Clergy/Leaders’ Mail-list No. 2-081 (Expository Sermon)

JESUS OUR FAITHFUL HIGH PRIEST (Hebrews 3:1-6)

by Rod Benson

Do you ever grow dispirited? Can you identify with how the readers of this letter felt, as they encountered a crisis of faith and a failure of nerve? Others may think of us as secure, impenetrable fortresses of faith, resolutely withstanding anything the world, the flesh or the devil throws our way.

But the truth is that most of us don’t regularly feel that way. We’re fragile and sensitive; we entertain doubts and questions about issues of faith and spirituality; we even wonder what it’s all about, and whether it is worth it.

At times it seems that the current we’re swimming against in life is too strong, and we may consider giving up and surrendering to the incessant pressure, allowing other forces determine our direction and to define our destiny.

In times like that we turn to our community of faith for support and encouragement, and we turn to God’s Word for peace and hope.

William Barclay said, “The world is full of discouragers. We have a Christian duty to encourage one another. Many a time a word of praise or thanks or appreciation or cheer has kept a man on his feet. Blessed is the man who speaks such a word.”

Barclay is right: many times, especially in the last 18 months, Michelle and I have been deeply encouraged by a kind word, or a thoughtful action, or a card or note slipped into our hands.

In one sense the letter to the Hebrews was a note of encouragement to Jewish Christians going through some serious soul-searching.

The author has some strong words of warning (as we shall see [next week]), but he also enriches his parchment with deep insights into the person and work of Christ, and lifts his readers’ hearts with words of spiritual encouragement.

In chapter one he largely uses third person singular (“he,” “his,” etc) to establish the credentials of Jesus Christ the Son of God. In chapter 2:1-4 he switches to first person plural (“we”) as he gives the first of five warnings.

In chapter 3:1 the author uses second person plural (“you,” “your”), directly addressing and encouraging his readers. In light of his teaching in chapters one and two he says, “Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess” (verse 1).

If you belong to Jesus Christ, you’re a “holy brother” (or sister). You have a new and permanent relationship with every other Christian, and with Christ.

You’re an important part of the community of faith, the family of God (cf 2:11). You’re one of the many sons being brought to glory (2:10). You’re one of those “who will inherit salvation” (1:14).

And because you are in Christ, God looks upon you as “holy” – sharing his own moral character because your sins have been borne by the Saviour, because you now share in a new creation, and because you have been washed and renewed by the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5-7).

If you belong to Jesus Christ, you “share in the heavenly calling.” Later the author speaks of sharing in Christ (3:14) and sharing in the Holy Spirit (6:4); here he focuses on our shared destiny.

Because we have accepted the salvation of God in Christ, and because Christ has gone ahead of us into heaven (9:24), we share in a heavenly destiny, in a future of glory. God “rewards those who earnestly seek him” (11:6).

If you belong to Jesus Christ, you confess or acknowledge him as your “apostle and high priest.” What does this mean?

These two titles sum up what our author has said about Jesus in chapters one and two: Jesus is the one through whom God is fully and finally revealed, and the one who brings forgiveness and peace to a sinful people. The role of revealer and priest are inseparable in Christ, just as they were in Moses.

The term apostle means “a messenger,” or “one who is sent.” Jesus was sent by the Father to save the world (John 3:17; 17:3, 8), and to establish a new community of redeemed people who would continue his mission after his exaltation (John 17:18, 20:21).

There were other apostles, and we may debate whether the gift of apostleship continues to have relevance today, but Jesus is the supreme apostle whom we welcome, and whose message we accept and obey, above all others.

The title “high priest,” as we have already noted, highlights two aspects of the saving work of Christ: his “once for all” sacrifice for sin, and his ongoing ministry of intercession for us.

Amid the noise and troubles of our busy lives, the author of Hebrews encourages us to fix or focus our thoughts on Jesus, our apostle, our high priest.

“Hebrews invites us,” says Raymond Brown, “to apply our minds and offer our adoration to Jesus, the apostle sent from God to meet our need, and the priest who has entered into God’s presence as our eternal Saviour, present intercessor and constant friend.”

