Will you please turn to Hebrews chapter 3.
The letter to the Hebrews chapter 3.
We begin with verse 1.
Prayerful holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling,
consider the apostle and high priest of our
confession, Jesus, who is faithful to him that
hath constituted him, as Moses also in all
his house.
For he has been counted worthy of greater
glory than Moses, by how much he that
has built it has more honor than the
house.
For every house is built by someone, but
he who has built all things is God.
And Moses indeed was faithful in all his
house, as a ministering servant, for a testimony
of the things to be spoken after.
But Christ, as Son over his house, whose
house are we, if indeed we hold fast
the boldness and the boast of hope firm
to the end.
Therefore even as says the Holy Spirit, today
if ye will hear his voice, harden not
your hearts, as in the provocation in a
day of temptation in the wilderness, where your
fathers tempted me by proving me, and saw
my work forty years.
Therefore I was wrong with this generation, and
said they always err in heart, and they
have not known my ways.
So I swear in my wrath, if they
shall enter into my rest.
See, brethren, lest there be in any one
of you a wicked heart of unbelief, in
turning away from the living God, but encourage
yourselves each day, as long as it is
called today, that none of you be hardened
by the deceitfulness of sin.
For we are become companions of the Christ,
if indeed we hold the beginning of the
assurance firm to the end.
Let us therefore fear, lest a promise being
left for entering into his rest, any one
of you might seem to have failed of
it.
Let us therefore use diligence to enter into
that rest, that no one may fall after
the same example of not hearkening to the
word.
Let us pray.
Dear Heavenly Father, we do commit thy own
word back into thy own hands, and ask
thee to bless it, and break it, and
give to each one of us, that we
may be full.
We ask in the name of our Lord
Jesus.
Amen.
We mentioned last time that the book of
Hebrew is a book of exhortation, because at
the very end of this book, we find
the writer tells us that the reason why
he wrote this letter was to admonish, encourage,
and to exhort these believers in the Lord.
So this is a letter of exhortation.
An exhortation in the scripture means to call
attention to, to warn against, and to encourage
unto.
Every time you find an exhortation is given,
an important theme is mentioned.
A very essential subject matter is presented before
us, and because of the importance, the greatness
of that theme, the writer encourages us to
enter into it, and warn us, lest we
miss it.
And this you will find in every instance
in this letter.
Altogether there are five distinctive exhortations in this
letter.
And last Lord's Day we mentioned the first
one.
The first one is in chapter one and
chapter two.
And there you'll find the theme is so
great salvation.
The salvation that our Lord Jesus has spoken
to us, and has provided for us, is
so great salvation.
It is so great that the prophets in
the old days, they were like very much
to know about it.
And even the angels will like to look
into it.
That you'll find in the book of Peter.
So here you'll find so great salvation.
And this so great salvation is not only
concerned with the forgiveness of our sin, which
is great.
With the receiving of eternal life, which is
very great.
And with the promise of entering into heaven,
which is exceedingly great.
But here you'll find there is something even
much greater.
And if you read the first and the
second chapters of the book of Hebrews, you'll
find so great salvation is concerned with glory.
In other words, God is going to lead
many sons into glory.
Into that inheritance which is incorruptible, undefiled, and
unfading.
Even the world to come.
That is the millennium.
So dear brothers and sisters, let us remember
that there is so great salvation presenting to
us.
And because of this, we need to be
careful lest we let it run out, slip
by, or drift away.
We need to exercise diligence to hold fast
to it.
Lest we miss it through negligence.
Now this is the first exhortation.
And this morning we would like to enter
into the second exhortation, which you will find
in chapter three and chapter four.
And the great theme that is before us
is found in verse one of chapter three.
Wherefore holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling.
Now here you'll find a heavenly calling.
The children of Israel received a calling from
God, but their calling was an earthly calling.
But we who are redeemed of the Lord,
we receive a calling from God.
And that calling is called the heavenly calling,
because we are a heavenly people of God.
Now brothers and sisters, what is a calling?
What is it that God has called us
into?
A calling that comes from God constitutes our
vocation.
