God's Final Word: His Son

bDrifting...

Life, business, distraction, weariness

war in the middle east, in eastern Europe, maybe in China

difficulties here, divided nation -

head down, just muddle on

Proverbs 27:21 (LES)

21 For silver there is testing, and for gold there is burning; but a man is tested by the mouth of those who praise him.

“An abomination to the Lord is a person who fixates his eye”

(Proverbs 27:20 NETS)

Rude to stare? -

Hebrews 12:2 (NIV)

2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith...

Everywhere else wil be trouble.

God Speaks

What God says to us in the Son

// how can we hear God? -

God Speaks

Hebrews 1:1 NIV

1 In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways,

Like a jigsaw… every piece belonged, every piece was true, every piece given might even have been placed in the right spot -

But it was not a complete picture. Piecemeal. Occasional.

Hebrews 1:2 NIV

2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.

Everything has changed with Jesus.

To us.

God speaks to us. Before you move any further in this book - God is a speaking God, a communicating God. Not unknowable. Not disinterested (so much so that he speaks by his Son).

To us. Not just the people of Israel in the past.

In these last days - lasted 2,000 years - everything has changed (but it’s not the end).

Everything else is minor. God tells you stuff? Good for you - but God speaks to US by his Son.[Col 2:18 - puffed up, great detail, lost connection with the head…]

[Age of the Spirit? - no]

Will spend the rest of Hebrews using the OT (the prophet’s words) to show Jesus -the prophet’s words as the Holy spirit speaking to US, to you and me -

Hebrews 10:15 NIV

15 The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says:

(and then quotes Jeremiah - the prophet, from the old times, now a word of God to us about the Son)

Now every piece meal piece makes sense of Jesus, with Jesus, for Jesus -

{[struggling to hear God? - God speaks - are you listening?)

read, with a group - [ - make a meal of the gospels - [the Chosen?]

- but also we notice something here in Hebrews too - a bigger picture view of Jesus - taking that Gospel account, taking the OT, putting the puzzle together -

by his Son -

it matters a lot then who the Son is - it’s part of God speaking - the rest of the book will explore this… but in miniature it’s here in these verses 2-4.

docetism vs adoptionism

What God tells us by His Son

Hebrews 1:2 (NIV)

2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.

Son is Heir

in charge - not meaningless

pre-existent - not part of creation

purpose and future (heir) / not done yet

Creation through Son

again: purpose

becoming human is suitable (made for him)

he walks on water, calms storms, heals sickness, commands demons

committed to it

How do you think about your life? About the state of the world? About what God ‘should’ do? (or what you would do if you were god)? -

If things are hard - in spite of being created, having an owner - how do you keep going?

Hebrews 1:3 NIV

3 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.

Radiator - has glory of God - not simply ‘reflector’...

representation - distinct, likeness - same and separate

God from God, light from light. True God from True God. Of one being with the Father. Through him all things were made.... you can hear the echoes of the creeds in this description of the Son.

The one who could say ‘Before Abraham, I was’.

John 14:9 NIV

9 Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?

Hebrews 1:3 (NIV)

3 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.

What is God like? What is he doing? What does he care about?

Sustaining all things by his powerful word

commitment [good to care for the planet - Jesus does… all things on his word]

grace - all things kept going (in the face of suffering, brokenness, sin)

he’s more committed to this creation than we are [yes, we should care for it | and yet, not despair either]

as you meet him again and again in the gospels - don’t miss who he is, that he sustains all he interacts with

Purification for sins

I want justice? So does God - and God will have it

but notice his priority: heir, created, sustains, THEN cleansing for sins

God puts generosity (creates, sustains), and mercy as his acts first - enemies will be dealt with, sin will be eradicated - but first he will make enemies friends - washed, cleansed - by offering himself (later in Hebrews)

But he speaks of sins - he does not ignore, does not minimize - and the language here is not simply forgive but purification -

sin is not overlooked but the Son deals with it - then sits down - all those truly in the Son, trusting in the Son, are cleansed -

Hebrews 9:14 “14 πόσῳ μᾶλλον τὸ αἷμα τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ὃς διὰ πνεύματος αἰωνίου ἑαυτὸν προσήνεγκεν ἄμωμον τῷ θεῷ, καθαριεῖ τὴν συνείδησιν ἡμῶν ἀπὸ νεκρῶν ἔργων εἰς τὸ λατρεύειν θεῷ ζῶντι.”

God is not waiting for you to clean your hands, to perform some ceremony, to take communion, but to take the gift of the blood of Christ which cleanses your conscience -

He sat down. It was done.

He’s waiting for the end - He’s waiting for the full number of God’s children to be included (that is you and me - and who else?).

[are you a follower of Jesus - does your conscience trouble you - Jesus has sat down - ]

He’s waiting as God hands over the nations to him as his inheritance - now by conversion, one day finally as a footstall for those who remain enemies and don’t take the free cleansing.

Why would you drift away? Why would you look anywhere else? Yes, it’s hard, don’t give up - the reward is great.

No, not everything is right yet - but look at Jesus:

Hebrews 2:8–9 (NIV)

8 and put everything under their feet.”, […]

Yet at present we do not see everything subject to them. 9 But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

Committed, generous, a plan for the end, mercy with justice.

[God is speaking through and by his Son -