WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:09.220 before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Amen. Jesus gives better rest. 00:00:10.320 --> 00:00:18.320 Have you ever, or have you this week perhaps, found yourself desperate for rest, 00:00:19.240 --> 00:00:25.679 exhausted and at the end of yourself and longing for rest? I imagine for a lot of us, 00:00:25.679 --> 00:00:33.659 that's a silly question because we are perpetually busy, busy, busy and life is often exhausting. 00:00:34.579 --> 00:00:40.859 Well, for the last couple of weeks, we have been watching on the television what is described as 00:00:40.859 --> 00:00:47.579 the world's toughest race. It was taking place in Fiji. It's called the Eco Challenge, where 00:00:47.579 --> 00:00:58.479 contestants had 11 days to travel 671 kilometers across parts of Fiji. It was a brutal course. 00:00:59.539 --> 00:01:05.420 So, there were, for example, they had to swim in almost freezing water conditions for eight 00:01:05.420 --> 00:01:13.039 kilometers. They had to climb a thousand-meter waterfall. They had to build their own rafts 00:01:13.040 --> 00:01:21.140 and then sail for 40 kilometers downstream. It was an incredibly tough race. And along the course, 00:01:21.740 --> 00:01:28.000 there were various checkpoints. And if you didn't reach the checkpoint in time, the team was knocked 00:01:28.000 --> 00:01:33.580 off the challenge. And so, there was various checkpoints, but then there were four base camps. 00:01:34.100 --> 00:01:38.320 And the base camps were really significant because there you could dry your clothes, 00:01:38.319 --> 00:01:44.799 you could get warm food, you could meet your crew, and you could get to sleep. And so, it was amazing. 00:01:44.939 --> 00:01:48.159 You know, some of the toughest people in the world, obviously competing in this race, 00:01:48.399 --> 00:01:56.179 but so often as the days went on, you would see contestants crying, crying their eyes out as they 00:01:56.179 --> 00:02:03.259 reached camp because they were just so tired and so glad for a chance to rest for more than a few 00:02:03.260 --> 00:02:10.800 minutes. No wonder in those kind of conditions. But, you know, those are extreme. But our life, 00:02:10.879 --> 00:02:18.000 often, if we're honest, it can be really exhausting, can't it? And the Christian faith can also be an 00:02:18.000 --> 00:02:26.599 exhausting journey. And so, the promise of rest that we find in the Bible, therefore, should strike us 00:02:26.599 --> 00:02:35.680 as profoundly good news. For those of us who were here last week, as Craig was preaching for us, 00:02:36.479 --> 00:02:44.000 he said the message there was to keep listening to Jesus so as not to miss out on God's rest. 00:02:44.900 --> 00:02:50.599 And that theme really continues. And so, this week, we're going to think about, well, what is this rest 00:02:50.599 --> 00:02:58.599 that's on offer that keeps getting referred to? Why is it that we say that Jesus offers better rest? 00:02:59.879 --> 00:03:06.419 And then, how do you and I enter the rest that Jesus offers? Because if rest is a wonderful gift, 00:03:06.599 --> 00:03:14.259 then we need to know how we can get it. So, first point, Jesus offers better rest than Joshua. 00:03:15.079 --> 00:03:20.560 Now, let's begin very briefly following the logic of our author. So, he begins in the first 00:03:20.560 --> 00:03:27.979 three verses back with the wilderness generation. So, the people that came out of slavery, led by Moses. 00:03:30.259 --> 00:03:37.980 But what happened to them? The message they heard was of no value to them because they did not share 00:03:37.980 --> 00:03:43.560 the faith of those who obeyed. There was this wilderness generation who missed out on the rest 00:03:43.560 --> 00:03:47.480 that was on offer to them because they lacked faith in God's Word of promise. 