It becomes our lifelong occupation.
It is something that we must be fully
committed to, and be totally occupied with.
A calling will not only show us our
destiny, it will also give us direction for
that destiny.
So you find that God has called us
with a heavenly calling.
We are partakers of a heavenly calling.
And the word partakers here means share us.
We share that heavenly calling together.
Now brothers and sisters, what is that heavenly
calling?
If you read chapter three and chapter four
of the book of Hebrews, you'll find in
that heavenly calling three things are being mentioned.
Number one, in verse six.
But Christ as son over his house, whose
house are we if indeed we hold fast
the boldness and the boast of hope firm
to the end.
In other words, we are called to be
the house of God.
Number two, you'll find that in verse 14.
For we are become companions of the Christ
if indeed we hold the beginning of the
assurance firm to the end.
We are called to be companions of Christ.
And the word companions is the same word
as you'll find in chapter three verse one
partakers.
In other words, companions means share us, partakers.
Not as some people say, sleeping partners.
That is, you are partners but you are
not active at all.
But it is a full partner.
You are actively engaged together in the business.
And we are companions, active partners of Christ.
That's what we are called to.
And number three, in chapter four verse one.
Let us therefore fear lest a promise be
left of entering into his rest.
We are called to enter into his rest.
Now these three things form the heavenly calling
that we are called with.
Dear brothers and sisters, we are called to
be the house of God.
We are not only being justified.
We are not only being glorified.
We are not only as many sons whom
these sons will lead into glory.
Now that seems to be individual.
But you'll find that we are called corporately
to be the house of God.
This is our heavenly calling.
Can you find any calling more heavenly and
more spiritual than this?
You know it is the eternal desire of
God to dwell among men.
But with the children of Israel, after he
redeemed them out of Egypt, he brought them
to Mount Sinai and there he gave them
his law and he commanded Moses to build
him a tabernacle.
Why?
Because through that tabernacle he was to dwell
among the children of Israel.
But brothers and sisters, how much better it
is today that God does not dwell in
a physical tabernacle in order to dwell among
his people.
Instead you'll find God has made his people
his house.
God dwells directly in and among his own
people.
He has called us to be his house,
his holy habitation, his spiritual house.
That is our heavenly calling.
But you notice one thing, and that is
you'll find in verse six that word if.
You know whenever you'll find that little word
if, it means that you are not dealing
with this matter objectively, as true.
Now it is objectively true, as true.
But if you find the word if there,
you know that you are now entering into
the realm of subjective experience.
High privilege demands great responsibility.
The higher the privilege, the greater the responsibility.
We are so privileged as to be called
to be the house of God.
That God will dwell in all men.
God will find his rest in us.
God's heart will be satisfied with us.
That God will be loved and worshipped and
served by his people.
Now brothers and sisters, this is a tremendous
privilege.
But because the privilege is so high, the
responsibility is very great.
And that's the reason why you'll find the
word if there.
We are God's house, if.
Do not think that a house of God
comes automatically, because you're saved.
Therefore you are the house of God.
Not so.
One stone, even if it is a living
stone, is not a house.
These living stones had to be built up
together in order to be a house.
And that's where our responsibility is.
Now it is true our Lord Jesus said,
I will build my church upon this rock.
It is the Lord himself who builds the
house.
He is not only the son over his
house, but he is also the builder of
the house.
That is true.
He is going to build us, living stones,
believers, as living stones.
He is going to build us together upon
himself as the foundation to be a holy
habitation for God.
Now that is the work that our Lord
Jesus will do.
But remember, he is going to build us
up.
Unless we are willing to yield ourselves to
his hand, unless we are willing to cooperate
with him, he will not be able to
build us together in him.
And that is where the word if comes.
Whose house are we?
If.
Indeed we hold fast the boldness and the
bones of hope firm to the end.
Now what is our hope?
Our hope is, one day we will be
the finished house of God.
That God can dwell among us eternally.
God can make us his eternal home.
And then we will find our eternal home
in God.
Now this is our hope.
Let us hold fast the boldness and the
bones of our hope firm to the end.
In other words, this is our boast.
