The Paragon of Our Faith
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Welcome/Prayer
In Bunyan’s classic work - The Pilgrim’s Progress, the main character Christian, having set out on his pilgrimage to the celestial city and having passed through the slough of despond… encounters a man by the name of Mr. Worldly-Wiseman...
Mr. Worldly-Wiseman inquires of Christian’s journey and having heard of his experience and of where he is to go and of his desire to rid the burden off of his back… Mr. Worldly-Wiseman offers some advice…
He wonders why Christian chooses such a difficult path… why deal with such trials and afflictions? Why the difficultly? Surely, there is an easier way to achieve your end?
And so, Christian is enticed and wants to know what the easier way is...
Mr. Worldly-Wiseman goes on to explain to him a way found in the town of Morality, where he will meet Mr. Legality and his son Civility… both who would help him with his burden upon his back...
In order to get there, Christian must take a path that leads him to and up Mt. Sinai… what he founds there is not what was promised…
For even before he reaches the town of Morality… Christian is overcome by fear and the ever increasing weight of his burden..
All because he chose to listen to the advice of Mr. Worldly-Wiseman instead of sticking to the advice of the Evangelist who told him of the path he must take to reach the Celestial City
And such it is for those who seek to live out their faith by the way of Moses and not the way of Christ...
This is the warning and argument we find in chapter 3 and 4 of Hebrews.
Which is where we turn to this morning… don’t worry, we’re not covering the entirety of both chapters this morning… we are actually going to break them into 3 sections for 3 different Sundays… with the first section for this morning being Heb 3.1-6
The author switches from exposition back to exhortation for these two chapters… though our text this morning is actually an expositional sandwich...
As verses 1 and 6 are hortatory… 2-5 are exposition, the meat of the sandwich…
Let us now become acquainted with this expositional sandwich by reading our passage… Heb 3.1-6
1 Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, 2 who was faithful to him who appointed him, just as Moses also was faithful in all God’s house. 3 For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses—as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself. 4 (For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.) 5 Now Moses was faithful in all God’s house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, 6 but Christ is faithful over God’s house as a son. And we are his house, if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope.
The author begins by connecting what he is about to say to what he has said previously… and he does so by using the obvious word of connection - “Therefore”...
But he does it also by his word choice - “brothers”… holy brothers at that… sanctified brothers...
If you recall from last week we read how Jesus was made perfect through suffering… for a purpose… to bring many sons to glory…
For He is the sanctifier, they are the sanctified, and as such, He is not ashamed to call them brothers...
Not only brothers who are holy/sanctified… but people who share in the heavenly calling… that is the world to come… which the author mentioned back in v. 5 of chapter 2…
In light of what the author has just spoken about in regard to the Son, and the relationship the Son has with believers...
He calls, he “exhorts” his audience to consider… to think about… Jesus..
But in a very specific way… the ESV translates the Greek in way that I think misses the emphasis...
In the Greek, this reads more literally...
“consider, the apostle and the high priest of our confession, Jesus”
It’s there in the English if you’re paying attention… but in the Greek it is more obvious… what the author calls to mind isn’t so much the name… but the office… the function of Jesus...
There is a particular aspect of Christ, we are to call to mind, that we are to reflect on…
That is He is the apostle and the high priest of our confession...
Now, what does it mean that He is the apostle and the high priest?
Apostle literally means “the sent one”...
Jesus is God’s apostle… He is God’s emissary…
High Priest refers to His atoning work upon the cross… how He is the propitiation for our sins… as previously discussed in chapter 2...
In short… the author sums up the ministry of Jesus with these two offices… it is similar to Paul using the expression “Christ Crucified”
The Anointed One… the Chosen One… the Sent One… The Apostle… Who died, who bled for our sin.
John teaches this truth as well in his first epistle 1 Jn 4.9-10
9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
But let us not miss what the author ties the apostleship and high priesthood to...
“Our confession”… in this construct, both the apostle and high priest are connected to our confession...
So, we are to consider Jesus… who is the one sent by God and who is our high priest… of what we confess…
The author is appealing to the faith of his audience...
He is essentially saying… in light of what you believe… in light of what you confess… in light of your faith…
Think on… consider… Jesus… because He is the means and the ends of our faith…
He is the paragon of our faith… the prime example… the supreme image… of which there is no defect...
He is the way of which we obtain our heavenly calling...
The author then goes on to explain in v. 2-5 why his audience, and why we, should consider our paragon, consider Jesus...
Let’s look at them again Hebrews 3:2-5
2 who was faithful to him who appointed him, just as Moses also was faithful in all God’s house. 3 For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses—as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself. 4 (For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.) 5 Now Moses was faithful in all God’s house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later,
To whom was Jesus faithful to here in verse 2?
God… His Father… and how was He faithful?
