The Final Word

Introduction

Well, good morning!

If you have your Bible, and I hope that you do, go ahead and open it with me to Hebrews chapter 1.

And listen, as you're turning there, let me just say how excited I am to begin a brand-new sermon series with you guys this morning.

Over the next several months, we're gonna be walking verse-by-verse through the book of Hebrews in a series we're calling "Our Great High Priest."

And listen, I'll be honest with you...Hebrews, its always been one of my favorite books in the Bible. It's deep enough to challenge the most mature believer, yet it's practical enough to encourage the Christian who's simply just trying to make it through another week. It contains some of the richest theology in all of Scripture, but that theology isn't there just to fill our heads with a bunch of knowledge. It's there to strengthen weary Christians and to keep us faithfully following Jesus.

If I could summarize the entire book of Hebrews in just a few words, I’d say it was this: Jesus is better.

He's better than the prophets. He's better than the angels. Better than Moses. Better than Joshua. Better than Aaron. Better than the old covenant. He’s better than the sacrifices. Better than the temple. Better than everything else that came before Him.

That's really the heartbeat of Hebrews.

Don't drift. Don't go back. Don't settle for shadows when you have the substance. Hold fast to Christ because there is no one greater.

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Now before we jump into chapter one, let me give you just a little bit context here.

Unlike Paul's letters, Hebrews never tells us who actually wrote it. And so for the last two thousand years now Christians have debated the author.

Some have suggested Paul. Others have suggested Apollos. Or Luke. Silas. Some say Priscilla. Personally, I tend to think Barnabas is a strong possibility here. We certainly can't be dogmatic because Scripture doesn't tell us, but Barnabas fits many of the qualities we see in this letter. He was a Levite who would've been deeply familiar with the Old Testament sacrificial system, he was closely connected to the apostles, and Acts tells us that he was known as the "Son of Encouragement,” right? And that's exactly what this book does. It encourages believers to persevere by fixing their eyes on Christ.

But ultimately, the human author isn't the most important question here. The Author behind every word is the Holy Spirit. And that's why this letter still speaks with God's authority today.

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As for the recipients…this letter, it was almost certainly written to Jewish Christians.

They were living in difficult days.

Following Jesus had become costly. Some had experienced persecution. Some had lost their possessions. Others had endured public shame because of their faith. And as the pressure mounted, there was a growing temptation to go backward. To return to the familiar rituals of the old covenant. To go back to the temple. Back to the priesthood. Back to the sacrifices. Back to what felt safe.

That's why the author writes this letter. Not simply to give them more information. But to strengthen their faith. To remind them that everything they would return to was only ever pointing to Jesus in the first place.

Why would you go back to the shadow when the substance has come?

Why would you return to copies when you've been given the reality?

That's the heartbeat of Hebrews. Keep looking to Christ because there is no one greater than Christ.

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It reminds me of a child who's been given an old family photo album.

Inside are pictures of grandparents, and great-grandparents, and relatives they've never met.

Those photographs are precious because they point to real people. But imagine if one day the very people in those photographs walked through the front door.

It would make no sense to ignore them so that you could just keep staring at the pictures, right? The pictures were never the destination. They were pointing you to someone greater.

Listen, that's exactly what the Old Testament was doing.

The sacrifices. The priesthood. The tabernacle. The festivals. The kings. The prophets. Every one of ‘em, they were all pointing beyond itself.

They weren't the destination. They were preparing God's people for the arrival of His Son.

And so now that Christ has come, the author ask a very important question, "Why would you ever go back?"

This letter, it doesn't begin with a command…It doesn't begin by telling us what to do. It begins by telling us who Jesus is.

Because when your view of Christ is too small, your perseverance, it’ll be weak. But when your view of Christ is biblical—when you see Him as the Creator, and the Sustainer, and the perfect revelation of God, the One who made purification for sins and now reigns at the Father's right hand—you'll understand why the author keeps saying throughout his letter, “Don't look anywhere else. Jesus is better."

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That's exactly where Hebrews begins.

Not with us. Not with our problems. It begins with God's final and fullest revelation of Himself in His Son.

