And tonight, we're going to recognize
the graduating seniors. And I want everyone to remember
Frank Tate. He's in the hospital right now
here in UK waiting on back surgeries and a lot of pain. And Tom Fitzpatrick
just got out of the hospital. And remember him. I've entitled the message for
this morning The seventh day, rest. The seventh day, rest. And it's my prayer that the Lord
will teach each one of us what it is to rest. On the first day, there was light. The second day, heaven. The third day, land and plant
life. The fourth day, the sun, the
moon, and the stars. The fifth day, fish and birds. And we're introduced to the word
blessing. On the sixth day, animal life
and the crown of His creation, the creation of man. And then
we read in verse 31 of chapter one, and God saw everything that
he had made. And behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning
were the sixth day. The heavens and the earth, now
get these words, were finished, completed. And all the host of them, speaking
of the galaxies, the universe, and on the seventh day, God ended
his work. Finished, now ended his work. which he had made and he rested
on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. Now you
know as well as I do that God wasn't tired. This was his response
to his finished, completed work. Nothing left to be done. And God blessed the seventh day
and sanctified it. That's the first time this word
is mentioned in the scripture. Sanctified, set it apart. Because
that in it he had rested from all his work which God had created
and made. Now on this seventh day, it was
sanctified. It was blessed by God. It was
set apart. by God on Saturday. Now I think this is interesting.
In the first six days of creation, there was something said of all
six of those days. And the evening and the morning
were the first day. The evening and the morning were
the second day. The evening and the morning were
the third day. That happened with all six of
these days. but it's never mentioned with
regard to the seventh day. Now that lets us know something
about the perpetuity of this rest spoken of. It's an eternal
rest. Whatever this rest is, it is
an eternal rest. Now what a glorious creation. And God looked at all that he
had done and behold, it was very good. But after the fall, creation
changed. Gone were the days of vegetarian
tigers and vegetarian lions. Gone were those days. As a matter
of fact, all of God's creation came under his curse. Look in Genesis chapter three,
verse 17, This is after the fall. And unto
Adam, he said, because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy
wife and has eaten of the tree of which I commanded thee, saying,
thou shalt not eat of it, curse it, is the ground for thy sake. In sorrow shalt thou eat of it
all the days of thy life. Thorns also and thistles shall
it bring forth to thee. and thou shalt eat the herb of
the field and the sweat of thy face. Shalt thou eat bread till
thou return unto the ground for out of it was thou taken from
dust thou art and dust thou shalt return. All of God's creation
that was very good was placed under this curse. You know, when
Cain brought the fruit of the ground, He brought the fruit
of that which God had already cursed. But before this first creation
that we read of, that God said, behold, it's very good, and then
came under God's curse. Before this first creation, God
had decreed and purposed to make a new heaven and a new earth. wherein dwelleth righteousness. Remember when Peter said in 2
Peter 3.10, we, according to his promise, look for new heavens
and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness. Now in this new
heaven and this new earth, it's different from this first created
earth that's brought under God's curse. In this new heaven and
this new earth, there will be no evil, No sin, not even the
potential for sin. The people that will populate
this new heaven and new earth are perfectly conformed to the
image of the Lord Jesus Christ. And they're incapable of falling
because they're incapable of sinning in this new heaven and
new earth. Incapable of falling. There can
be no fall because they're incapable of sinning. A place of indescribable,
unimaginable bliss. I love what the psalmist said,
speaking of the words of the Lord Jesus Christ, that thy right
hand are pleasures evermore. Eternal joy, eternal bliss, eternal
happiness without even the potential to change. No booby traps. Nothing can go wrong along the
way. This new heaven and this new
earth wherein dwelleth righteousness and not even the potential for
a fall or the potential to sin. Now does that sound attractive
to you? To live in this glorious new heaven and new earth? And
he has put all of this into the hands of one man for the accomplishment
of this glorious new heaven and new earth. The new Jerusalem,
it's called in Revelation, coming down from God out of heaven as
a bride adorned for his husband. Now this man that God has put
all of this into his hands is the man Christ Jesus the Lord. He's put it all in his hands
for the accomplishment of this. It wasn't put in your hands.
