You are listening to a message from Southwood Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, Alabama.
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That is what we want to do all the time, every time we're together, to turn our eyes upon Jesus.
That's why our very first commitment as a church is that we're committed to being Christ-centered.
Always to be depending upon Him, honoring Him, keeping Him central to our lives.
And so as we start a new year, of course, we want to keep the main thing, the main thing.
And the main thing, I hope this is not a surprise to you at this point, the main thing is Jesus and our relationship with Him.
He is worthy of our attention, of our affection.
Even more than that, though, He's the one that we desperately need, isn't He?
Even when we're not sure that's true.
And that's what Paul, or another early church leader, wants to say to the Hebrews.
These Christians in the first century who were starting to get really discouraged.
Perhaps because persecution of Christ followers was ramping up.
Perhaps because following Jesus hadn't made their lives easier or more successful all of a sudden.
Perhaps because they never really grasped the centrality of Jesus.
Whatever the case, the writer sends to them a sermon.
That's really the form that this letter takes.
It's a sermon to say, stick with Jesus.
He is the one that you need.
He is greater than anything else.
Anything you might consider.
Don't consider self-reliance.
Even if you're considering other gods.
Even if you're considering giving up.
No, Jesus is greater.
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, He says.
Let's do that.
Not just turn them for a glance at Christmastime.
We enjoy doing that.
But let's keep them on Him.
Yes, yes, again, in case you're wondering.
Yes, another one of those sermons.
Yes.
Keep your eyes fixed on Him.
Like a little child not wanting to lose sight of his mother.
Jesus, Jesus, keeping my eyes fixed on Him.
Pastor Andrew Murray says that the writer of Hebrews unceasingly placed their weakness and Christ's person side by side.
He was sure that if they knew Christ, all would be well.
Man, I would love that if someone felt that way about my sermons.
My whole life and ministry for that matter.
Our need and Christ's provision.
Our insufficiency and Christ's sufficiency side by side all the time in every moment.
Because if we have Jesus, no matter what happens, all will be well.
These next few months, we're going to be looking at the book of Hebrews.
Yes, I said months.
It takes a while.
We're going to be looking at how Jesus is greater than anything else.
I really love creative people who can picture so well for us.
This message, even that alligator mouth that you might remember from math class that's right there beside Jesus.
It means greater than for those of you who've been out of math for a while.
This is going to be in front of us so that we see, even as you see all sorts of things on this right side that Jesus is greater than,
and maybe you'll see some things in your own heart that you can put over there.
It's going to be a reminder for us visually.
I'm going to seek to keep that reality in front of us with spoken words as I preach.
But let's especially ask God to write the truth of the greatness of Jesus on each of our hearts as we listen to his word in Hebrews.
Let's pray together before we open God's word.
Father, we are people who've heard of Jesus.
Many who've loved Jesus, who've even this morning sung to Jesus.
But you know we have hearts that are so prone to wander, to sleeping.
We have eyes distracted by many things.
We have minds that are prone to look for life and all sorts of things in this world.
Father, we have an enemy, you know this, who wants us to believe that Jesus is not enough.
And so would you open our minds, our eyes, our hearts afresh, turn our eyes upon Jesus.
Even today, even in these moments, even as we open your word, would it show us your written word, show us your living word.
We ask it in his name.
Amen.
The introduction to the sermon to the Hebrews.
Right here immediately, the theme and some of the most wonderful realities in all of the Bible, in all the world.
Hebrews 1.
Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets.
But in these last days, he has spoken to us by his son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.
He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature.
And he upholds the universe by the word of his power.
After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high.
Don't miss the wonder of these opening words.
It's that the God of the universe speaks to us.
He speaks.
He's not hiding himself from you.
Even if you feel that way this morning or you've felt that way before, he is communicating.
He is revealing himself.
He is speaking.
He's initiating relationship with you.
