Sunday Night, July 26, 2020 PM

Well, good evening I'm very glad to Have y 'all here tonight

It's a joy. I've been looking forward to this Have our brother just I come and preach the word for us.

Just I come on up here he's gonna preach to us from Hebrews and Most of you know that he is our pastoral intern here the

Lord has arranged for such a time as this for Josiah with the the giftings that he's exhibited and Encouragements that he's always brought me.

I'm glad that you're here tonight brother to to preach to us. So I'll just let you have it. Okay Appreciate it

Michael. I would invite you tonight to take a look at Christ in the scriptures and look at how he is

Supreme as the Son So let's go ahead and pray Father thank you for this day

Thank you for another day to live and to focus upon you and to run to you

Lord When we need it help us to focus upon you as revealed in your word May we submit to it in all things and all its wisdom

And help us to see Christ tonight for we we need Christ every day in Jesus name.

Amen So, yes tonight will be in Hebrews chapter 1 verses 1 through 4

Hebrews chapter 1 verses 1 through 4 This epistle is very distinct from other parts of the

New Testament in two particular ways One is that there's uncertainty about who the original author was

Nothing at the beginning or at the end or in the title itself Indicates a clear strong message of who wrote this book

Theologians commentators Historians have taken a look at the book and have tried to build cases to support it might have been

Paul One of his companions or one of the church leaders during the first century, but there's still uncertainty there

The question who wrote this epistle after I've studied this book and done some research

Has really made it to my top ten questions when I get to heaven is who wrote this epistle To know that would be interesting to say the least it's also distinct in that it creates a very strong connection and a very

Strong bridge between the New Testament and the old The writer hearkens back and looks back to the ceremonies the laws

The practices of the old testimony and the old covenant that the Israelites followed for centuries

And because of that Sometimes for us in 21st century America, it's difficult to understand the different parts and pieces of the epistles the

Hebrews. I Music If you ever played an instrument before read through a sheet of music with that instrument

Chances are and I'm willing to guess that there's at least one particular note that you can recall Coming across and having trouble understanding how to utilize it

To understand how it works together with the rest of the music but after faithful study and after Delving into it more practicing it seeing how it should be used

You understand that it makes a very distinct and majestic sound and We should follow that sort of example when we come to the

Word of God Studying it faithfully submitting to it and that's not always easy, but it's the right thing to do

So once you understand that note you see how it comes alongside the different notes

Alongside it and how they're each unique and distinct in and of themselves and they come together in a unified fashion to form a complete piece of music that proclaims a majestic theme and even though we don't know who the writer is and Even though it's unique and distinct the epistle to the

Hebrews is still inspired scripture It's still God -breathed and a part of the canon of the

Bible We can also understand the epistle to the Hebrews as a word of exhortation

This is what the writer calls it near the end of its pages in chapter 13 verse 22 Exhortation we can understand is meaning encouragement.

So this was a word of encouragement We can then we can then ask the question. What was the writer trying to encourage his audience about?

What was he trying to encourage his audience to do? This epistle is a call to remain in Christ It's an encouragement to continue to abide in Christ as totally sufficient

The audience were believing Christian Hebrews that for some reason we're thinking about going back

Putting their trust in their hope and the laws the ceremonies the practices of old They were tempted to leave

Christ and to go back to the shadow instead of cling to the substance that had come

The substance that had been revealed to them So the writer wants to encourage his audience these

Hebrews that in light of the supremacy of the Sun Nothing else is sufficient in light of the supremacy of Jesus Christ.

