Stronger Than Superman Series

HEBREWS

STRONGER THAN SUPERMAN

HEBREWS 1:1-4

PASTOR JIM BOHRER

APRIL 6, 2008

Everyone loves a superhero. I remember being fascinated by the Old Black and White Superman. There would be a call for help and Clark Kent would rush from his desk to the hallway and make a quick change and hop on a little trampoline and bounce out of the window. Then the show would have people shouting, “Look! Up in the sky... is it a bird? Is it a plane? NO! It’s superman.” And he would swoosh in oftentimes at the last second and save the day.

In the book of Hebrews we come to a situation in history where the author is addressing some believers who have been raised in the Jewish traditions and faith but had trusted God’s New Covenant through the Blood of Christ. The Temple in Jerusalem has not yet been destroyed by Titus. So this is some time before 70 AD and that old economy still has a draw for many Jewish people. But, they seem to have faced persecution for their new beliefs and were tempted to go back to their old way of life. They wanted a hero to save them from their challenges. Instead of standing firm in their faith and church, they wanted to revert back to the old way, compromising the message and meaning of their faith. Though they should have been stronger, they weren’t and they needed to be reminded that Jesus is the ultimate hero of their faith.

Just understand that although Rome did not agree with Judaism, the rituals and life of Jewish people were mainly tolerated and accepted as a real religion in the Empire. But, the New Covenant of faith in Jesus was not understood nor accepted by Rome and it was certainly not accepted by the Jews who had not come to faith in Christ. So, this letter is written in part to believers who needed to be reminded of Jesus’ superiority to any hero of the faith or any ritual. And it is written in part I believe to Jews who have not come to faith in Jesus as an apologetic to come to faith in Christ alone apart from their dependence on the law of ritual.

Satan loves to trick us into going back into ritual or immaturity. That way the clear picture of Christ’s atoning work and salvation will not be passed on to others. Oh, can there be saved people in churches that have adopted ritualism, comfort, and convenience? Yes, there can. But, it is likely to be fewer and fewer as time goes on and more and more people tricked into trusting everything else but Jesus for their salvation.

Listen, just this week, I had the privilege of being there as a young lady prayed to receive Christ as her savior and see tears of joy and comfort as she now can confidently say, “I know I am going to heaven.” But listen to what she said to me, “I am so glad I know what it means to trust Jesus. Before, I believed that He died for my sins and rose again, but I thought I had to be good or good enough to go to heaven. I never understood the importance of trusting Him alone! Listen, we need to be absolutely clear in our message and witness that Jesus IS MORE THAN ENOUGH! He IS STRONGER THAN SUPERMAN. HE IS MORE POWERFUL THAN ANGELS. AND IT IS NOT GOOD WORKS OR BEING A GOOD PERSON THAT GET’S YOU INTO HEAVEN. IT IS JESUS’ WORK ON GOOD FRIDAY AND HIS POWER IN THE RESURRECTION THAT GETS US INTO HEAVEN. Make no mistakes about it

John 12:32 But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself."

1 In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. 4 So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs. NIV

FIRST NOTE THAT IT IS ALWAYS GOD WHO COMES TO OUR RESCUE. (1-2)

We do not fly to heaven. We cannot peer into the unknown. It has been said that we live in a NATURAL box. We are confined by Space, Time and Gravity. Outside that natural box is the SUPERNATURAL, that which is beyond our natural grasp. Although we have a small percentage of society that truly are ATHEISTS, they say, what you see is all there is. When you die, you die. But, the vast majority of people and the vast majority of history shows that deep down in our beings we know there is more to life than the NATURAL box we live in. So, instead of listening for God and crying out to God, people have tried to break through the box with man made religion and reasoning. Hoping that somehow we can escape the box of the natural world and CONNECT AND COMMUNICATE WITH THE DIVINE. But the reality is that if we are truly the CREATURE, it must be the CREATOR who comes to us, not vice a versa. And that is why following a religion where a man says, “I will make my own way to God” is very silly, there are so many ways to get lost. The Bible tells us that there is a WAY that seems right to a man, but it only leads to death.