If that's something that you think you might want here at the beginning of a new year for the first time or in a way you've kind of lost sight of for a while, just know you're not in competition with him for that.
He wants that too.
He speaks to us.
He wants relationship with you.
But up to the point in history of the first Christmas, he has spoken in a variety of ways through creation, through human messengers, all offering these little bits and pieces, glimpses of who God is, of how to relate to him, of what the good life is about.
I mean, Yahweh's Old Testament people could certainly know him, okay?
But only from a limited perspective.
Many of you like me have already made it to the gym in the past few days or maybe you're thinking, this is the week I'm going to do it.
I'm going to start a new workout program or a new diet or whatever it is.
Maybe there's a fitness or nutrition expert that you follow.
And you have her program for a new you.
Perhaps you've even adopted her philosophy of life, whatever it is, you know, that the good life is eating green stuff and waking up early and walking backwards and that will make you who you want to be.
Whatever it is, you've got that philosophy.
But if a program or a philosophy is all you have,
you don't really have all you need to know that person, do you?
To be like that person that you'd like to be like.
You don't know how they adjust when they work your job
or when they strain a muscle.
You don't have someone there with you to drag you out of bed
when your alarm goes off and you hit snooze again
or to spot you when you can't lift all the weight.
You don't understand how they deal with the emotions of feeling
like all of the effort you're putting in to become a new person
just isn't really making any difference.
How would she respond?
What would she say?
How would she do it?
You don't know.
Unless that person shows up and starts living with you.
You know, moves in as a roommate sort of situation in your world.
Unless that happens, you're going to remain limited, right?
Imagine the difference if she moved in with you,
if she worked with you,
if she worked out with you,
if she worked through emotions with you.
You really got to know the real her,
not just the Instagram version.
Wouldn't that make a difference?
A relationship with a person
takes you well beyond a mere program or philosophy, right?
The writer means something very similar to that
here at the beginning of Hebrews.
He's saying, look, God through the prophets
has given us the program,
the philosophy for life,
for the good life with him,
but pieces here and there of what Yahweh is like,
of how we relate to him.
But it's like staring at the half-finished puzzle
maybe you did over the holidays.
And you're just not sure where all the pieces fit together.
Until Jesus,
until the Son of God,
God shows up in a person.
Now this is it.
Not merely the last piece in the puzzle,
but truly the puzzle box top, right?
That's what's happening.
He moves in with us.
And God repeatedly says,
listen to him.
I am speaking,
God says,
the word made flesh.
Here it is in,
we're in the last days,
the dividing line of human history.
They've come.
It's when God himself
enters into the world that he's made.
Isn't this beautiful?
Aren't we so thankful
that now we have a person
to reveal God to us,
to show us who he is,
how he responds,
what it's like to relate to him.
Jesus is God's best word to us.
The ultimate way that he shows us who he is,
how we know him.
He is everything God wanted to say to the world
wrapped up in a person.
Glenn Scrivener says.
We get a person, right?
We get a relationship.
Now that's a wonderful reality.
And it's a hard reality.
See,
see that personal revelation
means that we don't get to make up
who God is,
do we?
We don't get to say what he's like.
He is who he is
and who he tells us
and shows us
in Jesus.
And we have to adapt
our understanding
and our lives
to that reality,
that personal reality
in order to have a relationship
with him,
a person.
See,
once the fitness expert
moves in with you
and sleeps through the alarm
twice a week,
you can't say,
well,
I like to think of her
as someone who never sleeps
through her alarm.
You wouldn't be relating
to the real her,
would you?
We can't have a relationship
with the real,
just,
and holy God
if we say,
well,
I like to think of him
as just loving.
We have to deal
with who he really is,
who Jesus has shown him
to be.
See,
God's saying here
in Hebrews 1
that not only is no further
revelation of him
needed,
no further revelation
of him is helpful,
is allowed.
It's not a vision
of Muhammad
or of Joseph Smith
or your friend.
That's not the last word.
It's not a way
that you like to think of him.
