The key transition phrase I want to grab onto today is the last half of Hebrews 3:6b: “We are his house, if we indeed HOLD FIRMLY to our confidence and hope in which we glory.” Remember, in Hebrews 2:1,  the author tells us to “pay careful attention so we don’t drift away” – This is more anchor theology – HOLD FIRMLY so you DON’T DRIFT -  

Over the years as our girls were growing up, we spent lots of time in Destin, Florida.  They loved hanging out on the beach, when I went into the water, it was always fun to go out a little ways, finding the break in the waves, and body surf back to shore.  But, inevitably, if you’re not paying attention, the natural current ends up dragging you down the shoreline, then you have to get out and walk back down the beach. And, if you get out too far, the undertow can grab you and pull you out further than you intended to go.

The undertow of our culture is strong today, with strong currents of compromise seeking to drag you away from the truth of who God made you to be, and the calling he has placed on your life. What is the antidote for this? You need Jesus to be your anchor, your grounding, your sustainer – Hebrews 3:7-19

V7 -  “So as the Holy spirit says:” The author opened the book in Hebrews 1:1-2 – “In the past, God spoke through PROPHETS, but in these LAST DAYS, he has SPOKEN by his SON.”  Now, he acknowledges that the HOLY SPIRIT speaks to us. Who is the HOLY SPIRIT? The third person of the TRINITY – God the FATHER, God the SON, God the SPIRIT – The HOLY SPIRIT is the SPIRIT of JESUS that resides in every person that says YES to JESUS – and, the HOLY SPIRIT reveals to every believer the nature and character of God, convicts you of sin, is constantly drawing you into deeper intimacy with God, and confirming the calling that has been placed on your life – and the author confirms, HE SAYS, which means HE SPEAKS. Remember, Jesus himself said in John 14:25-26, “I spoke while I was with you, now the ADVOCATE, the HOLY SPIRIT will TEACH you all things, and REMIND YOU of everything I said. In John 16:7-15, Jesus confirms that he must go away so the ADVOCATE could come. Jesus confirms that he proves the world wrong about SIN, RIGHTEOUSNESS and JUDGEMENT.  He GUIDES YOU INTO ALL TRUTH, and HE AWAYS RECEIVES FROM and POINTS TO JESUS. It is so important that we understand who the HOLY SPIRIT is, He is not an “it”, but a HE, always revealing Jesus.  And, I love what he SAYS here:

V7-11- The Spirit is SPEAKING through Psalm 95:7-11 – The primary way the Spirit speaks is through scripture. Scripture memory and meditation is so important, because the Spirit will use scripture to speak to you at the moment you need it most. It’s what’s happening here, the Holy Spirit is reminding the author of scripture that proves his point.  In Psalm 95, the Psalmist reminded his readers that if you HEAR HIS VOICE TODAY, DON’T HARDEN YOUR HEART like your ancestors did.  Now, the writer of Hebrews is bringing those words to the forefront for the current culture. TODAY will always mean TODAY.  Remember, this letter/sermon was originally written to Jewish believers who were drifting away from Jesus.  The author is reminding them that their ancestors were drifters as well. – The Psalmist said that God showed himself faithful for 40 years in the wilderness, but the people continued to rebel. – And his response? “They shall never enter my rest.”  Here, God is talking about the land promised to Abraham and his descendants, and those who were rebellious missed the promise God had made to them.

This letter was written sometime just before 70 AD, roughly 40 years after the death and resurrection and ascension of Jesus. So, the SPIRIT is taking an ancient text that would’ve meant something to the original hearers, and repurposes it for the current generation TODAY.  He is saying, “DO you want to enter GOD’S REST? TODAY, when you HEAR HIS VOICE, DON’T HARDEN YOUR HEART.” Here the author is using this ancient text to speak to the current generation of Christ-followers.  Jesus talked about his rest in Matthew 11:28-30, “Lay your worry, your troubled heart on me and you will find REST” – in their world of persecution, hold firmly to Jesus TODAY and you will find PEACE and REST – NOTHING CAN TOUCH YOU – TODAY, we talked about this a few weeks ago, but it’s back to the same theme – WALK IN OBEDIENCE to the VOICE of the SPIRIT – James 1:22-25 – Don’t just hear, OBEY – the Spirit is holding up a mirror TODAY – BLESSING comes through OBEDIENCE – PEACE and REST comes through HOLDING FIRMLY to the TRUTH of JESUS, the BETTER MOSES.

