GET PAST THE SWORD

 Hebr 3:8-4:16  Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in [their] heart; and they have not known my ways. So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.) Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end; While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit 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 carcases fell in the wilderness? And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. 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 wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. 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 labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. For the word of God [is] quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and [is] a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things [are] naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast [our] profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as [we are, yet] without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Gene 3:24  So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

• The writer said that there is a place of faith that we must enter into.
• It is NOW because we read in 4:16 that we can come boldly to the throne of grace.
• It is supposed to be our goal as much as entering the promised land was the goal of the Hebrew people when they left Egypt in the great Exodus.
• There are so many great parallels between the thought of entering our rest and entering the promised land.

Hebr 4:11  Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

Then we read of the sword.

Hebr 4:12-13  For the word of God [is] quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and [is] a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things [are] naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
 

• After saying that we better ensure that we labour, we read that we must do so "lest we fall after the same example of unbelief".
• Israel entered not in because of what 3:19 said..... UNBELIEF.

• And if we do not enter it will be because of what 4:11 said -- because of unbelief.
• 3:19 was Israel's failure, and 4:11 will be our failure if we indeed do fail to enter.
• BOTH FAILURES to enter, then and now, are due to UNBELIEF.

• The writer said, "Labour, so you will not fall in unbelief."
• He meant that we must FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT OF FAITH.
• We must labour and exert effort to BELIEVE.
• So the issue is exerting faith instead of falling in unbelief.
• BELIEVE.

• We read that we had better labour to enter by faith because a sword exists which can pierce to divide our very souls and spirits.
• This sword is a discerner of our very thoughts and intents.
• That sword is the WORD OF GOD.
• In other words, if we do not exert proper and true faith, God will know it.
• His Sword can cut right into our souls and spirits.
• Not a physical sword but a spiritual sword.
• It does not cut flesh and bone, but soul and spirit.
• This sword cutting describes how God can see right into your heart and tell whether you believe or whether you disbelieve.
• And those who do not believe will simply not enter in.

• The Gospel is simply the GOOD NEWS explaining to us how we can enter into the REST that God created man to live in before God threw us out due to our sin in Adam.
• WE HAVE TO GET PAST THE SWORD.
• And Hebrews tells us that the way past and the way to enter our rest is BY FAITH.
• The sword determines who enters and who does not enter.
• It looks for faith or disbelief.
• We all have one of the two.

Hebr 3:19-4:3  So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. 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 wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.

The GOSPEL, then, is the information of how we can BELIEVE so that we will not be barred out of the rest as Israel was barred out of the promised land.

• Their promise was to enter Canaan.
• Our Promise is to enter Heaven and a Rest.

Throughout the Gospel of the New Testament we read of the idea of ENTRANCE and PROPER FAITH that is required for it.
 

Luke 11:5-9  And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves; For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him? And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee. I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth. And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

Luke 13:24-28  Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all [ye] workers of iniquity. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you [yourselves] thrust out.

• Hebrews said there is a sword called the WORD OF GOD at the door.
• We know from the Bible that JESUS is the WORD OF GOD.

John 1:14  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.
 

• There will be those who wish to ENTER THE DOOR, but will not be able to because they did not KNOW JESUS.
• Though they ate and rank in his presence, and he taught in their streets, He will say He did not know them.
• "Eating and drinking in his presence" is hearing the word of God and feasting on it.
• But Jesus said that is not enough!
• It is not KNOWING HIM to simply go to Church and feast on God's word in His presence.
• And this takes us to Hebrews.
• Hebrews said that we must BELIEVE.

• We must face Him at the ENTRANCE.

John 10:7  Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.
 

• I want to be a true sheep.
• I want to ENTER this door!

• You must pass the test of having TRUE FAITH.
• Your Christianity must be based upon more than going to church and hearing the Word.
• YOU MUST DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
• You must pass this grand test of Jesus who is at the door.

