WEBVTT 00:00:00.680 --> 00:00:02.940 Starting at Hebrews 1 verse 5. 00:00:05.020 --> 00:00:08.240 For to which of the angels did God ever say, 00:00:08.960 --> 00:00:12.140 You are my son, today I have begotten you? 00:00:13.300 --> 00:00:18.300 Or again, I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. 00:00:19.699 --> 00:00:23.400 And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, 00:00:24.359 --> 00:00:26.839 Let all God's angels worship him. 00:00:26.839 --> 00:00:35.280 Of the angels, he says, he makes his angels winds and his ministers a flame of fire. 00:00:36.320 --> 00:00:41.640 But of the sun, he says, your throne, O God, is forever and ever. 00:00:42.539 --> 00:00:45.719 The scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom. 00:00:46.840 --> 00:00:49.799 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness. 00:00:50.539 --> 00:00:56.179 Therefore, God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions. 00:00:56.840 --> 00:01:05.140 And you, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands. 00:01:05.840 --> 00:01:08.719 They will perish, but you remain. 00:01:09.880 --> 00:01:12.879 They will all wear out like a garment, like a robe. 00:01:12.939 --> 00:01:14.800 You will roll them up like a garment. 00:01:14.980 --> 00:01:15.980 They will be changed. 00:01:15.980 --> 00:01:21.200 But you are the same, and your years will have no end. 00:01:22.320 --> 00:01:24.840 And to which of the angels has he ever said, 00:01:25.659 --> 00:01:30.400 Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet? 00:01:30.400 --> 00:01:40.420 Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation? 00:01:40.420 --> 00:01:48.859 Therefore, we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. 00:01:49.900 --> 00:01:53.719 For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, 00:01:54.719 --> 00:01:58.480 and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, 00:01:59.859 --> 00:02:03.620 how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? 00:02:03.620 --> 00:02:30.219 Well, good morning, everyone. 00:02:30.219 --> 00:02:34.080 That was a bit of a delay. 00:02:34.199 --> 00:02:35.859 You're feeling as sleepy as I am, eh? 00:02:35.979 --> 00:02:38.039 That's good to know we're in it together. 00:02:38.139 --> 00:02:39.579 How about we pray for God's help then? 00:02:43.500 --> 00:02:48.159 Father, we do need your help in our weakness. 00:02:49.300 --> 00:02:53.500 And so I ask that you would help us understand what you're saying. 00:02:53.500 --> 00:02:57.860 I pray that you would blow our categories of reality, 00:02:57.860 --> 00:03:09.180 and that you would blow out to a proper proportion our perspective of our hope. 00:03:09.860 --> 00:03:11.300 And I pray this in Jesus' name. 00:03:11.560 --> 00:03:11.840 Amen. 00:03:13.580 --> 00:03:16.120 Well, who has your attention? 00:03:17.200 --> 00:03:18.560 I'm seeing yawns already. 00:03:18.720 --> 00:03:19.880 I'm not feeling good. 00:03:20.380 --> 00:03:23.560 Who has your attention in this room right now? 00:03:23.980 --> 00:03:26.820 Wilco's already got us thinking in this way. 00:03:26.819 --> 00:03:29.000 There's so much going on right now. 00:03:29.079 --> 00:03:29.819 I don't know if you notice. 00:03:30.139 --> 00:03:31.439 That's kind of the question, is it? 00:03:31.780 --> 00:03:32.939 What are you noticing? 00:03:33.120 --> 00:03:36.939 Some of you builders are looking at all the repairs in this building going, 00:03:37.099 --> 00:03:39.379 gee, we've still got some work to do. 00:03:39.739 --> 00:03:42.879 Some of you are probably, your phone is, 00:03:43.060 --> 00:03:45.159 you're thinking about those notifications, aren't you? 00:03:45.219 --> 00:03:47.219 It's just, you want that dopamine here. 00:03:47.859 --> 00:03:50.620 It's already been two minutes since you looked at your phone. 00:03:50.620 --> 00:03:52.039 It's crazy. 00:03:52.840 --> 00:03:54.140 I can't even hear some cars. 00:03:54.219 --> 00:03:55.819 I was going to say the cars on Lake Road. 00:03:56.180 --> 00:03:58.300 Probably get sirens going by. 00:03:58.400 --> 00:03:59.480 Obviously, I'm speaking. 00:03:59.980 --> 00:04:01.219 There's the person next to you. 00:04:01.280 --> 00:04:01.980 What are they doing? 00:04:02.560 --> 00:04:07.560 There's all, that's not even starting with what's going on in your mind, 00:04:07.659 --> 00:04:12.219 like all the concerns of the week and coming ahead and the week past. 00:04:12.219 --> 00:04:14.199 There's so much. 00:04:14.659 --> 00:04:18.560 Attention is a choice, isn't it? 00:04:18.639 --> 00:04:20.899 And it's a moral choice. 00:04:21.620 --> 00:04:23.060 You can't take it all in. 00:04:24.120 --> 00:04:25.259 You've got to choose. 00:04:26.420 --> 00:04:30.779 We're choosing all the time and our choice is a value call. 00:04:32.180 --> 00:04:35.339 You're choosing what's valuable and important. 