One of our highest callings as Christians is to rest.
Though this sermon has in view Hebrews 3:7 through 4:13, we will focus on 4:11:
Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience.
How does one strive to enter rest? Our passage suggests at least two ways.
1. Watch one another’s hearts.
Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. (3:12)
‘Take care’ means to keep watch. We must literally watch out for each other. Specifically, we must watch for evil and unbelief.
‘Evil’ refers sinfulness such as greed, laziness, bitterness, selfishness, etc. When evil grows in our hearts, we do bad things.
‘Unbelief’ refers to trusting something other than God. When unbelief grows in our hearts we get anxious and look for security apart from God.
As evil and unbelief spread in our hearts, we “fall away from the living God,” no longer walking in his ways or trusting in his strength and goodness.
The antidote is Christian watchfulness, diligent observation of one another’s hearts. This requires a couple of things:
- Real relationships. You need to get really close with one or two people so you can watch one another’s hearts. Like comrades watching one another’s backs in a firefight, we watch one another’s hearts.
- Honesty. You need to be honest and open with your close brothers and sisters in Christ. If you’re hiding your heart, they can’t watch it.
But what do we do when we see evil or unbelief in each other’s hearts?
2. Speak to the hearts of those around you.
But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. (3:13)
To ‘exhort’ is to speak closely, desiring real response. If we want to enter God’s rest, we must regularly and urgently speak to one another on the heart level. If we do not, we are vulnerable to becoming hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.
As you lean into this deep fellowship you’ll find yourself saying and hearing things like,
- “Listen to what I learned in my Bible time this morning. What have you been learning lately?”
- “How’s your anxiety been lately?”
- “I need you to pray with me. I’m really struggling with ____.”
- “You came to mind while I was washing dishes, so I thought I’d check in with you. How are you doing?”
- “I noticed you’ve been ____, is everything okay?”
Discussion Starters
- Read Hebrews 3:7-4:13 together to get the whole context of the passage.
- Read 4:11 again. Do you feel restful or restless in your life? Explain your answer.
- Read 3:12. Do you currently have real relationships with people who really know your heart? If so, how many would you say fit this description? Who are they? How did you develop such a relationship? If not, why not?
- How do ‘evil’ and ‘unbelief’ lead a person to fall away from the living God?
- Read 3:13. How does mutual exhortation protect people from being hardened by the deceitfulness of sin?
- What practical steps will you take this week in response to this passage?
- What else stood out to you in the full passage?
