The Great High Priest

(To listen to this message, click on the play button of the audio player shown above.)

This is a sermon based on Hebrews 4:14-5:10 that speaks about the ministry of Jesus Christ as our heavenly high priest.

Written excerpts:

Hebrews 4:14-5:10

Introduction:

In our sermons we have been picking out selected passages in the book of Hebrews that I had underlined or highlighted in my Bible at some point. These were texts that had caught my attention and interest in a particular way and I felt would be important to share with you.

Today, I want to continue by selecting a portion of scripture in chapter four. We will be discussing an entire segment of verses that speak about the high-priestly ministry of our Lord. Remember that we have previously said how the author of this letter has been presenting his arguments for how Jesus, the Son of God is much better than angels, the prophets, Moses and Joshua. 

Now, he is continuing by arguing the point that this Jesus is even better than Aaron, the first high priest under the Old Covenant. One writer (Wuest) suggests that this is the greatest in the progression of examples to which Jesus is compared, because Aaron represented the one who was “mediator” between God and man. For that reason, Aaron was greater than the prophets or Moses or Joshua. But now, Jesus Christ is shown to be greater than Aaron.

As we consider what the author has to say in this regard, we want to focus on three main thoughts that he has expressed in these verses. Let us review together the Identity of our High Priest; the Qualifications of our High Priest; and the Impact of His Ministry upon all Believers.

I.    The Identity of Our High Priest

In this group of verses the author provides us with important details regarding the identity of our great high priest. If you recall, the priests in the OT were required to be members of the tribe of Levi and the direct descendants of Aaron. In similar fashion, the author of this letter emphasizes the all-important identity of this new high priest.

A. He is identified with deity.

There are two different emphases that are presented in regards to the priest’s identity – deity and humanity.

1. His deity is expressed in His greatness. (4:14)

“…we have a great high priest…”

Lit. – “having therefore a high priest, a great one…”

Scholars (Barclay & Wuest) emphasize that the text here is not simply stating that Jesus is a really awesome priest, but the structure is emphasizing His greatness in addition to His priesthood. This emphasis seems to be alluding to His deity or divinity. i.e. He is “The Great One”.

2. His deity is expressed in His relationship. (4:14; 5:5)

His relationship is defined as “the Son of God.”

In 5:5, he is described as the “begotton Son.”

B. He is identified with humanity.

This high priest, the Messiah, is not only divine, but he is truly human.

1. His humanity is emphasized by physical weakness. (4:15; 5:7,8)

He is touched (lit. suffers with) our infirmities (physical weaknesses). This point expresses his ability to sympathize by entering into the experiences of others. He understands and sympathizes with being in pain, being tired, being pressured, and any number of other experiences that humans go through in their frailties.

2. His humanity is emphasized by testing. (4:15)

 “…tested in all points as we are…”

(Barclay) We may be inclined to think that His temptations and tests were less than ours because He was divine and had powers that we don’t have. But, in reality, His tests and temptations were greater because “…we fall to temptation long before the tempter has put out the whole of his power. We never know temptation at its fiercest because we fall long before that stage is reached.

II.   The Qualifications of Our High Priest

The author of this letter is writing to Jewish believers trying to exhort them against leaving their faith in Christ and returning to Judaism. For these people, who are beginning to think that the Old Covenant was the right way to go, the author must convince them that Jesus is not only better than Aaron, but that He is qualified to take the place of Aaron.

A. He is fit because He was called by God. (5:4-6, 10)

In the old covenant, no one just decides one day, “I’m going to be a priest.” He must be called by God like Aaron (and his family) was chosen by God. The Scripture goes on to show that Jesus did not assume this role on His own, but He was chosen by God, His Father, as well. The exact incident the author refers to is the baptism of Jesus at the Jordan River.

In addition to the incident at the Jordan River, the author applies OT prophecies from Psalms to the Lord by stating that it was Jesus whom God was referring to when He made or called Him to be a “priest forever after the order of Melchisedec. There are some other references in Hebrews to this king/priest, Melchisedec, which I won’t take the time to get into now. But, the emphasis here seems to be that the author knows Jesus was not from the family of Aaron and did not “inherit” the priestly office, but He still did not just assume it on His own. He was called and ordained by God His Father to be a priest forever.