Do you spend time each day in quiet meditation? In Celebration of Discipline, Richard Foster describes Christian meditation as “sinking down into the light and life of Christ and becoming comfortable in that posture. The perpetual presence of the Lord . . . moves from a theological dogma to a radiant reality.”

Is your experience of the risen Christ best described as “theological dogma” or “radiant reality”? It is vitally important to structure some daily quality time for reflection and meditation, focusing our minds on Christ and, for at least a few minutes each day, living for an audience of one.

Verses 2-6a show similarities and distinctions between Moses and Jesus. Moses was the greatest and most venerated champion of Judaism.

If, as is likely, many of the original readers of this letter were Jewish Christians who were in danger of returning to Judaism, the author needed to affirm the significance of Moses but at the same time reinforce the superiority of Jesus.

That is exactly what he does. Just as Moses was faithful in completing his God-given mission (Exodus 40:16; Numbers 12:7-8), Jesus too was faithful. In exalting Jesus, Christians are not denigrating the awesome legacy of Moses.

Both Moses and Jesus fulfilled the roles of apostle and priest. Moses is described only once as a priest (Psalm 99:6), but his levitical background, his mission from God, his privileged vision of God, his prophetic ministry, and his service at the altar associate him clearly with apostolic and priestly functions (cf Exodus 2:1-10; 3:10; 24:4-8; 33:12-34:35; Numbers 12:7-8).

But there is a difference not only in degrees of authority but in kind between these two great men: whereas Moses was a servant of God, Jesus was a son – and not only a son but the Son!

Jesus was worthy of greater glory and honour than Moses in the same measure as a builder has more honour than the structure he builds, or in the same measure that God has more honour than the universe he has created.

Both Moses and Jesus are great figures of biblical history, but only one of them saves us; only one of them is seated at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven; only one of them brings many sons to glory. And that is Jesus.

Our author brings his words of encouragement to a conclusion thus: “Christ is 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” (verse 6).

Here is the first mention of “Christ” in the letter, the Greek word for “Messiah,” meaning “anointed.” The Messiah was the ultimate realisation of Jewish hopes for better things, hopes realised in Jesus of Nazareth.

Hebrews frequently draws our attention to the corporate nature of Christianity, and to the new community in which we participate and in which we share responsibility. We are not a crowd of isolated individuals; we are a family.

This final verse encourages us by defining our corporate identity in Christ, and challenges us to be people of courage, confidence and hope. It has been said that our security in Christ is assured, but our continuance in Christ is essential.

As a law student at Georgetown University, American author Napoleon Hill accepted Andrew Carnegie’s commission to organise and publish his principles of success. Other than reimbursement for travelling expenses, Hill received no compensation from Carnegie.

“My dedication to my task placed strains on my life,” he says. “I had a family to support, and many of my relatives ridiculed me for my goal. In spite of this opposition, I worked for twenty years, interviewing presidents, inventors, founders of great companies, and famous philanthropists . . .

“Believe me, there were times when, between the needling of my relatives and the hardship I endured, it was not easy to maintain a positive mental attitude and persevere . . . Sometimes, when the flames of hope dwindled to a flicker, I had to fan them with everything I possessed to keep them from going out.”

But the resulting book, Think and Grow Rich, became a bestseller and gave Hill fame and success. Perseverance pays great dividends.

We have a faithful high priest; whatever the challenges, let us be a faithful church. Jesus represents us confidently before God; whatever the opposition, let us approach God with similar confidence.

Jesus has risen to give us life and hope; whatever the alternatives, let us confess our faith to an unbelieving world, and live in hope of resurrection and eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

——————–

E075 Copyright (c) 2002 Rod Benson. Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible: New International Version (London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1980).

You can contact Rev Rod Benson by e-mail at <>. To subscribe direct to his weekly sermons, e-mail him with “subscribe” in the subject.

Related Articles:

• Michael Hardin, The Jesus-Driven Life: Reconnecting Humanity with Jesus
• The Jesus Driven Life
• Paul: ‘inspired’? What does that mean?
• 25 LISTS OF EVERYTHING INTERESTING/IMPORTANT
• Miracles and the Virgin Birth etc.

This work, unless otherwise expressly stated, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 Australia License.