Ep 421 | Hebrews 3 - Wade Branch 10/17/21

Good morning, everyone. It is a beautiful day.

We have here today, not only to worship God, but he's given us a

beautiful day outside. This is when most beautiful days

of the year I've seen. So we are blessed to have this

day. And most importantly, though on

this day to have our time together to worship God, I'm

thankful to be able to be here with you today and especially as

I get to choose what we study and Hebrews chapter 3 today.

Hebrews 3 · chapter mention

So we've been kind of slowly making our way through Hebrews.

We're in the third chapter now and Today, I plan to cover the

whole chapter. So if you'd like to turn to

Hebrews chapter 3, that's where we'll be spending pretty much

Hebrews 3 · chapter mention

all of our time this morning and Hebrews chapter 3, kind of our

Hebrews 3 · chapter mention

Arc or keynote verse is the first one that says, therefore,

holy Brethren partakers of the Heavenly calling consider the

Apostle and high priest of our confession.

That's a simple sentence and today, I hope that you can take

that and you can consider him because I can talk up here, I

can get a presentation together, but ultimately, Our God has

asked each one of us to consider him ourselves and to consider

him individually. Let's go ahead and read the rest

of the chapter. Before we begin going on in

verse 2, it says this. So This Christ Jesus who was

faithful to him who appointed him as Moses.

Also was faithful in all his house.

For this one has been counted worthy of more Glory than Moses

and as much as he He who built the house, has more honor than

the house for every house is built by someone, but he who

built all things is God and Moses.

Indeed was faithful in all his house as a servant for a

testimony of those things, which would be spoken afterward.

But Christ has a son over his own house, whose house we are.

If We Hold Fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the Hope

firm to the end verse 7. Therefore as the holy spirit

says, today if you will hear his voice, do not Harden your hearts

as in the rebellion and the day of trial in the wilderness where

your father's tested me, tried me and saw my Works 40 years.

Therefore, I was angry with that generation and said they always

go astray in their heart and they have not known my ways.

So, I swore in my wrath they shall not enter my rest.

Beware Brethren lest there, be any of be in any of you, an evil

heart of unbelief unbelief in departing, from the Living God.

But exhort one another daily while it's still called today.

Lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin

for? We have become partakers of

Christ. If we hold the beginning of our

confidence, steadfast to the end while it is said today, if you

will hear his voice, do not Harden your hearts as in there.

A billion in the last couple verses for who having heard

rebuild and D, wasn't not all who came out of Egypt led by

Moses. Now with whom was, he angry, 40

years, was it not with those who sinned whose corpses fell in the

wilderness and to whom did he swear that they would not enter

his rest but to those who did not obey.

So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.

So these are the verses we're going to consider today.

And just reading this chapter and isolation, it looks a little

bit negative. But warning a little bit

dangerous, but I think the context that it's immersed in in

Hebrews is really a well-rounded one.

And so let's back up for a minute to consider what he had

just said in Hebrews 2. So the first verse of Hebrews 3

says, therefore, so it's very important that we see what we're

leading into the therefore with from a Hebrews 2.

So this is a very important. I don't want to go back too far

but the previous verses lead right into it, so let's talk.

Talk about Hebrews 2, verses beginning verse 10.

So he said, therefore consider him and light of all these

things. And light of the fact that in

verse 10, it was fitting for Jesus for whom are all things

and by whom are all things in bringing many sons to glory to

make the captain of their salvation.

Perfect through sufferings and light of that, consider him for

both, he who sanctifies and those who are being Sanctified

are all of One. We're one with Jesus consider

him because of that for which reason he is not ashamed to call

us Brethren saying here I am and the children whose got whom God

has given me in as much as the children have partaken of Flesh

and Blood. He himself likewise shared in

the same that through death, he might destroy him.

Who had the power of death, Jesus destroyed, the devil who

had the power of death. He took away that power that he

had over us. That is the devil and release.