It wasn't put in my hands. It's put in the hands of the
one mediator between God and men, the man, Christ Jesus. Now, the word was made flesh
for the accomplishment of this purpose. He said, I came down
from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him that
sent me. And the word was made flesh in
order to accomplish this glorious new creation that we're talking
about. And when the word was made flesh,
he was born in a cow stable with the smell of manure in the air. And for 30 years, he lived in
obscurity. Nobody knew who he was, but I
suppose his mom and dad, his brothers and sisters didn't get
it. And for 30 years, he lived a life perfection. Perfectly obeying God's holy
law, never sinning. The only information we're given
during this time is when he was 12 years old in the temple speaking
with the doctors and you know the story how his parents went
back and they left him and they came back sorrowing, seeking
him while he was in the temple. And he said, wish ye not that
I must be about my father's business. And that is the summary of the
first 30 years of his life. He went about his father's business,
that which was necessary to make this new heaven and this new
earth wherein dwelleth righteousness. And there's not even the potential
to fall like the first creation. Now, Satan is allowed to try
to tempt him after these 30 years, after this fall, and he defeated
Satan completely. You see, listen to this real
carefully. He could not see him. I've heard people make the argument,
well, He could have sinned, but he didn't. That's what counts.
He didn't sin. Now just to say that he could
is a denial of his deity. Is he God? Can God sin? No. To say he could sin is a
denial of his immutability. If he could sin, that means he
could change. God can't change. He said the
prince of this world hath come and found There was nothing in
me. There was nothing he could grab.
There was nothing he could get a hold of. And you think the
prince of this world came to Adam when he had an innocent
nature? And he turned him inside out,
didn't he? But there was nothing for him to grab hold on with
the Lord Jesus Christ. He defeated him completely. And then he begins his three
years of public ministry where he did what only God can do. He gave the dead life. He controlled
the weather. He brought matter into existence
that was not there before. He did what only God could do. And then, he's betrayed by Judas. All a part of God's purpose.
It was foretold that this would happen. He was tried and found guilty
of blasphemy, his crime, who he claimed to be. You remember
what the accusation they put over his head on the cross? His
accusation was written, Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the
Jews. He was put to death because he
said he was Now, remember this, he came for this purpose. He came to die on the cross. We read in Revelation chapter
13, verse eight, which to me is the key to understanding this
whole book. Christ is the lamb slain from
the foundation of the world. This was always God's purpose
for him to come. Matthew 121 says, thou shalt
call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins. That is why he came. And while on that cross at about
noon, darkness covered the face of the earth, and from the darkness
he cried, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me. You see, he was by himself at
this time. His disciples had all forsaken
him and fled. He had no angels ministering
to him at this time. Now, they did minister to him
in the Garden of Gethsemane. The scripture says that. When
he saw the cup that he was about to drink, and he said, Father,
if it be possible, Let this cup pass from me. He understood what
was in that cup. That was the sins of his people.
And only he understands the evil, the vileness, the wickedness
of sin and what he was about to be made. Me and you could
never understand that. We can talk about it, but we
can't enter into it. But he could. And he said, if
it be possible, let this cup pass from me. Nevertheless, not
my will, but thine be done. Now he was by himself. He didn't
have any help from his father, only his awful frown. And he
cried out, it is finished. Same thing the father said after
the creation of the earth. It is finished. Whatever it was he came to do,
he did. Now hear those words. May the Lord cause these words
to sink into our hearts. It is finished. Turn with me to Hebrews chapter
one for just a moment. What was finished? Look in verse three. The last part of verse three. When he had by himself purged our sins, sat down. Why? His work was finished. When he had by himself purged
our sins, he sat down making the way for this new heaven and
this new earth This new creation was finished. Now, who is this one who by himself
purged our sins and sat down at the right hand of the majesty
on high? Well, look at the description
the writer to the Hebrews gives. God, who at sundry times, verse
one, In diverse manners, spake in times past unto the fathers
by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken to us by his
son, the one that he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also
he made the world. He's the creator, who being the
brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person,
and upholding all things by the word of his power. The very fact
that you took a breath right now is because he willed it.
