If you have your Bible at this
point, please turn to the book of Hebrews, chapter 4. Book of Hebrews, chapter 4. God determined out of his love
and his mercy for a redemption of people before the foundation
of the world. But God's righteousness, his
justice, his holiness, and his law had to be satisfied and it
had to be honored. God's only begotten son, the
Lord Jesus Christ, He told the father, he said, I will be the
surety for my people. In other words, he would be our
substitute. He would be our representative.
He would be our one to stay in our place. John 5.26 says, for as the father
hath life in himself, so hath he given to the son to have life
in himself. And then John 5, 21 says, for
as a father raises up the dead and quickens them, even so the
son quicken whom he will. We know that Ephesians 2a says,
for by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves,
it is a gift of God. It is not of works, lest any
man should boast. We are saved by the blood of
the Lord Jesus Christ. We are saved by his atonement.
and he suffered the wrath of God's riding winepress alone
by himself for his people. Over here in the fourth chapter
of the book of Hebrews, the apostle, he's speaking to the people here.
He's talking about if you have a Bible like mine, it says at
the top, it says the rest of Christians is obtained by faith. In other words, when our Lord
Savior was on the cross, before he gave up the ghost, he said,
it is finished. There's no such thing as works
in grace. It's all of grace. And he had
some concern here for these people. He was afraid that some of them
may still had some strong ties to Judaism. They may had some
strong ties to thinking that works and grace had to be mixed,
but he wanted to show the people and to enforce the ideal that
Christ Jesus, that he was above the sacrifices of the Old Testament,
the iron priesthood, and that he has supremacy in all things. It says here in the first verse
of chapter four, 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. 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. For we
which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, as I have
sworn in my raft, "'as they shall enter into my rest, "'although
the works were finished "'from the foundation of the world.
"'For he spoke in a certain place "'of the seventh day on this
wise, "'and God did rest the seventh day from all his works. "'And in this place again, if
they shall enter into my rest, "'sin therefore it remaineth
that some must enter therein, "'and they to whom it was first
preached entered not in "'because of unbelief. Again, he limited
a certain day saying in David, today, after so long a time,
as it is said, today if you will hear his voice, harden not your
hearts. For if Jesus has given them rest,
Then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. There
remaineth a rest, there remaineth therefore a rest to the people
of God. For he that is entered into his
rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from
his. Let us labor therefore to enter
into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of
unbelief. In verse 12 here, it talks about
the Word. You know, for a man to enter
into the rest, he has to have a confession of his heart to
know that he is completely and totally helpless of anything
that he can do in order to find favor with God and to inherit
eternal life. It is all of Jesus Christ and
His sacrifice and Him and Him alone. To rest in Christ is to
completely trust in Him for the salvation of our souls. The Word
right here of God, it says here, for the Word of God is quick,
in verse 12, for the Word of God is quick and powerful and
sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the divinder
of slander of soul and spirit, and of adjoints, and of moral,
and as a discerner of the thoughts and the intents of the heart.
As we look at this word right here, does God mean the incarnate
word, Jesus Christ, or does it refer to the Bible and the gospel? 2 Timothy 3.16 says that all
scripture is given by inspiration of God. There was a very wise
preacher that asked this question one time, why can't it be both? Christ and the scriptures must
go together. As Christ reveals to the Father,
so this book reveals Christ. They cannot be separated. Christ
is a truth, Christ is a gospel, and it is only because that Christ
is alive that this book is alive. John 1.14, speaking of the Word,
it says, and the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and
we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the
Father, full of grace and truth. 1 John 5.7, it says, for there
are three by record in heaven, the Father, The Word and the
Holy Ghost, and he's 301. And in Luke 24, verse 44 through
46, And said unto them, thus it is
written, and thus it behoove Christ to suffer and to rise
from the dead the third day. Back in Hebrews 4 verse 12, it
says, for the word of God is quick. The word quick is an old
English word for alive. In other words, this word is
alive. This is the mind and the heart
and the soul of God. All the prophecies that are in
this book are to his people, to those that were placed in
Christ before the foundation of the world. If you have your
Bibles, turn to 1 Peter 1, 1 Peter 1, 23 through 25. We're still
talking about the word here. 1 Peter 1. 23 through 25, it says, being born
again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the
word of God, which liveth and abideth forever. For all flesh
is as grass, and of the glory of man is the flower of grass.