Those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject

to bondage. The first verse in Hebrews 3 is

going to say consider him because of all this because he

freed you from the fear of death.

For indeed. He does not give Aid to Angels

but he does give Aid to the Seed of Abraham.

We learned that to us through God's promises verse 17.

Therefore in all things, he had to be my made like his Brethren,

that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest.

East and things pertaining to God to make propitiation for the

sins of the people. For in that he himself, has

suffered being tempted. He is also, he is able to Aid

those who are tempted. So, the first verse in Hebrews

3, we can't just take it from there and say, okay, we're going

to take it, starting there, we have to consider all these

wonderful blessings that God has given us.

We spent a lot of time the last time I spoke talking about

these, these promises and this freedom From death, and how

Jesus is our high priest. And what that means, as the one

who intercedes for us and makes offering for sins.

So, because of all of this awesome stuff, he said, in

Chapter 2, consider him Consider Jesus.

This word consider. I'll get to that in just a

second. So first before he talks about

what he's, what we're going to consider the first verse of

Hebrews chapter 3, says, therefore holy Brethren.

Hebrews 3 · chapter mention

So it's important that we remember who he is addressing,

he's addressing Hebrew Christians now.

Just Hebrews and not just Christians their Hebrew

Christians, so they are Brethren.

So they're not just people who he's addressing with the gospel

with the first time and this is all linked.

Also linked back to chapter 2, when he calls him, holy

brethren. Because he said that Jesus is

not afraid to call you his brother.

He's not afraid to call us his brothers and sisters, so he's

kind of harkening back to that. And then the second point about

this word, holy Brethren is that these Hebrew Christians need

encouragement. They needed kind of a kick in

the backside, you know, to show them what was right to show them

the reality that they were coming into as as new followers

of this New Covenant. They needed the encouragement

and they weren't perfect, but they were still holy Brethren.

He could have come into this letter and just beat them

upside. The head with the fact that men,

the Son of God just came and you guys are starting to slack in

your faith. How are the world?

Could you do that? But he does acknowledge that

their Brethren their holy Brethren and they're in the

middle of a fight and that is a theme that we can all relate to.

We are all in the middle of this fight and even if we may have

struggled, We Are Holy Brethren. So don't count yourself out if

you feel like, man, I'm my faith is weak.

He wrote this to them because their faith needed to be

strengthened. He goes on to say, holy Brethren

partakers of the Heavenly calling.

So we talked about the other day, how there is this?

Great need that man has in life. There's there's this great need

to get back to the Garden scenario where man.

Was living in peace with God and complete exposure before God.

They were together. It was Paradise.

And this Narrative of Bible is once man gets kicked out of that

Garden, how do we get back to a place where we are one with God?

And not and not perfect place where there's no pain and where

there's no suffering? And so, this, this sentence kind

of hits on that that God's taking care of the two great

needs. We need, we need to number one,

we need to hear from God. We need to hear from God through

his word and through the Heavenly calling, that he gave

to us, but that calling implies that he wants us to do

something. He wants us to come to him, he's

calling toward us, not just to us.

He's calling us to come to him. So this great Narrative of what

do we do? Now that we're outside of the

garden separated from God, we need to hear him, we need to

hear the calling, and we need to go to God.

And because God has made this calling, we are partakers Yes,

and because we Are Holy Brethren.

Remember big to become holy Brethren, they're not just first

time, here's of the Gospel. They were converted Christians

who had been added to the church, okay?

So then he goes in to say, consider this Apostle and high

priest of our confession, this work consider means to fix your

attention on something to learn its inner meaning.

This is a word that was also used by Jesus when he said to

consider the Ravens and Luke chapter 12 and it is an implies,

Luke 12 · chapter mention

a context of something that may be so simple and obvious.

But if we don't slow down to really think about it, we will

miss it entirely. So, we need to consider it with

contemplation and not necessarily to just find the

answer and move on, but to let the process of considering

habits work in our hearts. Now, an important note from this

is that remember, let's say it again, they were already

Christians, so it's implying that it's not automatic that.