That's not the last word
about God.
It's not a conclusion
that you draw
from decades of life experience
about what God's like.
No,
that's not the last word
about God.
The eternal God
enters into time
and space
to speak to us
finally
and fully
who he is
and how we relate
to him.
So now,
in order to have
relationship with him,
we have to adapt
to that personal reality,
that ultimate truth
to shape our lives
based on him,
on Jesus,
not on our own ideas.
In these last days,
he has spoken
to us
by his son,
this unique person
who alone
reveals God
to us.
Listen
to him.
Okay,
you see where he's
pointing us?
This sermon
points us
to Jesus,
God's best word
to the Hebrews.
Right here at the outset,
he holds Jesus up
in just a couple
of verses.
He helps us
to marvel
at his unique
greatness.
The preacher
gives us
six,
seven
brilliant facets
of who Jesus is.
Thank you,
kids.
Yes.
Come on.
I couldn't
help it.
I mean,
I really honestly
couldn't decide
whether to group
it as six
or seven
and most sermons
only have three
points,
so how often
do you get
to bring it up?
Sorry,
kids.
Kids,
that's meant
to make you
laugh,
right?
You understand
the intent
of that?
I want you
to understand
the intent
of the verses
we're about
to read.
What we're
about to read
is meant
to make you
go,
wow,
to marvel,
to wonder
at who Jesus
is,
to worship
him,
okay?
Don't miss
these things.
Stay with me
for a few minutes.
I want you
to fill in
these seven
blanks,
okay?
Six if you
prefer,
but there's
seven in your
outline,
and I want
you to write
beside each
one of them
something to
help you
remember what
it means.
pay attention,
don't miss
these things.
Let's turn
our eyes
upon Jesus.
Why is it
that he is
so worthy
of our attention
as God's
best word?
In these
last days,
he has
spoken
to us.
Amazing.
He's spoken
to us.
Listen,
he's speaking
to you
by his
son,
whom he
appointed
the heir
of all
things.
The heir
is the one
who owns,
for whom
the things
exist,
right?
In this
case,
which
things?
All
things.
The nations,
the ends
of the
earth,
the galaxies,
the plants
and animals,
you and
me.
Jesus
holds the
right to
control and
to use for
his purposes
all human
intelligence,
all governmental
power,
even all evil
forces in the
whole universe.
for from
him and
through him
and to
him are
all things,
Romans 11.
All things
created by
him and
for
him.
Jesus,
y'all,
is why we
exist.
It's for
him.
That's how
worthy he
is of
all things,
so certainly
of my
worship,
of my
time,
of my
obedience,
of my
love.
Jesus is
also the
creator
through whom
he created
the world.
Not only
for him,
but by
him all
things created,
Colossians 1.
Without him,
nothing was
made that
has been
made.
That's John
1, right?
He made
all of it.
You may
have thought
more often
of Jesus
as a
baby in
a manger,
especially
recently.
But long
before Jesus
became
flesh,
he created
all flesh.
He spoke
life and
time and
space into
existence.
He made
galaxies
appear where
there were no
galaxies.
he spoke
them and
they were.
But that's
something only
God can
do, right?
You're
exactly
right.
These next
two facets
are connected
as they help
us gaze at
Jesus'
divinity.
He is the
radiance of
God's glory
and the
exact imprint
of his
nature.
The radiance
of God's
glory like
the rays
of the
sun.
The same
substance,
the same
essence,
but the
way that
we experience
and feel
and see
sun is
through the
rays,
right?
Jesus is
the same
essence of
God,
fully God,
the way
we experience
his
Godness,
his glory.
Now hold
on.
This is
frightening,
especially to
a Jewish
person reading
this letter.
This is the
glory that
was the most
intimidating
force in the
whole Old
Testament,
expressed in
the Old
Testament only
partially,
but burning
in a fiery
cloud,
right?
stopping
whole armies
in their
tracks,
entering the
temple and
literally knocking
people onto
the ground,
utterly
overwhelming
them,
even with
the partial
glory.