B. He is fit because He is able to empathize. (4:15; cf. 5:2)

Another qualification or requirement that is mentioned by this author is the fact that a priest must be able to empathize with those for whom he intercedes. In 5:2, the emphasis is on the fact that the priest is sinful and full of need just as much as the people for whom he is sacrificing and interceding. Aaron and the other OT priests knew that they were making sacrifices for their own sins as well as the sins of the people.

However, 4:15 expresses another picture of Jesus. He did not make sacrifices for His own sins, because He never sinned. Yet, He did experience the severest kind of temptations and trials common to humanity.

C. He is fit because He obeyed. (5:8-9)

Jesus perfectly and completely obeyed and fulfilled all that God asked Him to do.

Needing to learn obedience (v.8) is primarily a reference to His humanity and the fact that He experienced in actual human life what obedience involved, by going through the suffering that He endured.

“…being made perfect”

This phrase does not imply that Jesus had any defect or imperfections. The word used here refers to anything that exactly carries out or fulfills the purpose for which it was designed. If it does so, then it is perfect. (Barclay) Jesus “came to do the Father’s will.” He came to suffer and to die for the sins of humanity. Therefore, He was “made perfect” (He fulfilled His purposed) by obediently suffering all the pains of our sins.

D. He is fit because He completed His sacrifice. (4:14)

In this very first verse of the whole passage we have been considering today, the author emphasizes a truth that is so inspiring.

“Jesus passed into the heavens.”

Language scholars tell us that the sentence structure requires this translation, “He passed through the heavens with the result that He is in heaven.”

The opinion of some writers is that this is meant to be a parallel image to the OT high priest taking the blood from the bronze altar, passing through the outer court, and through the holy place, to go into the most holy place (KJV, holy of holies) in order to sprinkle the blood on the mercy seat for the atonement.

In similar fashion, Jesus took His own blood from the cross of Calvary, “passed through the heaven of the clouds, the heaven of the stars, into the heaven of heavens, the centralized abode of Deity” where He made the atonement once and for all on the heavenly mercy seat. (Wuest)

Cf. Hebrews 9:12 “By His own blood He entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.”

III.  The Impact of His Ministry on Believers

Now, what is the impact of all this for believers in Palestine?

The recipients of this letter were strongly tempted to return to the old system of sacrifices because of the persecution they suffered. The author is telling them all this about the high priestly work of Christ for a reason. Here is the impact of what he has been saying to them.

A. He provided eternal salvation for all believers. (5:9; cf. 5:6)

The salvation provided by the sacrifice offered by Jesus is a permanent sacrifice providing an eternal salvation (v.9) because He is a “priest forever” (v.6).

B. Believers may persevere. (4:14)

Secondly, as a result of what Jesus has accomplished (passing through the heavens to make atonement for all sins)…

“Let us hold fast our profession” – Let us not give up what we believe. In light of what Jesus has done, we can persevere, we can endure, we can grip onto our faith and never let it go.

C. Believers are showered with gracious gifts. (4:16)

The final impact we want to mention is found in v. 16 with the second use of the phrase, “let us.”

All believers have the privilege of coming into the throne room of grace to receive grace rather than judgment. In this throne room of grace we find mercy (rather than judgment) for past sins – that is justification; the removal of our criminal record. And, in this throne room of grace we find grace for our present and future needs. (Barclay)

We find grace (blessing, favor, strength) to help us in our hour of need. The Priest is in heaven and He waits for you and for me to come with our need. He waits for us to come with the confidence that He will provide all the grace we need for every situation we face.

Conclusion:

This truth is not only important for first-century believers in Palestine who were tempted to throw away their faith and confidence because of their trials and tribulations, but it is also important for us today. This same High Priest is “a priest forever” and He is still available to help us today. He is still in heaven interceding for you and me.

Therefore, let US hold fast what we believe. Let US come with confidence into the throne room of grace to receive all that God has for us to remain faithful and victorious.

The Heart of the Matter (Part 2)

(To listen to this message, click on the play button of the audio player shown above.)

This is a sermon about the human heart from a spiritual / biblical perspective. This message focuses on the positive traits that should characterize the heart of a believer, in contrast to the negative traits that were presented in the previous message (Part 1).

