Hebrews 3:1-19

Hebrews 3:1-19

#Hebrews #TheBridge #JesusIsBetter

Intro:

People are always looking for what’s better or what’s next. Who’s the next Michael Jordan? Who’s the next Tiger Woods? If you lived back in the time of Jesus and earlier people would have been asking “who’s the next Moses?”.

Moses had been God’s messenger sent to Pharaoh to free Israel from slavery. Moses had been the one God met with to deliver the law at Mt. Sinai. Moses had led the Israelites through the wilderness to the doorstep of the Promised Land. Moses had met with God time and time again to plead that God would be gracious and forgive their sins rather than destroying them completely. Moses was one of the greatest leaders that Israel had ever known, and in Deuteronomy 18 God had promises Israel to send them a prophet even better than Moses. So people wanted to know who it would be.

When Jesus showed up on the scene it’s not as though everyone immediately drew the connection. It would take some time. Even these original readers of Hebrews needed to be reminded that JESUS is better. He is the fulfillment of Deuteronomy 18. He is the better Moses.

Body:

Hebrews 3:1–6 (ESV) — 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.

V. 1 “consider Jesus”

Command “Give careful thought and consideration to JESUS”

This is what the author has been wanting us to do all along, and now he turns to compare JESUS to another significant figure in Jewish history, that is, Moses.

If the angels were the mediators of the law at Sinai, it was Moses to whom they gave it.

The law was a huge deal during the early stages of the church as these new believers tried to figure out what to do with this thing that had dominated their lives and thinking for the last 1400-1500 years. Acts 15 and the Jerusalem Council The original recipients of Hebrews were facing the temptation to return to Judaism and the keeping of the law was a big part of that. So…the author starts with showing that JESUS is better by demonstrating that he is better than two key players in the giving and transmission of that law, the angels, and now Moses.

Consider JESUS

“The apostle and high priest of our confession”

Moses was an apostle (sent by the Lord with a message of deliverance for the people; Ex 3:10) Moses was a high priest (interceded for the people of Israel in the presence of the Lord) But JESUS is better.

He’s a better apostle because his revelation was better (Heb 1:1-2) He’s a better high priest because his intercession was better (Heb 2:14-18) “Who was faithful to him who appointed him, just as Moses also was faithful in all God’s house.”

Just like Moses was faithful to the task God called him to, so Jesus was faithful to the task his Father had appointed him to accomplish “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.”

Moses was the house, but Jesus, being God, is the architect of it all v.4 “For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.) Hebrews 1:1–3 (ESV) — 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. 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.

The original readers of Hebrews were struggling with a temptation to turn back to their Jewish roots to escape or avoid persecution. They were looking back at things like the Mosaic law and the sacrificial system, and they were facing the temptation to turn back. The author wanted to make sure they knew that in doing so, they would be settling for someone less than JESUS. And we can never settle for someone less than JESUS.

P1: See Jesus as the Better Moses (vv. 1-6a)

Illustration: The author used this illustration of being impressed with the house over being impressed with the architect of the house. Moses is just a part of the house (v. 6), but JESUS is the One building it.

V. 5 “Now Moses was faithful in all God’s house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later,”

Numbers 12:6–8 (ESV) — 6 And he said, “Hear my words: If there is a prophet among you, I the Lord make myself known to him in a vision; I speak with him in a dream. 7 Not so with my servant Moses. He is faithful in all my house. 8 With him I speak mouth to mouth, clearly, and not in riddles, and he beholds the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?” Moses was a big deal.

God called him to a unique position and a unique task. God communicated with him “mouth to mouth” in plain statements. He was defended by God when people spoke against him. Moses was the high-water-mark for prophets during his day and throughout much of Israel’s history.

Deuteronomy 18:17–18 (ESV) — 17 And the Lord said to me, ‘They are right in what they have spoken. 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.

Still there was a better prophet who was yet to come.

V. 6a “but Christ is faithful over God’s house as a son.”

Moses was the servant, but Christ is the son. Hebrews 1:5–6 (ESV) — 5 For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”? Or again, “I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son”? 6 And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him.” Moses was a servant. JESUS is the son. When God needed to free Israel from slavery to Egypt, he sent a servant. When God needed to free us from slavery to our sin, he sent his son.

We’re admittedly going to struggle with this a bit because we’re not first century Jewish Christians.

But, the idea that JESUS is better than any human pastor or messenger is one we should be able to relate to. Jesus’ message is better than any message this world offers.

There’s salvation in the message of Jesus and nowhere else. Not in a politician Not in a military Independence/moving out of your parents’ house Fulfillment of dreams/ambitions/getting your dream job Peace with the world/acceptance from the world And Jesus’ intercession is better than anything else you might try.

Better than works Better than words Better than church attendance Your intercession

There is no one better coming. JESUS is the one Israel had been looking for, the one we had been looking for.

END P1

Hebrews 3:7–11 (ESV) — 7 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, “Today, if you hear his voice, 8 do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness, 9 where your fathers put me to the test and saw my works for forty years. 10 Therefore I was provoked with that generation, and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart; they have not known my ways.’ 11 As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest.’ ”

v.6b “And we are his house, if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope.”

