Hebrews 3:1-6

[1] Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, [2] who was faithful to him who appointed him, just as Moses also was faithful in all God's house. [3] 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. [4] (For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.) [5] Now Moses was faithful in all God's house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, [6] 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. (ESV)

Listening Guide:

• "Therefore…"
• What is the therefore there for? Because Jesus has won for us an incredible salvation. That was last week’s sermon:
• He sanctifies us
• He calls us family - adopts us into his family
• He identifies with us
• He helps us in times of temptation
• He humbled himself and suffered on our behalf
• "Holy brothers"
  • "Hagios" is the term
    • It means set apart [for holiness], consecrated
  • Jesus merits his righteousness to all who believe by faith
• "Heavenly calling"
• Moses / Jesus - Jesus is worthy of greater honor
• House 
  • 1 Peter 2:4–12 - [4] As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, [5] you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. [6] For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” [7] So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” [8] and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. [9] But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. [10] Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. [11] Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. [12] Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation. (ESV)
• The main verb - the main point in this passage is: Consider Jesus (vs.
  • Example usages:
  • Luke 12:24 - “consider”
  • Matthew 7:3 - “notice”
  • Acts 7:31 - “look”
  • Acts 11:6 - “closely”
  • James 1:23 - “looks intently”
  • Luke 20:23 - “perceived”

• • Have you ever considered Jesus?
    • To consider: word here is katanoeo - “to consider, look, notice”
    • It is to look intently or look closely
• Have you ever looked intently for Jesus?
• Have you ever seriously considered Jesus?
• I’m not asking if you have considered religion
• I’m not asking you to consider a culture
• I’m not asking you to consider a denomination
• I’m not asking you to consider this church
• If you were removed from this country, from this culture, from everything familiar - would you be at home in your relationship with Jesus alone?
• I’m asking if you have set out on a quest to know Jesus intimately
• Have you looked intently into Jesus?

WHO IS JESUS?

Everyone knows something about Jesus! Scholars debate him, athletes point to him, atheists downplay him, others use his name to express disgust or anger, television shows poke fun at him, and millions love and follow him. Every Sunday across the globe his followers gather to sing songs to him, pray to him, and listen to a message from the Bible, which is usually about him. Who is this polarizing person?

THE BASICS:

Jesus was a Jewish man from the Middle East during the 1st century C.E. He never married, never wrote a book, never traveled outside of a small area in his adult life, and was relatively unknown until age 30. He gained an amazing following due to his extraordinary teaching and healing abilities. He did this publicly for 3 years before he was executed on a wooden cross by the Roman governor Pontius Pilate at the demand of religious leaders.

WHY DID RELIGIOUS LEADERS DEMAND JESUS' EXECUTION?

Religious leaders demanded his execution because Jesus claimed that he was God's one and only Son, making himself equal with God. During his three years of public life, he received worship as though he were God, he forgave sins as though he were God, and he worked miracles as though he were God. It was because of his claims to be God that the Jewish religious leaders had him crucified.

Jesus died on the cross and was placed in a borrowed tomb on a Friday. Pontius Pilate (the Roman governor) ordered the tomb to be guarded throughout the weekend. On Sunday his followers returned to the tomb and were shocked to find it open and empty. Jesus had come back to life. Over the next 40 days hundreds of people spent time with Jesus, eating with him, touching, seeing, and listening to him. Many of these who spent time with him during that 40 day period would spend the rest of their lives following him and testifying that he was still alive. Many of those would also go on to become martyrs for their testimony that Jesus was alive and that he is God.

For the past 2000 years millions of people around the world have had personal encounters with Jesus that leave them changed and cause them to live their lives in complete devotion to him; many of whom would rather die than to renounce their faith in him. Jesus promised that he would come back one day to take all of his followers to be with him in a place called heaven. His followers were organized into churches and tasked with completing Jesus' mission to develop new followers from all nations before his return (Acts 1:8; Matthew 28:18-20).

Conclusion

• Seek Jesus
• 1 Chronicles 28:9 - [9] “And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever. (ESV)Jeremiah 29:13 - [13] You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. (ESV)
• Proverbs 8:17 - [17] I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me. (ESV)
• Isaiah 55:6 - [6] “Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; (ESV)
• Matthew 7:7–8 - [7] “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. [8] For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. (ESV)