00:04:35.339 --> 00:04:47.139 And you know as well as I do that who has our attention has great power to impact how we view reality and how we live. 00:04:48.620 --> 00:04:53.679 Aren't you shocked at the anti-Semitism in our country? 00:04:53.799 --> 00:04:54.719 What is that? 00:04:55.620 --> 00:04:56.620 It's irrational. 00:04:56.839 --> 00:04:57.819 It's abhorrent. 00:04:58.859 --> 00:05:03.819 But these ideas can just grab people somehow. 00:05:05.339 --> 00:05:11.219 At a social level, attention has power and power to do great damage. 00:05:12.759 --> 00:05:21.819 I think of the attention of, have you heard someone's story when they're in a conflict situation and they tell you the narrative 00:05:21.819 --> 00:05:29.559 and they've got your attention and how they explain what happened makes you feel anger at the other person. 00:05:29.560 --> 00:05:31.360 You feel disgusted towards them. 00:05:31.420 --> 00:05:35.860 But then later on, you hear some of the facts. 00:05:35.860 --> 00:05:44.040 The attention someone can grab hold of you with can change how you view another person. 00:05:44.199 --> 00:05:47.560 It's powerful who you give your attention to. 00:05:48.340 --> 00:05:50.060 It's powerful in society. 00:05:50.180 --> 00:05:51.199 It's powerful in us. 00:05:53.780 --> 00:05:57.080 I think that's what Jesus means when he says, 00:05:57.079 --> 00:05:58.339 Where is your eye? 00:05:58.339 --> 00:05:58.439 Where is your eye? 00:05:58.439 --> 00:05:58.939 Where is your eye? 00:05:58.939 --> 00:06:00.500 Where is your eye? 00:06:00.500 --> 00:06:02.879 Where is your eye looking? 00:06:03.219 --> 00:06:05.180 The eye is the lamp of the body. 00:06:05.180 --> 00:06:11.660 So if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light. 00:06:11.819 --> 00:06:15.319 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. 00:06:17.500 --> 00:06:22.259 Whoever we give our attention to has great power to influence us, to see reality, 00:06:22.259 --> 00:06:27.720 and therefore an incredible power to control how we live our lives. 00:06:27.819 --> 00:06:29.000 Attention is a big deal. 00:06:29.120 --> 00:06:31.160 It's one of the most precious things we have. 00:06:31.160 --> 00:06:35.200 So who should you listen to? 00:06:36.100 --> 00:06:39.040 Now obviously I'm angling for me. 00:06:40.040 --> 00:06:41.540 That's what it sounds like, isn't it? 00:06:41.800 --> 00:06:43.140 That's not what I'm angling for. 00:06:45.960 --> 00:06:47.860 I want to ask it a bit differently. 00:06:49.200 --> 00:06:54.440 Who has the most authority in the world? 00:06:57.400 --> 00:06:59.500 Whose word is reliable? 00:07:01.160 --> 00:07:06.900 Who is strong and can actually come good on their word? 00:07:08.160 --> 00:07:10.400 And their way works, in other words. 00:07:13.200 --> 00:07:16.140 That kind of person is worthy of our attention. 00:07:17.879 --> 00:07:22.480 And I'm going to put it to you that the church that the letter of the Hebrews was written to, 00:07:22.700 --> 00:07:26.360 I reckon they've got a better answer than most of us often come up with. 00:07:26.360 --> 00:07:34.180 Any authority, all the people we listen to on earth, whoever it is, whatever role models, 00:07:35.660 --> 00:07:39.620 even Rima FM, I don't know, I'm not really having a go at any of these things. 00:07:40.680 --> 00:07:45.680 Whatever you can come up with on earth, whatever political party, whatever influencer, 00:07:45.840 --> 00:07:50.660 whatever spiritual guru, Hebrews church has a better answer than all those things. 00:07:50.660 --> 00:07:52.080 They say angels. 00:07:55.340 --> 00:07:55.900 Angels. 00:07:57.900 --> 00:07:59.480 It's a bit weird, isn't it? 00:07:59.480 --> 00:08:05.860 Angels don't really feature much in my view of reality. 00:08:05.860 --> 00:08:13.160 Are you feeling that when the passage is read and even as I say that answer? 00:08:13.860 --> 00:08:18.180 I think that just shows me that I've got a long way to go still. 00:08:18.180 --> 00:08:27.379 Because I don't think the author corrects their misunderstanding of angels. 00:08:31.160 --> 00:08:33.500 Scripture has a lot to say about angels. 00:08:36.340 --> 00:08:40.139 I'm the one who has to change my view of what's really going on here. 00:08:42.600 --> 00:08:45.659 And this church doesn't have a soft view of angels. 00:08:45.659 --> 00:08:51.939 Whatever we see in society, like people have tattoos of angels, but I don't know, they're pretty meaningless. 00:08:52.100 --> 00:08:56.679 People talk about guardian angels, but I don't know, they're pretty soft. 00:08:58.360 --> 00:09:02.100 You can control the guardian angels, they just do whatever you want. 00:09:04.319 --> 00:09:11.779 Their view of angels is if an angel materialised in this room, you would not be getting out your phone. 00:09:11.779 --> 00:09:17.120 You would be hiding under your seat or running for the exits. 00:09:18.139 --> 00:09:21.000 They don't have a soft view of angels, these people. 