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0:31Hebrews chapter 3, beginning in verse 1. Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession. He was faithful to him who appointed him, as Moses also was in all his house. For he has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, by just so much as the builder of the house has more honor than the house. For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God. 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, whose house was. We are if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our home, hope, firm until the end.

1:42Well, Hebrews, it's very much like a series of sermons, just to refresh your memory. It's marked by scripture, an exposition or an explanation of what those scriptures mean and how they apply, and then an exhortation, an exhortation to come under and to obey the message from heaven. And so, where we are in Hebrews is that we are in somewhat of a transitional section of verses. Chapter 2 focused on this one exhortation about neglect. Don't neglect. Chapter 2, verse 1: For this reason, we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard so that we do not drift away from it. For if the words spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just penalty, how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? So, much what's happening in chapter 2 is him. Around this exhortation, do not neglect the things you have heard in the gospel.

3:08Well, chapter 3 changes and looks forward to another exhortation that deals with the peril of unbelief, the peril of unbelief. Look at verse 12 of 3, of chapter 3, verse 12. Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. So we're looking now, that sin of neglect and the consequences of that sin of neglect, which ultimately leads to unbelief. See to it. That's the message of chapter 3. See to it, brothers and sisters, that there is not in you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God.

4:06Well, I took a physics class nearly 40 years ago coming into college. I tell you what, I used to think 40 was ancient, and then I turned 40. And then I got to looking back. Now you think that that is ancient. Look back and remember your. Some of your first classes in college as being 40 years ago. Now that's ancient. Or wait until your kids, and this is the next milestone that I'm hit, when one of your kids turns 40. Now that's nearly 40 years ago, I remember taking this physics class.

4:54But I also really liked riding my bicycle, especially on a beautiful day. So when it came down to a beautiful day, riding lots of miles on my bike or sitting in a stuffy, overcrowded physics class, it was no contest. Let's go ride the bike. And so I routinely neglected class. But then I was struggling with comprehending the material. So I go in to see my professor and I say, you know, I'm not getting this context. I mean, it's one of these things where, you know, so many students, he'd never know I was absent anyway, that kind of thing. I go in there and I say, you know, I don't really understand this. And he said something like this to me, When you're willing to come to class, I'll be willing to explain to you the material.

5:48I learned that if I neglect class, my physics prof wasn't all that enthusiastic about teaching me. He said, I just spent an hour and 15 minutes. Minutes talking on this very thing, and now you want me to spend another hour and 15 minutes telling you how to do it. Just as if you neglect the course material, you're not going to understand its subjects. Likewise, if you neglect Christ, do not think you're going to understand what life is all about.

6:25Neglect has consequences. And in Hebrews, that consequence is unbelief. Unbelief. Because neglect inevitably leads to unbelief. And if you neglect Christ, don't think there's any other way you're going to comprehend what life is all about. Jesus is the course, Jesus is the curriculum, and Jesus is the final exam. And if you neglect Christ, guess what? You don't believe him and you won't believe in him. So neglect inevitably leads to unbelief. And if there's any figure in human history that deserves your consideration for you to carefully evaluate who he is, his life, it's Jesus Christ.

7:24Do not neglect him and see to it that you do not have an Evil and unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. Look at verse 1. This heavenly column, calling, heavenly calling. Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling. You know what your calling in life is about? Pay attention. It comes from heaven. Therefore, basically, in light of everything that's been said in Hebrews 2, which amounts to we have a perfect sacrifice and we have a perfect high priest, therefore, you need to respond appropriately to this individual. Therefore, holy brethren, brethren indicates a family. Holiness, a set-apart family. There is such a thing as a holy family among mankind, a subset of mankind, a holy subset set apart from the masses. Therefore, holy brethren, partakers, partakers, partners, companions together.

