SLIDE#1
Introduction
• It is good to be together today, church family! What do you say!
• One of the joys of life, as well as our faith, is the journey.
• I think we all know that life itself is a journey. But we also need to be aware of the fact that faith is a journey too.
• One of the joys of the journey is that we get to do it together!
• What do you think is an essential part of a journey. For me, there are a few things.
• One, I want to know why I am on the journey. Second, I want to know where I am heading, what is my destination? Third, when am I going, and when am I coming back?
• Knowing the answer to those questions helps me answer many questions concerning my journey.
• Today we will embark on an eight-week journey of faith together as we begin our new series entitled, Hebrews: The Journey of Faith.
• This eight-week series charts a course through the book of Hebrews, describing the supremacy of Christ as God’s revelation, high priest, sacrifice, and giver of faith. Rather than looking to other things, people, or feelings to bring us meaning and redemption, we must look to Jesus.
• On the issues we face on our faith journey is staying focused on the journey.
• There are so many distractions and so many obstacles to overcome.
• Hebrews 12:2 encourages us to keep our eyes on Jesus, who is the author and perfecter of our faith.
• When we know we are on our faith journey to be with Jesus for eternity, and we know the destination of our faith journey is heaven, it behooves us to keep our focus on Jesus.
• The big idea of the message today is that we must know that Jesus is above all and is the full revelation of God. We cannot allow ourselves to be pulled off track by other things, other people, or circumstances to lead us to take our eyes off Jesus.
• The authorship of Hebrews is unknown but heavily debated. The audience is not a specific church like Ephesus but believers throughout the known world.
• The writer continually refers to Old Testament passages, imagery, and characters, which assumes the audience has a working knowledge of the Old Testament.
• Therefore, a majority of the “Hebrews” may be Jewish Christians, and the book was likely written sometime between 40–60 AD. It is safe to assume these dates since the destruction of the temple in 70 AD is not referenced, and the author is worried that these believers will return to a sacrificial system that was still taking place
• The authorship is unknown; personally, I have felt Paul wrote it because of the strong tie into the Old Testament scriptures, which as a Pharisee, he would know.
• The entire book focuses on the superiority of Jesus, the New Covenant, as well as the superiority of faith.
• Today we will be in Hebrews 1:1-14, but the main focus of the message will be verses 1-4.
• I LOVE this text today.
SLIDE #2
Bible Verse
Hebrews 1:1-2 (CSB)
1Long ago God spoke to the fathers by the prophets at different times and in different ways.
2In these last days, he has spoken to us by his Son. God has appointed him heir of all things and made the universe through him.
SLIDE #3
1. I. Jesus is the superior messenger.
Explanation of Point #1
• In the Jewish culture, the Prophets were held in high regard, well unless you were living when one was telling you things you did not like to hear, then you were not too fond of them. Ask Jeremiah!
• We see from verse one that God spoke long ago to the fathers by the Prophets. A Prophet is one who speaks for God, and who speaks by inspiration. God inspired and many times outright told the Prophets what to say when speaking for Him.
• Verse one also says God spoke through the Prophets in different times and in different ways.
• God used dreams, visions, direct communication, object lessons, burning bushes, storms, aminals, angels, among other ways.
SLIDE #4
Bible Verse
2 Peter 1:20-21 (CSB)
20Above all, you know this: No prophecy of Scripture comes from the prophet’s own interpretation,
21because no prophecy ever came by the will of man; instead, men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
Explanation
• Here is something simple that if we are not careful, we can miss it.
• Look at verse two! When did God quit communicating with us? There was a dry spell between the Old and New Testament times.
• Did God quit communicating with us when the Old Testament closed?
• No, He did not! He communicated with us through Jesus!
• At the heart of Christian theology is the understanding that a living God created everything and continues to speak and have a relationship with his creation.
• By the time Hebrews was written, God’s revelation through His Son was completed and a thing of the past; however, through the Word, through the Bible, God communicates with us today.
• The Holy Spirit is within us, lifting our prayers to God. (Romans 8:26-27).
• Old Testament shows God working through angels, prophets, signs, nations, and his written Word, the Torah, given to Moses.
• The writer of Hebrews opens his discourse by saying, “In the past, God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways” (Hebrews 1:1).
• However, “in these last days,” God has spoken to the world through his Son, Jesus (v. 2). This isn’t just an additional revelation equal to the words spoken to Moses, Abraham, Isaiah, and David.
• The author wants to put an exclamation point on his proclamation by saying that Jesus is the final Word from God because he is God! (vv. 2–4).
• Jesus is greater than the Prophets.
• God appointed Him heir of all things! All things were created by and through Him!
• The other issue concerning the Prophets is they only knew bits and pieces of information; none of them had the full picture!
SLIDE #5
Bible Verse
1 Peter 1:10-11 (CSB)
10Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who prophesied about the grace that would come to you, searched and carefully investigated.
11They inquired into what time or what circumstances the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating when he testified in advance to the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.
Explanation
• In life, who do you turn to for answers, for inspiration, for direction?
• The Jews put a lot of stock in the Prophets, and rightfully so; however, Jesus is greater the Prophets!
• Jesus knew what was happening from beginning to end!
• On our faith journey, we need to turn out the noise of false religions, false prophets, and false teachers, and place our focus squarely upon Jesus!
SLIDE #6
Bible Verse
Hebrews 1:3 (CSB)
3The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact expression of his nature, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.
SLIDE #7
2. II. Jesus is the superior representation of God.
Explanation
• I love verse three because it further illustrates the supremacy of Christ!
