Jesus is > Moses

Introduction

When you think about the GOAT. . . who comes to mind?

MJ or Lebron?

Tom Brady or Joe Montana?

LOTR or Harry Potter?

For the Hebrews. . . Moses was the GOAT

How great was Moses?

He was specifically chosen by God.

He was the great deliverer and rescuer of the Israelites.

He was Israel’s greatest prophet.

He was Israel’s lawgiver.

He was the greatest historian (wrote the pentateuch) that tells us everything about Israel’s origin as a nation and history.

He was the humblest person to ever walk the earth in his day (Numbers 12:3).

Moses’ greatness can be summed up in Deuteronomy 34:10-12.

Deuteronomy 34:10–12 ESV

And there has not arisen a prophet since in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, none like him for all the signs and the wonders that the Lord sent him to do in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh and to all his servants and to all his land, and for all the mighty power and all the great deeds of terror that Moses did in the sight of all Israel.

Moses was the GOAT

The Hebrews trusted in Moses, relied on Moses, honored Moses, and held fast to Moses’ teachings.

This would be fine. . . if Moses was still the GOAT. . . But as great as Moses was, we will learn tonight that Jesus is greater. . . Jesus is truly the GOAT!

Now, we may not be tempted to trust in Moses and his teachings over Jesus tonight. . . but there are many things that we tend to focus on and trust in more than Jesus.

What things hold that GOAT status in our lives in how we spend our time, talents, and money?

As great as we might think those things are, God is wanting to tell us tonight through Hebrews 3:1-6, that his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, is greater. . . and instead of holding onto lesser things, we need to hold fast to and trust in Jesus.

Key Point: Because Jesus, our great high priest, is greater than Moses, we must focus on and hold fast to him.

Focus on Jesus (v. 1)

The first thing God calls us to is to place our focus completely on Jesus because he is the apostle and high priest of our confession.

Hebrews 3:1 ESV

Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession,

Building off of Jesus’ superiority over the angels in chapters 1-2, and since the Hebrews are Christians who have been given a heavenly calling to pursue holiness in Christ, the author now calls them to consider Jesus.

The word “consider” is an imperative command to give careful thought to something or someone.

it communicates to look intently into and fix one’s mind completely upon something.

Therefore, to consider, implies trusting in something.

I like how some other Bible versions translate it. . .

NET: “Take note of Jesus”

NIV: “Fix your thoughts on Jesus”

But what does “fixing our thoughts” on Jesus involve?

I think to consider something involves four things. . .

Desire

Psalm 27:4 ESV

One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.

Concentration

Colossians 3:1–2 ESV

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.

Discipline

Hebrews 12:1–2 ESV

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Time

So, focusing on Jesus involves a desire for him, concentrating on his character, persevering in our trust in him through discipline, and giving time to contemplate his greatness.

But why should we focus on Christ?. . . verse 1 says because he is the apostle and high priest of our confession.

Apostle refers to how Jesus has been sent directly by the Father and therefore comes with the Father’s authority (John 20:21).

High priest builds upon the author’s description of Jesus as our eternal and faithful high priest who became like us in every way in order to make propitiation for our sins and come to our aid when we were tempted. The author picks up the high priestly office of Jesus in Hebrews 4:14-16.

There is one mediator between God and man. . . the man Christ Jesus (1 Tim. 2:5).

Jesus is the only one who can intercede to God for man and the only one who fully revealed God’s message to men. He is the only one through whom man comes to God and God to man.

So where or what is your focus on tonight?

Consider this. . . were relationships with the opposite sex sent by God to reveal himself fully to you? Can being popular in school or successful in extra-curricular activities atone for your sins?

If not, why is your focus on those and other things and not Jesus?

If we have the confession that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior of our lives, then we must fix our eyes completely on him and nothing else.

Jesus is Greater Than Moses (v. 2-6a)

After commanding us to consider Jesus because he is the apostle and high priest of our confession, the author tells another reason why we should focus on Christ. . . because he is greater than Moses.

In verse 2, he starts with a comparison by saying that both Jesus and Moses were appointed by and faithful to God in their roles. . .

Hebrews 3:2 ESV

who was faithful to him who appointed him, just as Moses also was faithful in all God’s house.

Jesus was faithful by. . .

Completely fulfilling the Father’s will and law(Matt. 5:17-18).

Accomplishing the Father’s plans (Eph. 1:9-10).

Fulfilling the role as High Priest by fully identifying with humanity and making atonement for our sins.

Moses was faithful by. . .

Delivering the Israelites from Egypt.

Giving the God’s law to the Israelites.

Being the mediator between God and the Israelites.

Leading the people through the wilderness.

So both Jesus and Moses were faithful.

Also, In verse 2 the author is quoting a passage from Numbers 12:7-8 that spoke of the superiority of Moses to Aaron and Miriam.