The most
inescapable,
unavoidable,
insurmountable
reality in the
universe,
God's glory.
When John
gets even a
vision in
revelation,
Jesus is like
the sun
shining at
full strength.
Can't look
to the point
that John
falls down
as though
dead.
And now,
the radiance
of God's
glory.
We have
seen his
glory,
right?
When the
word became
flesh,
we felt the
fullness of it
in the face of
Jesus Christ,
this inescapable
reality.
Don't get away
from it.
You don't need
to.
Don't want
to.
He's the way
we experience
the full
reality of
God.
And he's
the representation
as well as
the radiance.
He's the
perfect image
of the
invisible
God,
Colossians 1.
The way you
see what you
otherwise can't
see.
The word
here in
Hebrews is
character.
It's the
character like
a coin
impression,
right,
of a face.
It is the
actual face
like a wax
seal.
It's exactly
what's there.
It can't be
different in
any way from
the thing
making the
impression.
It's an
exact imprint,
a perfect
representation.
God is not
revealing himself
through Jesus
halfway.
Or with
any misleading
confusion or
any magic
tricks.
No.
Jesus is the
incomprehensibly
divine
other
made
knowable,
visible,
tangible
to us.
Why?
So that we
can somehow
have relationship
with someone
otherwise utterly
beyond and
above and
apart from and
different from
us.
Jesus says,
if you've seen
me,
you've seen the
Father.
Wow.
Then show us
more of Jesus,
right?
Okay.
He upholds the
universe
by the word
of his
power.
I hope you're
beginning to feel
some sense of
amazement.
I don't know
which one of
these is more
amazing.
That he once
upon a time
created it all.
That's amazing.
or that now
he for
millennia
has held
it all
together.
Every molecule,
every atom,
every cell,
every body
held together
by the word
of his
power.
He's the
sustainer.
He's constantly
speaking things
into continuing
existence.
Actively
engaged
with this
world
or it
would crumble
in an
instant.
Mountains
would
disintegrate.
Stars
would
disappear.
Oceans
would
evaporate.
Gravity
would
cease.
And yet
in Jesus
all
things
hold
together.
Isn't it
good news
that there's
more than
random chance,
more
even
than a
powerful
force
that keeps
things
spinning,
that holding
things
together
toward a
purposeful
end
is a
person.
A person
actively
involved
in shaping
it all.
Even the
parts of
your life
that seem
absolutely
to be
spinning out
of control.
We all
have parts
of our life
like that.
they may
be
beyond
your
control.
They're
not
beyond
His.
Don't
we need
to know
that?
Can you
process
that with
that place
in your
life right
now?
That He
upholds
the
universe
and
our
little
corner
of His
world
by the
word of
His
power.
He's
holding it
together.
the next
sentence.
After
making
purification
for sins.
Just stop
right there.
It's almost
mentioned in
passing what
He does
with all
His glory,
divinity,
perfection,
and power.
He makes
purification
for sins.
Y'all,
that is a
huge
statement.
Don't
miss this.
He is
the
Savior.
Okay?
That's
number
six.
Savior.
Or to
be more
specific to
this text,
He's the
cleaner.
This
past week,
I cleaned
a kitchen
floor.
Don't
get too
excited.
I'm not
great at
cleaning.
But
occasionally,
I help.
A floor
that has
been subject
recently to
extra foot
traffic through
the holidays.
things,
especially
from little
kids.
Extra
baking in
the kitchen,
extra coffee
spilled and
animal hair
shed and
dust blown
in.
You know
the stuff
that gets
on floors.
You should
have seen
the rag
that I
wrung out
afterwards.
Oh,
filthy,
disgusting.
part of
it was so
nasty,
I just
threw the
rag away
rather than
trying to
get it
clean to
use again.