This is our boldness.
That one day we will become the completed
house of God.
Now hold fast to that.
Don't give that up very easily.
Why?
Because in the very process of building us
together, there is a lot of chiseling, lot
of cutting, lot of sawing, lot of smoothing,
lot of refining, lot of reducing, lot of
work to be done in our lives.
In other words, there is the working of
the cross in our life.
And because there is such a working of
the cross in our life, sometimes we get
disappointed, sometimes we get discouraged, sometimes we faint,
and sometimes we want to draw back, we
want to flee away.
We refuse to cooperate.
We give up our hope.
And if we do, then the Lord is
not able to build us in and build
us together.
And that's the reason why you'll find the
word if there.
But dear brothers and sisters, how can we
hold fast the boast and the boldness of
the hope firm to the end?
There is a secret there.
And the secret is Christ in you, the
hope of glory.
In other words, it is because Christ is
in you.
And as a matter of fact, Christ is
not taking you and me as the building
blocks of the house.
He is actually taking himself in you and
me to build up the house of God.
And that's the reason why you and me
has to be eliminated.
In order that he may be increased and
we may be decreased, that the house may
be built.
But thank God, Christ in you, the hope
of glory.
Yes, in me, that is in my flesh,
there is no good.
If it depends upon me, not only I
will fail, but God has to give up.
But thank God, it does not depend on
me.
It depends on the Christ in me.
And because he is in me, he is
the hope of glory.
One day that house will be built.
And this is our heavenly calling.
And then again you'll find we are not
only called to be the house of God,
we are also called to be the companions
of Christ.
Now how we like to share with Christ
in having our sins forgiven?
How we like to share with Christ of
the gift of eternal life?
In other words, we like to share with
Christ in what we call common salvation or
initial salvation.
But how many brothers and sisters are willing
to be a living partner with Christ in
his business?
That is in the very purpose that Christ
has in him.
Now the reason why Christ came into the
world is that he may build up his
house.
That he may have a body.
And when that body is fully grown, he
may have his bride.
Now that is the business that Christ is
engaged with.
Now are you actively involved in that business?
Remember what Apostle Paul says.
He said, I rejoice in suffering for you.
Why?
Because I'm feeling of the affliction of Christ
concerning his body.
In other words, are we just interested in
our own interest?
That is to say, are we just interested
to go to heaven?
Now sure we are interested.
But are we so interested that it becomes
the sole interest?
Or are we interested with the interest of
Christ?
Are we just concerned with our welfare?
Or are we concerned with the welfare of
God?
Now if we are concerned with the welfare
of God, then we become active partners with
Christ.
We become companions of Christ.
One day, those who accompany Christ on earth
today will become his companions when he shall
be crowned and when she shall receive his
bride.
You remember in Psalm 45, which is a
prophecy of the marriage of the king and
the queen.
And it is a prophecy concerning the union
of Christ and his church.
And there you'll find that God has anointed
him with all of gladness above his companions.
In other words, there will be companions there.
But remember, only those who follow the Lamb,
with us wherever he goes, will become his
companions at his marriage feast.
So here again you'll find we need to
hold fast assurance of our hope firm to
the end.
There is again the word if there.
A great responsibility.
And then thirdly you'll find our heavenly calling
is this matter of entering into his rest.
When God delivered the children of Israel out
of Egypt, in Egypt there was no rest.
Why?
Because they were slaves.
They were in a fiery furnace.
They were being put to hard labor, slave
labor.
And they were not even allowed to live.
The whole nation, the whole race were to
be eliminated.
There wasn't any rest.
But God delivered them out of Egypt with
the purpose of leading them into Canaan.
Now dwell in the land in safety and
in peace and enjoying the land that is
flowing with milk and honey.
Now this is God's purpose concerning the people.
But unfortunately, while God was leading them on
the way to Canaan, even though God proved
himself to them many times that God was
faithful, he was true to his word, that
there was nothing too hard for him, that
he loved them.
And yet you'll find these people rebelled in
their hearts.
They hardened their hearts towards God.
They refused to believe in God's word.
They questioned God's love and faithfulness.
