SCRIPTURE: Hebrews 3
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. [Hebrews 3:3-4]
If you read this verse carefully, you will see the bold claim for Christ made here.
Jesus deserves greater honour than Moses JUST AS the Builder deserves greater honour than the house.
Jesus is compared to the builder, and Moses to the house.
Then the final statement: but God is the builder of everything!
No wonder we need to fix our thoughts on Jesus [Hebrews 3:1]
For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. [John 1:17]
There is an important different between Moses and Jesus.
Notice that Moses does not represent grace and truth, he represents the law.
The law is about right and wrong, rules to be obeyed and punishment for disobedience.
But this kind of life is self-defeating, no matter how hard we try we will fail.
Therefore even the law pointed to the need for grace and truth; all of the symbols and rituals and promises were pointing to God’s grace, assuming that people would fail.
If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. [John 5:46]
Jesus is the reality that all of these “grace and truth” symbols are pointing to.
The way of Jesus is not a way of following rules.
This is not to say that there is not right or wrong, nor to say that we can live however we please.
But approval or acceptance with God is not based on our performance, our obedience – if it were no one would be accepted!
The way of Jesus is admitting our inability and failure, looking to Jesus for mercy and help, accepting His forgiveness and love, and trusting that we are accepted by grace, not performance.
Based on this gracious acceptance and approval, we now do our best – with His help – to live the kind of life that law was pointing to.
Not to be accepted, but because we are accepted!
Moses could not do this for us, he could only show us our inability (which is the purpose of the law).
Jesus (God) can do it, He is able to forgive us and restore us.
If we are God’s house [Hebrews 3:6], then He is both the builder and the renovator.
So if you want your life renovated, stop trying to do it by yourself.
No amount of new years resolutions by themselves can change us, we need a heavenly make-over.
As soon as we admit our inability, and our dependence on God’s help, then He can help us.
And so for this new year, we fix our thoughts on Jesus, the builder Himself.
Not Moses, the way of keeping rules – but Jesus, the way of grace and truth.
Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess. [Hebrews 3:1]
PRAYER:
Lord, I know my weakness and inability, after years of ‘resolutions’ that much is clear. Help me to learn how to live by grace, not by law. It’s my only hope.