00:03:47.479 --> 00:03:55.000 And so, there's a warning from the author. But at the same time, there's hope. Because in verse 1, 00:03:55.060 --> 00:04:01.159 we're told the promise of entering this rest still stands. And in verse 6, therefore, since it still 00:04:01.159 --> 00:04:07.120 remains for some to enter that rest. So, there is hope for us. There is still a rest from God that's 00:04:07.120 --> 00:04:11.199 on offer. But the wilderness generation, they didn't receive it because they lacked faith. 00:04:11.199 --> 00:04:18.560 So, then our author moves from Moses to the next leader to Joshua to think about what happened 00:04:18.560 --> 00:04:25.740 in his day. So, if you've got your Bible, verses 7 and 8. In verse 8, we read, 00:04:25.839 --> 00:04:32.039 if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. 00:04:32.040 --> 00:04:40.300 So, he draws attention to Psalm 95. We saw Psalm 95 last week. And Psalm 95 was written by David 00:04:40.300 --> 00:04:45.420 many, many years after the people of God had entered into the promised land. 00:04:46.700 --> 00:04:53.240 And the point that our author is making is that if Joshua and entering the promised land was the end 00:04:53.240 --> 00:05:00.980 of the promise of rest, God wouldn't have inspired the writing of Psalm 95. Wouldn't have inspired David 00:05:00.980 --> 00:05:07.480 to say, today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts. The land, the promised land was not, 00:05:07.520 --> 00:05:13.460 in other words, the fulfillment of the rest that God has in store for his people. But, verse 9, 00:05:14.500 --> 00:05:18.960 there remains then a Sabbath rest for the people of God. So, the promise of entering that rest still 00:05:18.960 --> 00:05:24.680 stands. The wilderness generation didn't get it, Joshua, and his generation didn't experience 00:05:24.680 --> 00:05:32.959 fulfillment, but the rest and the opportunity of it still stands. What's the encouragement then to 00:05:32.959 --> 00:05:40.100 the church? The church in the first century, the church in the 21st century. Verse 1, let us be careful 00:05:40.100 --> 00:05:49.540 not to fall short of it. Verse 2, let's be careful to value the rest that God is offering. 00:05:49.540 --> 00:05:56.000 Verse 11, let's make every effort to enter that rest. 00:05:58.660 --> 00:06:04.379 The basic point is God promises rest. This rest is clearly a big deal, 00:06:04.900 --> 00:06:14.480 and we are to learn from history so we don't miss out. Okay, so hopefully that much is clear, but the 00:06:14.480 --> 00:06:19.480 big question still to answer is, well, what is this rest, and why is it so important to our author? Why 00:06:19.480 --> 00:06:27.200 should it be important to us? And what becomes clear is this is much more than, you know, having a few 00:06:27.200 --> 00:06:34.520 hours in a camp to get warm and well-fed before you carry on on a trek. This is much more than carving 00:06:34.520 --> 00:06:41.580 out 30 minutes of me time in the middle of a busy day. This has even got much more in view than just a 00:06:41.580 --> 00:06:46.400 regular keeping of the Sabbath. Now, all those things are good, especially keeping the Sabbath is good, 00:06:46.399 --> 00:06:57.239 and it's refreshing, but this is pointing to deep, spiritual, eternal rest that we find in Jesus 00:06:57.239 --> 00:07:08.479 when we come to know and enjoy God as our Lord, as our Savior. To help us see that, three words we can 00:07:08.480 --> 00:07:16.980 pick out from our passage. The first verse 9 is the word Sabbath. Sabbath, of course, is associated with 00:07:16.980 --> 00:07:26.439 the idea of rest. And what we discover, as the author talks about Sabbath, is he is