Sermon
#21 Series: Hebrews
Title: THE SABBATH THAT REMAINS
Text: Hebrews 4:9-11
Readings: Office: Larry Criss Auditorium:
Lindsay Campbell
Subject: The Sabbath of Faith
Date: Tuesday Evening -- May 30, 2000
Tape # V-85b
Introduction:
Sabbath
keeping is not a matter of indifference. It is not one of those areas about
which the Scriptures give no specific instructions. In fact, the instructions
given in the Word of God about sabbath keeping are very specific and clear.
Like
circumcision, the passover, and all other aspects of legal, ceremonial worship
during the Old Testament, the legal sabbath day was established by our
God to be a sign, picture and type of grace and salvation in Christ. This
is not a matter of speculation and guesswork. This is exactly what God says
about the matter in Exodus 31:13.
Exodus
31:13 Speak thou also unto the children of Israel,
saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is
a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that
ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you.
Because
sabbath keeping was a legal type of our salvation in Christ during the age of
carnal ordinances, like the passover and circumcision, once Christ came and
fulfilled the type, the carnal ordinance ceased.
In
the New Testament, we are strictly and directly forbidden to keep any of those
carnal ordinances. In fact, we are plainly told that those who attempt to
worship God on the grounds of legal ordinances are yet under the curse of the
law. They have not yet learned the gospel.
1. Circumcision is forbidden as an ordinance of divine
worship
(Gal. 5:2,4).
Note: Those who have their babies
sprinkled to bring them into the church and kingdom of God, to seal them into
the covenant of grace, attempting to retain the carnal ordinance of
circumcision, by their act of sprinkling that child, deny the gospel of
salvation by grace alone. They deny the necessity of heart circumcision by the
Spirit of God.
2. Passover observance is forbidden since Christ our
Passover has been sacrificed for us (1 Cor. 5:7).
Those
who continue to offer up sacrifices to God, either for atonement or penance, to
gain a higher degree of divine favor or to prevent his anger, by their
sacrifices, deny that Christ’s death at Calvary was an effectual satisfaction
for the sins of his people. If something must be added to his blood and his
righteousness by us, then his blood and his righteousness are totally useless.
3. In exactly the same way, those who attempt to
sanctify themselves by keeping a carnal sabbath, deny that Christ is enough to
give us perfect acceptance with the thrice holy God.
As
Paul puts it in Colossians 2:23, they make an outward show of spirituality and
wisdom; but it is all will-worship. Such pretenses of humility are nothing but
the satisfying of the flesh. Not only that, the whole matter of sabbath keeping
is strictly forbidden by the Holy Spirit in Colossians 2:16-17. Since the Lord
Jesus Christ has, by his death at Calvary, blotted out the handwriting of the
ordinances that was against us, since he nailed God’s broken law to the cross
and put away our sins, he alone is our Sabbath. We rest in him.
Colossians
2:16-17 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in
drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: (17) Which are a shadow of things
to come; but the body is of Christ.
We do not keep a legal,
ceremonial sabbath of any kind, because it is here specifically forbidden. All
carnal sabbath keeping, any form of it, is strictly forbidden on the basis of
the fact that in Christ all true believers are totally free from the law (Rom.
7:4; 10:4).
Proposition: Yet,
the New Testament does speak of a sabbath keeping that remains for the people
of God.
I
want to talk to you now about that sabbath, The Sabbath That Remains.
My text is Hebrews 4:9-10.
The
children of Israel perished in the wilderness because of unbelief. They could
not enter into God’s rest in the land of Canaan, they could not enter into that
typical picture of God’s salvation, because of unbelief (Heb. 4:1-6).
Hebrews
4:1-5 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. (2) For unto us was the gospel
preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not
being mixed with faith in them that heard it. (3) For we which have believed do
enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if
they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the
foundation of the world. (4) For he
spake in a certain place of the seventh day
on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day
from all his works. (5) And in this place again, If they shall enter into my
rest.
Though
that unbelieving generation perished in unbelief, the purpose of God was not
and could not be hindered. There is an elect multitude who must and shall
enter into his rest. Look at Hebrews 4:6.
Hebrews 4:6 Seeing therefore it remaineth that some
must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached
entered not in because of unbelief.
Yet,
that typical rest given by Joshua in the land of Canaan was not the rest
purposed and purchased for God’s elect. It was only typical of that blessed
rest of faith which is ours in Christ (Heb. 4:7-8).
Hebrews
4:7-8 Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in
David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his
voice, harden not your hearts. (8) For
if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of
another day.
Now, look at verses 9-11.
Hebrews
4:9-11 There remaineth therefore a rest to the
people of God. (10) For he that is
entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. (11) Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man
fall after the same example of unbelief.
