December 10, 2015

JESUS: THE ULTIMATE EXAMPLE, THE ULTIMATE MEDIATOR

Hebrews 3–4

Charlie Kaye
Thursday's Devo

December 10, 2015

Thursday's Devo

December 10, 2015

Central Truth

We are able to boldly and confidently approach God’s throne of grace and find rest through Jesus!  

Key Verse | Hebrews 4:15–16

This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. (Hebrews 4:15-16)

Hebrews 3–4

Jesus Greater Than Moses

Therefore, holy brothers, 1 3:1 Or brothers and sisters; also verse 12 you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, who was faithful to him who appointed him, just as Moses also was faithful in all God's 2 3:2 Greek his; also verses 5, 6 house. For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses—as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself. (For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.) Now Moses was faithful in all God's house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, but Christ is faithful over God's house as a son. And we are his house, if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope. 3 3:6 Some manuscripts insert firm to the end

A Rest for the People of God

Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says,

“Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion,
    on the day of testing in the wilderness,
where your fathers put me to the test
    and saw my works for forty years.
10  Therefore I was provoked with that generation,
and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart;
    they have not known my ways.’
11  As I swore in my wrath,
    ‘They shall not enter my rest.’”

12 Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. 13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. 15 As it is said,

“Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”

16 For who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those who left Egypt led by Moses? 17 And with whom was he provoked for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? 19 So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.

Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it. For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened. 4 4:2 Some manuscripts it did not meet with faith in the hearers For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said,

“As I swore in my wrath,
‘They shall not enter my rest,’”

although his works were finished from the foundation of the world. For he has somewhere spoken of the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works.” And again in this passage he said,

“They shall not enter my rest.”

Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience, again he appoints a certain day, “Today,” saying through David so long afterward, in the words already quoted,

“Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts.”

For if Joshua had given them rest, God 5 4:8 Greek he would not have spoken of another day later on. So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, 10 for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.

11 Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. 12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Jesus the Great High Priest

14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Footnotes

[1] 3:1 Or brothers and sisters; also verse 12
[2] 3:2 Greek his; also verses 5, 6
[3] 3:6 Some manuscripts insert firm to the end
[4] 4:2 Some manuscripts it did not meet with faith in the hearers
[5] 4:8 Greek he

Dive Deeper | Hebrews 3–4

Often times here in Dallas I can get distracted. My thoughts get fixed on things of this world (i.e. the car I want to buy, the job I want to have, or the next season of life I’m hoping for). All of these desires aren’t sinful unless they become ultimate in my mind or in my life.

In this passage, we are shown a number of reasons why Jesus is the person to follow. He walked this earth, and He experienced all of the same temptations and distractions that we do, yet was without sin. Jesus went before us and lived a perfect life; He has gone through the heavens and provided for us the way by which we can live abundantly now and forever (John 14:6)! How great is that? But what do we do with it?

If you’ve trusted in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, then you know the answer: Follow Him! Sounds easy, right? Not so fast. Remember the distractions we face? I certainly do. So how do we respond? We daily approach God by looking to His Word, to His people, and ultimately to His purpose. There we will find mercy (Hebrews 4:16), not just in a one-time acceptance of Christ, but in a continual effort to approach Him in desperation. We fix our thoughts on Jesus (Hebrews 3:1), and encourage one another daily that He knows the best way for us (Hebrews 3:13). We have to go about our lives not just understanding the gospel, but applying it to our lives “with faith” (Hebrews 4:2) and in action (1 John 3:18). When we come to realize that our lives are made fuller by truly following our loving and caring King, we find rest and peace instead of chaos and disorder!

So be encouraged today to look to Jesus’ life. Remember, He lived a perfect life, He died on a cross for your sins, and He came back to life, defeating death. Trust in this truth to boldly approach God’s throne and receive grace and mercy in your time of need. Always.

Discussion Questions

1. Do you believe that Jesus is the way to God?

2. Who can you encourage today and remind of God’s love for them through Jesus Christ?

3. What are some tangible areas in your life that inhibit you from resting in the truth that Jesus has made the way to abundant life?