The grass withereth, and the flower thereof fadeth away. Listen
to this word, but the word of the Lord endure forever. And
this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you. We'll go back to our text in
Hebrews 4. It says here that it's talking
about the living word. This is a living book, the words
of our living Redeemer. It's living, it's active, it's
powerful, and it is effectual. Hebrews 11.3 says that the worlds
were framed by the word of God so that things which are seen
were not made of things which do appear. and the world's powerful is able
to keep. We are saved by the power and
we are kept by the power of God. Jude 24 and 25 says, now to him
that is able to keep you from falling, to present you faultless before
the presence of his glory with exceeding joy to the only wise
God, our savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power both
now and forever. Verse 12, it says that the Word
is sharp as a two-edged sword. If you have your Bibles, turn
to 2 Corinthians 2. 2 Corinthians 2. Verse 14 and
15. 2 Corinthians 2. Verse 14 and 15 says that the
Word of God is sharp as a two-edged sword. It says, now thanks be
unto God, which always causes us to triumph in Christ and make
manifest the savor of his knowledge by us in every place. For we
are unto God a sweet savor of Christ in them that are saved
and in them that perish. To the one we are the saver of
death unto death, and to the other the saver of life unto
life. And as who is sufficient for
these things? It brings life to those when
they hear the word of God preached, the true gospel of the Lord Jesus
Christ preached. Whenever God enters their heart
and opens up their heart and they believe, it brings life
into them. But the deadly smell of doom to those who refuse to
believe. But it doesn't matter. God is
glorified by the faith of every human being that has ever lived.
If they're saved, He is glorified by His grace. If they refuse
Him and reject Him, He is glorified by His justice. It says here... It says here, I'll go back to our
text on 4.12. It says here that the Word pentecrates
the soul. Verse 12 here, for the Word of
God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword,
piercing even the diviningness under a slow and spirit, and
of the joints and the morals, and of the discerner of the thoughts
and the intents of the heart. The Word penetrates the soul
and the spirit. It judges the thoughts and the
attitudes of the heart. It's able to enter into the deepest
parts of the of the person's being. There's not anything that
escapes that. And it says here in verse 13
of this text, it says, neither is there any creature that is
not manifested in its eye, but all things are naked and open
unto the eyes of him with whom we have, that we have to do.
Luke 12, 2 says, for there is nothing covered that shall not
be revealed, neither is anything hid that shall not be known. If you have your Bibles, turn
to this chapter here come up on my mind, Psalms 139. There's
nothing that God doesn't say, there's nothing that he doesn't
hear, there's nothing that he doesn't know about, whether you're
saved or whether you're lost. Psalms 139, I'd like to read
a few verses here. It says here, oh Lord, and it
doesn't matter if you're saved or you're lost, God knows us.
It says, oh Lord, thou hast searched me and knoweth me. Thou knowest
my down setting and my up rising. Thou understand my thoughts afar
off. Thou comest past my path and
my land down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is
not a word in my tongue, but lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether. Thou hast beset me behind and
before, and laid thy hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful
for me. It is high. I cannot obtain unto
it. Wherever shall I go from thy
spirit, or wherever shall I see from thy presence, if I ascend
up into heaven, thou art there. If I make my bed in hell, behold,
thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning
and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there shall
thou hand lead me and thou right hand shall hold me. If I say
surely the darkness shall cover me, even the night shall be light. about me. Yea, the darkness hidden,
not from thee, but the night shine of this day and the darkness
and the light are both alike to these. For thou has possessed
my reigns, thou hath covered me in my mother's womb." Let's
go back to our text in Hebrews 4. He says here again in verse 13,
neither inner creature that is not manifested in his sight,
but all things are naked and open unto the eyes of him that
hath to do. Our Christ is omniscient, he's
all-knowing, great is our Lord, and of great power. His understanding
is infinite. That means that it's impossible
to measure or to calculate. He knows the false professors
as well as he knows his sheep. Believers have to do with him
now as their prophet and their priest and their king. Let's
see what it says about what believers have to do. Look at John 12,
verse 48 and 49. John 12, verse 38 and 49. He says, he that rejecteth me,
and receiveth not my words, hath one that judges him. The word
that I have spoken, the Christ will judge him in the last day. For I have not spoken of myself,
but the Father which sent me. He gave me a commandment. what
I should say and what I should speak. There's not a thought,
there's not an imagination, there's not a motive, there's not a word,
there's not a deed that he doesn't know about. It is all uncovered
and it is open unto him. And then we read here in verse
14. This is so precious. Saying then
that we have a great high priest. You know, in the Old Testament,
there were many, many high priests. None of them was called the great
high priest, but he is called a great high priest. That is
passed into the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast
to our profession. He's called a great high priest
because the deity of his person, the success of his sacrifice,
and the place in which he officiates. Hebrews 9, 11, and 12 say, but
Christ, being come a high priest of good things to come by a greater
and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is
to say, not of this building, neither by the blood of goats
and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy
place, being ordained in eternal redemption for us. Then in verse
24, it says, the Bible says, for Christ is not entered into
the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the
truth, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence
of God, into the presence of God for us. Christ was exalted
through the heavens to appear in God's presence. You know,
the earthly high priest, they entered the Holy of Holies only
once a year into the tabernacle to appear before God's presence
and to make the sacrifice for the sins of the people and for
their own sins. But Christ, he is constantly
in the presence of our Father as our mediator and as our representative. And he's not a mere man. He is
Jesus, the Son of God. He's 100% God and 100% man. And it says here in Hebrews 2.17,
therefore in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his
brother. Can you imagine the Son of God
calling this his brother? but to be made unto his brethren,
that he might be merciful and faithful high priest in all things
pertaining to God, to make a reconciliation for the sins of the people that
the father had placed in him before the foundation of the
world." It says here in that verse 14, it says, let us hold
fast to our profession. We all go through hard times.