Written Excerpts:

Hebrews 3:7-19

Introduction:

Last Sunday we spoke from this passage in the third chapter of Hebrews on the issue of the human heart and we looked at the various descriptions that were linked with the word “heart” in these verses. If you recall, all of the descriptions that we discussed from this passage, as well as a couple of other references, were all negative in connotation, i.e. hard heart, evil heart, erring heart, blind heart and troubled heart. These are conditions of the heart that we can safely say that God does not want us to have.

Today, I want to continue this discussion, but I want to focus on those references that emphasize more positive qualities of the human heart. Again this week I admit that there is so much material in the Bible on this topic that we will be pressed to cover all of it today, but we will endeavor to do so. Let us review what God’s Word has to say about conditions of the heart that God desires for us to possess.

We’re not going to review these in any particular order. We’ll just start off first with the one that appears in Hebrews, since we began in Hebrews last Sunday.

II. Positive heart descriptions…

A. True Heart (Heb. 10:22)

Hebrews 10:22 (KJV) Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

(Matthew Henry) “With a true heart, without any allowed guile or hypocrisy. God is the searcher of hearts, and he requires truth in the inward parts.”

Luke 8:15 (KJV) But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience. [Emphasis mine]

John 4:23-24 (NKJV) ²³ But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. ²⁴ God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."

A true heart is a sincere, genuine or authentic heart. It is a person who makes no attempt to deceive God or man, but desires to show in spirit and in actions a life that is sincere and authentic; no pretense; no mask; no façade. I believe the concept of a true heart also includes what the Bible refers to as a “single heart.”

Acts 2:46 (KJV) And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart…

Most recent translations of this verse read, “…sincerity of heart.”

How is your heart? Is your heart sincere, open, and authentic? Do you honestly, sincerely and authentically believe and live like one that is truly a disciple of Christ?

B. Pure Heart

Consider these references:

Psalm 51:10 (KJV) Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

Matthew 5:8 (KJV) Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

1 Timothy 1:5 (NKJV) Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith,

2 Timothy 2:22 (NKJV) Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

1 Peter 1:22 (NKJV) Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart,

The concept of purity implies “not being mixed with any foreign matter or substance that pollutes or dilutes the real substance.” In relation to the human heart, it would imply a heart that is not contaminated by sin, but is clean and holy. A pure heart is one that is wholly devoted to one object of affection; undivided allegiance; or morally uncontaminated.

Jesus Christ said that out of the heart proceed all kinds of evil thoughts, attitudes and deeds. The reason why people perform wicked, evil deeds is because their hearts are morally corrupt and impure.

C. Burning Heart (Luke 24:32)

Passionate; zealous; on fire

Luke 24:32 (KJV) And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?

A person with a burning heart is one that is full of passion and zeal; one that is on fire for the Lord.

Revelations – Laodicea, “I wish you were either cold or hot…”

D. Established Heart (Heb. 13:9)

Hebrews 13:9 (KJV) Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.

An established heart is one that is settled, unshaken, and mature. A pure heart and sincere or true heart may still be an immature heart. A mature heart that is established is one that has learned much through experience and study so it is not likely to be swayed by the latest fads in religious circles.

E. One Heart (Acts 4:32)

Acts 4:32 (KJV) And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.

Having one heart means to be unified in purpose and passion with others of same heart desires. There was a unity among these early Christians so that they could understand what was important and necessary in the growth of the gospel and reaching the lost. They understood that they needed to be one in heart in order to accomplish the mission God had given.

How much more could the church get done today if we were as united in purpose as those early believers were?

F. Cheerful Heart (2 Cor. 9:7; Eph 5:19)

Delighted; not morbid, long-faced; pleasantly, willingly obedient.

Ephesians 5:19 (KJV) Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;

2 Corinthians 9:7 (KJV) Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

I believe that cheerfulness is the most attractive quality about Christians who have all the other heart qualities. I certainly believe whole-heartedly in the importance of honesty and truthfulness; holiness and purity; passion; and maturity. But those who possess all of those traits yet do not exhibit cheerfulness are not a very good “advertisement” for the Lord. Having cheerfulness on top of all the other heart qualities we have discussed is the thing that makes others hungry for the Lord. No matter how holy, and sincere and mature someone may be, if they are constantly portraying an attitude of dissatisfaction, anger, “poor me”, etc. then non-believers are not going to be interested in having what they have.