In just three verses, the author gives us one of the highest views of Jesus found anywhere else in the Bible.

He’s the Creator.

He’s the Heir.

He’s the radiance of God's glory.

The exact imprint of His nature.

The Sustainer of the universe.

The purifier of sinners.

The King seated at the Father's right hand.

Church, if we truly see Jesus for who He is, it changes everything else.

Again that's the heartbeat of our passage this morning…Because Jesus is God's final Word, we must listen to Him, trust Him, and worship Him. That’s our main idea this morning.

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And so, as we work through these first three verses together, I want you to keep asking yourself one question: Whose voice has the greatest authority in my life? Because every day we're surrounded by voices telling us what to believe, how to think, where to find hope.

But Hebrews, it opens with this breathtaking declaration: God has spoken. And His final Word is His Son.

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And so, if you've found your place there in Hebrews chapter 1, would you go ahead and stand with me as we read God's Word together. It says this starting in verse 1:

Hebrews 1:1–3 ESV

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

Thank you, you can be seated.

[Prayer]

If you’re taking notes, I have three points for us this morning…point number 1, The Final Word Reveals God…number 2, The Final Word Reigns Over All…and then number 3, The Final Word Accomplishes Salvation.

The title of this morning’s message is “The Final Word.”

And so, with that, let’s dive into this first point together.

I. The Final Word Reveals God (vv. 1-2a)

Again point number 1…The final Word Reveals God.

Look at verse 1 with me again.

"Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets..."

Listen, before we go any farther, I want you to notice how this book begins.

It begins with God…It says, “God spoke." Those two words, they’re some of the most important words in this entire book.

God spoke.

That means Christianity begins with a God who’s not silent, right? He’s not distant. He’s not hiding. He’s not waiting for mankind to somehow figure Him out.

No, the God of the Bible, He’s a God who delights in making Himself known.

Every other false religion is ultimately man's attempt to climb up to God. Christianity is completely different. Christianity is God coming down to reveal Himself to man.

We didn't discover God. God revealed Himself to us. And listen, that's incredibly important because if God had never spoken...we never would've known Him.

Sure, Romans chapter 1 tells us that creation reveals that there's a Creator. The heavens declare the glory of God. The skies proclaim His handiwork. Every sunrise. Every mountain. Every newborn baby. Every star in the night sky, it all points us to the reality that there is a God.

But guys, creation can only tell us that God exists. It can't tell us who He is. It can't tell us why we're here. It can't tell us why the world's broken. It can't tell us how guilty sinners can be reconciled to a holy God.

For that...God had to speak. And praise God that He did.

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And so pay attention to how the author describes it.

He says, "Long ago..."

He's talking about the Old Testament.

He's reminding these Jewish believers that for thousands of years God faithfully revealed Himself to His covenant people.

And then notice the next phrase. “At many times..." Literally, "in many portions." In other words, God didn't reveal His entire plan all at once. He revealed it progressively.

To Abraham, He promised a nation.

To Moses, He gave the Law.

To David, He promised an everlasting King.

To Isaiah, He spoke of a suffering Servant.

To Jeremiah, He promised a New Covenant.

Generation after generation…Century after century…God kept unfolding His plan little by little.

Then he says…"And in many ways..."

Sometimes God spoke through dreams. Sometimes through visions. Sometimes through angels. Sometimes through miracles. Sometimes through poetry. Sometimes it was through prophecy. Sometimes through historical events.

God wasn't limited to one method. He revealed Himself in all kinds of ways.

But don't miss this. Every prophet…Every vision…Every sacrifice…Every feast…Every priest…Every king…Every promise…Every page of the Old Testament, it was all moving history toward one Person. Jesus Christ.

That's why Jesus told the religious leaders in John chapter 5, “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me."

Church, the Old Testament isn't a collection of disconnected stories.

It's one story.

One Author.

One plan.

One Redeemer.

As Augustine famously said, “The New Testament is in the Old concealed; the Old is in the New revealed."

Everything was pointing forward.

Abraham was pointing forward.

