Hebrews 3:1 Consider Jesus
Intro:
I believe that one of the most intriguing statements found in Scripture is made
by the Apostle Paul in 2 Cor. 3
A)It is a statement that gives us great insight into the Process of Christian Growth
17Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the
Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18But we all, with unveiled
face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed
into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
B) Now what Paul
describes here about Growth & maturity is a very different from what you
have probably heard in hanging around Church
1)Normally
talk about Christian growth what we hear is sort of a to do list
C) Spend time studying
the Bible / Prayer / Fellowship / Sharing
1)
Receive Christ here
share those things w/ You because those things have
their place in Christian growth & Maturity
But
what Paul declares here is really at the Crux of Christian growth it is what
all those other things are aimed at : that is Beholding Jesus
A)That is how we are going to be Transformed &
Changed from the inside out it is as we See JESUS
B) You see the Bible
doesnt have a to do list for us but rather a declaration
of DONE
1)
Our great need / our
Primary Pursuit as believers is to see Jesus & to understand what He has done for us / who
we are in Him
C) And What your future
holds because He is Leading you / He has a Plan
for you
1)
The More that we see
that the more we will be transformed to be like Him / changed from Glory to
Glory by the spirit of God !!!
This
is what the Message of HEBREWS is about
SEEING JESUS
( The
Setting : Jews struggling Contrast w/ Judaism better)
A)In This Current
section begins Contrast of Jesus w/ some of the Major People in Judaism
Moses / Joshua & Aaron Moses heavy weight
B)Reveals that as great as those men were And wonderful as the Works they did Doesnt compare w/ Jesus.
1)
Wed. Begin w/ Moses
Major part of Gods House but Jesus is the
Builder good for anyone who has Jewish
Friends
C) But today Focus mainly on Exhortation found in v.1 where
we are told 3 things that sum up what the writer has been saying thus far
1)3
things that if Believed & grasped will Change the way we live our lives
D.) Infect I believe the problem
for many believers is they have lost sight of 3 things the writer of Hebrews
mentions here in chapter. 3:1
1.) 1st
who we are in Christ / 2nd where we are going / 3rd who
our focus is to be on in the meantime
(
Read Verse)
1st: Who We Are in Christ - Holy Brethren
A)Now think for a minute
how stunning these words would sound to these Jewish people
B) In Judaism they
would never hear these words accept as a commandment from the Lord to BE HOLY
HOLY
1)
In their teaching the
only way for a person to be Holy was to keep the law and that was the problem
couldnt be done
C) TODAY people have
their methods of achieving HOLINESS
1)
Some think it can be
done thru religious affiliation belong to a Church and be a regular attendee
on Sundays Holy in Gods Eyes
D) Many actually think
that way When I was playing Ball if some guy was having great day several
hits 5for5 Church on Sunday?
Now
it is good to be in Church dont get me wrong Dont forsake the
assembling of yourselves it is good for you Coals in fire
A)Help you grow / But it doesnt make you more holy in Gods eyes whether you are here or not
B) Some people think their community service or their giving to charities
will make them Holy & right in the sight of God
1)
He will accept
me gave to the church / the cub scouts / Rep. Party
C) Listen Holiness is
not something that We do to achieve it / it is based on what Jesus did for us
D.) Bible says we were dead in our trespasses and sin separated from God -
no fellowship - lost and doomed to
spend eternity apart from Him!
1)But Jesus
came seeking to save that which was lost! Not
to PARDON still guilty just let
off CLEANSED made new
E.) If you received Christ He
lives in your heart Spirit / But
realize - He not only lives in you - but you
are placed in Him!
1.) term Holy Brethren - speaks
of our position in Christ!
