By reading this passage it might seem as if there's no possible way this could apply to our lives...but not so fast! In a major episode of his life, Abraham's faith was put to the test. Not only is this a story of a man who was serious about pursuing God's heart, but it is an example of the faith that we need to have towards God's desires over our desires.

"This solemn warning marks one of the great theological battlefields of Scripture. Here the clashing proponents of Calvinism and Arminianism have wheeled and charged, unleashing thunderous volleys of acrimony against one another, only to generate much heat and little profit...As in the case of many clashes over Scripture, there is truth in different views. We are helped here by viewing the readers not as a homogenous group who must all be classified in category or another, but rather are a mixed assembly..." (NT Commentary Series - Hebrews, By Ray C. Stedman)

Albert Einstein's driver used to sit at the back of the hall during each of his lectures. After a period of time, the driver said to the famous scientist, "Boss, I've hear you give that speech so many times...I could give it in my sleep." So, the next lecture, Einstein and the driver switched places, with Einstein sitting in the back, dressed in the driver's uniform. The driver gave the lecture flawlessly. At the end of the lecture, a member of the audience asked a detailed question. Without missing a beat, the "lecturer" replied, "Well, the answer to the question is so simple; I'm going to let my chauffer who is sitting in the back answer it." Like the chauffer, the Hebrew listeners were intellectual infants who did not understand training to intellectual maturity.

Easter Sunday is April 1st, also known as April Fool's Day. I recently read an article by Lee Strobel who said that had this occurred when he was an atheist and legal editor at the Chicago Tribune he would have laughed at the coincidence because he was convinced that anyone who believed Jesus rose from the dead was a fool. Then one day Lee's wife came home and announced that she believed Christ's resurrection story and had become a Christian. So Strobel decided to take his journalism and legal training and debunk the resurrection of Jesus. What he found shocked him!

At His death and resurrection, Jesus accomplished what thousands upon thousands of sacrifices by multitudes of priests could never accomplish. Jesus mediated the way to God permanently so that any person at any time by faith in Christ might enter into perfect rest (heaven). Jesus now sits at God's right hand interceding for us! He is the only priest needed, the perfect High Priest. In Hebrews 5:1-10 the author gives the qualifications for a priest and shows how Jesus meets those same qualifications.

The exhortation (warning) which began in Hebrews 3:7 - 4:13 has been primarily looking at the negative side; the reason to hold on to Christ is to avoid His wrath, judgement, hell and destruction. To the Jews, God was holy and beyond touch. When the Law was given to Moses on Mt. Sinai, God sent fire, smoke and earthquakes and basically said, "Stay away from me!" (Ex. 19). But now the author changes direction and says, "Let us draw near to God" (v 16). Keep coming closer to God. Keep drawing near to Jesus. The author changes his focus from negative to the positive and gives us 3 reasons to cultivate and grow that intimate, positive and exciting relationship with Jesus!

As we approach chapter 4 we find ourselves right in the middle of an exhortation (warning) that began in chapter 3:7. It is a warning to not harden your heart to the message of Jesus by drifting away from the promise of entering God's rest (heaven). Again, the author stresses that unbelief was the reason some Israelites never entered the Land of Canaan where rest from their wanderings, persecution, slavery and war were waiting. God's rest is still promised today, so don't fall short and miss a resting place far greater than Canaan.

You're on vacation in Hawaii. Your room is on the 10th floor overlooking the ocean. At 2 a.m. you hear the fire alarm go off and minutes later a fireman knocks on your door and tells you there is a fire and you need to follow him to an exit now. But instead of trusting the alarm and fireman you decide to stay put and wait it out. Your vacation ends with your family planning a funeral!! The Bible is full of warning signs that are meant by God to deter you from His inevitable wrath which ends in the fires of hell. Hebrews 3:7-18 is one of those warnings.

Moses is arguably the greatest figure in Judaism other than God. He was protected at birth, raised in royalty, spoken to by God in a burning bush; he leads the Israelites out of bondage, across the Red Sea, through the wilderness and to the Promised Land. If that's not enough, he saw the Glory of God, he received the Law from God on Mt Sinai, plans for the building of the Tabernacle, writes the first 5 books of the Old Testament and when he dies, God buries him! However, the reason Hebrews was written was to show that Jesus is superior to everything and everyone...so...Jesus is superior to Moses. In our text the author gives us 3 reasons why.

The book of Hebrews was written to show that Jesus is superior to everything and everyone. This was a problem for the early Jews who struggled with the concept because of Jesus' humanity and his death (angels have neither). In Hebrews 2:9-18 the author gives a very complete answer to their questions and tells us why Jesus is our perfect Savior.