Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, Today if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: Hebrews 3:7-8

Why do some people respond to the gospel, while others reject it? It all begins with the heart,when the Bible talks about a “heart”, its not talking about a physical organ in our body that pumps blood. Its talking about the spiritual center core of our being. Typically people dont reject God due to lack of evidence, they reject God because they have hardened their hearts to their Creator

As Jesus said “My sheep hear my voice  and I know them” (John 10:27) How many people hear the Savior’s voice but harden their hearts to answer the call? Their conscience inside them keeps telling them to turn around (Repent) but they wont listen to the moral compass God has written on our hearts (Romans 2)

When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. Hebrews 3:9-10

The author of Hebrews compares us to the Israelites. God displayed His awesome power to the Israelites for 40 years , including freeing them from slavery, parting the Red Sea, providing Bread from Heaven, however some Israelites still hardened their hearts and turned away from God

This is like many today, we seen the awesome works by Christ, including the Resurrection, but many have hardened their hearts. They reject the calling from The Good Shepherd, and go their own way, which leads to permanent death. Its not an evidential issue they reject Christ, its a heart issue

So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.) Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. Hebrews 3:11-12

There is no peace for the wicked (Isaiah 48:22) While God has given us free will to choose whether to answer the Savior’s calling or reject him, there are serious consequences for hardening your heart. You will never find Peace and Rest outside of Christ! Why? Because you are at war with God, you are a sheep that has gone astray!

The warning of hardening your hearts against the Living God cant be taken lightly. Eternity is a long time to be wrong! Jesus said “Come to me all you are weary and burden laden and I will give you Rest” (Matthew 11:28) You will only find rest in Jesus, outside of him is turmoil and death, Amen!

Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; Hebrews 3:1

As we study the Old Testament we see God ordained a line of High Priests, they were from the Aaronic bloodline. When we understand the role of these men, we also get a deeper understanding of who Jesus is, our High Priest. 

The High Priest in the Old Covenant , was the mediator between the Israelites and God. Unless you were a Prophet, who very few were, God did not speak to you directly. The only presence of God , at this time, was in the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. If you wanted to be in Gods presence , you must go to the Temple and have the High Priest offer a sacrifice of atonement for your sin.

There was also a curtain or veil in the Temple, that separated the Israelites from the Presence of God in the Temple. The only one who could go behind that curtain was the High Priest, and this was only if that Priest was spiritually and physically “clean” at the time. If a HIgh Priest tried to go in the presence of God in a sinful state, he was immediately struck down by God, why? Because the holiness of God is beyond our human nature.

When Jesus came, he changed all of this. By Him being our High Priest, we can now go directly into the presence of God, Jesus is our Mediator between the Father. We have been declared righteous and justified because Jesus paid the atonement for our sins on the cross. While Jesus was on the cross, the Veil was Torn, as Jesus declared “It Is Finished” meaning we can now go into the Presence of God because of Christ

Jesus foretold that he would destroy and raise “The Temple” up after 3 days (John 2) Of course Jesus was referring to his physical body, his death and resurrection fulfilled it all. No longer do we need to go to a physical temple as he foretold the woman at the well (John 4) But we now worship God in spirit and truth because Jesus paid it all

Finally , Jesus sent the Holy Spirit, the presence of God now lives inside of us, as our bodies are now the Temple of God. Once you understand all of this, you understand how Jesus is our High Priest, the Priests above all Priests. Jesus paid it all so we can be reconciled back to the Father, Amen!

Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands:  Hebrews 2:7

When you understand what Jesus did for us, when you understand who He is and the sacrifice that he made for us, your never the same again. Think about the Lord of Lords, maker of the Heavens and The Earth, maker of angels and humans, lowering himself to become one of us, so he can pay the penalty for our wickedness

Those who are angry at God, for whatever reason, obviously dont understand the mercy and love God demonstrated here. We being rebels towards our Creator, not deserving any mercy or compassion, yet God took it to another level, He actually took our place in our death sentence. Amazing Grace doesn’t even begin to describe it!

Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him. Hebrews 2:8

Even though ALL Things are under subjection to Christ, he still became a mortal man and died for our sins. Can we comprehend this? When you truly understand the Gospel story, you will break down in tears. Because the power that God displayed here through Jesus Christ, is transforming and often beyond our comprehension

But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. Hebrews 2:9

Jesus tasted death for us all so we didnt have to. But you might say “I’m still going to die” Your sinful , corrupted body will die, but your soul will be with Christ. And on that day when the trumpet will sound, you will be give an incorruptible body made with the perfection of God

How do we obtain this? By Grace through Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ! You cant earn salvation, it was paid for by the blood of Christ. You must truly believe , repent, and put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved, Amen!

How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; Hebrews 2:3

How shall we escape the wrath of God for the wages of our sins? Jesus Christ is our only hope, without Jesus we can’t escape our prison sentence for our crimes. However the good news (the gospel) is that Jesus provided us salvation by the shedding of his blood

God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will? Hebrews 2:4

How can we know for sure Jesus is The Christ, the Son of God? God confirmed who Jesus is by the Resurrection, by the hundreds of eye witnesses who saw Jesus after the resurrection, the miracles and signs performed by the Holy Spirit! Because Jesus defeated Sin and Death, Jesus is who he said he is, Immanuel

For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak. But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him? Hebrews 2:5-6

God did not save the world through an angel or a regular human. God became flesh and paid the penalty for our sins. Who is justified to pay this ransom? The only one who is worthy is the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ. He who knew no sin became our sin so we can become righteous (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Many today want to reject Christ, can you reject the resurrection? No its a historical fact. Many want to reject the penalty for their sin, can they reject the wrath of God? No we are all guilty of sin. Therefor if you care about your salvation, look to the Lord Jesus Christ! Amen!