When the Father looks at you He doesnt see your flaws and
imperfections - He sees you in His Son! Holy, righteous
A.) Covered and clothed in the
righteousness of Christ
B.) Vivid picture of
this in Zech. 3 -
Joshua High Priest standing before Lord clothed in filthy garments Satan there to accuse him:
1) Lord said take off the filthy robes of his
iniquity - sin - put on rich robes
He
clothes us in His righteousness! Looks at us as Holy
C) Think of it this way - This glass why is that in here I cant have anything to drink
why should he ? Illustration Liquid in the glass
1)But you dont know what color Brown Tea/ Plum
Grape Juice / Orange
All you see is Blue :
D) Well here is the illustration- that Liquid is you the Blue
around the glass represents the Holiness of Christ
1) And when the Father looks at You / all He sees is Blue : See you Holy in Christ
E) But
here is the Beauty it is not because He cant see the real thing but
He chooses not to : He wants to see the finished product sees us in Jesus
1) HOLY also BRETHERN mind blowing
Now this
takes us back to what we saw in ch.2:9-11 Wed.
A)Redeemed us and is not ashamed to call us His Brethren Not servants / workers / slaves / Bros/ & Sisters
B) Term that speaks of family of intimacy closeness connection
1)
Elder Brother
receive inheritance & divide up amongst siblings
C) Jesus way of saying
you belong to be Made you Holy / I love you and I have an inheritance
awaiting you
So How Should
this first truth affect my life ?
A)First it releases me I know that I am accepted / I know that I belong not on the Basis of what I do / what Jesus my brother already done
B) I have a confidence
& a boldness to approach the Lord / to step out in faith He is w/ me /
for me / He accepts me in Jesus
Some of you had older
brothers & sisters ahead of you in school
What they did when there affected you
1)
Teachers looked forward
to you being in their class / or they didnt Coaches same based on your
Brother / sister / Jesus perfect
2nd
thing it does Produces an affection for Christ Worshipping heart
A)He did for me what I couldnt do for myself Holy
He made me Enemy of God accepted in the Beloved / Love Him
3rd
thing it does is Motivates me to Live a Holy life life set apart from sin /
set apart to God / Holiness worked out practically in my life
A)So the first
thing we need to grasp is that We are Holy Brethren because of Christ Work
2nd Thing Where We Are Going! Tells us here - Partakers of a heavenly calling
A.) Word partakers speaks a partnership joint partakers of something
we
are partners w/ Christ in a Heavenly calling
B) This speaks of our inheritance in Christ
Ch.2:14 He Partook of flesh &
blood in order to make us partakers of a
heavenly calling
C) One of the problems w/ many of the - Philosophies that have invaded the
church today is there is a great emphasis on the here
& now
1)
Causing
People to become focused almost entirely on this life
& their happiness in this world
What would you
think upon flying airport layover guy next to you starts redecorating the
Lobby moving chairs pictures etc
A)This guy is little strange odd / No one does
that because they realize that airport is a temporary place / People in transit
B) I wonder of heaven looks at us shakes their heads
as we put so much effort into being comfortable here
1)
Like
a guy redecorating a Airport Lobby
C) Listen Our life on this earth is going to feel like a short layover
in an airport in comparison to Eternity
1)
But
some times we can resemble that guy in the Airport Lobby consumed by the
cares of this world
JS, the President of Moody
calls these type of Christians EARTH BOUND
BELIEVERS
Earthbound
Christians live the most important segments of their lives only in the context
of this world. Their expectations dreams hopes & plans all relate to what
they can acquire & Experience Now
Money,Careers, Family
retirement & time are managed by the Tyranny of temporalism.
We see our Careers as Platforms for our
own Significance & Security not as a means to advance the Kingdom of Christ
or as a Platform upon which the Values of the King can be seen !!.And when it
is all said & done we look back upon our lives and see that we have poured
into the Bottomless bucket of this world & the Bucket is still empty
D) So True no matter how much we achieve experience
there is still something missing REASON : We made for the Lord
Yet Jesus INSTRUCTION to us was to not be so consumed w/
this life / & this world - but to be other worldly - focused on Heaven !
"Do
not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and
where thieves break in and steal; "but lay up for yourselves treasures in
heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in
and steal. "For where your
treasure is, there your heart will be also.
A) Focus is not to be on treasures here or riches here
/ but on heaven !
been said
Cant take it w/ you but you can send it ahead !
1) Our Desire is to be laying
up treasures there!
B) Ours is a Heavenly calling : Calling speaks of Destiny of vocation
of what you were made to be doing / You were made for this
1) My P.T. asked me the other day how I came
into the ministry / something you decided or was it a calling
C) And I
was able to share my story of how this was the last thing I ever imagined
myself doing God would want to use me in this way
1) But that He
called me So grateful blown away
D) Now I know
that this is what I was made to be doing Pastor B.
