Jesus is greater than the Church

Without being cynical, sometimes because of how ‘awesome it was in the house today’ I wonder who actually was awesome. I really want the Church to thrive and be all that God intended us to be. However it is important that just as at the start of chapter 2 we are instructed to pay careful attention to the gospel that we follow another instruction to ‘fix our thoughts on Jesus’. Jesus is greater than the Church and all that happens within it. Jesus is greater than the greatest personality that God’s people can name, even someone like Moses.

“Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest. ² He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God’s house. ³ Jesus has been found worthy of greater honour than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honour than the house itself. ⁴ For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. ⁵ “Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s house,” bearing witness to what would be spoken by God in the future. ⁶ But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are his house, if indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory.” (Hebrews 3 v 1-4)

• Jesus is greater than the titles within the house.

Jesus is the apostle (the only time in the NT he is given this title) and the high priest. Wasn’t Moses also sent? Aren’t we sent and therefore also apostles? Yes but the huge difference is that Jesus as God was sent to the world/to us and Jesus as God is the one who sends us. Jesus is the high priest and not even Moses was that, but it was Aaron, his brother with a sacrificial system that was calling out for something better. Jesus is that great high priest that the Pastor will speak of later in the letter in more detail. So whatever title you can think of, Jesus is greater.

• Jesus is greater than all the faithful works of the house.

The Pastor is quoting from Numbers 12:6-8 when he is defending Moses against Aaron and Miriam, ‘He is faithful in all God’s house’. Prophets received God’s Word from dreams and visions, Moses received it with a face to face meeting with God who appointed him to the house to serve as he and his generation look to a better future when the Messiah would come but Jesus completed his appointment as apostle and high priest … and as Messiah.

• Jesus has greater honour than the house.

Because Jesus as the Son is over the house. He owns the house. All the honour within it is underneath Him.

• Jesus as the Son is greater than the servant.

For the servant serves the Son.

• Jesus is greater in us … if we, the house, hold firmly to the confidence and hope.

His greatness demonstrated in our lives is not a guarantee. It is dependent on our continued unwavering hope and belief in Him.

Above all titles, works, honour, even demonstrations of servanthood and the Church itself, Jesus is greater.

Let’s get it right. Don’t fix your thoughts, attention so much on anything else but on Jesus. For He is greater.