See,
in order
for one
thing to
become
clean,
something
else has
to get
dirty,
doesn't
it?
For the
floor to
be purified,
the rag
had to
take all
of the
impurities
onto it.
Transfer to
spiritual
reality,
sin is
cosmic
level
filth.
Yes?
Devastating
dirt beyond
what we can
handle,
beyond anything
we've seen
on a rag.
It makes a
mess of
every person
and of
all of
creation
until
Jesus
makes
purification
for sins.
The pure
one,
the righteous
one,
is the
propitiation,
1 John 2,
the atonement,
the one
to take
the dirt,
the sacrifice
to cover
and wipe
away the
filth of
all
our
sins.
Y'all,
that's a
massive
undertaking.
For all
have
sinned,
Romans 3,
fallen far
short of
God's
glory and
purity,
and yet
there's a
savior,
a redeemer,
a justifier
who becomes
sin,
who takes
the dirt
of our
sin in
his own
body on
the cross
so that
the impure
becomes
purified.
Listen,
please know
this,
don't go into
this year
thinking wrongly.
you're not
left this
year with
a cleaning
program to
fix your
life.
You're not
being left
with a
philosophy on
how to shine
brighter in
2026.
Please know
that is not
what Jesus
gives you.
You have
a person,
a savior,
who comes to
make you
clean.
He's come.
He's made
purification for
sins.
Praise
Jesus.
Amen.
Finally,
after doing
all of that
life-changing,
eternity-changing
work on our
behalf,
he sat down
at the right
hand of the
majesty on
high.
In other
words,
he's resting
and he's
ruling.
Your heads
all go down
when the last
blank comes
up.
Got it.
Check.
All right.
Sermon over.
No.
No,
listen.
He's seated.
It's not far
from over.
It's just not
quite over.
It is
finished,
is what that
means.
The work of
making purification
for sins is
finally complete.
See,
there were no
seats anywhere
in the Old
Testament temple
because the
work of the
priests was
never done.
The sacrifices
were ongoing,
never finished,
never enough
in themselves.
But Jesus
offers his
sacrifice for
sins and he
sits down
to rest.
But not off
on a cushy
sofa
somewhere.
Where's he
sitting?
on the
throne of
heaven,
at the
right hand
of God
himself in
all his
glory so
that we
will know
he's ruling
actively over
everything.
Yes,
he's holding it
all together,
but it's not
merely keeping
things spinning.
Now we realize
in his greatness
and glory,
he is the
king.
As we see
in Revelation,
the kingdom
of this world
has become
the kingdom
of our
Lord and
of his
Christ
and he
shall reign
forever
and ever.
Jesus,
the radiance
of God
himself is
not only
the prophet
that we need
to show
and tell us
the truth
about God.
He's not
only the
priest we
need to
make the
perfect
sacrifice
for our
sins,
but he's
also the
king that
we need
to make
protection,
defense for
us,
to lead
and reign
over us
so that we
can depend
upon and
follow and
trust someone
who really
does have
the glory,
the worth,
the power
to be counted
on in any
and every
circumstance.
Turn your
eyes upon
Jesus.
Jesus,
he is more
than any
of us can
take in,
isn't he?
That was a
really quick
run through,
just several
pieces of
who he is.
Every one
of those
alone
boggles
our minds,
right?
The heir,
the creator,
the radiance,
the representation,
the sustainer,
the savior,
the ruler,
all of them
together
in one
person,
and that
one person
has come
to us
so that we
might know
and love
and live
with him.
Y'all,
it's too
much to
take in.
It's too
good to be
true.
It's too
wonderful to
express.
yes.
But don't
because of
that turn
away.
Don't
think,
wow,
that's a
lot,
Jesus,
and turn
away and
settle for
dabbling in
football
or fitness,
finance,
fashion.
God's going
to keep
telling us,
fix your
eyes on
Jesus.
Today,
this year,
always.