Nothing else is sufficient and In these first four verses, we'll see how the writer shows

Christ as supreme in revelation and power and in authority So, let's go go ahead and read the text and see what has to say

Chapter 1 verse 1 Says God who at various times and in various ways spoken time passed to the fathers by the prophets

Has in these last days spoken to us by his son whom he has appointed heir of all things

Through whom also he made the world Who being the brightness of his glory and the express image of his person and upholding all things by the word of his power

When he had by himself purged our sins Sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high

Having become so much better than the angels as he has by inheritance Obtained a more excellent name

Than they here we have the Word of God Here we have the epistle the beginning part of the epistle to the

Hebrews So right off the bat the writer wants to establish that Christ is supreme and revelation

He does so by showing Christ completing the Old Testament and being the

Son of God Verse 1 says God who at various times and in various ways spoken time passed to the fathers by the prophets

This one verse that begins the epistle holds within itself several centuries of history real -life stories miracles signs and wonders blessings and Judgments if we think back for a moment we can think of how

God revealed himself to Abraham Originally Abram as he called him to be a father of a nation

How he revealed himself to Abraham by giving him a son who without God's help would not have been born

How he revealed himself to Abraham's descendants when he delivered them into Egypt saving them from a famine of the land and How he delivered them out of Egypt out of Egyptian bondage

Utilizing his prophet Moses and revealing himself in the ten plagues showing himself to be mighty and powerful indeed

We can think of how of how God revealed himself by Giving the

Israelites his law his moral law which reflected his character and his holy nature

We can think of how God revealed himself to the nation of Israel as he brought them to the land that he promised them

Established them as a nation gave them a culture and identity that was distinct from the other nations around them

We can think of how God used his prophets and his priests through the time of this nation Giving unto them messages of blessing and of judgments

We can think of how God revealed himself beyond this time and How he revealed himself to Job at the end of the book

God speaks through a hurricane showing himself to be mighty indeed and very powerful We can think of how

God revealed himself to Noah and to his family Giving them mercy and judging the rest of the world with the global flood that will never again happen.

So We spent more time we can certainly think more about how God revealed himself, but the writer moves on verse 2

Has in these last days spoken to us by his son Whom he has appointed heir of all things through whom also he made the world's

On one side you have Old Testament revelation and on the other you have Jesus Christ Who is revealed in the last days?

signifying a culmination of everything that came beforehand Everything that came beforehand finds fulfillment in Jesus Christ Who is appointed heir of all things?

Matthew 5 17 Jesus said during his Sermon on the Mount Do not think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets.

I did not come to destroy but to fulfill Excuse me The Apostle Paul writes in 2nd

Corinthians 1 20 For all the promises of God in him are yes, and in him.

Amen to the glory of God through us Here we have

Jesus Christ in Whom all the promises of God are yes, and amen Who fulfills the law and the prophets who is appointed heir of all things?

It's interesting to note and I think very important to take time to realize that this is not the writer of the

Hebrews setting Old Testament and Jesus Christ to pit them against each other in a fight as if they oppose one another or are somehow

Different they are different but in a particular way I'm sure you've heard at least once in your lifetime that Old Testament for the modern

Christian is no longer needed. It's obsolete We don't need to study it anymore. There's no value there

I'm pretty sure you've also heard at some point that the God of the Old Testament is different than the

God of the New Testament But this is not the case He's the same

God And it is Christ who fulfills The Old Covenant and who completes the

Old Testament for he is the Son of God And that's the next point we can help us to understand how

Christ is supreme and revelation is he is the Son of God There are two terms in verse 3 of this passage that we can utilize to help us understand what it means to be the

Son of God Verse 3 says who being the brightness of his glory in the express image of his person and Upholding all things by the word of his power when he had by himself purged our sins

Sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high two terms

One is the brightness of his glory Christ is the brightness of God's glory

This reveals to us that Christ is not a reflection of the glory of God As if you were hold up a mirror to a light bounce off to another surface

Christ is rather a shining forth of the glory of God He is a part of it

Thinking about the glory of God we can understand it as the radiant character of God His whole majesty and splendor of who he is

We can think about the stories like Isaiah 6 when the Prophet Isaiah Experiences this vision where he sees the

Lord enthroned above everything else high and lifted up and he's surrounded in glory and in holiness

The Prophet's response is to fall on his face Realizing that he is a sinner in the land of sinners before a glorious God.