8:46A partaker is somebody who shares something in common with one another or with somebody else. So if you think about this, just this holy brethren. Brethren who are partakers, they are partaking in something together. They all share something in common. What is it? The answer is there: a heavenly calling. Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, a calling, an invitation, a summons, a calling. All of us are summoned by heaven for heavenly living, for a heavenly life, for a heavenly destination, which ultimately has implications for how we live this life.

9:43You are, it's even stronger than that. It's like just a calling, like, hey, I'm calling. It's more like a vocation, a vocation of heavenly origins. Therefore, holy brethren, sharers, partakers, companions in this heavenly vocation. It's a summons. It's a summons to a higher sort of living. We're all going to heaven. You're in Christ. Since they are going to heaven, they need to live a heavenly base. Life while they wait. Same is true of us. This is the calling we all share in life. A heavenly calling. And I want you to understand your heavenly calling so that you're not going to neglect it, or so that you will not neglect it. Because this is something we all have in common.

10:53Let's not neglect it. So, first, got three points come out of this text. First of all, heaven is calling you to pay attention to Jesus. You are called to pay attention to Jesus. Plain and simple. Look back at verse 1. Therefore, holy brothers, brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession. Consider Jesus. Pay careful attention to. Put yourself in a place of studying Jesus. Study Jesus. Pay attention. Consider him.

11:42You remember chapter 1, chapter 2. We've spent a lot of time on this already. Pay attention to Jesus. That's what the whole series was about. Pay attention to Jesus. It comes back to that same concept. Pay attention to Jesus. Jesus, chapters 1, chapter 2, 1, 2, 1, He speaks about Jesus is greater than the prophets, all the prophets of old, so you should pay attention to him. Jesus is greater than the angels, therefore you should pay attention to him.

12:13But here he shifts gears and takes it to another layer. How many of you hunters, and I know we have some here, they range from all sizes. How many of you hunters go out and hit your target by looking at your fingers? How many of you batters or how many batters hit the ball by staring at their hands? No, you've got to keep your eye on the ball, don't you? How many sprinters run their waists while looking at their feet? You may run fast. You might run into a pole. No, you've got to keep your eye on the goal. Keep your eye on the target. And that's what heaven is calling you to do. Keep your eye on the target. Keep your focus on Christ, not any part of yourself. And that's what happens to us, isn't it? We go through life and we can very quickly take our eyes off the goal, take our eyes off Christ, and be looking at some aspect of ourselves. Well, you're not going to hit the target. You're not going to reach the goal. You want to learn how to run well.

13:38You need to keep your eyes on the right goal. Because if you focus on yourself, you never will know which way you are heading. Are you running well? Well, you're called to pay attention to Jesus. And two aspects in this verse, specifically, the writer calls to our attention. He doesn't reiterate what he said about the prophets and the angels. Look back. Consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession. Apostle, it means messenger, the sent one from heaven. That's who he is. Jesus is the apostle, the apostle.

14:27He was sent from heaven. And as such, as the apostle from heaven, he was sent to make known the Father's will to his people, to all humanity. Now, this individual is unique. Christ is unique in this aspect. He's unique in that he's the word of God. The messenger is also the message. Jesus Christ. He is the embodiment of God's will for us. He is the pattern and the judge. He is the pattern of humanity and the judge of conformity to that pattern.

15:21All other apostles were sent out by him. He is, but also notice, I just want to call out the emphasis here in the Greek. It's really, pay attention to the apostle. Pay attention to the high priest who is Jesus. It's basically the emphasis is, pay attention to the apostle, heaven's apostle, it's Jesus. Pay attention to the high priest, it's Jesus. Pay attention to Jesus. High priest speaks of that highest representative of man to God, the appointed representative. And it speaks of his mediatorial work.

