We have been called to consider Jesus the Apostle and High Priest of our confession. Considering His preeminence corrects our perceptions of life; correct perceptions allow us to walk in faith in our High Priest.
Hebrews Chapter 3 The Apostle of Our Confession
Hebrews 3:1 Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus,
“Therefore” because of the truths we found in Hebrews 1 and 2 the truths of Hebrews 3 are possible. Jesus is the exalted One, Jesus is the High Priest we can see today! The Holy Spirit identified us as the “holy brethren” and “partakers of the heavenly calling”. We must see ourselves after heavens view. From the awareness of who we are in Christ we must consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession. Jesus is indeed our Apostle! He is the One sent to us and declare the goodness of the Father. Jesus is indeed our High Priest ever working our behalf! Jesus is watching our confession! It is the confession that the whole kingdom of God is built upon! Jesus is the Christ the Son of the living God! Consider Jesus!
1 Peter 2:25 For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
What a beautiful truth, Jesus is the Shepherd and Overseer of our soul. This is the terms of the covenant being unveiled by the precious word of God. Consider Jesus!
2 Thessalonians 3:3 But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one.
Here another truth about Jesus’ faithfulness is unveiled! Jesus will establish us and guard us from the evil one! Consider Jesus!
Jude 1:24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,
Jesus is able to keep us from stumbling and present us faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy. This is not only a revelation of how our Apostle and High Priest takes care of us, it also shows how He does it with exceeding joy. It is the pleasure of Jesus to work on our behalf! Yes, consider Jesus!
Hebrews 3:1 Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus, 2 who was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was faithful in all His house. 3 For this One has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as He who built the house has more honor than the house. 4 For every house is built by someone, but He who built all things is God. 5 And Moses indeed was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which would be spoken afterward,
The good news only builds! Jesus Christ is faithful in His house! Moses was and is worthy of honor because he was faithful over his house as a servant! However Jesus is the one who built the house and He is worthy of greater honor. Moses as a servant was a testimony of those things which would be spoken afterward. What was spoken afterwards is Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Moses as a servant was a pattern and shadow of what was to come!
Hebrews 3:6 but Christ as 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.
Jesus Christ is faithful as a Son over His house. Notice Moses was faithful as a servant, Jesus is faithful as a Son over His own house! We are members of that house if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end. What are we holding fast to? Our consideration is of Jesus as the Apostle and High Priest of our confession!
Colossians 1:20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. 21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled 22 in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight; 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul , became a minister.
How Jesus present us holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight is almost to good to be true. However, it is absolutely true! We can not ignore the if presented in this truth! … if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast. Your confession of faith in Jesus is the most valuable possession you have!
1 John 5:4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world; our faith. 5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
The object of your faith needs to ever be in Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Yes, indeed consider the Apostle and High Priest of your confession! Not faith in your faith but faith in your Apostle and High Priest! One Man’s obedience makes many righteous!
Ephesians 2:19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,
It time for the believer to arise and know who they are. Fellow citizens in heaven with the saints. Members of the household of God. The members of the house have rights and privileges visitors and strangers will never know.
John 8:35 "And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. 36 "Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.
Consider Jesus' words. A slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Do you believe in the strength and goodness of this word? If Jesus makes you free you are free indeed!
Hebrews 3:7 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: "Today, if you will hear His voice, 8 Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, In the day of trial in the wilderness, 9 Where your fathers tested Me, tried Me, And saw My works forty years. 10 Therefore I was angry with that generation, And said, 'They always go astray in their heart, And they have not known My ways.‘ 11 So I swore in My wrath, 'They shall not enter My rest.'“
(Psalm 95:7-11)
Hearing the voice of Jesus is the most important thing we can do! The children of Israel did not want to hear His voice and they never entered into His rest.
Psalms 103:7 He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel .
Moses knew God’s ways the children of Israel only knew of His acts. The difference is Moses heard His voice and children of Israel begged not to hear His voice because of their fear.
John 10:27 "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 28 "And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.
What a glorious truth; we the sheep know His voice and we follow Him! Jesus our Apostle and High Priest of our confession gives us eternal life. Jesus said “they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. Consider Christ Jesus!
Hebrews 3:12 Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; 13 but exhort one another daily, while it is called "Today," lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end,
The warning is real and repeated over and over hold fast our confession and confidence in Jesus Christ to the end. Exhort one another to keep on believing!
Matthew 24:13 "But he who endures to the end shall be saved. 14 "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.
Preeminence
Jesus' own words “he who endures to the end shall be saved! The gospel of the good news that Jesus is the Apostle and High Priest of our confession needs preached!
Hebrews 3:15 while it is said: "Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.“ 16 For who, having heard, rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came out of Egypt , led by Moses? 17 Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? 19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.
Those that came out of Egypt and were promised the land flowing with milk and honey never entered in because of their unbelief. The word of truth must be mixed with faith to bring fruit bearing results.
John 3:35 "The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand. 36 "He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him."
What you believe about Jesus determines your destiny both in this life and in the life to come. Faith in the Apostle and High Priest of our confession yields the desired results. We can partake of the promises here and now with our eyes and hearts upon eternity.
Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith."
This covenant of grace and truth is operated by faith. The just shall live by faith. May you ever consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession. He will keep us if we will but keep the object of our faith ever in Him. We are more than conquerors!
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