A MIND FIXED ON JESUS
Have you ever found yourself fixated on a project, a person, a hobby or an idea? I tend to be the type of person that can easily become fixated on something. For example, this week we were doing some restructuring of the basement facilities. I found myself moving furniture several times to see which way the rooms would fit best. I woke up early one morning because all I could think of was this project and how to best accomplish it.
Another thing that I have been fixated on recently is Roller Coaster Tycoon 3. It was a present over the holiday season, but only in the past week have I been able to play the computer game because I didn’t have the right support software on my computer. Once I had it all set up, however, I found myself playing for hours and totally lost in time. I was fixated on building the best amusement park and keeping all of my little ‘syms’ satisfied with lots of good food to eat, souvenirs to buy, and roller coasters to ride.
But like all hobbies that I have gotten fixated on, at some point I will get bored with the game and move on. For example several years ago I took up golf. For awhile I was consumed with the game. I would pick up golf magazines and read about it. I took several lessons. I shopped for better equipment. And I’d think about when is the next time I can play golf.
The only problem: I stunk. And so over time the obsession with golf started to wane. I still enjoy it, and I look forward to playing, but it is more of a hobby now rather than an obsession.
This morning I have titled the sermon: A Mind Fixed on Jesus. I wonder how many of us find ourselves simply playing at our Christian Faith, a sort of Sunday hobby that we have, but one that no longer holds our passion.
I often find myself reading about the past lives of celebrities. I enjoy picking up “People” and “Entertainment’ or watching the biographies of musicians, actors, and sports personalities. One of the things that has amazed me is how many of them admit to a “Jesus phase” in their past. Perhaps they grew up in a church, or they were involved in a ‘born again” group of some kind. Many of them walked away from the church or from their Christian friends. They no longer believe as they once did, and they have moved on to other passions and pursuits in their lives.
A question I want us to ponder this morning: Is our Christianity just a phase, or a hobby, or an occasional diversion in our lives, or is our relationship with Jesus Christ so vital, so passionate that one could say we are fixated on Christ? Do we find ourselves waking up in the morning thinking about Him, wondering how we could serve Him better or get to know Him better? Do we spend hours reading, studying, and praying all in a desire to know Him more? Or has our faith become just a side-bar in our crowded lives?
My theme this morning is this: A mind fixed on Jesus will be full of courage and hope!
Look again at verse 1
“Therefore, (in view of all the things we have studied in the first two chapters – Jesus is greater than the prophets of old and than the Angels. He is God’s Son and worthy of our full attention), holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess.”
1. Jesus alone is to be the object of our devotion!
There are many things in 21st century American Christianity that can distract us from pure and undivided devotion of Christ. We have been so blessed with Christian Music, Christian Authors, Christian speakers and churches on every corner that we can easily fall into fads, and followers of men. How many times have we as Christians been guilty of focusing on a person or a place rather than on Jesus Christ?
In America we find Christians who follow the cult of the personality. They are Swindoll – hites or Lucado-hites. They love Charles Stanley, or Beth Myers, or Pat Robertson. It is easy in our culture to get caught up in the ministry of a person and lose sight of the Lord, Jesus Christ.
Some Christians are totally into Christian Music or a certain worship style. I can’t tell you how many times I have had conversations with individuals who felt they could no longer worship at our church because our worship didn’t fit their style preference. If our preferences start to take precedent over Jesus Christ, then there is something wrong. We can easily start to worship worship rather than the risen Lord.
On the other side are those who love the bible so much that in some respect – the bible has become their God. They have the right translation, and the right interpretation, and if you don’t see things like they do then you can’t fellowship with them. They’ve fixated on the bible instead of the Lord of the Bible.
It is easy to become religious. It is a far different thing to become a Jesus lover.
Fix your thoughts on Jesus! That is the best advice I can give anyone. Are you having trouble in your marriage? Fix your mind on Jesus. Are you discouraged and depressed? Fix your mind on Jesus. Are you afraid of the future? Fix your mind on Jesus. Are you confused about an issue? Fix your mind on Jesus.
Jesus is greater than any prophet. He is greater than any angel. He is greater than any teacher or pastor or Christian book, or church you may seek out. Those are all good things, but seek Christ first.
Jesus is our Apostle. We don’t normally think of Jesus as an apostle, but the word simply means someone sent from God as a messenger. Jesus is the greatest Apostle because of all the messengers God has sent out to His people there is no greater messenger than Jesus.
He came from His heavenly home to earth. God visited us. He came with a message of reconciliation and a call to repentance. He came to restore us and redeem us. He came to bring us back home. His message was a message of love. He is the greatest Apostle.
Moses was a type of Apostle. He also was sent by God to His people. He was a type of Messiah for the people of Israel, but He could not deliver them from their sins. He could not give them eternal life.
Jesus is our High Priest. Aaron was a high priest, but Aaron was a sinner. Aaron disobeyed God and He needed to be sprinkled with the blood of the lamb, just like everyone else. A high priest makes a sacrifice for the sins of the people. A high priest speaks to God on behalf of the people. But Jesus is the greatest High Priest, the final one. We will look at that more in depth in a few weeks, but for now let me just say that Jesus made one sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. He finished the priestly work needed to bring mankind to God.
Jesus alone is worthy of our complete devotion!