And even though God endured them, suffered them
long, and yet finally you'll find when they
came to Cadizburnia, that was the end.
In other words, they came to a point
God said, because this generation, they're urging their
hearts, they do not know my ways, they
provoke me again and again and again, and
therefore this generation cannot enter into my rest.
Brothers and sisters, we have a promise to
enter into his rest.
And how do you enter into his rest?
Or in other words, what is rest?
You cannot rest if the work is not
finished.
But when the work is finished, then you
can rest.
You remember God used six days to repair
the earth, and after the six days work
were done, and then on the seventh day,
God rested from his work.
Why?
Because the work was done.
The work was done.
Dear brothers and sisters, even though man was
created on the sixth day, actually the first
day that man lived was the seventh day.
In other words, it was really God's purpose
that man was to be created on the
sixth day, and immediately he was to enter
into God's rest.
But unfortunately, you'll find men sin.
And because men sin, men not only lost
that rest in God, but even God has
lost his rest.
Because immediately after men sin, you remember, God
came to the garden to seek and to
find the lost.
Adam, where are you?
And immediately God began to work.
And that's the reason why you'll find our
Lord Jesus, when after he healed on the
seventh day, how the Pharisees then said, now
seventh day is a day of rest, you
shouldn't heal anybody.
And the Lord said, my father worked until
now, and I work.
In other words, where there is sin, there
is no rest.
And God has no rest.
He has to work until the work is
done.
Then he will rest.
And thank God on Calvary's cross, you remember
the last word that our Lord Jesus shouted
in victory, it is finished.
The work is done.
And because the work is done on Calvary's
cross, you know what our Lord Jesus is
doing today, or what is his posture in
heaven today, he sits at the right hand
of God.
Why is he sitting there?
Because the work is done.
After the work is done, you sit down,
and here you'll find the work of redemption
is finished.
And dear brothers and sisters, we are called
to enter into his rest.
And what does it mean?
It means that we are to rest in
his rest.
It means that we are to rest in
the finished work of Christ.
Dear brothers and sisters, why is it that
we are so restless?
You know, when the children of Israel were
in the wilderness, they were restless.
Why?
Because that whole picture is the picture of
a person who is living according to the
flesh.
We are born of the Spirit, and yet
somehow you'll find daily we still live according
to the flesh.
And even though we try to live according
to the good flesh and not the bad
flesh, you know flesh is not all bad,
there are the good flesh and the bad
flesh.
The bad flesh is to commit sin, and
the good flesh is try to please God,
or try to appease God, try to bribe
God.
Now that's the good flesh.
And brothers and sisters, whenever, as long as
we are trying to live in the flesh,
what happens?
You'll find we become restless.
We strive and struggle, we strain, we stretch,
we try, but in me, that is in
my flesh, there is no good.
And then begin to murmur, then we begin
to doubt, then we begin to lose heart,
and they begin to distrust.
Brothers and sisters, in the wilderness there is
no rest.
Rest is to rest in Christ, who is
clean unto us, and to rest in the
finished work of Christ.
You know the reason why we do not
have rest is because we do not believe.
We believe in ourselves more than we believe
in Him and what He has done for
us.
The moment we enter into the finished work
of Christ, our soul enters into rest.
In Matthew chapter 11, you find the Lord
Jesus said, all ye who labor and are
heavy laden, come to me and I will
give you rest.
When we were in sin and transgressions, we
had no rest.
And the Lord said, come unto me, just
come to me, all you that labor and
are heavy laden.
We are heavily laden and we are laboring,
you know.
We try to make it, we won't make
it.
And here you'll find that the Lord said,
you just come to me and I will
give you rest.
I will take away your burden.
I will take away your load, because I've
taken your load upon me on Calvary's cross
already.
And that's the reason why you'll find in
the pilgrim's progress, when that pilgrim, you know,
he fled from the city of destruction and
he came to the cross and as he
looked at the cross, that burden on his
back rolled away.
Come unto me, all ye who labor and
are heavy laden, and I will give you
rest.
Now thank God we who believe in the
Lord Jesus, we have that rest in our
spirit.