Moses was pointing forward.

David was pointing forward.

Isaiah was pointing forward.

The prophets weren't the destination. They were signposts. They were preparing God's people for Someone infinitely greater.

And so now here's where the author of Hebrews completely changes gears for a moment.

Look at verse 2.

"But..."

Remember what I always say about that little word, right? Pay attention to it. Because everything changes with it.

"But in these last days..."

Listen, don't misunderstand that phrase. When we hear "the last days," our minds immediately jump to the end of the world. But biblically, the last days began when Jesus came into the world.

The writer isn't saying the world's about to end. He's saying God's plan, it’s reached its climax. History has entered its final chapter. There isn't another covenant coming. There isn't another priest coming. There isn't another sacrifice coming. There isn't another prophet coming.

Why? Because God's final revelation, He’s already come.

Listen to what he says here. “He has spoken to us..."

How?

"By His Son."

Listen, don't read past those three words too quickly.

The contrast isn't just between the Old Testament and the New Testament. The contrast here, it’s between the prophets and the Son.

The prophets were servants. Jesus is the Son.

The prophets delivered God's message. Jesus is God's message.

The prophets could only say, “Thus says the Lord." Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you..."

Why? Because He isn't just another messenger. He's the very One to whom every messenger was pointing.

John opens his Gospel by saying, “In the beginning was the Word...and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

And then just a few verses later, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us."

Church, think about what that means.

If you wanna know what God’s like…You have to look at Jesus.

If you wanna know how God loves? You have to look at Jesus.

If you wanna know God's holiness or his compassion? Look at Jesus.

If you wanna know how God responds to sinners? Again, you have to look at Jesus.

As John Calvin wrote, “In Christ God has shown Himself fully to us."

There is no greater revelation. There is no clearer revelation. There is no fuller revelation.

God has spoken. And His final Word is His Son.

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And so let’s just stop right here because there’s an application for us to see here.

With all that being said about God’s revelation, about Jesus revealing God to us. Whose voice has the greatest authority in your life?

Think about that for just a moment.

Because we live in a world filled with voices, right? The news tells us how to think. Politicians tell us how to think. Social media tells us how to think. Friends tell us how to think. Your favorite podcast tells you how to think. Your emotions tell you how to think. And if we're not careful, every one of those voices can become much louder than the voice of Christ.

Listen...I'm amazed how many Christians can quote their favorite political commentator, but they can't quote Scripture.

We know what the latest headline says. We know what our favorite YouTube preacher says. We know what our favorite author says. But we don't know what Jesus says.

Church, that's a problem. Because if Christ is God's final Word, then His voice should carry more weight than every other voice in our lives.

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Let me make this a little more personal.

Some of us spend more time scrolling social media in one day than we spend reading God's Word in an entire week.

We wake up and check Facebook before we open our Bible.

We know what's happening in Washington long before we know what's happening in Hebrews.

We’re being discipled every single day.

The only question is…By whom?

Listen to me very carefully.

If you spend six hours consuming the world's opinions and six minutes consuming God's Word…Don't be surprised when you start thinking like the world.

Paul says in Romans 12, our memory verse this year, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind."

How’s your mind renewed? It’s certainly not by Instagram. Or by the news. Or by your favorite influencer. It's renewed by the Word of God.

Listen…If your Bible stays closed all week…Don't complain that God seems silent.

He’s spoken to us.

The question isn't whether God's speaking. The question is whether we're listening.

R.C. Sproul once said, “When the Bible speaks, God speaks."

Do you believe that? Because if you really do, it'll change the way you approach this Book.

You won't read it because you're checking a box. You'll read it because the Creator of the universe is addressing you.

Just imagine getting a handwritten letter from someone you love. You wouldn't throw it on the kitchen counter and then ignore it for weeks.

You'd read every line. Maybe you'd read it again. Why? Because that person matters to you.

How much more should we treasure the Word of the living God?

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Guys, Jesus is anything but ordinary. He’s God's final Word. There isn't another revelation coming. There isn't another Savior coming. There isn't another gospel coming.