16:10He's that perfect sacrifice. He's that perfect priest that keeps us in a relationship with our Heavenly Father. He is not only the pattern and the judge, but he sends the Spirit to bring about conformity to that pattern. Christ's likeness. He is, pay attention to the apostle and high priest of our confession. This is our public statement, our confession to the world. Jesus is the embodiment of our public declaration. He is our public message, and we are not to back away from that. He is our orthodoxy. He is our orthopraxy, meaning he is our doctrine, and he is the means to carry it out.

17:18I think the great miracle is that any of us would ever be conformed to his likeness. It's a work that he's doing. That's the greatest thing. You could take sinners and then you could conform them, transform them into the image of Christ. That is a wonderful work. And that's what Christ is doing. So pay attention to him. You need to pay attention to a couple of things about him. First of all, you need to pay attention to what he's like. Look at the beginning of verse 2. He was faithful to him who Appointed him. He was faithful. Faithful means loyal. He was devoted. He was fully committed to the one who sent him. As the heavens apostle, he was faithful to the Father who sent him.

18:18Fully committed to him who appointed him. It literally means to the one who caused him to come forth, the one who commissioned his purpose. He was faithful to him who appointed him. That's what it's about. That's what Christ's likeness is about. Faithfulness to the heavenly Father. He is loyal. He is loyally devoted to God who appointed him as our high priest. And he is devoted as heaven's apostle and as our high priest. Faithful. You can be sure that we too are called to be faithful to the one who has caused us to come forth. Are you faithful to God who gave you life? Are you faithful to his son who Redeems you from a life of folly and foolishness and sure ruin.

19:37He's the one who has sent us out into his work. That's what Emmanuel is about. He is sent out. We are a reflection of the work that Christ is still doing today. Just the fact that we gather here today in his name, celebrating him, confessing him, and preaching him. All this is evidence that Christ is still at work and work today in our midst. So you are called, be sure. You know this, to pay attention to Jesus. Second, you are called to follow one greater than Moses. You are called to follow one greater than Moses.

20:25Look back at verse 2. He was faithful to him who appointed him as. Circle that word as, as Moses also was in all his house. So the second part of verse 2 begins a comparison with the word as, a comparison between Jesus and Moses. And that's going to continue for the next couple of verses. Just as Moses was faithful in that which God gave him to do, Jesus was faithful in all that God gave him. Him to do.

21:04Notice the expression, his house, his house. It speaks of a family. It doesn't just speak of brick and mortar, flesh and blood. It speaks of a family, a house. We use that expression all the time: house, God's house. And it's important that we recognize that there's a distinction and a continuity happening here. There is God's house under Moses versus God's house under Jesus. There's a distinction. But there's also some continuity. Under both, faithfulness is expected. Just as the Israelites were to pay attention to Moses, so the nations are to pay attention to Jesus. All of the nations, including Israel.

22:12But really bringing it closer to home, and especially, and certainly us. If Israel was to pay attention to Moses, how much more are we to pay attention to Jesus? The fact that Jesus is greater than Moses has already been demonstrated. And that's where he's, not only is he greater than the prophets, not only is he greater than the angels, but he's greater than Moses. And that's the theme running through this. Jesus is superior to Moses. I want to just bring to your attention at least three of the ways that Jesus is greater than Moses. It has already been mentioned that his office is superior to Moses. Jesus' office is greater than Moses or superior. Moses was not heaven's apostle, nor the high priest of our confession, but he testified to Christ as being such.

23:30But the writer goes on to describe two more ways in which Christ is superior to Moses. Not only is Christ's office superior to Moses, but number two, Christ's work is superior to Moses. Look back at verse 3. For he has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, by just so much as the builder of the house has more honor than the house. For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God. Notice, he has been counted worthy.

24:13Perfect expression, verb. He has been, it's completed. Christ has been deemed of great worth. And in the expression, much greater, place of emphasis. It's the first word you come to in verse 3. Much greater this one's glory is than Moses. He deserves honor, glory, respect, reverence. Much more glory than Moses. Far more splendor when compared to that of Moses. When you look on the pages of Scripture, that's saying a lot. When you look in human history, the world hasn't seen another Moses.