Blessed me You were made to Pastor this
Church
1)
My kind of people real genuine down to
earth Lovers of God lovers of His word My Pt. heard about you never
been here
You might feel that way about what you do
I was made for this
A)You were made to be a school teacher / made to be a Doctor / made to
run that Business / made to be a Mom Your calling
1)
Some of you
are still trying to figure out what your calling is that is fine where you are now is Preparation
for the future
C) But Know this The
thing we all desperately need to grab a hold of is that our ULTIMATE CALLING is to HEAVEN / is for heaven
1)
And that calling is to
Radically influence the way that we live our lives in this life
D) Think for a moment
past week what was done w/ heaven in mind, what was done that is going to
amount to treasure there
1) What is going to bear eternal dividends
do more of that
When
I realize that I understand that heaven is Not just a Destination but a
motivation: influencing how we think /Act & what priorities are
A)So that everything I
do everything I am about & all my decisions are need seen in light of
eternity
B) In heaven Doesnt
matter how much money made / successful you were what matters is what kind of
husband / father / Friend / Boss / Example
1) That is what matters in eternity
1If then you were
raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is,
sitting at the right hand of God. 2Set your mind on things above,
not on things on the earth.
Now
when Paul challenged the Church in Colossea to Set their minds on the things
above he wasnt suggesting some mystical gaze
A)He wasnt exhorting them to
walk around w/ head in the clouds/ But
in
reality He was challenging them to think from Heavens point of
view
B) The
Word for mind that Paul uses in v.2 speaks of the actual Content of ones
thoughts not just the thinking Process
In other words Paul is suggesting that our Minds need to be
reprogrammed
C) This brings us back to where we started today began talking about Christian growth transformation takes place as we are beholding Jesus
1) Next thing were are told is to Consider Jesus
D)Therefore Holy Brethren - Who we are in Christ 2nd
Partakers
..
Where we are
going? Heaven/ 3rd - Who is
our focus to be on in the meantime?
Answer found in their next phrase: Consider
C.J.
Word consider is interesting: Word used by the astronomers -
describe how they studied gazed at
contemplated the stars
A)Jesus used the same word in Lk.17 consider Lillies
how clothed / Consider The ravens how God provides for them
B) When looking at the Lilies dont just see them as
a pretty flower but understand they are heavenly realities of Gods Love
& Provision Word that
1)
David
used the word in Psa.8 When I consider the heavens
. What is man that you are mindful of Him
D) It is a statement that suggest
our need is to take a deep long look at the person and work of Jesus Christ/
not a passing glance contemplate
Now right now I know some of you are thinking I have heard
this before another rap from Pastor Rob how need keeps eyes on the Lord
A)Actually what I am suggesting
is much more than that suggesting is the more you look at Jesus / more see of
Jesus / beholding Jesus
B) The More Transformed your life is going to become !! The more like Him you are going to be / more you are going to REFLECT HIM
1) The More you are going to understand what The Lord is seeking to do in your life Our Greatest need is to consider Him How
C) Watch this : Told here 2 ways that speak volumes 1st Apostle
1)
What do you think of
when you read that word apostle ? Stained glass window Peter the ROBE
The word
Apostle was originally used to describe a cargo ship
A)Ever been down to the Bay there is S.D. see these huge Cargo ships / huge tankers thought what is so special about that Boat
B) Why invest all of the time /effort & money to build
such a Monstrosity
1) it is not because the cargo ship is something special but it is because its cargo is valuable
C) That is why Jesus called his disciples Apostles They were to take something of value from Jesus / the message of the gospel
1)
And carry it to ports
all over the world the ports of human hearts / they
were carriers of a precious cargo
That IS why
Paul declared that we have this treasure in earthen vessels
A)Paul didnt see himself as anything special or valuable
but he realized that Christ in him was what was special Message from J.C.
B) That was a treasure
that Paul was carrying to impart to those who were spiritually Bankrupt
because of sin / could become Rich I God
1)
when they Received & embraced the truth
about Jesus
C) Now imagine a cargo ship that sailed around & docked
in some ports but never unloaded its cargo think that odd ?