If you reject Christ… There is no Plan B.

Peter understood that. Remember when many of Jesus' disciples walked away in John chapter 6? Jesus looked at the Twelve and He asked, “Do you want to go away as well?"

Peter answered, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life."

Guys…That's Hebrews.

Where else are you gonna go?

Back to the Law?

Back to religion?

Back to self-righteousness?

Back to the world?

None of those things can reveal God. Only Christ can.

Only Christ reveals the Father perfectly.

Only Christ speaks with final authority.

Only Christ has the words of eternal life.

And that's exactly where the author begins this letter.

Before he tells us how to persevere…Before he warns us about unbelief… Before he teaches us about our Great High Priest…He wants us to lift our eyes and behold the Son.

Because when you see Jesus for who He really is…Every competitor in your life, they all begin losing their appeal.

Guys, that's exactly what the author wants for us this morning. He wants us to hear the voice of God. Because God has spoken. And His final Word is His Son. He reveals God to us.

II. The Final Word Reigns Over All (vv. 2b-3a)

Which moves us into point number 2…If the final Word reveals God to us, then naturally He reigns over all things as well.

Look at the rest of verse 2.

"...whom He appointed the heir of all things, through whom also He created the world."

And then verse 3.

"He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature, and He upholds the universe by the word of His power."

Listen, these aren't just random descriptions that the author throws together. Every single phrase is intentional here.

It's almost like he's taking us by the hand and saying, "Let me show you just how great Jesus really is."

And with every phrase…Our view of Christ gets a little bit bigger. Our worship gets a little bit deeper. Our confidence gets a little bit stronger.

The first thing he tells us here is this.

Jesus is…"The heir of all things."

Now pay attention to this phrase. It isn't saying that Jesus’ll one day became the Son of God. No, He's eternally the Son. The point here it’s that everything ultimately belongs to Him.

Psalm 2 says that the Father has given the nations as His inheritance.

Paul says in Philippians chapter 2 that one day every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ IS Lord (meaning right now, presently), to the glory of God the Father.

Listen, history, it’s always been moving somewhere. It’s not spinning out of control. Nothing that happens is random. History is moving toward King Jesus.

One theologian [Abraham Kuyper] famously said, “There’s not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry, 'Mine!'"

Every nation belongs to Him.

Every government belongs to Him.

Every king.

Every president.

Every judge.

Every CEO.

Every billionaire.

Every galaxy.

Every atom.

Everything belongs to Christ and always has. That’s why we see what we see in the next verse.

But let me ask you something before we get to that.

If Jesus is the heir of all things…Does He have the right to rule over your life?

You see, I think most people don't mind Jesus being King of the universe. They just don't want Him to be King of their life.

We're perfectly happy for Him to reign over heaven…Just don't tell me how to spend my money. Don't tell me how to use my body. Don't tell me how to raise my kids. Don't tell me how to treat my spouse. Don't tell me what to do with my sexuality. Don't tell me how to forgive someone who's hurt me.

Church, listen to me…You can’t call Jesus "Lord" while at the same time refusing to obey what He says. Those two things don't go together.

Jesus Himself said, “Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I tell you?" (Luke 6:46)

That's a pretty sobering question, right? Because listen, we've created a version of Christianity here in our country where Jesus is welcomed as Savior…But politely ignored as Lord.

We want forgiveness. We want heaven. We want peace. But we don't want His authority.

Guys, that's not biblical Christianity.

If Christ is the heir of all things…Then He has a rightful claim over every part of your life.

Not just on Sunday morning. Monday morning too.

Not just your worship. But your wallet. Your marriage. Your thought life. Your entertainment. Your internet history. Your ambitions.

Everything.

Because everything belongs to Him.

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Now notice the next description.

"Through whom also He created the world."

Just think about how astounding that statement would've been to these Jewish believers.

The One they had trusted for salvation, He’s the very One who spoke creation into existence.

John says it this way: “All things were made through Him, and without Him was not any thing made that was made."

Paul says in Colossians chapter 1, “By Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible...all things were created through Him and for Him."

