Who is Jesus? Fix our eyes on him!
LEADER OF A GREATER
EXODUS (HEBREWS 3:14:13)
Penge Baptist Church
9th February 2014
Background
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Hebrews was written to Christians from Jewish
background, strongly aware of the glorious story
of the Exodus from Egypt under Moses
But the story ended with God’s punishment with
none of the Exodus generation entering the
Promised Land except Joshua and Caleb
Author of Hebrews warns his hearers not to be
like them, as did David (Psalm 95) and Jesus:
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“I am the bread of life. Your forefathers ate the
manna in the desert, yet they died. But here is the
bread that comes down from heaven, which a man
may eat and not die.” (John 6:48-50)
Christian life is also an Exodus –
but with a greater leader!
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Both were faithful
A worker in the house versus the builder
The servant versus the Son
The prophet versus the fulfilment
Exodus: the “Gospel preached” in the widest
sense
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“Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious
splendor, talking with Jesus. They spoke about his
departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment
at Jerusalem.” Luke 9:30-31
From slavery to freedom
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A life of slavery
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Slavery in Egypt
Slavery to sin
God’s saving intervention
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The plagues of Egypt, especially the Passover
Jesus on the cross
Experience of escape
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God’s mighty acts
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Parting the Red Sea
Provision of manna and water from the rock
Giving the law
God’s guidance by fire and cloud…..
God’s blessings to the believer
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Freedom from slavery to sin symbolised by baptism
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“We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in
order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory
of the Father, we too may live a new life.” (Romans 6:4)
The Holy Spirit, sustenance, guidance, gifts and fruit
Assurance of an abundant life and a blissful eternity
Temptations to rebel
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Israelites in the desert
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Hardening of hearts
Disobedience
Grumbling and lack of trust
Idolatry
Experience without faith
Longing to return to slavery
And also for us!
God’s “rest”
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The Promised Land…
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…the promise remains…
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The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you,
and I will give you rest.” (Exodus 33:14)
“But encourage one another daily, as long as it is
called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by
sin’s deceitfulness….the promise of entering his rest
still stands, let us be careful that none of you be
found to have fallen short of it.”
….but to a far greater rest!
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Even as God rested
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For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day
in these words: “And on the seventh day God rested
from all his work”
Rest in this life
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Jesus said “Come to me, all you who are weary and
burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke
upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and
humble in heart, and you will find rest for your
souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
(Matthew 11:28-30)
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Rest in eternity
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“There is no rest day or night for those who worship the
beast and his image, or for anyone who receives the mark
of his name….. Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord
from now on.” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from
their labor, for their deeds will follow them.” (Revelation
14:11-13)
“They will be his people, and God himself will be with
them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from
their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or
crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed
away.”……To him who is thirsty I will give to drink
without cost from the spring of the water of life. He who
overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and
he will be my son.” (Revelation 21:3-7)
The way to his “rest”
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Remember what we have witnessed and heard
Let the Holy Spirit and Scripture do “heart
surgery”
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“For the word of God is living and active. Sharper
than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to
dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges
the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
Have faith and belief as well as hearing
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“the message they heard was of no value to them,
because those who heard did not combine it with
faith”
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Encourage one another
Persevere in faith
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“We have come to share in Christ if we hold
firmly till the end the confidence we had at
first.”
Put Jesus first in our lives
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“fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and
high priest whom we confess”
The key to entering God’s rest
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“fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and
high priest whom we confess”