Fall in love again with Jesus. Don’t pursue religion, pursue a person. Get to know Jesus the person. Personal relationships take time. Personal relationships take communication (listening and speaking). We need to hear from God and we need to talk with God. The bible, prayer, and the fellowship of believers is all meant to guide us to Jesus. They are not ends in themselves. We aren’t just seeking knowledge. We aren’t just looking for answers to prayer. We aren’t hoping for good fuzzy feelings. We are seeking a person.
Fix your mind on Him. From the Greek Katanoeo (continuous observation and attention).
What if you have lost that first love? What if Jesus has become a side-bar in your life? What if you have moved on from your Jesus hobby?
Well what would you do in a marriage or a friendship? You would go to the person and repent of your cold heartedness. You would admit that you have neglected them. You would seek to spend time with them again. You would start to open your heart and share what is really inside again. These are the same things we must do in our relationship with Jesus.
2. Jesus is worthy of the greatest honor and reverence!
Look at verses 2 – 6
“He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God’s house. Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s house, testifying to what would be said in the future. But Christ is faithful as a son over God’s house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and hope of which we boast.”
The writer is treading on dangerous ground. We must remember that the audience of this book is primarily Jewish converts to Christianity. Moses was held in very high esteem in the Jewish community, and for good reason.
Moses was the most important figure in the Jewish faith. He was miraculously saved as a baby. God personally provided for Moses at his death and burial. He spoke directly with God, and as a result the face of Moses shone with the glory of God. Moses delivered his people out of Egypt through the incredible miracles of the parting of the Red Sea and the provision of manna and water in the desert. Moses had given the people the law of God including the 10 commandments. He had instituted the forms of worship and the construction of the tabernacle of God. He was instrumental in getting the priesthood started. And he wrote the first 5 books of the bible.
Moses was a type of Messiah for the people of Israel. In some ways Moses almost became a cult figure and was very close to being worshipped by the people.
Without denying the ministry and purpose of Moses, the writer addresses that Jesus is worthy of greater honor than Moses.
Moses was faithful to His calling from God. But Moses was only one of God’s people. He was instrumental in serving the house of God, but Jesus is the builder of the house. Moses is simply a part of the house of God, a servant of God. But Jesus is a Son, and heir of the house. We are His people, the sheep of His pasture. Jesus is God’s Son.
No priest, prophet, king, or ruler deserves the kind of honor and reverence reserved for Christ alone!
How do we honor Christ?
- We honor Him by admitting we are sinners and that we need Him as our Savior: “This is my son, listen to Him”
- We honor Him by obeying his words. “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”
- We honor Him by serving others. “Give a cup of cold water in my name, you give it to me.”
- We honor Him by using our resources to bring Him greater glory. “Whatever gift you have, use it”
- We honor Him by exalting His Name among the people: “Proclaim Jesus. Worship Him.”
- We honor Him by confessing His Name. “He who honors me, I will honor. He who is ashamed of me, I will be ashamed of.
Is our honor half-hearted? Do we approach service in the body of Christ as a chore or as a delight? Do we come to church ready to lift high the name of Christ? Do we seek to care for the needs of others around us with the same compassion and concern that Jesus would have?
Fix your mind on Jesus. He alone is worthy of your devotion. He is worthy of the greatest honor and reverence given.
3. We who confess Jesus have received a high calling.
The writer began with the words: “holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling.” And he concluded with these words: “We are His house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast.”
We have been given a high calling.
- We are called Holy. We have been sanctified by Christ. Set apart for His purposes. You belong to the Lord, your life is not your own!
- We are called brothers. We have been united to one another and to Him. We are a family. We need to love and serve one another as a family. We need to make ‘family’ a priority in our lives.
- We have been called from heaven to heaven. This is not our home. We are passing through and we have a future together. You will be with me in heaven, and I will be with you. We better learn to live together here and now.
- We are His house. Jesus dwells in here. Jesus is with me always. Fixing your mind on that one that can revolutionize your life.
Therefore, HOLD ON!
- There are two ways to live your life. One is to give up on living. There are many people who have given up on living. They are just waiting for Jesus to come home. They no longer try to improve their lives or the world in which we live. They live in discouragement and disappointment. They have become to heavenly minded that they are no earthly good.
- The other way to live is to live a life full of courage and hope. Those who have fixed their minds on Jesus are to be full of courage and hope.
- Courage means I can face whatever life throws at me because I have Jesus and because I’m just passing through.
- Hope means I know that what I presently feel and experience is only temporary. I know that I have a wonderful future ahead. I believe that Jesus is going to do great and wonderful things in me and through me.
People fixed on Jesus are joyful, optimistic, patient, kind, and above all faithful. They don’t walk away from their “Jesus phase”. It isn’t a hobby that dies out, or a passion that passes. Instead it is a love relationship that grows deeper and deeper day by day.
In that respect it is much like a marriage. My marriage to Pam is not a phase I am passing through, or a hobby I’ve developed. It is a lifestyle and a choice. I am married to Pam because I have chosen Pam and she has chosen me. There is never a time when I am not married to Pam. I can choose to act unmarried, but the fact is – I’m married. It still takes work, and there are times the passion is greater than others, but the longer we are married and the more time we spend together through life our love grows deeper.
God chose you. You are His bride. If you have trusted in Christ, you are married to Him. He won’t quit on you. Put forth the effort to make your relationship with Christ solid and alive. Fix your mind on Him. He alone is worthy of your complete devotion. He deserves the greatest honor. And if you do, He will fill your heart with His courage and hope.
