Hebrews 1New International Version (NIV)
God’s Final Word: His Son
1 In the past God spoke to our ancestors 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 whomalso 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.
The first two verses of Hebrews set the scene – Jesus is superior to anything else and there it is – it continues in adamant purpose right to the end of the book. Jesus is superior it shouts to the Jewish and gentile world and the world can only shun the message or stand in amazement.
Recently I viewed an episode of Top gear where the two presenters were arguing about the superiority of one car against another. In this case it was a Lamborgini versus the Porsche 911.
Generally speaking the word Superior in many situations becomes a kind of one upmanship model almost snobbishness.
Who cares if the Lamborgini is better than the Porsche or visa versa?
But if I am going to drive over the Old man range abeyond cattle flat I do want the superior vehicle No point in having the latest car here, What I need is the one that will get me through the bogs and the rough spots.
Recently when we were involved in a drowning over in Austalia the thought occurred to me about the deceased man the thought revolved around who did he have to get him through the rough spot of death?
No Prophet, such as, Mohommed or Joseph Smith can do that – in fact of all the 107 billion people estimated to have ever lived only one person is qualified to be of any use to a person who has died – his name is Jesus Christ and he is thoroughly unique and in fact thoroughly superior to any other human being who has ever lived.
I believe the position that we place Christ in in our life is strategic and life defining.
What happens in and around our lives will ultimately be defined by where we have placed Christ in terms of priorities – authority and dependence.
This may seem obvious and of passing interest until you read, what I read last week, in the book of Proverbs:-
Prov 1:28-33 (NIV) "They will call to me but I will not answer; they will look for me but will not find me. Since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the Lord, since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke, they will eat of the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes. For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm."
This kind of thinking is expounded, in a way, in the book of Hebrews because in Hebrews we read in chapter 2 about waywardness which is described as drifting.
2 So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it. 2 For the message God delivered through angels has always stood firm, and every violation of the law and every act of disobedience was punished. 3 So what makes us think we can escape if we ignore this great salvation that was first announced by the Lord Jesus himself and then delivered to us by those who heard him speak? 4 And God confirmed the message by giving signs and wonders and various miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit whenever he chose.
I spent a lot of my recent holiday thinking about Christ’s position in Hebrews and realised that the superiority of Christ is paramount in our walk with Him. His position in my life is not a luxury but an absolute necessity if I am to walk my life without wasting it and squandering my time Christ must be placed in the superior position.
The writer of Hebrews wrote, "It is a fearful (formidable and terrible) thing to fall into the hands of the living God." (Heb. 10:31) God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. (I Pet. 5:5,6) Ask the Lord to help you teach others how they may unconsciously or consciously be opposing God and putting themselves in great peril!
Therefore the position of Christ is of vital importance.
All of this made me concerned to preach a small series on the superiority of Christ.
Chuck Swindoll produced a chart which is on the screen which divides the book of Hebrews into three sections.
Jesus Christ
Superior in his person
Jesus Christ Superior as our priest
And Jesus Christ Superior for life.
This morning I want to discus Jesus Christ superior in his person.
There are a lot of things that can be said about the book of Hebrews and during this short series we are not attempting an indepth study so I have prepared a little summary from Chuck Swindoll that you might find as helpful – Copies are available after the service this morning.
This morning the text I want to discus is the opening verses of Hebrews chapter 1.
Hebrews 1New International Version (NIV)
God’s Final Word: His Son
1 In the past God spoke to our ancestors 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 also 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.
The letter is written to the Jewish people, the Hebrews, and is speaking about how God has spoken historically and at the present time. In the past, he says God spoke in a particular way through the Prophets and various ways but in these last days he has spoken to us by Jesus God’s son. I don’t know about you but when I get a letter I look to the credentials of the author.
Occasionally, in the past, I received letters from people who at best could be called religious fanatics. They were often long, condemning and terribly heavy. After a while I came to recognise their style and handwriting so when I got such a letter I would sigh and open up the letter which had copious pages and heavy words. I would normally know that the life of the author was featured by failure and some sincerity but their logic was twisted and their message heavy and unwanted.
Other letters or cards would arrive and I delighted to receive them they always were light and sincere true and encouraging and even if they contained censure they were always positive and uplifting – How I delighted to receive such letters.
What was the difference? The credentials and position of the authors.
In Hebrews we read how God has spoken through Jesus.
, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also 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.
Why is Jesus superior? Because he is the heir of all things – that means everything that exists ultimately will end up in His hands. What you have got he – ultimately will inherit. What You have also was made through him –
If I get a word – from someone who is basically the creator of all I own and will ultimately inherit all I own or might aspire to then I think I need to recognise that his position is unique – I had better listen to his word.
In terms of what I own and have Jesus’ position is unique – The super successful people of this world – financially speaking become pitiful if they somehow try to hold onto their s. Because it all belongs to Jesus in the first place.
David Rockefeller, the world’s oldest billionaire, passed away in March at age 101.
