The Greatest Leader is Inferior

A few years ago, Noel Czygan took me up in his plane. We flew over Escanaba and Gladstone. I just have to say, there is something uniquely different about looking at your known world from the air. There is a type of perspective that brings clarity to your understanding of the landscape. After a few minutes of flying, we started heading out to North Fox Island in the middle of Lake Michigan, where we landed and explored the Island. As we came down by the water front, I noticed a small tree. The tree stuck me for a few reasons. First, you might think by looking at the picture that it was not healthy. But given that it was early spring, I think it is allowed to be a little withered.

What struck me is the placement of the tree. Somehow, a seed landed in soil on a boulder and over time, it outgrew the soil on top of the boulder. Meaning, that if the tree was gong to survive, it was going to have split the boulder. Which it did. Consider the struggle it must have been for those roots. How long did it take? What type of patient, perseverance did it require? What was the shift in health for the tree, when those roots finally broke through and found the good soil? What struggles remain today?

Between the flight and this tree we could consider this: That as believers in Jesus, when we have the appropriate overview, that 5,000 or 10,000 foot view of life, we wont get lost in the weeds of life. Or in the case of this tree, our overview brings perspective that helps us patiently persevere until we break through into the good soil. If you don’t ever take a step back and look at the whole picture, you will always get frustrated, because you will keep getting caught in the weeds. But in stepping back, you are able to keep your perspective on what matters most. There may be times of hardship and struggle, but with a greater perspective, you will see that Jesus is Lord, He will provide the strength you need, and He will carry you through so long as your keep your eyes on Him.

Secondly, I thought the same way about studying God’s word. As we come together week after week, it’s God’s word that keeps us grounded. Its God’s word that gives us perspective. But even as we study it, we need to keep the overview in mind in order to maintain appropriate perspective. If you only study a small passage without understanding the book, the chapters that come before and after, you are missing valuable perspective. So in our life group, we have encouraged everyone to read each week. To start back at Hebrews 1:1 and work their way through our current passage. Because it is all based on those initial four verses of chapter one. We must keep perspective on what our author is doing. In chapter one, he shows how Jesus is simply greater than the angels. In chapter 2, he gives us an appropriate warning and then talks about how Jesus is our great high priest. Today, in chapter 3, we will find how our author begins to prove his claim, that as the Son of God, Jesus is the greatest high priest.

Lets Pray.

Hebrews 3:1–2a “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.”

(1)Holy Brothers - Are you set apart by God?

He is not congratulating them for achieving holiness. Holiness is not something you achieve - its something your receive.

Holy unbelievers do not exist.

(1)Heavenly Calling - We are all called to heaven and to bring heaven to earth. What God’s calling on your life?

(1)Consider Jesus - The word “Consider” in Greek is the word Noeo - It means to direct your mind, to ponder, to grasp, or more fully it means to know. Our author point blank is saying “know Him, meditate on Him. Ponder His nature and His character.

Consider Jesus the one who made you Holy -

Consider Jesus the one who gave you a heavenly calling

Consider Jesus who is an apostle - meaning He was sent by the father.

Why was He sent by the Father - to be our high priest.

The High Priest served as a representative and mediator between the People of Israel and God. They were responsible for enforcing God’s covenant and directing the hearts of people towards God.

Throughout the OT, the High Priests were never perfect in this role or in their personal pursuit of God. Thus, all throughout the Old Testament we are given a foreshadowing of High Priest who would be the perfect spiritual leader. One who is perfect, without fault before God. One who mediates perfectly.

last week we learned that Jesus, the Son of God is our perfect High Priest. As the son of God who is made fully human, He is able to offer a sacrifice unlike any other. He is able to make atonement for sin in and of Himself. He perfectly fulfilled the Father’s mission, fulfilling His calling as our high priest.

(2a)It is because of this that we confess Him as Lord. He is our high priest still today because though He died on the cross, He lives today. Proving Himself as the Son of God who was faithful to all that the Father had appointed Him.

Jesus is truly spectacular in every way. He is the reason we can be called “Holy Brothers” and know that we have a “Heavenly Calling.”

(2b) As you can see each line of Chapter 3 is critically important. Now as we look at the second line of verse two, we are given a comparison that is meant to evoke reverence and respect.

Hebrews 3:2 “just as Moses also was faithful in all God’s house.”