But the Lord said, there is another rest.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of
me, for I am meek and lowly in
heart, and ye shall find rest in your
soul.
Brothers and sisters, thank God, when we come
to the Lord Jesus with heavy burden, he
gave us rest.
And this rest in the spirit is there
forever.
But unfortunately, often times we find ourselves still
in the wilderness.
We find our soul is still restless.
And why is it?
It is because we do not take his
yoke upon us.
What is the yoke of Christ?
The yoke of Christ is the will of
God.
Because you'll find the Lord Jesus said, Lo,
I come to do your will.
The Lord took upon himself the will of
God as his yoke, to control him, to
guide him.
And he took that willingly, voluntarily, happily, joyfully,
victoriously.
And when he put that yoke upon him,
he was meek and lowly in heart.
There was no resistance, no fighting against the
Father's will.
Not my will, but your will be done.
There you'll find he was selfless, without himself.
And he yielded himself completely to the Father.
And how he has accomplished the will of
God.
And here the Lord said, take my yoke
upon you, and learn of me.
You know this yoke has two holes.
On the one side is where the Lord
Jesus is yoked to.
And he is going to yoke you to
the other side.
Because you are a cow, or you are
a horse uncooked.
And therefore he is going to break you
by yoking you with the one who has
been broken.
Who is always broken.
And here you'll find when he puts you
with Christ in his field, learn of him.
Look at him.
When you try to be restless, look at
him.
When you try to rebel, look at him.
When you feel that it is too hard,
look at him.
Brothers and sisters, by doing that, you will
find rest in your soul.
Why?
Because you enter into the good of his
finished work.
Dear brothers and sisters, this is our calling.
We are called into his rest.
But you know, I'm just explaining it spiritually.
Actually, if you read very carefully, you will
find the rest here is even more than
that.
Why?
Because it doesn't say that you may enter
into your rest.
It says you may enter into his rest.
You know, when we learn of him, we
enter into rest.
Yes, it is rest to our soul.
But still you'll find that the whole point
here is his rest.
We have the promise of entering into his
rest.
And what does he mean?
It means that when everything that he wants
to do is done, then he is rested.
And when will that happen?
That happens at the millennium.
At that time you'll find he will have
his bride.
At that time you'll find that he will
rest in his own rest.
And there we will rest with him.
So spiritually, the rest is something that we
should experience daily, even today.
But dispensationally, it is a promise that is
before us.
That if we use diligence, we will enter
into his rest.
We will reign and rule with Christ for
a thousand years.
So these three are the things that
compose our heavenly calling.
In other words, we are called to be
the house of God.
But in order to be the house of
God experientially, really, not just positionally, but really,
we have to yield ourselves to his hand
and let him build us.
We are called to be the companions of
Christ.
If we want to be his companions, then
we have to be actively engaged in his
business.
And we are called to enter into his
rest.
And if we are to enter into his
rest, we have to take his yoke upon
us.
And if we do that, one day when
his rest shall come, we shall rest in
his rest, in the millennium kingdom.
So this is the theme that is before
us.
Now brothers and sisters, can you imagine, can
you think of anything greater than these things?
Tremendous!
This is the heavenly calling.
Now with such a heavenly calling, here the
writer wants to encourage us.
He said, handing this before you.
Now what should you do?
Number one, consider.
Consider the apostle and high priest of our
confession, Jesus.
You know the word consider, the English word
consider comes from the Latin word, which is
the word for star.
So the root of that word is, as
astronomer, he looks at the star.
He considers, contemplates, gazes patiently, persistently, concentratively.
He gazes at the stars and tries to
discover the stars in the sky.
Now that is the meaning of the word
consider.
So consider means that we should gaze upon
the Lord Jesus.
Fix our gaze upon him.
Contemplate him.
Think about him.
Ponder over him.
Concentrate our thought in him.
And just like an astronomer with a star.
And if we consider him, guess what?
As the apostle of our confession.
Our Lord Jesus is the apostle of our
confession.
Now what is an apostle?
An apostle is one who is sent on
a mission.
