'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 honour than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honour 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.' (Hebrews 3.1-6, NIV)
What a wonderful way to start any sermon, 'fix your thoughts on Jesus!' Jesus is the Alpha and Omega, He is our everything, He is all that you need. Our faith is not based on religion or ceremony, our faith is based on Jesus as our apostle and high priest. Who else do we need but Jesus?!
God has appointed Jesus to be responsible for us. Can you think of it that way? God has appointed Jesus to be responsible for our salvation. Just as Moses was responsible for the children of Israel for 40 years, so Christ is responsible for our safe passage into the Promised Land. And just as Moses had to be faithful in his responsibility, so Jesus is going to be faithful in looking after us until we enter the Kingdom.
The author of Hebrews uses different pictures to explain Jesus' relationship to us: He is (1) the Messenger of God, to whom we should listen; (2) our High Priest, through whom we come to God the Father; (3) the ruler of God's house, whom we should obey.
Because Christ lives in us as believers, we can remain confident and hopeful. We are not saved by being steadfast and firm in our faith, but our courage and hope do reveal our faith is real. We need this enduring faithfulness to prevent us being blown away by temptation, false teaching, or persecution.
So, as the Holy Spirit says: ‘Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts (Hebrews 3:7-8, NIV)
In many places, the Bible warns us not to ‘harden’ our hearts. This means stubbornly setting ourselves against God so that we are no longer able to turn to Him for forgiveness. The Israelites became hard-hearted when they disobeyed God’s commands. Be careful to obey God’s Word, and do not allow your heart to become hardened.
The Israelites failed to enter the Promised Land because they did not believe in God’s protection, and they did not believe that God would help them conquer the giants in the land. So God sent them into the wilderness to wander for 40 years. This was an unhappy alternative to the wonderful gift He had planned for them. Lack of trust in God always prevents us from receiving His best.