STOP WORKING AND REST

Hebr 4:1-10  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. 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. And in this [place] again, If they shall enter into my rest. Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief: 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. For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. 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.

• Notice that at the moment Jesus died, and not before, did the veil in the temple, that blocked men from entering the holiest of holies, was ripped open and removed.
• That is a message saying God opened the way for us into the most awesome presence of God only through the work of the death of Jesus on the cross.

During Old Testament days, the glory of God shone in that holiest of holies twenty-four hours a day.

• God's glory lit the entire room.
• The room was foursquare, or cubic.
• The height, width and depth were all the same measurement.
• And the glory lit it.
• Inside that room was where the ark of the covenant sat.
• And we read about the veil being placed there.

• The Holiest of Holies was called the ORACLE in the Temple.

1Kin 6:19-20  And the oracle he prepared in the house within, to set there the ark of the covenant of the LORD. And the oracle in the forepart [was] twenty cubits in length, and twenty cubits in breadth, and twenty cubits in the height thereof: and he overlaid it with pure gold; and [so] covered the altar [which was of] cedar.
 

• The Holiest room was foursquare.
• The New City is also said to be FOURSQUARE

Reve 21:16  And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.

(The greatest thing in our economy is gold.  We measure our economy by gold.  But if gold is going to simply be pavement in the New City, what will be the greatest thing in Heaven?  As different as asphalt is from gold that is the difference between the golden pavement and the greater blessings of God in that city!)
 

• This New City is what the Bible calls the HOME of the Christian for all eternity.
• When we read that we have a place called the New Jerusalem to dwell in after this world is over and gone, and it says that this City is FOURSQUARE, and the GLORY OF GOD LIGHTENS IT, as it did the Holiest of Holies, and we read that the Holiest of Holies was foursquare as our eternal Home is, we are reading words that tells us that when God is bringing us into the New Jerusalem, He is bringing us into Holiest of Holies to LIVE.
• The New Jerusalem is the real HOLIEST OF HOLIES.

THE REST
 

• Back to our text.
• There is a rest for us to enter.
• God rested the seventh day in Genesis.
• All previous days ended and each day was described as... "And the evening and the morning were the ____day."
• But you read something different when you read about the seventh day.

• There was no end to the seventh day.
• There was no more work.
• God concluded all the work on that day.
• Yes, we have seen many "seventh days" pass by throughout history, but on God's behalf, it never ended.
• We passed on into another first and second and so forth since we did not enter into that rest with God.
• Had Adam entered into that rest, mankind would be there to this day with God.
• But Adam sinned and did not ingest the fruit of eternal life into himself.

• To enter this place is to cease your work and go on in and REST with God.
• You only rest when you know the work is done.
• Well, God ripped open the room that represents the REST when Jesus died, because when Jesus died the work was done, and He invited all mankind to enter into His rest.
• That means we are wasting our time trying to work ourselves to holiness and trying to work ourselves to be so good, because Jesus did all the necessary work when He died on the cross.
• No wonder Jesus cried, "IT IS FINISHED"

Hebrews told us that when it said:

"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. And in this [place] again, If they shall enter into my rest. Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein,"

"There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God"
 

• This rest is still available.
• It is still open to us.
• God wanted Adam to enter it, he never did, and God still wants us to enter it.

Matt 11:28  Come unto me, all [ye] that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
 

• The Bible teaches us that we need not worry about things in life.
• But people still worry.
• "Taking thought" infers worrying in the following verses.

Matt 6:25-27  Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
 

• He told us to stop worrying.

1Pet 5:7  Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
 

• But people still care
• Jesus tried to get the disciples to have FAITH and not worry since He is there with them, and nothing shall destroy them.

Matt 14:29-32  And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth [his] hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.

Luke 12:28  If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more [will he clothe] you, O ye of little faith?

LITTLE FAITH
He ascribed these words to them due to their lack of TRUST

THE REST IS A PLACE WE ARE SUPPOSED TO ENTER.

• It is a spiritual state of existence.
• And so many have NEVER ENTERED IT YET.
• Let me stress at this point, that the Holiest of Holies a place so secret from all men, was where God's Glory dwelt and represented the Deepest presence of God.

Notice this!!!

• This Psalm is speaking about LIVING in the Holiest of Holies.
• And it says, in conjunction with that thought, that GOD WILL BE MY REFUGE.
• HE WILL PROTECT ME.
• So I must stop trying to do all the fighting and stop trying to make myself so holy, and realize He did the work on the cross.  NOW I MUST ENTER IN.
• I must learn to trust in His strength rather than my own.
• In other words, I must stop working and REST.

• God is trying to get us to put two and two together and realize that the rest He is talking about IS the HOLIEST PRESENCE OF GOD, and the only way we can get into that Rest is to get a revelation that we must cease from our labours.
• STOP doubting.
• Mankind is backwards.
• He finds it so easy to place himself in a situation where he does not exert faith but instead works his fingers to the knuckles trying to sort out his problems.
• Instead of ceasing from worry, and believing God to answer the need, (And when God answers it is perfect), man works away.
• Think of it....
• God has healed people in this building, but yet the world builds multi-million dollar hospitals since they will not believe.

REVELATION IS AN UNVEILING

• When we see the veil removed we see an unveiling
• And the veil was removed when Christ died.
• You have to get a revelation of how Christ's death allows you to enter the REST OF GOD.
• Get a revelation that God will take care of it all.

• Peter saw a storm rocking his ship
• And he called out to Jesus... representing that we need to pray when in trouble.
• And Jesus gave Him a WORD.
• You will get a word if you will pray.
• Peter then was required to step out on the stormy water, while the storm still went on, and then walk on it.
• This means you will have to take a step of faith, while nothing is answered yet, and believe what God said to you will work.
• Concerning... Your finances will be blessed.
• Or ...Your body will be healed.
• Or... Your family situation will be solved.
• Jesus could have stopped the storm before Peter walked out, but He chose not to.
• He made it so that you have to totally trust Him before He will answer you.
• And the only way to know you totally trust Him is to act upon His word despite what things look like!
• If you fall, Jesus will come and pick you up.
• But you can see a miracle if you will trust.
• Don't stop half-way out into trusting God and suddenly get scared.  "Oh, no!  Look where I put myself!"
• When Peter looked at the water instead of the Lord, he fell into the trouble.
• RISE ABOVE IT.

Tie all these verses together.

Hebr 10:12-13  But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.

Reve 3:21  To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

1Joh 5:4  For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, [even] our faith.
 

1. Jesus sat down forever waiting for all his enemies to become His footstool after He did the work on the cross.  In other words, that one effort was so powerful that has carried on throughout the centuries , and still affects situations in lives today, until all enemies are thrown down.  He rests since that job was finished.
2. We have an invitation to sit with Him if we overcome.
3. The manner in which we overcome is by faith.  You must truly believe if you want to overcome and rest.  You must believe the work is done, and Jesus did it, so stop working yourself, and rest.

AND WE ARE TOLD WE CAN SIT DOWN WITH HIM in His throne if we overcome.... by FAITH
 

• How do you overcome?
• work and work til the job is done?
• NO!  God finished the work!  You WORK when you worry.
• Perhaps the reason we hesitate, thinking we're not good enough to enter, is due to the fact that the way was closed for 4,000 years since Adam sinned.
• And now, since it is opened, we are afraid we migfht not cut it if man could not do so for 4,000 years.
• But the fact remains, also, that God opened the way since He did the work to make us fit to enter.
• He would not have opened it if we were not able to enter.
• STOP WORRYING.
• REST!