Hebrews 1:1-4 (Introducing God the Son Incarnate- Jeff Kliewer)

Amen. Beloved, if you'd stand and praise with us this morning. Romans 8 -11 says, if the spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his spirit who dwells in you.

Lord, we just want to lift up your name, lift up your praises this morning. We want to come before your throne of grace and lift up the King of kings and the Lord of lords who's so good to us, so rightly deserves to be praised.

None like you. Our God is greater. Our God is stronger. God, you are higher than any other. Our God is healer, awesome in power. Our God, our God, the conqueror, the great. You've paid all my sins and my shame.

There's no one like you. There's none like you. From death and on heaven on high. There's no one like you. There's none like you. God is greater. Our God is stronger. God, you are higher than any other.

Our God is healer, awesome in power. Our God, our God, our God. Our God is greater. Our God is stronger. God, you are higher than any other. Our God is healer, awesome in power. Our God, our God. And if our God is for us, then who could ever stop us?

And if our God is with us, then what could stand against him? If our God is for us, then who could ever stop us? And if our God is with us, then what could stand again? Our God is greater, our God is stronger, God you are higher than any other.

Our God is healer, awesome in power, our God, our God is stronger. Our God is stronger, our God is stronger, our God is greater than any other. Our God is healer, awesome in power, our God, our God. You called me from the grave, you called me out of all my shame.

I see the old is passed away. Resurrected on the inside, Jesus, you have given us freedom. By sin and darkness, living in the light of your goodness, you have given us freedom. I'm dressed in your royalty, your holy spirit.

I see my past is resurrected. By sin and darkness, living in the light of your goodness, you have given us freedom. You have given us freedom. You have given us freedom. My chains are gone. You have given us freedom.

You have given us freedom. Resurrection, living on the inside, Jesus, you have given us freedom. No longer bound by sin and darkness, living in the light of your goodness, you have given us freedom. Resurrection, living on the inside, Jesus, you have given us freedom.

No longer bound by sin and darkness, living in the light of your goodness, you have given us freedom. God sent his son. They called him Jesus. He came to and forgive and die. To buy grave is their savior.

Because he lives, God behold us. Because he lives, life is worth. Life is worth the living just because he lives.

The Word of God and the Need for Stability

Turn your Bibles to Hebrews chapter 1, verses 1 to 4. Just shout amen when you're there, really loud. Okay, thank you. Long ago at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets.

But in these last days, he has spoken to us by his son, whom he appointed the heir of all things. Through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature.

And he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

Good morning. Worship team, thank you for doing that hymn. That just transported me back to my days growing up. Because he lives. Our worship leader was named Chuck Cheeseman. And that was interesting.

But he did not have an electric guitar. You're doing because he lives with an electric guitar solo. Where's Ray? I think he stepped out. That was awesome. Thanks for that.

Let's pray.

Father, your word says, then shall I have an answer for him who taunts me. For I trust in your word. Psalm 119 also says, let those who fear you turn to me that they may know your testimonies. Psalm 119 also says, great peace have those who love your law.

Nothing can make them stumble. Lord, it is our prayer this morning that you would fortify us, strengthen us, stabilize us, grant us peace. Lord, that by your word, nothing could ever make any of us stumble or drift away from so great a salvation.

We pray, Lord, that you would use your word today to solidify our faith. And also strengthen us and sharpen us so that we can hold on to others and encourage others as we see the day approaching. We ask for this blessing in Jesus' name.

Amen.

Hebrews as a Warning Against Apostasy and False Teaching

Proverbs 14 .12 says, there is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death. In the 60s A .D., this is going back, not 1960s, I'm talking about the 60s A .D., there were a group of believers in Christ in the city of Rome.

We know that they were in Rome because the second to last verse in the book of Hebrews mentions that they should greet the Italians. So the author of Hebrews is telling them, he's sending greetings to people who came from Rome because he's greeting the Italians.

These believers in Christ had a Hebrew background. These were Jews who had become Messianic Jews. They had accepted the Messiah. However, as the years passed, there was a great temptation for them to turn back to Judaism.

To leave Christianity, to leave the Messiah, and go back to following Judaism. The Ten Commandments, circumcision, all of the rituals and feasts and traditions of Judaism were attractive. Now why would that be?

