Hebrews chapter 3 this morning, as you're turning there, next week we have the privilege of partaking of the Lord's Supper, and we are called to consider our lives and the sin of our lives and the wrath of God against it, and the call to humble ourselves and to ensure true repentance in our lives, to examine that we are really trusting in Christ alone for our salvation believing that our sins are forgiven by grace and to examine our conscience to be sure that we resolve to live in faith and obedience before the Lord and in love and peace with our neighbor. So we look forward next week to come to the table of our Lord. And this morning we're considering Hebrews chapter 3, Hebrews chapter 3, just the first six verses. This is sort of remember there are a series of warnings in the book that we looked at that one of drifting right after this comes the second great warning that we'll take up next week and but before that this very important and somewhat challenging section of Jesus and Moses and the comparison that's drawn here so beginning at verse one therefore holy brothers 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 also is faithful in all God's house 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 for every house is built by someone but the builder of all things is God now Moses was faithful in all God's house as a servant to testify to the things that were to be spoken later but christ is faithful over god's house as a son and we are god's house we are his house if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope and there ends the reading of god's word one of the great privileges that the new testament writers speak of is um the privilege to be members of the church of jesus christ membership in our day has kind of fallen in sort of a bad thing um we i sometimes will have people say well why in the world do you have membership that just seems so strict and i always respond we'll go down to the local la fitness and tell them you want to join without being a member i mean that's just craziness but we treat the church this way the church always gets the what do i say the last from us the scraps from us which shows naturally our problems of the human heart that we definitely have come up to something that's true because there's that old natural aversion that still hangs out in us of hatred of god and neighbor and that's why the church always gets last on the totem pole and all of our projects get first. But the New Testament doesn't see it that way. The New Testament gives us all of these great reasons to love the church, saying, do you understand what you're a part of? Think of what Ephesians would say. So you're no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God. That's a remarkable statement. Hebrews has been bearing down on us and pressing us on the wonders of that. It overwhelmed the apostles to think that God would dwell with His people and that He's always done it throughout history and that the church, the body of Christ, would be the center expression of our identity on this earth as we cherish together our fellowship in the gospel, as Paul said in Philippians 1. you remember last time how jesus as our elder brother celebrated calling us brothers that was one of the moving sections of hebrews last time when he said i will tell of your name to my brothers behold i and the children god has given me this is my family said the lord of all the nations of the earth of all the ethnicities of the earth of all the peoples of the earth that's my family i've chosen out and it's overwhelming what he said last time do you know god is not ashamed to call you think about what he said his brothers he's not ashamed of that you know who should be ashamed well you really have to keep that context in front of you to understand what this section is saying now because there's there's a flow of progress and thought here and you remember the problem in the book somewhat we looked at the first one they're drifting and then next week comes the second warning you'll notice here therefore as the holy spirit says we're getting there next week it's going to be really something there today if you will hear his voice do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion take care of verse 12 lest there be in any of you an evil unbelieving heart leading you to fall away from the living God that's that's next week and you'll notice the progression in the apostasy that's happening there started with drifting and then it went to an unbelieving heart that was really exposed we'll come back to that but here um what we have in the middle of this these warnings are expositions and helps to us and as he's he's motivating us and showing us the supremacy and the glories of jesus who he is and essentially what he's saying today is do you understand what you're a part of you even thought about it have you appreciated it or has what you've been a part of in the kingdom of god been kind of a take it or leave it thing is your heart even in this where your treasure is there your heart will be their attitude to the church was really a terrible one and i think it's important to say up front that your love for the body of christ your love for the people of god your love for the church is a strong indicator of where you are spiritually a strong indicator really does this make any difference to our lives i can't see much in worship today we've kind of considered all this it doesn't seem to show us any power we have to suffer now for the faith you know this is where they were and and they're now facing persecution as as a people from rome and they're saying listen at least if we go back to judaism it's accepted in the roman empire and it's much more invigorating worship we can see stuff. That doesn't sound like any American, does it? You know, the band's better. Come on. I can see something. I can experience something more. That's what they were. That's what was happening here. Well, the point is today is to say, okay, let's do another contrast. Let's do a contrast