V12 – This is a call to community and accountability. “See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the Living God” - He is calling for the church to be the church. There is so much compromise in the church today, and so few people willing to lovingly confront sin and call it out for what it is. We must be people who, when we see a brother or sister struggling, we have the courage to practice Ephesians 4:15.  Now, if you are too eager to call out sin in another person’s life, something’s wrong with your heart position. The TRUTH should always come in a loving way, with gentleness and respect,  the “unbelieving heart” here is not someone who has never believed in Jesus, but someone who is believing a lie, and transferring their worship from the LIVING GOD to someone, or something else. – Romans 1:25  TODAY, could be your career, your kids, your hobbies, your addictions, whatever captures highest place in your heart.

V13 – “Encourage one another DAILY, while it is still called TODAY” – You were not made to live in isolation.  WE NEED EACH OTHER.  “Today” here is referring to the return of Jesus, until he returns, we are living in the NOW and NOT YET. We are NEW, but still living in BROKEN WORLD. You need ENCOURAGEMENT and ACCOUNTABILITY to STAND STRONG in JESUS.  WHY? So SIN doesn’t CALCIFY in your life.

When SIN calcified in my life, I no longer called it sin. I could use profanity, lie, manipulate, drink to excess, casually watch porn, objectify women and feel no real conviction.  I was calloused to SIN, it had CALCIFIED in my life, and deceived me into believing that everything was ok.  1 Corinthians 4:4-5 Just because you don’t feel convicted doesn’t make it ok, in fact, if you call yourself a follower of Jesus and have secrets you are unwilling to bring into the light, this is for YOU. The chisel of the HOLY SPIRIT is here to break up the CALCIFICATION of SIN in your life, if you’ll let him. It’s for your FREEDOM.

V14 – Reminds me of the words of Jesus to church at Smyrna in Revelation 2:10,  “Don’t be afraid of suffering for my sake…Be faithful, EVEN TO THE POINT OF DEATH, and I will give you the VICTOR’S CROWN.” There is a cost to following Jesus, but there is also a REWARD. The Greek word “stephanos”, which is the garland wreath placed on the head of the victor.   The writer of Hebrews is saying here, “STICK TO YOUR GUNS, DON’T LET SIN CREEP IN and DISTRACT or DISCREDIT YOU, HOLD FIRMLY to the TRUTH.” 

V15 – Repeats Psalm 95 which makes sure they understand he is talking about them TODAY. 2,000 years later, he is talking to you TODAY – TODAY still means TODAY.

V16-19 – The author closes the chapter with an exclamation point. God had been faithful through Moses to rescue his people and give them a framework to follow God while in the wilderness, but those rebelled against his authority died in the wilderness, and didn’t enter the promised land.

He is reminding them that HOLDING FIRMLY MATTERS. And those who reject the BETTER MOSES, JESUS, miss the REST and PEACE that he provides.  UNBELIEF and DISOBEDIENCE NEVER PRODUCES REST.

CLOSING REMARKS:

1. The Holy Spirit still points us to Jesus TODAY. The Holy Spirit is constantly using everything past and present to point you to Jesus. TODAY still means TODAY. The Holy Spirit is still speaking TODAY. He is unchanging, still revealing, still convicting, still reminding TODAY.
2. Sin calcifies. SIN, over time, gets hard, creates callouses.
3. We need each other. Following Jesus is a TEAM SPORT. You are needed to encourage, build up, spur on, lovingly CALL OUT
4. Hold tightly to JESUS, and you will find REST. John 14:27, Jesus doesn’t give peace the way the world does – he is calling you into obedience, a counter-cultural life - BETTER.