Because the persecution of Christians had begun in the city. It is probably the case that Paul was beheaded in Rome around the year 6263 A .D. Peter, subsequently, was crucified upside down. Christians were being attacked and persecuted, whereas Judaism was a safe religion.

It was state-sanctioned and people could become Jewish and still operate within society. So you began to see a great falling away from the faith. Back to Judaism. Until God dropped a bomb. And that bomb was the book of Hebrews.

A letter written from who knows where. We don't know the author of Hebrews. Matter of fact, I know. I am going to solve the mystery. For ages and ages, no one has known. Is it Paul writing through Luke, as some have postulated?

Is it Barnabas or is it Apollos? The great theologian and scholar with the keen intellect talked about an axe? Very well could have been all of those, but I will tell you who it was. You guys ready? The author of the book of Hebrews is the Holy Spirit.

That's what we know. This is an inspired book. Comes from God. Meets all the marks of inspired scripture. And was overseen by apostles who welcomed it, including John. So we know that this is written by the Holy Spirit.

I'll tell you, I lean towards Apollos. But there's other arguments to be made for Barnabas and others. So I'm not sure who wrote it from a human perspective. But this comes from God. It was given to protect the church.

And after it protected the church from these Judaizers. There came many more waves of false teaching into the church. There were Gnostics. There were Sabellians in the 200s. We'll get into them in a minute.

There were Arians. And ultimately, the book of Hebrews kept the church on track. And prevailing through every false teaching. Now today, do we have those same things? Why, yes, we do. We have Sabellians in the form of Oneness Pentecostals.

We have these Arians who go by the name of Jehovah's Witnesses. You have mystical religions that bring Judaizing works into the gospel. Like Roman Catholicism. But today, as Dennis Prager has noted, the most dynamic religion in America for the last 100 years is Leftism.

Leftism is a secular worldview that still often prays to a deity of your own making. Each person is allowed to worship whatever God they want. And the idea really is to appease their God in order to get favor from God.

Rather than submitting to a God-centered worldview, a God who speaks from the scripture. Leftism is a very dynamic worldview. Today, if you look around, you will see many who once named the name of Christ departing from the faith.

Very often it is in favor of some kind of leftist social justice agenda. But many other religions can capture the hearts and the attention of people who once named the name of Christ. In each case, the antidote, the power that we have to fight off the attacks of the enemy is the word of God.

Hebrews 4 .12, it's sharper than any two-edged sword. And the book of Hebrews specifically is the help that we need. It is God's power from heaven to keep us in the faith. To hold on to us. To stop people from apostatizing.

From turning away from the truth. So Ben read for us Hebrews 1, verses 1 -4. I'd like you to turn there. And today we need to see that in sending his son into the world. God the Father has introduced Jesus as God the Son incarnate.

And when we see him for who he is in all of his glory, we'll never want anything else. I mean think about it. The left offers a world view of constant progress. Desiring to bring in a utopia. But everywhere that this doctrine is tried, the result is dystopian.

It's not a utopia, it's a dystopian hell on earth. From communist Russia, to Mao's China, to Pol Pot. In every place today, Venezuela. Wherever the leftist agenda is actually tried, it fails. But the truth of God's word never fails.

And we don't have a utopian dream of some progress that we can usher in. We have a person, a glorious person, whose name is Jesus. And when we see him for who he is, there is nothing in this world that can compete with the God that we serve.

So as we go into Hebrews chapter 1, we are going to see right from the get-go an explosive introduction of God the Son incarnate. Now the author of Hebrews does not waste any time introducing himself.

That's why we don't know for sure who wrote it. It's not in the text itself. What he does instead is just burst onto the scene with a Christ-centered, Christ-elevating revelation of God the Son. Let's look at it.

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets. But in these last days, he has spoken to us by his Son. There is a contrast in this verse between what happened long ago in various ways.

So picture David fighting Goliath. Picture Daniel in the lion's den. Picture Isaiah seeing the heavenly vision. Holy, holy, holy. Picture Amos with his bowl of fruit. Picture the various ways that God spoke in the 39 books of the Old Testament.

Long ago, to the fathers. It was an incomplete, partial revelation. All true, but leading up to something greater. The contrast is between what was partial and leading, anticipating, to what is complete and final and definitive.

