God's Final Word Series

The book of Hebrews offers today’s faith weary Christian the encouragement they need to stay in the race of faith. There are many distractions to get believers side tracted. So many times of frustration and disappointment, repeating your mistakes, neglecting your commitments or losing your modivation. Many ask, "What is the use? Is it worth the struggle it takes to grow and mature in Jesus?" Let me say as we begin studies in the book of Hebrews thats exactly how the first readers of the book felt. Yet the writer of this book cheers for them to stay on track and never quit. It is only possible by "...Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith." It is this Jesus that is revealed to us in Hebrews more completely than any other place in the Bible, especially the first 10 chapters of the book. Today in chapter one and verses 1-3 we will begin to examine the person of Jesus Christ, God’s final Word in our day. Notice 1:1 - "God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets." It is in this verse that we take a walk through the great Old Testament prophets. They alone were the mouth pieces of God in the past. Each prophet had absolute truth from God but his part or portion was incomplete by itself. We must think of each prophet’s truth from God (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, Zechariah etc...)as a single piece of the pie. When the Old Testament was finished with the prophet Malachi the pie was still lacking the final piece and therefore was still an incomplete revelation. The Old Testament was absolute truth from God but the Old Testament alone does not tell the whole story. God’s revelation is progressive and incomplete over the centuries of the Old Testament. The final Word of God is found in Jesus Christ. Verse 2, marks the birth of Christ notice, "has in these last days spoken to us by His Son..." The last days of scripture extend from Christ’s birth in Bethleham (His 1st advent)to His coming again as King of (over) Kings and Lord of (over)Lords (His 2nd advent). It is in "these last days" the time between the advents of Christ that God has and does speak "...to us by His Son..." With the "HIS" being inalized in the scripture we understand the emphasis of the text is focused on the characteristics of being Sonlike. So we ask, "What is the Son like?" The writer gives us six explanations in our passage today showing us the one who is Sonlike

WHO IS THE SON? v2

He is heir of all things...

WHO IS THE SON? v2

He is the creator...

WHO IS THE SON? v3

He is the radiance(the out-shining)of God’s glory..

WHO IS THE SON? v3

He is deity, the exact representation of God...

WHO IS THE SON? v3

He upholds or sustains all things...

WHO IS THE SON? v3

He is the Redeemer,He made purification for our sins

Heir - Creator - Revealer - Deity - Sustainer - Redeemer - Let me ask you which of the Old Testament prophets had these characteristics? None, they were simply mere men, Jesus is a unique man, He is God’s final Word. No where else will you get a deeper appreciation of the person of Jesus Christ than in the book of Hebrews. What a passage and I haven’t even preached on it yet. Are you ready for a Word from God? In these last days God has spoken to us in one who is Sonlike, that is one who is appointed;

#1 HEIR OF ALL THINGS - The appointment of Jesus Christ as heir echoes the message of Psalm 2, hold your place here and turn to Psalm 2. It is in Psalm 2 that a prophecy unfolds for us. The writer talks about a rebellion "...Against the Lord and against His Anointed..." in verses 1,2. God’s anointed one is Jesus the Messiah. In verse 6 Messiah is seen as something else, He is installed as King Jesus. In verse 7 Jesus is revealed as God’s Son. and finally in verse 8 He is heir of all things. Who is it that owns all things, every star, every planet, and every nation on the earth? It is God’s Messiah, God’s King, God’s Son, Jesus alone is the heir of the whole creation. That is why Phil. 2:10,11 says, "... at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow,... and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord..." Amen. But that is not enough says the writer of Hebrews.

#2 He IS THE CREATOR OF THE WORLD - The word "world" means ages, that is it means more than the earth it includes space - time - and all the physical elements in the galexy. and now in verse 3