The Majesty of Jesus Hebrews 1:1-4

Intro: Sultan of Slowjamastan

A man named Randy Williams has created his own country on 11 acres in the middle of the California desert

He is a DJ and podcaster who had a goal of visiting every country

Once he accomplished that he decided to create his own country

The name of his new country?

The Republic of Slowjamastan

He has appointed himself as the Sultan

He declared independence from the United States on 12/1/21

The country has 500 citizens and a waiting list of 4500

It’s pretty much a dictatorship but before you laugh 16 different countries, including the USA have stamped his Slowjamastan passport

Everyone wants to be the king of their domain and we call our daughters princess

Judging by how many people got up at 3 am to watch the coronation of the King of England we have fixation with monarchies

The book of Hebrews shows us that Jesus is superior to every king or queen who has ruled

Not only is Jesus Preeminent, but he is better

Read Hebrews 1:1-4

Transition:

I’ve heard the book of Hebrews described this way:

The gospels are a picture of Jesus on earth, the Book of Hebrews is a picture of Jesus in Heaven

Jesus Christ came from the bosom of the Father to the bosom of a woman. He put on humanity that we might put on divinity. He became Son of Man that we might become sons of God.

Throughout history great men have come and gone, yet He lives on. Herod could not kill Him. Satan could not seduce Him. Death could not destroy Him and the grave could not hold Him.

We are going to look at the Majesty of Jesus Christ

The word better is used thirteen times in this book as the writer shows the superiority of Jesus Christ and His salvation over the Hebrew system of religion.

Jesus is better than the angels and is referred to as a better hope

Hebrews 7:19 ESV

(for the law made nothing perfect); but on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.

Another word that is repeated in this book is perfect; in the original Greek it is used fourteen times. It means a perfect standing before God

The priests, the law, or animal sacrifices couldn’t achieve that

Hebrews 10:14 ESV

For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.

Eternal is a third word that is important to the message of Hebrews. Christ is the “author of eternal salvation”

Hebrews 5:9 ESV

And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him,

When you combine these three important words, you discover that Jesus Christ and the Christian life He gives us are better because these blessings are eternal and they give us a perfect standing before God

Today we are going to look at the Majesty of Jesus Christ

We are going to see seven traits of that Majesty

God Speaks vs. 1-2a

vs. 1 Spoke thru the Prophets

Joel 2:28 ESV

“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions.

vs. 2a Speaks thru Jesus

Christ the Heir vs. 2b

The first aspect of Jesus’ Majesty is that He is the Heir of all things

If Jesus is the Son of God, then He is the heir of all that God possesses.

Everything that exists will find its true meaning only when it comes under the final control of Jesus Christ

Psalm 2:8–9 ESV

Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”

Christ the Creator vs. 2c

The second aspect of Jesus’ majesty is that Christ is the Creator

The ancient Greek word translated worlds is aion, from which we get our English word “eons.”

It means that Jesus made more than the material world, He also made the very ages – history itself is the creation of the Son of God.

Jesus Christ is responsible not only for the physical earth; He is also responsible for creating time, space, energy, and matter. Christ created the whole universe and everything that makes it function, and He did it all without effort.

Colossians 1:16 ESV

For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.

Christ the Revealer vs. 3a

The third aspect of Jesus’ Majesty is that Christ is the the great revealer

Jesus as the manifestation of God. He expresses God to us

Radiance of the Glory

Just as the rays of the sun light and warm the earth, so Jesus Christ is the glorious light of God shining into the hearts of men.

Just as the sun was never without and cannot be separated from its brightness, so God was never without and cannot be separated from the glory of Christ.

John 8:12 ESV

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

John 1:14 ESV

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Exact Imprint of His Nature

Exact representation translates the Greek term used for the impression made by a die or stamp on a seal

Jesus Christ is the reproduction of God. He is the perfect, personal imprint of God in time and space.

Colossians 1:15 ESV

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.

Christ the Sustainer vs. 3b

The fourth aspect of Jesus’ Majesty is that He is the sustainer

All powerful

This speaks to Jesus’ omnipotence

Maintains the Universe

Christ not only made all things and will someday inherit all things, but He holds them all together in the meanwhile.

The Greek word for upholds means “to support, to maintain,” and it is used here in the present tense, implying continuous action.

Everything in the universe is sustained right now by Jesus Christ

Christ the Redeemer vs. 3c

The fifth aspect of Jesus’ Majesty is that He is the Redeemer

The Bible says the wages of sin is death.

Jesus Christ went to the cross, died our deserved death for us, and thereby took the penalty for our sin on Himself.

If we will accept His death and believe that He died for us, He will free us from the penalty of sin and purify us from the stain of sin.

It was a wondrous work when Jesus Christ created the world. It is wondrous that He sustains the world. But a greater work than making and upholding the world is that of purging men of sin.

Hebrews 7:27 ESV

He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself.

Jesus Christ dealt with the sin problem once and for all.

It had to be done.

We could not communicate with God or enter into fellowship with Him unless sin was dealt with.

So Christ went to the cross and bore the penalty of sin for all who would accept His sacrifice, believe in Him, and receive Him. Sin was purged, wiped out.

Christ the Ruler vs. 3d

The sixth aspect of Jesus Majesty is that He is the Supreme Ruler

The Majesty on high is God.

The right hand is the power side.

Jesus took His place at the right hand of God.

The marvelous thing about this statement is that Jesus, the perfect High Priest, sat down.

The priest had no place to sit because God knew it would never be appropriate for him to sit.

His responsibility was to sacrifice, sacrifice, sacrifice, over and over again.

So the priests offered sacrifices daily—and never sat down. But Jesus offered one sacrifice, and said, “It is finished.”

Jesus’ sitting down at His Father’s right hand signifies at least four things. They are, briefly:

First, He sat down as a sign of honor,

To be seated at the right hand of the Father is honor indeed.

Philippians 2:11 ESV

and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Second, He sat down as a sign of authority.

1 Peter 3:22 ESV

who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.

Third, He sat down to rest. His work was done.

Hebrews 10:12 ESV

But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God,

Fourth, He sat down to intercede for us.

He is seated at the right hand of the Father making intercession for all of us who belong to Him.

Romans 8:34 ESV

Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.

Christ Supreme vs. 4

The seventh aspect of Jesus’ majesty is that He is Supreme over everything

Superior to Angels

Inherited an Excellent Name