25:07The deliverer. He left a secure place in Egypt. He became a deliverer, a lawgiver, and a builder. You see, all the other prophets, God spoke to them in visions, but to Moses, He spoke person to person. Remember the burning bush. Remember the voice out of heaven. Remember him on Sinai. Moses was there when the finger of God wrote the commandments. Yeah, Moses is indeed a marvelous person, a splendid person in history. But Christ, what the preacher of Hebrews is saying is, Christ is so much more to be revered, so much more to be honored than even Moses.

26:19Notice he starts with this being a builder of a house. He uses this house illustration: for every house is built by someone, verse 4. But the builder of all things is God. And he picks up on this illustration that's going to go through the next couple of verses. Several points of contact. First of all, there's this general comparison. If you think about it, what gets more honor, the house or the builder of the house? It's a rhetorical question.

27:01What deserves more honor? The house or the builder of the house? Well, of course, the builder. The house owes its existence to the mind and the ingenuity and the creativity and the ability of the builder. So when you see a great house, it's like, wow, magnificent. Who built this? And no matter how grand a house may be, it owes its existence to the builder. And the house is a reflection of the one who built it, whether for good or for bad.

27:42But the greater the house, the greater honor owed to the one who built it. What the writer is saying is that Jesus has far more glory than Moses in the same manner that a builder has much more glory than the house that he built. But there's more than just a comparative analogy happening here. Because he goes on to say, the builder of all things is God. The builder of all things is God. Verse 4. God is the one that's causing all things to work together for good, according to his purposes. The preacher had already declared.

28:30That Jesus, as the Son of God, he does this in verse 1 and chapter 1, verse 2. Jesus is the one through whom God made the world. Remember, verse 2, chapter 1, in these last days has spoken to us in his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the whole world. There's your builder, God the Father, bringing all things into being through God the Son. Now, notice again, notice, I want you to see an important proposition here.

29:14Look in verse 4. I'm sorry, verse 3. It's the word 2. For he's been counted more worthy of more glory than Moses by just so much as the builder of the house has more honor than the house. For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God. Look at verse 5. 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 a faithful as a son over his house. Get this. Idea that Moses was faithful to God.

30:06He was faithful to the one building the house. But Jesus is the one through whom the house is being built. And he is faithful over the house. It's a big difference. Big difference. So if we think about this, Jesus is superior to Moses. His office is superior to Moses. His work is superior to Moses. And also his person is superior to Moses. Again, look at five. 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.

31:05God's house. The house metaphor continues. God is the builder. Keep in mind. The house is God's family. Moses and Jesus both were faithful, as we already said, but both were faithful in their capacity. Moses was faithful as a servant in God's family. Family. Christ is faithful as a son over God's family. Do you see the importance difference in the preposition? Moses is in the house as a servant, but Christ is over the house as the son.

31:47So Christ has a much greater role over the house of God than Moses. Christ is the builder overseeing its development. Moses played a part, very important part, but he played a part. Moses was a servant in the house. Notice he was a servant for a testimony, verse 5, of those things which were to be spoken later. His role was to serve as a witness to things which are going to be spoken later. And we're still talking about it today, aren't we? We're still talking about Moses. He provides that foundation, that context, whereby when Christ comes, you can understand who he is.

32:44Boy, there's been a lot of talk about Christ, but Moses, long before, had provided, had served the family of God by speaking, by testifying to things. Which would be spoken about later. He laid the foundation to understand who would come later, and that is Christ. We're still talking about him today. Likewise, we are servants. You're called, pay attention to Jesus, to follow one greater than Moses. Understand that all of us here are called to be servants in his house. Be servants in what God is doing in the world. And that has a very specific manifestation for those of you who are members here at Emmanuel Baptist Church. This is the expression of God's house in our day and time.