00:09:21.139 --> 00:09:21.779 They don't have a... 00:09:22.839 --> 00:09:29.120 I can't see anything here that suggests they've got this weird, distorted view of angels. 00:09:29.120 --> 00:09:39.480 I want to quickly brainstorm for a second, interacting. 00:09:40.779 --> 00:09:44.700 I'm not going to force anyone to speak, but where in Scripture are angels? 00:09:44.840 --> 00:09:49.080 We've got to keep this snappy because we want coffee at some point. 00:09:50.360 --> 00:09:52.340 Where in Old Testament, New Testament... 00:09:52.340 --> 00:09:55.139 So don't explain it, just really snappy answers. 00:09:55.139 --> 00:09:58.580 Maybe we should go hands, sorry. 00:09:58.980 --> 00:09:59.159 Alan? 00:10:00.120 --> 00:10:00.559 Daniel? 00:10:01.340 --> 00:10:02.519 Okay, history is... 00:10:02.519 --> 00:10:05.019 Abraham? 00:10:05.740 --> 00:10:06.059 Angels? 00:10:07.740 --> 00:10:08.179 Revelation? 00:10:08.580 --> 00:10:08.740 Yeah. 00:10:09.720 --> 00:10:11.860 Unfolding God's will, all the scrolls. 00:10:12.799 --> 00:10:13.879 Mount Sinai? 00:10:14.039 --> 00:10:14.199 Yep. 00:10:14.679 --> 00:10:15.360 Burning bush? 00:10:17.620 --> 00:10:19.840 I saw some hands, but maybe they've already been answered. 00:10:19.840 --> 00:10:29.720 Wrestling with Jacob and his dream of Jacob's ladder, ascending and descending. 00:10:30.160 --> 00:10:30.460 Locky? 00:10:32.420 --> 00:10:32.940 Moses? 00:10:33.240 --> 00:10:33.580 Egypt? 00:10:34.200 --> 00:10:34.639 Plagues? 00:10:34.960 --> 00:10:35.139 Yep. 00:10:37.139 --> 00:10:38.360 Rolling the stone away? 00:10:39.180 --> 00:10:39.420 Joel? 00:10:42.060 --> 00:10:42.580 Yeah. 00:10:44.080 --> 00:10:44.879 Isaiah's vision? 00:10:47.080 --> 00:10:47.280 Joel? 00:10:48.680 --> 00:10:49.160 Acts? 00:10:49.840 --> 00:10:50.399 Yes. 00:10:51.180 --> 00:10:51.940 Can you remind me? 00:10:54.920 --> 00:10:55.500 Oh, yeah. 00:10:55.639 --> 00:10:56.620 Breaking Peter out of jail. 00:10:56.740 --> 00:10:56.960 Yes. 00:10:58.200 --> 00:10:58.420 Malcolm? 00:11:00.879 --> 00:11:01.240 Yep. 00:11:01.300 --> 00:11:01.960 Peter out of prison? 00:11:02.139 --> 00:11:02.300 Yep. 00:11:05.019 --> 00:11:11.700 Actually, I was a bit confused, but when you stop and think about it, you think about the 00:11:11.700 --> 00:11:13.680 Psalms and the prophets, who's the Lord called? 00:11:13.759 --> 00:11:14.820 The Lord of hosts. 00:11:15.700 --> 00:11:16.820 He's the Lord of armies. 00:11:16.820 --> 00:11:16.920 He's the Lord of armies. 00:11:18.760 --> 00:11:19.840 They're actually everywhere. 00:11:21.200 --> 00:11:22.200 They're very prominent. 00:11:22.200 --> 00:11:30.480 And we're told here that God's word, the Old Testament, has been given through angels. 00:11:30.480 --> 00:11:33.300 So I assume that's the whole Old Testament. 00:11:34.020 --> 00:11:38.360 The messengers through the prophets, it's mediated through angels. 00:11:38.360 --> 00:11:43.279 So we should sit up and listen to this passage, because if you're like me, my view of reality 00:11:43.279 --> 00:11:44.460 has to shift here. 00:11:45.220 --> 00:11:53.700 I've got this too closed view that material is all there is, and I'm still wrestling with 00:11:53.700 --> 00:11:53.940 that. 00:11:53.940 --> 00:12:02.140 But more than that, angels is a better answer of who you should listen to than anything you 00:12:02.140 --> 00:12:03.360 can come up with on earth. 00:12:04.440 --> 00:12:06.520 They have the authority of God. 00:12:07.880 --> 00:12:09.180 So what's the answer? 00:12:09.179 --> 00:12:13.459 To these people. 00:12:13.539 --> 00:12:16.659 The problem isn't that their view of angels is too big. 00:12:17.120 --> 00:12:17.879 That's not their problem. 00:12:18.899 --> 00:12:23.279 Their problem is that their view of Jesus is too small. 00:12:24.959 --> 00:12:27.259 Their problem is not that angels are too big. 00:12:27.559 --> 00:12:28.519 They are great. 00:12:29.419 --> 00:12:29.899 They are. 00:12:29.899 --> 00:12:38.120 But Jesus, Jesus is far, far superior. 00:12:39.559 --> 00:12:41.319 For some reason, something's going on here. 00:12:41.620 --> 00:12:49.459 Either they're lowering Jesus on the same level as angel, or maybe they're focusing on Jesus 00:12:49.459 --> 00:12:53.539 as only human, and angels are higher, right? 00:12:53.539 --> 00:12:55.740 Something is wrong. 00:12:59.899 --> 00:13:12.480 We saw in the opening last week, the Son is superior to the Old Testament revelation given 00:13:12.480 --> 00:13:13.079 through angels. 00:13:13.679 --> 00:13:14.259 He's superior. 00:13:14.360 --> 00:13:16.720 He's the full and final word. 00:13:17.340 --> 00:13:22.259 We're living in the age where all the messages of the prophets, they're fulfilled. 00:13:23.139 --> 00:13:24.980 We're in the last days. 00:13:24.980 --> 00:13:30.300 We are on the brink of history coming to an end and the world to come. 00:13:31.560 --> 00:13:32.960 We're in the last days. 00:13:33.920 --> 00:13:38.080 You can't add anything, the author said. 00:13:38.120 --> 00:13:43.100 You can't add anything to what the Son has told us and what the Son has done. 00:13:43.840 --> 00:13:44.360 You can't. 00:13:44.420 --> 00:13:45.460 He's the greatest prophet. 