Guys, Jesus isn't part of creation. He is the Creator.

The hands that were nailed to the cross...They’re the same hands that stretched out the heavens.

The voice that cried, "It is finished..." It’s the very voice that once said, “Let there be light."

Can you imagine that?

The Creator stepped into His own creation.

The Potter became clay.

The Author wrote Himself into the story.

As C.S. Lewis once wrote, the playwright Himself stepped onto the stage.

Listen, that's the miracle of the incarnation. The infinite became an infant. The Creator entered His creation. Not because He had to. But because He loved sinners.

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Now listen, before we move on, let me give you another application here.

If Jesus created everything…Then He understands your life far better than you do.

Think about that.

The One who designed your heart…He knows how your heart works.

The One who created marriage…He knows how marriage is supposed to function.

The One who created your mind…He knows exactly what your mind truly needs.

The One who created this world… He knows how life’s meant to be lived.

Which means every time we ignore His Word…We're acting like we know better than our Creator.

That's exactly what sin is. It's looking at the God who made us and saying, “I think my way’s better."

Church…How arrogant is that?

The clay telling the Potter how the pot should've been made…The creature correcting the Creator.

Isaiah asks, “Shall the thing formed say to him who formed it, 'He did not make me'?" And yet that's exactly what our culture celebrates.

"Live your truth."

"Follow your heart."

"Be true to yourself."

But Scripture says, “No."

Be true to your Creator. Because He knows you better than you'll ever know yourself. [Pause]

Listen, if Jesus is the Creator…and the author makes that abundantly clear here. Then He doesn't merely deserve your admiration. He deserves your complete surrender because He has all authority.

But listen, the author doesn't stop by calling Jesus the Creator.

Look again at verse 3.

"He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature..."

Those are some of the clearest statements about the deity of Christ in all of Scripture.

Notice, Jesus doesn't just reflect God's glory like the moon reflects the light of the sun. No, He is the radiance of God's glory. Everything that’s true of the Father is perfectly displayed in the Son. That's why Jesus could tell Philip in John 14, "Whoever has seen Me has seen the Father."

And then the author says He is "the exact imprint of His nature." The word "imprint,” it referred to the image stamped onto a coin or the impression left by a royal seal in hot wax. It wasn't just similar. It was exact.

Jesus isn't like God. Or God's greatest creation. Jesus possesses the very nature of God Himself.

That's why He can reveal the Father perfectly. That's why He can create the universe. That's why He has every right to rule over your life.

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Listen carefully. What you believe about Jesus isn't some secondary doctrine that theologians argue about. It’s the very foundation of the Christian faith. If Jesus is anything less than fully God, then He can’t perfectly reveal God, He can’t bear the infinite wrath of God against sin, which means He can’t save us.

But praise God—that isn't the Jesus of Hebrews. The Jesus of Hebrews is the eternal Son, sharing the very glory and nature of His Father. And because He’s God…He deserves our worship, and our obedience, and our complete surrender.

The author says, “He upholds the universe by the word of HIS power.” How can His word alone uphold the universe? Because He has ALL authority.

III. The Final Word Accomplishes Salvation (v. 3b)

And if He has authority over all things…that most certainly includes our salvation as well…which is the third point this morning. The final Word accomplishes salvation.

Look at the middle of verse 3 with me again.

"After making purification for sins..."

Now listen…pay attention to these six words. Because right here, the author shifts from telling us who Jesus is to now telling us what Jesus has done.

Up until this point we've seen His majesty. We've seen His glory. We've seen His power. We've seen His deity. But now we get to see His mission.

Why did the eternal Son leave heaven?

Why did the Creator step into His creation?

Why did the King of Glory take on flesh?

The answer’s right here in our passage. To make purification for sins.

Listen, that word "purification,” it would've immediately grabbed the attention of these Jewish believers. Because purification was at the heart of the Old Testament, right?

They knew about ceremonial washings. They knew about sacrifices. They knew about the Day of Atonement. They knew what it was like to bring another lamb. Or another goat. Or another bull…Year after year. Generation after generation.