If we're Christians, we just automatically, think about

meditate on Jesus. It's not automatic, he's having

to tell them. You have to take thoughtful

considerate. Time to consider this Jesus for

us. It is not going to automatically

happen. It's hard to carve up time where

I had can slow down enough and make enough space in our day for

Clear thoughtful. Time to consider Jesus.

It's not automatic But I like this quote, I have I read on

this verse. Someone said every meditation on

his person, speaking of Jesus, and his salvation will suggest

more wisdom new motives to love confidence and obedience.

And I think that's very true. There's not everything that can

be explained with a step-by-step.

Here's what you need to do. Step, ABC, and D.

Then you'll be at this point, sometimes we need to take time

to consider him and that was Of the prescription for the growth

of their faith for the Hebrews. Okay.

So he says to consider this Apostle this word Apostle is, we

might think well well I thought the 12 apostles were the ones

following Jesus, why does he call Jesus?

An apostle? Well, this word Apostle simply

means sent one. I think a lot of times we hear

the title of someone and we don't associate the real meaning

with it, that the Bible had behind it, Apostle means sent

one. So, Jesus is going to be God's

one he sent to us. So Jesus had 12 Apostles that

were coming from Jesus to the rest of the world to share Jesus

truth with the world. And similarly, like Jesus had

his 12 Apostles that were sent to the world God.

And the beginning sent Jesus, the Apostle to us.

So these sent one for our salvation for our learning for a

teaching. Now and I it's easy to be

confused between Apostles and disciples.

Remember disciple is someone who just follows Jesus Apostle, is

someone who specifically sent for a purpose.

So these are both titles that people were specifically sent,

very obviously speak. Speaking of Jesus here he was

the chosen sent one from God. Okay?

Then he's mentions him as the high priest.

We talked about that in Hebrews chapter 2, What that means.

Hebrews 2 · chapter mention

But in summary, the high priest represented, the people before

God and offered sacrifices for sins.

So, here in this verse, he's kind of setting up this.

This picture Jesus is both the one who was sent down from God

to man. And once he was, man, he also

made a way to get from man back to God.

He is everything in between, he is both the one that sent to

teach. And the one who sacrificed

himself and mediated for the people to go from man to God,

Jesus Is God to man, and man to God fascinating.

Well-rounded Concepts Our Savior embodied.

Okay. So going into verse 2 and this

verse the writer of Hebrews, we don't know who wrote it.

Remember the writer of Hebrews starts to compare Jesus to the

Old Testament greats. So this is going to be a theme

throughout a big portion of the book of Hebrews.

So they would have known and appreciated and honored, their

Heroes of Heroes of Faith in the past.

And so, he's already earlier in the book of Hebrews, he's

already compared Jesus to Angels.

Remember Angels, were these great, massive Mighty Powerful

Beast, that they were terrified of and, and God.

And the writer of Hebrews says, Jesus is a way above that.

And so now he's going to take the The Heroes of Faith in the

Old Testament and say Jesus as way above that.

So here, we'll start with Moses verse to consider a Christ

Jesus. Who is faithful to him.

Who appointed him as Moses also was faithful and all his house,

I read a someone was some sources were saying that the the

Jews, consider Moses, maybe to be the greatest man who ever

lived and that they even thought he was better than an angel.

So I don't know how much ground That holds in the Jews as a

whole or what? But they highly, highly regarded

Moses. And so the writer of Hebrews is

meeting them where they're at. Okay?

You understand an angel, you understand Moses.

Now Jesus is so far above that and I like how he keys on this

idea of faithfulness. A huge part of Moses's credit

for being Godly, was he was faithful through a lot of junk

leading, a million people who are ready to turn on you for

$40. Years and all the things he went

through in the Old Testament. It was his faithfulness that

stood out. That's one of the lessons will

learn. From today is the faithfulness

that Jesus and Moses both shared and it says that he was faithful

and all of God's house. So, verse 3, for this one,

Speaking of Jesus has been counted worthy of more Glory

than Moses as teachers. One of the things weren't Acted

to do. One of the key ideas were

supposed to use in a classroom is to take your students from

where they're at and then move them forward.