between Jesus and Moses. That's what you're tempted to go back to, all the ceremonies and the worship, and you think there's an answer there. Let's draw some conclusions from that. And that's what he does here, is he begins with this contrast of Jesus and Moses, and then he draws a conclusion, and then he gives a great application to that conclusion for us. You'll notice there that we would have confidence as to what we're a part of. And if you have to tell people this, then you know it's going to be a spiritual struggle. So that's where we are today. I think you can see how important this is for appreciating the ministry of the church today. It's one of our greatest struggles in America right now. And that's what we're considering today. And by, I'll come back to it. I get thoughts, I'll just stop. Okay. He makes a powerful comparison, conclusion, application. if you're taking notes. Notice how he begins. Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling. What's he been saying the whole time? We have another world. We've got another place we're going. We've got a better calling than this world. Something exciting. You share in a heavenly calling. Notice what he says. A heavenly city, as he will. Here's the problem at hand. notice um how he drives it home by saying consider jesus the apostle and high priest of our confession that's the only place in the new testament as i found that calls jesus an apostle that's really an interesting choice of words and of course we know well uh him as a high priest as the book of Hebrews will unpack. Apostle, of course, remember, is one sent by God to represent him. A priest, a high priest, also represents God to the people by making atonement for sins and sacrifices, as we studied in the book of Exodus. What the author wants to do here is grab the Old Testament and try to think about the greatest figure in the Old Testament, who would have fulfilled these offices? At least in shadowy form, but they would have thought was the greatest. The author has already made the case that Jesus is superior to the angels, hasn't he? He spent a lot of time developing that theme of Jesus's superiority to angels and now he grabs the greatest old testament figure who is it moses in the jewish eyes abraham obviously a close rival but moses for the jews was was really everything remember what numbers 12 said not so with my servant moses and he's picking up on this here he is faithful in all my house there is actual Jewish writings that say that they thought Moses had a higher rank than the angels so here was this great figure to the Jews and he was known as doing remarkable things remember he was known as as bringing to them a place where God would dwell with them remember that in the tabernacle um that was one of the great issues of exodus remember with his his intercessory prayers and after the golden calf event no you have to dwell with us you have to be with us you promised that so god takes him up on the mountain remember the 40 days and one of the things that god did up there was give him building instructions he handed him a set of building plans and I want you to go down and I want you to build the tabernacle exactly as to the pattern that was shown to you on the mountain it's Exodus 25 so the tabernacle went up in the wilderness and remember all the details of that glorious tabernacle all the time we spent going through the structure and the details of all the artisans and all they had to do to build this glorious tabernacle and a curtain, remember, six inch thick and all these things. Remember Exodus 40, the end of it. So Moses finished the work. Then all the cloud covered the tent of meeting and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. what a sight for israel you imagine i mean how do you even convey that that the glory of god fell and came down on this tabernacle you imagine the experience of that well that's that's what what happened now the author of hebrews wants us to think a little bit about this. Moses was very faithful to build a physical structure, wasn't he? Oh yeah. And God dwelt in that structure. Came down. It was a little mini representation of heaven, the glories of heaven. But notice what's said in verse 5 of Moses. He was faithful as a servant to testify to the things that would be spoken of later. So whatever he was building, whatever structure he was building was testifying to something coming later. Moses was faithful, the author says. Jesus was faithful. But here's where the comparison differs. Notice the comparison shows up. The author says Moses was just a servant. But Jesus is counted as of way more glory, if you will, than Moses, worthy of it, as much more glory, as the builder of the house has more honor than the house itself, for every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God. What was promised throughout the Old Testament? Well, I will raise up for myself 1 Samuel 2. A faithful priest who shall do according to what's in my heart and in my mind. And I will build him a sure house. And he shall go in and out before my anointed forever. David comes along and says, oh, that's got to be me. I'll build you a house to dwell in. Here's God's response. Go tell my servant David, thus says the Lord, would you build me a house to dwell in? I've not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I've been moving about in a tent for my dwelling. In all places where I've moved with all the people of Israel, did I speak a word with any of the judges of Israel whom i commanded to shepherd my people israel saying when you why have you not built me a house of cedar now therefore thus you shall say to my servant david servant thus says the lord of hosts i took you from the pasture from following the sheep that you should be prince over my people israel and i have been with you wherever you went and have cut off all your enemies from before you and I will make you a great name like the name of the great ones of the earth and I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them