Hebrews 3:1-6

Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess. 2 He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God’s house

3 Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. 4 For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything.

5 Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s house, testifying to what would be said in the future. 6 But Christ is faithful as a son over God’s house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast.

7 So, as the Holy Spirit says:

“Today, if you hear his voice, 8 do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the desert, 9 where your fathers tested and tried me and for forty years saw what I did.

10 That is why I was angry with that generation, and I said, ‘Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways.’ 11 So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’ ”

12 See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. 14 We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first.

Jesus Is Better Than MosesHebrew 3-4

A letter written to early Jewish Christians.

Author ???Probably written before 70AD

Second generation church

Judaism was a first rate religion.It expressed true worship and

devotion to God.The commandments, rituals and

prophets pointed the way to forgiveness and salvation.

Christ’s coming changed the way things worked!

Shattered barriers, freely providing salvation and eternal life.

Second generation church

questioned it all.Some may have thought Jesus was a

heresy.Others slipped back into old, familiar

practices and lived a hybrid faith.

Jesus is better than Moses.

We are told to “fix our thoughts on Jesus”.

Jesus is the best value – He is the one who brings

salvation.

We need to have a proper

understanding of the hierarchy within the house.

Hebrews 3:4-6

4 For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. 5 Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s house, testifying to what would be said in the future. 6 But Christ is faithful as a son over God’s house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast.

Jesus – the Son, over God’s house

Moses – the servant

WE ARE HIS HOUSE

God – the builder of all things

Moses was an servant leader, but he doesn’t do what Jesus does for us.

Jesus is the complete revelation of God.Only Jesus forgives our sin and gives us

salvation through his death on the cross.

Don’t accept any alternative or substitute for Jesus.

No knock offs!

Jesus is better than anything else.

Don’t turn back!

Warning against unbelief.Evidently Jewish Christians were

beginning to turn back to old beliefs and religious practices.

Verses 7-11 speaks about the Israelite

people being led by Moses out of Egypt --- and then lacking the faith to enter the

Promised Land. They turned back when they saw the

difficulties...unbelief and disobedience caused them to wander for 40 years.

The early church was also inclined to turn back in disbelief.

Likewise, the church today struggles with the same issue.

Some helpful hints are given3:12-14

12 See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. 14 We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first.

1. Be aware of the danger – don’t fall into sin and turn hearts away2. Encourage one another – attitudes are contagious.3. Hold firm all the way to the end – remember the confidence you had at first.

God’s Rest

Chapter 4Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. 2 For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith.

God’s “rest” has several meanings in scripture:1. The 7th day of creation & the Sabbath2. The Promised Land3. Peace with God now because of Jesus4. Our future eternal life in heaven

Comparison:

Just as the people of Moses turned back from the Promised Land,

some of the Jewish Christians may have been on the verge of turning

back from their promised rest.

Not just the rest of the Promised Land,

but the promise of peace in Christ now and the ultimate

rest in heaven.

Our churches have the same problem as the early church and the people of

Moses’ time.We can’t rest in just knowing about

Jesus, we must combine our knowledge with faith.

We must know Jesus personally to have an active, living faith.

12 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Putting it all together1. Jesus is better than Moses or

traditions –he is all sufficient, even today.

2. Don’t turn away from Jesus. Remain faithful, encouraging one another.

3. Reap the benefits of rest both now and in eternity. Today is the day to know God’s peace.

4. Give yourself unreservedly and completely to Christ. Don’t settle just to know about Christ, but know him personally.

In our church today:

Put your faith into action.Help one another remain strong in

the Lord.Encourage those who may be drifting

away so they can live the full benefit of their salvation.

We are the Federated Church.Our Mission is to…

Seek Christ, Serve Christ and Share Christ.