If you just try to teach everybody the same way or teach

everybody, the same thing, you're going to lose most of the

people. And so I like what the writer of

Hebrews does here, he understands his audience and

this is kind of a side point for our own use of spreading the

gospel and teaching others. About the truth is to remember

to People wear their act, the writer of Hebrews used as Moses

and uses Angels, because in education they call it accessing

prior knowledge. If you can use a starting point

for someone, what they do understand, they have a

reference point from where to go next.

And this writer of Hebrews understood his audience and he

was ready to meet them where they are at, okay, that was kind

of a side point. So Jesus is counted worthy of

more Glory than Moses. We understand what the word

Glory means. I think it's kind of hard to

nail down the definition but Chris Taylor look a lot of

Dodger fans he got that game-winning Home Run for the

Dodgers the other night he got a lot of Glory for that.

Okay. So the the glory and athlete or

someone great gets from doing something awesome.

We understand that. So this is in a spiritual sense

and in an eternal sense, Jesus is countered of more Glory than

even Moses. Inasmuch, as he who built the

house, has more honor than the house.

Okay. So he's saying that Moses was

part of the house that God was building, but Jesus was the one

building the house. Okay.

So and he's comparing their honor because he's saying the

one who build something has more honor than the house itself.

And we understand that. So, Michelangelo and assisting,

Chapel. He's the one who gets credit for

all of the beautiful work he did there.

So obviously we don't go, man, Sistine Chapel.

You're so awesome on your own Merit.

You're so great for what you are, we say, wow.

He did an incredible piece of work.

And if you is there, everyone, we going over shaking his hand

and saying how awesome, he did the Eiffel Tower.

The man who designed it? Alexandria, Eiffel.

It is. Tied to his name and he's the

one who gets credit for that. The tower itself is inanimate.

It is just what it is. It's the The building, the

person who gets the glory and the honor for something, is the

one who built it. We understand that, and he's

saying that Jesus has. He's on a different level

because Moses is just the house. He's just part of the building.

Frank talked about that a lot and his lesson about how, and

First Peter chapter 2, that we are being built up as a holy

1 Peter 2 · chapter mention

house, Well, we're just part of the house.

Jesus is the Builder. Our God is the Builder of this

house verse 4 for every house is built by someone.

But he built all things is God my somehow my roof got a little

off-kilter there but the house is much better built than that.

Verse 44 every houses. So the point I was going to pull

out here is that he's drawing this.

This idea that that one has been counted worthy of more Glory

than Moses as he who built the house as more Glory than the

house. And he's saying that every house

is built by someone who built all things is God.

So he's making the points drawing the conclusion, that

Jesus is deity, he's not God the father but his deity.

He is one of the Builders of our holy Virtual house.

Okay, he's continuing to lift Jesus up in their eyes so that

they Revere, Jesus and don't slip back to the Old Law.

Continuing on in verse 5 and Moses, indeed was faithful and

all his house as a servant for a testimony of those things, which

would be spoken afterward. But Christ as a son over his own

house. So again, he could have said, a

lot of things about Moses. And when we read the Old

Testament, Talk about that in a minute.

There's a lot of things he could have said maybe to Moses credit

to his detriment, but he talks about him in a positive light.

Here he is not at all. Trying to defame Moses or to

bring Moses down. That's because his point is not

to, to tuber Aid, the humanity of Moses, he's trying to lift

Jesus up. So he points out the, hey, he

was faithful as a servant. He did a great job as a servant

and it was a testimony of those things, which would be spoken.

Afterward, but it's not even the same thing, it's apples, and

oranges Jesus. It was, but Jesus was a son over

the house. He wasn't a servant in God's

house Jesus as a son of the house of God.

So, there are apples, and oranges.