Our Lord Jesus is God's apostle.
God sent him on a mission.
It is the mission of building the house
of God.
Moses was faithful in all his house.
Moses was an apostle to the children of
Israel.
He was there to build God a house,
a tabernacle, that God may dwell among his
people.
And he was faithful in the house.
But here you'll find our Lord Jesus is
God's apostle, not just to the children of
Israel, but to the whole world.
He is to gather us out of every
people, every nation, every tongue, every tribe, and
he is to build us together into the
house of God.
He is not only the builder, he is
also the owner of the house.
How much greater he is than Moses.
Now this is what the Lord comes to
do.
He comes to call us, to justify us,
to glorify us, to build us together to
be his house.
And he said, I will build my house
upon this rock that is himself, as the
foundation, and the gates of Hades shall not
prevail against it.
There will be a spiritual conflict going on,
but thank God the victory is already won.
The gates of Hades shall not prevail against
it.
In other words, he will have his house.
He has overcome all the forces of his
enemy on Calvary's cross.
He has delivered us out of the power
of darkness, and has translated us into the
kingdom of the Son of God's love.
He has done everything, he has provided everything,
and he is able to save us to
the uttermost.
He is a high priest, ministering to us
day by day today in heaven, that he
may save us to the uttermost.
In other words, here let us consider him.
If we consider him, then brothers and sisters,
you know that it is, even though it
seems to be impossible with us, but nothing
is impossible with him.
That is how our boast and boldness are
kept, considering him.
Brothers and sisters, it is not what you
and I can do.
All work is done by him, our apostle.
But all that you need to do is
hand yourself over to him, and let him
do it.
Are you willing to do that?
Consider Jesus, the apostle of our confession.
He has already entered behind the veil, as
the forerunner.
Brothers and sisters, there is a man in
heaven, sitting at a right hand of God,
and that man is beckoning us to heaven.
That gives us hope.
He has opened a way for us, and
is calling us to join him.
This son is to lead many sons into
glory.
And he is determined to build us together,
that the gates of Hades shall not prevail
against it.
He will do it.
We will trust him.
The third verse, 13.
But encourage yourselves each day, as long as
it is called today, that none of you
be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.
First let us consider Jesus, and then let
us encourage one another.
Brothers and sisters, first, do not consider your
brothers and sisters.
If you consider your brothers and sisters first,
before you consider Christ, then what will happen?
Because all you will see is the weakness
and the false of your brothers and sisters.
One brother once said, I have considered a
brother with microscope.
When you consider your brother, use a telescope.
So let us consider him.
If you consider the Lord with a microscope,
fine.
Consider him.
But after you have considered him, then encourage
one another.
Why?
Because we are to be the house of
God.
It is not a matter of you and
him alone.
It is a matter of you and he,
and brothers and sisters.
So dear brothers and sisters, do not think
of your own spirituality alone.
Think of your brothers and sisters.
Encourage your brothers and sisters.
Because if your brothers and sisters will fail,
then you will find the house will be
delayed.
So it takes all of us to be
together to build up the house.
And we are to be companions of Christ.
Christ does not have just one companion.
He has many companions.
Therefore we need to encourage one another.
Daily.
As long as it is today.
Now thank God today is the day that
God has made.
Let us rejoice in it.
I always thank God for today.
Often times I tell Lord, Lord I thank
you, do you give me another day, a
day of opportunity.
Because as long as there is a day
which is called today, you will find there
is hope there.
You will find that the Spirit of God
still has a chance to work.
You will find you still have a chance
to let him work.
So as long as it is today, let
us encourage one another.
Daily.
Let us encourage one another.
Lest anyone should fail.
And then thirdly, he said, let us therefore
fear.
Lest a promise being left until entering into
his rest, any one of you might seem
to have failed of it.
Brothers and sisters you know, holy fear is
an important ingredient in love.
You know it is true in 1 John
it said perfect love casts out fear.
But you know the fear there means the
fear of punishment.
And perfect love casts out that kind of
fear.
But the scripture said the fear of the
Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
In other words there is a holy fear
which is an important ingredient in love.
Now if you love a person, are you
fearful?