saying this rest that's 00:07:26.439 --> 00:07:34.439 on offer to us is an invitation to enter into God's rest, to rest just as God rested, having completed the 00:07:34.439 --> 00:07:45.019 work of creation. And that Sabbath rest is then built into the life of the people of God, wasn't it? So, 00:07:45.100 --> 00:07:50.040 the Ten Commandments. But what's interesting about the Ten Commandments is that in the book of Exodus, 00:07:50.220 --> 00:07:56.560 so Exodus chapter 20, where you find the Ten Commandments first recorded, they're told to keep 00:07:56.560 --> 00:08:05.139 the Sabbath because God rested on the seventh day. So, Sabbath there is tied to creation, entering the rest 00:08:05.139 --> 00:08:12.420 of one's Creator. But then in Deuteronomy 5, where the Ten Commandments are recorded again, it's not about 00:08:12.420 --> 00:08:21.840 creation. They're told to keep the Sabbath because God rescued them from slavery and took them out of Egypt 00:08:21.839 --> 00:08:29.679 towards the promised land. So, Sabbath there is connected to the idea of redemption and rescue. 00:08:30.919 --> 00:08:39.899 So, for Adam and Eve, go back to Genesis, day one for them was to be a day of rest, resting in God's 00:08:39.899 --> 00:08:46.500 place and enjoying God's presence. And of course, that was the ideal for their every day and for our 00:08:46.500 --> 00:08:51.740 every day that whatever we're doing, we're enjoying the presence of God. But the Sabbath was that 00:08:51.740 --> 00:08:56.379 in particular. But then for Israel out of Egypt, as they took their Sabbath, they were remembering 00:08:56.379 --> 00:09:02.940 that God had given them rest from slavery, rest from oppression to become God's people, 00:09:03.440 --> 00:09:10.779 resting so they could worship their Redeemer God. So, true rest isn't just stopping our activity. 00:09:12.259 --> 00:09:16.259 True rest is knowing and enjoying life with God, our Creator, our Redeemer. 00:09:16.259 --> 00:09:23.480 So, then we can see why it becomes a big deal for our author. So, Sabbath helps us to see why rest is 00:09:23.480 --> 00:09:30.939 a big deal. I also want to take us to the idea of sacrifice, which isn't in our text. But if you look 00:09:30.939 --> 00:09:40.039 with me at verse 10, we read these words, anyone who enters God's rest also rests from their works. 00:09:40.039 --> 00:09:47.379 Now, if you've been with us since we started this study, you will know that the author likes to draw 00:09:47.379 --> 00:09:54.759 from the Old Testament. He likes to find references, images, and apply them, and to see often them 00:09:54.759 --> 00:10:02.399 fulfilled in Christ. Now, we also, if we read ahead, we know that for the next four or five chapters, 00:10:03.000 --> 00:10:07.919 our author is going to be concentrating attention on Jesus as high priest and sacrifice. 00:10:07.919 --> 00:10:16.159 So, when it says in verse 10, anyone who enters God's rest also rests from their works, 00:10:16.459 --> 00:10:25.899 it is very likely that this is a reference to the Day of Atonement, which you find in Leviticus chapter 23. 00:10:27.019 --> 00:10:32.919 So, if you have a Bible, you can turn there or you can listen. I'm just a couple of verses here, 00:10:32.919 --> 00:10:40.879 so I hope that we'll see the connection. So, chapter 23 of Leviticus, verse 26, 00:10:40.979 --> 00:10:48.159 the Lord said to Moses, the 10th day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. Hold a 00:10:48.159 --> 00:10:55.259 sacred assembly and deny yourselves and present a food offering to the Lord. Do not do any work on that 00:10:55.259 --> 00:11:03.000 day because it is the Day of Atonement when atonement is made for you before the Lord your God. 00:11:03.840 --> 00:11:10.080 Then in verse 31, you shall do no work at all. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations 00:11:10.080 --> 00:11:19.899 to come wherever you live. It's very likely that these works that are being recalled here in Hebrews 4 00:11:19.899 --> 00:11:28.899 takes us to the Day of Atonement when the people are told, rest, because God is working, and God is 00:11:28.899 --> 00:11:36.840 working to atone. God is working to make you clean from your sin. That's not something that the people 00:11:36.840 --> 00:11:45.960 could participate in, so they rested, and God worked, and God atoned for sin. God is the one who established 00:11:45.960 --> 00:11:55.460 right relationship between himself and his people. So, the rest is a rest from any attempt at a do-it-yourself 00:11:55.460 --> 00:12:02.440 religion, a religion based on our works and our effort, that exhausting treadmill of trying various 00:12:02.440 --> 00:12:08.600 practices and rituals and obedience and observance that never gets anywhere closer to God and his kingdom 00:12:08.600 --> 00:12:13.740 that never bring us into that deep rest that's only found when we trust in Jesus. 00:12:17.840 --> 00:12:24.180 One last thing to notice at this point is the idea of a signpost. So, we were thinking about signs this morning, 00:12:24.279 --> 00:12:31.159 so we'll think about the idea of a signpost. Verse 8, if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken 00:12:31.159 --> 00:12:41.319 later about another day. The rest in the promised land was pointing forward to future rest. Life in the 00:12:41.319 --> 00:12:50.719 promised land points the people of God forward to a greater hope still to come. There is a book by Vaughan 00:12:50.719 --> 00:13:00.799 Roberts called God's Big Picture, and he helpfully captures the goal of God in salvation as being God's 00:13:00.799 --> 00:13:10.419 people in God's place under God's rule and enjoying his blessing. And now, that was beginning to be 00:13:10.419 --> 00:13:15.759 worked out at the promised land, but that was never completed in Joshua's day or David's day or Solomon's 00:13:15.759 --> 00:13:24.759 day. It will only be completed under the rule of Christ. So, one big question still to answer. So, hopefully 00:13:24.759 --> 00:13:31.799 we've seen that rest is a big deal. It's really important biblically. But the big question still 00:13:31.799 --> 00:13:40.019 to answer is, how does Jesus offer better rest than Joshua? Why am I saying that? It's because the rest 00:13:40.019 --> 00:13:46.139 that Jesus offers is so much greater. You know, when you think about Israel led by Joshua and the rest that 00:13:46.139 --> 00:13:52.960 they enjoyed. So, they had the end of their 40 years of wilderness wandering, the point at which they 00:13:52.960 --> 00:13:57.320 are finished with fighting so they can take possession of the land and begin to settle down, 00:13:57.540 --> 00:14:02.800 that rest would be sweet, wouldn't it? No longer wandering in the desert, no longer fighting enemies. 00:14:02.920 --> 00:14:07.920 But we know from Old Testament history that that rest that they enjoyed was short-lived. 00:14:09.200 --> 00:14:13.180 Often because of lack of faith and because of sin, enemies would come, oppression would come, 00:14:13.180 --> 00:14:21.340 exile ultimately would come. So, that rest was never complete and always pointed forward to something 00:14:21.340 --> 00:14:29.220 greater. So, we need to see how does Jesus supply that something greater? How is He that rest who 00:14:29.220 --> 00:14:36.399 satisfies? Remember our verse at the beginning, Matthew 11, 28, come to me, all you who are weary 00:14:36.399 --> 00:14:42.879 and burdened, and I will give you rest. There's a wonderful promise that Jesus makes. 00:14:42.879 --> 00:14:53.340 Who is Jesus? Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath. The book of Hebrews has reminded us in so many ways. Jesus is 00:14:53.340 --> 00:15:00.939 both our Creator and our Redeemer. Jesus is the one who restores us to right relationship with God, 00:15:01.000 --> 00:15:08.700 which is at the heart of the Sabbath. It is in Jesus that we can live knowing and enjoying our God. 00:15:08.700 --> 00:15:14.560 So, Jesus fulfills the Sabbath. Jesus gives that deep rest that we need. 00:15:16.120 --> 00:15:22.060 What about on the theme of sacrifice? Well, Jesus fulfills the Day of Atonement. 00:15:23.180 --> 00:15:31.860 Jesus is both the whole burnt offering, that vivid picture of the just anger of God against sin, 00:15:31.879 --> 00:15:37.140 and it's poured out on Jesus at the cross. But Jesus is also the scapegoat of the Day of Atonement, 00:15:37.139 --> 00:15:45.120 the one who carries away the sin of His people. So, we rest in Jesus, because in Him and only in Him, 00:15:45.179 --> 00:15:53.740 we know that our sin has been paid for. No condemnation now I dread. In Jesus, there is deep 00:15:53.740 --> 00:16:01.819 peace for our soul, knowing all is well between us and our God. And when we think about the time of 00:16:01.820 --> 00:16:06.879 Joshua as a signpost, we need to recognize that Jesus is the destination, that that rest was 00:16:06.879 --> 00:16:15.760 pointing forward to. Jesus is the cold. Jesus is the rest. That soul rest is only found in Him. 00:16:16.640 --> 00:16:23.800 That spiritual, eternal rest that we were made for, we only find in Him. And so, the author is 00:16:23.799 --> 00:16:32.799 encouraging us to trust in Jesus, to fix our eyes on Jesus. And when we do, we're heading towards our 00:16:32.799 --> 00:16:39.879 true home. We're heading towards eternal rest. When the trials and the journey of faith will all be 00:16:39.879 --> 00:16:49.539 complete, where rest with Him is the prize that we will enjoy forever. So, Jesus offers better rest than 00:16:49.539 --> 00:16:56.559 Joshua. So, it's important for us to reflect on our lives and to ask ourselves, well, which Joshua am I 00:16:56.559 --> 00:17:06.240 following? Jesus, of course, means Joshua. God saves. The Joshua of the Old Testament, he gave rest that was 00:17:06.240 --> 00:17:15.119 largely temporary and physical. We can pursue rest that is temporary and physical. We can live for our own 00:17:15.119 --> 00:17:24.139 comfort. We can spend a lot of energy pursuing our own pleasure. We can prioritize the physical over the 00:17:24.139 --> 00:17:30.039 spiritual. Now, we can be so taken up with now that we fail to take eternity seriously. 00:17:33.179 --> 00:17:42.319 We need to choose which Joshua to follow. Will we pursue spiritual and eternal rest? Will we rest on Jesus 00:17:42.319 --> 00:17:50.500 alone for salvation? Will we believe, trust, live on the reality that peace with God is the greatest rest 00:17:50.500 --> 00:17:57.980 that we can ever know, even while life is crazy busy? Will we live backwards? Will we recognize that if 00:17:57.980 --> 00:18:06.079 eternal rest is the goal, then I need to have that set in my agenda day by day by day? Because Jesus offers 00:18:06.079 --> 00:18:13.519 better rest. The second point that our author would make and does make very forcefully is that we should make every 00:18:13.519 --> 00:18:23.299 effort to enter and to enjoy that rest. I was reminded of a quote by Churchill in the House of Commons in 1948. 