And that revelation is the Son himself. Jesus in the flesh. The Trinity was revealed when Jesus stepped onto planet Earth, born of a virgin. In the person of Christ. And so the New Testament reflects back on that and assumes that revelation.

Because the highest revelation of God is the person, Jesus, standing in flesh and blood on the planet. That's how God spoke in these last days. Now notice something about the Old Testament. This will be a little lesson here, so pay close attention.

There are three sections of the Old Testament. Some of you could name it. Torah, Ketuvim, and Nevi 'im. Three sections. All of them end with an anticipation of something more. There's nothing complete about either the Torah, the Nevi 'im, or the Ketuvim.

So quickly, definitions. Torah is the first five books of the Bible. That's the Pentateuch, Genesis through Deuteronomy. Ketuvim refers to the writings. It is Samuel and Kings and Chronicles and Psalms and Proverbs, Song of Solomon, Ecclesiastes, the writings.

It's Ketuvim. And lastly, you have the prophets, from Isaiah to Malachi. That's Nevi 'im. In each case, we are left with an anticipation of something more. So Torah offers the promise of a coming seed of the woman.

Genesis 3 .15. The seed of the woman will crush the head of the serpent. We are waiting for a seed of the woman, a man, someone who comes from woman, to crush that serpent in the wilderness. That anticipation only builds as the Torah unfolds.

Genesis 12. We learn that the seed must come through Abraham. Genesis 21. From Abraham's seed, it will go through Isaac, not Ishmael. In Genesis 25, the seed goes through Jacob, not Esau. In Genesis 49 .10, the seed goes through Judah, not any of the other 11 brothers.

Point being, there is coming a seed of the woman. We're specifically learning about him, but he hasn't come yet. And so in Exodus, we have Moses, and we say, is this the seed? Will he be the deliverer?

And surely, he delivers Israel from captivity in Egypt. But he's not the promised one. Because the Torah ends in Deuteronomy 34 with these words. Deuteronomy 34, verses 10 and following. Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face.

Who did all those signs and wonders the Lord sent him to do in Egypt. To Pharaoh and to all his officials, and to his whole land. For no one has ever shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did.

In the sight of all Israel. Torah's over. Interesting conclusion to the Torah, right? It's saying, Moses was great. But no one's ever been like him. No one can do those miracles. There's never been one like him.

Deuteronomy 18 .15 said, there's coming a prophet like Moses. Who's greater than Moses, and you must listen to every word he has to say. Deuteronomy 18 .15. So the Torah ends by saying, there's never been anyone like Moses.

Until Jesus. Like Moses, he fasts for 40 days. Like Moses, he delivers his people, but not from physical captivity. From captivity to sin. Like Moses, he turns water to wine. In the case of Moses, it was blood for judgment.

In the case of Jesus, it's his lifeblood for an offering of mercy. The woman at the wedding, who was running dry. He turned water to wine. Like Moses. And that symbolism points to his own blood. Given for our sins.

Take, drink, says Jesus. Do this in remembrance of me.

Right?

So Jesus is the greater Moses. The Torah leaves us looking for someone, and Jesus fulfills that. Now, Nevi 'im. The second section. This ends in our Bible. Say you have the King James Version or the ESV.

It ends with Song of Songs. And the last verse is the woman calling out, come to her husband. Inviting her husband. If that's a picture of the church. There you have the call. Looking for the Messiah to come.

The second coming of Christ. Even so, as the book of Revelation ends. Come, Lord Jesus. But in the Hebrew Bible, they put Chronicles last. And the book of Chronicles ends with the people in captivity.

Having been judged by God. Serving the 70 years of Sabbath rest for the land. Coming back to Jerusalem. And the hope is maybe now the Messianic age will begin. They failed for all these years. Maybe now the expectation is for Messiah to come.

And make things right. But it's not complete yet. Finally, Nevi 'im. The last section. Has all of these prophecies about the coming Messiah. You know these, right? Isaiah says he'd have to be born of a virgin.

The government would be on his shoulders. The suffering servant. Isaiah 53. Zechariah tells us he'll ride in on a donkey. Micah says he'll be born in the city of Bethlehem. But all of these prophecies culminate in the very last chapter of Malachi.

Malachi chapter 4. And is it conclusive? Is the Old Testament complete?