We are the ones who benefit from JESUS IF, “we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope.”

Ephesians 3:11–12 (ESV) – 11 This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. Hebrews 4:16 (ESV) – 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 10:19 (ESV) – 19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, Hebrews 6:11 (ESV) – 11 And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, Hebrews 10:23 (ESV) – 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.

There is all the security in the world to be found for you in regards to salvation if you are truly in Christ. You will persevere. You will endure. You will hold fast your confidence and your boasting. But that security is realized through you daily holding fast, holding on, persevering, not wavering, not walking away. You

P2: Make Sure You Stay the Course (vv. 6-11)

Illustrate: Warning our twins not to fall away from the family while we’re on a walk.

In verses 7-11 the author reminds the readers of how the Israelites suffered the judgment of God for ignoring the message and leadership of Moses.

V. 8 “do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion’

V. 9 “where your fathers put me to the test and saw my works for forty years”

V. 11 “as I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest.”

There is a common theme that will show up in the book; a warning against drifting from Jesus, falling away from his message, failing to stay the course.

The Israelites had seen God do phenomenal things, and they had heard great things and great promises through Moses, and yet, they still drifted. They still fell away.

Christian, there’s a need to daily stay the course, to daily remind yourself of the gospel, to daily remind yourself that Jesus is better, to daily take a minute to check yourself to keep from falling away.

If you’re in Christ will you fall away?

No, but part of what keeps you in Christ is the knowledge that you could fall away.

Deconversion Stories

Bash the church and call her names like legalistic and oppressive and negative Make yourself out to be a victim of this legalistic, oppressive negativity Portray church leaders as closed-minded and rigid while you are simply looking for the truth Announce your departure in a public venue

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/jen-hatmaker-power-deconversion-stories/

Some, if not most of you in this room are going to get married. Men, you will look at your wife, and ladies, you will look at your husband, and you will understand that they are not perfect, that they are sinners in need of grace, that they do things in ways you wish they wouldn’t, BUT…you will love them dearly, love them devotedly, love them determined to never forsake them or abandon them. You will see their bright spots far more than you will notice their shadows. You will appreciate their love for you, their sacrifice for you, their commitment to you. You will find them beautiful. They will have your affection. They will be yours until death do you part.

In today’s cultural context there are so many who are pointing out all of the flaws of the church and concluding that the flaw must be in JESUS, or that every church has that flaw, or that no church will ever be good enough. This has been building. Jefferson Bethke wrote a book called Jesus > Religion, after making a video called, “Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus.” That video has been watched almost 35 million times. And it’s not that Bethke’s content was all bad. It wasn’t. But this mindset that began to turn the finger at the church and blame “religion” for all of the perceived problems of being a Christian in a broken and fallen world has given birth to these deconversion stories.

Josh Harris: 34:30-35:40 “Sometimes people talk about deconstruction as though it’s this beautiful perfectly guided process of like this lego castle that you step by step take one lego off, you deconstruct it. Some people might have that experience. My experience was circumstances coming and just stomping the hell out of my lego castle. You know, just my own failure, and things falling apart and relationships being broken, and I’m just trying to pick up the pieces. But I don’t want anybody telling me, “Well you’ve got to build back the castle just like this.” I’m just like, “Please, leave me alone and let me try to figure some of these things out. Because the way that I’ve been living has not led to life and expansion and love. It’s led to a narrower and narrower controlling fearful outlook. And I know that doesn’t represent all Christians, but it represented the brand of Christianity that completely shaped me for so long.”

So he bailed on the whole thing rather than asking, “Is it biblical?”. We live in a culture that is so desirous of being autonomous that any source of authority is looked at immediately with skepticism and condescension. But all the while what so many don’t realize is that in an effort to be autonomous and to figure things out for themselves, they’ve simply taken their place with the countless other souls who are blindly traversing the broad path that leads to destruction.

Christian. Stay the course. The church isn’t perfect, and neither are you, but if you are in Christ you have a place in his bride. It is the best place, the most lovely place, it is what Charles Spurgeon called, “the dearest place.”

When you encounter flaws, or see something more attractive in the world, don’t throw away your confidence and your hope in JESUS. Don’t look back to Egypt.

When you hear someone criticize the church don’t join in with them or shrink back in shame. Don’t look back to Egypt.

When you feel the tension of walking a narrow path when so many are on the broad path, don’t give up to make things easier. Don’t look back to Egypt.

When you are hurt by the church, don’t throw out the baby with the bathwater. Don’t look back to Egypt.

Spurgeon: “Give yourself to the Church. You that are members of the Church have not found it perfect and I hope that you feel almost glad that you have not. If I had never joined a CHurch till I had found one that was perfect, I would never have joined one at all! And the moment I did join it, if I had found one, I should have spoiled it, for it would not have been a perfect Church after I had become a member of it. Still, imperfect as it is, it is the dearest place on earth to us…As I have already said, the Church is faulty, but that is no excuse for your not joining it, if you are the Lord’s. Nor need your own faults keep you back, for the Church is not an institution for perfect people, but a sanctuary for sinners saved by Grace, who, though they are saved, are still sinners and need all the help they can derive from the sympathy and guidance of their fellow Believers. The Church is the nursery for God’s weak children where they are nourished and grow strong. It is the fold for Christ’s sheep–the home for Christ’s family.”

