Paul's Epistles – Hebrews – Part 4:
Jesus is Greater than Moses
Pastor Bruce A. Shields
SERMON INTRODUCTION
The “official” writer of this epistle is
unknown. However, I obviously believe it is Paul since I have included it in
the “Paul’s Epistles” Sermon Series.
I believe there is enough evidence from
early scholars to agree this was more than likely Paul’s work.
Last week we examined Paul’s writings on
Jesus, the Son being Greater than Angels.
This week, Paul will give a warning for
listeners to pay attention, and the fact that Jesus was made fully human.
Last week we read as Paul warned us to pay
attention
TODAY’S SERMON
“Jesus is Greater than Moses”
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE
Hebrews 3:1-6
Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest. 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,”[a] bearing witness to what would be spoken by God in the future. 6 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.
The overall
message of this epistle to the church is;
“The Cure for Lacking Boldness or Courage in
your Christian Faith and Backsliding is a Right beginning for the Glory and
Work of Christ”
I. FIX
YOUR THOUGHTS ON JESUS
a. Therefore holy
brothers and sisters who share in the heavenly calling
i. Speaking to all who have correctly answered the call
ii. In other words, all believers
1. God calls us to Him
2. 1 Timothy 2:1-4 “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions,
prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— 2 for kings and all those in
authority, that we may
live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who
wants all
people to be
saved and to
come to a knowledge of the truth.”
b. Fix your
thoughts on Jesus
i. He is our Apostle and High Priest
ii. He was faithful to God just as Moses
1. Like the Hebrews, we can sometimes have our eyes on
things other than Christ.
2. Distractions, feelings, emotions, or perhaps when
storms come, we look to the wrong things for our strength, comfort, peace.
3. We must fix our thoughts on Jesus
4. Consider Him
a. In the splendor of His glory – Isaiah 6:1-3
b. The wonder of His incarnation – John 1:1, 14
c. In the majesty of His works and teachings – John 7:46
d. In the greatness of His work – Hebrews 10:12
e. In the power of His return and reign – Luke 1:32-33
c. For Christ must
be the focus
i. Paul carefully, with guidance from the Holy Spirit, compares Christ
Jesus and Moses, showing that they were both appointed by God as Apostles and
High Priests
ii. However, Jesus is greater, and must be our focus,
for there is salvation in no other
iii. Moses represented the Old Testament, which points
to the Messiah
iv. Jesus is the Messiah, and the New Covenant is found
ONLY in Him
II.
JESUS IS GOD, THEREFORE GREATER THAN MOSES
a. The difference
between Christ Jesus and Moses
i. Christ Jesus is worthy of more glory
ii. Because He who built the house has more honor than
the house
iii. Paul revealing Moses is part of the house (God’s
House/Church)
iv. However, Christ Jesus (The Lord) is maker of that
house, therefore greater
1. We see this explained in some of Paul’s other
letters where he shows believers as the Church (house) and Christ as “head” of
the church
b. The Lord built
the house
i. And Moses was Apostle and High Priest of this house
ii. But Christ Jesus the Lord was creator of this house
c. Every house is
built by some man, but He who built all is God
i. Paul explaining why Christ must be the focus, not Moses
ILLUSTRATION:
In the early
90’s I worked in a van customizing shop. We had three shifts, and a few
“supervisors”. One day the supervisor called a meeting, and stated we would be
working “until all the vans on the line were finished”. It was Friday, and we
had already been working 10 hour days all week. The attitude went down-hill
fast.
However, a man
spoke up saying, “No, we have worked all week, and we deserve to leave on time
tonight. We can pick things back up tomorrow.” And we got to leave on time.
You see, the
supervisor ran things, but when the son of the owner spoke, even the supervisor
had to listen.
This is Paul’s
point. Moses was a great man, serving God and His Will, however, the Son is now
here and therefore greater.
This is why we
must put Christ first.
III.
WE ARE HIS HOUSE
a. Moses was a
faithful servant in all God’s house bearing witness to what would be spoken by
God in the future.
i. Moses was the great Law Giver as it relates to God
ii. This includes the Law, ceremonies, feasts,
etc…which all pointed to Christ and the Cross, who was to come
b. But Christ is a
faithful Son over God’s house
i. Here is the clear distinction between the Old Testament House of God,
and the New Testament House
c. And we are His
house
i. The Church
ii. The followers of Christ Jesus
d. If indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory.
i. The condition in this
verse is “IF”
ii. This speaks to
the fact that as long as we hold firmly to our confidence in Christ and
the Cross, we are His house
CONCLUSION – are you putting
christ jesus first?
Matthew 7:24-27
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts
them into practice is like a wise
man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the
streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not
fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears
these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man
who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the
streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with
a great crash.”
We must build our lives on
the strong foundation, Christ Jesus
The Word
states, “…everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into
practice is like a wise man who built his house on
the rock.”
Proverbs 24:3
“By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established.”
We must be wise and build upon the rock, by hearing
the Word of God AND putting that Word into Practice.
James 1:22 “…be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving
your own selves.”
Many
deceive themselves by hearing the word, but not living it. They “know” what the Word says, but they do
not live it…
They
deceive themselves because they believe just because they have heard the Word
they are built upon the rock.
These
are the ones who claim to be believer’s, yet are destroyed in every storm
simply because they do not live what they hear.
Let us
put Christ first in all things, hearing His Word, living His Word, thus, being
like Wise Men, we too will build the house of God by becoming part of the body
of believer’s called the Church.
Want to hear the audio to this sermon? CLICK HERE!
No comments:
Post a Comment