(A) The reason why the letter was written. v12 See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.

The Greek word for, 'turning away' gives us the term, 'apostasy'. The writer is warning his brothers not now so much of drifting away, as of deliberately deserting the living God and the one whom he sent.

In verse 8 we are reminded of those occasions in the desert where the Israelites were tested by thirst after leaving the land of Egypt. There is an account in Ex17v1 to 7 where the Israelites grumbled and asked Moses: "Why did you bring us out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?" They are beginning to regret their new life as free men and are willing to return to the slavery of Egypt. This is just one instance of their lack of belief in God the Deliverer. God had shown them over and over again the reality of his presence and power. He did bring them out to live a new life and to enter the Promised Land. However only Caleb and Joshua entered in because the rest of the people lost faith in God. They refused to trust God and take on the Canaanites and possess the land and as such were condemned to wander for 40 years in the wilderness. God said in Nu14v23, "Not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath to their forefathers"

The Israelites, chosen by God, called by God, delivered by God and on the way to the land of peace and plenty turned away from God and never entered in. The writer to the Hebrews is concerned that genuine Jewish Christians, chosen, called, delivered and in the way to life eternal, are turning away from the living God. It is no use saying these people were not real Christians. If that was the case why was the writer so concerned? It would not matter if false Christians left the church - in some respects it would be a good thing. The people who are addressed are referred to in verse 1 as holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling.

We need a balanced view of what is involved in being a Christian. This is what the New Testament gives. We cannot become Christians simply on our own say so. We depend upon the heavenly calling and God's choice. This is common sense. No one can become a pupil of a great violinist like Yehudi Menuhin or of a great university like Cambridge by their own choice. The great teacher or educational institution reserves the right to choose you. However we do not remain a Christian without exercising human responsibility. Jesus called his disciples to follow. Following is on going and it is something once begun we can stop doing. The will has to be continuously engaged to follow. Once again this is common sense. The pupil of an illustrious teacher might start well but rebel against the discipline imposed and fail to persevere and make good. Judas was called and chosen but he lost sympathy with Jesus and defected and was lost.

Just one word of reassurance. God is much less selective than Cambridge University. It is a comfort to me that a mixed multitude left Egypt for the Promised Land. Jesus, too, makes it clear whom he will accept as Christians in John6v37 "All that the Father gives me will come to me and I will never drive them away." Those who come will be accepted. This does not mean they are in no further danger of being lost otherwise the letter to the Hebrews would never have been written. The letter has been written because just as God judged the Israelites who lost belief in him so, too, will he judge us if we turn away. Then we shall never leave the wilderness for the land that is fairer than day.

(B) The greatness of our leader

(1) The greatness of Moses
The Hebrews were scarcely a coherent nation in Egypt. They were loosely bound together by a common history. It is amazing to think that for four hundred years the stories of God's dealings with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob had been preserved and used to maintain the identity of the Hebrews. We see the importance of passing on to children the stories of Jesus. An oral tradition is unimportant in our age. Little attention is paid to the stories old people tell. However, God used the folk memory of the Hebrew slaves to preserve a belief in their importance to him and concern for them.

The other factor which gave the Hebrews a sense of identity was their common experience. The Egyptians did not make them less of a threat to national security by enslaving them. The surest way of alienating a minority is to treat them unfairly and to create an intense collective grievance. The people who left Egypt formed a mixed multitude which suggests that anyone who was dispossessed, marginalized and dissatisfied was accepted by Moses and, indeed, by God as a candidate for the Promised Land.

Moses greatness is that he did create a nation out of a mixed multitude.

He did it in four ways:

(a) He delivered them from slavery and led them out of Egypt
(b) He gave them a detailed and highly distinctive moral code. If the Israelites practiced the law this would make them very different from any other nation
(c) Moses laid the foundations of their worship
(d) For forty years he provided outstanding leadership - the leadership for which God spent so long in preparing him. Moses kept the people together. He was their mediator - interceding with God on their behalf. Above all else he was faithful. v5 Moses was faithful as a servant in all God's house.

(2) Jesus is greater than Moses.

He is so in four ways:

(a) Moses prepared the way for something better. v5 testifying to what would be said in the future. Moses established the sacrificial system as central to the religious life of his people. It foreshadowed the ultimate sacrifice for sin that Jesus would himself make. He bought the process to completion. This is a theme the writer will return to later.