Everything that happens, happens according to his will. Him upholding
all things by the word of his power. This is the one who when
he had by himself purged our sins. Now, don't miss this. Who is represented by the word
our? When he had purged our sins. Well, everybody's sins he purged.
All of the elect of God, everybody for whom he died. You see, if
he died for you, your salvation is an utter necessity. Your sins
have been purged, they've been put away. When he had by himself
purged our sins. Justification is what that's
talking about. If your sins are purged, you know what that means?
They're not there. That means you don't have any. That means you
stand before God justified, without guilt, perfect before God. And don't miss the phrase, when
he had by himself. When he had by himself. I'm so
thankful the Holy Spirit caused the writer to use those words,
when he had by himself. You know what that means? That
means you didn't have any part in it. In this great work of the purging
of our sins, he did it by himself, not by enabling you to do something
that would activate or enhance what he did, forget doing. Forget doing, right now. Forget doing. Don't think about
what you need to do. If my salvation is dependent
upon my ability to do anything, believe, repent, some aspect
of my holy living, if my salvation is dependent upon anything that
comes from me, I have no hope of being saved. I will be in hell if salvation
is dependent upon my doing. But thank God when he had by
himself no contribution from you. He
didn't look to you in any way. He didn't look to me in any way
when he had by himself at a point in time, in a particular place
on Golgotha's Hill, when he had by himself purged our sins. What does it say he did? He sat down. Now, you've seen people sit down
on the job before. Maybe you've done it. When the
work wasn't completed, you take a break when you shouldn't be
taking one, trying to get out of work. Nothing like this here. He sat down for this one reason. The work was finished. The work was ended. Just as God finished his work
and rested, Christ finished his work and sat down and rested. Look in Hebrews chapter 10, verse 11. And every priest, talking about
the priest under the Old Testament economy, And every priest standeth. You see, there weren't any chairs
in the tabernacle, were there? No chairs. There were all other
kinds of pieces of furniture to represent something, but something
there was not was a chair. You know why? The priest's work
was never done. It was never finished. There
was nothing accomplished. And every priest standeth daily. ministering and offering oftentimes
the same sacrifices which can never take away sins. But this man, after he had offered
one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of
God, the place of all authority, from henceforth expecting till
his enemies be made his footstool, for by one offering, his offering
on Calvary's tree, that one single offering, for by one offering
he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified. Now the reason that he sat down
was his work was finished. The law was satisfied. God's
justice was honored. Full reconciliation was accomplished. Somebody says, what's the proof
of that? The resurrection. The resurrection is the proof
of all of that. Somebody says, but what am I
to do? Rest. Rest. Do not make resolutions about
how you intend to change and live better. Don't think there's
something you must do to make this work work for you. Don't
think there's something you can do to add to this glorious achievement
that he accomplished and sat down because the work was finished. What are you to do? What am I
to do? Rest. The rest of the Sabbath. I turn to Hebrews chapter four. Let's begin reading in verse
16 of chapter three. For some, when they'd heard,
did provoke How be it not all that came out of Egypt by Moses,
but with whom was he grieved forty years? Was it not with
them that had sinned, whose carcasses fell in the wilderness? And to
whom swear he that they should not enter into his rest, but
to them that believed not? So then they could not enter
in because of unbelief." Now this is a reference to all the
children of Israel during the time in the wilderness. Of those
who were over 20 years old that left Egypt, how many of them
entered the promised land? Two. Two. Just two? Just two. The rest
died in the wilderness. They didn't enter in because
of unbelief. So don't presume about this thing.
