Questions for Hebrews 4

(Some questions adapted from Hebrews 4 study guide by Guzik)

ENTERING INTO HIS REST A. How to enter God’s rest. 1. (Hbr 4:1-2) The warning is repeated: don’t miss God’s rest. The idea is carried on from , that unbelief kept the generation that escaped Egypt from entering Canaan. The promise remains of entering His rest, and we can enter into that rest by faith. Unbelief will make us fall short of the rest God has for us. What comes to mind to you when you think of the rest that God has for us?

2. (Hbr 4:3-9) Proof that a “rest” remains for the people of God. This quote from :11 demonstrates that God has a rest available to us. This rest is after the pattern of God’s own rest on the seventh day from all His works, as described in the quote from Genesis 2:2. This rest is in a person – in Christ, not so much in doctrines and ideas. Just like if you were to meet a troubled, crying child and try to comfort him and give him rest using ideas and logic, it won’t do much good. But when mommy comes, the child is happy again. Why did God rest on the seventh day?

3. (Hbr 4:10) Rest means to not continue on in works. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. Entering this rest means no longer needing to work. The idea isn’t that there is no longer any place for doing good works. The idea is that there is no longer any place for works as a basis for our own righteousness. The motivation behind doing good is so important. How is it different when you are doing good not because you have to, but because you get to?

4. (Hbr 4:11) Accepting the invitation to enter God’s rest through faith. The rest is there, but God does not force it upon us. We must enter that rest. Clearly, the rest is entered by faith; but it takes diligent faith. This shows us that faith is not passive; it takes diligence to trust in, rely on, and cling to Jesus and His work for us. (Hbr 4:12-13) The Word of God is Living and Active 5. Are you at the point where the word of God is living and active in your life?

6. How did you get there and what advice would you give to someone who isn’t there yet? sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart 7. This is a very visual statement. The word of God is a tool for us to examine our lives. Do you have friends that you are just surface level with? What do you talk with them about?

Do you have friends that you can share deeper more intimate information with? How is your relationship with them different? 8. For the word of God is living and powerful, and. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. How does it feel knowing that you have no secrets from God?

Jesus our High Priest. Read Heb 4:14-16 · No other High Priest was called great. · No other High Priest... passed through the heavens. · No other High Priest is the Son of God. 9. What does it mean to you to have Jesus as your great High Priest?

10. How might our relationship with God be different had Jesus not been “tempted as we are”?

11. In verse 16 it says that we can “with confidence draw near to the throne”, what does that look like?