Not of being punished, but you are fearful
lest you displease him.
You want to please him.
And you want to please him so much
you are in fear.
And that is kind of holy fear.
Oh brothers and sisters today people are so
careless.
People are so loose.
Sometimes your relationship with the Lord is too
intimate.
Yeah of course in one sense you cannot
be too intimate with the Lord.
But in another sense sometimes it is a
little bit unholy.
Because there isn't a fear there.
As if you can do anything you want
to.
It doesn't matter.
After all he loves you.
So what matters?
Brothers and sisters isn't there that holy fear
in you?
You fear that you may miss out?
You may miss his purpose?
You may displease him?
You may fail him?
It is nothing if you fail but to
fail him.
That makes a great difference.
Are you afraid of that?
And then fourth way.
Verse 11 of chapter 4.
Let us therefore use diligence to enter into
the rest.
Now isn't that a contradiction?
You are to enter into rest but you
are to exercise diligence.
And exercise diligence is using some energy.
It is not resting.
But thank God you find that use diligence
to enter into the rest.
And wherein is that diligence?
To enter into the rest.
You find in the following verses.
In other words here you find the word
of God is sharper than two edged sword.
It penetrates.
It cuts asunder.
It divides the bone and marrow, the spirit
and the soul.
And it reveals the intent and the thoughts
of the heart.
For there is nothing that is not naked,
let bare before his eyes.
In other words using diligence to enter into
his rest simply means exercise
your will to lay on the altar as
a living sacrifice.
Do not get off.
Do not struggle.
And let the priest, the Holy Spirit use
the knife, the living word of God and
divide your soul and spirit.
And when your soul is divided from your
spirit you enter into his rest.
That's where the diligence is.
So the diligence is not your working.
Your diligence is using diligence to lay there
and don't move.
That's where the diligence is.
Now these are the encouragements.
Now finally the warnings.
And because of the greatness of the things.
Here you'll find the warnings are being given.
Now the first warning is sounded in verse
twelve.
See brethren, lest there be in any one
of you a wicked heart of unbelief in
turning away from the living God.
Now remember, these words are spoken to believers.
This wicked heart of unbelief can happen to
a believer.
Do you believe that?
The example is used of the children of
Israel.
Psalm 95.
How the children of Israel who were delivered
out of Egypt.
How in the wilderness they provoked the Lord.
They did not believe in Him.
They tested Him.
They proved Him.
And they erred in heart and they did
not know His way.
Now these happen to the delivered children of
Israel.
So here you'll find the warning is to
believers.
Brethren, see brethren, be careful brethren.
Lest there be in any one of you.
If anyone think that he can stand.
Let him be careful.
Lest he fall.
If any one of you has a wicked
heart of unbelief.
You know brothers and sisters, our relationship with
the Lord is a matter of the heart.
God has created us with us.
And with this heart we are to fellowship
with God.
In faith and in love.
But unfortunately this heart became a heart of
stone.
A stony heart.
This heart became a stony heart through the
deceitfulness of sin.
Sin has deceived us.
And make us heart as hard as stone.
You know sin is very deceitful.
You remember how the serpent tempted Eve.
How deceitful it was.
It seems that the serpent suggested something that
was very insignificant.
It seems as if this is just a
matter of eating a fruit.
Oh what a big issue eating a fruit.
And it seems as if he is suggesting
there will be wisdom.
There will be cleverness.
There will be like God.
So much was promised.
You know sin is very deceitful.
When sin comes it deceives people.
It tries to lure people thinking that there
is so much pleasure there.
It is a lie.
And it offers so much as if to
satisfy you.
And sometimes it seems so insignificant.
Such a small thing.
Maybe it is just a little wordliness.
Or a little pride.
Or a little jealousy.
It is something very insignificant.
But if you yield to it then you
will find sin begins to grow bigger and
bigger until you are under the dominion of
sin.
And your heart becomes hard as stone towards
God.
You are not able to hear him anymore.
You won't be moved by his voice anymore.
And that was what human heart was.
There was no fellowship between man and God
because the heart was stony heart.