33:59So let us be faithful. Let us take our cues from Moses. Let us take our cues from the Son Himself to be faithful in all that God has given you to do in his house. Heaven is calling you to pay attention to Jesus, to follow one greater than Moses, and to be Part of God's household. He has called you to be part of God's household. Look back at verse 6. Second part. Whose house we are if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end. His house. Again, that house metaphor continues. Keep in mind, God is the builder. The house is God's family. And now, you can see that family includes us. It included the Hebrews that were the recipients of this original letter.

35:16And it includes us as well today. Household. You were called to be part of God's household. Think about that. Think about your calling. Already we've talked about, let's just talk about the players in God's household for just a moment. The players in this household of God, which he is, this family of God, that he is, this holy family that he's calling out to be separate from the masses. Well, already we've talked about Moses and Christ. Both of them were faithful in their capacity. Moses as a servant, Christ as son.

36:00But also, there's the national players, Israel and the nations. A nation is a bunch of people corporated together. God's house under Moses was built upon a foundation of law. God's house under Christ is built upon fulfilled law. But just as God's word came to the one nation, Israel, in law, symbol, and type, the reality, the same message, the reality of it, would go to all nations, including Israel. So when Christ shows up, the message, the reality of these things comes on the scene, the message that Israel was to embrace, and every other nation to embrace.

37:00But Israel as a nation corporately rejected Christ's rule. But many within Israel did receive him. And they, like Moses and Christ, were faithful in God's household to advance the gospel. They were doing their part in serving the family of God by advancing the gospel. Like Moses, they were servants. But so this is going to be true of all nations. Some, as the gospel goes forth throughout all the world, some from every tribe will embrace Christ. But every tribe collectively, every nation collectively will reject him. Just like Israel ultimately rejected him, so all the nations will reject him. And this is what Armageddon is all about.

38:07Look, Israel is an example of what will happen to all the nations. And like Israel, every nation comes to a juncture, a corporate juncture, as a corporate entity. Even though many members of society may embrace Christ, as in Christ's time, as Israel did, many will not. And when push comes to shove, those power brokers, those cultural norms that must yield and bow to Christ will reject him, just like it did in Christ's day. You see, nations have a difficult time leaving their cherished Norms and their customs.

39:05They can tolerate a little Christianity, but not too much. But regardless, even though the nations will reject ultimately and gather at Armageddon, Christ is at work right now building a house out of people from all of the nations. And the church is proof of that. So there's several players. We've already talked about Moses and Christ as players in God's household. We talked about the corporate entities, the nations who are players in God's household. Now let's talk about you and me.

39:48You and me. Verse 6 makes it very clear whose house we are. You see, the heavenly calling reaches us today. God's family includes all who will have faith in Christ. And many of that's some of us in this room. But notice the conditional statement: if, if, if we hold fast, if only we hold fast. To hold fast is to possess, to occupy a territory, to keep our possession. What is our possession? Our confidence, our public confession.

40:37If we hold fast our confidence, our boldness, our outspokenness, our fearlessness, the basis of our confidence. What is the basis of our confidence? We'll look back. The next word, and the boast of our hope. We are to hold fast to our confidence, our sureness, our courage, and the boast of our hope. What is the boast of our hope? Our ground for boasting. The reason we are so confident. The reason we are so frank about things, so frank about our doctrine, our orthopraxy, and our orthodoxy.

41:25What is the confidence and basis for our hope for a good future? One word: Jesus. He is the subject, he is the course, the curriculum, the final exam. As Peter said, you are the Christ, the Son of the living God. This much I know. I haven't quite got you figured out yet, Jesus, but this I know. You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God. That's our Confidence. That's our sureness. That's the boast that we have that gives us confidence that there is a good future ahead, not only for us individually, but for planet Earth.

