The Life and Times From Below

Hebrews 4:1-13

1Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. 2For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith. 3Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said,
“So I declared on oath in my anger,
‘They shall never enter my rest.’ ”

And yet his work has been finished since the creation of the world. 4For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: “And on the seventh day God rested from all his work.” 5And again in the passage above he says, “They shall never enter my rest.”

6It still remains that some will enter that rest, and those who formerly had the gospel preached to them did not go in, because of their disobedience. 7Therefore God again set a certain day, calling it Today, when a long time later he spoke through David, as was said before:
“Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts.”

8For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. 9There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; 10for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. 11Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience.

12For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

1) What’s the writer/God saying? The author invites his readers to enter into the rest that God has promised. He reminds them that Moses and his generation didn’t get to enter that rest because of their disobedience, but that, currently, they still have an opportunity to enter God’s rest. He exhorts them to not fall into the trap of disobedience. Then he tells them how they can avoid disobedience: being challenged and changed by the Word of God. It judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart which can be disobedient. The word “rest” in verses 1,3,5,10-11 means to sleep, or rest from work. “Rest” in verses 4,8 means to settle down as in to live. This refers to the fact that God did not allow them to settle in the land of Canaan because of their disobedience. “Rest” in verse 9 refers specifically to the final rest in Christ that the faithful will experience.

2) What is the principle? Disobedience leads away from God’s rest, now and later! It’s interesting that oftentimes, Hebrews 4:12-13, an oft-quoted section, is not connected with the rest of chapter four. “The Word of God is living and active” no doubt and it “judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart,” but why? It does so to seek out, expose, and remedy disobedience. It’s not simply a nice thought. It really does change lives! It’s not just good for living; it’s excellent for finding and destroying disobedience in a person’s life which robs God’s rest.

3) What does this look like in my life? When I disobey God, I’m asking for a hard, tiring lifestyle. It’s not until I allow the Scriptures to permeate my life, expose my disobedience, and repent of it that I enter into God’s rest. Therefore, the Word of God brings rest into my life!

Below, out!

7So, as the Holy Spirit says:
“Today, if you hear his voice,
8do not harden your hearts
as you did in the rebellion,
during the time of testing in the desert,
9where your fathers tested and tried me
and for forty years saw what I did.
10That is why I was angry with that generation,
and I said, ‘Their hearts are always going astray,
and they have not known my ways.’
11So I declared on oath in my anger,
‘They shall never enter my rest.’ ”

12See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. 14We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first. 15As has just been said:
“Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts
as you did in the rebellion.”

16Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? 17And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the desert? 18And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed? 19So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief.

1) What is the writer/God saying? In two instances, the author quotes Psalm 95, which was (and is) used to open times of corporate worship. It begins with a praises of God’s power and greatness. The second half is what is quoted. It’s a warning reminder of what happened to the generation of Hebrews who did not trust in God after being rescued from Egypt. None of them ever saw the Promised Land. God prohibited them from entering in. Not until every member of “that unbelieving generation” was gone, did God allow the nation of Israel to enter into the Promised Land.
And so, the writer exhorts his readers to not waiver in their faith that Jesus is the Messiah: God’s plan for salvation.
What’s also interesting is how the author describes sin in verse thirteen. He warns against sin’s “deceitfulness.” The literal translation is “delusion.” He warns his readers to not be tricked by sin’s delusions of grandeur and hope. They always lead to death.

2) What is the principle? Unbelief in Jesus steals the hope and promise of new life. It was true for the Israelites. When they stopped believing that God was leading them in the right direction, when they stopped trusting God that he knew what he was doing, it was in that moment they were refused entry to “his rest.” When I stop believing that Jesus has the best plan for my life, it’s not far after that I succumb to sin’s delusions and starting thinking that I don’t need him.

3) What does that look like in my life? I can trust God every time that he will be victorious in seeing his dreams realized. It’s not always about my dreams and what I see. That’s the delusion of sin. I think I’m in control and I know what’s best. I don’t. God does. I give way to his authority in my life because unbelief can keep me from receiving his promise.

Below, out!

I’ve been spending time in Hebrews for a while. I’m just going through a little at a time. I read some, study A LOT, and see how God may want to intersect that with my life. I read Hebrews 3:1-6 today:

“Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess. 2He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God’s house. 3Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. 4For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. 5Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s house, testifying to what would be said in the future. 6But Christ is faithful as a son over God’s house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast.”

As I studied, I picked up a few things. I always work through the process of 1)”What’s being said?”; 2) “What’s the principle?”, and; 3) “What does that look like in my life?”

Here’s what came today:
1) Remember that the author is writing to Christians of Jewish persuasion or straight up Jews. He is arguing that Jesus is greater than Moses. In verse one, he asks them to “fix your thoughts on Jesus.” That may seem like a spiritual encouragement, but it’s not. The original language means “observe fully.” He’s asking them to carefully investigate Jesus. If they will look objectively, they’ll find in Jesus the Messiah they have been hoping for! Jews would agree that Moses was the greatest prophet of all time, but the author makes the case that Jesus is even greater than Moses! What a huge statement to them!