At that time, hundreds of thousands, two million, whatever, Moses,
too, entered the promised land. Moses didn't enter the promised
land. Joshua, you see, Moses represented the law, and the
law's not gonna bring anybody into the promised land. Joshua
and Caleb, the faithful dog, the savior and the dog, enter
the promised land. Now, let's go on reading chapter
four, verse one. Let us, therefore, fear. 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. You know, I fear not resting,
don't you? I fear not resting. I wanna know what it is to rest. Verse two, for unto us was the
gospel preached. We've heard the gospel. You've
heard the gospel this morning. The gospel. You've heard the gospel
of God. For unto us was the gospel preached
as well as unto them, but the word preached did not profit
them, no saving benefit from it, not being mixed with faith
in them that heard it. That's why they didn't enter
into the promised land. For we which have believed do
enter into rest. Now one thing you're gonna do
when you believe, you're gonna rest. If you're not resting,
you're not believing. Resting in what Christ has done. Resting in a finished work. A completed work where you can't
add anything and you don't want to add anything. For we which
have believed do enter into rest, as he said, and this is talking
about the people that didn't enter in, I've sworn in my wrath.
If they shall enter into my rest, actually it's they shall not
enter into my rest. Look at this statement next in
verse three. Although the works were finished
from the foundation of the world, it's not like God's purpose had
to be altered. The works were all finished.
from the foundation of the world accomplished before the foundation
of the world. Four, verse four. He spake in
a certain place of the seventh day. Talking about Genesis chapter
two, verse two. 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. Now remember God's rest is his
response, his response to his finished work. Verse five and
again in this place, if they shall enter into my rest or they
shall not is really what it is. They shall not enter into my
rest. Verse six. Seeing therefore remaineth
that some must enter therein. You see, it was purpose before
the foundation of the world that they'd enter in. There's gonna
be some folks who are gonna come to Christ and they're gonna rest.
Some must enter in. Everybody he died for must enter
in. And they to whom it was first
preached entered not in because of unbelief. Again, he limits
a certain day, saying in David, today, after so long a time,
as it said, today, if you will hear his voice, this thing of
resting, harden not your hearts. For if Joshua, this is talking
about Joshua, this is not talking about the Lord Jesus Christ,
for if Joshua had given them rest, they would not afterwards
have spoken of another day, verse nine, there remaineth therefore
a rest. to the people of God. Four, he that is entered into his rest,
he also hath ceased from his own works as God did from his. Now why did God cease from his
own works? There was nothing left to be
done. God looked at what he had done
and it was very by his own estimation. So he finished. He ended. Christ is the end of the law
for righteousness. He ceased from his own works. Now Romans chapter four, verse
five, you can look this up if you want, but let me quote it.
It says, to him that worketh not. but believeth on him that
justifies the ungodly. Now, let me tell you two things
you can't do at once. You can't work and believe. If you believe, you know what
you're doing? You're working not. If you're working, you know
what you're doing? You're not believing. Those two
things mutually exclude one another. You're either working or you're
believing. You can't do both. You cannot
do both. You're either working or you
are believing, resting in what he has done, knowing that there's
nothing else that needs to be done. Now, do you know what or
do you know when you'll rest and quit working? when you're satisfied by what
Christ did. It is that simple. When you are satisfied, God the
Father is satisfied. God the Son is satisfied. He should see the travail of
his soul and be satisfied. God the Spirit is satisfied.