1)
Describes many a
believer they are carrying a treasure that is to be shared w/ the world but
they never give it out
So
Jesus is called the Apostle of our confession why He carried w/ Him a
Precious truth concerning the God Father
A)But it wasnt based on some philosophical ramblings or something He learned from a Book it was from Heaven itself He was God
C) Jesus revealed the
Father to us No confusion / no static on the line truth about who God really
is How He can be Known
D) Sometimes I get
aggravated at some Christians mindset toward
the gospels Milk ( I know that Stuff Now I want to study Doctrine )
1)
Romans Ephesians
Hebrews
E) Next time you find
yourself thinking in that way : Remember this when you read the gospels &
are looking at the life of Christ
1) Remember You are seeing God / When He speaks you are
hearing God
So as
Our Apostle He came revealing to us God Gods will / heart / His Way He
came showing us how to Live
A)We see in Jesus what it means to be an obedient Child
of God / he did all things that please the father
B) We see in Jesus How
God intends for Husbands to care for their
wives in seeing how He cared for & served His disciples His Bride
1) We also see in His ministry to His disciples a picture of how we are to act as parents toward our kids Bosses toward employees /
C) We see in Jesus what
are reaction is to be toward the Unsaved
Loved the unlovely / reached out to the hated / saw people lost
1)
He is our Apostle
His cargo is a Message that rings out This is how life is to be lived !!!!
This is the Fathers will
But
if I only behold Him as that I am doomed His life condemns me it points out
what I cannot be no matter how hard I try
A)But we are also to see Him High Priest talked about this last week
Consider briefly few things
B) 1st The Job of the High Priest was to Represent the people before God He would
do so by offering a sacrifice bring Blood
1)
Signifying the sins of
the people were covered
C) Jesus as our High priest offered a sacrifice
Himself He brought Blood before the Father His own sins not covered by
removed
1)
So that our Position
before God is that of being HOLY
2ND
Thing the Priest did was to intercede offer up prayers daily for the people
in the Holy Place altar of Incense
A)Jesus as our High Priest Intercedes for us in 2 ways One as a Mediator defense attorney Zech.3
B) ALSO He lives to make intercession for us
3rd Thing the Priest did was to Instruct the people from Gods word
A)Jesus does that as well Great illumination from the word opened up the mystery / hidden now revealed
B) But here is what Jesus our compassionate merciful High Priest does
that the earthly High Priest couldnt do
1) He AIDS US He seeks to empower us to be Like Him
C)He has given us His
spirit to indwell us / to do that work of transforming us to be more like Him
as we yield ourselves to His Work
So
When I see Him as my apostle I see what God wants to make me
When
I behold Him as my High Priest I see How God is doing it
A)Sacrifice for sins / Intercession free Guilt / Instruction from word
And Aid & Empowerment from His Spirit
B)Paul declared there in 2 Cor.3:18 that our Beholding of
Christ was like looking in Mirror - what does a mirror do ? IT REFLECTS
C) The reason this transformation begins to take
place IN OUR LIVES as we behold the
Lord in His word & the scriptures become like a mirror
1) A mirror that
holds Jesus up as Gods Standard
D)A mirror that reflects
the condition of our hearts and reveals what is different in our lives /
from Jesus life.
E) So as we look at Jesus / Like Isa. We see
ourselves - I am undone I need Help I need Aid I need to change !!!!
1 )and our High Priest steps forward & says I am here to Help you !!!
What is the Mirror of Gods word revealing about your life
today about Your heart ? What needs to change ?
A)Know this
your High Priest is willing and able to make those changes if you will let Him
A.) If not Christian - phrase
Holy Brethren doesnt apply to you
B.) Still dead in sin -separated
from God! Still under bondage and power of that SATAN
1)
IF
not Christian: no hope of heaven - of
inheritance on that road going down hill - leads to pit!
C)If not Christian - missing out on true meaning of
living - knowing Jesus Christ
So I ask you to consider Him today - who said - John 8:32
- Free indeed!
B.) Consider reason why you
shouldnt turn from sin from attitude - Ill do it my way/ Turn to Him experience forgiveness, freedom
, joy Life