I. Introduction
A. Squatters’ Rights
1. You may have heard the term “squatters’ rights” before.
2. It is a layman’s way of addressing issues of occupation and ownership regarding property.
3. Usually, it arises when the owner of a property has ignored or neglected it, and someone else has occupied and cared for it over many years.
4. Tonight, our passage addresses ownership and occupation of a house, a very important one.
B. Review of Hebrews
1. The book of Hebrews is written to a people who are struggling with their faith.
2. They are in danger of reverting to something familiar in the face of trials, but it won’t help them.
3. The writer encourages them to consider that Jesus is worth everything.
C. Background
1. The word “therefore” reminds us to return to the previous verses and understand that what is about to follow is founded on what has already been said.
2. The author has provided proof, and now he calls on the Christians to consider something very important about Jesus.
II. Servant & Owner
A. Message &
1. The Hebrew writer appeals to those who are of the heavenly calling (spiritually minded) to consider that Jesus was a messenger sent by God (an apostle) and our representative before God ( high priest).
2. Not only that, Jesus is the high priest of our confession. What does that mean?
a. In Matthew 10:32-33, we are reminded that if we confess Jesus before men, He will confess us before God.
b. Jesus has been, and continues to be, faithful to God’s mission for Him. (John 6:38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.)
3. Jesus was sent with a message about God’s mission to redeem mankind.
B. Moses and the
1. The writer now compares Jesus’ faithfulness in fulfilling the mission God gave Him with the faithfulness of Moses.
2. Moses is an important person in God’s mission to redeem mankind because of his connection to the Old Covenant.
a. Moses was God’s (Deuteronomy 34:10-12).
b. Moses was the (Exodus 24:1-8).
c. Moses was the of the Old Covenant (Deuteronomy 5:5).
3. Illustration: One could say that Moses was the “brand” for the Old Covenant. There are lots of “brands” that represent an entire line of products (e.g., Kleenex, Band-Aid, Q-Tips, Google, Coke, etc.). Moses was like that for the old covenant. Even in the NT, we find the old covenant referred to as the Law of Moses at times (e.g., Luke 2:22; John 7:23; 1 Corinthians 9:9).
4. Moses had promised another prophet (Deuteronomy 18:15-19); Jesus is that prophet (Hebrews 1:1).
5. The writer of Hebrews then uses an illustration to show us that Jesus is even better than one of the best biblical heroes you could ever imagine.
6. While Moses is a faithful servant in the house of God, Jesus is the builder of the house.
C. Jesus the
1. The writer turns our attention to consider that it is Jesus who has made it possible for all men to be part of God’s now.
2. The importance of is now under consideration.
3. Remember, Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law and Prophets (Matthew 5:17).
a. Because of the Son, we all have ownership rights in the Kingdom.
b. Galatians 3:26-29
4. Through Christ, the Christian can find confidence and hope—something that would have been lacking for the recipients of this letter. If they trust in Jesus, they will have that confidence and hope restored.
D. Owners’
1. Because of Jesus, we have the right of occupation in the house of God; more than that, we have the right to !
2. But if we do not follow the owner, we lose occupancy in the house.
3. The Christians in the days this letter was written feel a little (thus the conversation in the remainder of chapter 3 and the first part of chapter 4).
a. Imagine not having confidence or hope that, when you left here, you had a physical place to go?
b. Being homeless is more complex than just not having a roof over your head.
c. In this world, there are times when we will feel homeless in this world because this world is not truly our home.
4. Our confidence and hope are in Christ. With Him, we are at wherever we go; without Him, we are homeless even at home.
5. The recipients of this letter were tired and in danger of drifting away from their salvation. They were called to find confidence and hope again in the One who builds the house.
III. Conclusion
A. Review
1. Jesus and Moses were both important to God’s plan, but only one of them is the Son of God and builder of the house of God, and that is Jesus.
2. When we place our hope in Him, we can live with confidence.
B. Invitation
1. We sang the song, “Anywhere with Jesus,” before our lesson tonight at my request. Can you sing that song and mean it?
2. If not, what do you need to do to mean it?