see, this perception of God is what cut them off and made entering into God's rest impossible. Entering God's rest was not just a punishment, it was, but it was more than that, it was an impossible. Possibility. You see, you cannot enter a relationship with God unless you let him be who he is, God.

28:39You have to let God be God. But this is where unbelief inevitably takes us. Let us point another leader and go a different direction. God is not to be trusted. But notice he makes this statement at the end. God's rest has been available since the foundation of the world. Look at, although his works were finished from the foundation of the world. It seems like a little peculiar statement, and some think that the rest spoken here is merely something that's reserved for the future. But it's not so. This statement is distinguishing something between God's rest and God's works. There's a distinction. There's God's works and there's God's rest.

29:34The kingdom to come, heaven, is also a work of God. It's not the contemplation of that work. Do you see the difference? There's works and then there's rest in that work. There's a work and then there's the contemplation and the satisfaction and the enjoyment of that work. And so what he's saying is that God's completed works have been around. Since the beginning of the world, and so has this opportunity to enter into his rest. And they didn't enter into his rest. Verse 3, speaking of the Exodus generation, even though God's works were finished from the foundation of the world. And yes, this has implications for the future. When he finished it, everything was there. Everybody was there. Even though we would come in time, yet that human race was launched. It was all there. The pre-appointed times, the boundaries, their habitations, everything, and heaven to come are all there.

30:47Just as complete, though not revealed. So, you and I, let us contemplate God's work in creation. Let us contemplate his work and what he has said in biblical history. Let us contemplate what he has done in our own lives. Look over the history of our own life. But also, contemplate his future promises. We're moving through this world rather quickly, and the promises are sure to come. They're not maybe's, they're realities. And soon we will be living in that reality. But it's It's no less real. We just see it through the eyes of faith. Do you believe he is going to bring it about? That's why his promise is, it comes down to faith. Do we believe him? Do we believe he's competent? Do we believe he's able? Do we believe he's willing?

31:49Or do we make him out to be a liar, incompetent, and evil? You know, faith does the opposite of worry. Have you ever heard the expression, don't borrow trouble from tomorrow? Have you ever heard that? Don't worry about tomorrow. You're just borrowing trouble. What happens when you worry about tomorrow or things that may happen in the future? What you do when you worry, you bring into your present a perceived reality about the future. And the problem with us is that we're very cynical.

32:36And so what we do is we bring, we borrow trouble that may be way off into our present. That's what worry does. Faith does the same thing, but from a positive side. You may have heard, don't borrow trouble. I would say, but borrow blessing. You can turn it around. I love what one commentator said. He says, faith brings into the present the reality of that which is future, unseen, or heavenly. For that reason, those who have believed can be said to enter God's rest already. You see, when you think about God's promise and you combine it with faith, you bring into your presence and present good things that are sure to come. Let those color your thoughts.

33:47Don't borrow trouble. Borrow blessing. The promises of God are sure. Bringing them into your life through faith will give you rest. So the good news profits only those who believe. The good news provides rest for the believer. But number three, good news invites us to enjoy what God enjoys. Good news invites us to enjoy what God enjoys. Look back at verse 4. For he has said somewhere concerning the seventh day, and God rested on the seventh day from all his works. And again in this passage, they shall not enter my rest.

34:36Notice how he starts somewhere. And for old men, this verse has been a great comfort. They look at this and they say, well, what he's saying is somewhere out there, there's this word. I don't think that's what it really says. The word for somewhere could easily be indeed. For he has indeed said concerning the seventh day. He has said concerning the seventh day, and God rested on the seventh day from all his works, citing Genesis chapter 2.

35:21God rested from all that he had created and reflected upon it. And again, and indeed, again in this other passage, Psalm 95, they shall not enter my rest. Indeed, God has spoken. And we've already spent a lot of time mining some of the truths out of these texts previously, so I'm not going to spend much time revisiting these. But you remember, Psalm 95 was a call to worship God. And it was a call to worship God by considering His word. Works. If you will consider his works, it will lead you, it will inspire you, it will bring forth out of you worship. That's what Psalm 95 was about. That's what the Exodus generation should have been experiencing all the way through the wilderness.

36:28Psalm 95 warned against stubbornizing your heart by provoking God by not believing Him. You see, from the very beginning, God has invited man to consider His work and so enter into that which God enjoys. That's why He said He rested and He wanted, He gave the day, the seventh day, so that in our normal routine and pattern of life, we would have days to contemplate, to reflect upon something perfect. God and His works are complete, they're not lacking. His works are all around. Around us, and those who contemplate them in faith enter into a state of enjoying what God enjoys. The good news has been preached to you as an invitation for you to come in and enjoy what God enjoys.

37:56The good news was spoken to the Exodus generation. You had a goal in mind: Come into my rest. Let me take you out of the land of Egypt. Let me take you into my rest. That was the invitation. That is the invitation to us today. The gospel is your invitation to enjoy what God enjoys. But it must first start by enjoying who God enjoys. What's his name? Jesus. Perfect humanity. Perfect deity. And believing in him and contemplating him will bring rest to your soul.

38:55You know, the first Adam left the universe kind of scratching its head. If this is the image of God, sure is pathetic. That was the slander that Satan brought in. He had everything, but it wasn't enough. Adam had everything, he had paradise, he had every kind of tree you can imagine, but there was one pathetic. Is that really man really that weak? That simple-minded? That treacherous? That gullible? That is why at first, the image of the first Adam must die.

39:53Because it's a slanderous, it slanders God. Yes, there's still some aspects of the image that we bear, but that fallen humanity is like a living slander. But the second Adam gave us a glorious image of God, didn't he? With nothing, he loved God more. He was robust. He was humble. He was sacrificial. He was loving, and he was powerful. He is risen. He has entered the strong man's domain, and he has overpowered him. That's humanity. That's the image-bearer. And that's who is going to inherit the earth. And we are now to follow him where he has led, and we too will be resurrected from the dead.

41:02You think those disciples were moved by power? After they had seen the resurrection, we see that resurrection spirit in them. You wait till we put on our new bodies. You talk about a resurrection power and glory and celebration. He has risen. And we shall. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, help us believe the good news. We know that good news profits only those who believe. And that profit is found in giving us rest in you so that we may enjoy what you enjoy.

42:00We thank you, Father. Thank you for our great King, our great God, our Lord, our Master, the One who entered the strong man's house, the adversary, the ruler of this world, and rendered his arsenal completely ineffective. You plundered his good and distributed them. So, Father, now we celebrate. Help us. Help our unbelief. We choose to believe. Help us. In Jesus' name, amen.