Conclusion:

We have been talking about the human heart these last two sermons.

How is your heart today?

Is your heart right with God?

We’re going to close today’s service by singing the closing hymn:

“Is Thy Heart Right with God?”

The Heart of the Matter

(To listen to this message, click on the play button of the audio player shown above.)

This is a sermon preached at Wayside Community Church on August 12, 2012. The message was based on Hebrews 3:7-19, as well as a short passage from Ephesians and another in John 14:1.

Written Excerpts:

Introduction:

Last Sunday I spoke from the first chapter of Hebrews regarding the things that the author had to say about Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I thought that I would stay in the book of Hebrews for today’s message and possibly for the next two or three messages. I’m not really trying to do a series, but I felt that I would just continue using some of the texts from this letter that had stood out to me in the past and I had underlined or highlighted in my Bible as potential sermon material. I guess I felt like this would be as good a time as any to go through the book and focus on some topics that caught my attention during personal devotional reading or through listening to other sermons.

Today, I want to draw your attention to a word that is used a few times in this third chapter – the word “heart.” In the verses of this chapter that were read earlier, the word “heart” is used four times, and it is used in connection to three different adjectives to describe the kind of hearts in the people that the author is referring to in Israel’s history. My desire is to look at these descriptions provided here, as well as a few other references, and learn what kind of heart we ought to have and what kind we ought not to have.

Let us begin by discussing the meaning implied in the word “heart” then we will consider the types of heart conditions that God’s Word warns us against, and those that it exhorts us to possess.

A. The Meaning of the word “heart.”

“Heart” – Most theologians and scholars have defined the human heart as used in Scripture, as the seat of the will and the emotions.

(Thayer) 1. Properly, that organ in the … body which is the center of the circulation of the blood, and hence, was regarded as the seat of physical life…

2. Universally, καρδια denotes the seat and center of all physical and spiritual life; and

a. “the vigor and sense of physical life”

e.g. Acts 14:17 (NKJV) Nevertheless He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness."

Luke 21:34 (NKJV) But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly.

b. The center and seat of spiritual life, “the soul or mind, as it is the fountain and seat of the thoughts, passions, desires, appetites, affections, purposes, endeavors” (so in English “heart, inner man,” etc.); including the will and character.

….of things done “from the heart i.e. cordially or sincerely, truly” (without simulation or pretence) ….  For example,
Romans 6:17 (NKJV) But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered.

These descriptions and definitions would also include what some have referred to as the motives or intentions of an individual.

The heart is so crucial to everything we do. It is the core of life. This can be demonstrated by this illustration:

(moreillustrations.com) One of the interesting aftermaths of the great flood [in] Pittsburgh was the revelation of the underground life and structure of a great city. Passing along the streets, one looked down into man­holes, sewers, trenches, chambers, and boxes. One was amazed at the depth, the intricacy, and the extent of these catacombs of a modern city. Under normal conditions they are hidden from view, and we think little about them. Only the excavations and openings for the repair of the damage wrought by the flood revealed this subterranean world; and yet there were lodged and hidden the power lines, the gas, the electricity, the telephones, the water mains, without which the great granite buildings which raise heavenward are but cold, dark, and useless shells. Like a great city, man has an underground life. It is not visible as the surface man is; yet the hidden man of the heart, as Peter calls him, is a real man. He is, indeed, the hidden man.

B. The immediate context of the passage.

The passage we are considering here in Hebrews 3 is presented by the author as a warning.

It is a warning to believers. Remember what I have stated in the past that this letter was written to Jewish believers in Palestine who were severely persecuted and tempted to give up their faith in this “new doctrine” and return to the Mosaic covenant. In the verses leading up to verse 7, the author has been talking about the faithfulness of Jesus Christ, our High Priest. He has also been talking about the faithfulness of Moses.

He contends that Moses was completely faithful in the charge he was given over “his house” (v.5) yet Jesus is more worthy of honor and glory than Moses (v. 3). Jesus Christ is also faithful over His “house” (v.6), which consists of all those believers who hold fast their confidence and hope until the end.