No.

In the last verses of Malachi. We're told to look for the forerunner. The one who will come in the spirit of Elijah.

The forerunner.

Who comes. Of course we know him to be John the Baptist. And so the point is. Hebrews 1. This is what's being said. Long ago at many times and in many ways. Through all of these prophecies. Through these events of the Old Testament.

God spoke. God is speaking to our fathers by the prophets. But in these last days. He has spoken to us. By his son. When Jesus came in the flesh. He fulfilled all the prophecies of long ago. He is the greater Moses.

He is introduced by John the Baptist.

The forerunner.

In the spirit of Elijah. Who prepares the way.

Jesus comes.

The final revelation of God. Jesus. Is the one long foretold. Now. Here's one of my favorite passages of the Bible. Because. After introducing the son.

This author.

Doesn't waste time. With any introductions. He doesn't give the warm greetings. You know how when Paul writes an epistle. He'll greet them.

And thank them.

And tell them that he's praying for them. The author of Hebrews here. Has one purpose. It is to lift. Christ up. To elevate him. And brothers and sisters. With whatever view you came into this place. Regarding Jesus Christ.

Whatever your view was. He's higher. However much you loved him. When you came here. He deserves more love. However passionately you worship him. He deserves more passion in your worship. And so what the author of Hebrews does.

Is he just lifts him higher and higher. And higher and higher.

The Son as Heir, Creator, and Radiance of God

Eight times.

Eight descriptions. So let's see them one by one. First. Whom he appointed. The heir of all things. Colossians 1 .15. Speaks similarly. And says of Jesus. He is the image. Of the invisible God. The first born over all creation.

The idea here of the first born. Is not that he was created or made. But that he is preeminent. He's the unique one. All of the universe. Belongs to him. It's all going to him. He's going to inherit it all.

He's the heir. It's all for him. Not only is it all going to him. But let's look at the second thing. It all comes. From him. It says here. Through whom also. He created the world. Before the world was made.

The uncreated God. Was all there was. And he existed as father. Son and Holy Spirit. When the father created. He instrumentally used the son. In creation. Jesus as the word. God spoke. The creation into being.

Christ as a person was there. Now I mentioned. Sabellianism. Anybody here familiar with sabellianism? Sabellianism. Is modalism. It's a denial of the trinity. What it teaches. Is that God exists in different modes.

So some of you have different modes. Like sometimes you're in your dad mode. Other times you're in your work mode. And you wouldn't want to get confused with those.

Right.

My brother's an investment banker. And he talks about when he's working from home. He's in his investment banker mode. And he doesn't want to confuse that. With his dad mode. Because that doesn't go well.

He says he's a very different person. When he's in investment banker mode. Than he is when he's in dad mode. Okay. Much more intense. Modalism says that God existed. As father in the old testament. Jesus was a mode.

That God went into. During his new testament ministry. And then he comes as the spirit. So he's in spirit mode. But it denies. That God has always existed. As father, son and holy spirit. This is a heresy.

That presents a different Jesus. Than the one presented to us here. Because what does it say here? Through whom also. He created the world. What does that modify?

Son.

Look early in verse 2. God has spoken to us. By his son. I have been. In an online dispute. For the last two years. With a false teacher. Named Gino Jennings. In Philadelphia. Gino Jennings is Sabellian in his thinking.

Sabellianism began in 217 A .D. in Rome. When Sabellius the presbyter. Began to teach this modalistic doctrine. And in these online debates. Often I'll cite. Say John 1 .1. In the beginning was the word.

The word was with God. The word was God. But followers of Jennings will say. Wait a minute. It just says the word. The Logos. Maybe God created the world. Through the Logos. Through the rationality. Through the logic.

Of the idea of a son. You see where they go with that. Now that doesn't account for the personal pronouns in John chapter 1. But in any case. They say that Logos does not refer to a person. It's not Jesus as the son.

It's only an idea or a concept. To which I always answer. Well then how do you account for Hebrews 1 .2. Because in Hebrews 1 .2. Jesus is not called the Logos. What is he called?

The son.

The Huyos in Greek. He is the person. He is the son and he was the son. Before the world began. Because the world was made through the son. That's how it is in Philippians 2. Verses 5 to 11. He did not consider equality with God something to be grasped.