00:13:47.080 --> 00:13:50.840 God has spoken his final word through a son. 00:13:50.940 --> 00:13:51.840 He's the greatest prophet. 00:13:51.840 --> 00:13:54.420 And he bursts all these categories as well. 00:13:54.980 --> 00:13:56.340 He's the greatest priest. 00:13:56.960 --> 00:14:01.600 He's not standing, making sacrifices for your sin. 00:14:02.539 --> 00:14:05.700 He's made purification for sin and he's sat down. 00:14:06.560 --> 00:14:10.019 He's the greatest priest interceding and connecting us to God. 00:14:10.200 --> 00:14:13.200 He's therefore the only one fitting to be the greatest king. 00:14:13.500 --> 00:14:18.460 And he bursts that idea of a David king. 00:14:18.580 --> 00:14:19.980 He even bursts that category. 00:14:20.519 --> 00:14:22.279 He's sitting over heaven and earth. 00:14:24.980 --> 00:14:29.480 So let's get into verses 4 to 14. 00:14:32.759 --> 00:14:38.960 And I think what's going on here in these verses is that little word for in verse 5. 00:14:41.460 --> 00:14:41.860 For. 00:14:42.580 --> 00:14:44.600 To which of the angels did God ever say? 00:14:44.600 --> 00:14:51.159 This whole section is just the grounds, the evidence for the claims he's already made. 00:14:51.240 --> 00:14:54.879 He could have said he's got a higher name than angels. 00:14:55.340 --> 00:14:56.820 And go to chapter 2 verse 1. 00:14:56.940 --> 00:14:59.920 Therefore, we must pay closer attention. 00:15:00.220 --> 00:15:00.879 He could have done that. 00:15:00.920 --> 00:15:05.700 But I think what he's doing is he's working within their frame of reference. 00:15:05.800 --> 00:15:10.040 He's saying, okay, angels are great. 00:15:10.840 --> 00:15:12.040 Their word is reliable. 00:15:12.039 --> 00:15:13.639 Let's see what they've got to say. 00:15:14.439 --> 00:15:16.360 Let's see what they say through the Old Testament. 00:15:16.459 --> 00:15:17.879 And that's what Hebrews does. 00:15:18.039 --> 00:15:19.779 It is just swimming in the Old Testament. 00:15:21.019 --> 00:15:22.159 You want to listen to angels? 00:15:22.439 --> 00:15:22.699 Okay. 00:15:23.399 --> 00:15:25.179 They all point to the sun. 00:15:25.879 --> 00:15:27.299 I think that's what he's doing here. 00:15:30.139 --> 00:15:34.639 Collectively, verse 4 and 5, angels can be called sons of God. 00:15:34.639 --> 00:15:41.980 But no individual angel ever is referred to as the sun. 00:15:41.980 --> 00:15:54.500 If we put ourselves in John's shoes in Revelation, we're shown a glimpse of what's going on in heaven right now. 00:15:55.580 --> 00:16:02.180 There's thousands upon thousands of angels so close to the throne of God. 00:16:02.179 --> 00:16:04.839 They are right there. 00:16:05.399 --> 00:16:07.059 And they're worshipping God. 00:16:07.620 --> 00:16:12.719 They are ready to obey his command and carry it out. 00:16:12.720 --> 00:16:24.540 Now, as close as they are, as powerful as these creatures are, as reliable their authority, because they're sent by God and they obey. 00:16:25.240 --> 00:16:26.360 They're not like us. 00:16:26.660 --> 00:16:29.840 They obey fully to the letter of God's commands. 00:16:29.840 --> 00:16:34.620 As close as they are to God's throne, Psalm 2 says, 00:16:36.019 --> 00:16:38.180 You are my son. 00:16:39.120 --> 00:16:40.500 He's speaking to the king. 00:16:42.000 --> 00:16:47.019 And we've got another quote from the promise to David in 2 Samuel 7. 00:16:48.500 --> 00:16:51.759 I will be to him a father and he shall be to me a son. 00:16:52.820 --> 00:16:55.060 This is enthronement language. 00:16:55.480 --> 00:16:58.340 Angels are so close to the throne of God. 00:16:58.340 --> 00:17:02.740 But the son is on the throne of God. 00:17:04.319 --> 00:17:06.700 That is a huge difference. 00:17:10.759 --> 00:17:13.200 Angels are mighty servants. 00:17:13.400 --> 00:17:15.779 They're mediating God to man. 00:17:16.980 --> 00:17:18.960 They brought God's word. 00:17:20.360 --> 00:17:21.380 But they're servants. 00:17:22.940 --> 00:17:28.259 It's not the father-son family likeness that we saw last week. 00:17:28.259 --> 00:17:31.519 It's not the light from the son reaching us. 00:17:32.220 --> 00:17:34.000 It's not a servant coming. 00:17:34.420 --> 00:17:37.559 It's the son itself representing God. 00:17:38.400 --> 00:17:40.980 In a sense, there's no intermediary. 00:17:42.039 --> 00:17:45.140 God is speaking through himself, through his son. 00:17:45.140 --> 00:17:51.620 Angels are so close to the throne of God. 00:17:51.700 --> 00:17:54.480 But the son is on the throne of God. 00:17:57.300 --> 00:18:00.540 His title as son is so superior. 00:18:02.120 --> 00:18:06.080 And then in verse 6, to see how much superior, 00:18:06.420 --> 00:18:09.740 quotes a song of Moses in Deuteronomy 32. 