Matt 7:21-24  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
 

• We must DO THE WILL OF THE FATHER.
• We must hear Jesus' sayings and DO THEM.
• Tying this with Hebrews 4 we understand that the DOING is BELIEVING.

ERROR 1 -- STRESS UPON SIGNS AND WONDERS

First of all, Jesus said that there will be MANY who make the mistake of thinking something else is their ticket inside.

• Matthew 7 said that many will think that having performed miracles, having cast out devils, and working many wonderful things in Jesus' name tells if you will enter or not.
• Their foundation for their Christianity is miracles and healings.
• Jesus said they will not enter on that foundation.
• That foundation is like sand, He said.
• These people stress miracles and signs and wonders more than anything else.
• "Go to this Church and you will see miracles like in the Bible."
• We should have miracles, but THAT IS NOT WHAT WILL GET US PAST THE SWORD.

What is your idea of what Christianity is based upon?

• If you were to explain to someone how to be saved, what would be your answer?
• If you were to help someone enter past the sword, what would you tell them.

There are those who base their foundation on WITCH HUNTING.

• What I mean is that they stress their idea of getting saved by stressing how people must know what is evil in this world and avoid it.
• They stress how evil is everywhere and toys and books and cartoons are evil and have hidden satanic elements to them.
• Sinners do not need to know what is evil, they NEED TO KNOW JESUS.
• The sword will detect the lack of true faith and knowing Jesus, and find instead a great knowledge of the occult and nothing else.
• They will not enter inside.

• Instead of doing the Lord's will they look for evil all the time.
• Off on a tangent.
• No teaching the GOSPEL, but explaining details of the occult.

Many think Christianity depends upon whether or not they can feel the Spirit of God.

• I dealt with people who would not get saved unless they FELT SOMETHING when they heard the preaching.
• I preached to them the proper FAITH they must exert in order to PASS THE SWORD, and they understood every word I said, but it was pushed to the side by their false concept that they must FEEL something or else they will not make that step.

• He told me he was waiting to feel something before he made his way to the altar to give his life for God.
• I told him that Jesus did not say "he that feeleth God's Spirit shall be saved," but "he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." (Mark 16:16).

• A thousand times NO!!!
• Once we know the truth the truth shall make us free.
• The Father draws us to Jesus BY GIVING US CORRECT INFORMATION ABOUT JESUS THROUGH A PREACHER and SHOWING US WHAT WE MUST BELIEVE.

• He heard her say that she felt so much peace and love since she believed.
• Everything is different now and she said to others how they must also believe so they too can have this goal of all goals in their lives.
• He turned around expecting to see a Christian woman and FOUND SHE WAS A HARE KRISHNA FOLLOWER.

• Our Christianity must be founded upon a proper foundation if we are going to PASS THE SWORD and enter.

Matt 16:15-18  He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed [it] unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

WE MUST BELIEVE THAT JESUS is the Son of the Living God.

• He is exclusively worthy of praise.
• Jesus said THAT is the ROCK He will build His church upon.
• The foundation of the CHURCH is the truth about JESUS CHRIST.

• We must have this foundation!
• There is no other one!

On the foundation of this KINGDOM that we must ENTER to be saved, there is a twofold inscription.

1. The Lord knoweth them that are his.
2. Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

1. I never knew you.
2. Depart from me, ye workers of iniquity.

Reve 21:14  And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

What does this tell us?
It is symbolic

Ephe 2:20  And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner [stone];
 

• The foundation is the TRUTH about Jesus.
• If I can tell you the truth to help you get ahead in life and not MISS what God has to offer you, and preach to you until you will make that step and believe the Word of God and GET PAST THE SWORD with the proper ticket of faith, than I have accomplished God's will this morning.

Forget about feelings or miracles and witch hunts.
Simply obey the Bible.

Acts 2:37-38  Now when they heard [this], they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men [and] brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Acts 2:41-42  Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added [unto them] about three thousand souls. And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine...