I. God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life which will probably include suffering and tough times.

Goal is glory Heb 2:5 He has not put the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels. 10  For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 5:8

II. Faithful, tender hearts that hold fast to God’s ways and don’t go astray…share in the blessings with Christ.

A. Hold fast or be last  Heb 3:1  Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus, 2  who was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was faithful in all His house….6  Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end 6:11,18,19; 7:19 10:23

B. Hard hearts never learn and lose out on God’s best  3:7 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: "Today, if you will hear His voice, 8 Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, In the day of trial in the wilderness, 9  Where your fathers tested Me, tried Me, And saw My works forty years. 10 Therefore I was angry with that generation, And said, ‘They always go astray in their heart, And they have not known My ways.’ 11 So I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest.’"

III. Transparent daily fellowship with mountain-climbers…keeps us from being deceived, doubting and departing

A. Doubt ÞDeparture  3:12 Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God;

B. Deceived  13 but exhort one another daily, while it is called "Today" lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin

C. Don’t ever quit  14 For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end,

D. Failure to continue to believe is failure 3:15 while it is said: "Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion." 16  For who, having heard, rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came out of Egypt, led by Moses? 17  Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness? 18  And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? 19  So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.

IV. To profit from the gospel we need to fear, and follow in faith diligently as we draw on God’s grace

A. Fear with faith to profit   4:1 Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. 2 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. 3  For we who have believed/believe do enter that rest, as He has said: "So I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest,’" although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.

B. Obey or go Astray  4:4 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"; 5  and again in this place: "They shall not enter My rest." 6  Since therefore it remains that some must enter it, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience, 7  again He designates a certain day, saying in David, "Today," after such a long time, as it has been said: "Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts."

C. Endeavor forever  4:8 For if Joshua had given them rest, then He would not afterward have spoken of another day. 9  There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. 10 For he who has entered/enters His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His

11 Let us therefore endeavor/be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience.

12  For the word of God is living and powerful, and 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. 13  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.

D. Get Grace 14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.  Eph 3:12

1Pt 5:5 Likewise you younger, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble." 6  Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,

Questions for Reflection/Discussion/Response:

1. Why do you think most folks fail to see the parallel between OT and NT believers, even thought it is repeatedly and explicitly stated?

2. When was the last time you “heard His voice”? Shouldn’t it be a daily occurrence? How can you clean out your arteries and ears?

3. If the Word of God judges our motives (thoughts and intents) as well as our actions, why do most folks just focus on external obedience.

4. What will happen to you if you don’t diligently & steadfastly hold fast the “confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end”?

5. What would keep you from boldly obtaining grace to fear, obey and faithfully follow God to your promised land? Is it worth it?