Even before he took on flesh. He was already considering things. You have to be a person to consider. You see? So the son existed as such before the world began. So if anybody is ever tempted towards oneness Pentecostalism.

Hebrews 1 .2. Is your antidote. I don't expect that any of you would be. But you'll know someone. With whom you'll need to contend. For the sake of the gospel. Thirdly. He is the radiance of the glory of God.

As if the author of Hebrews hadn't said enough already. Everything is being made for him. He's going to inherit it all. Everything was made through him. He's the source of it all. Now he gives the imagery of light.

He is the radiance. That word refers to not the bulb itself but the brightness. The radiance that comes from a light source. He is the radiance of the glory of God. When Jesus came into the world, we're told in John chapter 1, in him was life and that life.

Was the light.

Of men. And those of you, we studied Revelation, right? How does the book of Revelation end? New Jerusalem, new heaven and new earth. But there's no need for the sun. Because the lamb is.

The lamp.

His glory bursts forth and enlightens the entire universe. Jesus is the glory of God. Second Corinthians 4 .4 says the God of this age blinds the minds of unbelievers so they cannot see the light of the glory of Christ.

And we do not preach ourselves.

But we are servants.

For his sake. Now catch this. For God who said let light shine in the darkness. When did God say that? At creation. He said let there be light. The same God who said let light shine in the darkness has made his light to shine in our hearts.

To give.

Us the light.

Of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face.

Of Christ. The knowledge.

Of God, true knowledge of God is to see that all glory is in the face of Christ.

He.

Is the radiance of God. His face, him in the flesh as he walked among us.

And he healed.

The blind, opened eyes, raised the dead, walked on water. To some degree his glory was veiled as he humbled himself and taken on flesh in order that he would be rejected and sacrificed. But there were some that saw.

The light. Those.

Who saw that this was God in flesh, the light of Christ, they were not ashamed to come into it for fear that their deeds would be exposed. They came into the light and so they were saved and so it is with us.

Jesus is the light of the world. Look to him. He is the radiance of God. Fourth, he is the exact imprint of his.

Nature.

All the attributes of the Father are true.

Of the Son. In Psalm.

Chapter 90 verse 2, we learn that God is from everlasting to everlasting. He has eternality. The Son is from everlasting to everlasting. Micah 5 2 part B.

We learn.

In Psalm 139 that God is present everywhere. Where should I flee from your presence? If I were to go to the highest heavens, you're there. The deepest depths, you're there. That's true of the Father, that's true of the Son.

He's the exact imprint of his nature. The same attributes. Omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent. Eternality. Jesus is God. This is what we're being taught. Fifth, he upholds the universe by the word of his power.

He is the one that holds all things together. You've probably heard that the world as it spins and revolves around the sun is on a 23 degree angle. And if that were tilted one degree this way or that, the world would spin out of control and be consumed.

Become polar ice caps that consume the whole thing, scientists say. It is calculated and calibrated exactly right for life.

That is not by.

Accident. Jesus is sustaining this universe for life. He is that force. I once heard that Einstein in his death was very depressed in his dying years because he had spent a lifetime seeking a physical answer that upholds the universe.

And whereas.

He did discover relativity and many things, he knew in his death that there was yet an invisible power that he could not explain holding it all together. Brothers and sisters, that power is Jesus. He is holding the whole world all the time, sustaining it by the word of his power.

As the word of God, he himself is sustaining the universe. This is glorious. Sixth, and we're almost finished. After making purification for sins, Jesus is the one who purified us of our sins. Those of us who believe in him are born again.

You must be born again, by the way. How did he do that? Well, the priests in Jerusalem would offer sacrifices.

Of little lambs.

Bloody sacrifices.

Because of the sins of the people. But the blood of those lambs and bulls and goats could never take away sin. The priest brought that offering and it was a temporary covering until the fullness came.

Christ.

As the fullness is a high priest. But Christ brought one offering, one sacrifice, and it was not a lamb outside of himself. The high priest brought himself to the altar of the cross and laid down as the once and for all sacrifice.

And that sacrifice purifies people for real and forever, eternally.

He.

Provided purification in his own blood. The high priest brought himself, he laid down, poured out his blood on the cross, and so he purified you and I who look to him in faith.

His blood.