00:18:09.740 --> 00:18:13.559 The son is not appear with angels. 00:18:15.019 --> 00:18:16.579 He's not on the same level. 00:18:18.019 --> 00:18:23.740 When he conquered sin, when he conquered Satan, he conquered death, 00:18:24.380 --> 00:18:27.940 he sat on the throne and the angels are called, 00:18:28.779 --> 00:18:30.000 acknowledge your Lord. 00:18:30.000 --> 00:18:34.240 They are worshipping him right now. 00:18:38.740 --> 00:18:42.500 Do you remember the Apostle John at the end of Revelation? 00:18:42.720 --> 00:18:47.740 What does he do after receiving such wonderful visions of what's going on? 00:18:47.799 --> 00:18:48.700 Do you remember what he does? 00:18:51.480 --> 00:18:53.000 He is tempted. 00:18:53.680 --> 00:18:56.700 He falls on the ground and he's tempted to worship this angel 00:18:56.700 --> 00:18:57.799 that's showing him all this. 00:18:57.799 --> 00:19:02.839 The Apostle is about to worship an angel. 00:19:05.639 --> 00:19:09.799 Angels must be amazing creatures if he was about to do it. 00:19:10.579 --> 00:19:12.359 He must have been blown away. 00:19:12.440 --> 00:19:14.220 But what's the angel's response? 00:19:15.180 --> 00:19:15.740 Stop! 00:19:16.259 --> 00:19:16.579 No! 00:19:17.519 --> 00:19:18.259 Don't do that! 00:19:18.799 --> 00:19:19.619 Don't worship me! 00:19:20.839 --> 00:19:21.579 Worship God! 00:19:23.799 --> 00:19:25.359 I'm a servant with you. 00:19:25.480 --> 00:19:26.079 Don't do that. 00:19:26.619 --> 00:19:27.619 What's going on here though? 00:19:27.799 --> 00:19:30.180 The angels are worshipping the Son. 00:19:33.619 --> 00:19:35.339 This is no fellow servant. 00:19:40.379 --> 00:19:43.099 He is the heir of all things. 00:19:43.180 --> 00:19:43.940 He's the firstborn. 00:19:44.000 --> 00:19:44.519 He's the heir. 00:19:44.519 --> 00:19:48.339 God has given the Son all that he has. 00:19:48.339 --> 00:19:53.559 And so it's right to worship him as God. 00:19:56.939 --> 00:20:00.759 Is your view of Jesus big or little? 00:20:02.220 --> 00:20:05.079 Is your Jesus being worshipped by angels? 00:20:06.079 --> 00:20:07.419 Is that what we're doing this morning? 00:20:07.539 --> 00:20:08.619 Are we worshipping? 00:20:08.619 --> 00:20:12.779 Are we worshipping Jesus? 00:20:12.779 --> 00:20:15.599 Are we just paying our respects? 00:20:22.159 --> 00:20:30.399 Well, verses 7 and 14, it keeps showing us the contrast between angels and Jesus and their authority even more. 00:20:30.400 --> 00:20:35.380 So verse 7 quotes Psalm 104. 00:20:36.060 --> 00:20:40.060 He makes his angels winds and his ministers a flame of fire. 00:20:40.059 --> 00:20:45.339 I'm just going to have a whinge for a second. 00:20:45.460 --> 00:20:46.419 You're going to have to put up with me. 00:20:46.960 --> 00:20:50.319 I'm just reflecting on my weaknesses this week, okay? 00:20:50.319 --> 00:20:55.319 I strain my back, which is unpleasant. 00:20:56.179 --> 00:20:59.480 My wrist is strained. 00:21:00.619 --> 00:21:06.439 I tried to register for this thing online and it took about 15 minutes. 00:21:06.740 --> 00:21:08.980 And as I was doing the payment, it crashed. 00:21:10.319 --> 00:21:15.720 I dropped my laptop and now it's coming up with this blue screen of death. 00:21:15.720 --> 00:21:24.160 I tried to put the seatbelt on in my car and it's so jammed I couldn't put it on. 00:21:25.960 --> 00:21:30.620 Anyway, all I'm trying to say is I'm a weak human being. 00:21:32.740 --> 00:21:36.000 And I haven't even got to my attitudes yet. 00:21:37.319 --> 00:21:40.860 I know often what God wants me to do. 00:21:42.100 --> 00:21:43.200 And I can rebel. 00:21:43.200 --> 00:21:45.819 There's weakness there in my heart. 00:21:46.840 --> 00:21:51.900 I think what this is saying, the angels, they're swift as wind. 00:21:52.500 --> 00:21:54.559 Nothing stops them. 00:21:54.580 --> 00:21:57.700 When God gives a command, angels don't have my weakness. 00:21:58.860 --> 00:22:01.019 They are amazingly strong. 00:22:01.340 --> 00:22:02.700 They are like a bushfire. 00:22:02.860 --> 00:22:04.140 You will not stop them. 00:22:04.200 --> 00:22:05.840 They shut the mouths of lions. 00:22:06.960 --> 00:22:08.700 I think that's the point of these verses. 00:22:08.700 --> 00:22:11.380 Compared to us, yes. 00:22:13.220 --> 00:22:14.180 They're powerful. 00:22:17.120 --> 00:22:17.860 Verse 8. 00:22:18.319 --> 00:22:18.700 But. 00:22:19.660 --> 00:22:20.680 Big contrast. 00:22:20.960 --> 00:22:21.299 But. 00:22:26.140 --> 00:22:27.160 Look at the sun. 00:22:28.140 --> 00:22:29.680 Look what we can say about the sun. 00:22:30.819 --> 00:22:33.460 All verses 8 to 12 is framed by this. 00:22:33.460 --> 00:22:35.039 But of the sun. 00:22:36.880 --> 00:22:37.980 In comparison to them. 00:22:41.539 --> 00:22:43.039 He is on the throne. 00:22:46.200 --> 00:22:48.220 He's the one giving them the commands. 00:22:51.799 --> 00:22:54.920 His throne is forever. 