Who is Jesus?,
and How do you respond to that?
is the most important question you’ll ever answer.
If you get that wrong - you are not right with God. We must look to God’s Word for the answer. It is Inspired, Inerrant, Authoritative and Sufficient.
Sufficiency is under-emphasized today. Here’s a brief definition before we go on:
Scripture is Sufficient means it contains all that we need for determining what we must believe and how we are to live before God
The Bible does need to be interpreted and applied, but we need no other source of special revelation for faith and life other than the Bible.
(See https://www.ligonier.org/learn/devotionals/biblical-sufficiency)
Hebrews 1:4-14
The main idea in this passage is that Jesus is superior to angels.
There’s always been plenty of misconceptions about angels.
They are spirit beings, winds of mystery, a flaming fire, brightly shining, and fabulous winged creatures. They can assume visible from. When they do, it’s usually terrifying.
They worship and praise God continuously
They communicate God’s message to man
They minister to us - to believers
They’re also God’s agents in judgments
They’ll be quite involved in the 2nd coming
They’re amazing creatures who wield great power and are gathered around God’s eternal throne
They are an army of powerful warriors!
We must always remember the one point of this passage:
1. ONE POINT: Jesus Is Better
The structure of this passage reminds us to be wary of two tendencies we have today:
1. Pragmatism
How will this change my life tomorrow is a good question, but shouldn’t be where we start.
2. Emotionalism
We tend to think that if we were not moved emotionally,“worship wasn’t really that great today….”
While those two things aren’t important, when we notice that the whole first chapter of Hebrews addresses the HEAD, we see where we must start in
How is Jesus Better?
A. His Name & Title
Jesus Christ the Son of God. He is far superior to any other name.
B. His Honor
He is to be worshiped
If you are worshiping anyone or anything else
you are actively participating in idolatry.
C. His Status - The prototokos
The Greek word translated “firstborn” is the word “prototokos” meaning - the preeminent one. The One who inherits everything, to whom all authority is given
Read Colossians 1:15-23 regularly)
Verse 7 - He created the angels. He commands them. He owns them. They serve Him.
Verse 8 probably the most powerful, significant declaration of the deity of Christ in the entire New Testament.
God is declaring that Jesus is on the eternal throne.
D. His Eternality
He always has and always will exist.
Hebrews 13:8 – Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
We think of so many things as eternal, as things that will last for ever. But they’re all nothing.
No matter how permanent, you may think something is.
Jesus is so much more permanent
So much more powerful
So much superior in the existence of who He is
That the tallest, most solid mountains in the world will be rolled up like we roll up an old T-Shirt before we stuff it in the trash.
vv 11-12
Which leads us to
E. His Supreme Position
He is the ultimate authority: seated on the Throne.
The angels - serve at His command. They serve us too.
3. How Do We Respond?
Head - what do you need to know?
Never stop learning about Jesus.
As much as you know, you’ll never arrive and you need to learn more.
Heart - Jesus has to capture both our attention… and our affection.
We must know who He is
In order to love Him as we should.
The more you know about Jesus, the more you’ll love Him. The more you Love Him, the more you’ll want to know about Him.
Hand - this knowledge and this affection should literally affect everything you do every minute of every day.
Train your brain
Engage your heart
And that will guides your hand
Commit yourself to full, comprehensive, RADICAL obedience in every situation.
in every thought
in every attitude
in every interaction with others
in every action that you do
That’s what’s meant by “HAND”
Head - Heart - Hand
Soli Deo Gloria!
Pastor Rob
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