At the time of his death, Rockefeller was worth an estimated $3.3 billion, making him the planet's 604th richest person, according to FORBES' real-time billionaire rankings.
I don’t know what his will says but Jesus is the heir of his estate ultimately all that he had will be returned into the hands of Jesus.
The first thing I learned about the superiority of Jesus is that I’ve got his stuff.
It came from him and ultimately will go back to him.
“Empty Hands” by Martha Nicholson
One by one He took them from me, All the things I valued most;
Until I was empty-handed, Every glittering toy was lost.
And I walked earth’s highways, grieving, In my rage and poverty,
Till I heard His voice inviting, “Lift your empty hands to me.”
So I held my hands toward Heaven And He filled them with a store
Of His own transcendent riches Until they could hold no more.
And at last I comprehend, With my stupid mind and dull,
That God pours not His riches Into hands already full
Jesus said “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.” (Matthew 6:19-20)
We’ve got God’s stuff and we have it for a purpose – What purpose?To be his servants on earth - simple!!!
Spike Milligan once said: “All I ask is the chance to prove that money can’t make me happy.”
That is very temporary thinking.
Ray Stedman once told of the time when he was in Hollywood, Florida, on the so-called "gold coast" of Florida. “Every morning I taught the Scriptures to a crowd of five hundred or more. These people, I was told, represented well over a billion dollars’ worth of accumulated wealth. I had the opportunity to talk with many of them individually. I found that most of these, by their own testimony, though they had all the money to buy anything they wanted, had arrived at the place where they were suffering from what someone has so aptly called ‘destination sickness’ - the malady of having everything that you want, but not wanting anything you have, and being sick and empty and lonely and miserable because you can do anything you want to do.”(sermon central)
The reason money and possesions don’t in themselves make people happy is because it’s God’s stuff and if you use it for his Kingdom purposes then it takes on meaning. But if you use it for yourself then it is out of context and loses it’s power and cripples the one who possesses it.
Because Jesus is superior.
WE have his stuff!
A second important outcome because Jesus is superior is he guarantees that not only are we never alone but he is the best friend anyone could ever have.
2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.
God speaks to us through his son. – when someone speaks to you it is a relationship being formed. Jesus clarifies that relationship for us
John 15:15-17New International Version (NIV)
15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.
As his football team suffered through a poor season in the early 1970s, head coach Pepper Rodgers came under intense criticism and pressure from alumni and fans.Things got so bad, he remembers with a smile, that friends became hard to find. He said, "My dog was my only true friend,"Looking for a little sympathy from his wife, he said, "I told my wife that every man needs at least two good friends—so she bought me another dog."
It is reported that Howard Hughes, when worth approximately 4 billion dollars, said, "I’d give it all for one good friend."
Rodney Dangerfield, Mr. I Don't get No respect, said, "Once I told my old man, ‘Nobody likes me, nobody wants to be my friend.’ He said, ‘Don’t say that—everybody hasn’t met you yet.’
On his deathbed, Revolutionary War traitor Benedict Arnold (1741-1801) was asked if he needed anything. He gasped, "Yes, a friend."
Jesus had a friend – Judas – but he betrayed him but there is truth in that old hymn
What a friend we have in Jesus.
Imagine a friend who knew all you did and still loved you – imagine a friend who shared his wealth with you never saw you go hungry was with you when you were sick. Imagine a friend who was better connected than Bill English or Donald Trump who was the exact likeness of God but who loved you completely imagine a friend who when you skinned your knees picked you up – when you lost your temper waited patiently for you to calm down – who picked up the wounds you inflicted on others and yourself – imagine such a friend.
You have a friend like that his name is Jesus.
I read this story -A friend of mine was on a train travelling out of Victoria Station in London. Across from him in the compartment were two men in their early thirties. Twenty minutes out of the station , one of them had an epileptic seizure. Perhaps you know how frightening such a seizure can be. The man stiffened and fell heavily out of his seat. Immediately , his friend took off his own jacket, rolled it up and put it behind his friend's head. He blotted the beads of perspiration from his brow with his handkerchief, talked to the stricken man in a quiet manner and calmed him. When the seizure was over, he lifted his friend gently back to his seat.
Then he turned to my friend and said, "Mister, please forgive us. Sometimes this happens two or three times a day. My buddy and I were in Vietnam together, and we were both wounded. I had bullets in both my legs and he had one in his shoulder. The helicopter that was supposed to come for us never came to pick us up.
"My friend picked me up, mister, and he carried me for three and a half days out of that jungle. The Viet Cong were snipping at us the whole way. He was in more agony than I was. I begged him to drop me and save himself , but he wouldn't let me go. He got me out of that jungle, mister. He saved my life. I don't know how he did it and I don't know why he did it.
"Four years ago, I found that he had this condition, so I sold my house in New York, took what money I had, and came over here to take care of him." And then he looked at his friend and said, "You see, mister, after what he did for me, there isn't anything I wouldn't do for him." (Tony Campolo.)
The truth is Jesus is even a better friend than that.
What a friend we have in Jesus.
3. Only Jesus takes the weight of our sins.