This line is significant for two reasons

Moses is considered to be one of the greatest leaders in Jewish history. He was a leader of the people, a prophet, he had some priestly functions, he was a judge of the people and he was the mediator between God and Israel. The Jewish people highly revered Moses - seeing his faithfulness to God as exceptional.

To compare Jesus to Moses is to call for a deep respect for Jesus.

Additionally, this line is significant for you and me. Moses was human, he experienced sinful shortcomings… Yet in this passage he is called “faithful in all God’s house.”

Moses was set apart by God so that he could worship God with His life. Moses was called by God, to an impossible position of leadership. He was made holy and called by God - And Moses was faithful to God in it.

This matters to us, because we have been set apart by God. As we walk with Him, He is making us Holy. Each of us have been called to worship and live a life of building His kingdom. Just as Moses was able to be faithful even in the midst of His short comings, so can you!

One of the hardest things about living the Christian life is learning to swallow your pride and confess where you have sinned and where you have stumbled. Confess you sin, turn to the Lord, seek His forgiveness and be restored by His loving mercy.

(3) Verse Three clarify’s and again establishes Jesus as supreme. it says,

Hebrews 3:3 “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.”

We all understand the basic meaning of glory. This summer we had the Olympics. Those who compete and place in the top three receive a medal. We all understand that there is glory in receiving a medal. That there is more glory in silver than bronze and more glory in Gold then in Silver.

This is a diminished view of God’s glory as we do not have a sufficient way to express the greatness of His glory. God’s glory is His inherent worth, greatness and perfection. It is not something outside of Him that attributes glory to Him, but rather it is a reflection of His very nature.

Which means there is a key difference between Moses and Jesus. Glory is given to Moses by others. Jesus is the radiance of glory Himself.

I want you to consider some of the most magnificent buildings of all time and those who built them.

Taj Mahal - It is one of the most beautiful buildings in the world. It was built by Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of His wife Mumtaz. The Taj Mahal is an iconic symbol of love.

But could we ever appreciate the Taj Mahal if the architects and builders never built it? Thus, those who created it are of a greater form of glory.

Hebrews 3:4–6a “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.”

Anything that is created is of less glory than the one who created it. Thus, our author considered Moses as a servant within the house where Jesus is Lord over the house. Servant is not meant to demean Moses in any way, rather the Greek communicates it as a position of nobility, acting under God’s authority with God’s authority.

Moses was an incredible leader, he was humble, he was faithful to God, he advocated on behalf of the people even though they were very slow learners and complained about Him time and time again. Moses even took part in building the tabernacle, the place where God’s presence would be made manifest. When we look at all his accomplishments, we stand in wonder, because we know we would have really struggled to fulfill that calling.

But God didn’t call you to lead the people of Israel through the wilderness. God didn’t call you to build the tabernacle. God called you here to this place. He called you to this house of worship. Just as Moses was set apart and called, so are you. And the question our author is raising comes through in verse 6b

Hebrews 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.”

I don’t know if you caught it, but there is powerful guidance in this verse. It is because Jesus is faithful as the Lord over the house that we are set apart and called. Being set apart and called means that we are part of His house. How do we know for sure, if we keep our confidence and our boasting in our hope!

What does that mean????

To keep our confidence is to faithfully seek after God, trusting Him as He leads, and believing that He has called us to Himself. It is being disciplined to participate in everything that is noble, right, pure, and lovely. Are you spiritually eating junk food, or eating food that will strengthen your frame?

What does it mean to boast in our hope? It means that we proclaim the gospel message. Too often, as believers we get this idea that if we live a disciplined life that is faithful to the Lord we will never have to go share the gospel, because they will come to us and ask what is different.

Friends, we are commanded again and again to express our faith. To generously share it with others.

Just two weeks ago our author delivered a powerful warning about unbelief. Now, He urges us to faithfully step into the fullness of our calling. To be faithful to God as those who have been set apart as His children. This comes back to that question of “Do you really believe?” Because if you do, then you better make sure you are feeding yourself quality food that will sustain you in your calling. Because we are all called to encourage one another in the faith and to share the gospel. We are not called just to pray that others would share the gospel. Just to encourage and expect others to reach the lost. We are called to be the light in this dark world. To proclaim with our mouth to those who do not know Jesus. That He is the Lord. The Master of the House. And we all will answer to Him.

Are you living out your Holy Calling, as a son or daughter of the King of kings and Lord of Lords?