Don’t Stop Now! Jesus is Faithful!

The Temptation to Quit

Apparently, there was a group of new Christians who were wavering in their faith. A lot had happened in a short period of time. Christ had ministered only 3 years, was killed, buried, and rose from the dead within a few days. The Church sprung up through the power of the Holy Spirit. Apostles, disciples, and new converts traveled the known world sharing the Gospel, baptizing in water and the Holy Spirit. Churches were born overnight. But, for some reason at least this group of Hebrews were beginning to waver.

Have you ever felt yourself wavering? Maybe you weren’t seeing your expectations come to pass. Maybe the spiritual high that you experienced was further in the rear-view mirror than you’d like to admit. Maybe the temptation to go back to the old ways became very attractive to you.

Consider Jesus

Check out the first verse of the chapter:

Hebrews 3:1 NIV

Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest.

It is amazing how important it is to have our thoughts fixed on something. If our thoughts are fixed on making money, I’m sure we’ll find a way. If our thoughts are fixed on fame, we’ll find a platform. And, if our thoughts are on beauty, we’ll make ourselves beautiful. But here, the writer encourages the wavering group of Christian leaders to fix their thoughts on Jesus! This is what fixes wavering.

In the King James Version the translators use the word “consider” instead of “fix your thoughts”. We need to be sure that we are taking time to consider Jesus. I like this illustration that points out the importance of considering.

I later read about an old park ranger there who was still working in his late eighties. He had literally spent his life exploring and enjoying the spectacular beauty of Yosemite. One day a citified woman hurriedly approached him and asked, “If you had only one hour to see Yosemite, what would you do?” He slowly repeated her words, “Only one hour to see Yosemite.” After a pause, he said, “Ma’am, if I only had one hour to see Yosemite, I’d go over to that log, sit down, and cry!”

Let’s Consider Jesus Together!

Jesus is Faithful

Hebrews 3:1–6 NIV

Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest. He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God’s house. Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. “Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s house,” bearing witness to what would be spoken by God in the future. 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.

For Jews and Christians, Moses is a powerful hero. After all, he was the champion who stood up to Pharaoh and secured the freedom of the Hebrew people. He led them through the Red Sea and through several battles. Moses received the Law, established the priesthood, and built the temple. In verse 5 we see that, while Moses was faithful “in” the house, Jesus is faithful “over” God’s house.

The Jewish Christians respected Moses as one of God’s greatest messengers. In order to show that Christ was superior to the old covenant, the writer both compared and contrasted Jesus and Moses. Because of Moses’ faithfulness, he is worthy of great honor. But Jesus is worthy of greater honor. As human leaders go, there was no greater leader in the Old Testament than Moses. Yet Jesus has greater superiority. No human leader alive or dead deserves greater veneration than Jesus. In the Christian world today, it seems so natural for Christians to esteem great authors, preachers, pastors of huge churches, and great influential leaders, but the Bible teaches that their allegiance and ours should be to Christ, first and foremost. No amount of success, notoriety, or education can elevate a person over Christ.[1]

You may ask, “So, if Jesus is so great, what is He doing now?” Good question. First of all, remember that His blood was required for us to enjoy atonement with God. In addition to that,

The Bible tells us:

• Christ presides at God’s right hand, a place of distinction, uniqueness, and power (1:3; 8:1).

• Christ intercedes for us before God (7:25; 9:24).

• Christ stands as our mediator (John 14:6; 1 Timothy 2:5).

• Christ functions as the head of the church (Ephesians 4:15).

• Christ, through the Holy Spirit, leads and guides us (John 14:26; 16:13).[2]

He is faithful! Jesus is Worthy of Honor.

Don’t Slide Away in Unbelief

The author begins to move into an area of warning. He legitimizes it with “God spoke” (remember Chapter 1) through the Holy Spirit.

Hebrews 3:7–11 NIV

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

Let’s consider a religious term, apostasy. Apostasy is “Abandonment of one's faith or belief in a deity or religion.” It is often called,” “Backsliding,” or “Falling Away”. I tread lightly on this subject because it has caused many problems in the past, but I have a strong position on it. I believe that we have the freedom to choose to follow Christ and also, we have the freedom of will to choose to stop following Jesus. I believe the writer of Hebrews is concerned in his ‘sermon’ about the same thing. “Do not harden your hearts”, “Their hearts are always going astray”, and “They shall never enter my rest”. Dr. Brown, the author of The Message of Hebrews, states:

Some members of the church were in danger of turning back and giving up. These believers are reminded of Israel’s fatal mistake in the wilderness. God requires his people to exercise persistentfaith. He is asking them to rely on his power not only to change them, but also to keep them. They must ‘go on’ (6:1). Christians are the privileged members of God’s house, but it is not unconditional membership. We certainly share its security and favours, but only if ‘we hold fast our confidence firm to the end’ (3:14).[3]

Life is filled with temptations that try to draw us away from the faith:

1. The first temptation was at the Red Sea when Israel yielded to DESPAIR.

God performed a miracle on their behalf, delivering Israel and destroying Pharaoh and his hosts.

