Organizing Our Priorities:
Hebrews 3:1-4:11
Introduction: A good friend and mentor of mine has always said, “The main thing is to keep the Main Thing the main thing. The Main Thing being Jesus Christ. It is easy for us to get side tracked and focus on all types of things in life, such as financial issues, broken relationships, employment status, and so on… When we take or focus off of Jesus and allow ourselves to focus on these other things, our life starts to crumble.
When we allow Jesus Christ to be on the throne in our life we are living in the rest that God intended for each and every one of us. Let’s organize our priorities by putting Jesus on the throne.
Background of Hebrews
- At 13 chapters, Hebrews is the N.T. longest arguments on a single topic.
- The background to the letter is really unknown.
- The consensus of most Bible scholars agrees that it is written to Jewish Christians, which would explain the name “Hebrews.”
- Some scholars also suggest that a lot of these Jewish Christians are giving up on Christianity and going back to their old religion.
- The reason for their leaving Christianity was probably the increasing persecution against Christians at the time.
- At the time that we think this letter was written (60 A.D.), Nero had just unleashed a world of hurt against Christians who are practicing their outlawed religion.
- By this time, traditional minded Jews have already been persecuting Christians for more than 30 years.
- So…the hardship was already getting old and is now getting worse.
- To escape the persecution, some Christians have left the church and returned to the Synagogue and many others are considering doing the same.
- The writer of Hebrews is suggesting that this would be a big mistake.
Jesus’ Superiority Over Moses
1. There was a warning that the writer gave in chapter 2.
(Warning) “…we must pay closer attention to what we have heard…” Hebrews 2:1a
(Danger) “…so that we do not drift away from it.” Hebrews 2:1b
Illustration: Drifting Boat
These Hebrew Christians were drifting away and were wavering in their faith because of all kinds of things.
The were going through trials and severe persecution. We will learn later that their teachers and ministers were no longer around (13:7), probably killed.
They were neglecting God’s word which led to their drifting away. When you drift away from the word, you aren’t staying in the word which results in doubt.
They started to doubt what they had been told by their teachers and ministers. Remember that there were many others around them that were sill living under the Mosaic Law. So it was really tough for these believers to continue on in their faith when they saw all these other tangible ways of doing things. They saw others bringing sacrifices to the temple.
2. The writer of Hebrews is trying to prove the superiority of Jesus Christ over any other option.
Consider Jesus
v.1: “Holy brethren…”: The writer doesn’t want to waste any time in reminding these Hebrew Christians that they once professed their faith in Christ.
“…partakers of a heavenly calling…”: Christians are people who have heard and believed a “heavenly calling,” and are therefore partakers of it. We have been gripped by this calling.
The word of God broke through our resistance, took hold of us with the truth and love of Christ, reconciled us to God, and is now leading us home to Heaven.
3. To be partakers of this “heavenly calling,” we need two things:
a. A word from God.
b. A way to God.
“..Consider Jesus…”: Although some in here may be partakers of this “heavenly calling,” we must realize that we are still sinners.
Hopefully not, but it is very possible that someone in here is struggling with a sexual sin…maybe a lying sinner, sexual sinner, or a stealing sinner.
We all deal with sins of omission not just commission (bad thoughts, not fellowshipping, praying, reading God’s word, fulfilling the great commission).
So our “heavenly calling” doesn’t hang on our righteousness. Our hope and confidence hangs on Jesus. So… “Consider Jesus.”
4. Our “heavenly calling” does not hang on our own righteousness. Our hope and confidence hangs on Jesus.
What’s amazing is that, this is often something we say to the non-believer, “Consider Jesus!” We think this is something that an unbeliever should do.
There is nothing wrong with that, but the writer, here, is writing to believers!
Some might say, “Well don’t believers automatically consider Jesus?” Nope! Remember the warning from ch. 2 again? When we do not pay close attention to the word of God, we stop considering Jesus, and become more interested in other things.
We become filled with pride. Lack of reading God’s word and prayer is a sign of pride.
The book of Hebrews calls US believers to “consider Jesus” again and again daily!
“…the Apostle and High Priest of our confession.”: These two descriptions of Jesus correspond with our two needs we talked about earlier… To be “partakers of a heavenly calling,” we need two things:
• A word from God.
• A way to God.
Apostle: means “one who is sent.”
High Priest: means “one who is a go between, who offers a sacrifice so that there can be reconciliation.” Jesus offered the ultimate sacrifice.
5. As the Apostle, He is sent to us and He speaks to us from God. As our High Priest, is our “go between” and He speaks for us to God to bring reconciliation.
v.2: “He was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house.”: These Hebrew Christians were wavering in their faith. One of the things they were considering going back to was the mosaic covenant which meant following the law. The writer is going to contrast Jesus and Moses to show Jesus’ superiority to the Law of Moses, but first wanted to compare them to disarm prejudice.
v.3: “For He has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, by just so much as the builder of the house has more glory than the house.”: This verse tells us that Jesus has more glory than Moses. Jesus is compared to the builder of a house whereas Moses is compared to the house.
The writer is saying that Jesus is to the people of God as a builder is to a house. Moses is to the people of God as one of the people of God.