He brings this into our remembrance and our hearts and our minds. Are you satisfied? Are you satisfied with what Jesus
Christ did so that you cease from your own works and look
to him alone. Just like God made an end, Christ
is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth. Now let's go on reading verse
11. Let us labor therefore to enter
into that Rest, lest any man fall after the same example of
unbelief. For the word of God is living
and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing
even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and of the
joints and marrow, and it's a discerner of the thoughts and intents of
the heart. Neither is there any creature
that's not manifest in his sight. But all things are naked and
opened under the eyes of him with whom we have to do." Now
listen to me, I can fool you. And you can fool me. But we can't
fool God. And the only way to come into
his presence is in honesty and nakedness. as what we really
are. Now, like I said, I can fool
you. Not hard. You're not that smart. I'm kidding
when I say that. You can fool me because I sure
ain't that smart. But nobody can fool God. All things are naked and opened
with the one with whom we have to do. Verse 14, seeing then, that we have a great high priest
that's passed into the heavens. Jesus, the Son of God, let us
hold fast our profession or our confession. What is our confession? Christ. That's our confession. Christ is all that God requires. My whole hope of salvation is
hanging on that. That everything God requires
of me, he looks to his son for. Let us hold fast our confession. Don't let it go. Four, we have
not an high priest which cannot be touched. moved to sympathy
with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted
like we are yet without sin. Now, I used to stumble at that.
I thought, well, how can he be touched by the feelings of my
infirmities if he never sinned? Well, he never sinned. He never
sinned. No doubt about that. When he
was made sin, he never sinned. When he was made to be all that
sin is in his person, he never sinned. But you know what it
feels like to be overcome with a sense of your own sinfulness
and you feel so far away, you feel frozen, you feel like you
can't make any move towards God because your sins have separated
you? He's felt that infinitely more than you have. You see, me and you, we have
what's called a hard heart. And sin just doesn't bother us
that much. Oh, we feel bad when we feel
like we've been exposed or we've been caught, but we'll forget
about it soon enough and we'll move on. But he is the only one
who knew sin. He knew the infinite. the evil
of sin. And he felt everything that sin
brings on. He never committed sin, but he
felt sin much more acutely than you and I do. And when you're feeling something of your sin,
he is moved to sympathy. You see, you're one of his. That's
my boy. That's my daughter. I love him. He's moved to sympathy. Verse six, let us therefore come
boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and
find grace to help in time of need. Now, how in the world am
I supposed to come boldly to the throne of grace? What's that
look like? How do you go about coming boldly
into God's presence? Well, look in Hebrews chapter
10, verse 18. Now, Where remission of these is,
there is no more offering for sin. Don't you dare try to bring
one. Don't you bring God something
in offering for your sin. Remission has already taken place.
Now look what he says in 19. Having therefore, brethren, boldness
to enter into the holiest, the very presence of God, by the
blood of Jesus. By a new, and that means freshly
slaughtered is what that word means. The blood of Jesus Christ is
always freshly slaughtered. Poignant, powerful, present tense. By a new and a living way. We're not bringing a dead animal. This is the living Christ presenting
himself. And you know what? If that's
the way it is, I have boldness. I have boldness. Bold shall I
stand in that great day, for who ought to my charge shall
lay fully absolved from these I am from sins, tremendous curse
and shame. That's the boldness. which he
had consecrated for us through the veil, that is to say his
flesh, and having an high priest over the house of God, let us
draw 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, the promise,
and let us consider one another to provoke unto love. and to
good works, not forsaking the assembling ourselves together
as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another and so
much the more as you see the day approaching. Let us come boldly under the
throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help
in time of need. Time of need. I need Thee, precious
Jesus, for I am full of sin. My soul is dark and guilty. My heart is dead within. I need
the cleansing fountain where I can always flee. The blood
of Christ, most precious. The sinners, perfect. Let's pray. Lord, enable us to be as satisfied
with what thy son has accomplished as you are. May we rest in him
eternally. And Lord, how we look forward
to that time where there's a new heaven and a new earth wherein
dwelleth righteousness. Bless this message for your glory
and for our good. In Christ's name we pray. Amen.
Dwayne, come lead us in a closing hymn.