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March 30, 2025
Paul Gotthardt
(#5 in series)

Download a PDF of the sermon notes by clicking here. 

Download a PDF of the children’s sermon notes by clicking here. 

Finding Rest: The Rest of God (Part 2)

Hebrews 4:1-11

Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it. For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard. For we who have believed enter that rest, just as He has said, “As I swore in My wrath, they shall not enter My rest,” although His works were finished from the foundation of the world. For He has said somewhere concerning the seventh day: “And God rested on the seventh day from all His works”; and again in this passage, “They shall not enter My rest.” Therefore, since it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly had good news preached to them failed to enter because of disobedience, He again fixes a certain day, “Today,” saying through David after so long a time just as has been said before, “Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” For if Joshua had given them rest, He would not have spoken of another day after that. So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His. Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience.

– Hebrews 4:1-11

Big Idea: Our complete rest flows from God’s creation rest.

Unbelief leads to sin, sin leads to restlessness, but if we trust God, rest can be restored.

What does this text teach us about God’s rest?

  • We should be afraid of not entering God’s rest (v.1).
  • We enter God’s rest by believing the good news preached to us (v.2-7).
  • We only __ God’s rest through Jesus (v.8-9).
  • We find new depths of God’s rest when we __ what God says about us and __ what God said to us (v.10-11).

Response and Reflection:

Principle 1: Rest requires personal discipline.

Principle 2: Rest involves humble trust.

Principle 3: Rest includes elements of beauty and joy.

Principle 4: Rest is satisfied in completed work.

Principle 5: Rest is fully experienced with God.

Principle 6: Rest reminds us of redemption.

Principle 7: Rest is a declaration of freedom.

Principle 8: Rest distinguishes us from the world.

Principle 9: Rest allows for reflection on eternal matters.

Principle 10: Rest calms us when easily __.

Principle 11: Rest enables us to be __ and secure.

Principle 12: Rest is __ when we cling to sin.

Principle 13: Rest restores __ on three levels.

Principle 14: Rest encourages __ with God.

March 23, 2025
Paul Gotthardt
(#4 in series) 

Download a PDF of the sermon notes by clicking here. 

Download a PDF of the children’s sermon notes by clicking here. 

Finding Rest: The Rest of God (Part 1) 

Hebrews 4:1-11

Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it. For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard. For we who have believed enter that rest, just as He has said, “As I swore in My wrath, they shall not enter My rest,” although His works were finished from the foundation of the world. For He has said somewhere concerning the seventh day: “And God rested on the seventh day from all His works”; and again in this passage, “They shall not enter My rest.” Therefore, since it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly had good news preached to them failed to enter because of disobedience, He again fixes a certain day, “Today,” saying through David after so long a time just as has been said before, “Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” For if Joshua had given them rest, He would not have spoken of another day after that. So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His. Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience.

– Hebrews 4:1-11

Key Truth: Our __ rest flows from God’s __ rest.

What does this text teach us about God’s rest?

  • We should be __ of not entering God’s rest (v.1).

  • We enter God’s rest by believing the __ news preached to us (v.2-7).

By __ the good news, we enter His rest (Hebrews 4:3); by __ Christ’s teachings, His rest remains with us (Hebrews 4:10-11).

Response and Reflection:

Principle 1: Rest requires personal discipline.

Principle 2: Rest involves humble trust.

Principle 3: Rest includes elements of beauty and joy.

Principle 4: Rest is satisfied in completed work.

Principle 5: Rest is fully experienced with God.

Principle 6: Rest reminds us of redemption.

Principle 7: Rest is a declaration of freedom.

Principle 8: Rest distinguishes us from the world.

Principle 9: Rest allows for reflection on eternal matters.

Principle 10: Rest calms us when easily __.

Principle 11: Rest enables us to be __ and secure.

Principle 12: Rest is __ when we cling to sin.

March 16, 2025
Paul Gotthardt
(#3 in series) 

Download a PDF of the sermon notes by clicking here. 

Download a PDF of the children’s sermon notes by clicking here. 

Finding Rest: The Story of Sabbath 

Exodus 20:8-11

Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the Lord your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and made it holy. – Exodus 20:8-11

Key Truth: Sabbath tells the story of rest that includes __, betrayal, redemption, __, promises, and __.

  • Sabbath as a __ (Exodus 20:8-11)
  • Sabbath as a __ (Exodus 31:12-17)

Biblical Covenants and their corresponding signs:

  1. __ Covenant (Genesis 9:11-17):
    Covenant sign: __
  2. __ Covenant (Genesis 12:1-3, 15, 17; 17:9-10):
    Covenant sign: __
  3. __ Covenant (Exodus 19-24; 31:13):
    Covenant sign: __
  4. __ Covenant (2 Samuel 7:8-16):
    Covenant sign: __
  5. __ Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34; Ezekiel 36:22-32; Hebrews 7:22, 9:15):
    Covenant signs: __ and __
  • Sabbath as a __ (Deuteronomy 5:12-15)
  • Sabbath as a __ (Exodus 33:14; Numbers 14:28-30)

Response and Reflection:

Principle 1: Rest requires personal discipline.

Principle 2: Rest involves humble trust.

Principle 3: Rest includes elements of beauty and joy.

Principle 4: Rest is satisfied in completed work.

Principle 5: Rest is fully experienced with God.

Principle 6: Rest reminds us of __.

Principle 7: Rest is a __ of freedom.

Principle 8: Rest distinguishes us from the __.

Principle 9: Rest allows for __ on eternal matters.

March 9, 2025
Paul Gotthardt
(#2 in series) 

Download a PDF of the sermon notes by clicking here. 

Download a PDF of the children’s sermon notes by clicking here. 

Finding Rest: The Beginning of Rest

Genesis 2:1-3

Thus the heavens and the earth were completed, and all their hosts. By the seventh day God completed His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made. 
– Genesis 2:1-3 

To understand God’s plan for rest in our lives, it’s imperative that we understand the beginning of rest as mentioned in Genesis 2. 

There are 2 primary words for rest in Hebrew. 

  1. Shabbat means to stop __. 
  2. Nuakh means to dwell, __, or abide. 

God rests from His __ (shabbat; Genesis 2:2-3) and then God rests His people to __ with Him (nuakh; Genesis 2:15). 

Key Truth: Our __ is connected to His __ work.

God sets a pattern in creation that He repeats at key moments in the future. 

  • __ Rest: Genesis 2:1, “The heavens and the earth were completed…” 
  • __ Rest: John 19:30, “When Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, ‘It is finished!’” 
  • __ Rest: Philippians 1:6, “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will complete it…” 

Five principles of rest from the creation account: 

Principle 1: Rest requires personal __. 

Principle 2: Rest involves humble __. 

Principle 3: Rest includes elements of __ and joy. 

Principle 4: Rest is satisfied in completed __. 

Principle 5: Rest is fully __ with God.