Washed us clean. And so we can sit here this morning knowing that my sin, this sinful man, has been cleansed. I am purified. My sin and your sin, who believe in him, is removed as far as the east is from the west.

He's taken our sin and thrown it into the sea of forgetfulness.

He has done.

This once and for all. And so dying on the cross, he said, Tetelestai, it is finished. The high priest finished the work. No more need for priests in a man-made temple. No more animal sacrifices. A once and for all purification for sins.

And so the next part, number seven, he sat down. Psalm 110. The Lord said to my Lord, sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet. That's the father saying to the son, be seated.

Why are they being seated? Why is he being seated? His work is finished. He doesn't need to stand to do anything else. Christ has accomplished.

Our redemption.

On the cross. And now he pleads and intercedes before the father based on his finished work for us. He sat down. Lastly, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent.

Than theirs.

I think that this belongs in the introductory.

Sermon.

I once preached Hebrews 1, 1 -3 for Christmas, and I said it was a sevenfold glorification of Christ. Because I was looking at verse 4 as a transition to the rest of the chapter. And I think that's true.

It is transitional. But notice it's actually a participle to the sentence that goes before it. It actually belongs in this first opening explosion of Christ's glorifying joy. It belongs right here in verse 4.

Because the idea here is his name, his identity is to be celebrated. It lifts him high. It's greater than angels. You see what I'm saying? Having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

It's not that he ontologically was ever less than angels, but taking on human flesh, he dwelt among us. And regarded as a man, and as a man, he was less than angels for a time. But being seated, he's recognized for the God he always was.

And identified with a name. So what is.

The name? What is.

The name that is above every name? The name.

Is Jesus.

It means Yahweh is salvation. And that's the point. He's more than a Michael, or a Gabriel, or a Lucifer, a created being. No, he's Yahweh.

Is salvation.

In the flesh. God the Son incarnate. That's who he is.

He.

Is Jesus.

God is salvation. So the final identification here is a name. And that's why you should still close every prayer in Jesus' name, amen. Not as a way of just signing off in a rote fashion, but actually naming.

The name that has.

Power over all demons that have to flee at his name. Over all forces. When you say the name of Jesus, power is unleashed. Say the name of Jesus. It's higher than any other name. In closing, we are at war.

There are many who are vying for the souls of our children, and our brothers and our sisters. False religions, like Sabellianism, or Arianism, the Jehovah's Witness view. Hebrews 1, 1 -4 refutes all of the heresies that could ever be introduced into the church.

All heresies have this in common. They demote Jesus, and they introduce works.

But this.

Elevation of Christ, this supremacy of Christ, as it's expounded here, refutes every heresy. It also protects us against the lies of this culture. We must go to war with this text.

In hand.

To hold on to those who would depart, running after another religion, whether it's leftism, or.

Some other thing. Christ.

Is greater. Christ is higher. And so, we're going to study the book of Hebrews. Here's what's going to happen. Five times, the author of Hebrews is going to warn sternly that we not drift from such a great salvation, or wander in the wilderness, or be like that land that drinks in the rain, often falling on it, but never producing a harvest.

Five stern warnings. But again.

And again, surrounding.

Each of these, you will see an elevation of Christ as greater, better. He's better than angels next week. Then he's better than Moses. He's got a better covenant, a better sacrifice. He's better than the high priest.

He is the priest in the order of Melchizedek.

All that is to come. We need.

To see Christ. Look to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the majesty on.

High. So we.

Go to the book of Hebrews to come away with a higher view of Jesus, to love him more, to worship more passionately, and worship team, if you would come forward now, we're going to sing one more song. I'm going to pray before we do that, and then when I'm done praying, let's just stand and sing together, and we'll be done.

Let's pray.

That we not.

Lose one.

Over my 20 years of ministry, I've seen too many depart from the faith. People I never would have expected led astray to mute idols. I don't want to see another one ever again, and let Hebrews be that fortress over us.

Let's pray.

God,.

We thank you, Lord Jesus. You are greater, so much greater than any of us know. Now we see us through a dark glass. There's coming a day we will see you face-to-face.

Lord,.

I pray that as we study through the book of Hebrews, we would see you more clearly, that the light of who you are would burst forth to us. We would behold your glory, glory as of the one and only, full of grace and truth.