• Jesus is “the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word” (Hebrews 1:3).
• The radiance of God’s glory speaks of the dazzling sphere of light on sees emanating from God as He sits on the throne!
• This language is emphasizing that Jesus is the full representation of God.
• When you see Jesus, you see God. Why is this important? Jesus is entirely God, not just “kind of” God or a mouthpiece for God.
• Also, when we ask ourselves, “What does God or the Bible have to say about a situation?” we must look at that question with Jesus at the forefront since he is the final Word in all things.
• The expressions, “exact expression” is used of the impression stamped on coins.
• The idea is clear that the Son and the Father are as much alike as a die and the coin it stamps. Jesus is so much like the “being” of God that to understand the nature and behavior of Jesus is to understand the nature and behavior of God. Girdwood, J., & Verkruyse, P. (1997). Hebrews (Heb 1:3). Joplin, MO: College Press.
• Some verses use the phrase, “the exact representation of His nature” (speaking of Gods nature)
• In this context, nature speaks of the constituent elements of which anything is made up.
• The elements that constitute God the Father are the same ones that form the Son!
• Jesus holds all things together with the power of His Word!
• It is nothing less than the power of Jesus’ own words that are sustaining all things. The gospel writers present Jesus out front performing miracles, interrupting, or controlling the laws of nature.
• They do not show this side of his work, behind the scenes sustaining and holding all together as in this passage and Colossians 1:17. Girdwood, J., & Verkruyse, P. (1997). Hebrews (Heb 1:3). Joplin, MO: College Press.
SLIDE #8
Bible Verse
Colossians 1:16-17 (CSB)
16For everything was created by him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities?— all things have been created through him and for him.
17He is before all things, and by him all things hold together.
Explanation
• In our first point, we see that Jesus is a superior PROPHET.
• In our second point, we see that Jesus is a superior PRIEST!
• After Jesus died on the cross and rose on the third day, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high!
• This image indicates His finished work as High Priest and shows His work now as reigning King!
• His work of the cross is over, hence he can sit (as Heb 12:2 says), but his interceding continues while he sits.
SLIDE #9
Bible Verse
Hebrews 12:2 (CSB)
2keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith. For the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
SLIDE #10
Bible Verse
Hebrews 1:4-14 (CSB)
4So he became superior to the angels, just as the name he inherited is more excellent than theirs.
5For to which of the angels did he ever say, You are my Son; today I have become your Father, or again, I will be his Father, and he will be my Son ?
6Again, when he brings his firstborn into the world, he says, And let all God’s angels worship him.
7And about the angels he says: He makes his angels winds, and his servants a fiery flame,
8but to the Son: Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, and the scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of justice.
9You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; this is why God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of joy beyond your companions.
10And: In the beginning, Lord, you established the earth, and the heavens are the works of your hands;
11they will perish, but you remain. They will all wear out like clothing;
12you will roll them up like a cloak, and they will be changed like clothing. But you are the same, and your years will never end.
13Now to which of the angels has he ever said: Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool ?
14Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve those who are going to inherit salvation?
SLIDE #11
3. III. Jesus is superior to the angels as well as all creation.
Explanation
• In our first point, we see that Jesus is a superior PROPHET.
• In our second point, we see that Jesus is a superior PRIEST!
• In our final observation, we see that Jesus is a superior King!
• Even today, people have an affinity with Angels. Several books deal with the subject!
• God used angels for several tasks throughout time, yet they are nothing more than a higher form of creation.
• There is one more magnificent idea with which Hebrews summarizes this opening declaration of Jesus’ preeminence. Having become so much greater than the angels, it fitting that he has won a name much more significant than theirs. Girdwood, J., & Verkruyse, P. (1997). Hebrews (Heb 1:4). Joplin, MO: College Press.
• I find it interesting that the Hebrew writer uses two verses to talk about the supremacy of Jesus over the Prophets; one verse to talk about the fact that Jesus is superior to the priests along with the fact that Jesus is the EXACT REPRESENTATION OF GOD, yet here we see ten verses which speak of Christ’s supremacy over the angels!
• The Hebrew writer quotes seven Old Testament passages in these ten verses to prove the statement made concerning Christ in verse 4!
• The name SON is more excellent than the name, angel!
• During the time this was written, a person’s name was meant to concisely sum up all that person was to be!
• HE IS JESUS SON OF GOD! That trumps everything!
• Because of time, we will not cover all ten of the verses, but I want to focus your attention on verses 13-14 because this sums up the thought of these ten verses nicely!
SLIDE #12
Bible Verse
Hebrews 1:13-14 (CSB)
13Now to which of the angels has he ever said: Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool ?
14Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve those who are going to inherit salvation?
Explanation
• Angels are not SONS; they are SERVANTS!
• The Son is the “CO-RULER” with the Father.
• The angels, at best, are but servants whom the King sends out repeatedly as the occasion demands.
• By the way, verse 14 is written in a present-tense form, which indicates continuous action. They are sent over and over again!
• SENT OUT means commissioned to do a special task!
• Their task is that of a servant!
Application
• We must see Jesus as the final and full revelation of God, not just a part of God’s revelation.
Conclusion
• We need to be fully aware of who Jesus is and why we need to allow Him to lead us in our journey of Faith!
• We cannot allow ANYONE or ANYTHING to take the place of Jesus.
• If we are trying to go on our faith journey without Him as our leader, we are going on a journey to nowhere that we want to be!