In short, Jesus is the builder of Moses. Jesus made Moses.
6. Jesus is the builder of God’s house. Moses is a part of God’s house.
v.4: “For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.”: Look what the writer just did. In verse 3, it told us that Jesus is the builder of the house of God. Here in verse 4, it is saying that the builder of all things is God.
Therefore, Jesus, the Son of God, is God! The writer gives us just a glimpse of Jesus’ deity.
So He made Moses, He made me, and He made you.
7. The builder of all things is God. Jesus is God.
v.5-6a: “Now Moses was faithful in all his house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken later; but Christ was faithful as a Son over His house…”: Moses was a servant in the house of God, but Jesus is a Son over the house of God.
The difference between a servant and a son is that the son, by inheritance, owns the house, is Lord over the house, and provides for those in the house out of his wealth. The servants don’t own anything in the house.
So again we see the superiority of Jesus over Moses in several ways here: Jesus owns the house of God, rules the house of God, and He provides for the house of God. By comparison, Moses is just a servant in God’s house. He doesn’t own it, rule it, or provide for it.
8. The difference between a servant and a son is that the son, by inheritance, owns the house, is Lord over the house, and provides for the house out of his wealth.
v.6b: “…whose house are we, if we hold fast to our confidence and the boast of our hope until the end.”: The writer wants you to immediately apply this superiority of Jesus to yourself.
9. The church of Jesus Christ is the house of God today. This means that this morning, not just back in Moses day, is our Maker, our Owner, our Ruler, and our Provider.
10. Which one of these characteristics of Jesus are you struggling with this morning?
Consider History
One of the evidences that we are partakers of the “heavenly calling” is that we don’t throw away our hope.
The writer gives an illustration of the Israelites to try and persuade the Hebrew believers to not throw away their hope like their ancestors had done.
The Israelites threw away their hope and the Hebrews were on the verge of doing the same.
v.7-11: “Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says, TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME, AS IN THE DAY OF TRIAL IN THE WILDERNESS, WHERE YOUR FATHERS TRIED ME BY TESTING ME, AND SAW MY WORKS FOR FORTY YEARS. THEREFORE I WAS ANGRY WITH THIS GENERATION, AND SAID, “THEY ALWAYS GO ASTRAY IN THEIR HEART, AND THEY DID NOT KNOW MY WAYS; AS I SWORE IN MY WRATH, THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST.”: The writer uses this story as an example to his readers. The readers at this time had also been shown signs and wonders by God (2:4), the Holy Spirit had been at work in their midst, and they even participated in its power (6:4).
All of these things are similar to what the Israelites had experienced as they came out of Egypt. For a short time, they were seemingly happy and confident in God, but it didn’t last long.
This is why the writer uses this illustration. He’s saying, “Remember the Israelites, your ancestors?...Don’t be like them!!
Israel walked through the parted Red Sea on dry ground, but the moment they got thirsty, their hearts turned hard towards the Lord and did not trust Him to provide. They cried out to Him and said how life in Egypt was better!
How often do we do that?
How many professing Christians make a start with God, they hear that their sins can be forgiven and that they can escape Hell and go to Heaven. They say, “What do I have to lose,” but then in a week, a month, a year, or even 10 years, the test comes…a season of no water in the wilderness.
Than you start to crave the pleasures of your Egypt.
11. We must not only trust in Him for our salvation, but also His goodness to lead, protect, and provide for you.
v.12: “Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God.”: Some of your Bibles might say “take heed.”
The writer is just saying to not be careless or nonchalant about the condition of your heart.
12. Examine your heart daily. David wrote, “Search me, Oh God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way” (Psalm 139:23-24).
v.13: “But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.”: By encouraging each other daily, it will help us escape from the hardening of our hearts. This does imply that you will surround yourselves with believers.
13. Encourage each other daily.
v.14: “For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast to the beginning of our assurance firm until the end.”: The writer is basically reaffirming what he said in verse 6.
v.15: “…while it is said, “Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts, as when they provoked me.”: Again, the writer quotes in repetition which enforces the lesson to be learned from the example of their ancestors.
v.16-18: Skip to verse 19
v.19: “So we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief.”: Some say that this teaches that we can lose our salvation.
Canaan did not represent Heaven.
Canaan was just a place of physical rest that was meant for the Israelites, but they didn’t trust God to provide for them.
Notice that God never sends them back into bondage in Egypt. Likewise, God will never send you back into bondage.
14. The Israelites were not able to enter Canaan because of unbelief. They were chastised in the wilderness. They were not set back to Egypt.
Enter into God’s Rest
Read chapter 4:1-11…The argument of this section is that God has always offered rest and still does.
15. God has always offered rest and still does.
a. Sabbath rest.
b. Rest in Canaan.
c. Eternal rest.
16. Are you in the wilderness because of unbelief or are you enjoying the rest of Canaan that God intended for you?
Conclusion: God did not rest on the seventh day because He was tired.
He rested because the work was finished. Our rest does not hang on our works because through Jesus Christ the WORK is FINISHED.
Jesus did the work for us. If you are not enjoying the Canaan rest, you are saying that Jesus did not finish the work for us.
Be diligent to enter that rest!
