Son better than Moses

No rest for the wicked?

?

One of the consequences of these 2 chapters is some people are oging to miss out who thought they’d make it.

I hate being ignored… not being listened to...

Do you?

What about God?

Consequences of ignoring me… slight

Of God?

Listen up

[see what I did there?]

Cumulative push for listening

Hebrews 1:1 NIV

1 In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways,

Hebrews 1:2 NIV

2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.

Hebrews 2:1 NIV

1 We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.

Hebrews 3:7 NIV

7 So, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you hear his voice,

Listen cos Jesus is better than Moses

Hebrews 2:2 NIV

2 For since the message spoken through angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment,

Hebrews 3:3 NIV

3 Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself.

What is listening?

Hebrews 3:7–11 NIV

7 So, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you hear his voice, 8 do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the wilderness, 9 where your ancestors tested and tried me, though for forty years they saw what I did. 10 That is why I was angry with that generation; I said, ‘Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways.’ 11 So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’ ”

A trip to the desert

Numbers 14:1–10 (NIV)

That night all the members of the community raised their voices and wept aloud. All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, “If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this wilderness! Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?”

And they said to each other, “We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.” Then Moses and Aaron fell facedown in front of the whole Israelite assembly gathered there. Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had explored the land, tore their clothes and said to the entire Israelite assembly,

“The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. If the Lord is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will devour them. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with us. Do not be afraid of them.” But the whole assembly talked about stoning them. Then the glory of the Lord appeared at the tent of meeting to all the Israelites.

'Faith’/Trust is Listening+Obedience

Hebrews 3:10 NIV

That is why I was angry with that generation; I said, ‘Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways.’

Hebrews 3:12 NIV

See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.

Hebrews 3:13 NIV

But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.

God cares how you listen

God’s ways/obedience/sin’s deceitfulness [hearts astray/turning away]

What kind of ways are God’s ways? - half a year in the sermon on the mount - anger, lust, truth, piety, greed, generosity, forgiveness… //

Listening is a ‘Together’ Job

Hebrews 3:12–13 NIV

See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.

Responsibility for one another...

How do you see to it...

How do you encourage - gathering here is one day, one monent...

repeated again in ch 4 vs 1 and 11

Get in a group, get in contact with other Christians (don’t wait for them), work on relationships where you are vulnerable for your heart-godliness

Some of you will do nothing about this… it’s not me you are ignoring - but the living God who is warning and encouraging you.

The IFs

Hebrews 3:6 NIV

But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are his house, if indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory.

Hebrews 3:14 NIV

We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end.

Danger - steep cliffs.

Those who share Christ, who are CHrist’s house - stick to him - hear the warnings and stay on the road.

The ifs are given to provoke you - make you respond.

Read Hebrews 4 out.

my envy - // FOMO

Missing out on rest...

We’re not there yet - [

Hebrews 4:1 NIV

Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it.

Hebrews 4:11 NIV

Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.

Rest is not yet.

You could miss it - fall short, perish.

Hebrews 4:7 NIV

God again set a certain day, calling it “Today.” This he did when a long time later he spoke through David, as in the passage already quoted: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.”

If you’re going to listen to God’s voice - TODAY is now and every day now.

Hebrews 4:8 NIV

For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day.

The promised land was not the rest.

The promised land is not now. It is not whatever you’re missing out on now either -

[Whatever you’re envious of which others have or want…]

Hebrews 4:10 NIV

for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his.

The works for God are not over yet.

It’s still hard.

Be careful of presuming

Hebrews 4:2 NIV

For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed.

Just being here is not enough. Just being able to parrot the message is not enough.

Just saying that you have faith in the message is not enough.

‘Share the faith of those who obeyed’.

Hebrews 4:11 NIV

Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.

Make every effort.

This isn’t just mental brain power -but all your life (heart, mind, soul)

Watch out for disobedience. Remember - faith is listening plus obedience.

Also - see the plurals. See the writer is included. This is a ‘together-job’

Want to know where your heart is - God’s Word is an x-ray, a surgeon’s scalpel, a butcher’s cleaver -

Hebrews 4:12–13 NIV

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

That last bit is not a helpful translation. Not untrue that we’ll give an account to God.

But actually - it is better saying - God gave His Word to us for this very purpose of uncovering thoughts and attitudes.

You have a choice in front of you -

you can do nothing - and very much risk missing out, and God shutting you out of the life of the world to come because you don’t have real trust in him, you don’t really see God’s authority in Jesus, you’re not really listening to his voice

Or, like a true child of God, hear the warning, have your attitudes and thoughts uncovered and exposed - stop your disobedience, stop being tricked by the deceitfulness of sin which says that the promised land is now...

But our section doesn’t finish there - or it wouldn’t be good news - just good advice...

Hebrews 4:15 NIV

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.

Remember. From last week. Jesus gets it and helps us.

That isn’t a do nothing and ‘keep trusting’ solution.

Hebrews 4:16 NIV

Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

God - on the basis of your mercy. Jesus - on the grounds of your sympathy. I hear your voice, I repent of my disobedience, I need your help to obey.