Hebrews 3:16–19 (ESV) – 16 For who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those who left Egypt led by Moses? 17 And with whom was he provoked for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? 19 So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.

Don’t fail to enter the ultimate rest because of unbelief!

END P2

Hebrews 3:12–15 (ESV) – 12 Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. 13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.

15 As it is said, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”

I emphasized the Church so much because it is the Church that will be your support, that will help you stay the course.

P3: Help Each Other Stay the Course (vv. 12-15)

V. 12 “Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God.”

You have a responsibility to your brothers and sisters in this room Genesis 4:9 (ESV) – am I my brother’s keeper? Yes, yes, that’s exactly what you are.

1 Corinthians 10:6–11 (ESV) — 6 Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did. 7 Do not be idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.” 8 We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. 9 We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents, 10 nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer. 11 Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come.

2 Peter 2:20–22 (ESV) — 20 For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. 21 For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them. 22 What the true proverb says has happened to them: “The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.”

There is a danger in flirting with the gospel without ever committing to it fully. So keep watch on yourself to make sure you don’t drift, while ALSO keeping an eye on your brothers and sisters to make sure they don’t drift either.

The initial command has to do with you as an individual making sure you’re not drifting, making sure you’re on course. But then it broadens to the others as well.

V. 13 “But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called ‘today,’ that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.”

You and I have an obligation to one another to care that we press on and don’t fall away.

One author put it this way, “Personal concern that is merely introspective and introverted is both selfish and unhealthy.” (P. Hughes, p. 147)

Who do you know well enough to know when they’re struggling spiritually?

Who knows you well enough to know when you’re struggling spiritually?

Y’all, this is a constant vigilance that we must maintain over our selves and one another.

V. 13 “But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called ‘today,’”

Sin doesn’t take a day off The devil doesn’t take a day off Your flesh doesn’t take a day off You can’t take a day off We can’t take a day off

Why is this so necessary? Because sin doesn’t always show its true colors right away.

V. 13 “that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.”

Do you think Adam and Eve spent time regretting, wishing they could have a do-over? Do you think Cain spent time regretting killing his brother, wishing he could have a do-over? Do you think Moses spent time regretting hitting the rock in anger instead of speaking to it like God told him to? We know David regretted his sin with Bathsheba. We know Peter regretted his denial of Jesus. We know Paul regretted his persecution of the church.

We even know that Judas regretted betraying Jesus.

Sin rarely presents itself with all of its dangers laid out in front of us.

This is another major reason we need one another to stay the course.

Sin will tempt you to believe that JESUS is not enough. Sin will tempt you to believe that the pleasures of this earth are better than the pleasures of the world to come. Sin will tempt you to believe that JESUS died for your sins so go ahead. Sin will tempt you to believe that JESUS would be okay with it. Sin will tell you it’s not really sin. Sin will tell you to deal with it later.

All the while, Sin is pulling you away from JESUS while convincing you that it’s the better choice. It’s not. JESUS is better.

Hebrews 3:14 (ESV) — 14 For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.

Your confidence in your relationship with JESUS comes in waking up every morning and walking in obedience to Him.

Revelation 2-3

This isn’t a lone-wolf exercise. It can’t be. You need each other. We need each other. Get someone else’s back.

Ask better questions than “How are you?” Ask better questions than “Did you do your DBR?” Ask better questions than “How can I pray for you?” Give better answers than “I’m good” Give better answer than “Yeah, did you?” Give better answers than “Life’s busy pray for balance”

Some of y’all in this room need better friendships. Maybe not new ones but better ones.

END P3

Conclusion:

JESUS is better. He’s the better apostle and the better high priest. If you’re waiting on something better, it’s not coming. If you’re thinking something else looks more appealing, that’s the deceitfulness of sin talking.

Y’all we need dig-in because it’s not getting easier to be a Christian. You need to dig in, I need you to dig in. You need me to dig in.

Application Questions:

Read Hebrews 3:7-11. What are some ways that Israel hardened their hearts against the Lord during the wilderness wanderings? How are you tempted to harden your heart against the Lord when you hear his voice? What are some of the reasons that you believe so many people are “deconstructing” their “Christianity?” How would you counsel a friend who was considering walking away from the faith? Why do you think so many Christians even are so critical of the church? We don’t treat our families that way, or our colleges, or our favorite sports teams. But we so often look at the church with hyper-critical eyes. Why do you think that is? Read 1 Peter 1:3-5. Can you lose your salvation? What role do you play in keeping yourself in Christ? How would you approach a friend who claims to be a Christian but lives a very worldly life? Sometimes we shy away from confronting sin in the life of a friend. How should a passage like this change that mindset? According to Hebrews 3, what may be at stake in the life of a friend engaged in unrepentant sin?