Summary of Hebrews Chapter 4 Presented by: John Hanes

“When you see the word “THEREFORE”, Ask what it is “THERE FOR”! Hebrews 4:1

* Jesus Rocks! * So Let’s Eat Salad (“Therefore, Let Us”)! Summary of Hebrews

* Chapter1 * Jesus is just like God. He IS the message. * Jesus is better than prophets & angels. * Worship the message, NOT the messenger! Summary of Hebrews Chapters 1 - 3

* Chapter 2 * First Warning: Pay Attention! Listen Up! Don’t Drift! * This time God sent the Son & Heir, He wants us to listen. * Uses Psalm 8 to show that Jesus RELATES to our humanity, but succeeded where humanity failed! * Don’t Drift and ignore salvation Summary of Hebrews Chapters 1 - 3

* Chapter 3 * Jesus is superior to Moses (most important prophet) * Moses’ life was really about Jesus. * Moses failed to reach the promised land (God’s rest). * Uses Psalm 95 to show that no one from Moses generation made it in (except Joshua & Caleb). * v1 shows this was written to Christians * v12 WARNS us NOT to stop believing & leave God * Don’t Drift and ignore salvation Summary of Hebrews Chapters 1 - 3

 Greek word “Phobomei” = To Fear or To have Awesome Respect for Heb 4:1 (NASB) Therefore, let us FEAR if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it. Lk 12:5 (NIV) “But I will show you whom you should FEAR: FEAR him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, FEAR him.” Commentary on Hebrews 4:1

What’s at Stake? Commentary on Hebrews 4:1 Everything!

 Greek word “Phobomei” = To Fear or To have Awesome Respect for Eph 5:33 (NIV) “However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must RESPECT her husband.” Commentary on Hebrews 4:1

 Faith & Obedience are 2 sides of the same coin! John 8:31-32 (NIV) “To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.” Commentary on Hebrews 4:2

* Promised Land was only rest from wandering in the desert. * True rest is God’s sabbath rest. * Hebrew writer is saying that God’s sabbath rest means being with God in His Kingdom. Commentary on Hebrews 4:3-4

* v3 teaches that we start to enter that rest NOW; BUT * v1 & v11 warns us that we can fall short of entering that rest IN THE FUTURE. * So, entering God’s rest is both a present and a future reality! - See Jn 5:24 “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.” Commentary on Hebrews 4:3-4

* Joshua & Jesus are the same Greek word: “Jesous” * Jesus > Joshua > Moses o Moses couldn’t get them to the promised land, Joshua did! o Joshua could only give them rest from wandering, Jesus gives us true rest! Matt 11:28-30 (NIV) “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Commentary on Hebrews 4:8-10

Jesus’ circumcison was better than Joshua’s!! Jos 5:2-3 (NIV) “At that time the Lord said to Joshua, “Make flint knives and circumcise the Israelites again.” So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the Israelites at Gibeath Haaraloth.” Col 2:11-12 (NIV) “In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.” Commentary on Hebrews 4:8-10

* We are NO different from Moses’ generation if we get disobey? What makes us think we are special? * If Once Saved, Always Saved is true, then why so many warnings in Hebrews against losing your salvation? Commentary on Hebrews 4:11

* What about predestination? o Calvin taught that some individuals were predestined to go to Heaven and some were not. o However, it is NOT the individual that is predestined, it is the plan that is predestined. The bus is scheduled to go to Heaven, we have to decide to get on it and then stay on it! Commentary on Hebrews 4:11

What about PREDESTINATION? * Eph 1:4-6 “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.” * 1 Tim 2:3-4 “This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” * Eph 1:11-12 “In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.” * Rom 8:28-30 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.” Commentary on Hebrews 4:11

* What is a Priest? o Latin word for priest is “Pontifex” = bridge builder o A priest is an advocate, mediator or representative that builds a bridge between people & God. Commentary on Hebrews 4:14-15

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