Immediately after speaking about holding fast to our confidence and hope until the end, the writer gives a stern warning against unbelief manifested by departing from the living God (v.12). The warning is tied to the previous thought with the conjunction “Wherefore” that is found at the beginning of verse 7.

Literally, he is saying, “Since it is only by holding fast our confidence to the end that we continue to be the house of Christ and enjoy His faithful oversight, beware (take heed) that you do not end up in unbelief like those who hardened their hearts during the Exodus.” (Marcus Dods, Expositor’s GT)

As we consider the descriptions of the heart provided in Hebrews 3 and a couple of other references, we will first consider the negative then we will discuss the positive descriptions in our next message.

I. Negative heart descriptions…

A. Hard Heart (v. 8, 15)

The first heart description provided by the author is a hardened heart. He alludes to the hard heart by warning those early Christians to not harden their hearts like their ancestors had done back in the days of the Exodus. The Apostle gives the warning twice; once in v. 8 and again in v. 15.

How does a heart get hard?

It seems to me that there are some illustrations from everyday life that might shed some light on this point.

1. Calloused – Just like a person’s hand can be soft, gentle and tender at one point in life, but after a long time of rough, hard work, the hands can become so calloused and hard that hardly anything bothers them; not heat, not sharp objects, not a lot of things. This calloused condition came about as a result of repeated exposure to harsh treatment until the skin became thick and hardened.

In similar fashion, individuals who experience harsh treatment to the emotions and the soul become hardened in their attitudes about life in general.

2. Some become hardened simply through a process we call desensitization.

(This is very similar to the process of becoming calloused.)

Many years ago, I read an article that described how terrorists are trained. It described how very young boys were taken away from their families and subjected to a daily barrage of violence and destruction to animals and other humans. At first they cried, they were afraid, and they showed all kinds of tender emotions. But as they were forced to view it and participate in it day after day, they eventually lost their ability to feel those emotions. They became so hardened in their hearts that rather than feeling emotional pain over the violence and harm, they began to delight in it. They began enjoy it and crave it. Their hearts had become so hard that what had caused them great sorrow at one time, now became the very thing that caused them perverted joy.

The same process is possible spiritually speaking. There have been people who have been exposed to the message of salvation and have been emotionally moved upon, but through the process of stubborn resistance, they no longer feel that same emotion. They no longer feel the desire to follow God and obey His voice. Now, they can hear the truth and not be the least bit moved by it.

Notice that this warning, as I stated earlier, is given to believers. Friends, we must be careful how we respond to the Word of God and the truth He sends to us. It is possible to become hardened through repeated resistance.

3. Some are hardened through the “deceitfulness of sin.” (v.13)

(Matthew Henry) [1.] There is a great deal of deceitfulness in sin; it appears fair, but is filthy; it appears pleasant, but is [destructive]; it promises much, but performs nothing.

[2.] The deceitfulness of sin is of a hardening nature to the soul; one sin allowed prepares for another; every act of sin confirms the habit; sinning against conscience is the way to sear the conscience; and therefore it should be the great concern of every one to exhort himself and others to beware of sin.

We Christians must not ever assume a casual attitude toward sin; even the smallest sin. Why? Because every sin committed and excused will generate the rationalization for the next one.

B. Erring Heart (v. 10)

A second description of the human heart is offered in verse 10. Here the Apostle refers to the story of the Exodus and the refusal of the Israelites to obey the Lord and conquer the land of the Canaanites. In his reference to that historical event, he quotes from a passage in Psalm 95 where God says “…they err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.”

Most modern translations of the Bible use the phrase, “go astray” in place of the word “err” that is used in the KJV. The point seems to be that they turn away, or veer off the path that God had intended for them to go.

And, they “have not known my ways.”

This is probably a parallel thought with previous statement. i.e., They err or go astray, which is further described as not knowing God’s ways.

(Barnes Notes on the New Testament) They have not been acquainted with the true God; or they have not approved my doings. The word “know” is often used, in the Scriptures, in the sense of approving, or loving.