They're not even close. Jesus is so far above Moses, and

it says he was a test. He was a servant as a testimony

of those things, which would be spoken afterward.

I believe that Moses is a great example of the fact That you can

be a servant in God's house and receive Glory and Honor from God

and praise and appreciation from God, the in the church age,

that's especially emphasized, that the things that would be

spoken of afterward, the new, the new law, and the New

Covenant, how much you would emphasize service in the Lord's

House. Moses was an example of that,

and he served as a testimony, that that's always been a value

in God. His kingdom.

It's always been powerful in God's kingdom, to serve his

people. And that was a testimony even in

the Old Law, okay? So in verse verse 6, he goes on

to say whose house we are. If We Hold Fast the confidence

and the rejoicing of the Hope firm to the end, that is an

awesome thought. He already said in the last

chapter, that he's not ashamed to call us Brethren how awesome

that is that we are God. Sistine Chapel, so to speak,

that we are his house. We are his special building of

all the beautiful works that were out there, God's special

work and his Is great. Joy in his work stems from us.

Not just from his own beautiful creation that he made.

He cares about the people who can turn and praise him.

We are that house and that is a special awesome thought for us,

to consider our own importance in the grand scheme of the

world. But there's a condition.

We are his house, if we hold fast the confidence and the

rejoicing of the Hope firm to the end.

It's interesting. The Bible says, a lot of

different things that you'll be saved.

If you do this or or you you you're one of God's children if

you do this. And this is an interesting

point, you makes here that we are in his house if we hold fast

the confidence and the rejoicing of the Hope Philippians 4:4

Philippians 4:4

says, Rejoice in the lord always.

And again I say rejoice that is a command to us.

We are commanded to be confident and hold on to the rejoicing of

our hope. That's not optional, That's

essential for our life. That is our oxygen.

We must rejoice in the Lord, that is a sign of a healthy

Christian and we can rejoice as part of this house.

No, this was just a member of the House.

David was a member of the House. You and I are part of this house

that God is building up a royal priesthood.

We must rejoice and you might say, well, can I really control

what? I hope it can it.

Can I really control what I'm excited for because I hope

things that seem like I don't really control it.

It just kind of happens when I'm hoping for isn't always.

I can't tell my mind with hope for is that true?

I believe it is definitely true that we have control and what we

hope and I believe it's cyclical.

This maybe this is a little rough but when you think about

something a lot when you consider it a lot, like we've

been commanded to when we consider and think about our

savior and we live the way he wants us to live.

We see it's fruits. We see what it brings in our

life. We see the good that happens and

the terrible things we can avoid and we rejoice in that.

And that's been, we've been commanded.

Maybe we're missing part of this puzzle and maybe if you feel

like you're not in control of what you're hoping in, maybe

you're missing one of these pieces.

Are you thinking about God's word?

And everything I'm talking about today was a direct kick at me

and and it was a challenge for me so I'm not talking at you at

this. This was a huge challenge for me

to step it up. Some are you living it?

Are you seeing it's fruits? Are you taking time to look and

see what God is doing? And if you see that, are you

rejoicing in that? Are you missing any of the

pieces of this cycle that we can hope and God, and we can create

a cycle where our minds will continue to hope and build faith

and trust in him through a cycle of changing, what we have

hoping, and we can do that. Okay.

Now verse I mentioned from 1st, Peter chapter 2, it said you

also as living stones are being built up a spiritual house, a

holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable

to God through Christ Jesus. Okay.

Going on verse 7. It says, therefore as the holy

spirit says, today if you will hear his voice, do not Harden

your hearts as in the rebellion and the trial of the Wilderness

where your father's tested me, tried me and saw my Works 40

years. Therefore, I was angry with that

generation and said they always go astray in their heart and

they have not known my ways. So, I swore, in my wrath, they

shall not enter my rest. This is where it starts to get a

little harsh. But the rebellion in the trial

are Around the Wilderness wanderings in the Book of

Numbers where Israel complained against God.

So in Numbers Chapter 13, there were spice and into the land,

Numbers 13 · chapter mention

god commanded them to go into the land and take it and so they

sent spies. And it says in the promised land

that when they came to the valley of eskil and they're cut

down a branch with one cluster of grapes.

They carried it between two of them on a pole.

They also brought some of the pomegranates and figs the Place

was called the valley of eskil because of the cluster, which

the men of Israel cut down there.

So in the wilderness, when they were told to go in into the

promised land, they went in and took these clusters of grapes.

That's what that's what the word eskil means.

It means cluster. They had to carry it, between

two of them on a pole. I can't imagine seeing a cluster

of grapes that big even though we're in California, What

happened? Next verse 27, then they told

him and said we went to the land where you sent us, it truly

flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit.

And nevertheless, the people who dwell in the land are strong,

the cities are fortified in very large.

Moreover, we saw than the descendants of anak there.

The amalekites dwell in the land of the South, the Hittites, the

jebusites, and the amorites, the wall in the mountains, and the

Canaanites dwell by the Sea and along the banks of the Jordan.

So they came in and they said, man.

This place has everything. You talked it up to me, it is

unreal, it is awesome, but there's Giants, we're afraid of

them. But here's all the, here's all

the reasons that were scared and we can't maybe trust God to go

in. There's too many too many

dangers, too many risks. Going on in verse 30.

It says then Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said,

let us go up at once and take possession.

There's a couple guys who like, no we got this, let's go.

But then the men who had gone up with him said, we're not able to

go up against the people for they're stronger than we.

And they gave the children of Israel, a bad report of the

land, which they had spied out saying the land through which we

have gone has, as spies in Al and devours inhabitants, and all

the people, whom we saw in, it are men of great stature.

Thatcher there, huge the big dudes.

There we saw, the Giants, the descendants of anak came from

the Giants and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight

and so we were in their sight. They said we walked in and we

thought we were grasshoppers compared to them and they

thought we were grasshoppers compared to them.

We were all in agreement. We were small.

We did not look good. It does not look good for us to

go up against them. So there's these positive and

negative. Some people who want to go in

some people are are not faithful.

And this is where all the wandering started, this is where

God saying, you frustrated me to no end.

You were never faithful, you always went away from me and it

started with this one lack of faith.

One of the lessons we can learn from this is that there will

always be at least two ways to look at every situation now,

will be the positive hopeful and full of faith in God's ability

to act. There will be that position in

every situation weren't There's also going to be the perceived

risks worries and the if this then that we can come up with in

our minds. We can apply this to a lot of

different things. But whatever situation we get

into in our individual lives in our church.

There's always going to be both of these.

They weren't wrong. That the Giants were huge and on

their own. They could have been defeated

very quickly and easily, they're huge, they would have gotten

wiped out on their own. But the difference is God,

wanted them to see him as greater than every concern and

worthy of their faith, okay? So there may be things that are

true. It may be true.

That hey, this looks bad, this looks difficult, this looks

hard, there's a lot of risks here.

But there's always going to be risks God's people succeed when

they, when they take the positive hope and fullness of

faith and they're aware of the perceived risks.

And they overcome that by an awareness of God's power and his

ability to act. So, may we always look at God

and let him develop a faith within us that responds.

Okay, another side point. He talks about Moses

faithfulness, Moses at age, 40, He mustered up the strength to

choose God's people. So he decided to leave Egypt and

say, you know, I'm going to support my people.

He went out and defended one of his own people, the Israelites

and it did not go well that was at 40 years old.

He finally at 40 years old after a long time, almost twice my

lifetime. He was finally like all right I

got to do something. He got out and did something and

it didn't go well and he was out in the wilderness, he went off

on his own. At age, 80 was when the burning

bush situation happened, where God called him back and said

you're going to go now. And even when he was finally

called to do that, man, Moses didn't look good.

That's not the point of Hebrews chapter 3, but Moses did not

Hebrews 3 · chapter mention

look good. He was like, well, I can't

because of this, I can't because of this that and there's this

risk and that risk So Hebrews 3 is talking about the good things

in Moses, but as a side point for us, look how long it took

for Moses to get started, he was 80 before he really got started.

But he started and that's a point that we need to remember.

We are a lot of people in here and different points in life, no

matter where you're at. You can get started today.

We can get started wherever we're at and Moses is a great

example of that because the testimony after that he was

faithful and that's what he is remembered for even by the

scriptures. Okay?

Quickly go on verse 12, beware Brethren, lest there, be in any

of you. An evil heart of unbelief in

departing from the Living God, but exhort one another daily

while it's called today. I like that we don't have

tomorrow. We don't have the past but we do

have today. Take what you got?

Today, encourage and exhort one another, while it's still called

today, the beauty of that is everyday is called today.

When you get to tomorrow, it'll be called today then and we have

a chance every day to make it what it can be to exhort one

another. He says lest any of you be

hardened through the deceitfulness of sin for we have

become partakers of Christ. If we hold the beginning of our

confidence steadfast to the end while it is said today, if you

will hear his voice, do not Harden your hearts as in the

Rebellion he's saying Of the same thing, he's emphasizing.

Don't let your hearts get hard and kind of antidote.

He said, for being hardened through the deceitfulness of

sin. It was what he just said, he

said exhort one another daily. And I'm so thankful.

God gave us a body, he gave us a church to be exhorted daily so

that we don't get hardened because the reality is sin will

deceive us to where we don't even see ourselves anymore to

her. We don't don't even see

ourselves changing. We have to talk to somebody else

and somebody else can see the change in us and say, hey, come

on, let's go get, get back on the right track or hey, you're

doing a good job. Keep.

Keep the faith you're doing. You're doing good work.

God is brilliant, and in the design and his body for support

for one. Another may we take advantage of

that, may we exhort one another daily.

That's something I need to be better about.

I think the quarantine kind of kept us all a little bit

separated, but we have ways. Maybe we exhort one another

daily So we're coming really close to the end.

I saw this, this little it is kind of a It is a it's a story

basically from a demon's point of view on the Persistence of

faith and in this someone wrote this it's a fictional

perspective from a demon. Tempting, a person tip

attempting a Christian and so it's a demon either thinking to

himself. We're talking to another demon,

listen to this. It says the enemy has guarded

him from you, so the Enemy being God has guarded him from you

through the first Great Wave of Temptations.

But if only he can be kept alive, you have time itself for

your ally, the long dull, monotonous years of middle-aged

Prosperity or middle-aged diversity are excellent

campaigning whether you see it's so hard for these creatures to

persevere. The routine of adversity, the

gradual decay of youthful, loves and Youthful hopes, the quiet

despair hardly felt his pain of ever overcoming The Chronic

Temptations with which we Again and again defeated them the

drabness which we create in their lives and inarticulate

resentment with which we teach them to respond to it all.

This provides admirable opportunities of wearing out a

soul by attrition, attrition means you just break them down.

Just solo, take away their food and water and a war of attrition

you just cut off their resources.

I'm wearing out a soul by attrition.

If on the other hand, the middle years for from prosperous.

Our position is even stronger. Prosperity.

And it's a man to the world. He feels that he's finding his

place in the, he's finding his place in it while really, it's

finding its place in him. That is why we must often wish

long life to our patients. 70 years is not a day, too much for

the difficult task of, unraveling their souls from

heaven and building up a firm attachment to the Earth.

And sometimes, it's interesting to think about stuff like that.

The demons perspective, maybe on a someone came up with this, but

it's true, isn't it? Some of those words, the

inarticulate resentment that we can build that Satan wants us to

develop in our hearts. That's what the devil wants.

That's what his helpers want the challenge for the Christian is

to remain faithful and full of exhortation and encouragement

for one another as we fight against him, faithfulness is a

heroic act and Hebrews chapter 2 verse 11.

Hebrews 2:11

I think it's 11 verse 2, Maybe by faith, Jacob, when he was

dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph and worshipped leaning

on the top of his staff. This study Made me think and

really appreciate all the people in this audience who have

continued to hold the face strong.

That last thing we read about the difficulties of Life over

time, wearing down, someone's faith and discouraging people,

and trying to undermine The spiritual strength of God wants

us to have. I have a renewed appreciation

for the older folks and the Middle Ages as the, you know,

the the demon was saying, we're continuing to fight and hold on

to the faith. I appreciate you very much.

Because faithfulness is a heroic act and I that picture of Joseph

in the Old Testament worshipping leaning on the top of his staff

is one of the coolest pictures of faithfulness in the Bible

that I can read. There is value in faith.

In faiths longevity because we are told to be steadfast to the

end in our faithfulness, in our rejoicing, in Hope.

And this passage shows. It's exemplified in both Moses,

and Jesus, Jesus being so much better for so many reasons.

Okay, finishing up verse 16 for who having heard rebelled and D,

wasn't not all who came out of Egypt led by Moses.

Now with whom was he angry, 40 years was it?

Not those who sinned whose corpses fell in the wilderness?

And to whom, did he swear that they would not enter his rest

but to those who did not obey. So we see that they could not

enter in because of unbelief. So all the words, highlighted In

this, passage are kind of connected.

They have a common root. It says in Hebrews 3 of

unbelief, these people did not have a belief inside that it was

strong enough. Now people say see you just need

to believe you don't have to obey and see this is the whole

point is believing well, the point is they're all connected.

You can't really have one without the other.

He says they didn't obey and it was connected to their own

belief, they sinned and it was connected to their unbelief.

And it's interesting that they came out of Egypt, Egypt is a

picture of leaving sin. They came out of Egypt but they

still fell into unbelief. That's kind of a sobering

thought for us. We can still fall into unbelief

and we can be hardened. Now this is this is a lot of -

chapter 3 ends right here. Chapter 4 is going to go on to

talk about the rest that's coming.

So it's I wish we could just keep going to get really get the

whole picture, but this is where we're going to stop today and

Hebrews chapter 3. Ending with kind of a warning.

Hebrews 3 · chapter mention

But it's also a reminder that we should consider how great Jesus

is and that we don't want any part of that the unbelief in the

consequences from it. So today we learned that Jesus

was faithful and I asked you. And I ask myself to consider our

own faithfulness, to him. Faithfulness is a heroic act

that takes a lot of time. Ask you along with me to

consider our own willingness to take a risk and grow.

Because in that passage where their faithfulness was a

problem, it had a lot to do with they weren't willing to take a

risk and grow. So it's not just staying where

they were staying faithful isn't just putting your feet in the

ground and sit in their faithfulness implies willing to

take risk and grow like Caleb. Did he was like, no, we can go

in this land. We can get this.

We got this. I ask you to consider both areas

of these in your life. Maybe one of these is easier for

you than the other. But a full round of faith will

be faithful and willing to grow at the same time and ready to

take on challenges. Jesus was similar to Moses in

several ways but he was on a whole nother level.

So these questions are you taking time out of your day to

consider him to consider Jesus? Are you rejoicing in your hope?

This is a strong command that he indicates will affect our own.

Participation in the household of God if we're rejoicing him

steadfast to the end and are you encouraging others?

Daily. Please think about these things

with me. This is our lesson today.

I hope you can take it and and we can grow together as we seek

to serve him from the things. We've learned in Hebrews chapter

Hebrews 3 · chapter mention

3. We thank you for listening to

our podcast, put on by the Church of Christ at 22:15 plans.

Road in Bakersfield, if you would like any additional

information or you would like to receive a free Bible

correspondence, course by mail. Please email us at info at True

Church of Christ Bakersfield.com.

Our service times are on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. and

Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. Please make plans to join us.

We would love for you to be our honored guest.