Well, I invite you to open your Bibles now to Hebrew chapter 4, and I'm going to read with you

verses 1 to 11, probably 11 of the most complicated verses in the Bible.

And I say that just so that as you're reading and you're scratching your head,

how in the world does this hang together, you won't think that I didn't realize that.

But Hebrew is tough.

It's a tough book, and it's in the Bible, which means, among other things that God intends for Christianity to carry in its wake literacy.

In fact, I've thought that Christianity in its mission is fundamentally literacy work, teaching people

how to read God's word for themselves so they're not dependent on preachers and missionaries and

Sunday school teachers. Well this is tough and we'll do the best we can with it.

Maybe you're sharper than I am and it will just all fall together very plainly

for you, but we'll tackle it and deal with as much as we can pack into a few minutes here.

Hebrews 4, 1 to 11, therefore let us fear, and I'm going to pause

right there because I know about 300 of you have the NIV in your lap, which

doesn't say fear. It says be careful to or something like that and it's one of those irritating paraphrases that I have to deal with as

a pastor knowing that my people have all kinds of versions out there when the literal

words are very simple and very straightforward, therefore let us fear.

So you, NIV holders just have to adjust to what I tell you this means and then if you don't

believe me, go to the RSV, go to the NASB, go to the King James Version who all take it like it is.

Therefore, let us fear lest while a promised remains of entering his rest,

any one of you should seem to have come short of it, the rest.

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.

...