We all go through cruel times. But the Lord not only preserves
His people, but He also causes them to persevere. And it's only
by the power of God that we're able to do that. And so much
that we have such a great high priest and such a good hope of
eternal life in Him, may we ask the Lord to cause us to hold
fast to our faith and to trust and to have an inward confidence
in Him and to rest entirely upon His work. And that's so important
right there. But it says, let us hold fast
to our profession of our faith, and let us do it without wavering.
In the world that we live in, the people we have to work with,
people we have to go to school with, the people we're around,
we need to hold fast to our profession. We need to do it without wavering.
For he is faithful to promise. We need to hold it boldly without
compromise. There's no way we should ever
compromise. And to hold it openly without
shame. And also to hold it humbly without
pride. For we have nothing to be proud
of. And as I said before, to hold it resting entirely on him. Verse 15, it says that our great
high priest is touched with the feelings of our infirmities.
Let me read verse 15. It says, for we have not a high
priest which cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities,
but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Whenever we look at that right
there, What we're saying here is he's went through everything
that we have ever went through. Every pain we've ever suffered,
every illness we've ever had, every temptation we've ever faced,
every physical or mental ailment that we have ever had, he knows
what it's like. And the reason that he knows
what it's like is because he is God and he is man. and there
is no temptation that has ever entered, but he himself hasn't
had to endure. Matthew 8, 17 says that it might
be fulfilled, which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying,
himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses. He knows
what it's like to be poor. He knows what it's like to work
hard. He knows what it's like to not have no place to lay his
head. He knows what it's like to have
pain. He knows what it's like to be despised and rejected.
He knows what it's like to be hungry. He knows what it's like
to be tempted by the flesh. He knows what it's like to be
tempted by Satan. And he endeared it all for his
children. and for his people. Verse 15
says that he done it. Here's something so special though. He was tempted like as we are,
yet without sin. None of us in this building can
say that, but he can say that. He done it yet without sin. Second
Corinthians 5.21 says, for you have made him to be sin for us,
who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of
God in him. 1 John 3, 5 says, and you know
that he was manifested to take away our sins, and in him is
no sin. Verse 16, here it says, let us
therefore come boldly under the throne of grace, that we may
obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Let us,
all believers, all who love Christ and all who rest in Him, if it
were, come boldly, without fear, without shame, without doubting,
and with confidence because he delights to show mercy. Our confidence
is based on the knowledge that he died to save us and he lives
to keep us. And he will do just that. Because Christ obeyed the law
and he died for our sins, the throne of judgment and the justice
is now a throne of grace. If you have your Bibles turned,
we'll turn one more place and I'll be done. Hebrews 10. I'd
like to read one more piece of scripture. Hebrews 10, verse
19 through 24. I just wish that I could enter
into more often what a blessing it is to have the good hope of
being one of God's elect. We have such a great future for
us. You know, we are in His rest. but we'll be in a better rest
when we're absent from sin, and that day is coming. But in Hebrews
10, verse 19 through 24, God's word says, having therefore,
brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us through
the veil, that is to say his flesh, and having a high priest
over the house of God. Let us grow near with a true
heart and full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from
an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us
hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering. for he is faithful that promised. And let us consider one another
to provoke unto love and to good works." I'm going to finish your
dismissal.