Blood was constantly being shed. Not because those sacrifices actually removed sin, but because they all pointed forward to the One who would.

In fact, Hebrews, it later on tells us, “It’s impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins."

Those sacrifices were never the solution. They were illustrations. Or shadows. They were signposts pointing us to Christ.

And then…Jesus came. And John the Baptist saw Him and he declared himself, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world."

And listen, that's the difference. Every Old Testament sacrifice said, “Another one’s coming." Jesus said, “It is finished."

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Now I want you to notice something else here as well.

The author doesn't say Jesus only offered purification or made it possible. It says, “After making purification for sins..."

In other words…He actually accomplished it.

Church, that's the difference between biblical Christianity and every other religion in the world. Every false religion tells you what you have to do to reach God. Christianity tells you what Christ has already done.

As Charles Spurgeon once said, “The gospel isn’t good advice telling us what we must do. It’s good news telling us what Christ has done."

Listen very carefully. Jesus didn't come to make salvation merely possible. He came to save His people from their sins.

He didn't die wondering whether His sacrifice would be enough. He knew it was enough.

Because He is the perfect sacrifice.

The spotless Lamb.

The Great High Priest.

The sacrifice itself.

All at the same time.

Listen, just think about how incredible that is.

Under the old covenant…The priest offered someone else's sacrifice. Jesus offered Himself.

The priest entered the earthly temple. Jesus entered the heavenly one.

The priest repeated his work every single year. Jesus did it once for all.

No wonder Hebrews keeps saying…Jesus is better.

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And then notice what happens next. It says:

"He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high."

That little phrase tells us everything. Because under the old covenant…The priest never sat down. Have you ever noticed that?

Go back and study the furniture inside the tabernacle.

You'll find an altar.

You'll find a lampstand.

You'll find a table.

You'll find the Ark of the Covenant.

But you won't find a chair.

Why?

Because the priest's work was never finished.

Every morning…Another sacrifice.

Every evening…Another sacrifice.

Next year…Another Day of Atonement.

The work was never complete.

But when Jesus cried, “It is finished," He wasn't saying, “I am finished." He was saying, “The work is finished.”

The debt’s been paid. The wrath of God’s been satisfied. Justice has been accomplished. Sin has been atoned for. Death’s been defeated.

And so what did He naturally do?

He sat down. Not because He was tired. Because there was nothing left to accomplish. [Pause]

Church, the cross doesn't need your help. It doesn't need your good works. It doesn't need your morality. It doesn't need your religious performance.

Jesus’ work is sufficient.

John Owen wrote, “There is no more sacrifice for sin because none is needed."

What an incredible truth.

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Listen, let me just press this home for us. I promise, I’m landing the plane but can I ask you? What are you trusting to make you acceptable before God? Be honest with yourself.

For some of you…It's your church attendance.

For others…It's your baptism.

Maybe it's the fact that you grew up in a Christian home.

Or maybe it's because you're "a pretty good person."

Maybe you compare yourself to someone worse and you think, “I'm doing alright."

Guys, none of those things can purify your sin. Not one.

Your morality can't cleanse your conscience.

Your good deeds can't erase your guilt.

Your religion can't reconcile you to God.

Only Christ can.

Listen…One of Satan's greatest lies is convincing people that they can clean themselves up before coming to Jesus.

That's backwards.

You don't get clean so you can come to Christ. You come to Christ because you're unclean.

You don't take medicine trying to heal yourself before you go to the doctor. You go to the doctor because you're sick and unable, you don’t know what your body needs.

That's the gospel.

Christ saves helpless sinners. Not impressive sinners or mostly-good sinners. Helpless sinners.

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Listen, if you’re a believer this morning there's application here for you as well.

How many believers continue carrying guilt that Christ already carried to the cross?

Every time you fail…You begin punishing yourself.

You question whether God still loves you.

You wonder whether He's finally had enough.

Listen to me, if your faith is in Christ…There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Because your Savior sat down. The work is finished.

Stop trying to earn what Christ already secured for you. Rest in your Great High Priest.

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Listen, that's why Hebrews begins right here.