00:22:54.920 --> 00:23:03.440 You shouldn't wait until his rule comes to an end for a next authority to come. 00:23:04.160 --> 00:23:05.320 That's not going to happen. 00:23:06.279 --> 00:23:11.200 He's on this throne now and into the world to come. 00:23:11.200 --> 00:23:19.620 He's the one who laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning. 00:23:20.259 --> 00:23:22.799 Who could God address as the maker? 00:23:23.059 --> 00:23:24.019 This is God speaking. 00:23:24.360 --> 00:23:28.460 Who is God saying you are the maker of the heavens and the earth? 00:23:28.720 --> 00:23:29.559 Not angels. 00:23:29.799 --> 00:23:32.080 Job tells us they were just watching going wow. 00:23:32.779 --> 00:23:33.900 They're just celebrating. 00:23:35.400 --> 00:23:37.480 Hebrews answer is only the sun. 00:23:37.799 --> 00:23:38.519 Can you say that? 00:23:39.580 --> 00:23:40.340 He's on the throne. 00:23:40.339 --> 00:23:42.199 He created all things. 00:23:42.919 --> 00:23:44.799 His rule won't come to an end. 00:23:46.220 --> 00:23:47.399 The creation will. 00:23:51.659 --> 00:23:54.679 The universe feels so permanent. 00:23:57.240 --> 00:24:00.079 But it's like this fast piece of clothing. 00:24:01.059 --> 00:24:02.359 It's going to wear out. 00:24:03.359 --> 00:24:04.740 It's going to be rolled up. 00:24:05.099 --> 00:24:05.879 It's going to perish. 00:24:06.539 --> 00:24:07.399 It's going to be gone. 00:24:07.859 --> 00:24:08.939 It feels so permanent. 00:24:10.339 --> 00:24:11.799 It's going to be gone. 00:24:11.939 --> 00:24:13.699 But the sun remains. 00:24:14.179 --> 00:24:16.439 He is on his throne forever and ever, ever. 00:24:16.440 --> 00:24:26.220 That's how much greater he is even than angels. 00:24:27.100 --> 00:24:30.200 And then verse 13, we've got a, it's something of a trump card, I think. 00:24:31.200 --> 00:24:32.259 Here's one more quote. 00:24:32.580 --> 00:24:37.160 And Hebrews in the New Testament, they love Psalm 110. 00:24:37.160 --> 00:24:42.620 And Jesus himself loves a Psalm 110. 00:24:42.620 --> 00:24:54.040 When the religious experts attack Jesus, he quotes Psalm 110 because they agree that this is about the Messiah. 00:24:54.039 --> 00:25:00.159 And he says, if the Messiah is the son of David, why does he call him Lord? 00:25:01.759 --> 00:25:08.819 He's putting the pressure on him, saying, you can't have a category of the Messiah that is just human. 00:25:08.819 --> 00:25:11.659 Just a human son. 00:25:12.460 --> 00:25:14.559 Otherwise, David would be superior. 00:25:17.279 --> 00:25:21.539 He's claiming to be higher than David himself. 00:25:22.379 --> 00:25:24.700 He's claiming to be on God's throne, in other words. 00:25:24.700 --> 00:25:31.200 And he's going to make every enemy bow before him. 00:25:33.240 --> 00:25:37.680 Every tongue in heaven on earth will bow the knee to him. 00:25:41.680 --> 00:25:42.779 That's who the son is. 00:25:42.980 --> 00:25:44.440 So what are the angels doing? 00:25:44.519 --> 00:25:45.340 We've got one more thing. 00:25:45.539 --> 00:25:47.299 We're told one more thing in verse 14. 00:25:47.299 --> 00:25:50.519 What is Jesus sending his angels out to do? 00:25:51.039 --> 00:25:52.460 Verse 14 is wild. 00:25:53.539 --> 00:25:54.919 This is so encouraging. 00:25:55.180 --> 00:25:57.079 If I've lost you, come back, please. 00:25:59.680 --> 00:26:06.220 Are they not ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation? 00:26:06.220 --> 00:26:29.920 If your heart is warmed by this idea that Jesus is big, he's so big, if you have faith in Jesus, he is sending his angels out to serve us. 00:26:31.500 --> 00:26:32.539 Isn't that wild? 00:26:32.539 --> 00:26:32.559 Isn't that wild? 00:26:36.220 --> 00:26:42.140 These powerful beings are sent to make sure you and I make it to glory. 00:26:43.299 --> 00:26:46.319 I've heard people speculate about how they do that. 00:26:47.100 --> 00:26:47.579 I don't know. 00:26:48.120 --> 00:26:49.600 I don't want to speculate. 00:26:50.539 --> 00:26:53.279 I think just knowing this, isn't that encouraging? 00:26:55.279 --> 00:27:02.339 All the armies of heaven are being deployed for you to make it to glory. 00:27:03.200 --> 00:27:04.200 It's encouraging. 00:27:06.220 --> 00:27:10.660 I think it's a miracle that people continue in faith. 00:27:11.200 --> 00:27:13.360 Sin, the power of sin against you. 00:27:13.640 --> 00:27:15.600 The world enticing you away. 00:27:16.039 --> 00:27:18.720 Satan is against our faith. 00:27:19.960 --> 00:27:25.100 But heaven's armies are unleashed to make sure we make it. 00:27:25.099 --> 00:27:34.139 That's what Jesus is using his authority over angels to do. 00:27:39.919 --> 00:27:44.059 So we come to the punch of understanding all this. 00:27:44.219 --> 00:27:45.839 All this is leading up to chapter 2. 00:27:45.839 --> 00:27:53.899 At Kourong, I'm about to have a negative comment here. 00:27:54.119 --> 00:27:55.220 I'm not having a go at Kourong. 00:27:55.480 --> 00:27:57.220 Go to any Christian store. 