00:18:23.519 --> 00:18:31.480 It said, those who fail to learn from history are condemned to repeat its mistakes. And the author of the book of 00:18:31.480 --> 00:18:38.000 Hebrews would clearly agree with that sentence and that sentiment. And he urges in so many ways in chapters 00:18:38.000 --> 00:18:44.480 three and four for Christians not to seek rest in any other way, not to try and find rest from any other 00:18:44.480 --> 00:18:52.819 person other than the Lord Jesus. And so, the message of this section is really God has promised rest, and so 00:18:52.819 --> 00:18:59.599 we are invited to trust Him. Jesus gives us that rest so we are to believe in Him, to understand that 00:18:59.599 --> 00:19:06.919 enjoying that rest requires our faith to be working, so we need to strive to enter and to enjoy that rest. 00:19:08.899 --> 00:19:16.799 So, by way of application and to see how He encourages us to make every effort, there are three lettuces. 00:19:17.359 --> 00:19:24.639 Sounds a bit like a vegetable, but let us. First of all, let us fear in verse 1. In the Greek, so in our 00:19:24.640 --> 00:19:31.660 English Bible here it says, therefore, since the promise of entering as rest still stands, let us be 00:19:31.660 --> 00:19:42.680 careful. In the Greek, it begins, let us fear. There's the emphasis, let us fear that we don't miss out on 00:19:42.680 --> 00:19:50.060 the promised rest. Let us fear in case we make the same mistakes as Israel did in the past. 00:19:50.059 --> 00:19:54.099 They were promised rest, but they failed to believe, so they didn't enter. 00:19:56.299 --> 00:20:01.599 It's a lesson for the journey of faith. Craig was speaking to us last week about the importance of 00:20:01.599 --> 00:20:10.000 finishing well. People in Moses' generation didn't finish well. We have to watch out so we don't miss out 00:20:10.000 --> 00:20:18.160 on God's rest. He says to them in verse 1, don't fall short. He says to us, don't fall short of that rest. 00:20:19.759 --> 00:20:24.000 Made me think of the wilderness generation. Perhaps they could see the promised land, 00:20:24.960 --> 00:20:29.720 knowing that they would never enter. As despots so near, but yet so far. 00:20:31.180 --> 00:20:36.980 That can be true of us in churches. We can be around religion and around the Bible and around 00:20:36.980 --> 00:20:42.640 God's people and be so close, but be so far, because we don't have our faith in Christ. 00:20:44.259 --> 00:20:51.440 Let us fear that that's not the case. The end of our section, verses 12 and 13, 00:20:52.099 --> 00:20:57.940 a really powerful image reminding us to let God's Word do God's work. The image there 00:20:57.940 --> 00:21:07.160 of the sword that cuts deep, that sword that penetrates, that exposes our hearts, 00:21:08.580 --> 00:21:13.940 shows a sin and unbelief. It reveals where our heart truly lies. 00:21:15.940 --> 00:21:23.080 Our author is saying, let God's Word do God's work to expose where we stand before God so we would act, 00:21:23.079 --> 00:21:32.379 so we wouldn't miss out on the rest. So let us fear. Let us also have faith. 00:21:33.939 --> 00:21:35.899 Read again verses 6 and 7. 00:21:37.179 --> 00:21:43.259 Therefore, since it still remains for some to enter that rest, and since those who formerly had the good 00:21:43.259 --> 00:21:49.980 news proclaimed to them did not go in because of their disobedience, God again set a certain day 00:21:49.980 --> 00:21:55.980 calling it today. Why did that generation miss out? They missed out because of disobedience. 00:21:58.460 --> 00:22:05.660 So our author takes us back to Psalm 95 and the today of Psalm 95, the day of opportunity for faith, 00:22:07.319 --> 00:22:12.980 that invitation to listen, to believe, to hold on to God's promise and God's Savior. 00:22:12.980 --> 00:22:19.819 In verse 2, there's the invitation to share the faith of those who obeyed. Not everybody in Moses' 00:22:20.240 --> 00:22:26.660 generation missed out on the promised land. So we're invited to share the faith of those who obeyed. 00:22:28.279 --> 00:22:32.839 And again, that reminds us that you and I, we are responsible for answering the invitation. 