The author of Hebrews wants his believing readers to understand that the enjoyment of, or entering into, God’s rest is something that must be done every day. There are moments in life where I would catch a glimpse of the grand salvation by grace through faith alone that we have in Christ, but then I go back to work. The alarm goes off on Monday morning. The boss calls me into his office. A homework assignment is due tomorrow. A task must be accomplished by a certain deadline. The bills have to be paid by the end of the month. This world of sowing and reaping in which we all live everyday will drag us back into the “you get what you deserve” system so fast it makes your head spin. But we’re not to let that destroy our faith and trust in Jesus. His rest is still there waiting for us to come back. The author writes in Hebrews 4:6-7, “Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience, again he appoints a certain day, ‘Today,’ saying through David so long afterward, in the words already quoted, ‘Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.’”

Jesus wanted us to remember him regularly in the communion service. The bread represents Jesus’ body that was offered up for our sins on the cross. The wine represents His shed blood through which we find forgiveness of all our sins. We are called to regularly reflect on the work that Christ accomplished for us. It is something we could never do for ourselves. He was the perfect sacrifice. He was the only “human” that could die a death for all mankind. He not only took upon himself our sins when He died on the cross but also through faith, He transfers His perfect righteousness into our bankrupt accounts. In Him we have peace with God through faith. In Him we indeed find true peace even though we fail in the world of sowing and reaping so often. No one lives up to the standards of the law. Admit it.

Jesus’ invitation to “come to me, all who are burdened and heavy laden” is still there. It has been preserved in Scripture for us all every day. But religion hardens our hearts! We have learned from an early age that we must pay for our own sins! We have numerous ways of saying this in our society. We made our bed and now we must lay in it. If we want to dance we have to pay the piper. If it’s to be, it’s up to me! There’s no such thing as a free lunch! If it sounds too good to be true, it is! Yes indeed, salvation by grace through faith alone sounds too good to be true for religious people. They insist on judging others on a standard of performance that is completely unattainable. With hearts hard to their own sinfulness, the religious people were confronted by Jesus with their own failures. They have hated. That means they have committed murder. They have lusted. That means they have committed adultery. Only hard hearts continue to insist on their own righteousness and measure others based on their own standards. We’ve all fallen short in our own ways and our only hope for rest is in the arms of He who died for our failures and purchased a place for us at His own expense. “Come to me,” He says, “and rest from your works.”