00:27:58.500 --> 00:27:59.299 Sorry, Lockie. 00:27:59.740 --> 00:28:00.539 Working at Kourong. 00:28:01.659 --> 00:28:06.279 You can get these packs of printed Bible verses with the promises of God. 00:28:06.279 --> 00:28:10.599 And you can take one each day and just be uplifted again. 00:28:10.859 --> 00:28:13.000 The promises of the gospel are amazing. 00:28:13.000 --> 00:28:19.720 I wonder how they would go if they marketed a warnings box. 00:28:21.339 --> 00:28:26.759 Just each day, pick out a warning of the gospel. 00:28:28.980 --> 00:28:31.859 Don't drift from Jesus. 00:28:31.859 --> 00:28:37.139 Don't neglect such a great salvation. 00:28:39.279 --> 00:28:40.599 I doubt it would sell. 00:28:41.740 --> 00:28:42.879 But don't we need it? 00:28:43.599 --> 00:28:44.539 I need it. 00:28:46.979 --> 00:28:49.599 It's just, whenever you're tempted to think, 00:28:49.719 --> 00:28:53.539 what would it be like to let go of Jesus? 00:28:53.719 --> 00:28:57.740 Just have a little look over that negative side. 00:28:57.740 --> 00:29:01.039 And we need those warnings. 00:29:01.859 --> 00:29:11.119 Notice what's at stake here. 00:29:11.279 --> 00:29:17.579 The language changes from this full and final word to such a great salvation. 00:29:21.000 --> 00:29:26.879 The angels are serving us so that we inherit salvation, so that we make it. 00:29:26.880 --> 00:29:34.700 We see this again in just the next verse after our passage, verse 5 of chapter 2. 00:29:35.360 --> 00:29:37.840 What we're talking about here is the world to come. 00:29:37.839 --> 00:29:44.399 Jesus didn't come to give us a better religion in this age. 00:29:46.220 --> 00:29:51.819 Old Testament, they've got their laws and their sacrifices, but oh, isn't it great? 00:29:52.159 --> 00:29:54.980 We don't have to do those nasty sacrifices anymore. 00:29:55.099 --> 00:29:56.000 That's not the main point. 00:29:56.000 --> 00:29:58.759 There's implications for worship today in Hebrews. 00:29:58.880 --> 00:30:04.519 But the main point of Hebrews is Jesus is heir of the world to come, 00:30:04.640 --> 00:30:08.059 and he's sharing this world to come with you and me. 00:30:08.140 --> 00:30:09.039 He's sharing it. 00:30:09.400 --> 00:30:13.519 He's done everything to give it to us, this great salvation. 00:30:13.519 --> 00:30:21.160 This age we're living in is going to come to an end. 00:30:26.160 --> 00:30:35.240 That word drift is like, apparently like a raging river, and it's headed towards a cliff. 00:30:35.240 --> 00:30:43.140 If this creation is the river heading towards this cliff into an abyss, 00:30:44.000 --> 00:30:47.960 and our toes are under the solid ground of Jesus, 00:30:48.460 --> 00:30:54.099 if you keep going down that stream and just drift, there is no more exit point. 00:30:54.440 --> 00:30:55.420 There's no more. 00:30:58.819 --> 00:31:03.180 Jesus is that solid ground into the world to come. 00:31:05.240 --> 00:31:10.359 All you have to do is just pay attention. 00:31:10.900 --> 00:31:13.079 Notice God doesn't say, work for me. 00:31:13.700 --> 00:31:14.660 Do more for me. 00:31:15.059 --> 00:31:17.359 The Christian life in Hebrews repeats this. 00:31:18.799 --> 00:31:20.960 Just stand on Jesus. 00:31:21.359 --> 00:31:23.180 Just pay attention to what he's done. 00:31:23.599 --> 00:31:26.019 Don't let anything move you away from him. 00:31:26.620 --> 00:31:30.940 The word pay much closer attention, it's be obsessed with him. 00:31:31.500 --> 00:31:34.839 He's given such a great salvation into the world to come. 00:31:35.240 --> 00:31:39.160 It's crazy. 00:31:39.299 --> 00:31:47.599 Whatever is tempting us to move our eyes away from Jesus and just drift downstream in this world, 00:31:48.599 --> 00:31:50.680 it's a crazy idea. 00:31:50.819 --> 00:31:51.380 Don't do it. 00:31:51.440 --> 00:31:52.920 What a great salvation we've got. 00:31:52.920 --> 00:32:01.019 We see this repeatedly in Hebrews. 00:32:01.259 --> 00:32:02.820 Consider Jesus. 00:32:04.720 --> 00:32:06.740 Exhort one another every day. 00:32:08.539 --> 00:32:13.019 Rest from your self-saving works in Christ's finished work. 00:32:13.100 --> 00:32:14.259 He's brought us into rest. 00:32:14.620 --> 00:32:16.360 Hold fast our confession. 00:32:16.359 --> 00:32:19.559 Don't throw away your confidence. 00:32:20.699 --> 00:32:24.179 Look to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith. 00:32:27.139 --> 00:32:30.039 He's done everything to give us this great salvation. 00:32:30.039 --> 00:32:33.819 And he's calling us, why would we drift? 00:32:33.960 --> 00:32:35.079 Don't drift away from that. 00:32:35.599 --> 00:32:37.099 Don't let anything move you from that. 00:32:40.000 --> 00:32:43.740 So let anything let you have a smaller view of Jesus. 00:32:43.740 --> 00:32:48.980 It's not, it's drifting away from the world to come. 00:32:49.079 --> 00:32:50.400 It's drifting away from God. 00:32:57.559 --> 00:32:59.839 He's worthy of our full attention. 