00:22:32.839 --> 00:22:40.939 God has done everything necessary for our salvation, but we still need to respond with faith. 00:22:44.439 --> 00:22:50.259 We're told in verse 2 that the generation under Moses, they had the good news proclaimed to them. 00:22:50.319 --> 00:22:56.119 What was their good news? Their good news was God has said He will save you, 00:22:56.279 --> 00:23:01.519 and He will bring you to the promised land, and He will make you His own people so you can enjoy life 00:23:01.519 --> 00:23:04.980 and the land and you can have peace and you can have rest, but they didn't have faith in that good news. 00:23:07.039 --> 00:23:14.480 Well, how much more good news have we heard in Jesus? There we see how God's salvation comes to be 00:23:14.480 --> 00:23:24.759 in His own Son dying for us. There we see in the resurrection of Jesus that eternal life is 00:23:24.759 --> 00:23:30.660 guaranteed for all those who have faith in Jesus. There's so much good news, but we need to be careful 00:23:30.660 --> 00:23:39.680 to believe it. There's a promise in verse 3, now we who have believed enter that rest. Believing leads to 00:23:39.680 --> 00:23:47.060 entering the rest. To have faith means that we know God's presence in our lives by His Spirit. 00:23:47.600 --> 00:23:53.440 We know God's love in our lives as our Father. We know God's salvation through His Son. 00:23:53.440 --> 00:24:06.160 So our author says to us, let us have faith in Jesus. And our last let us is, let us fight. 00:24:07.460 --> 00:24:19.740 This is in verse 11. Let us therefore make every effort. Let us strive. Back to the world's toughest race. 00:24:19.740 --> 00:24:27.259 There was one point during, I think it was during the three-hour swim through this freezing cold water, 00:24:27.339 --> 00:24:32.059 where one of the team captains, trying to encourage the other three members who were like practically 00:24:32.059 --> 00:24:42.299 hypothermic, he said to them, keep moving or we die. What's the message of the author? Book of Hebrews, 00:24:42.299 --> 00:24:51.359 let us therefore make every effort to enter that rest so that no one will perish by following the example 00:24:51.359 --> 00:24:59.980 of disobedience. We need to keep up the fight of faith. We need that urgent effort that clings to 00:24:59.980 --> 00:25:08.919 Christ. Faith is active, active to fight our sin, active to believe God's promise, active to seek 00:25:08.920 --> 00:25:23.400 that fellowship that will encourage us to persevere. Jesus promises eternal rest. Jesus promises salvation 00:25:23.400 --> 00:25:31.160 from sin. Jesus promises the deep joy of knowing God for now and for eternity. 00:25:31.160 --> 00:25:42.080 Let us fear that we don't miss out. Let us have faith that keeps looking to Jesus. 00:25:43.460 --> 00:25:50.680 And let us fight to make sure that we persevere. Let us pray. Let's pray together. 00:25:51.880 --> 00:25:59.759 Lord, our God, thank you again for this wonderful book of Hebrews. Thank you for 00:25:59.759 --> 00:26:10.720 the truth that it reveals. We thank you especially for the reality that in Jesus there is that deep rest 00:26:10.720 --> 00:26:22.299 that we all long for. There is that deep hope and promise of eternal rest in your presence, 00:26:22.720 --> 00:26:29.240 in your place, in the new heavens, in the new earth, when all sin and death and pain is gone. 00:26:29.759 --> 00:26:36.379 When it's Jesus and his people together forever in that wonderfully restored and renewed earth. 00:26:39.859 --> 00:26:45.680 Where we will recognize and live under your rule, not reluctantly, but gladly. 00:26:46.720 --> 00:26:54.619 When we will know in ways that we can only begin to dream of the blessing of being your people. 