2. The second temptation was at Marah when Israel MURMURED because of the bitter waters.

God commanded Moses to cast the branch of the tree into the bitter waters, and the waters were made sweet. The branch (Christ) of the tree (Calvary) cast into our Marah’s (bitter experiences) will turn all our bitterness into sweetness.

3. The third temptation was in the wilderness of Sin.

HUNGER was the cause of the discontent. Israel’s stomachs got the better of them, and, like Esau, they were ready to sell out for a bowl of broth! God gave the manna from heaven. In condescending love and grace, He rained them bread from heaven.

4. The fourth temptation was at Sinai.

Here the people gave way to IMPATIENCE. Aaron made the golden calf, and Israel fell into idolatry.

5. The fifth temptation was the wickedness of Nadab and Abidu, who offered strange fire.

WILFULNESS was the crime of these wayward and wicked sons of the High Priest. They died because of their sin.

6. The sixth temptation was at Taberah when again the people COMPLAINED.

The Holy Spirit was grieved. The kindness of God was bestowed in vain, and judgement was sent.

7. The seventh temptation was at Kibroth-hattavah.

LUSTING after flesh, with their hearts already in Egypt, the people were ready to kill God and their leader, Moses. The patience of God was being exhausted, and Israel was fast approaching the line beyond which there is neither hope nor mercy.

8. The eighth temptation was Rephidim.

There was no water and they were THIRSTY. Instead of bowing before God on their knees, they were filled with vanity, pride, rebellion and they blamed God, Moses, and everyone but themselves! God gave them water out of the flinty rock.

9. The ninth temptation was at Horeb.

Israel was wilful and DISOBEDIENT. God’s mercy still lingers, but Israel comes nearer and nearer doom.

10. The tenth temptation was at Kadesh-Barnea where their UNBELIEF sealed their doom.

They crossed the line. God’s dove of mercy spread her wings and departed, and Israel perished in the wilderness! COMPLETE FAILURE BROUGHT COMPLETE JUDGMENT!

Unbelievers will not enter the Promised Land

Guard Your Heart

The next three verses bring us back to the issue of considering, but this time it is about “taking heed” or “seeing to it” that each of us guard our hearts…

Hebrews 3:12–15 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. We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end. As has just been said: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.”

Isn’t it amazing that we can read the account of the Exodus with all of the miraculous stuff going on and we wonder how the people could make a golden calf, challenge Moses, or want to turn back to Egypt. The evidence was there. Had they noticed the pillar of fire, the cloud, the commandments on tablets of stone, the Red Sea, bitter water made sweet, and the list goes on.

But, here’s the thing. The evidence is still there for us today. Historical records, miracles you and I have seen, the reality of the Spirit inside our hearts, and our consciences which affirm God’s presence…and yet there are times when we begin to slip into the old ways!

Check your convictions!

Encourage one another!

Our “Rest” is Coming!

It was just announced that Buc-ees is about to build its biggest station yet – outside of Texas near Gatlinburg, TN. If you are a traveler, you know the famous rest stop of Buc-ees. Dozens of gas pumps, Buc-ee Nuggets, shopping, BBQ, jerky…and CLEAN rest rooms. People drive hundreds of miles for a Buc-ees.

The Hebrew leaders in the Christian church were reminded that there was a rest coming. Just like the people in the wilderness eventually moved into a land that was rich with food, water, towns, and cities – there is a rest for the people of God.

Just after the turn of the century, pioneer missionary Henry C. Morrison often told of coming home from one of his many travels, having carried the message of the gospel to foreign lands. He arrived in New York aboard the same ship that brought President Theodore Roosevelt from one of his safaris in Africa. Thousands swarmed the docks to greet the illustrious hunter, but not a person was there to welcome Morrison. "Aha!" said the devil. "See how they greet the men of the world, and you—one of God's preachers—do not even have one person to meet you." He boarded the train for his home in Wilmore, Kentucky, and after several weary and lonely hours arrived at the station. No one from his family met him, for there had been a delay in information concerning his time of arrival. His heart ached as he rode alone in a hired carriage to his house. After all, he had spent four decades in the Lord’s service. Humanly speaking, he had reason to complain; however, the Lord impressed upon him this thought: "Henry, you are not Home yet!" His lord said unto him, "Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things. Enter thou into the joy of thy lord." (Matthew 25:23)

At death you won't leave home. You will go home!

The thing is, you don’t have to be at a place in life where you are thinking about life after death. His benefits begin now, when the Spirit of God enters our hearts.

Galatians 5:22–23 (NIV) 22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

[1]Barton, B. B., Veerman, D., Taylor, L. C., & Comfort, P. W. (1997). Hebrews (p. 34). Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers. [2]Barton, B. B., Veerman, D., Taylor, L. C., & Comfort, P. W. (1997). Hebrews (p. 36). Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers. [3]Brown, R. (1988). The message of Hebrews: Christ above all(pp. 83–84). Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.