A Better Leader

Captain Pete "Maverick" Mitchell is a legendary test pilot who is ordered back to the Top Gun naval academy. Maverick is chosen to train an elite group of graduates for a near-impossible mission -- destroying an unsanctioned uranium enrichment plant protected by advanced weaponry.

That's the premise of the movie "Maverick" which takes place thirty years after the "Top Gun" movie. In thirty years, Maverick is still a captain because, although he's a great pilot, he hasn't proven himself to be a good leader. That changes during the movie. Maverick not only trains the pilots, but he also ends up leading the near-impossible mission.

Moses was chosen by God to be the leader he used to free his people from their four hundred years of slavery in Egypt. In the beginning, Moses was kind of a "Maverick" character when he went off on his own to kill an Egyptian guard for beating a Jewish slave. Moses ran into the desert where he lived for forty years as a shepherd in the Sinai Peninsula. Then God called Moses from a burning bush to be his leader.

Moses led the nation of Israel out of Egypt after ten devastating plagues, through a parted Red Sea, and around the Sinai desert for forty years. Moses finally led Israel through that near-impossible mission to the edge of the Promised Land of Canaan.

It was very difficult for a Jew to think of anyone greater than Moses. Even the New Testament testifies to Moses' greatness, mentioning him some eighty times, more than any other Old Testament figure. As great as Moses was, Jesus was far greater.

For our midweek Lenten services, we are examining the theme of "A Better Savior." Throughout the book of Hebrews, the author uses the word "better" as he portrays Christianity as the one true religion, and Jesus Christ as the one true Savior from sin. The author uses comparative words like "better," "greater," and "superior" to demonstrate the supremacy of Christ to anything in the Old Testament.

In the beginning of chapter 3, the author of the letter to the Hebrews encourages his readers to take their attention off Moses. They remembered Moses fondly for some of the great events in the life of a Jew like the Great Day of Atonement and the Passover. Instead, they are to focus their attention on Jesus. The author writes, "Focus your attention on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess" (Hebrews 3:1). Jesus is an "apostle". This is the only time this title is used for Jesus in the New Testament. An apostle is one who is "sent out" to do something. God sent Moses on a mission to free the nation of Israel. God the Father sent Jesus on a mission to redeem all of humanity. Jesus told his apostles on Easter evening, "Just as the Father has sent me, I am also sending you" (John 20:21).

Jesus is also the high priest. This title refers to the sacrificial nature of Christ's mission. We'll be examining Jesus' mission as the better high priest and better sacrifice over the next two weeks.

The author writes, "He [Jesus] was faithful to the one who appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in God's whole house" (Hebrews 3:2). The point of comparison between Moses and Jesus was not one of faithfulness, but of position. Moses was faithful in leading God's people for forty years. He even once offered to have his name blotted out of God's Book of Life in exchange for the Jews. Jesus was faithful as he prayed on Holy Thursday, "I have glorified you on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do" (John 17:4). Jesus did exchange his life for all of humanity.

The people to whom the letter to the Hebrews was written were tempted to turn away from Jesus and go back to the laws of Moses to avoid persecution. The author urges them to hold firmly to Jesus, since Jesus is God, he is therefore greater than Moses. As God's Son, Jesus ruled over God's house of believers while Moses was only a servant in that house.

The author explains, "In fact, Jesus is worthy of greater glory than Moses, in the same way that the builder of a house has more honor than the house. For every house is built by someone, and God is the one who built everything. Moses was faithful as a servant within God's whole house by testifying to the things that would be spoken. But Christ is faithful as a Son over God's house. We are his house, if we hold on firmly to our confidence and the hope about which we boast until the end" (Hebrews 3:3-6).

Though Moses was certainly important as a leader, he was only a part of the house of Israel. As God, Jesus was the builder of that house, just as he is the "builder of everything." As a creature, Moses occupied a high position in Israel and was worthy of honor. As the Creator of all -- including Moses and Israel -- Jesus was worthy of highest honor.

There were many leaders that God put in place throughout the Old Testament -- Joshua, Samuel, Gideon, Deborah, Samson, or David. But none of them were like Moses. God himself sent Moses to the Israelites. God made Moses their leader, and he was their deliverer. Moses led God's people out of slavery in Egypt. He performed miracles and wonders. God spoke face-to-face with Moses, giving him the laws that governed the Israelites for thousands of years.

As great as Moses was, God raised up a greater leader: Jesus.

The law was given through Moses, but the Israelites could not fulfill it. Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. We cannot fulfill the law of Moses. That's means we all deserve to die. Satan should be leading us into the pits of hell. Jesus came to fulfill the law in our place. Jesus is the fulfillment of all the laws that God gave Moses. That's one way Jesus is greater than Moses.

We should all die eternally because of our sins. Jesus was chosen and sent by God to live perfectly in our place. He graciously died in our place. He victoriously rose from the dead in our place. This was an impossible mission. No one else could do it. Except for the Creator and Builder of all things. He is the One who conceived of this impossible plan in eternity in consultation with the Father and the Spirit. Only the Son could make this impossible plan possible. Now, through his substitutionary life, atoning death, and vicarious resurrection from the dead, Jesus has opened the way to eternal life in the Promised Land of heaven. Jesus is the way for all who follow him in faith. We are to follow him as our Leader.

The Jews looked up to Moses as a great leader. Moses certainly was a great, righteous leader. We often look up to leaders like a President, Governor, or Supreme Court Justice -- thinking that with the right person or people in charge then things will get fixed in our nation. We look up to athletes, actors, and musicians for their creativity and athleticism. We listen to media and podcast personalities for the hot takes on the news of the day. Some of these people are righteous Christian leaders. Most are not.

The best a politician might be able to do is give us some justice and peace. The best an athlete, actor, or musician might do is provide some entertainment for a few hours. The best a media personality can do is give us some clarity. The best any of them can do is provide some things for this lifetime. Don't follow these people only to avoid persecution or to enjoy a more relaxed life.

Don't trust any of these people for true, righteous, lasting leadership. Follow Jesus' lead. He provides righteous judgment and peace beyond understanding. He provides you with blessings instead of temporary pleasures. He provides you with wisdom and clarity through his Word.

Jesus leads you through this dark valley of the shadow of death to the green pastures and quiet waters of the Promised Land of heaven. He leads you to see that your house here is only temporary. Jesus is the Builder of your eternal home in the new heaven and new earth. He leads you through the darkness, deviancy, and decadence that fills this world. He leads you through the darkness with his Light that once led Moses and the Israelites as the Glory of the Lord shown in a pillar of cloud and fire. He leads you through the deviancy by giving you his Ten Commandments which the Lord first gave to Moses on Mt. Sinai. He leads you through the decadence as he used Moses to correct the decadence of the Israelites when they worshiped the golden calf.

Fix your eyes on Jesus. Be faithful to the One who was faithful for you. Give glory to the One who is greater than Moses. Follow him. He is a better Leader than Moses or anyone else. Hold firmly to this confidence and hope so you can boast at the end. Amen.

Let me hear about your mercy in the morning, for I have put my trust in you. Teach me the way that I should go, for I lift up my soul to you (Psalm 143:8). Amen.