Hope from Hebrews #1 - Are you Listening

Hope from Hebrews #1:

“Are you listening?”

Text: Hebrews 1:1-3

Thesis: To stress the reasons for listening to Jesus.

Introduction:

(1)   Illustration – The story goes that a man from Leeds, England went to have his hearing checked.  When the doctor removed the man’s hearing aid, the man’s hearing got better immediately because the man had been wearing the hearing aid in the wrong ear for about 20 years.

(2)   Illustration – One preacher asked another preacher: “Do you have a deaf ministry in your church?”  The response: “There are times when I think the whole church needs a deaf ministry because they just don’t seem to hear me.”

Discussion:

I.                    God is speaking to us today through Jesus.

A.     Note: ‘God spoke’ (i.e., He took the initiative)

B.     In the past, He spoke “at various times and in various ways” through the prophets.

C.     Today (i.e., in the “last days” – Christian dispensation; cf. Acts 2:17), He has spoken through Jesus.

D.     Note: “When, in the Greek text, the writer says a Son rather than his Son, he does this to show the superior means used. He is certainly not saying that God has more than one Son. He is implying that the finest of the prophets cannot stand comparison with a Son as a means of revelation” (Guthrie 63).

II.                 Why should we listen to Jesus?

A.     First, He is the inheritor.

1.       “ ‘Heir of all things,’ then, is a title of dignity and shows that Christ has the supreme place in all the mighty universe. His exaltation to the highest place in heaven after his work on earth was done did not mark some new dignity but his reentry to his rightful place (cf. Philippians 2:6-11)” (EBC).

2.      “The words of Hebrews here echo Ps. 2:8, addressed to one who is the Lord's anointed and acclaimed by God as His Son” (LWC).

B.     Second, He is creator.

1.      Cf. John 1:3; Col. 1:16

2.      As the creation, we must listen to the Creator.

C.     Third, He is radiator.

1.      Some translations have “reflect” (e.g., NLT, NRS).  However, the moon reflects light, whereas the son radiates light because it is its source.

2.      Cf. Matt. 17 – Mount of Transfiguration

D.     Fourth, He is representor.

1.      ‘Express image’ (Gr. character) means “a representation as an exact reproduction of a particular form or structure” (Louw-Nida).

2.      Cf. John 10:30 – I and my Father are one

E.      Fifth, He is sustainer.

1.      He continues to keep all things going.

2.      Note: The power of His word.

F.      Sixth, He is purifier.

1.      He is the Savior of all.

2.      He has the words of life (cf. John 6:63).

G.     Seventh, He is ruler.

1.      Cf. Psa. 110:1

2.      “Sitting is the posture of rest, and the right-hand position is the place of honor” (EBC).

Conclusion:

(1)   God is speaking today through Jesus, but are you listening?

(2)   He alone is the way to Heaven (cf. John 14:6).