Through His obedient life and ministry… He accomplished the will of the Father… as John records the words of Jesus in John 17… John 17.4
4 I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.
And the appointing is referring to the exaltation of the Son… the inheritance of the name that is greater than all names…
The author then brings Moses into the argument… to use him as a contrast… now why Moses?
Moses, is the prophet… of the old age…
For the audience of Hebrews is clearly Jewish… and in accord with the teachings of the letter… they seem to be a group that is tempted to trust more in the ways of Moses than the ways of Jesus…
So, the author takes the founder of the old covenant and puts him against the founder of their salvation… Jesus.
In doing so, note that he doesn’t denigrate or insult Moses…
He honors Moses… He calls to mind the faithfulness of Moses… just as Jesus was faithful, so also was Moses faithful in all God’s house… this truth pulls from Numbers 12:7… where God rebukes Aaron and Miriam for their rebellious attitudes against Him and against Moses...
7 Not so with my servant Moses. He is faithful in all my house.
Now, in speaking of God’s house here in Hebrews, the author speaks of the people of God… think of the expressions.. “house of Israel” “house of Judah”… so forth.
In v. 3-6 the author brings out the contrast between Moses and Jesus by stating that Jesus is worthy of more glory than Moses...
He does so by stating three truths...
The builder is worthy of more glory than the house itself
The builder of all things is God
Moses was a servant in the house, who testified about the Son who is over the house
Let’s look at the first one.. found in v. 3… the builder is worthy of more honor than the house itself.
Moses is not the house, itself… rather he is a servant in the house… and if house is to be understood as the people of God… then he is certainly a part of the house...
But Jesus is not the house… He’s the builder...
Think of 1 Chr 17.11-12 - the Davidic Covenant
11 When your days are fulfilled to walk with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. 12 He shall build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever.
A prophecy that spoke both of Solomon building a temple, a house for Yahweh… as well as Jesus… who would reign on David’s throne forever and who would build the temple, the house of God, that would last forever as well…
This ought to call to mind for us Matthew 16:18
18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
So, as the builder… Jesus is naturally afforded more honor… more glory than the house itself
The second truth… found in v. 4...
Is that every house is built by someone… obviously…
But the builder of all things is God...
What is the author attempting to explain here?
He’s just stated that the builder of the house is worthy of more glory, more honor than the house...
And he states an obvious truth… that whatever is built is built by someone…
BUT… all things are built by God… so as the builder of all things… how much glory ought God receive? How much honor should He receive? Much more right?
How does this relate to Jesus? The Son?
Look back to the start of the letter in the prologue… Heb 1:2-3
2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
This divinity… this glory and honor… though explicitly connected to God… is also ascribed to the Son, whom the author has already mentioned as the creator of all things.
The author then goes on with the third truth in v. 5 & 6…
That Moses himself, who was faithful in God’s house as a servant… he himself… testified to the things that were to be spoken later...
But Christ… He isn’t a servant… nor is He in the house…
He is a son.. and He is faithful over God’s house...
Let’s look at this more closely…
What did Moses testify about that were to be spoken later?
Deut. 18.15, 18-19
15 “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen—
18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. 19 And whoever will not listen to my words that he shall speak in my name, I myself will require it of him.
See, Moses may have been a faithful servant… but that is exactly what he was… a faithful servant pointing to the Son of the house...
This language of the author in v. 5, should call to mind again, his prologue… specifically v. 1-2 Heb 1.1-2
1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.
God spoke through Moses… of which Moses was faithful… and in doing so, God spoke of the age to come, that is the age that we and the audience of Hebrews live...
The age of when God has spoken to us, not by Moses and the prophets… but by His Son...
Nor by other faithful servants of the house… but by His Son… the One who is over the house.
An important truth we need to be reminded of early in chapter 3, for the rest of chapter 3 and 4, will build upon that truth by the author warning us… therefore, when you hear His voice… listen...
And we’ll look at that warning in detail next week...
For now though… we need to pay attention to how the author closes this initial exhortation and exposition…
Let’s look at the end of verse 6… Heb 3.6
6 but Christ is faithful over God’s house as a son. And we are his house, if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope.
We are to consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession… because He is not like Moses… He is not like the servants of the house…
For He is the Son who is faithful over the house.
And we are His house… that is… we are His people… if… if what?
We hold fast, we keep, we maintain, we do not lose our confidence and our pride/our boasting… in our hope...
In other words… we are the people of God, who share in the heavenly calling… in the world to come… in the celestial city prepared for us by God…
If we persevere… if we remain faithful… if we don’t drift… as the author warned us in Heb 2.1-4 earlier…
The author does not write this as an assessment of his audience… he is not making a statement of whether or not they are saved… rather it is a pastoral statement..
He is urging them on in the faith… to hold fast… not to lose sight… not to give in… to let go of their hope… He’s more concerned about encouraging them… than trying to determine who is a sheep and who is a goat...