2) The principle, then, is that Jesus is greater than any of God’s servants. At face value that seems obvious, DUH! But, when you look at American Christianity today, who are most Christians enamored by? Is it Jesus? Or is it Rick Warren, Joel Osteen, Steven Furtick, or T.D. Jakes? I am not trying to minimize their ministries or question those leaders devotion to Jesus. My question is only: Where are their church’s focus? For some it will be Jesus completely, but for too many, it is the servant.

3) My personal response is that I can get caught up in this just as much as anyone else. I have been greatly influenced by other leaders, even to the point of adhering more to their teachings and leadings than that of Jesus and the Holy Spirit’s. I need to guard my heart and mind from being captured by any other person or philosophy. Rick Warren did not pay the price for my sin. Steven Furtick didn’t redeem me and intercede on my behalf. Jesus did. Jesus is the only one who gets my life! “He was the one who was faithful to the one who appointed him…”

- Below, out!

This past Sunday, I asked my friends at Calvary Ridge to research some of the the Old Testament prophecies that Jesus fulfilled and then share why it was so important for them to be completed. This is the place where we will discuss it.

If you have any thoughts to share, feel free. Our faith is a discussion in process with the final word being given to God and his word.

Also, if you were a part of Calvary Ridge services on Dec 7 and created your own prophecy, tell us what it was and how you’re doing on fulfilling it. Remember, Christmas doesn’t have to be hopeless. We can share the hope of original life through Jesus!

So I went to have lunch with my junior high students today. We’ve been planning it for a while. In connection with it, our students wanted to do some servant evangelism in their school. So I bought 100 candy bars and stuff and attached connection cards to it.

I gave the candy to our students the night before so that I would not bring it in with me or hand any out. Our kids brought it and our kids handed it out. I ate lunch with students and just talked about life.

After I got back to the office, I received a phone call from the principal. He accused me of misleading him when I asked to have lunch with my students. He told me that what I had done was totally inappropriate and he doesn’t like to be taken advantage of.

Throughout the conversation, I defended my position that I called prior to coming for lunch. I had notes from parents saying I could have lunch with them. I signed in at the office before I came. I ate lunch with my kids, talked with my kids, and left the building.

After he realized that I wasn’t budging, he told me he had to go and hung up. Well, I wasn’t quite done on the situation. So I sent him this email.

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Mr Komperda -

I want to send a follow-up note apologizing again. Neither Calvary Ridge’s nor my intention was to cause problems within the school or hurt our relationship with the school system. We have actually been staunch supporters since even before I came here. My jr. high kids simply wanted to share God’s kindness with their friends and I applaud them for that.

In no way did we desire to cause a disruption in the cafeteria. I was there and there was no disruption. Kids were not rioting or running around trying to get candy. It appeared as a normal lunch break. One of my students simply went from table to table and gave away a few candy bars and bags of Skittles, which I did not bring with me.

My plan from the get go was to eat lunch with my students on their playing field. That is exactly what I did. Other students who are not connected with my church did sit with me during lunch. At no point did I invite other students to sit at the table I was at. If they were not to sit with me, I was not aware of that and apologize.

My conversation was limited to how school was going, who liked who, and what kinds of activities they were into. I, personally, never identified myself as a pastor. I never once mentioned Jesus, the Church, or God except when I asked God to bless my corndog, roll, and chocolate milk.

My personal assumption is that someone in the school had issue with it and you did the right thing by following up with me. I want to reiterate that nothing illegal was done. Nothing even wrong was done. I will say, that if North Ridgeville Middle School has a written policy that students cannot pass out candy during lunch inviting friends to hang out with them, I apologize and our students were wrong for doing it. If it is a written policy, our students will not do it again.

I want to say that my intention was never to mislead you and that I never did. I asked for permission to have lunch with my students. I asked parents to fill out permission slips to do so and as far as my understanding, they did. I ate lunch with my students, talked with my students and some of their friends and then left the building.

I do ask that you do not punish my students or my church for doing no wrong. If you are willing, I would like to discuss this further. Feel free to respond to this email, contact me at 440.539.8401, or setup a meeting in the near future.

I hope to partner with North Ridgeville Middle School in the future.
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Thankfully not all of our schools are like this, but recognize that the Church is less and less welcome in the world. But that’s a GOOD THING!

In the history of the Church even to today, Christianity has always grown when it’s not wanted. When it’s persecuted, it grows. When it’s unwelcome, it grows, When it’s pushed to the fringe, it grows.

Am I unhappy about this situation? Not really. In one sense, if you’re not causing waves, you’re not doing anything that matters. On the other hand, I just hope this doesn’t trickle down to my students in a negative fashion.

Pray for us and for my city’s schools. God wants to break through!

What do you think about this?