An erring heart is one that refuses to stay on the path that God has designed and “mapped out.” It gives the image of someone that continually chooses his/her own willful or “head-strong” way. Because of their insistence to keep straying from God’s plan and God’s way, they never “know” learn by experience what God’s way is really like. They never get to experience the joy and satisfaction and peace that results from being in the center of God’s will.

“I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.”

Those who persist in going astray and doing their own will are forbidden by God to receive what He had originally designed for their pleasure and their good. God finally grants them their desire and lets them have their way.

C. Evil Heart (v. 12)

The third description of the human heart provided by the author of this epistle is found in the 12^th verse.

Here, the author draws a parallel between an evil heart and an unbelieving heart. He further describes the evil, unbelieving heart as one that results in departure from the living God.

(Marcus Dods, Expositor’s Greek Testatment) “…it is when the heart is hardened through sin, it becomes unbelieving, so that the psychological order might be stated thus: sin, a deceived mind, a hardened heart, unbelief, apostasy.”

D. Blind Heart (Eph. 4:18)

Ephesians 4:17-18 (NKJV) ¹⁷ This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, ¹⁸ having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart;

In this passage, the Apostle Paul clearly links the blindness of heart with the practice of sin. It appears that both are intertwined so that the more one indulges in sin the more blind one becomes and the more blind one becomes the more he/she indulges sin.

E. Troubled Heart (John 14:1)

In this passage, the heart is described as troubled. This is different from the previous descriptions in that it doesn’t seem to be a result of willful disobedience or defiance, but a condition of anxiety.

John 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God. Believe also in me.

(Thayer) “Troubled” – “to cause one inward commotion, take away his calmness of mind, disturb his equanimity; to disquiet, make restless”; to strike one’s spirit with fear or dread….

Jesus is calling the anxious, fearful, disturbed heart to place its trust in Him.

Fear of the future or fear of the unknown can be handled by the Lord. All we need to do is trust Him.

Conclusion:

This is all that we have time to discuss today. I plan to continue this topic next week by taking a look at Scriptures that talk about some positive descriptions of the heart.

As we close today, let us seek God’s grace and the aid of His Spirit in order to clearly understand the condition of our own hearts. Let us prayerfully seek to have our hearts in full compliance with His will and completely aligned with His purposes and designs for our lives. Let us diligently avoid the conditions we have been describing today: the hard heart; the erring or straying heart; the evil unbelieving heart; the blind heart and the troubled heart.

God wants to guide us into His marvelous provisions and blessings just like He did for the Israelites described in our text. If we stay surrendered and committed to Him, He will accomplish His plan.

Let us sing an old hymn of surrender and dedication:

Cleanse Me (# 657)

God's Superior Son

(To listen to this message, click on the play button of the audio player shown above.)

This is a sermon based on Hebrews 1:1-4 and was given at Wayside Community Church on August 5, 2012.

Written Excerpts:

Introduction:

As I was trying to discern the Lord’s will for today’s message I felt impressed to use this passage in Hebrews to focus our attention today on the central figure of our faith and of our entire history – Jesus Christ.

As Christian believers it is sometimes easy to get so involved in the behavioral and ethical components of our faith and trying to stay focused on how we should act, and live out our faith, that we sometimes lose sight of the fact that the central point and focus of our faith is a person; not a belief system; not a code of ethics; not a list of taboos. Those things are important and have their rightful place, but it is a person that we worship and serve. It is a person that we celebrate and honor, for He and He alone has accomplished our redemption from sin, from corruption, from destruction and hell. If we’re not careful our attention can be diverted completely away from Him and get caught up in the peripheral agendas of our daily lives.

So, today, I want to take some time to just focus on Jesus. I want to take some time to exalt Him, to emphasize some of the truths that the Bible reveals about His identity, His personality, and His achievements. With the help of the Holy Spirit, I want to help us all to get a new glimpse of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I want to help us get a renewed vision of the central figure of our salvation.

Obviously, there are hundreds of Scripture texts we could have used to accomplish this goal, because the entire Bible is about Him in one way or another. However, I believe that the writer of this letter to the Hebrews starts off his epistle with a description of Jesus that is as good as any other we could use.

Before we actually look at the statements made by the Apostle, I want to remind us about the historical setting and context of this letter, some of which I have mentioned in previous messages.

