Consider Jesus
I got up earlier than usual, this morning about 5:30 a.m. I got a head start on my day, that enabled me to get in a morning fitness center workout. I then went to help at the Larimer County Republican office with the preparation for our upcoming caucuses. This afternoon I met with a Fort Collins Physical Therapist about a bill I am working on at the Capitol.
BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY… “Therefore, holy brothers and companions in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession; He was faithful to the One who appointed Him, just as Moses was in all God’s household. For Jesus is considered worthy of more glory than Moses…” Hebrews 3:1-3 HCSB
Hebrews is written to Jewish people to show and declared that, “Jesus is better.” Jesus is better than the angels. Because of Christ’s sacrificial death we read, “So He [Jesus] became higher in rank than the angels, just as the name He inherited is superior to theirs.” (Heb. 1:4 HCSB)
Then we Jesus is greater than Moses and the prophets and priests. In the early chapters of Hebrews we see how the Jews are reminded of their past as slaves in Egypt and the deliverance that came through Moses. How Moses leading them to a promised land. A land of rest and freedom from 400 years of slavery and hard work.
In like fashion Jesus has comes to deliver all people from the slavery to sin. As such, Jesus is leading those who follow Him to a place of eternal rest and provision. The writer of Hebrews refers to it in these words, “…while the promise to enter His rest remains, let us fear that none of you should miss it… Since it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news did not enter because of disobedience…Let us then make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall into the same pattern of disobedience.” (Heb. 4:1,5,11 HCSB)
God’s promise of rest and provision in the promise land, was forfeited because of unbelief and rebellion. The call is for those, who Jesus is bringing to the fulfillment of that rest in the Father’s glory, to remain faithful and obedient and not fall prey to the same actions of those in the wilderness.
Moses was the son of Pharaoh’s daughter and proved himself as a faithful to the Lord. In like fashion Jesus proved Himself as a faithful son of God and son of man. Twice we see the significance of Jesus being “like us.”
“He had to be like His brothers in every way, so that He could become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For since He Himself was tested and has suffered, He is able to help those who are tested.” (Heb. 2:17,18 HCSB)
“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tested in every way as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us at the proper time.“ (Heb. 4:15,16 HCSB)
Consider Jesus. He was faithful to the Lord. He provided the sacrifice for our sin. He was tested and suffered and is able to help us in the “test.” He was tested and yet without sin, so we can find mercy and grace to help us in our time of need.
Consider Jesus. He has set us free from the slavery of sin and is leading us to a place of rest in His presence; just as Moses delivered the Hebrews from slavery to Pharaoh to lead them to the promised land.
As we consider Jesus and remember Moses, we are called to embrace all the has been provided for us in the present and the promise for the future, while we remember and avoid the pitfalls of those from the past.