so that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more and violent men shall afflict them no more as formerly from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel and I will give you rest from all your enemies moreover the Lord declares to you the Lord will make you a house. That's to fulfill all the promise to Abraham that you will have a multitude like the sand of the seashore, like the stars in the heaven. Now, coming back to Hebrews, with that background in mind, the theme that he's working with here is the word house. How many times in that little six verses did you see the word house? It's the Greek word oikos, as a place for habitation. Literally a house, a dwelling place. Now when Jesus came, what was the first thing that he did? He tore down that old house. Wasn't that the whole issue when he said, destroy this temple and I'll raise it up in three days. How could you destroy this temple that took 30-some years to build? Well, he did knock it down, actually, in A.D. 70, didn't he? I'm coming to tear that one down. And I'm not building a house of cedar. I'm not building a house of wood. He is the dwelling place of God with man. That's why John called him the tabernacle of God. So if Jesus is not building a temple with hands, what is his temple? What is his house? Look at verse 6. It might be one of the most remarkable statements in the Old Testament, beloved, in the New Testament. But Christ is faithful over God's house as a son, eternal son, and we are his house. That is a revolutionary statement. It's you. Do you realize that we are the fulfillment of this? Everything that was what Moses would be talked about after, everything that David was promised with the kingdom, you're it. I am tearing down that old order, said Jesus. So that a gathering of God's people no longer happens in a temple in Jerusalem that is built with hands, men's hands. But that wherever God's people gather and call upon His name throughout all the face of the earth, There, where they've gathered, in spirit and in truth, there is my house. You want sight worship? You're my house. Worship in spirit and in truth, he said. That's what God's seeking. Do you know how he's dwelling in you? Notice the statement here. And who is dwelling within us? Because this is the focal point of the book right now into helping us to see what we're involved with because they're struggling with all the stuff happening in the world. How does this connect? And he noticed he's the builder of all things and he deserves the glory because he's God. And the one who has come to us and has built the church is God. That's what he's saying to us. And the conclusion is, he deserves all the glory. Now, do you see what he's overwhelmed with? Do you know what you're involved with? It's a big question. This is no game. Do you realize who you're involved with? As we come to worship, a living stone rejected by men, but in the sight of God, chosen and precious, 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. god is not ashamed to dwell with you and to build you and to be your god now what's the problem well we want the glories of the physical resurrection now you know we want we want all the glory now and that's coming where we're going to have physical um our bodies totally restored where we're before the presence of god forever what's their problem on earth, spiritual worship, the church had no real value to them. I want everyone to stop for a minute and think about the commitment that we have seen to save a people and a place in the Ukraine. I've been mesmerized by the commitment of these people. I think we've been, at least on my part, however much you've watched this, I've been overwhelmed by the bravery of these people. They are willing to die for their homeland. Die for it to the death. What was the age? 16 to 60 or something? All men were summoned to go fight for their kingdom? What about happening in the U.S. today if the Russians invaded and all the women and children fled to Canada? Or maybe you'd choose Mexico over Canada. I don't know. But you were called to fight for the U.S. Would you? I talked with a Ukrainian friend here the other day. I didn't even know he was Ukrainian. I asked him, I said, well, what do you think of this whole thing? Before even knowing he was Ukrainian, he says, I'd die for my homeland. He looked like he was trying to head back to fight. I'd fight the Russians to my death. And before them is this leader we've not seen in our times, who's willing to go to battle with them and put on the armor and die with them that's like alexander the great riding out ahead utterly rare in history leaders hide in bunkers they're not taking the hits they're safely escorted out what are you involved with the divine son of god got off the throne And for the joy that was set before him beat down Satan for you and went the whole way, knowing the hits, the suffering, the wrath of God that would be poured out on his body and soul to pay for your sins, for the joy he went to the cross for you and then died for you. of his own laying down of his life. The Ukraine president says, this might be the next time you see me alive. He doesn't want to die. Jesus died for you. And then he said, don't fear, little flock. I've already won the battle for this kingdom for you. You don't have to go fight for it. I give it to you. My father's great happiness is just to give you this kingdom by faith. And I want you to know what you are on this earth. You're my church. You're my body. And it's really important that you come listen to your king. To his voice. Remember, that's what we've been talking about the whole time. You're the house he's building. Spiritual stones he's strengthening. and you are his kingdom you see what does the last verse say we are his house if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope what what were they dealing no confidence in this no confidence in this there was no confidence in the church in a world with all these other issues and pressures and struggles they're saying oh this christianity thing there's no power with it there's no help with it there's no signs of a visible kingdom with this it just feels like an intrusion on my life that's really the issue don't want accountability that's one of our biggest challenges today a big lack of confidence that we're a part of anything when it comes to the church that really matters. You know what it's going to lead to? Therefore, brothers, listen to this carefully now with those things in mind. Since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that He opened for us through the curtain, that is, through His flesh, and since we have a great priest over what? The house of God. What should we do? Let us draw near with a true heart. The fakeness. The hypocritical. The putting on a show of Christianity. That is not getting anywhere with God. Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith. With our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering. For he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works. For what's the great problem? Well, there's a bunch of you who are neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some. But encourage one another all the more as you see the day drawing near. People will die for an earthly city. We want to get people just to take seriously the heavenly city to which they belong. There were some who lost confidence in the church. There were some who had no commitment in the kingdom. And they said, we don't need to really even go to church to be a Christian. I've heard that in Christianity. I don't know for how long. really? You don't need to belong to the body of Christ to be a Christian? That's his house. You think you can survive on your own? You won't. There is nothing in this life that's a greater privilege than membership in the church of Jesus. And when everything else is valued in life more than that, it shows where our treasure is. Listen to one pastor. In the end, it's what Christ is doing through the church that will matter the most, will shine the most in glory, and will have been the most worth offering our lives for. A Christian who's not involved in the ministry of the church, who doesn't pray regularly for the churches, or is taking but never giving to the church, should ask himself if he really understands what this life is about. and if he's living for the things of eternity? That's an important question. What do you think of the church? It's the place where God is announcing to you his love, his forgiveness. Your king who dyingly was committed to you and who paid for all your sins and forgave you and says, you're my building. You're my house and I've got a great kingdom coming for you. I don't think it's a coincidence that these were Jewish Christians having this problem. They had never been satisfied with God's ways. I think it's one of the most difficult things for us who've had everything in this life from the baptismal font all the way to the gray hairs. Some of you get them earlier, like me. And I speak to me here. It's really hard to appreciate all this and to really internalize it and understand the great blessing of what you've always had. And when I'm talking to a gang member this week in Escondido, he says, I am so thankful to be a part of the kingdom of God. You've been saved out of a terrible life. Jesus has made you his dwelling place and a people who are knit together in love and in fellowship and in peace and in harmony and who are protected by the greatest and most powerful king ever. They say the real battle, as I said earlier, with Putin is over Kiev, the holy city of their empire, because Russia was baptized there. that's what they say interesting huh what city do you live for as it is hebrews 11 they desire a better country that is a heavenly one therefore god is not what ashamed to be called their god for he has prepared for them a city he dwells i will dwell in them and walk among them listen to this and i will be their god and they shall be my people i will make my dwelling among them and walk and i'll be their god and they shall be my people and that's how he ends we are his house holding fast to this confidence and boasting in this hope that's the evidence you're a true believer that's the evidence you're a true believer your love for his house and confidence in him evidence of drifting as we'll see next week and as that is progressing is a hard heart of unbelief that will always be witness in those who do not value the church and are only a part of it because they're loosely connected because they have to be but Jesus is your dwelling place and even if I close with a thought even if you just get to be have the privilege of being the doorkeeper in the house of your God Psalm 84 let's say in eternity that's what you get to be the doorkeeper would you be able to say with the psalmist my soul faints yes it even longs for the courts of the Lord hold fast in this time to your great leader to your great king Jesus he is lord over his house over you his people his church his body whom he loves hear his voice today may we always cherish the body that he died for amen let's pray heavenly father Father, thank you for your church and your kingdom. Thank you for your steadfast love and mercy. Thank you for the gospel. And we confess, O Lord, how sour we have been over time to your body, the church. We give more attention to the events of life, sports, basketball, soccer, our kids' activities, spaghetti dinners. Everything else than the public gathering which we confess, O Lord, our attitudes at time have been terrible. Please forgive us. And let us come with great confidence to appreciate what we're a part of. People in this world are willing to die for their city. But you've given us a heavenly city. Let us have the same passion, the same confidence, the same zeal for what you have done. And thank you for dwelling among us and walking among us and being our God and we your people by a wonderful covenant of grace. In Jesus' name we pray these things. Amen.