Pastor Scott
Jonas
Jesus>
Moses
Hebrews 3
8/19/18
Jesus is Greater! The book of Hebrews proclaims Jesus is
greater than Angels, Greater than humanity, and today Greater than Moses. This week I visited Lucielle Massie at
Meramac bluffs. She wanted to hear what
I was preaching on so I told her that this week’s title is “Jesus is Greater
than Moses.” She replied, “Well,
everyone knows that!”
We know that, but this was a
stumbling block for the Hebrews of the first century. To them, Moses was an Icon. The greatest prophet of God. He was Israel’s first leader who brought them
into a relationship with the almighty. They
thought of God through Moses’ eyes. His
life story was recited like we retell Jesus’ life story. All Christian children can recite the
savior’s birth with details about shepherds, angels,, and a manger. All Jewish children could recite the old
testament’s savior’s birth with details about the Pharaoh, the nile river and a
basket. We see God through Jesus. They saw God through Moses.
It’s easy for us to discount the
hebrews’ feelings. We see Moses in
proper perspective. He was merely God’s
messenger. Through Moses God gave the
Law and the Gospel, the Ten Commandments and the covenant. You don’t deify the messenger whether they be
Angels or people. Everyone knows that. Maybe, we should deemphasize the Old
Testament.
There are
some pastors who believe that the Old Testament is a stumbling block for the
opposite reason. Instead of Glorifying
old testament characters they are horrified by them. Abraham sacrifices his son. Moses announces the death of every first born
Egyptian. And God engineers it all. Maybe we should deemphasize the Old
Testament.
Maybe you
have had the same thoughts. Let’s just stay
in the New Testament. Better yet let’s
focus in the Gospels. If we really want
to be sure we should just preach on the red words, Jesus’ words. That way we are sure to know the truth.
In Hebrews 3, it says “Therefore Holy
brothers and sisters, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the
apostle and high priest of our confession who was faithful to him who appointed
him, just as Moses was faithful to God’s house.
The author of Hebrews wants you to
know the truth as well. So he or She starts
off by saying “consider” Jesus. That is a pretty weak translation. “Consider” Jesus means to look at him
directly and intently. Stare at the
Savior and everything else will be clearer.
You will learn who God is, who you are and who your fellow brothers and
sisters are. Consider Jesus.
This is the only place in the Bible
where it calls Jesus an Apostle. We are
used to the disciples being called apostles.
In fact anyone who is sent in the name of Jesus can be called an apostle
because it means “sent one.” Jesus is
the one sent by the father. To do what?
“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.”
Why was Jesus sent? He was sent to build the House of God. The house of God was not Moses’
tabernacle. The house of God was not
Solomon’s temple. The house of God is
not this sanctuary. The house of God is
all believers from Genesis to today.
Abraham and Sarah, Moses and Miriam, Joseph and Mary, You and I, we together
are the House of God.
One of the
ways we can understand the Old Testament, the New Testament and today is to
visualize a house so big that it incorporates every person who belongs to the
Lord. Even mansion that cost over 100
million are puny compared to God’s house.
It has wings that stretch on and on.
It has floors that reach up to the sky.
There is always more places to explore, unopened rooms to try, beauty to
discover because this has been Jesus’ building project for Millenia. It started with Abraham and it’s not finished
yet.
In this
analogy, Jesus began as the
architect. He designed the house. Before time began he layed out every beam,
joint, tile and window covering. Every
detail. He chose everyone who would add
to his house. Jesus is the
Architect. We have a couple of
architects in our congregation, Klaus and Vivian Kattendidt. When I first got here, I visited them in the
home they created together. They were so
proud, and so happy to show it off.
Likewise Jesus loves the house he created. The house that you are a part of.
Jesus is the cornerstone to the
house. He wanted his house to last
forever so it was built on the strongest thing possible, himself. Jesus is the foundation of our faith and the
foundation of his house.
Jesus is also the front door to his
House. He says so in John. He is the entrance between the outside and
the inside. No one enters unless he is
open to it. Hebrews calls Jesu the High
Priest. What is a high priest but a
bridge builder between the outside and the inside. A go between.
Jesus is the front door.
Now where do
others fit in this structure that God is building? Where do old testament people fit? Where do we fit? I imagine that Abraham and Sarah are the
front porch. They were the first thing
the Jews encountered when they entered the house of God. Abraham was an outside guy. He preferred the
porch because there you can see the stars.
But it is still part of the house.
Then you
enter the door and the first thing you encounter is a huge entry way. I’m talking bigger than you can imagine. Two stairways that come together at the
top. The largest chandelier you ever saw
on a ceiling that looks like the sistene chapel. The Jews entered the house of God through
Abraham and then Moses. Moses is that entryway.
You can keep going with the
illustration. Jacob is the stairs;
Jacob’s ladder and all. Joseph is the
multicolored tapestries found throughout the home. But it’s not just filled with Old Testament
faithful. Peter is the rock that makes
up the most expensive Marble flooring. Paul
is the Library, filled with every book imaginable.
You and I are there as a part of
God’s house. I see myself as a coffee
table. I make people feel comfortable to
sit and chat about life and God. I
probably have those child protection bumbers on me so kids can play. What are you in the house of God? A window (a clear thinker)? A floor (someone who holds people up)? A wall (Someone who protects)? A ceiling (Someone who oversees)? A couch (Someone who comforts)? A bed (Someone who brings peace)? A Kitchen (Someone who serves)? A Garage (Someone who fixes)? A bathroom (Someone who brings relief)? Jesus knows where you fit. Believe me.
It doesn’t matter that you have
flaws. Everyone in God’s house has
them. Moses killed a guy. He ran away from his people. He gave God excuses. He hit the rock in anger.
The author of Hebrews wants the
Jewish people to know that God is expanding.
A house means a building but it also means family. The Jewish people were living in the entry
way. Which is fine, but there is so much
to explore.
The same could be said for you and
I. We live in the Lutheran wing which is
cool but it gets boring after a while. The
Lutheran wing has wood panels, bookshelves galore, a huge organ in the palor, 16th
century furniture and fridges full of beer.
It’s awesome.
But God’s
house has other wings that are just as impressive. The catholic wing is similar to the Lutheran
wing but it has more statues and crucifixes.
The Baptist wing is lively. Every
living room has a hot tub big enough to immerse your whole body under. The Pentecostal part of God’s house has fans
every where. The Holy Spirit blows from
room to room. The Non-denominational
wing has amazing speakers and sound system.
The music is fun and catchy. The
African Methodist wing is the most joyful of them all. The walls shake. The hands of the clocks go from side to
side. It makes you feel the gladness of
God.
God’s Church is a living house. The Lord looks at you and sees a beautiful
home he created. Moses would be the
first to tell you, explore the whole house.