December 17
2 Timothy 4:19-22; Hebrews 1:1-4:13
The moment we repent and accept Jesus Christ’s payment on the cross on behalf of our sins, we are born again. Just like the birth of a newborn baby this marks the beginning, not the finale of our life. When you are born again, you are a believer. But do you struggle with unbelief? What areas in your life do you try to hold onto? Do you think you can navigate these areas better than God? Because unbelief is when you don’t fully trust God to lead your life better than you can. Do you struggle with particular sins because you are afraid to give them up? Because you do enjoy them a bit? Have you thought by following God, that perhaps God is the great cosmic killjoy? In searching for a future spouse, which criteria are you trusting in yours, the world’s, or God’s? How about friends, do you prefer being yoked with non-believers because of whatever reason, or believers? Afraid that you might not move up the corporate ladder without a bit of compromise here and there, after all everyone else is doing it. The list is endless. But we are called to search out our lives and bring every area under His Lordship.
Notice the author’s caution in Hebrews 2:1, “So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it.” Realize this letter was written to believers, who were Jewish. The rest being described by the author is available to all believers. Their salvation is already secure. What is being discussed is submission rest. We read in 3:12-14, “Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God. You must warn each other every day, while it is still “today,” so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God. For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ.” This is being written after describing how the Israelites in the desert wandering failed to enter God’s rest. He concludes this warning in 3:19, “So we see that because of their unbelief they were not able to enter his rest.”
The rest that God offers comes from a total commitment and trust in our heart to the Lord. Many who are indeed born-again believers fail to experience this rest because they doubt God’s word and promises and spend their lives wandering in unbelief. To this you might compare yourselves with others and state, “I’m not that bad”. But read Hebrews 4:12-13, “For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable.” This doesn’t mean to try harder in your own flesh, as we read in 4:10, “For all who have entered into God’s rest have rested from their labors, just as God did after creating the world.” We rest more, because we submit more. Our salvation is based on His perfect work not our attempts at it. Our rest on this earth will also rest on our realization that God can be trusted in every sphere of our lives. He will carry our burdens (Matthew 11:28-30). He did so much so that we can enjoy every moment from now through to eternity. He did so much so that we didn’t have to.
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: