WEBVTT 00:00:00.200 --> 00:00:07.900 But it is a joy to be here. Amen. I am so thankful to be able to gather together again. 00:00:08.320 --> 00:00:12.780 ! It's one of those things you don't realize how much you miss something until it's taken away. 00:00:12.980 --> 00:00:19.339 And I am incredibly grateful that we're able to gather today. We're starting a brand new series today, 00:00:19.480 --> 00:00:25.280 going through the book of Hebrews. And on your way in, you probably saw a lot of journals that were 00:00:25.280 --> 00:00:31.600 outside that have the word Hebrews on there. And so that is for you to grab. Hopefully you're able 00:00:31.600 --> 00:00:38.260 to grab one on your way in. If you didn't grab one, please grab one on the way out. Hopefully this will 00:00:38.260 --> 00:00:42.680 be an opportunity for you to be able to follow along as we go through this incredible book. 00:00:43.100 --> 00:00:49.020 And then also there's space beside it to take notes. So please feel free to grab one of those 00:00:49.020 --> 00:00:56.080 on your way out if you have not gotten one already. The book of Hebrews has always been 00:00:56.080 --> 00:01:03.600 a book that has challenged me in my walk with Christ. It's often a book that gets overlooked 00:01:03.600 --> 00:01:09.500 in the Bible and there's pressing questions in this that we won't necessarily have an answer to, 00:01:09.560 --> 00:01:15.080 like authorship who wrote this. It's challenging in different areas to think through some of the 00:01:15.079 --> 00:01:20.819 theological statements that it's making. In fact, William Barclay says, he says, when we come to 00:01:20.819 --> 00:01:26.900 read the letter to the Hebrews, we come to read what is for the person of today, the most difficult 00:01:26.900 --> 00:01:34.280 book in the whole New Testament. It comes with its challenges, but it is a book that is rich in 00:01:34.280 --> 00:01:41.980 Christological truth. It's a book that tells us so much about who Christ is and what he has done for us. 00:01:41.980 --> 00:01:48.880 And the book of Hebrews gives us an extraordinary sense of clarity and understanding about Jesus. 00:01:49.780 --> 00:01:55.640 As you read through this book, you'll quickly learn that the author is deeply in love with Jesus. 00:01:56.240 --> 00:02:02.060 As you read through this book, it becomes overwhelmingly clear that the author has a high 00:02:02.060 --> 00:02:08.960 view of who Christ is, that is deeply in love with him and is deeply changed by that relationships. 00:02:08.960 --> 00:02:15.820 He thinks that Jesus is amazing. He thinks he's extraordinary. He's wonderful. He's the creator 00:02:15.820 --> 00:02:24.939 who lays down his life for creation. He is the one and only who is worthy to be praised. The author loves 00:02:24.939 --> 00:02:32.480 Jesus more than anything. And it is our goal that as we study this wonderful book, that we will fall more 00:02:32.479 --> 00:02:40.099 and more in love with Jesus as we go through it, that we will truly see that he is better than anything 00:02:40.099 --> 00:02:48.199 in this world. And so many times, this is what we need to be reminded of. So many times, we just need to 00:02:48.199 --> 00:02:55.560 be reminded of a truth that we already know. Oftentimes, the Christian walk is not understanding 00:02:55.560 --> 00:03:01.539 something new for the first time, but it's being reminded over and over again of something that 00:03:01.539 --> 00:03:09.300 we already know that Jesus is better. Michael Kruger, he knows, he says, we all experience times when we've 00:03:09.300 --> 00:03:17.300 just have our nose to the grindstone, following Jesus out of duty and obligation instead of delight 00:03:17.300 --> 00:03:25.180 in how wonderful he is. And let me let you in on a little secret. This is true of pastors as well. 00:03:25.180 --> 00:03:31.400 This is true of all of us as our walk with Christ is there are times in our walk that that we find 00:03:31.400 --> 00:03:39.000 ourselves following Jesus more out of out of habit and obligation than we do of delight. We will all have 00:03:39.000 --> 00:03:46.439 times that following Jesus is done more out of that habit than anything else. And when you have moments 00:03:46.439 --> 00:03:55.120 like that, let me encourage you to find comfort in the truth of the gospel, the truth of who Jesus is, 00:03:55.180 --> 00:04:03.400 the truth that Hebrews reminds us over and over again, that Jesus is better. And so if you ever find 00:04:03.400 --> 00:04:08.599 yourself feeling this way, as you're reading through God's word, as you're studying scripture, as you're 00:04:08.599 --> 00:04:15.020 following a reading plan, let me encourage you to take a pause, take a step back, read through Hebrews, 00:04:15.020 --> 00:04:22.139 at least just the first chapter of Hebrews and realize and understand in a greater sense that Jesus is 00:04:22.139 --> 00:04:28.319 better. Now I realize that this is is something that's often hard for us to do, right? We like to 00:04:28.319 --> 00:04:33.840 accomplish things. We like to to read the Bible through in a year. We like to check those boxes and 00:04:33.840 --> 00:04:39.139 make sure that we're following along those things. But let me encourage you, if you're finding yourself in 00:04:39.139 --> 00:04:46.120 that time where where you're just doing it out of duty and obligation, fall in love with Jesus over 00:04:46.120 --> 00:04:53.419 and over again. Read these words. I'm I'm convinced that as we that sometimes that it would benefit us 00:04:53.419 --> 00:05:01.120 all to stop seeing reading the Bible as a task to be completed, but see the Bible as a gift that God has 00:05:01.120 --> 00:05:09.259 given us to be enjoyed. And so many times what we need to see clearly is that Jesus is better in order 00:05:09.259 --> 00:05:16.240 for us to do that. And this will be the theme and the truth that we continue to come back to over and 00:05:16.240 --> 00:05:24.459 over again as we work our way through this book. It's a truth that is is vital to our walk with Christ. 00:05:24.459 --> 00:05:33.359 We must see Jesus clearly in order to serve him joyfully. We must see him clearly in order to serve 00:05:33.359 --> 00:05:39.779 him joyfully. I've heard it said that discipline without direction is drudgery. Discipline without 00:05:39.779 --> 00:05:45.519 direction is drudgery, meaning that that if we're disciplined, but we don't see Jesus for who he is, 00:05:45.599 --> 00:05:53.240 then then so much of that discipline can become drudgery for us. John Piper famously says, he says, 00:05:53.240 --> 00:06:00.379 God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him. And it's my hope and prayer 00:06:00.379 --> 00:06:09.100 that we may be so satisfied in Jesus that our service to him is life giving to us. It's my hope 00:06:09.100 --> 00:06:16.139 and prayer that as we read through this, that we may be so satisfied in who Christ is that serving him 00:06:16.139 --> 00:06:23.160 is life giving to us. And so as we work our way through this book, you'll hear me say oftentimes that 00:06:23.160 --> 00:06:28.180 the author of Hebrews or the author of Hebrews will say that over and over again. I say this 00:06:28.180 --> 00:06:34.100 because the truth of the matter is we don't know exactly who wrote this. We know that this book was 00:06:34.100 --> 00:06:43.280 probably written in the mid-60s and it was probably written during that time. And it's a book that many 00:06:43.280 --> 00:06:49.040 people have often tried to guess at who wrote it, but it's ultimately we don't know. And however, 00:06:49.040 --> 00:06:56.400 this uncertainty of who wrote it does not affect our confidence in the fact that this is God's word. 00:06:57.040 --> 00:07:02.740 The author tells us in chapter two, he says that the message was declared at first by the Lord 00:07:02.740 --> 00:07:09.640 and is attested to us by those who heard. People have suggested a number of authors. They say, well, 00:07:09.680 --> 00:07:15.100 maybe it was Paul, maybe it was Barnabas, maybe even Apollos. And I tend to think that the Lucan 00:07:15.100 --> 00:07:20.660 authorship argument is a pretty sound argument, convincing argument, but ultimately we don't know. 00:07:21.080 --> 00:07:26.860 Even Origen in the first couple hundred years after this book was written says, God only knows 00:07:26.860 --> 00:07:35.540 who wrote this book. What we do know is that from very early on, it was widely accepted as coming from 00:07:35.540 --> 00:07:43.620 the apostolic community. Even if it wasn't directly from an apostle, from very early on, it was accepted 00:07:43.620 --> 00:07:49.379 as scripture. And so that is where we're coming to it today. We're understanding that these words are 00:07:49.379 --> 00:07:57.100 God's words for us. And so as we begin to see over and over again that Jesus is better, I want to invite 00:07:57.100 --> 00:08:02.899 you to, if you have a copy of God's word with you, to open with me to Hebrews chapter one. And we're 00:08:02.899 --> 00:08:10.160 going to read this first chapter together as we begin our study in Hebrews. Hebrews chapter one says this, 00:08:10.160 --> 00:08:20.080 long ago at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets. But in these last 00:08:20.080 --> 00:08:27.360 days, he has spoken to us by his son, whom he appointed the heir of all things through him. Also, 00:08:27.360 --> 00:08:33.740 he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature. 00:08:33.740 --> 00:08:40.460 And he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, 00:08:40.960 --> 00:08:48.039 he sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels 00:08:48.039 --> 00:08:55.539 as the name that he inherited is more excellent than theirs. For to which of the angels did God ever say, 00:08:55.659 --> 00:09:02.320 you are my son. Today I have begotten you. Or again, I will be to him a father and he shall be to me 00:09:02.320 --> 00:09:09.900 a son. And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, let all God's angels worship 00:09:09.900 --> 00:09:18.140 him. Of the angels, he says, he makes his angels winds and his ministers a flame of fire. But of the 00:09:18.140 --> 00:09:25.960 son, he says, your throne, oh God, is forever and ever. The scepter of uprightness is the scepter of 00:09:25.960 --> 00:09:32.160 your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness. Therefore, God, your God has 00:09:32.159 --> 00:09:39.639 anointed you with oil of gladness beyond your companions. And you, Lord, laid the foundation 00:09:39.639 --> 00:09:45.539 of the earth in the beginning and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you 00:09:45.539 --> 00:09:54.019 remain. They will all wear out like a garment, like a robe that will, they will roll them up like a garment. 00:09:54.019 --> 00:10:02.960 They will be changed. But you are the same and your years will have no end. And to which of the angels 00:10:02.960 --> 00:10:08.840 has he ever said, sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet? 00:10:09.199 --> 00:10:15.899 Are they not all ministering spirits sent to serve for the sake of those who inherit salvation? 00:10:15.899 --> 00:10:24.519 And so as we begin this, let's pray and ask God to give us clarity, to give us understanding of his word 00:10:24.519 --> 00:10:29.059 and clarity and understanding of who he is. Father, thank you so very much. 00:10:30.419 --> 00:10:36.480 Thank you for Jesus. Thank you for what your word tells us about him. And so, Lord, I pray that as we 00:10:36.480 --> 00:10:42.259 work our way through this incredible book, Lord, that you would open our eyes to help us see you more 00:10:42.259 --> 00:10:48.419 clearly, to trust you more fully, and to give our lives over to you with everything we say and do. 00:10:48.819 --> 00:10:51.139 We ask all this in Jesus' name. Amen. 00:10:52.419 --> 00:10:59.559 As we seek to find clarity in this passage, there's three statements that I want us to quickly take a look at 00:10:59.559 --> 00:11:05.580 this morning. I want us to unpack. To begin with, I want us to clearly see in this passage that Jesus 00:11:05.580 --> 00:11:11.259 speaks. Jesus speaks. And we see this right out of the gates. It says, 00:11:11.259 --> 00:11:18.720 Long ago, at many times, in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets. But in these last days, 00:11:18.819 --> 00:11:26.100 he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom he also created 00:11:26.100 --> 00:11:34.139 the world. Oftentimes, people will try to make the argument that God doesn't speak to us, that he's 00:11:34.139 --> 00:11:40.319 silent. If God is real, then it sure seems like he doesn't have a lot to say to us. And at the same 00:11:40.320 --> 00:11:45.200 time, there are many others that will say that God speaks to us through anything and everything. 00:11:45.700 --> 00:11:52.800 Every religion, every spiritual guru, everything is a crystal ball needing interpretation. And there is 00:11:52.800 --> 00:12:00.140 no one way that God speaks. Rather, he's an open channel, sending all kinds of messages in any number 00:12:00.140 --> 00:12:07.280 of avenues. Both of these are problematic. Both of these need to be corrected. The truth is, 00:12:07.279 --> 00:12:14.079 we have a God who does speak. And according to verse 2 here, at the present time, he has spoken 00:12:14.079 --> 00:12:22.240 fundamentally through Jesus. Michael Kruger notes that the author of Hebrews begins by showing that 00:12:22.240 --> 00:12:30.399 Christ is the superior revelation of God. In the first three verses, we see that Jesus is the best 00:12:30.399 --> 00:12:39.659 word from God we can get. He is the fullest, final, ultimate revelation from God. In fact, the revelation 00:12:39.659 --> 00:12:46.740 of God through the prophets was to pave the way for the coming Messiah. In fact, all the words that God 00:12:46.740 --> 00:12:53.519 had given through the prophets in the Old Testament, all of those words are paving the way, are making room, 00:12:53.699 --> 00:12:59.259 are making it available for us to see that Jesus is the fulfillment of everything. 00:12:59.259 --> 00:13:05.639 He's the long-awaited Messiah. Tim Keller once famously put it this way. He said, 00:13:05.799 --> 00:13:12.919 Jesus is the true and better Adam, who passed the test in the garden, and whose obedience is imputed to 00:13:12.919 --> 00:13:19.559 us. He says, Jesus is the true and better Abel, though innocently slain, has blood that now cries out, 00:13:20.019 --> 00:13:26.220 not for our condemnation, but for our acquittal. Jesus is the true and better Abraham, who answered the 00:13:26.220 --> 00:13:31.980 call of God, to leave all the comfortable and familiar, and to go out into the void, not knowing 00:13:31.980 --> 00:13:37.840 whether he would create a new people of God. Jesus is the true and better Isaac, who was not just 00:13:37.840 --> 00:13:44.500 offered up by his father on the mount, but was truly sacrificed for us. And when God said to Abraham, 00:13:44.759 --> 00:13:51.080 now I know you love me because you did not withhold your son, your only son, whom you love for me. 00:13:51.080 --> 00:13:57.620 Now we can look to God, taking his son to the mountain and sacrificing him and say, 00:13:58.020 --> 00:14:05.960 now we know that you love us because you did not withhold your son, your only son, whom you love from us. 00:14:06.620 --> 00:14:11.520 Jesus is the true and better Jacob, who wrestled and took the blow of justice we deserve. 00:14:11.920 --> 00:14:17.879 So we, like Jacob, not only receive the wounds of grace to wake us up and to discipline us. 00:14:17.879 --> 00:14:23.480 Jesus is the true and better Joseph, who at the right hand of the king forgives those who betrayed 00:14:23.480 --> 00:14:31.679 him and sold him and uses his new power to save them. Jesus is the true and better Moses, who stands 00:14:31.679 --> 00:14:37.860 in the gap between the people and the Lord and who mediates a new covenant. Jesus is the true and 00:14:37.860 --> 00:14:44.639 better Job, the truly innocent sufferer who intercedes for and saves his stupid friends. 00:14:44.639 --> 00:14:51.740 Jesus is the true and better David, whose victory becomes his people's victory, though they never 00:14:51.740 --> 00:14:59.240 lifted a stone to accomplish it. Jesus is the true and better Esther, who didn't just risk leaving an 00:14:59.240 --> 00:15:06.159 earthly palace, but lost the ultimate and heavenly one, who didn't just risk his life, but gave his life 00:15:06.159 --> 00:15:11.779 to save his people. Jesus is the true and better Jonah, who was cast out into the storm so that we could 00:15:11.779 --> 00:15:18.379 be brought in. Jesus is the real rock of Moses, the real Passover lamb, innocent, perfect, helpless, 00:15:18.579 --> 00:15:24.939 slain, so the angel of death will not pass over us. He is the true temple, the true prophet, the true 00:15:24.939 --> 00:15:32.659 priest, the true king, the true sacrifice, the true lamb, the true light, the true bread. You see, Jesus is 00:15:32.659 --> 00:15:40.019 all throughout the Old Testament and all of those prophets were paving the way for his coming. He truly is 00:15:40.019 --> 00:15:48.120 the fulfillment of everything. And so how did God speak long ago? It says that long ago that God spoke. 00:15:48.439 --> 00:15:55.819 Well, first we see that God is a God who speaks right from the beginning in creation. It says that God speaks 00:15:55.819 --> 00:16:04.079 the world into existence. He speaks at Acts and the Lord out of nothing. God speaks and everything is formed. 00:16:04.080 --> 00:16:10.980 But it also says here that at many times, in many ways, he spoke to us through the prophets. That is, 00:16:11.060 --> 00:16:16.759 that God used to speak through intermediaries. Not just anybody could speak for God. You had to be 00:16:16.759 --> 00:16:25.860 appointed as a prophet inspired by God to speak for him. These chosen individuals were God's mouthpieces 00:16:25.860 --> 00:16:33.820 for Israel in speaking to his people. The author is getting ready to tell us that Jesus is better than 00:16:33.820 --> 00:16:39.020 all of this. The author is getting ready to tell us that Jesus is better than this, but I don't 00:16:39.620 --> 00:16:46.379 want us to misunderstand what he's saying here. The author is not saying that the old way, 00:16:46.760 --> 00:16:51.860 the Old Testament is irrelevant or wrong. He's not saying that in any kind of shape or form. 00:16:52.260 --> 00:16:56.340 The words of Moses, the words of David, the words of Isaiah, the words of Jeremiah, 00:16:56.600 --> 00:17:02.080 the rest of the Old Testament, these words are inspired. These words are infallible. 00:17:02.080 --> 00:17:10.480 They are important. They're just incomplete. Think of it like this. They are a play without a final act. 00:17:10.960 --> 00:17:16.140 Has anybody in here ever gone to see a play before? Okay, many of us. How about a movie? 00:17:16.380 --> 00:17:20.400 I mean, I'm going to say, okay, there we go. More of us have seen a movie. And think of it like this. 00:17:20.519 --> 00:17:26.740 If you go to a play and there's acts in that play and you go through, let's say two out of three acts 00:17:26.740 --> 00:17:34.839 and you decide to leave, you're missing the final act. You know, there's nothing wrong or untrue about 00:17:34.839 --> 00:17:41.319 the first two acts, but you're just missing the final act. And so the final act is what brings all 00:17:41.319 --> 00:17:48.799 of it together. The final act is what helps us to understand the whole. And so when we see the New 00:17:48.799 --> 00:17:54.059 Testament and God speaking to us this way, we realize that this is the final act. This is the 00:17:54.059 --> 00:18:01.059 completion of the play here. Kruger reflecting on the Old Testament describes it this way. He says, 00:18:01.180 --> 00:18:08.740 it is a single coherent story that ends with a cliffhanger, a story that needs an ending. 00:18:09.500 --> 00:18:15.579 God spoke to his people and the cliffhanger is the promise to send a redeemer for them. 00:18:15.579 --> 00:18:23.639 When Jesus came, he resolved that cliffhanger. Now we see God's new way of speaking, but in these 00:18:23.639 --> 00:18:30.799 last days, he has spoken to us by his son. For generations, the Israelites have been eagerly 00:18:30.799 --> 00:18:38.059 waiting and longing for the last days. That special time when God would intervene in the world and would 00:18:38.059 --> 00:18:44.159 bring the redemption that he had promised. Well, the last days doesn't tell us how much time 00:18:44.160 --> 00:18:51.400 we have left, but rather the kind of time that we are living in. To say that we are living in the last 00:18:51.400 --> 00:18:57.680 days is to say that we live in the time before Jesus returns again. This is an incredible time. 00:18:57.779 --> 00:19:03.100 All those promises the Israelites have been waiting for for thousands of years, all of those things that 00:19:03.100 --> 00:19:08.779 they have been waiting for, all the things that they've been waiting, longing for God to do have now 00:19:08.779 --> 00:19:15.379 been completed in Christ. One commentator put this way, he says, this is a time not to put our feet up, 00:19:15.440 --> 00:19:22.000 but to spread the gospel faithfully. We're living in a time not to sit back and relax, but to share 00:19:22.000 --> 00:19:30.379 these words with a lost and dying world. The message that God has spoken to us in the last days is to us. 00:19:30.380 --> 00:19:40.680 It is for us. This message is not just a message for someone somewhere. This message is for us today as well. 00:19:41.360 --> 00:19:47.680 Rest assured, we are included in this. The major difference in how God spoke in the past and how he 00:19:47.680 --> 00:19:56.320 speaks now is how he speaks. In the past, God spoke through intermediaries, but now he has shown up in 00:19:56.319 --> 00:20:03.980 person. He's shown up in person and speaks. And so what we see here clearly is that Jesus is better 00:20:03.980 --> 00:20:09.559 than the prophets. But the next statement that I want us to look at and understand from this is that 00:20:09.559 --> 00:20:19.039 Jesus saves. Jesus speaks, but we also clearly see here that Jesus saves. Verse 3 says, he is the 00:20:19.039 --> 00:20:25.700 radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature. And he upholds the universe by the word 00:20:25.700 --> 00:20:31.640 of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high. 00:20:32.680 --> 00:20:37.299 Now, there is so much that we could be said about this passage, and we're going to hit on some of that 00:20:37.299 --> 00:20:42.660 a little bit later. But honestly, we could have spent several weeks just looking at the first three 00:20:42.660 --> 00:20:47.840 verses of this. Now, I know I would have had an uprising if we spent that much time going over just 00:20:47.840 --> 00:20:55.279 three verses. But there's so much rich theological truth that we find in this passage. 00:20:55.700 --> 00:21:00.180 There's so much that could be said here, and we're going to focus on some of that here in just a 00:21:00.180 --> 00:21:05.400 moment. But but for the time being, let's look at the end of verse three. It says, after making 00:21:05.400 --> 00:21:13.539 purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high. I want you to put yourself 00:21:13.539 --> 00:21:19.319 in the shoes of those first century Jewish Christians that would have heard these words. 00:21:19.319 --> 00:21:26.720 what this is saying is that Jesus has achieved what all of Israel have been longing for throughout the 00:21:26.720 --> 00:21:35.679 generations, the real, full and final forgiveness of sins. Their understanding that Jesus brings the 00:21:35.679 --> 00:21:42.759 real, full and final forgiveness of sins. This is all the more amazing in light of all the things that 00:21:42.759 --> 00:21:48.119 were just declared about Jesus, that he is the ruler of the world, the radiance of the glory of God, 00:21:48.119 --> 00:21:55.219 the exact imprint of God's nature. This is the one that we have offended. And now he's bringing 00:21:55.219 --> 00:22:02.939 salvation to us. But the good news doesn't stop here. It's really easy for us to miss this. But the 00:22:02.939 --> 00:22:09.879 text says that he sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high. In the Old Testament, while the 00:22:09.879 --> 00:22:16.739 priests were doing their work, making sacrifices for the sins of the people, they never sat down. 00:22:16.740 --> 00:22:23.359 They never sat down. In fact, there wasn't a chair for them. Why? Why wasn't there a chair for them? 00:22:23.859 --> 00:22:30.359 Because their work was never complete. Their work was never done. They were constantly having to make 00:22:30.359 --> 00:22:38.960 sacrifices for the people. Peter O'Brien notes, he says, that Christ sat down as priest after his work 00:22:38.960 --> 00:22:46.660 of purification for sins shows that his work was finished. Do you know what the word finish means? 00:22:47.920 --> 00:22:54.700 It means done. It means it's complete. It means it means it's finished. It means there's nothing left 00:22:54.700 --> 00:23:01.019 to do. If something is finished, then it means that there's nothing you and I can do to add to it or to 00:23:01.019 --> 00:23:07.819 take away from it. It's complete. It's done. And if you're saved, then your sins, past, present, and future 00:23:07.819 --> 00:23:14.740 are paid for by Christ. There's nothing that you can do to make God love you anymore. There's nothing 00:23:14.740 --> 00:23:20.619 you can do to make God love you any less. Because if you could do something to make God love you more, 00:23:20.680 --> 00:23:25.119 then that would mean there's something you can add to what Christ said is finished, is complete. 00:23:25.119 --> 00:23:29.979 And if there was something that you could do to take away from what Christ has done for you, then it 00:23:29.979 --> 00:23:36.199 would mean that it wasn't finished. It wasn't complete. It wasn't accomplished. This is the part 00:23:36.199 --> 00:23:43.439 of the good news that makes Romans 8 come alive when we read it. This is the part that just that makes it 00:23:43.439 --> 00:23:49.159 come alive when we read it. When it says, what then shall we say in all these things? If God is for us, 00:23:49.159 --> 00:23:54.639 who can be against us? He who did not spare his own son, but gave him up for us, 00:23:54.640 --> 00:24:01.540 how will he not also graciously give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? 00:24:01.840 --> 00:24:07.420 It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died. More than that 00:24:07.420 --> 00:24:15.400 was raised. Who is at the right hand? Who indeed is interceding for us? Who shall separate us from 00:24:15.400 --> 00:24:22.520 the love of Christ? Shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or 00:24:22.519 --> 00:24:27.839 sword as it is written? For your sake we are being killed all the day long. We are regarded as sheep 00:24:27.839 --> 00:24:36.319 to be slaughtered. No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I 00:24:36.319 --> 00:24:42.379 am sure that neither death nor life nor angels nor rulers nor things present nor things that come nor 00:24:42.379 --> 00:24:48.980 powers nor height nor depth nor anything else in all of creation will be able to separate us from the 00:24:48.980 --> 00:24:58.559 love of God and Christ Jesus our Lord. Because our great and glorious high priest is seated at the 00:24:58.559 --> 00:25:04.920 right hand of God, it means that his work is done and it means there's nothing that can take us away 00:25:04.920 --> 00:25:11.420 from God. It means there's nothing that can separate us from him. It means the power that sin had over our 00:25:11.420 --> 00:25:21.060 lives is powerless now. It means that God loves us. It means that work is complete. And it is what gives 00:25:21.060 --> 00:25:27.000 us the boldness to say that for I am sure that neither death nor life nor angels nor rulers nor things 00:25:27.000 --> 00:25:33.140 present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor anything else in all of creation will be able to 00:25:33.140 --> 00:25:41.019 separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. And so the final statement that I want to draw 00:25:41.019 --> 00:25:50.680 our attention to is this, that Jesus is superior. Jesus is superior. Jesus speaks, Jesus saves, and Jesus is 00:25:50.680 --> 00:25:59.119 superior. Having become as much superior to the angels as the name he inherited is more excellent than theirs. 00:26:00.079 --> 00:26:06.279 You see, for the remainder of the chapter, the author is making the case that Jesus is superior to the 00:26:06.279 --> 00:26:12.940 angels. Kruger notes, he says, in the context in which this letter was originally written, the Jewish audiences were 00:26:12.940 --> 00:26:21.319 also chasing around after other things, being more impressed by them than by Jesus. And today we're doing the same 00:26:21.319 --> 00:26:28.000 thing. We're trying to chase around all kinds of things. We're impressed with job security. We're impressed with 00:26:28.000 --> 00:26:36.180 money. We're impressed with houses and cars and any number of things. And one of the things that the early 00:26:36.180 --> 00:26:44.019 church was particularly impressed with was angels. Al Mohler notes, he says, many people in Israel considered 00:26:44.019 --> 00:26:53.380 angels to be both God's messenger and Israel's protectors. Many Jews looked to angels as those who would come as the 00:26:53.380 --> 00:27:02.560 army of God to rescue and vindicate the nation. And so angels were not seen as little, little naked babies flying around 00:27:02.559 --> 00:27:09.259 with wings that a lot of times we see them as today or depicted in artwork. That's not how these angels would 00:27:09.259 --> 00:27:13.720 have been seen. That's not how they would have been pictured. They would have been pictured as strong. They 00:27:13.720 --> 00:27:19.899 would have been pictured as terrifying. In fact, when you look through the Bible, almost every time that an 00:27:19.899 --> 00:27:24.879 angel appears on the scene, you know what the first words out of the angel's mouth is? Don't be afraid. 00:27:24.880 --> 00:27:31.240 Evidently, there was something terrifying and strong and powerful about the angels when they were coming 00:27:31.240 --> 00:27:37.420 on the scene. And these people were looking to them as a source of hope and salvation. Some of the 00:27:37.420 --> 00:27:44.000 literature at the time also attest to the rise of the notion of personal angels or guardian angels. 00:27:44.340 --> 00:27:52.080 There was a real fascination with angels that the author was clearly wanting to communicate that Jesus is 00:27:52.079 --> 00:27:59.519 far better than them. Jesus is far superior to this. Now, we don't typically put the same emphasis on angels 00:27:59.519 --> 00:28:07.039 today, but the point the author is making for us is this. He's saying, don't be so easily impressed 00:28:07.039 --> 00:28:14.899 with the things of this world, because once you see Jesus in his glory, the things of this world 00:28:14.900 --> 00:28:24.480 pale in comparison. They pale in comparison to who Jesus is. He is superior to all things. 00:28:25.580 --> 00:28:28.500 You know, have you ever noticed that some people are really easy to impress? 00:28:29.460 --> 00:28:34.960 Some people, they just get impressed with the next shiny thing that's in front of them. When my kids 00:28:34.960 --> 00:28:41.140 were growing up, they were easily impressed. In fact, they thought I was the greatest at any number 00:28:41.140 --> 00:28:45.480 of things. They thought that daddy could impress them. He could just throw them up in the air. 00:28:45.820 --> 00:28:51.200 He could do the coolest magic tricks. At the time, I was the best athlete they had ever seen. 00:28:51.480 --> 00:28:57.460 They were impressed with everything. Now, nothing impresses them. Nothing. Well, except for a short 00:28:57.460 --> 00:29:05.520 sermon that still impresses Jacob. And well, he's not impressed today. But most people are looking at the 00:29:05.519 --> 00:29:12.240 world and trying to be impressed. Most people are looking out of the world and they're trying to be 00:29:12.240 --> 00:29:17.839 impressed. When we are younger, everything impresses us. But as we get older, we require bigger things to 00:29:17.839 --> 00:29:25.220 impress. But the book of Hebrews tells us not to be so easily impressed with this world. When we begin to 00:29:25.220 --> 00:29:33.619 see Jesus in his fullness, we realize what we have been focused on is nothing compared to him. 00:29:33.619 --> 00:29:40.019 And so as we close right here, I want us to pause for just a moment and think about these first three 00:29:40.019 --> 00:29:49.239 verses. Look back at those first three verses. Long ago and many times and in many ways, God spoke to 00:29:49.239 --> 00:29:57.000 our fathers by the prophets. But in these last days, he has spoken to us by his son, whom he appointed 00:29:57.000 --> 00:30:05.720 the heir of all things, through whom he also created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God 00:30:05.720 --> 00:30:12.180 and the exact imprint of his nature. And he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making 00:30:12.180 --> 00:30:21.019 purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high. It truly is amazing to think 00:30:21.019 --> 00:30:28.480 about the statements made about Christ in these verses. Numerous commentators note the theological 00:30:28.480 --> 00:30:36.359 density of these first three verses. How so much is said about Christ in such a short period of space 00:30:36.359 --> 00:30:43.740 here. And I encourage you this week, take some time, go back and read and reread and reread these first 00:30:43.740 --> 00:30:51.339 few verses of Hebrews. Reflect on what we are told about who Christ is. You see, in just a few words, 00:30:51.420 --> 00:30:58.059 we're reminded of a number of things. In just a few words, we're reminded that Christ is the Son of God. 00:30:58.819 --> 00:31:05.539 We're reminded that Christ is the revelation of God. That he is the fulfillment of God's revelation in the 00:31:05.539 --> 00:31:12.680 Old Testament. Where he's the heir of all things. He is the agent of creation. Now I realize we're 00:31:12.680 --> 00:31:17.660 jumping into some deep waters here, but what is revealed here as well as other places in scripture 00:31:17.660 --> 00:31:25.960 is that the Father through the Son accomplished creation and continues to sustain it. We're told 00:31:25.960 --> 00:31:32.500 here that he is the radiance of God's glory. He is the expression of God's nature. He is the preserver of 00:31:32.500 --> 00:31:39.700 all creation. He is the purifier of God's people. He is the mediator for God's people. We are told very 00:31:39.700 --> 00:31:48.539 clearly that Jesus is the Son of God. The long awaited Messiah who came to seek and save the lost. 00:31:49.539 --> 00:31:54.279 And so whatever you're looking to, to find fulfillment, whatever you're looking to, to find 00:31:54.279 --> 00:32:04.779 purpose, to satisfaction, salvation, Jesus is better. Let me say it another way. Jesus is not the only, 00:32:04.779 --> 00:32:13.420 this is not only a better way. Jesus is the only way. He's the only way to the Father. And so maybe you're 00:32:13.420 --> 00:32:19.940 here today and for the first time you're seeing that Jesus is better. And Jesus is the only way to the 00:32:19.940 --> 00:32:26.099 Father. And whatever it is that you've been giving your life to, to try to find salvation, you're realizing 00:32:26.099 --> 00:32:34.500 very clearly that Jesus is the only way. And maybe today you need to give your life to him. Maybe you've spent 00:32:34.500 --> 00:32:41.480 however many years trying to be impressed by things of this world, by spending all of your time, your 00:32:41.480 --> 00:32:48.680 resources, your energy, your efforts on things of this world, trying to get more, to impress yourself, 00:32:48.779 --> 00:32:55.099 to impress others, to just trying to be so focused on things of this world. And maybe today's the day 00:32:55.099 --> 00:33:04.899 that you need to refocus and understand that Jesus is superior to everything. There's nothing in this 00:33:04.899 --> 00:33:11.579 life that Jesus isn't better than. You could add up everything in this world and still it would pale 00:33:11.579 --> 00:33:20.599 in comparison to who Jesus is. And so let me encourage you today, as we look, as we begin to study the book of 00:33:20.599 --> 00:33:30.959 Hebrews, give your life to better. Give your life to that which is superior. Give your life to Jesus. 00:33:31.519 --> 00:33:39.699 Father, thank you so very much for who you are. Lord, we thank you that we begin to get a glimpse of who 00:33:39.699 --> 00:33:45.779 you are here in these verses. Lord, we begin to just get a small snippet of who you are. And so, Lord, 00:33:45.779 --> 00:33:52.579 I pray that as we see just that small part of who you are, Lord, that it would reveal to us that you 00:33:52.579 --> 00:33:57.960 are so much greater than anything we could ever imagine. And so, Lord, I pray that you be with us 00:33:57.960 --> 00:34:05.759 today. Help us to give our life to things that matter. Help us give our life to you. Help us to 00:34:05.759 --> 00:34:12.000 focus our attention, everything that we have, on glorifying your name because you and you alone 00:34:12.000 --> 00:34:19.000 are worthy. We ask all this in Jesus' name. Amen. I'm going to invite you to stand. We're going to sing 00:34:19.000 --> 00:34:23.679 a song of invitation here. If God is speaking to you this morning, won't you respond as we stand together 00:34:23.679 --> 00:34:38.199 and sing? How deep the Father's love for us. How blessed beyond all measure that He should give His only Son 00:34:38.199 --> 00:34:52.500 to make a wretch His treasure. How gray the pain of searing loss. The Father turns His face away 00:34:52.500 --> 00:35:11.900 as wounds which mar the chosen one, bring many sons to glory. Behold the man upon the cross, I sit upon His shoulders. 00:35:12.500 --> 00:35:21.900 Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice, call out among the scoffers. 00:35:22.500 --> 00:35:36.559 It was my sin that held Him there until it was accomplished. His dying breath has brought me life. 00:35:37.139 --> 00:35:40.840 I know that it is finished. 00:35:40.840 --> 00:35:51.000 How wonderful it is to know that it is finished. That when Jesus says it's done, it's finished, it's accomplished, He means it's done. 00:35:51.480 --> 00:35:58.320 There's nothing that we can do to add to our salvation. There's nothing we can do to take away from it. And praise God, 00:35:58.420 --> 00:36:05.740 there's not because if it was up to us, we would fail over and over again. But Jesus says it's accomplished. 00:36:05.739 --> 00:36:13.339 It's finished. It's done. And that is what we can rest in. And so it's my prayer that as we leave here today, 00:36:13.719 --> 00:36:21.599 as we begin to go to our Sunday school classes, as we begin to step out into the mission field that God has called us to be at this point in our lives, 00:36:21.679 --> 00:36:28.000 that we would go out with that confidence of knowing that we were bought and paid for with a price, 00:36:28.000 --> 00:36:34.599 and there's nothing that can take us away from the Father. And let us live in light of that each and every day. 00:36:35.139 --> 00:36:42.239 Live in light of knowing that Jesus is better. He is far more worthy than anything in this life. 00:36:43.019 --> 00:36:47.239 Lord, thank You so very much for that hope, for that promise that we have, 00:36:47.639 --> 00:36:53.440 that You have accomplished what we couldn't accomplish, the full final forgiveness of our sins. 00:36:53.440 --> 00:37:00.019 And so Lord, help us to live in light of that each and every day. We ask all of this in Jesus' name. Amen.