Grace and Peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

The text for today’s meditation is Hebrews 3:1-6

Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, ² who was faithful to him who appointed him, just as Moses also was faithful in all God's house. ³ For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses-- as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself. ⁴ (For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.) ⁵ Now Moses was faithful in all God's house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, ⁶ but Christ is faithful over God's house as a son. And we are his house if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope.

"Consider this . . ." We often use this when talking to others, and others talk to us that way as well. This opening is often used when talking to a teenager especially when you are trying to help them make an important decision like which college to go to or what job to apply for or when to quit a job or other activity. "Consider this . . ." Have you noticed political candidates often challenge you to "Consider this . . ." The commercial for the Swiffer wet jet compares the wet jet to a sponge mop and asks you to "Consider this . . ." followed by the reasons the wet jet is better than a regular mop.

The writer of Hebrews is addressing people who were considering things that would affect their eternal salvation. They were comparing the Gospel message of salvation through faith in Jesus with a message of Law and works-righteousness, a misunderstanding of the Law given at Mount Sinai by Moses. The writer of Hebrews is telling his hearers to "Consider this . . ." consider Jesus as the only way of salvation, because the Law of Moses can never save.

We face the same challenge in our lives. We, too, are tempted to seek salvation in the Law, represented by Moses, but, as our text encourages us, if you are thinking about Moses, consider Jesus!

"Consider this . . ." Jesus is someone that is faithful! The book of Hebrews is written to Jews, Hebrews, who became believers in Christ. These believers in Christ are now being ousted from their own nation and synagogues and labeled as traitors. The inspired author was addressing people who felt abandoned. Jews had the sense that the new Christians had been unfaithful to them and their heritage. As a result, Jewish Christians were now being abandoned by their own people. Being abandoned by their own people made the Jewish Christians wonder if God was also abandoning them. It made them wonder if God was being unfaithful to them.

We too are tempted to become unfaithful to anyone we feel has abandoned us. The Jewish Christians were facing the temptation to give up on Christ as Savior and rejoin their persecutors who were trying to be saved by keeping the Law of Moses.

We know what it is like to feel abandoned in our Christian life as well. Our friends, even our Christian and best friends sometimes let us down. Have you ever had a friend break a confidence? You confide something very personal to them and you find out they told others. That surely feels like abandonment and unfaithfulness.

We suffer disappointments as well. Maybe you realize your marriage isn’t as strong as you thought it was or someone you thought was your friend really isn’t.

A major life altering medical diagnosis can be a bit disappointing as well. We, too, can begin to wonder if God has been unfaithful to us. We may think we must do something more to earn God’s love after all God gave Moses things to do.

Yes, Moses, the first prophet, priest, and king was faithful in all God gave him to do. He gave him the task of speaking God’s word and delivering His commandments. Moses may have been faithful in his tasks but Jesus was faithful unto death. He was the "high priest" who offered himself as a sacrifice. He did not abandon us even to save his own life.

"Consider this . . ." Consider Jesus because of His greater glory. Moses offered a kind of glory. He brought Israel out of slavery, gathered them as a great people, delivered God’s covenant that set them apart from all other nations. There was glory in being people of the old covenant, and the Hebrew people took pride in this Law that set them apart. However, pride in the Law became the proud delusion that they could keep the Law and that they were better than all other people because of their obedience, and ultimately that God owed them their special glory. They were in a very big delusion. Jesus announced to them, and to the world, that He had not come to abolish the Law and prophets; but to establish His new covenant. He said, "Consider this…"

Do we know that delusion too? Are we proud of our obedience to God? After all we come to church most Sundays. We treat people the way our mamas taught us to. We are nice people. That’s glorying in Moses. Those things will not earn your salvation.

When you feel God has let you down do you think the answer is to try harder to please him by being a nicer person? That’s glorying in Moses, the Law too. But that will not lead to salvation, only despair.

"Consider this . . ." Consider Jesus! He gives the greater glory. As we see in the gospel reading Jesus shows His disciples His glory on the Mount of Transfiguration. But the greater glory was yet to come when He humbled Himself on the cross. By lowering Himself, He showed His true greatness: His love beyond all telling.

The glory of keeping, or rather failing to keep, the Law ourselves can’t compare with the glory Jesus’ cross gives us. This is why we "listen to" Christ "alone" – not Moses – for glory.

"Consider this . . ." Consider Jesus to enter God’s house. Moses can’t get us into God’s house in heaven. It’s not his house; he’s only a servant. Moses offers no way to heaven at all. Under the Law of Moses, you’re on our own to earn our way, and that is hopeless! You can’t go to church enough, you can’t treat people good enough, and You can’t be nice enough to earn your way to God’s house in heaven. Moses couldn’t even enter the Promised Land himself on his own merits.

But consider Jesus! We do have confidence and the sure hope of heaven in Him, the Son! After all, it is His house! He is the Son. You are also His house, His family, by faith; that is, by the confidence, the hope, that He has done all the Law of Moses demanded of you and has taken the punishment for your failures on the cross. Therefore, you get to live in the family home, the house He’s built for you in heaven.

There are many things that our world would tell you to consider. But there is One in your life who will always be faithful. On this day, you see Him revealing His glory. And He is the One, the only One, who enables you to share the home you long for in heaven. "Consider this . . ." Consider Jesus!

Amen.