Before it tells us to endure.

Before it warns us against unbelief.

Before it calls us to perseverance.

It reminds us of the One who accomplished everything necessary for our salvation. The One who reveals God. The One who reigns over all. The One who accomplished salvation…His name is Jesus Christ.

There is no greater Prophet. There is no greater Priest. There is no greater King. There is no greater Savior.

No one is better. And that's exactly where Hebrews wants our eyes to remain. Fixed on Christ.

[Pause]

Closing

Listen, as we come to the end of these first three verses, I wanna remind you where the author’s taken us.

He began with God's revelation. He ended with God's redemption.

He began by telling us that God’s spoken. He ended by telling us what God's Son accomplished when He came.

In just three verses we've seen that Jesus is the final Word.

He's the One who reveals God perfectly.

He's the One who reigns over all creation.

And listen, He's the One who made purification for sins.

Church, that's not just good theology. That's our only hope.

Listen, if you're here this morning and you've never trusted in Jesus Christ, I want you to hear me for just a moment.

The bad news of the gospel is that every single one of us, we’ve all sinned against a holy God. Not one of us is righteous. Not one of us deserves heaven.

The worse news is that because God is perfectly holy and perfectly just, He can’t simply overlook our sin. Every sin has to be judged. Which means if we stand before God on our own, we'll bear His righteous judgment forever.

But listen the good news is this. God loved sinners so much He sent His Son into the world. The very One we've been talking about this morning...

The eternal Son.

The Creator of all things.

The radiance of God's glory.

The exact imprint of His nature.

He took on flesh.

He lived the perfect life we've failed to live.

He went to the cross willingly bearing the punishment that our sins deserve. And after making purification for sins…He sat down.

The work was finished.

The debt was paid.

The wrath of God was satisfied.

And three days later, He rose again in victory over sin, and death, and the grave.

And the best news? Anyone—no matter who you are, no matter what you've done, no matter how far you've wandered—anyone who repents of their sin and places their faith in Jesus Christ will be forgiven completely.

Not because you've earned it. Not because you deserve it. But because Christ already accomplished everything necessary to save you.

So if you've never trusted Him, don't leave here this morning trusting in your own goodness. Trust in the finished work of Christ.

He is a perfect Savior. And He saves completely.

…

But listen, for those of us who are believers, we're about to do something that the Lord Himself commanded His church to do.

We're gonna come to the Lord's Table. And I don't think it's an accident we're doing this right after studying these verses. Because what we've spent the last thirty or forty minutes talking about…Now we get to see it, visibly.

The bread reminds us that the eternal Son took on a real human body.

The cup reminds us that His blood was poured out for the forgiveness of sins.

Communion’s a visible sermon. Every time we come to this table, we're proclaiming that our hope, it isn't in ourselves. Our hope is in a Savior who’s already made purification for sins. This table, it celebrates what Christ did for us. It reminds us that our Great High Priest offered Himself as the once-for-all sacrifice.

And unlike every priest under the old covenant…He sat down. Because the work is finished.

And so before we take the bread and the cup together, I wanna encourage us to do what Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 11.

Let's examine ourselves. Let's examine whether our faith’s resting in Christ. Is there unconfessed sin that needs to be brought before Him? Is there bitterness that needs to be surrendered? Is there someone you need to forgive? Have you been living with divided loyalties, giving Jesus only part of your life instead of all of it?

Listen, take these next few moments, as the deacons come and prepare the elements for us, take these moments to confess your sin, to thank Christ for His finished work, to worship Him once again as your Great High Priest.

And if you're here this morning and you're not yet a follower of Christ, we're grateful that you're here with us. We would just simply ask that you allow the elements to pass by. This meal is a family meal for those who have repented of their sins and trusted in Christ.

But let me say this: while the bread and the cup aren’t for you today, the Savior they point to certainly is. Even now, you can turn from your sin and you can place your faith in Him.

And so, if you would, go ahead and bow your head and close your eyes with me. Let's take a few moments of quiet reflection before we come to the Lord's Table together.

You take this time as Wendy and the deacons come.