Hebrews Gives Us Something Better: "A Better Name" based on Hebrews 1:4-14

Let us pray: Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. Amen.

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

What’s in a name? The question was made famous by William Shakespeare in Romeo and Juliet. Juliet wistfully wonders, “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” Juliet is saying that it doesn’t matter that Romeo is from a rival family named Montague. What’s in a name? For Juliet—absolutely nothing.

Paul Dickenson disagrees! Dickenson wrote a book called Names. Here are a few: Magdalena Babblejack, Cletus Clodfelter, Adaline Dingledine, Rotten Erp, Joann Fluzbonder, Jingle Bell Tablet, Beverage Moose, Lora Von Winkel Prig, Craven Tart, Boogtha Boomthumpa.

Dickenson says that names can be prophetic. In 1941 there was a man in Florida who was executed in the electric chair. His name? Will Burn. Then there was a Montreal window washer who died washing windows. His name? Will Drop. Dickenson says that others are destined for certain jobs by their names. Joe Bunt became a baseball coach. Two men, named O’Neil and Pray, became partners in church furniture. What’s in a name? For Paul Dickenson—absolutely everything!

We’re in a series on Hebrews called Something Better. Throughout Hebrews book the author describes OT gifts and says that in Jesus we have something better. What’s in a name? The author of Hebrews says … absolutely everything!

The premise. Heb 1:4 says, “So Christ became much better than the angels as the name he has inherited is better than theirs.” At Christmas we think a lot about angels! An angel tells Mary that she is going to have a son named Jesus. Another angel tells Joseph to take Mary as his wife. Still another angel tells the shepherds to go to Bethlehem, saying, “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” And then there are myriads of angels singing, “Glory to God in the highest and peace to his people on earth.”

Hebrews 2:2 says, “For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable and every transgression and disobedience received a just penalty ...” Angels played a key part when God gave the Ten Commandments on Mt. Sinai.

Two angels in the Bible have names. Do you know them? Michael and Gabriel. Michael means, “Who is like God?” Gabriel means, “God is mighty.”

What name did Christ inherit that is better than the angels? Hebrews 1:3 says that when Christ died and made purification of sins and triumphed over death and Satan, he was enthroned as the king and seated at the right hand of God.

When a king is enthroned in the OT, he is given a name. And what is that name? Son! In the OT angels are called “sons of God,” but no angel is ever called “son.” That’s the premise. When Christ ascended to sit at the Father’s right hand he received a better name than the angels. And the first of those names is “Son.”

The proof. To support this premise, seven (!) OT texts are cited; six are from the writer’s favorite book—the book of Psalms. Son. That’s the first name ascribed to Jesus. “For to which of the angels did he ever say, (1) “You are my son, today I have become your Father”? And again, (2) “I will be his father and he will be my son”? These quotes are from Ps 2:7 and 2 Sam 7:14. “Son” is a better name than names like Michael and Gabriel.

(3) “And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says, ‘Let all God’s angels worship him.’” (Heb 1:6, quoting Psalm 96:7) Jesus is not just a Son. Jesus is the firstborn Son. “Wait a minute!” you say. “‘Firstborn’ sounds like Jesus was the first thing God created. Right?” Wrong. In the Bible, the firstborn son has the highest status in his family. And, once his father dies, the firstborn son becomes the ruler in the family. That’s who Jesus is. Jesus has the highest status in the universe and Jesus rules everything.

“Let all God’s angels worship him.” Angels are never worshiped in the Bible. In Rev 22:8– 9 John says, “I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel. But he said to me, ‘Don’t do it!’” In the Bible people never worship angels. But Jesus is worshipped! Angels worship Jesus. The wise men worship Jesus. On the Sea of Galilee, the disciples worship Jesus. In Matthew 15 the Canaanite woman worships Jesus. In John 9 the man born blind worships Jesus. And after the resurrection, Thomas worships Jesus with these words in John 20:28, “My Lord and my God!”

“Of the angels he says, ‘He makes his angels winds, and his ministers a flame of fire.’” Winds and flames are fleeting and passing and here today gone today!

“But about the Son he says, ‘Your throne, O God, will last forever and ever, and righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom.’” (Heb 1:8) Psalm 45:6 says that Jesus is God. Yet in verse 7 God is called his God: “Therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.” So we have God and God his God sets him above his companions! Say again? What’s up with that?

There aren’t two gods. There is one God in three persons—Father, Son and Holy Spirit! “Your throne, O God” refers to Jesus.” God, your God” refers to the Father. The Father and Son go together! They are one! This is stated already in Hebrews 1:3. “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being.” Christ is God the Son. “Your throne, O God, will last forever and ever!”

“He also says, ‘In the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will roll them up like a robe; like a garment they will be changed. But you remain the same, and your years will never end.’” (Heb 1:10–12)

As Lord, Jesus laid the foundations of the earth! Hebrews 1:2 has already asserted this. “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.” Jesus is Son, Firstborn, God and Lord!

And Jesus is also Victor! “To which of the angels did God ever say, ‘Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet’”? (Heb 1:13) Psalm 110 is the key OT passage in Hebrews! Christ has defeated every enemy! Christ is our Victor!

The premise. Christ has a better name than the angels. The proof. Jesus is the Son and Firstborn. Jesus is God, Lord and Victor. And these names are intended to give us what? Hope!

What is hope? Hope = Having only positive expectations! 122 men who had suffered a heart attack were evaluated based upon their hope. Of the 25 men with the least hope, 21 died within 8 years. Of the 25 with the most hope, only 6 died after 8 years.

Do the math! Loss of hope increased the odds of death by more than 300 percent! Loss of hope predicted death more accurately than blood pressure, the amount of earlier heart damage, or cholesterol level. So it’s better to eat Twinkies in hope than to eat broccoli in despair! Hope = Having only positive expectations! That’s what the names of Jesus give us. Son, Firstborn, God, Lord and Victor deliver hope!

The promise. “Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?” (Heb 1:14) Angels are great and angels are grand. But angels point us to someone so greater and grander—much better. His name? Jesus! Jesus, or Yehoshua in Hebrew, means “Yahweh saves!” And we inherit, we are given, this salvation!

Jesus saves from darkness and dread; from the devil and Jesus even saves us from our last enemy—death! [Slide] What’s in a name? If we’re talking about Jesus then that’s easy. What’s in the name of Jesus? Absolutely everything! And that is God’s Christmas gift for you! Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.