Scripture:
Hebrews 4:11-16 NKJV
[11] Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience. [12] For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. [13] And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. [14] Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. [15] For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. [16] Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Observation:
I love GOD’S word. Over the past 15 years I have seen its power manifest in my life. All the reading, looking and searching, has brought about a change in me that would have never happened had it not been for the double edged sword conducting spiritual surgery on my heart. So let’s take a look at what GOD has to say through HIS living word today. No one really knows who the author of the letter to the Hebrews is, although many think it’s Paul. The author is never identified, and honestly that’s perfectly fine. If we take a real look at who wrote the bible we would find that it was written over a span of time by so many different authors that the only one who could have written it is the only one who existed before time began. The one who created us, HIS desire was a relationship with us, so HE gave us a book that would instruct us on how to enter into that relationship. Also known as HIS rest. Yet here in the letter to the Hebrews HE uses the phrase, “Let us therefore be diligent,” seemingly implying that there is some kind of work involved in entering into HIS rest, and you can think that if you want to. However, I don’t believe that’s what is being said, and as you continue to read that verse you might find yourself settling into that belief a little harder due to words like, “Lest anyone fall according to the same example of the disobedience. Those phrases might be a little hard to comprehend if we did not know what GOD’S desire for us is. He wants a relationship with us. A relationship that was severed in the garden. So let’s paint a picture here. GOD came down to walk with Adam in the cool of that day. That was HIS standard practice, it’s how HE wants to spend HIS time. Hanging out with us. But what HE found on that day was that something was different. Sin had entered into the world in all of its power. The spirit in Adam had died, and guilt, shame, and fear had taken over. Using the Hebrew people, HE then spent the next several thousand years painting a picture of Jesus. Showing us over and over again that we would not ever be able to work our way to salvation. HIS word was given life through a virgin girl named Mary. That same word that HE speaks about here in Hebrews is, “Living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and joint and marrow.” In other words, a relationship with Jesus changes the way you think. It revives the spirit in you that died in the garden, the full picture of what GOD has done begins to take shape, and you can see that the diligent spoken about in verse 11 has to do with relationship rather than work. You can see that you don’t have to earn something that has already been given through grace. You can see that verse 13 says you are not going to hide your sin from GOD, HE made you naked and to HIM you will always be naked. The rest HE desires that we enter is the finished work of Christ. HE has already given us the victory over sin. Continuing through verses 14 through 16 we see this beautiful picture unfold. The seed of the woman has crushed the serpent’s head. HE knew what we would face because HE HIMSELF faced the very same temptation. HIS finished work opens up a line of communication with the Father so we can run to HIM rather than from HIM. Looking at the word, “Grace” what we find the definition to be is: GOD’S unearned, unmerited favor. You are saved by “GRACE” not by works lest no man boast. It’s GOD’S grace that allows us to approach HIM. Grace that was flowing before anyone laid a hand on Jesus. As the drops of sweat turned into blood when HE faced the greatest temptation of HIS life. Would HE surrender HIS life for men and women who would continually fall to their flesh? As we all know HIS answer was yes. That answer finished the work. The victory was complete. On the instrument of death to HIS flesh HE uttered the words that proclaimed victory, “It is finished.” The power of sin was conquered. Guilt, shame, fear, and most of all death had been defeated through one thing, “GRACE” GOD’S unearned, unmerited favor on your life. Allowing us to approach HIS throne boldly.
Application:
Over the years of walking with GOD a lot of changes have been made in my life. But it seems like no matter how hard I tried I was never able to gain victory over sin on my own. Every effort I made left me feeling like a failure. Another fall to temptation would come and the defeat would cover me. I just couldn’t do it. My own efforts were worthy, just filthy rags. I don’t know if you have ever experienced that or not, but my guess is that I am not alone. There have been several times when the struggle that Paul talks about in Roman’s chapter 7 was right up front and personal for me. Knowing what I should do but finding myself doing the exact opposite. What I have learned over the years is that our efforts will gain us nothing but more heartache. We will continue to try and fail. You can not earn what has been freely given. The fall in the garden was not GOD’S mistake and it did not mean that HE would have to go to plan B). Jesus was always the plan, GOD knew we would fail and HE set out to prove HIS point to Satan, HE created us knowing we would need a SAVIOR, HE made us knowing that HE would have to send HIS one and only SON. It was no surprise. Using HIS chosen people HE showed us that we could not do it. The only way is “GRACE” favor that could not be earned. That favor draws us out of our sin, as we run to HIM with it rather than from HIM because of it. All my efforts left me feeling defeated. But when I truly surrendered to Christ I found that HE would prune things off of me that I didn’t need anymore, HE wouldn’t take them from me, HE would ask me things like, “do you really need that? How about you let me have it?” and through no effort I would find the desire gone. That’s HIS finished work. Now I’m not going to say that I don’t have struggles that I deal with. Because I’m just like you. My struggles may come in a different form but they are still there. How I deal with them is different now. When they pop up I give them to GOD. Staying connected to HIM is the key. You see what happens for us is when we sin we tend to react the same way Adam did and rather than running to GOD, we run from HIM, trying to hide what HE saw way before HE ever made us. Doubling down on our efforts to overcome something that only HIS son could conquer. The power of sin is guilt, shame and fear. All these things lead us to hide from GOD. But thanks to HIS SON we don’t have to do that, HE has given us HIS favor regardless of our sinful condition. Now that being said I am not advocating that we should embrace our sin, what I am advocating for is embracing a relationship with Jesus and HIS finished work that has removed the power of sin and allowed us to run to the Father when we mess up, HE will remove it when we are ready to surrender it. I will finish with this. I don’t want sin in my life. But I can’t do anything about it. As I run to the Father, sin and all HE has removed a lot of things that do not produce any fruit. It’s been done in a manner that I don’t miss it at all. It’s not a burden. It’s not something for me to carry, it’s something HE has carried to the cross for me and allows me to sit in HIS lap and say Abba.
Prayer:
Father, thank you, thank you for opening a doorway for us to have a relationship with you. Thank you for seeing us through the lens of Jesus. May we always see you through that same lens, coming boldly to you with our sin so that you can do what only you can do. Our efforts are like rags. It can not be done on our behalf. It’s something that you had to do. But as we sit here reading this our heart does not want to live in sin. So we would ask that as we cling to you and what your word tells us, you would remove from us what does not fit into who you are making us to be. We surrender our sin to you. We pray that you would use your word to convict us so that we would run to you. Because we know that it’s only inside of your grace that our sin can be dealt with. Prune us so that we would produce the fruit you deserve. We want what you want for us. Show us how to get there. It’s in the mighty name of Jesus we pray amen.