Biblical scholars obviously do not all agree on the circumstances surrounding this letter, but many have proposed that it was written around the year of 63 AD during a time when the Apostle Paul would have recently been released from his first imprisonment. It was probably written to the Christian Jews living in Palestine, and it was written to dissuade them from turning back to the Mosaic and Judaic beliefs and away from faith in Christ. Evidently a great deal of persecution had arisen against the Christian believers. Some were sorely tempted to abandon the faith and return to the former practices of sacrifices, ceremonies and rituals they knew under the old covenant.

I’ve already mentioned other times that the book of Hebrews emphasizes the key word, “better.” The idea was to convince the readers that they were far better off now because of the fact that Jesus was a better sacrifice, a better high priest, better than the angels, better than Moses, etc.

So, for today, let us take a look at these words in the first few verses of this letter to discover (or review) some important truths about the Son of God – our Redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ. By examining the contents of these first four verses, we see that the author establishes the “credentials” of Christ by presenting the Identity of the Son; the Accomplishments of the Son; and the Exalted Position of the Son.

Let us begin with the

I. The Identity of the Son

One of the problems confronting the author as he is writing to the Jews was the fact that they undoubtedly struggled with who Jesus really was. Imagine the difficult time that Jewish believers would have trying to reconcile the belief in Jesus as Messiah along with their long-held understanding of only one God. Try to imagine how strange it would be for a Jew to think of Jesus Christ as God without somehow equating it with the common paganism all around them that promoted multiple gods. So the Apostle “had his work cut out for him” in trying to explain the truth about Jesus in a way that could convince devout Jews without making them feel like they were becoming pagans.

A. The Son is the brightness or radiance of God’s glory.

Someone has defined God’s glory as the expression of the divine attributes collectively and is used of various displays of divine light and splendor. (Wuest) Others have said that “glory” is equivalent to “honor,” “power,” or “majesty.” (NIDNTT)

Here in v. 3, the author is boldly stating that Jesus, the Son, is the brightness or the splendor of God’s glory.

(Clarke) The word implies the exhibited or emitted splendor in contrast to the inherent splendor. But they are one and the same since you cannot have one without the other.

What the Apostle seems to be saying is that Jesus Christ is the exhibited splendor of God’s glory shining forth the glory of God in a darkened world.

I am reminded of the passage in the OT when God told Moses that he could not view His full glory, but could only see a limited amount of it,

Exodus 33:20-23 (NKJV) ²⁰ But He said, "You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me, and live." ²¹ And the LORD said, "Here is a place by Me, and you shall stand on the rock. ²² So it shall be, while My glory passes by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock, and will cover you with My hand while I pass by. ²³ Then I will take away My hand, and you shall see My back; but My face shall not be seen."

Some writers have suggested that what God essentially did for Moses here was…. (Clarke) “probably … that appearance which he should assume in [later] times, when it should be said, God is manifest in the flesh…. covering him with his hand, and passing by in such a way as to exhibit a human similitude."

All of this to say that the writer is equating Jesus, the Son, with the glory of the Father for the benefit of those who were worried about worshiping another God. But, he doesn’t stop there. He goes on to proclaim that

B. The Son is the exact representation of God’s being.

v. 3 “…He is the express image of His person…”

In addition to declaring His splendor of God’s majesty, the author continues to declare that Jesus is the exact image or reflection of God’s very essence.

The word “person” used in the KJV, is the word that means being, substance or essence.

Col. 1:15 – “who is the image of the invisible God…”

In Hebrews, the word “express image” is the Greek word meaning carving or engraving. But in Colossians, the word “image” is the word meaning likeness or profile (icon). In both passages the emphasis is the fact that Jesus Christ is the exact likeness of the Father, who is invisible to the human eye, but truly represents God in human form. This must have been difficult for a trained Jew to grasp without concluding that there were two gods.

II. The Accomplishments of the Son

The author of this letter not only presents the identity of Christ, but he further establishes His credentials by emphasizing His accomplishments. There are four different accomplishments that are presented in verses 2 and 3.

A. He created the worlds.

v. 2 “by whom also He made the worlds.”

Genesis 1:  God created… God said let there be… and there was….