But thank God.
When you are convicted by the Holy Spirit,
when you came to the Lord Jesus, you
know what he did?
Ezekiel 36.
He said God has taken away our stony
heart and has given us a heart of
flesh.
A heart of flesh simply means that it
is a living heart.
A tender heart.
A heart that can be touched and moved
and feels.
Brothers and sisters, thank God when we believe
in the Lord Jesus, he has taken away
the stony heart and has given us a
heart of flesh.
That we can be touched by God.
That we can be moved by God.
That we can hear his voice.
Because our heart is the ear that hears
him.
It is the eyes that see him.
It is the capacity to receive his communication.
This is what a heart is.
But brothers and sisters, it is possible, it
is possible, even with this heart of flesh,
if you do not hear his voice today,
and tomorrow, another today, and tomorrow, another today,
if you do not hear his voice, now
the Spirit of God is speaking to you.
You have a heart of flesh.
He is able to speak to you.
But when he speaks to you, do you
listen?
If you do not listen, if you do
not obey, if you do not cooperate, what
will happen?
You will find your heart gets hardened a
little.
And the next day, if you do not
listen, harden further.
And finally you may so harden your heart
that it becomes a wicked heart of unbelief.
You just won't believe.
Because you do not believe him.
You do not mix faith with his word.
You do not yield to his voice.
The result is, if you do not believe
in him, with such a wicked heart of
unbelief, you turn away from the living God.
Dear brothers and sisters, high is our privilege,
great is our responsibility.
And that is the reason why we have
to encourage one another.
Let someone among us get deceived by sin.
In the beginning it may be a very
small insignificant thing.
It may not be a very blatant sin.
It may be something very small and hidden.
But when the Holy Spirit speaks to our
heart, do you yield to the Holy Spirit?
Do you believe in God's word?
Do you let God's word cut off that
sin?
And if you harden your heart, you will
find that it will get hardened and hardened
and hardened until it becomes a wicked heart
of unbelief.
May the Lord deliver us from such a
wicked heart.
And then of course in verse 13 it
said, None of you hardened be hardened by
the deceitfulness of sin.
And chapter 4 verse 1, Let us therefore
fear lest a promise being left on entering
into his rest, any one of you might
seem to have failed of it.
You failed it.
That means come short of it.
It is God's will that you should enter
into his rest, today and in the millennium
to come.
But if you fail of it, if you
fall short of it, you cannot blame him.
Like the children of Israel, their generations fell
in the wilderness.
They did not enter into Cana because of
their unbelief.
But thank God there were Joshua and Cana.
They had a more excellent spirit.
They believed in God and believed in his
word and they entered into the promised land.
Dear brothers and sisters, O that we may
not be like those who fell in the
wilderness.
O come short of God's purpose.
But we may be like Caleb and Joshua,
by faith, mingling with the word that we
hear, that we may enter into his rest.
And of course verse 11 says that no
one may fall after the same example of
not hearkening to the word.
That we will not fall by the wayside.
That we may continue on until we enter
into his rest.
So brothers and sisters, thank God, he has
not only put before us a tremendous calling,
a heavenly calling.
But he has made every provision for us
to make it.
He is the apostle and the high priest
of our compassion.
And we are to encourage one another.
Every provision is there.
Let us make use of these provisions.
And let us not harden our hearts through
the deceitfulness of sin and develop a wicked
heart of unbelief.
That we may fall and fail.
Come short of the purpose of God.
Shall we pray.
Dear Heavenly Father, how we do praise and
thank Thee that Thou hast called us with
a heavenly calling.
And what a calling it is that Thou
want us to be Thy house, Thy companion
into Thy rest.
O Father, we just desire it very much.
And we do praise and thank Thee that
Thou dost call us to consider Jesus, the
apostle and high priest of our confession.
And Thou dost also encourage us to encourage,
exhort one another daily as it is today.
That we by Thy grace may make it.
O our Father, do be merciful to us
that none of us will fall by the
wayside.
But we may all enter into that rest
that Thou hast provided for us.
And we praise and worship Thee in the
name of our Lord Jesus.
Amen.