We can also think of Exodus 33 when the Prophet Moses he was having a conversation one -on -one with God and he

Asks a very bold thing. He asks of God, please show me your glory And so the

Lord in his gracious way does so in part Takes Moses places him in the cleft of the rock covers the rock and the

Lord passes by He lifts up his hand and Moses is able to see the very back of God But not his face for that would have been too much for the man

Moses The Jews understood the glory of God as being unapproachable yet now

The glory of God had approached them in the form of Jesus Christ The next term we can use to help us understand the title son of God is the express image of his person

I liked how one translation puts it the exact imprint of his nature and Phrasing it like so I think helps us better understand what this means

It shows us that Christ is the exact imprint of God himself John 14 9 says and this is

Christ speaking of himself. He who has seen me has seen the father In Colossians 1 15 it says

Christ is the image of the invisible God This reveals to us that Jesus Christ is distinct in his person

It's sharing the same essence and nature of God himself Revealing to us that he is

God himself Jesus Christ is fully God Both the brightness of his glory and the express image of his person shows us the reality of the

Trinity It shows us that Christ is distinct yet. Holy God himself

How much better of a revelation is this in the person of Jesus Christ and anything else that came beforehand?

This is God himself Wrapped in human flesh on their doorstep So in light of the supremacy of the

Son in Revelation who completes the Old Testament who fulfills everything that came beforehand not conflicting with it and Being the

Son of God both distinct yet fully God himself Holding on to the old ways leaving

Christ for the old practices Would not be sufficient for the Hebrews. It would be a fatal error

The church ever since that ever since the beginning of time Has always been tempted with putting their trust in their hope in other revelation putting their trust in their hope in the letters and the messages

Rather than the one who wrote the letters and the messages rather than the one of whom they testify Rather than the one who has been revealed to them in human flesh the church must

Make it a point when we take up the scriptures rely on the letters and the messages that we have been graciously given

And make up the Old Testament as well as the new Rely upon those as they testify of Christ.

We should find joy and delight in the whole canon of the Bible But we are to abide in Christ as the supreme revelation of God The writer to the

Hebrews also wants to show Christ as supreme in power And he does so by showing that Christ has power in creation

In verse 2 about the middle of the verse it says whom he has appointed heir of all things and afterward

Through whom also he made the worlds by the power of Christ creation comes to be

Everything and everyone owes it their existence to Jesus Christ John 1 3 says all things were made through him and without him.

Nothing was made that was made Colossians 1 16 says for by him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth visible and invisible

Whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers all things were created through him and for him whether or not you

Subscribe to this idea of Christ having power in your creation and in everything else Does not change the fact that it is real and that this is

All brought about by the power of Christ and just as the potter has power over the clay so Christ has power over all of creation every landmass every botter of water every society every country every leader every ruler

Over the very rings of satyr over every star that's hung in the vastness of space over every planet and also over every soul

And over every individual we are fearfully and wonderfully made in Christ.

He has knit us in the mother's womb Without Christ none of us would be here

Christ's power is also shown in supremacy by his providence In verse 3

About the middle of the verse it says And upholding all things by the word of his power

Upholding all things by the word of his power Not uh, not just everything and everyone owes their existence to Christ by his power

But they owe their continuation in life to Christ's power Gravity still works time moves forward history moves on Kings and leaders rise and fall countries come and go

And Christ's church is preserved Every saint that he redeems is held by Jesus Christ and will be held by his power

The work that he began he began in each individual of his flock will be completed by Christ's power

And we will not Fall away from him life will go on his old life will go on until Christ returns

It will not stop beforehand. It will not go on when Christ brings the new life Christ is also supreme in power by his redemption most excellent and glorious power of this savior we have

Of our maker and our sustainer In verse 3 after upholding all things by the word of his power

It says when he had by himself purged our sins Take that term purged our sins and give it to a hebrew of the time

They're likely to think back to something like day of atonement A yearly ceremony that was followed by the jews that utilized various sacrifices to cleanse the people of their sins

Among these sacrifices were two goats One was utilized as a sacrifice for the sins of the people

Its blood would be collected and used to cleanse the people of their sin The other was a scapegoat

When the high priest would lay his hands on this goat, he would ceremoniously Transfer the sins and the guilt of the people on this goat.