(b) Moses was a servant. He was a voluntary servant and not a pressed slave. There is no doubt that God put pressure on a reluctant Moses at the burning bush. However, Moses was free to refuse God's request. It is significant that having once put his hand to the plough Moses never turned back. It is almost as if God knew that he was worth persevering with. Jesus was the Son. He also worked for the master builder, not as a hired man, but rather with filial love. His father's interests were his interests too.

(c) Moses was a man of great virtue. The passage we are looking at pays tribute to his faithfulness - an undervalued quality today where loyalty seems to count for little. I myself worked 37 years for Suffolk County Council without one day off sick yet still failed to get any recognition of my achievement.

Moses is also described as the meekest man on earth. His self-control was legendary. I wish I could emulate him is this respect! In spite of his amazing meekness Moses failed the test at Kadesh where he seemed to lose patience with both his people and his God. For his unseemly outburst at Kadesh Moses was debarred from entering the Promised Land. Jesus never failed a test. He was never angry with God. He was wholly submissive to his father in heaven. Is53 v7: He was led like a lamb to the slaughter and as a sheep before her shearers is silent so he did not open his mouth

(d) Jesus was greater than Moses in his achievement - in the house that he built. The church of Jesus is infinitely more precious than the people of Israel. The church is the Bride of Christ. It is distinguished at its best by love and sacrifice. It is inclusive. Jesus accepts all those that come to him. The Bride awaits the return of the beloved Groom - that great day when all Christians will be presented without fault to God the Father.

(C) Our responsibility as followers of Jesus.

(1) We need to fix our attention upon Jesus.v1 Therefore, holy brothers.......fix your thoughts on Jesus.
This is the best possible advice for those in danger of drifting away or, even worse, turning away from the living God. Jesus was sent as an apostle, as the word, as God's messenger to men. He reveals God in a way that we can understand. He shows that God is faithful because he was faithful. So when we are tempted to be unfaithful we should look to Jesus and prize our faithfulness above the temporary advantage or gratification that unfaithfulness delivers. Jesus has returned as our Great High Priest to represent our interests in the presence of God the Father. He is intensely interested in our well being and intercedes incessantly on our behalf.

Even Aaron and Miriam became discontented in the wilderness and grumbled about their brother and questioned God's policy of speaking through Moses to the people. God was not pleased with them. Discontent is a curse. The disciples were growing discontented towards the end of Jesus ministry and arguing about who should be greatest. It showed lack of confidence in him. Discontent always does. The disciples lacked confidence in the one in whom God had complete confidence. Churches are bedevilled today by discontent. The small church to which I belong has probably been fatally weakened by people leaving for a bigger, livelier, fellowship. Young Christians who leave an aging church do not show much love for those that they leave behind. Jesus is to be found where'er his people meet, even where old Christians meet!

(3) We must remain obedient
The importance of obedience is clear in verses 8,16,17 and 18. The chosen people rebelled against God. They disobeyed when they were told to enter the Promised Land and take possession of it. The Anakims were there and they didn't fancy it. God's patience finally ran out and those who violently opposed God's will never did enter into their rest.
Christians today can become so complacent about the Grace of God that they underestimate the significance of obedience. It is impossible to genuinely believe in Jesus without trying hard to obey him. He expects us to take all his teaching seriously - hard teaching about forgiveness, sacrifice, humility, the love of money and our priorities. He said: "But seek first his (God's) kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be given you as well." Mt6v33.

(4) We need to encourage each other v13 Exhort one another daily.
Raymond Brown writes in his commentary on Hebrews: 'Not all are destined for a preaching role but in the local church all must accept a pastoral role' We should aim to cheer each other up. There are Christians who take a deal of cheering up. They, perhaps, forget their responsibility to cheer others. It isn't the Pastor's job to be fussing round and encouraging the crabby, miserable, dissatisfied, critical, members. They need to repent of their selfishness and exercise a ministry of encouragement and support. The word translated, 'exhort', is the same one Jesus used of the Holy Spirit's work. We should try and be to others what the Holy Spirit is to us. A loving, caring, helpful, supportive fellowship of believers is a great means of grace and keeps many from drifting away and making spiritual shipwreck.

(D) Conclusion

I can remember an old friend telling me on realising what a good husband she had that she made a deliberate decision to do everything in her power to keep him. My friend did! It is a pity all Christians do not take a similar view of their relationship with Jesus Christ.
John Bunyan was, unlike this writer, a convinced Calvinist but he wrote this in, 'The Heavenly Footman':

My aim is not to run a little now and then, by fits and starts, a half way, or almost thither, but to run for my life, to run through all the difficulties and to continue therein to the end of the race, which must be to the end of my life.'