Hebrews 1 - Jesus is Better! - 9/16/12
(Start with clip of “Ronnie)
This morning, we want to talk about NOT being like Ronnie. Because sadly, in every church, there are many Ronnies in the pew who have NEVER made the decision to grow spiritually. Instead, they come and want the pastor to “tickle” their ears, tell a few funny stories, and in 15 minutes give them the equivalent of a seminary education. But that will never happen. That’s the equivalent of taking a pill and expecting to lose 100 pounds in a week. Or drink a protein shake and expecting to build bulging biceps. Weight loss and muscle building and spiritual growth ALL require continual, steady plodding along until the desired results are brought forth.
Turn with me this morning to the book of Hebrews, chapter 1. It’s found in the end of the Bible, 1&2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James. The book of Hebrews is one that many long-time Christians love, but many newer Christians often avoid. But we don’t have to be afraid of the book of Hebrews. It is not a book to cause fear. Sometimes we get into chapter 6, where we worry about losing our salvation. Or we go on in chapters 9 & 10, and we get bogged down in symbols of the tabernacle. But really the book of Hebrews is a book written to encourage us!
Sadly, we get so caught up in side issues that we miss the encouragement! In Hebrews 6:1, the author tells us, Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity. This is a book that helps us grow to spiritual maturity - as it tells us in Hebrews 5, we want to go past the baby bottle “milk” that Christians often want to hear - like little babies they cry “feed me, feed me” - but in Hebrews we are encouraged to grow by studying the “meat” of the word - going deeper in our study so we grow stronger in our walk with Christ. Why does it give us this encouragement? Because people in the first century - and people in the 21st century - have a problem neglecting God’s word and drifting away from God’s blessing.
It is easy for us to get bogged down on rabbit trails - we worry about unimportant questions, like “who wrote the book of Hebrews?” - was it Paul, Peter, Apollos, James, someone else? Instead, we need to ask the bigger questions like “What lesson is there for me in this book?”
We are going to spend a couple weeks looking at this book together. The title - Hebrews - tells us who this book was written to: Hebrews. But what IS a Hebrew? A Hebrew is a descendant of Abraham, also called a Jew - their homeland is the land of Israel - Jerusalem is it’s capital city. The bible records the history of this people group, with their tragedies and triumphs. And all we have to do is turn on the news today, and we see that this people group is STILL the center of attention in the world.
But in the first century, there was a great displacement of Jews. Acts 8 tells us a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. So there were Jews scattered all over. This book is a book written to Christian Jews - Jews who had believed on Jesus Christ as their promised Messiah. In 3:1 the author says, Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess. So whether in Jerusalem or scattered abroad, this is a book for Christians. But as we read through the book, we see there was a special group of Christians this was addressed to.
If you remember the religion of Judaism - the worship of the Jews BEFORE Jesus presented himself as Messiah - it was a sacrificial system. People brought sacrifices to the priests, and the priests offered the sacrifices on the altar to atone for the sins of the people. In the first century, many Jews had come to understand that they no longer needed to follow this sacrificial system - they placed their faith in Christ - but as time went on, they came to think that maybe they should go BACK to the sacrificial system and to trust in a system of WORKS to place them in right standing with God.
Christians today face the same problem - they say they trust God for salvation - but then they try to earn their salvation through a system of good works. The message of Hebrews is this: Christ is BETTER than the OT sacrificial system under the Mosaic law! The author seeks to encourage these Jewish Christians to move ahead in their spiritual lives by showing them that in Christ they have “better” blessings.
Think about this: would you rather eat a hot dog - it will give you a little nutrition - or would you rather have a filet mignon? Would you rather drive a Ford escort - it will get you around town - or would you rather have a Mercedes Benz? The first is ok, but the second is BETTER! The message of Hebrews says the OT system of laws was not bad - it was ok - but the grace and freedom we find in Jesus Christ is so much BETTER than the OT system. In fact, in Galatians 3:24 Paul tells these Christians in Turkey, the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law. All the OT rules and regulations we never given to save us - only to show us our NEED of a Savior. The laws showed us that we were guilty before God and needed someone to save us. Good works alone could NEVER save us - because we are all guilty before a holy God.
So, WHY is faith in Jesus better that the OT system? First, because
1. Jesus is better than the OT prophets! In Hebrews 1, we start out with these words:
In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. 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.
God has spoken - that is the wonderful truth of the Bible - that God has not left us here on our own - but He has spoken and given us instructions for life! BIBLE - Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth! And throughout the first 4,000 years of mankind, God spoke to people through the prophets. The Jews revered their prophets. Because when they spoke - people took notice! They didn’t always choose to FOLLOW what the prophets said - but the people understood that they were not speaking for themselves, but they were relating the very message of Almighty God.
So what could be better than that? The problem was that the prophets only had “glimpses” of truth - they only had limited insight. In 1 Peter 1:11 Peter tells us, Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.
Peter said the prophets who were relating the message of God often didn’t understand the prophecies they were giving. They gave God’s message, but the message was for a future people. But in Jesus, we have a messenger who is the very Son of God. In these last days God has spoken to us in Son! Jesus is the personal revelation of the Father - remember He said, Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. And then in another place Jesus is recorded as saying, I and the Father are one.” Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him - because they understood His claim - Jesus was saying I AM God!
