Welcome to a new Move! And we enter chapter 10 of the Teleios journey, we gather to receive the vision God has for us in this next chapter. our theme for the year 2022 will be taken from Hebrews chapters 3 & 4. Let us consider the following:
1. THE HOUSE OF CHRIST: BELIEVERS
Heb 3:6 But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.
We are the house - the body of Christ. This suggests we are a part of Christ, connected to his life, his Spirit, his right standing with God, his abundance and his victory. It frustrates knowing we are connected yet not fully experiencing the great & precious promises!
From history, we know that manna along the way is not enough! Like Israel of old, they knew of a promised Land, but many only saw wilderness and Giants - Many let go of their confidence and hope in God! Many cried for Egypt yet again! Many did not believe!
What promises have gone ahead of us? What Word have we received? Yes, we have left Egypt! Yes, we crossed the read sea miraculously and are following Moses in the wilderness! But do we truly believe or are we just moving with the procession?
Many moved, but few believed. The house of Christ is known not as a body of movers, but as the body of believers! It's all about what we believe! What do you believe?
2. A GENERATION THAT GRIEVED GOD
Heb 3:10-11, 18-19 "Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest". And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.
Though Israel moved, they did not believe! They thought they were frustrated, but it was God they were frustrating! They grieved God and the root cause was unbelief!
A generation that knew God's works but did not know his ways! They were familiar but not intimate!
A heart of unbelief will always lead to sin. Belief is the only true comfort in affliction - in it's absence Sin is the only comfort the heart knows. (This is a key in overcoming recurring sins)
This generation grieved God and he swore "They will not enter into my rest".
Yes, they are moving - yet it is but wondering for 40 years in the wilderness. A generation in motion - yet never entering the Teleios (full end/ perfection) God promised! Moving in life does not guarantee approaching the promise Land, and their generation prove it! Is this generation becoming that generation?
3. IT COULD BE US - TAKE HEED, EXHORT ONE ANOTHER
Heb 3:12-13 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
It could be us! We can easily become that generation that grieves God! Are we too faithful for that? Isaiah prophesied of Israel "How is the faithful city become an harlot?!" (Is 1:21)
Take heed! The course of this world, as programmed by the prince of the air, Satan, is designed to cause us to lose our belief that God can, should and will do, exactly what he promised!
Unbelief makes a heart evil! It causes us to depart from God and His will. And there (in Sin) our hearts only grow harder. If we don't take charge of fueling our hearts right, the world will fuel them for us. Take heed!
What is the state of our hearts? Of our friends hearts? Are we exhorting one another daily or leaving the world to indoctrinate on our generation?
4. THE GIVEN FORMULA: WORD + FAITH = BELIEF
Heb 4: 2-3a For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. For we which have believed do enter into rest...
Hearing alone is not enough! For some do hear, but do not profit. Hearing does not guarantee believing. And only they that believe enter into His rest.
Faith itself comes by hearing THE WORD. The Word is Jesus! The hearing of words will not profit until we hear the Word himself and receive with meekness the implanted Word which is able to save our souls. Beholding is becoming! As long as we hear more world than Word, we cannot mix the Word we hear with faith, for that ability is tainted. What do you hear?
5. WHAT IS THIS REST?
Heb 4:9a There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
We find ourselves living under pressure! Pressure to progress and excel in life, pressure to make money, pressure to marry, pressure to be successful at our jobs, pressure all around!
We are busy, tired, frustrated. King Jesus would put it "burdened and heavy laden".
In this world we are bound to face obstacles and storms, but there is a grace to be led beside still waters, that even in the valley of the shadow of death, we will not fear or be moved! We do not need to force decisions and move with a conjured bravado along life, that burden is too heavy to bear. Jesus says "come unto me and I will give you rest". Can you trust him enough to offload your burdens at his feet and rest in him?
6. THE PARADOX OF LABOUR
Heb 4:10-11 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
Rest does not mean we sit around and do nothing. A call to rest is a call to cease from the labour (works) the world places on us and to take up the labour the Word himself gives. In giving us rest, Jesus gives us a yoke he bears alongside us! One labour wears us out, one labour is an opportunity to receive strength from on high! Which labour do we choose to bear?
7. THE HIGH PRIEST'S INVITATION
Heb 3:15 -16 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need
Jesus knows well the burdens we are laden with and calls us to his rest. He says "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Matt 11:28-30)
This is the same invitation King Jesus is calling Teleios to in year X. It may seem it's time to be bustling about achieving works worthy of ten years in ministry, or 20-something years on earth; but God is saying he doesn't want us doing it from a place of stress, anxiety, and being overwhelmed! That just indicates we're doing it with our own ability.
Israel of old could not enter his rest because of unbelief. They couldn't see how they could possibly defeat the giants and survive the wilderness. Why? Because THEY were all they saw.
The only ones with a good report of faith, were the ones who saw the great God. They saw the labour ahead as God's, not theirs! They believed God could, should and would do it, and this they entered into His rest!
There remains a rest for people of God, and in this year we enter therein in fullness of experience by the grace and Spirit of God!
Welcome to year X
Our year of Entering Into His Rest!