00:32:59.839 --> 00:33:13.599 So can I urge us not to let any other claim of authority move your attention away from such a great salvation? 00:33:16.059 --> 00:33:23.539 I'm just going to list a few possible ways that we can be tempted to drift and have such a small view of Jesus. 00:33:23.539 --> 00:33:29.539 Any claims of needing to do more? 00:33:31.319 --> 00:33:33.359 It's just pay attention to Jesus. 00:33:33.839 --> 00:33:37.420 Any claims that you need to add to his salvation? 00:33:39.839 --> 00:33:42.079 Don't listen to it. 00:33:43.220 --> 00:33:51.359 Those claims of tradition and sacrament and cathedrals that give you this sense of feeling of connection with God. 00:33:51.359 --> 00:33:53.359 No. 00:33:57.119 --> 00:34:02.559 If you trust the word of the Son, he is on the throne of God. 00:34:02.779 --> 00:34:04.579 You belong to him. 00:34:05.159 --> 00:34:06.339 That's transcendence. 00:34:09.539 --> 00:34:16.119 Anything that claims that you need to add something to Jesus, his message is full and final. 00:34:16.559 --> 00:34:18.159 He's made purification for sins. 00:34:18.279 --> 00:34:19.359 He's sat down. 00:34:19.699 --> 00:34:21.059 He's giving his inheritance. 00:34:21.360 --> 00:34:27.480 Anything that says you need to do this, this, this, don't drift away from the gospel. 00:34:30.099 --> 00:34:38.019 Don't let any fine-sounding arguments intimidate or confuse you about the Son. 00:34:41.800 --> 00:34:45.840 He is God and man. 00:34:45.840 --> 00:34:51.380 Don't let any fine-sounding arguments confuse you. 00:34:52.140 --> 00:34:58.039 There's a pretty easy response to anyone who says Jesus is just human. 00:34:59.079 --> 00:35:00.600 Well, angels are worshipping him. 00:35:01.340 --> 00:35:05.160 If angels are worshipping him, we should too. 00:35:05.159 --> 00:35:12.679 If Jesus feels irrelevant to your hopes and dreams. 00:35:12.679 --> 00:35:19.399 I heard a survey of reasons why people stop coming to church. 00:35:19.400 --> 00:35:20.400 It's just a survey. 00:35:20.400 --> 00:35:26.880 It's just a survey, so I'm not sure how much authority this has got, but I'm using it, obviously. 00:35:27.740 --> 00:35:33.780 The survey said it wasn't this big decision that made people stop coming to church. 00:35:33.920 --> 00:35:36.019 Most people, it was a good thing. 00:35:36.780 --> 00:35:37.960 A promotion at work. 00:35:38.220 --> 00:35:39.000 They moved city. 00:35:39.000 --> 00:35:41.039 They had children. 00:35:41.619 --> 00:35:42.280 They got married. 00:35:42.639 --> 00:35:44.800 They, I don't know, some invested. 00:35:44.920 --> 00:35:45.920 It was a good thing. 00:35:49.460 --> 00:35:51.500 And just didn't come one week. 00:35:52.500 --> 00:35:53.780 And not come back. 00:35:53.780 --> 00:36:01.300 Consider afresh this great salvation. 00:36:02.420 --> 00:36:11.080 If this creation and all our hopes in this age, they're going to be rolled up like a garment. 00:36:12.080 --> 00:36:20.380 And he's giving us the world to come that can't be shaken, that will never be rolled up. 00:36:20.380 --> 00:36:28.180 But let's not be torn away from what we can have here and now. 00:36:30.119 --> 00:36:35.039 If you're questioning how God is really for you, if life is so painful, 00:36:38.860 --> 00:36:40.079 aren't you encouraged sometimes? 00:36:40.180 --> 00:36:42.019 Sometimes I'm just having a bad day. 00:36:42.480 --> 00:36:45.360 And just, it's a very simple thought. 00:36:45.760 --> 00:36:46.559 Picks me up. 00:36:46.559 --> 00:36:51.340 Well, God's giving me heaven. 00:36:52.719 --> 00:36:57.440 I know this isn't a profound thought, but he's giving us the age to come. 00:36:59.599 --> 00:37:08.960 Don't let whatever pain you're going through, don't let it make you drift away from doubting God's love for you and Jesus. 00:37:08.960 --> 00:37:21.860 It's easy to drift downstream, but when we see who he is and all he's giving us, he's worthy of our obsession, our full attention. 00:37:23.619 --> 00:37:24.740 Will you pray with me? 00:37:24.940 --> 00:37:25.260 Let's pray. 00:37:25.260 --> 00:37:41.840 Lord, I'm aware that we've been soaking in just some really high truths of reality this morning. 00:37:41.840 --> 00:37:49.860 I pray that you would balance that with what your word is going to speak to us next week, 00:37:49.980 --> 00:37:57.600 that such a great son knows our weakness, has become one of us. 00:37:58.559 --> 00:38:01.680 He knows our temptation and is able to help. 00:38:01.679 --> 00:38:04.779 Lord, help us as a church. 00:38:06.159 --> 00:38:14.079 Keep those, a big view of Jesus, that everything will worship him and bow the knee to him, 00:38:14.839 --> 00:38:20.259 and yet he's right here, ready to give us daily grace in our weakness. 00:38:21.899 --> 00:38:27.719 Lord, I pray this so that we might rely on you and that nothing will move our eyes off of you. 00:38:27.819 --> 00:38:28.980 In Jesus' name, amen. 00:38:31.679 --> 00:38:32.679 Amen.