Christ Is Our Sabbath (Hebrews 4)

Sabbath Law, Old Covenant Penalty, and the Question of Application

Because if somebody says hey you need to keep the Sabbath today because Exodus 31 says so. Let's see what else Exodus 31 says. You shall keep the Sabbath therefore for it is holy to you everyone who profanes it shall surely what?

Do you still believe that. They Shall surely be put to death and whoever does any work on it that person shall be cut off From among his people. So you know I find it curious that they don't seem to believe that part that you should obey the Sabbath.

But what if somebody? Skips church, or does war goes in for time and a half on Saturday or Sunday whatever day They're observing do they really believe that person should be put to death. I? Have never come across someone who actually believes this whole this whole package.

So either this law applies. Or it doesn't either it applies to New Testament believers, or it does not. But there is application. Okay. This is still meaningful. Let's turn to Hebrews chapter 4. You're already there all right.

Hebrews 4 and the Promise of Entering God's Rest

Now if somebody wants to Saturday is my day off, and I'm not going to mow the lawn, and I'm not going to do this and that on sake God God bless you. Or if Sunday is the day you choose to do no physical labor at all God bless you, but to impose that in some sort of as a commandment.

We would not support that. And obviously if you wanted to round people up and stone them to death for that would be a problem, too. But that's the way it was under the old Covenant all right. Hebrews 4 1 through 10.

This is the application for us because this is this is written to New Testament Christians now. They are Jewish, but still they're part of the new covenant. Hebrews 4 1 through 10 says therefore. Since a promise remains of entering his rest.

Let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it for indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them. But the word which they heard did not profit them. Not being mixed with faith in those who heard it for we who have believed do enter that rest as he has said.

Quote so I swore in my wrath. They shall not enter my rest. So who's he talking about who's the they. Okay, so this is a quote from psalm 95 11. We don't have time to to all turn there. But it's speaking about the Israelites who did not enter into the promised land because of their hardness of heart.

So he says so I swore in my wrath. They shall not enter my rest although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. So the author of Hebrews is using this as a picture of salvation in Christ verse 4.

For he has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day. What day is that it for us? What's the seventh day? Saturday is would be the Sabbath the seventh day for he has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way and God rested on the seventh day from all his works and again in this place.

They shall not enter my rest. Since therefore it remains that some must enter it and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience again. He that is God designates a certain day saying in David in the Psalms.

Today after such a long time as it has been said today if you will hear his voice do not harden your heart. That's also psalm 95. For a Joshua had given them rest. What did Joshua do for the children of Israel?

Right, he brought them into the promised land. But if Joshua had given them rest then he would not afterward have spoken of another day. Here's the statement. I want you to listen to there remains therefore a rest for the people of God.

In other words there remains a Sabbath for the people of God so that there is a Sabbath. So the question is what is it? For there remains therefore a rest for the people of God for he who has entered his rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from his so if I can just simplify this to make this as as Basic as as I can the rest that remains for The people of God the rest that remains for us is salvation by faith not works.

Christ Our Sabbath Rest in the Finished Work of the Cross

So we we don't work our way to heaven. We we rest in what Jesus did for us. When we talk about Christ's work He came to do a work. What was the work that Christ did? Right the cross was his work he came he died on the cross for our sins.

So as evangelical Christians, we understand we're not working for our salvation. Christ did the work we're resting in him. So in that sense Christ is our Sabbath. Well, there's still the Sabbath. Yeah, Jesus.

He is our Sabbath rest. You remember what Jesus said in Matthew 11 28 through 30? Come to me all you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you what? Rest take my yoke upon you and learn for me for I am gentle and lowly in heart and you will find Rest for your souls for my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

So that's the rest. That's that's our Sabbath resting in the finished work of Christ. This is why when someone comes in teaching a gospel of which is not a gospel, but When somebody comes in teaching salvation by works or faith plus works.

That's why it's so abhorrent to us because they're saying that the death of Jesus the work of Jesus on the cross is Not enough you need to add to it. It is valuable, but you need to you need to do something, too.

That's a violation of the Sabbath and what happens to people who violate the Sabbath they die, but that would this would be a spiritual death if you're preaching a gospel of works. You're breaking the Sabbath spiritually you'll die.

Spiritually, so there's there's the application for us.