John 1: All things were made by him [i.e. the Word] and without him nothing was made that was made.

Colossians 1:16 (NKJV) ¹⁶ 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.

This blazing splendor of God’s glory and exact impression or engraving of His being is the one that created all the worlds in this universe. He is the Word of God creating things out of nothing just by speaking them into existence.

B. He sustains the worlds.

v. 3 “…and upholding all things by the word of His power.”

“upholding” – is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew word when Moses told God, “I am unable to bear this people…” The idea expressed is of guidance and responsibility of governance. (Wuest, Expositors NT)

This Son of God, Word of God, image of God, splendor of God not only speaks worlds into existence that never existed before, but He also holds all of those worlds together by the same powerful word that brought them into existence. He is the One that set the “Laws of Nature” into action and causes them to continue their courses by simply saying so.

If I understand my Bible correctly, there is coming a day when He will SAY it is enough and the Laws of Nature will revolt; the world will be dissolved and will melt with intense heat (2 Peter 3).

C. He reveals the Father

v. 3 “brightness of His glory… express image of his person.”

We already talked about Jesus revealing the Father through the fact that He is the exact image of God’s being and the shining forth of His glory. Now, we want to add the thought expressed in the beginning of verse 2 where the writer emphasizes the fact that God spoke to us in our language by sending His Son to be one of us.

v. 2 “Hath…spoken to us by His Son…”

Messages were previously communicated by God through the prophets to His people. But, eventually God sent His own Son to assume the form of humanity and communicate God to us in a way that we can relate to and we can understand.

(Wuest) “…the revelation God gave in His son consisted not merely in what was said, as in the case of the prophets, but [also] in what … the Son was….”

They not only could hear the Word of God, but now they could see the Word lived out before their very eyes.

D. He provided our Salvation.

The final accomplishment mentioned here is explained in verse 3.

“When he had by himself purged our sins…”

As the Bible thoroughly explains in other places, this phrase is a reference to the fact that Jesus Christ made it possible for our sins to be completely washed away; forgiven; and atoned for through the sacrifice Jesus made of his own blood.

The grammatical structure of this phrase emphasizes two thoughts:

1) He did it to himself. It was a willing self-sacrifice.

2) He did it once-for-all. It was a sacrifice to end all sacrifices.

III. The Position of the Son

Finally, we want to talk about the author’s reference to the exalted position of the Son of God.

v. 3 “…sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.”

This phrase emphasizes the exaltation of Christ following His sacrifice and passion. What a contrast to the shame and humility He experienced in Jerusalem and on Calvary! There are three thoughts that are stressed by the structure of this phrase regarding His seat at the right hand of God.

A. It is a position of rest.

His work of redemption is finished. It is a description that is in direct contrast to the OT priests who always stood while they were in service at the temple because their work was never finished. There were always more sacrifices to be offered. There was incense to be offered.

Christ, as I stated a moment ago, made a sacrifice to end all sacrifices. There are no more sacrifices required or necessary. His work is completed. He cried from the cross, “It is finished.” So now He is seated, signifying His work is done.

B. It is a position of authority and preeminence.

(Expositor’s NT) Sitting down on the right hand denotes entrance upon a reign. The source of this expression is Ps. 110:1, which is quoted later in verse 13.

(Rendall) “The king’s right hand was a place of power and dignity, belonging to the minister of his authority and his justice, and the channel of his mercy, the mediator in short between him and his people.”

C. It is a position that is superior to any of the angels. (v.4)

Angels were always considered important beings in the Bible, mediating some form of God’s interactions with man; carrying out His orders and purposes. But none of them were ever given a position of prominence and authority like this.

Conclusion:

John 12:32 - Jesus said,³² And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

We have been trying to exalt and lift up the Son of God here today. As I stated at the outset, He is the central figure of our faith. He is the focus of our love and devotion. He is the center of all history.

He is the exact image of the Sovereign Majesty in heaven. He is the author and finisher of our faith. He is our redeemer, our sanctifier and our coming warrior. Jesus is the Son of God and He is far, far superior to any other in the universe!

Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! Love Him, Serve Him, Worship Him!

I think it is only fitting for us to sing a song that glorifies Him, so I have chosen the hymn:

Crown Him with Many Crowns.