God's Right Hand Man Series

1/20/08 – God’s Right Hand Man

Moses was God’s chosen man. Chosen to lead his people out of slavery and into a promised land of milk and honey – yet an entire generation fell by the side of the path as they traveled through 40 years of wilderness – because they didn’t trust God’s right hand man. Sound familiar? It should. Jesus is God’s chosen tool to bring us out of the bondage of sin into the freedom of a new life – yet far too many turn from Jesus to look for another way – only to learn that all the other ways lead to box canyons and impassable gulches.

Dead Poet Society

There is in each one of us a need that is deep and powerful. It is stronger than the pangs of hunger. It is more demanding than the rule of law. It is so important to us that we will take incredible risks to satisfy its cravings. This deep and powerful need is quite simply the need to belong, to fit in, and feel like you are part of something that has meaning and value.

Throughout the history of human kind we see this played out. In every culture and in every time we see men and women band together in search for the satisfaction of this primal need. Monks form brotherhoods and build monasteries. Craftsmen form guilds and band together in solidarity. Unions form to protect their members and demand their rights. Soldiers are forged into bands of brothers. Veterans gather after work in their lodges to tell stories and remember their experiences together. Associations are formed for the betterment of the community like the Jaycees, Rotary, and Kiwanis. Lodges gather men and women together into secret societies – some religious – some benign – some not – like the Masons, Knights of Columbus, and the Sisters of Pythias.

If that’s not enough, in the college years we see women join sororities and build sisterhoods that last from the days of college until they gather at a funeral of one of their members. Fraternities are established for young men to live in and subscribe to – some identified with Greek letters – some with names like “Skull and Bones” and “Dead Poet Society”. In the dark city streets they are not called sororities or fraternities – they are called gangs – like the crips, the bloods and prius.

No matter what the association – the hunger is the same – the deep and primal need to belong.

Today we are going to study Hebrews 3 where we’ll learn about how the followers of Jesus are part of the greatest family. Here is where we belong. Here is where we fit in.

Holy Brothers…

Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess.

Hebrews 3:1

Holy Brothers… This is written to believers and focuses on two facts.

The first is holiness: Holiness is not about being religious. Holiness does not come from what you do – and it doesn’t come from what you don’t do. Holiness comes from what you are – and that reflects in what you do and don’t do.

You can refuse to go to a drinking party and get smashed out of your mind – and it won’t make you holy. But if you are a part of God’s family and belong to Him – you won’t go to a drinking party and get smashed out of your mind.

Piety is a thin coat of paint over punky wood – it covers the rot and fools the viewer for only a little while. Holiness is solid all the way through and leaves the grain of the wood revealed in all of it’s natural beauty.

The author of Hebrews calls his readers “holy” to point out that they belong to God and that is something that works from the inside to the outside.

He also calls them “brothers.”

Brothers – family: I’ve been thinking about family a lot lately. I am a grandpa. I know it’s hard to believe. 10 years ago I wasn’t. 10 years ago I was just a dad with some girls I was raising. This summer I’m going from 7 to 9 grandchildren. That’s a 28.5% increase! It’s actually pretty neat.

I’ve talked to a lot of folks lately that have been raised in large families and one common thread I’ve been hearing is that growing up in big family was never boring – there was something always going on!

In the church of Jesus Christ we are “Holy Brothers!” The author says that we “share” in the heavenly calling. The meaning of this word is “partner.” All of us who have decided to follow Jesus; all of us who have confessed his name; all of us who have been baptized into his death burial and resurrection are part of the family business.