Note: The word rest, which is used over and over and over in Hebrews 3 and 4, means to
repose back, to lay down, to be at peace, to cease from work, to be at home.
But, if you have a marginal reference in your Bible, you will notice that the
word rest used in verse nine is an entirely different word. The word here
translated rest means sabbatism, or a keeping of a sabbath.
It is
this remaining sabbath rest that I want to talk to you about in the time that
remains.
Divisions: I want to show you from the Scriptures how that the Old Testament
sabbath day finds its fulfilment and complete accomplishment in Christ; and I
want you to see how we who believe keep the sabbath by faith in him.
1. The Lord Jesus Christ has
entered into his rest because he has finished all his work (Isa. 11:10).
2. Every sinner who believes on
the Lord Jesus Christ keeps the sabbath by faith, by entering into his rest
(Heb. 4:3).
3. We must labor to enter into
that great, eternal rest of heavenly glory (v. 11).
I. First, I want you to see that The Lord Jesus Christ has entered into his
rest, and that his rest is glorious, because he has finished his work (Isa.
11:10; 2 Cor. 5:17-21; Rom. 8:34; Heb. 10:11-14).
Isaiah
11:10 And in that day there shall be a root of
Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles
seek: and his rest shall be glorious.
Our
Savior’s rest in heaven is his glory. Again, I call your attention to the
marginal translation of the last sentence of Isaiah 11:10. It reads, “His
rest shall be glory!”
As
God the Father rested on the seventh day because his work of creation was
finished, so God the Son rested in the seventh day of time and entered into his
rest forever because he has finished his work of making all things new for his
people.
Romans 8:34 Who is he
that condemneth? It is Christ that
died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God,
who also maketh intercession for us.
Hebrews
10:11-14 And every priest standeth daily ministering
and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: (12) But this man, after he had offered
one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; (13) From henceforth expecting till his
enemies be made his footstool. (14) For
by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
Look
at Matthew 28:1. This is a very remarkable verse of Scripture. I wish you could
all read this text in its original language.
Matthew
28:1 In the end of the sabbath, as it began to
dawn toward the first day of the
week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.
The
verse quite literally reads, “In the end of the sabbath, as it began to
dawn toward the sabbath.” This is what that means -- When the Lord Jesus Christ died at Calvary
and rose again, the old sabbath of the law ended and the new sabbath of grace
began!
Behold
our exalted Savior! Do you see him seated yonder upon his throne in heaven?
There he sits in the undisturbed, undisturbable serenity of his absolute
sovereignty! His rest is his glory (John 17:2; Phil. 2:9-11; Isa. 45:20-25).
A. He has finished his work (John 17:4; 19:30).
·
His Work of Righteousness
·
His Work of Redemption
B. Because Christ has finished his work, the salvation
of his people is certain (Heb. 9:12).
·
The works were finished before the foundation of the world in God’s
purpose (Rev. 13:8; Rom. 29-30).
·
The works were finished in time when the God-man took his seat in
heaven as our forerunner (Heb. 6:20).
There
is no more work to be done. Christ did it all. Since he has finished his work,
he sat down in his glory. There he is resting!
C. This is what the sabbath days in the Mosaic economy
pictured.
All
those legal, ceremonial sabbaths of the Old Testament, all those sabbaths
required by the law of God in the days of carnal, ceremonial worship, were
designed to portray this glorious gospel rest and the rest of heaven that shall
follow, the sabbath into which Christ has entered and that into which all
believers enter when we trust him. Ours is a sabbath without end.
1. Genesis 2:2 -- As the Lord God ceased from his works, so
we have ceased from our works, when we trust Christ. That is what the law of
the seventh day sabbath portrayed. – Rest In Christ!
2. God also required Israel to
keep a seven year sabbath, during which the ground rested from its slavery,
curse, and toil, portraying that rest which shall soon come to God’s creation
and his people (Ex. 23:9-11; Rom. 8:20-21). It is called “the year of release” because the bondmen were set free every
seventh year (Deut. 15:9; 31:10). – Restoration in the New Creation at Christ’s
Second Coming!
3. Then, the law required a
seventh seven year sabbath, every 49 years whole land celebrated a year of
jubilee (Ex. 25:8-55). During that time all debts were discharged! -- All
mortgages were cancelled! -- All bondmen were set free! -- And all that had
been lost was restored! -- Eternal Glory (Rev. 21:3-5;
22:3-6).
This
year of jubilee is called “the year of
liberty” (Ezek. 46:17). This Jubilee is that which Christ has both finished
and entered into as our Savior, and that which is proclaimed in the gospel
(Isa. 61:1-3; Luke 4:16-21).
(Isaiah
61:1-3) "The spirit of the
Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD
hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind
up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of
the prison to them that are bound; (2) To proclaim the acceptable year of
the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; (3) To appoint unto them that mourn in
Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the
garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees
of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified."