42:16This doctrine, the Reformers referred to as a perseverance of the saints. Some of our Baptist circles, we call it once saved, always saved. But I like the way it's expressed by the Reformers. I think it's better to think of it as the perseverance. Sure, I agree. Once saved, you're always saved. But if you're not careful, it puts the emphasis on the wrong place. You can go do what you want. You're okay. No, that's not what the doctrine is about. The doctrine is part of the core element of Christianity is confidence that you are the Christ, the Son of the living God, and I have built my life upon this confession, and blessed are those because it's upon that rock, upon that confession, that Christ builds his church.

43:15And just as Israel had to come to a national juncture regarding what to do with Jesus, we too must come to a personal juncture and decide what to do with Jesus. And sadly, for many, the expression is true. A little Christianity is good, but not too much. Maybe even your own parents have told you that. Or maybe a theological, let Christ be your Savior, but man, don't make him your Lord. You see, too often we hold this position. A little Christianity is good, but not too much.

44:09Some of us are like the seed on shallow ground. We identify with Christ under fair conditions, but will abandon him when the heat is turned up. And that's what's happening in the book of Hebrews. The heat is being turned up. And the seed on shallow ground quickly wilts. That's not someone who's truly received him. Or some of us are like the seed on thorny ground that identifies with Christ until he gets in the way of something we wish to do.

44:46Is that you? Do not be like this. Hold fast to the faith, the confidence, the boast of our hope. You are the Christ, the Son of the Lord. Living God. Help my unbelief. Help my faithlessness. Bring me to be faithful to you. That is my heart's desire. Think about our body here. Do not expect the nations to be more devoted to Christ than we are. Wouldn't it be nice if everybody was, you just think if everybody was devoted to Christ like we were, just think how wonderful the nations would be. Just think how smoothly the world would go because we never have any kind of problems here or we never go back and forth, do we? We never have rivalries or anything like that here, right? No, even we are not so thoroughly purged. So don't expect the nations or any politician to be more Christ-like than we are. We need to work on this, don't we? We need to grow. We need to be sanctified. We need to be more devoted to Christ. We need to be more devoted to each other.

46:13We too must welcome his exhaustive rule over us. No secret sins, no divisions, but a corporate family community, living as if we are. Are already in heaven, or certainly with the anticipation that we will. And we are to encourage one another in this endeavor. And that's what this whole verse 13: but encourage one another as long as it's day after day, so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. Well, we know what happens at the end of the days. We know the goal line. Eventually, all nations, corporately, will joyfully come under the lordship of Christ at his return. And until then, we are to remain faithful to God, just like Moses was in his house, just like Jesus was over the house.

47:20Which brings us back to my original question. Have you ever wondered what your calling in life is? Be sure you are called to pay attention to Jesus, to follow one greater than Moses, and to be part of God's household. And let me add a fourth, and encourage others to do the same. Neglecting Christ is going to be what keeps you from fulfilling your call. Don't be like me. Ah, nice day, bike ride, physics class. What do I do? Hey, I'm going to go bike. Don't be like that.

48:00Neglecting Christ inevitably leads to not believing in him. Do not neglect your call or do not disbelieve your call in the slightest. We have a perfect sacrifice. We have a perfect high priest. Respond appropriately to him. Pay attention to him. Because paying attention to him will lead to faith in him, which will lead to faithfulness to him. For those of you who do not know Christ today, an appropriate response begins by believing in him. And it continues by being faithful to him and to serve his household and the church. Let's pray.

48:53Heavenly Father, we indeed thank you for this great calling. What a privilege. You who sit upon the throne, the Lamb, Majesty. So often we reduce you to a manger. We reduce you to a friend. And Father, as wonderful as all those truths are, Father, there is this overarching Lordship. You are far more worthy of all glory and honor than even Moses or the angels. Father, may that truth grip our hearts. May we cease from neglecting you and thrive in believing in you. It's only a work of your spirit. Continue your work on earth today by working in our hearts and building up this church in Christ's name. Amen.