Hebrews 3

The Centerpiece of All We Believe

1-6 So, my dear Christian friends, companions in following this call to the heights, take a good hard look at Jesus. He's the centerpiece of everything we believe, faithful in everything God gave him to do. Moses was also faithful, but Jesus gets far more honor. A builder is more valuable than a building any day. Every house has a builder, but the Builder behind them all is God. Moses did a good job in God's house, but it was all servant work, getting things ready for what was to come. Christ as Son is in charge of the house.

7-11 Now, if we can only keep a firm grip on this bold confidence, we're the house! That's why the Holy Spirit says,
Today, please listen; don't turn a deaf ear as in "the bitter uprising," that time of wilderness testing! Even though they watched me at work for forty years, your ancestors refused to let me do it my way; over and over they tried my patience. And I was provoked, oh, so provoked! I said, "They'll never keep their minds on God; they refuse to walk down my road." Exasperated, I vowed, "They'll never get where they're going, never be able to sit down and rest."

12-14 So watch your step, friends. Make sure there's no evil unbelief lying around that will trip you up and throw you off course, diverting you from the living God. For as long as it's still God's Today, keep each other on your toes so sin doesn't slow down your reflexes. If we can only keep our grip on the sure thing we started out with, we're in this with Christ for the long haul.
These words keep ringing in our ears:
Today, please listen; don't turn a deaf ear as in the bitter uprising.15-19 For who were the people who turned a deaf ear? Weren't they the very ones Moses led out of Egypt? And who was God provoked with for forty years? Wasn't it those who turned a deaf ear and ended up corpses in the wilderness? And when he swore that they'd never get where they were going, wasn't he talking to the ones who turned a deaf ear? They never got there because they never listened, never believed.

Hebrews 3

1 Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, even Jesus;2 who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also was Moses in all his house.3 For he hath been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, by so much as he that built the house hath more honor than the house.4 For every house is builded by some one; but he that built all things is God.5 And Moses indeed was faithful in all his house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were afterward to be spoken;6 but Christ as a son, over his house; whose house are we, if we hold fast our boldness and the glorying of our hope firm unto the end.7 Wherefore, even as the Holy Spirit saith, To-day if ye shall hear his voice,

8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, Like as in the day of the trial in the wilderness,

9 Where your fathers tried me by proving me, And saw my works forty years.

10 Wherefore I was displeased with this generation, And said, They do always err in their heart: But they did not know my ways;

11 As I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.

12 Take heed, brethren, lest haply there shall be in any one of you an evil heart of unbelief, in falling away from the living God:13 but exhort one another day by day, so long as it is called To-day; lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin:14 for we are become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our confidence firm unto the end:15 while it is said, To-day if ye shall hear his voice, Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.

16 For who, when they heard, did provoke? nay, did not all they that came out of Egypt by Moses?17 And with whom was he displeased forty years? was it not with them that sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness?18 And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that were disobedient?19 And we see that they were not able to enter in because of unbelief.