00:26:54.619 --> 00:27:05.579 Lord, please give us faith. Please give us faith that looks to Jesus. Give us faith that believes that 00:27:05.579 --> 00:27:12.059 Jesus is enough and more than enough. Give us faith that keeps going to the end. 00:27:12.059 --> 00:27:23.019 Lord, you already know the challenges and the opportunities, the highs and the lows that we will experience in this coming week. 00:27:23.019 --> 00:27:33.759 Lord, let us experience them with you. Let us be looking to you day by day and moment by moment. 00:27:34.619 --> 00:27:42.240 Help us to encourage one another towards that faith in Jesus that reaches the goal, 00:27:43.279 --> 00:27:48.819 which is being with Christ himself. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen. 00:27:48.819 --> 00:27:49.000 Amen. 00:27:53.639 --> 00:27:59.460 Now to finish, we will sing the wonderful hymn, 00:27:59.539 --> 00:28:02.259 I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say. 00:28:02.740 --> 00:28:05.039 And we'll stand to sing together. 00:28:05.039 --> 00:28:05.159 Amen. 00:28:05.159 --> 00:28:05.220 Amen. 00:28:05.220 --> 00:28:07.159 Amen. 00:28:07.159 --> 00:28:09.159 Amen. 00:28:09.159 --> 00:28:11.159 Amen. 00:28:11.159 --> 00:28:13.159 Amen. 00:28:13.159 --> 00:28:15.159 Amen. 00:28:15.159 --> 00:28:16.159 Amen. 00:28:16.159 --> 00:28:17.159 Amen. 00:28:17.159 --> 00:28:18.159 Amen. 00:28:18.159 --> 00:28:18.220 Amen. 00:28:18.220 --> 00:28:18.799 Amen. 00:28:18.799 --> 00:28:48.779 Amen. 00:28:48.779 --> 00:28:50.779 Amen. 00:28:50.779 --> 00:28:51.779 Amen. 00:29:18.779 --> 00:29:20.779 Amen. 00:29:20.779 --> 00:29:21.779 Amen. 00:29:21.779 --> 00:29:24.519 Amen. 00:29:24.519 --> 00:29:26.639 Amen. 00:29:26.639 --> 00:29:28.779 Amen. 00:29:28.779 --> 00:29:31.559 Amen. 00:29:31.559 --> 00:29:32.740 Amen. 00:29:32.740 --> 00:29:38.799 Amen. 00:29:38.799 --> 00:29:40.539 Amen. 00:29:40.559 --> 00:29:43.539 Amen. 00:29:43.539 --> 00:29:49.000 And now I live in Him 00:29:49.000 --> 00:29:56.659 I heard the voice of Jesus say 00:29:56.659 --> 00:30:01.639 I am this dark world's light 00:30:01.639 --> 00:30:07.420 Look unto me, your morn shall rise 00:30:07.420 --> 00:30:12.420 And all your day be bright 00:30:12.420 --> 00:30:18.340 I look to Jesus and I found 00:30:18.340 --> 00:30:23.259 In Him my star, my star 00:30:23.259 --> 00:30:29.220 And in that light of life I'll walk 00:30:29.220 --> 00:30:34.440 Till travelling days are done 00:30:34.440 --> 00:30:42.519 To Him who is able to keep you from stumbling 00:30:42.519 --> 00:30:45.279 And to present you before His glorious presence 00:30:45.279 --> 00:30:47.840 Without fault and with great joy 00:30:47.840 --> 00:30:50.420 To the only God our Saviour 00:30:50.420 --> 00:30:54.259 Be glory, majesty, power and authority 00:30:54.259 --> 00:30:56.740 Through Jesus Christ our Lord 00:30:56.740 --> 00:30:58.880 Before all ages 00:30:58.880 --> 00:31:01.059 Now and forevermore 00:31:01.059 --> 00:31:02.079 Amen 00:31:02.079 --> 00:31:04.039 Amen 00:31:04.039 --> 00:31:10.000 Amen 00:31:10.000 --> 00:31:12.000 Amen 00:31:12.000 --> 00:31:12.859 Amen 00:31:12.960 --> 00:31:15.059 Amen 00:31:15.059 --> 00:31:16.019 Amen 00:31:16.319 --> 00:31:17.059 Amen 00:31:17.539 --> 00:31:18.659 Amen 00:31:18.679 --> 00:31:19.919 Amen 00:31:19.919 --> 00:31:20.720 Amen 00:31:20.720 --> 00:31:22.960 Amen 00:31:22.960 --> 00:31:23.319 Amen 00:31:23.319 --> 00:31:23.500 Amen 00:31:23.500 --> 00:31:23.839 Amen 00:31:24.000 --> 00:31:24.960 Amen 00:31:24.960 --> 00:31:25.359 Amen 00:31:25.359 --> 00:31:26.619 Amen 00:31:26.619 --> 00:31:26.939 Amen 00:31:27.059 --> 00:31:27.879 Amen 00:31:27.879 --> 00:31:28.179 Amen 00:31:28.179 --> 00:31:28.919 Amen 00:31:28.919 --> 00:31:29.259 Amen 00:31:29.259 --> 00:31:29.460 Amen 00:31:29.460 --> 00:31:32.059 What meant our