Jesus Is...

“Jesus Is…” ~ Hebrews 1:1-4

This morning we are celebrating, not only communion, but World Communion Sunday. World Communion Sunday began in 1936 and is celebrated by protestant churches around the world on the first Sunday in October.

On World Communion Sunday we celebrate our oneness in Christ Jesus in the midst of a world that we are called together to serve.

World Communion Sunday also challenges us to remember just who Christ is:

How would you summarize Jesus?

Hebrews 1:3 summarizes Jesus in three ways:

1). Jesus is the reflection of God’s glory

A). The early Hebrews in reading this, would have immediately thought back to Moses:

• In Exodus 33 Moses is granted a request from God as a reward for his faithfulness in leading the children of Israel out of Egypt. Moses’ request is to see the glory of God.

o God agrees, but warns Moses that he cannot see God’s face ~ for no one can see the face of God and live.

o Instead, God covers Moses eyes and walks past him. When He is past, God uncovers Moses’ eyes and allows Moses to see His back.

o The result of Moses seeing God is that Moses face began reflecting the glory of God: his hair became white and his face was shining so bright that the people were afraid to come near him.

o Exodus 34 tells us that Moses ends up having to wear a veil on his face: When he spoke the word of God to the people, he would take the veil off in order to reflect God’s presence and glory to the children of Israel.

B). In John 1:14, John, in describing Jesus, calls Him, “the Word that became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen His glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.”

o In Jesus, John says, we have seen the glory of God, just as in Moses, the children of Israel saw God’s glory.

C). Paul saw that glory at his conversion in Acts 9: (read 9:1-9)

• Jesus is the reflection of God’s glory.

2). Jesus is the “exact imprint of God’s very being.”

A). Jesus Himself said that if people wanted to know God, all they needed to do was know the Son…

• In John 14:6 Jesus tells His disciples that He is the way, truth & life and that none of us can come to God the Father except through Him.

• This opens up a great discussion about just who Jesus is with the disciples: (read John 14: 6-11) …and we could go on reading clear through chapter 17!

• But look, Jesus says in verse 7, “If you know Me, you will know My Father also.”

• And in verse 9, “Whoever has seen Me has seen the Father.”

B). John Wesley said, “Whatever the Father is, is exhibited in the Son.”

• Jesus is the express image of God’s person…He is the exact imprint of God’s very being!

3). Jesus is the Sustainer of all things by His powerful Word

A). You know, we don’t really know who wrote the book of Hebrews, Paul used to get the credit, but that isn’t certain at all.

• I wouldn’t be surprised to find that John actually wrote the book of Hebrews. After all, we find such a parallel of the teachings in Hebrews to the gospel of John…especially when it comes to the teachings about Jesus.

• And we find that again here.

B). Jesus is the Sustainer of all things by His powerful Word:

• What better parallel to this than John 1:1-5 (read)

o Jesus is the eternal Word, or self-expression, of God.

o That Word is the Giver of life & light to all mankind.

• And that Giver then becomes both the Gift of life, and the Sustainer of life to all who would believe in the Word.

• Psalm 55:22 says, “Cast your burden on the Lord, and He will sustain you; He will never permit the righteous to be moved.”

This morning I invited you to do just that ~ to cast your burden on Jesus:

• To allow Him to sustain you by His powerful Word.

• Jesus, who is the exact imprint of God’s very being ~ who promises, “cast your cares on Me and I will lift you up.”

How do you summarize Jesus in your life? Who is Jesus to you?

• Like Moses and the Apostle Paul, are you a reflection of the glory of God that dwells in your life?

• How is Jesus being Jesus in you?