Just as Moses was a special prophet that spoke “face to face” with God over Aaron and Miriam. . . the author is helping us see that Jesus is a special prophet like Moses who speaks the very words of God.

In fact, in Deuteronomy 18:15-18, Moses himself said that God would raise up a prophet like him who would do this very task.

Yet, even though both Moses and Jesus were faithful to God as sent by him and held a mediatory role for the people. . . verses 3-6 make clear that Jesus is greater than Moses.

Hebrews 3:3–6 (ESV)

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. (For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.) Now Moses was faithful in all God’s house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, but Christ is faithful over God’s house as a son. . .

Specifically, verses 3-6 give us two reasons why Jesus is greater than Moses.

1. Moses is part of the house but Jesus is the builder of the house. (v. 3-4)

Consider the magnificence of Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel or the beauty of Beethoven’s Symphony 9 in D Minor.

As great as those works are, they are not greater than Michelangelo and Beethoven who created them.

If you had a choice to spend an hour looking at the Sistine Chapel or listening to Symphony 9 and listening to Michelangelo or Beethoven themselves personally explaining to you how they created these masterpieces, which would you choose?

I would think you would want to spend time with the creator of these works of art instead of what they created.

Why?

Because the creator is always greater than his or her creation.

In the same way, the author is trying to tell us that as faithful and great as Moses was, he is only part of God’s house. . . but Jesus is greater because he, being God, is the builder and creator of all things.

By saying “the builder of all things is God” the author is once more, equating Jesus with God the Father.

All of the great things that Moses did were fashioned and built together by Jesus who created him. . . therefore, Jesus is greater than Moses.

2. Moses was a Servant in God’s house but Jesus is a Son over God’s house. (v. 5-6a)

In a Jewish household. . . The servant had no authority over the house but was called to be faithful “in” all of the household responsibilities.

In contrast, the son, being the heir of the families inheritance and property, had authority “over” all of what goes on inside the house, including having authority over the servant.

Moses was faithful as a servant in God’s house. . . Exodus 35-40 mentions that Moses was faithful to God 22 times.

Yet, Jesus was faithful as the Son over God’s household.

He perfectly fulfilled God’s law.

He perfectly identifies with us being like us in every way.

He was sent directly from the Father.

He has made full atonement for our sins.

He has conquered death, risen from the grave, and sits at the right hand of God.

He is the one who intercedes for us daily.

He is the one who is coming again to judge the earth and make all things new.

If that is not enough to prove Jesus’ superiority over Moses. . . At the end of verse 5, it also says that Moses was faithful to “testify to the things that were to be spoken later.”

This, once more, refers to Deuteronomy 18:15-19 in which Moses proclaimed God would raise up a prophet like him that would fully reveal the word of the Lord to the people and speak the very words of God.

Also, Jesus said that Moses spoke about and testified that Jesus was the Messiah (John 5:46; Luke 24:27).

Therefore, this further proves that Jesus, who is this prophet Moses spoke of, is greater than Moses himself.

Response

Focus on and Hold Fast to Christ, our great high priest.

In response to Jesus superiority over Moses and every other thing, the author gives us a conditional promise at the end of verse 6. . . That we are God’s house. . . IF we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope.

Not only must we consider Jesus through disciplining our desires to spend time concentrating on him. . . but we also must persevere in our faith in Christ until the end.

As Christians, we are God’s house and being built up into a holy temple in the Lord by the Spirit. . . and the true church will continue to place their hope in the foundation stone. . . the Lord Jesus Christ.

Yet, if we are going to focus on Christ. . . that means we must lose focus of everything else. . .

What are some things that you need to turn your attention away from so you can focus and fix your eyes on Jesus?

if we are going to continue to hold fast to our hope and faith in Christ. . . that means we must empty our hands of everything else. . .

What are some things that you need to let go of tonight that are keeping you from holding fast to Christ?

Draw near to his throne of grace.

But what if you have failed time and time again to focus on Christ?

What if you continue to struggle in holding fast to him by faith?

In Hebrews 4:14-16, the author says that if we are struggling to obey these commands. . . we must remember that Jesus is our great high priest who can sympathize with our weakness.

Like us, Jesus was tempted in every way. . . in fact, he was tempted by Satan himself to deny the Father. . . but Jesus never failed. . . he never sinned. . . he never lost his focus on the Father. . . he never lost his faith in God.

Therefore, because he is our great high priest. . . the author calls us tonight to draw near to his throne of grace. . . for if we do, Jesus will provide mercy for us for our failures because he has already taken our punishment on the cross.

And Jesus will also provide grace to help us in our time of need. . . this grace will be what strengthens us to be able to focus on Christ and hold fast to him by faith.

If we believe that Jesus is the GOAT, then we will focus on and hold fast to him.

But to do this. . . we MUST draw near to his throne of grace. . . we must come to the alter tonight and lay everything at his feet. . . we must die to ourselves. . . and submit ourselves to his Lordship to receive mercy for our sins and grace to help us walk in obedience.