The OT prophets were mere men, but in Jesus, God speaks to us “in the flesh.” These verses remind us, Jesus IS the creator - He made the universe - He IS the Father’s heir - one day He will rule over all the nations of this world - He shows the glory of God - remember the mount of Transfiguration where He became as bright as a flash of lightning - He is the exact representative of God Almighty!
Yes, the OT system of rules and regulations was reinforced by prophets - men who spoke messages from God - but Jesus is so much BETTER - because He IS the perfect embodiment of God’s message to us. God has chosen to speak to us through His son, Jesus!
The author of Hebrews goes on in chapter 1 to tell us
2. Jesus is better than angels! So why talk about angels? Because the Jews weighted “angels” very highly in their culture. They held the OT law in such high esteem because they saw all the rules and regulations being mediated by angels. We focus on Moses on Mt. Sinai and the finger of God Almighty writing down the commandments - but the Jews focused on the fact that the law came through the intervention of angels. Galatians 3:19 tells us, The law was put into effect through angels by a mediator. Acts 7:53 gives us the same image. In Deuteronomy 33:2 we read, “The LORD came from Sinai, And dawned on them from Seir; He shone forth from Mount Paran, And He came from the midst of ten thousand holy ones. Who are these 10,000 holy ones? Angels, who somehow had a part in bringing the OT law to Moses.
So the Jews held angels in very high esteem. They felt their OT system of law came from angels. But in Hebrews we understand that Jesus is BETTER than angels. Here in 1:14 we read, Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation? So angels are servants. But Jesus is the SON. Verse 4 - So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs. What is His name? SON! Then the author goes on to give several OT quotes about Jesus - verse 5 - For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father”? And the answer is NEVER! Because the angels are NOT the son, they are merely servants. Or again, “I will be his Father, and he will be my Son”? And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him.”
Jesus is worshiped by angels! Verse 7 continues - In speaking of the angels he says, “He makes his angels winds, his servants flames of fire.” So once again, angels are God’s servants - but Jesus is the SON! But about the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever, and righteousness will be the sceptre of your kingdom.
In Proverbs 30:4 we find these words written: Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Who has gathered up the wind in the hollow of his hands? Who has wrapped up the waters in his cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and every good Jew would answer - Jehovah or Elohim - their names for God - but then the proverb continues - and the name of his son? Tell me if you know! All through the OT, the Jews were looking for the Son of God!
They somehow got caught up in worshiping angels - when they should have been worshiping the Son. So Jesus is better than the angels because He IS THE Son of God. Moving on to chapter 2 - verse 2 -
For if the message spoken by angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, - the OT law showed the people their punishment and their need of a Savior - how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.
Here in Hebrews we are reminded that Jesus is far superior to the OT law. The OT system of rules and regulations - do’s and don’ts - showed the people their sin - but it is through JESUS that we find forgiveness of our sin. The question given - How shall we escape - has this answer - WE CAN’T ESCAPE our sins if we ignore the salvation offered through Jesus Christ.
If the Jews paid attention to the OT law mediated by angels, so much more should they pay attention the the words of Jesus. It says This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord - Jesus said - John 3:3 - I tell you the truth, no-one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again. It was confirmed to us by those who heard him - In Acts 4:12 Luke reminds us, Salvation is found in no-one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved. When we come to church, we do not come to be better husbands and fathers and neighbors - it is not a social club - we come to remember the truth we believe with all our hearts - that there is NO salvation apart from Jesus Christ! God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will. - why did Peter and Paul and the apostles do so many great miracles? It was to attest to the fact that they had the power of God upon them and that the message of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ was the TRUTH!
This is the truth we believe - Jesus is better than ANY of the OT prophets - He is better that ANY angel - even better than Michael the archangel - He is the very Son of God - and because of that we need to listen to what He says. He says in John 14:6 - I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me.
You may be here today because it’s Sunday and you come to church on Sundays - you may be a good person - you may believe the Bible and believe in God - but the key question I want to ask you today is this: Have you ever been born again? Coming to church does not make you a Christian. Being a good person does not take away your sins. We can only be saved from the penalty of our sins by placing our faith in Jesus Christ and what He has done for us. And that is the GOOD NEWS today - we CAN find complete forgiveness and a changed life when we ask Jesus for that forgiveness. Romans 10:13 tells us, Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
That is our invitation today - if you are here today and you have never made a commitment of faith and asked Jesus for His forgiveness and salvation, I would invite you right now to stand up and walk forward and meet me here at the front and we will pray together. You can make the choice today to make sure you are a Christian by placing your faith in Jesus Christ, the very Son of God. If you would like to come and pray to receive the forgiveness offered in Jesus, I invite you right now to stand up and come forward and meet me here at the front and we will pray together.
You say, that’s embarrassing to come forward - in Luke 9 Jesus says, If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. It’s nothing to be ashamed of - rather every one here will rejoice together with you in your decision to place your faith in Jesus for salvation. It that is your desire this morning, I invite you to come.
