Heb 4:12-13 God's Powerful Word

In He 4:11, we find a succinct summary of all that has been said in He 3:7-4:10... a. We need to be diligent to enter "the rest that remains", our heavenly rest b. Or we may fall short of our rest, just as many Israelites fell short of their Canaan rest... "Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience." - He 4:11 To stress the need for diligence, we are reminded regarding the Word of God - He 4:12-13 a. That Word which provided the example of the Israelites' disobedience b. That Word which is now warning them not to emulate the Israelites' example In this passage, the Word of God is described in amazing terms... a. It is "living" b. It is "powerful" c. It is "sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit" d. It is "a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart" At a time in which God's Word is so often neglected, even by some Christians, it never hurts to contemplate the wonder of God's Word... a. And so we take this opportunity to reflect upon what is said in this passage b. With a desire to renew and increase our appreciation of the power of God's Word!