As we get
started in
Hebrews,
I want each
of us to
consider our
own hearts
and lives
before such
a Jesus
as is revealed
here.
Bigger
than what
you may have
considered
before.
Is he not
too mighty
to relegate
to a
personal
assistant
who just
kind of
runs and
coordinates
your agenda
for your
life?
is he not
too
magnificent
to relegate
to an
afterthought
in your
busy days?
Everything
else we
obsess over,
pursue
passionately,
prioritize in
our lives is
less glorious,
less worthy,
less wonderful.
is he not
too expansive
to relegate
to some
side dish
that you
get to
taste
some days
or some
weeks
or in
some
situations
when you
feel like
it?
You can't
live without
him.
You weren't
made to
live without
him.
He won't
have you
living
without
him.
I've
realized
lately in
my own
life and
in talking
with some
of you
that there's
a common
reason that
we get
weary,
that we
consider
giving up,
that we
conclude that
we're
disappointed
or we're
disenchanted
with life
or with the
Christian life,
just,
and it's
not,
as you
might think,
that we
strive for
too much.
It's that
we settle
for too
little.
Many days
we settle
for less
than Jesus
as a result
less than
full glory,
full radiance,
full rest
that he
provides
and is
to us.
There's
good news
for people
like us.
Just like
for the
Hebrews,
there's
something
better.
See,
this God
who demands
that we
adapt to
him,
to who
he reveals
himself to
be,
in order to
have relationship
with the real
God,
remember?
We have to
take him
for who he
is personally
to relate
to him.
he's also
adapted to
us.
In order
to have
relationship
with real
sinners,
the holy
God
adapted
himself
to sinners,
if you will.
Not by
demanding we
get it
together,
y'all fix
it.
Not by
demanding we
become something
else,
but by sending
his son to
earth and
to the
cross to
make us
holy and
make us
his,
to invite
us into
the meaningful
life that
we're made
to enjoy.
That's what
he's done.
He's adapted
to us that
we might know
and have
relationship with
him.
Wherever you
are today,
Jesus is
greater.
He's
greater than
exhausting
yourself in
religious
performance,
hoping to
attract God's
attention.
No.
He's
greater than
desperately
trying to
find life
in the
possessions
and experiences
of this
world.
He's
greater than
dabbling in
Christianity
while assuming
real intellectual
meat is
outside the
things of
God.
He's
greater than
drifting through
life aimlessly
with God as
some distant
unknown concept.
he's
greater than
seeking to
avoid
insignificance
or aging
or limitations,
ultimately
death.
He's
greater than
routines and
rituals that
seem disconnected
from your
daily realities.
He's more
than that.
He's greater
than a
reservation or
fire insurance
for one day
someday.
Oh, he's more
than that.
He's greater
than a bullet
on your resume
as you navigate
life.
looking for
significance
somewhere else.
He's greater
than living
overwhelmed by
guilt and
shame and
just seeking
to numb or
cover or
ignore those
feelings.
He's
greater.
Jesus is
the heir of
all things,
the creator of
the world.
He is the
radiance of
the glory of
God and the
exact imprint
of his nature.
He upholds the
universe by the
word of his
power.
After making
purification for
sins, he sat
down at the
right hand of
the majesty on
high.
Let's pray.
Jesus, you are
greater, more
glorious, more
wonderful than we
can comprehend and
certainly than I
could explain or
articulate this
morning.
But as we
glimpse you, we
worship you.
As we see just
the edges of your
garment, we grasp
for them.
We want to
know you.
We want to
live with you.
We want not to
lose sight of you
ever.
We need you.
We find life and
hope and joy in
you.
Thanks for
meeting us.
Thanks for giving
us your word to
show us.
Thanks for loving
us and becoming
like us that we
might become like
you.
work in us even
this year.
Keep our eyes and
our minds and our
hearts set on you,
we ask in your
name.
Amen.
For more
information, visit
us online at
southwood.org.
Thank you.
I'll see you next time.