The Superiority of Christ, continued

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Over Moses, His Challenge
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Here the Author challenges them to examine their conversion. Only we, ourselves, can do this. While the promise remains, while the Holy Spirit is still striving with man, let us examine our conversion, lest any be judged to have failed to reach it. Here the Author calls it "the rest that is ours in Christ Jesus".
Matthew Henry describes it this way: "The 'promised rest' that is ours in Christ, is a covenant relationship and a state of communion with God which leads to spiritual growth." It is a blessing promised to believers in this world and in the world to come. It is our business to claim that rest, for it give freedom from sin and freedom from the yoke of the Law and the toilsome ceremonies of the Old Testament. Simply put, Rest brings peace with God. The Author challenges the Jews to let go of the Law and lay hold to the peace and freedoms that was theirs in Christ.
Notice there are many believers that never grasp this "Rest" that the Author is talking about, this Rest that is ours by faith in Jesus Christ. Matthew Henry calls it, "A wisdom of great price, that was placed in their hands, but they never lay hold of it." There are also many non-believers that are guilty of doing the same. One modern commentary puts it this way, "We have a great many people who are hearers of the Word who listen but gain nothing from it." Why? Verse 2 says, "Because it did not meet with faith on the part of the hearer." In the condemning of those people, let us not forget the work of the Holy Spirit in the "enlightenment" of a person, without that enlightenment, that person would not be able to "hear" or understand the Word. It is to those that have been enlightened, that the Author writes and warns.
So the Author challenges all, the saved and the lost, to listen to the Word when it is spoken, and when possible, respond in faith. As believers, we are saved by faith but often fall short of spiritual growth because of lack of faith. Simply put, to claim God's promises of peace and joy, we must respond in faith.
A parallel is given in the 4th. verse. The Lord labored in creation for six days, but on the seventh, He rested and enjoyed the fruits of His labors. We are challenged to do the same, to enjoy the fruits of our salvation by entering into the Rest that is ours by faith. Verse 10 says, for who so ever enters God's Rest, also ceases from his labors as God did from His. Salvation and His Rest is a gift apart from works... Why? "Lest we should boast".
God's Word can accomplish this if we listen by faith, because as verse 12 says, it will accomplish that for which it was sent, because it is "living" and "active". The Living active Word of God will:

Condemn and convict the sinner.
Bring repentance and forgiveness.
Bring assurance, comfort and bind up the wounds of the soul.
It is, then, always active in our lives, prodding, leading, convicting and sustaining us in that process we call sanctification.

Secondly, it is not only living and active, it is "sharper" than a two edged sword. The two edged sword was the weapon of many because it would enter where others would not and could be used by either hand and thrown in any direction. The wound that it made was usually fatal. Doesn't that describe God's Word? It will "enter" where others will not and it's "thrust" is always fatal, one-way or the other.
Thirdly, God's Word will divide the soul of man from his spirit (temperament). The soul is the eternal part of man. The spirit or the temperament is the human part of a man. A proud spirit will interfere with the Word of God. Pride keeps us from admitting that we have sinned and are in need of a Savior. But phrase be to God, His word can separate us from that pride and allow us to become what we have to be, humble.
Finally, God's Word rightly discerns the thoughts and intentions of the heart. God's Word can reach down into our every thought and know them and their intentions. That's scary, isn't it? God knows our every thought, He knows what we do and why we do it. Boy, if, as verse 13 says, nothing is hidden from the eyes of God,...... How can we find rest? How? We realize and accept our weaknesses, confess them and accept God's forgiving Grace. To the extent that you can accept God's forgiving Grace, to that extent, you can find "His Rest". It's up to you.

His Priesthood, (His Person)

The "person" of Christ ranges everywhere from human to divine. Here the Author uses a term that these Jews could relate to. He calls Jesus, the High Priest. Priests were an important part of Jewish government. Aaron was the first High Priest and this was a very high position, but he was only a shadow of the One that was to come. We now have, in Christ, a High Priest whose characteristics far exceed any from the past.

Notice what those characteristics are:

"He had passed through the heavens." The High Priest before, once a year, entered the Holy of Holies where God's presence dwelled. There he made intercession for the people and to receive any instructions that the Lord had for them. But Christ had torn asunder the veil that separated man from the presence of God and now sets at the right hand of God the Father, interceding constantly for us, not just one day of the year. He ascended to the Father but did not leave us without comfort, He sent the Holy Spirit who supports, enlightens and sustains each of us individually.
"His name proclaims the Person of Jesus." Jesus was "The Christ", the physician, the Savior, the divine nature and the Son of God. At the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow and every tongue confess.
"His perfection proclaims His qualification." In Christ, we not only have a high priest that is able to understand our weaknesses, but we have one who was like tempted as we are, yet did not sin. He was compassionate in perfection. Compassion normally comes with the humbling realization that we are sinners, Christ had compassion even though He was without sin.

One historian has described Jesus this way, "He was holy, harmless and defiled, sinning neither in thought, deed nor word, perfection with compassion." So these are the characteristics of the Person of Christ, now, knowing this, what should be our response? Verse 16 instructs us. "Let us, with confidence, draw near to the thrown of Grace." Five reasons are given why we should do this:

It is a good means of worship, weather formal, family or private worship, it is good to draw near to God, to feel His presence, and to know he is listening and do this with confidence.
It is always open to us. Frequent visits are suggested. We are always in need of His council and wisdom.
It is always open for confession. We need to always seek God's forgiveness and mercy. "Getting right with the Lord" is not just a statement or condition, it is a necessity. We cannot treat the Lord the way we treat our fellow Christians. We need to seek daily His forgiveness and mercy for our daily sins.
It is good to keep in "good standing". We need the daily talks to prepare us foe the "crisis talks". If we wait, we may feel to ashamed to go to Him, wondering if He will truly listen.
Constant going to the thrown of Grace will increase our confidence. What do you believe about prayer? How much confidence do you have that your prayers will be answered? "Let us then, with confidence, draw near to the thrown of Grace."

Is confidence grounded in scripture? To what extent did Jesus go to establish that confidence?

We can answer those questions by looking at the extent to which Jesus went accomplish it.

He became flesh, He, God, became a mortal man.
He subjected Himself to the miseries of a human life. Hunger, temptations, pain and humiliation.
He died, even the death of the cross. God, the Father, could have saved Him from this death, God, the Son, could have called down legions of Angels to tend to His needs, He was not forced to die, He did it voluntarily, for the sins of the world.

Christ showed His love for all by His life and His death. He was totally devoted to the purpose to which He was called. His death bought for us access to the thrown of Grace, surly we can have confidence in this.

So, in this, Christ fulfilled the qualifications of High Priest and for this, He became, for us, the source of eternal life, if we believe. Notice, it is not sufficient to simply believe that he lived. We must believe that He died for our sins and put our faith and trust in His redeeming Grace. He demands faith that is evidenced by obedience, as the Holy Spirit gives us the ability.

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