That’s the question every follower of him answers every morning, in the face of every temptation, every conflict, every constricting pressure to compromise, with a resounding yes.  What’s your answer?  If at times this week the answer has been no, God is inviting us to examine ourselves this morning, to see Jesus again, to come to him for forgiveness and welcome, and to ask him by his Spirit to help us see him as he is – our greatest good.

Jesus never hides the call or cost of discipleship.  Jesus says disciples must carry our cross daily, deny ourselves, and even to lose our life.  He says discipleship will lead to accusations, persecution, opposition and cost some their family.  And the early church felt that keenly.

They felt the intense pressure of a whole society calling them to conform, give in, compromise, choose comfort.  They felt that pressure in every area of life just as we do.  The world saw them as traitorous, dangerous, extreme just as it sees us.  Hebrews is addressed to a church that feels that pressure.  That feels society and family squeezing them to dial down the difference in how they live, to follow Jesus but privately or half-heartedly.  And the pastor writing to them addresses that issue in chapters 10-13 calling them to be holy, to live for God’s kingdom now and giving them examples of heroes of the faith who’ve done that.  But he begins in the first 9½ chapters by showing them that what they have in Jesus is better than anything they might lose for following him.  Do we believe that?

Jesus is better than angels, better than Moses, he’s the true and better rest the Sabbath pointed to, Jesus is the better High Priest, the better priest, mediates a better covenant.  He’s better than the temple in terms of bringing us to God and making us acceptable to him.  He’s the better sacrifice because he was offered once for all and is now seated at the right hand of the Father, his work of atonement complete, having “made perfect for ever those who are being made holy.”

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