God Himself.. will deal with that in the end...
In the meantime, the author seeks to shepherd the audience well by encouraging them to hold fast to their confidence and pride in their hope...
And what is that exactly?
This confidence and this pride… in our hope?
What hope?
The person and work of Jesus Christ… the message spoken to us by the Son...
That is the apostleship and priesthood of Christ.... the person and work of Christ
This is our confidence, our pride, our boast… Christ
14 But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
17 “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”
But what does it mean exactly to boast in Christ? To have confidence, boldness in Him?
The confidence speaks to the trust we have in Him...
Knowing that He will see us through to whatever He calls us to…
That He will not fail and what He tells us is sure and true...
That when He says the narrow road is narrow… and that hardships and difficulty are before us… and that if we follow Him on His path that He’ll be with us… and we will know joy… we trust in that… and we endure the hardships...
The confidence speaks also to the freedom we have to go before the Father… to enter into the throne room of Grace… the Holy of Holies… not based on our merit… but His…
So, even in sin, we have the confidence to go to the Father… knowing Christ is with us, knowing Christ pleads for us for He has bled for us...
To boast in Christ, to pride in Christ is just that...
When people ask… “Why and how can you make a career change just to so you don’t have to move from your home church?” - Christ!
“How can you pick up and go across the country to live and love strangers?” - Christ!
“How can you get on a ship, sail the oceans to an unknown land, to never return to your precious home where your family roots are?” - Christ!
“How are you able to say no to the bottle now? No to the pills? No to the lust? No to the greed? No to the ways of this world?” - Christ!
“How can you not fear death?” - Christ!
How can you be so sure about what the Bible says and about your faith? - Christ!
How can you have peace in your life with all that is going on in the world? - Christ!
How can you love those who are so hateful? - Christ!
How can you go to church knowing what you just did? - Christ!
See, where Moses was able to deliver the people of God from bondage… a people through a sea… a people through a wilderness… a people to the Promised Land…
And in doing so, was able to establish the Law, the covenant of old… the way of life for the previous age…
Though Moses was the originator, the founder, the pioneer of such a time… he’s just a servant… who was not perfect… who is not the paragon of our faith...
Rather, Jesus is… Jesus is our paragon… He is the Son… He is not in the house or even part of the house, He’s the builder… and He is over the house...
So, we ought to look to Him… to imitate and to model… not to Moses… or anyone else for that matter.
For if we abandon our trust in Christ for some other way, we lose the access that Christ grants us before the Father...
We lose the boldness, the confidence we have to enter into the throne room of grace and speak to the Father...
We must not think we can still share in the heavenly calling, if we go another way whether by a false faith or by good intent…
Being a good American does not save you… Being a good neighbor does not save you… Loving people as they are does not save you… Serving the church does not save you… Minding your business does not save you...
Christ saves..
There is no other way... with good intent or not… Christ is it… He is our all in all...
And you can’t let go of Him… you can’t wander from His path…
Don’t be deceived by the voice of Mr. Worldly-Wiseman who tells you there is a better or an easier way...
Or that words of God are outdated… harsh… unreasonable… nonsensical… a fool thinks that… and a fool listens to such advice...
We must persevere to the end and we only do that by holding fast to Him… by abiding in Him… for apart from Him… there is no hope… there is no confidence… there is no joy…
Think of Jesus’ teaching in John 15.1-2
1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
And going on in v. 4-11 John 15.4-11
4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
In other words… consider Jesus… Abide in Him… know Him..
Don’t be deceived or distracted by any one else or any other way…
Hold fast to the paragon of our faith… the apostle and high priest of our confession… of our hope...
This world would have you abandon Him.. abandon His ways… but if we are to be His house… we must hold fast to Him...
So, think on Him…
What did He teach.. what did He endure… where must we follow Him to? How much did the world hate Him? How much did He love the world in spite of that hate?
If, Christ, who is our paragon, our prime example… who is perfect love, perfect truth, perfect grace… if He suffered so much…
How can we not expect to suffer as well?
So, you must be willing to endure what comes...
You must not be surprised by isolation… by lost of relationships
You must not be surprised that this journey… this pilgrimage is at times very lonely… for the road to our Lord’s City is a narrow one… and the road to the Devil’s Den is broad and wide with many upon it...
Ask yourself this..
Whose voice are you following?
What are you reading? What are you listening to? Who is influencing your life?
Whose life are trying to imitate?
It must be Christ! He’s the builder! He’s the cornerstone!
He’s the paragon of our faith...
He the paragon of love...
He’s the paragon of grace and truth...
But you can’t know Him… if you don’t know His Word… Jn 1...
And you can’t know Him… if you don’t keep His Word… Jn 14.21...
Let us, now go to the paragon of our faith, Jesus Christ, in prayer… as we prepare ourselves to come to His table...