(Luke
4:16-21) "And he came to
Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into
the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. (17) And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet
Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was
written, (18) The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me
to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to
preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to
set at liberty them that are bruised,
(19) To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. (20) And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that
were in the synagogue were fastened on him.
(21) And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in
your ears."
II. Second, I want you to see from the Scriptures that every sinner who believes on
the Lord Jesus Christ keeps the sabbath by faith, by entering into his rest (Heb.
4:3, 9-10).
Hebrews 4:3 For we which have believed do enter into
rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my
rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
Hebrews
4:9-10 There remaineth therefore a rest to the
people of God. (10) For he that is
entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
We
keep the sabbath of faith, a spiritual sabbath, not a carnal one. We rest in
Christ, trusting his finished work, by faith entering into his rest. The
believer’s life is a perpetual keeping of the sabbath.
None
of us keeps it perfectly. Our best faith in this world is still unbelief. But
we do keep this blessed sabbath rest sincerely, ever looking to Christ, ever
coming to Christ, ever resting in Christ.
Let’s look at Matthew 11:28-30 again.
A. Our all glorious Christ
gives rest to every sinner who comes to him in faith.
Matthew
11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
“I heard the voice of Jesus
say,
‘Come unto me and rest,
Lay down, thou weary one,
lay down
Thy head upon my breast.’
I came to Jesus as I was -
Weary, and worn, and sad:
I found in Him a resting
place,
And He has made me glad!”
The
Lord Jesus Christ has given and continually gives us rest. The rest of…
1. Complete Pardon (Isa. 45:22;
Eph. 1:6).
2. Perfect Reconciliation (2
Cor. 5:17; Col. 1:20-21).
3. Absolute Security (John
10:27-30; Phil. 1:6; 1 Thess. 5:24).
4. Special Providence (Rom.
8:28).
B. As the ceremonial sabbath portrayed a strict,
universal consecration to God, so this blessed sabbath of faith involves the
perpetual consecration of ourselves to our God and Savior, the Lord Jesus
Christ (Matt. 11:29-30).
(Matthew
11:29-30) "Take my yoke
upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find
rest unto your souls. (30) For my
yoke is easy, and my burden is
light."
We
keep the sabbath of faith when we wilfully, deliberately take the yoke of
Christ. If you would keep the sabbath, it involves much, much more than living
in religious austerity one day a week.
1. To keep the sabbath is to
bow to Christ’s dominion.
2. To keep the sabbath is to
learn of him what to believe, how to live, what to do, how to honor God.
3. To keep the sabbath is to
bow to his will.
C. How can a troubled, weary, heavy laden, tempest
tossed sinner obtain this blessed sabbath rest?
I can tell you, both from experience and from
the Word of God, there is only one way you can enter into his rest. You’ve got
to quit working! You have to trust Christ alone for everything!
III. Third, let’s look at Hebrews 4:11. I want you to see that we must labor to enter into
that great, eternal rest of glory with Christ in heaven.
Hebrews
4:11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that
rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
A. There is a great, eternal sabbath to be obtained.
Hebrews 4:9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the
people of God.
1. An Eternal Remembrance of
Redemption.
2. An Eternal, Perfect
Consecration to Christ.
3. An Eternal Rest!
B. Some have already entered into that rest.
Hebrews
4:10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also
hath ceased from his own works, as God did
from his.
I
have already shown you how this applies to Christ. But the text applies to
Christ’s people, too. It speaks of the rest into which God’s elect enter by
faith here, and in heavenly glory hereafter.
1. Many could not enter in
because of unbelief.
2. Those who have entered in
have ceased from their own works.
3. There are some who “must enter therein.”
C. “Let us therefore labor
(strive) to enter into that rest, lest
any man fall after the same example of unbelief!”
Application:
Philippians
3:7-14 But what things were gain to me, those I
counted loss for Christ. (8) Yea
doubtless, and I count all things but loss
for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have
suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
(9) And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the
law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is
of God by faith: (10) That I may know
him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings,
being made conformable unto his death;
(11) If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. (12) Not as though I had already
attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may
apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. (13) Brethren, I count not myself to
have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are
behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, (14) I press toward the mark for the
prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
The penalty for not keeping the sabbath is still death.
John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting
life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of
God abideth on him.
1. If you would be saved you
must keep and satisfy the whole of God’s law.
2. There is only one way you
can keep God’s holy law - by faith in Christ!
Romans 3:31 Do we then make void the law through faith?
God forbid: yea, we establish the law.
3. Come to Christ and rest
forever! May God the Holy Spirit graciously compel you to come to Christ and
find rest for your soul in him.
AMEN.