It would be led out into the wilderness outside of the camp of israel to wander for a bit and eventually die

Leviticus 16 30 says for on that for on that day the priest shall make atonement for you To cleanse you that you may be clean from all your sins before the lord

This was the day of atonement and the word of god reveals that reveals to us that this was the shadow of the substance to come

Ephesians 1 7 says in him Referring to christ we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sins according to the riches

Of his grace Christ is supreme in power to meet all of our needs as our perfect savior our perfect high priest and our perfect sacrifice

During the day of atonement the high priest would ceremoniously wash himself in water signifying a cleansing of his own sins so that he could

Act on behalf of the people He would take upon himself the holy garments of his office as he followed through with his acts in this day

Christ did not need to wash himself with water to cleanse him of his sins He followed perfectly all that the old covenant required of him

He was pure he was sinless and faultless to his core He did not clothe himself with the holy garments of the office of the high priest

Yet he clothed himself with human flesh in preparation for his work Christ did not bring a sacrifice of a goat for the sins of his people

He rather brought himself and his own blood to cleanse those who would believe in him

Christ did not bring a scapegoat To bear the sins and the guilt of the people To be let out of outside of jerusalem outside of the camp rather He himself was let outside of jerusalem

And he bore the sins And the guilt of those who would believe in him

And indeed sin and guilt are taken away by christ Is only christ who has the power to fully accomplish this act for sinful people and the writer of hebrews will go on to show more detail

How the blood of goats and bulls were insufficient to truly save someone to truly cleanse them of their sin

Only christ has the power to do that and there's still a necessity For shedding of blood in the presence of sin.

There's still a necessity of justice that needs to happen for sinful people

Like you and like me A sinful people who have broken the law of god Who are rebels?

Who are lawless and who have broken too many of his laws? We're at war with god spiritually

The old systems were ceremonial and meant to guide people to understand their need for real atonement and real redemption

And this is this this occurs this happens with jesus christ and him alone Titus 2 14 says of christ who gave himself for us

That he might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for himself his own special people zealous for good works

We also have the story of john the baptist who when he first encounters christ in john 1 29 his

Expression is behold the lamb of god who takes away the sin of the world In light of the supremacy of the sun's power no other power source comes to be sufficient for a created sinful race

Going back to the old ceremonies the old laws Everything in the past and ignoring the maker the sustainer and the real redeemer

Would be a fatal error for the hebrews The church ever since then has always been tempted to put their trust and their hope in some other power besides christ

Put their hope and their trust in being part of a church The works they do in their religion

Lies they believe from false leaders from false prophets Some people put their hope and their trust in their own works

Believing that they can somehow make it back to god Believing somehow they can build them build themselves up to god

And to wash themselves clean but These are all lies and they cannot work

Only christ has the power to redeem only christ has the power to sustain Only christ has the power to make you

This is jesus christ He's also supreme in authority As he is appointed heir of all things

And as he is In verse three near the end sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high

Going into verse four Having become so much better than the angels as he has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than day

This is jesus christ Who sits at the right hand of god? Above all else who has been given all authority and power in heaven and on earth

This is jesus christ who is appointed heir of all things And who has a better name than the very angels the workers

And the messengers of god He is supreme in revelation in power and in authority

If you have any time this week I would encourage you to Look through the scriptures particularly in hebrews because the writer will go on to Show more clearly how christ is supreme in all areas of life

Take time to look at the supremacy of the son And be blessed by him

Would you close with me a prayer? Father, thank you for your son.

Jesus christ. Thank you for his supremacy in our lives to make us to sustain us and to Redeem us lord as a sinful wretched people

Thank you for his love and for his care And for his gentleness lord

Thank you for all you do for us lord for your provident providential care Thank you for sustaining your church lord.

May we remember that? And find joy and comfort in jesus christ even through the hardships of life