Hebrews: Above All 1

The New International Version Chapter 1

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.

INTRODUCTION:

Rapport:

Drifters or drifting or being off-course. People who wander from place to place, nomads who go wherever the grass is greenest, wherever the wind takes them. Hikers without a compass or ability to read a map can end up in dangerous places. Continental drift, drifting in the ocean. People with no connection or roots and when hard things happen, they just leave town and move on to the next place.

Movies: Lost in Translation (Bill Murray, Scarlett Johansson), High Plains Drifter (Clint Eastwood), Easy Rider (Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, Jack Nicholson)

Book of Hebrews:

Do you ever feel lost in your faith, needing to get “back on track” with church? Do you need to fall in love all over again with the Jesus you placed your faith in? Want your holy pilot light relit so your spiritual furnace can burn bright and hot? ENTER: Hebrews.

Hebrews is written for drifting, marginal Jewish Christians who were contemplating leaving the faith to return to the Jewish religion. The persecution coming from all sides was just too much—from both Romans and Jews. It interprets the Old Testament and explains how the things represented paved the way for Jesus, who is “ABOVE ALL.”

(Are there plenty of these in our church? People who were on fire at first for Jesus, and then persecution or difficulties came and it just got too hard to find their way? Are people just looking for a rote way to pray, worship, a “just tell me what to do” attitude instead of an intimate, personal relationship?)

Angels, Abraham, The Prophets and Moses, Any High Priest (except Melchizedek), A Better Covenant, A Better Promise, A Better Tabernacle, A Better Sacrifice, A Better Word, A Better Hope, A Better Faith , A Better Life

Abraham

The Prophets and Moses

Any High Priest (except Melchizedek)

A Better Covenant

A Better Promise

(Are there plenty of these in our church? People who were on fire at first for Jesus, and then persecution or difficulties came and it just got too hard to find their way? Are people just looking for a rote way to pray, worship, a “just tell me what to do” attitude instead of an intimate, personal relationship?)

A Better Tabernacle

A Better Sacrifice

A Better Word

A Better Hope

A Better Faith

A Better Life

Throughout this series, we’ll examine that Jesus is ABOVE ALL, including Angels, Abraham, The Prophets and Moses, Any High Priest (except Melchizedek). He offers a Better Covenant, A Better Promise, A Better Tabernacle. He was A Better Sacrifice, gives A Better Word, so that we can grow up in our faith right now to have better perseverance and spiritual maturity.

so that we can grow up in our faith and have better perseverance and spiritual maturity.

EXPOSIT PART I:

Right off the bat, the author doesn’t mess around with niceties. S/he begins tying Old Testament together immediately with what we know as the New.

Meet Jesus:

The New International Version Chapter 1

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

1. Takes us all the way back to the Creation Story.

2. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made.

WHO IS HE?

The New International Version Chapter 1

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

Jesus is the radiance: light or heat as emitted or reflected by something (Merriam Webster)

in his Glory (doxa—you’ll find this word six times just in the book of Hebrews)

Exact representation: the word comes from engraver, one who mints coins; who impresses, stamps, engraves an image on coins and seals. God’s image stamped onto humanity = Jesus.

Exact representation: the word comes from engraver, one who mints coins; who impresses, stamps, engraves an image on coins and seals. God’s image stamped onto humanity = Jesus.

in his Glory (doxa—you’ll find this word six times just in the book of Hebrews)

sustaining all things...referencing : He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

by His powerful word—”rhema” referencing when God SPOKE the world into existence.

sustaining all things...referencing : He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

purification for sins: The Cross and Christ’s sacrifice. We will talking about this later in the series. Purification: κᾰθαρισμός katharismos--refers to the polishing of marble. {How to polish marble, the most sought-after natural stones in the world? Polishing means rubbing the surface with a grinder/sander (rougher grit, lower speed to start, then finer grit + faster speed as you get closer to the finished product) and bringing out the brilliance and shine.}

He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

κᾰθαρισμός

sat down at the right hand— referencing (he was taken up into heaven and seated at the right hand of God)

refers to the polishing of marble.

Majesty: only used three times in the entire NT: twice in Hebrews and once at the end of the Doxology in Jude.

The New International Version. (2011). (). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

Exact representation: the word comes from engraver, one who mints coins; who impresses, stamps, engraves an image on coins and seals. God’s image stamped onto humanity = Jesus.

JESUS is above angels (and we’re gonna prove it!)

The New International Version Chapter 1

So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.

EXPOSIT PART II:

Most of this next part of Hebrews are direct quotes from the , , , and 7, , , 110:1, but also taken from , , , , , , .

15 different different sources over thousands of years all come together in one book of the Bible.

“The Son Superior to Angels

5 For to which of the angels did God ever say,

“You are my Son;

today I have become your Father”?

Or again,

“I will be his Father,

and he will be my Son”?

6 And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says,

“Let all God’s angels worship him.” 

7 In speaking of the angels he says,

“He makes his angels spirits,

and his servants flames of fire.” 

8 But about the Son he says,

“Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever;

a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.

9 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;

therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions

by anointing you with the oil of joy.” 

10 He also says,

“In the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth,

and the heavens are the work of your hands.

11 They will perish, but you remain;

they will all wear out like a garment.

12 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.” 

13 To which of the angels did God ever say,

“Sit at my right hand

until I make your enemies

a footstool for your feet”?

Jesus’ Deity established with Divine OT Names: Son, Lord, and God.

Jesus’ Divine Works: creates, sustains, governs, redeems, purifies sin.

Jesus’ Divine Attributes: ominiscient, omnipresent, omnipotent, eternal, unchanging.

THE PURPOSE OF ANGELS: v. 14

14 “Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?”

Note the sudden change: It’s not just Jesus above the angels but it’s also his redeemed followers that are above them. In verse 6, the angesl were to worship Jesus when he came to earth, but now suddenly, there is a turnabout and their task is for serving us who will “inherit salvation” (this phrase is used ten times in Hebrews!). It’s clear from verse 1:13 and that they aren’t going to rule the world. That’s reserved specifically for the Son, who will reign. The angels’ destiny is to forever serve the Son and the heirs.

Most commonly, angels bring messages from God and so represent Him that humans often mistake them for Him.

Most commonly, angels bring messages from God and so represent Him that humans often mistake them for Him. They minister to us.

(see College Press NIV COmmentary Hebrews)

Jesus’ Deity established with Divine OT Names: Son, Lord, and God.

Jesus’ Divine Works: creates, sustains, governs, redeems, purifies sin.

Jesus’ Divine Attributes: ominiscient, omnipresent, omnipotent, eternal, unchanging.

SO WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR US, REDEEMED PEOPLE? (Read on, Darling!)

EXPOSIT PART III: THE WARNING

The New International Version Chapter 2

We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. 2 For since the message spoken through angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, 3 how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. 4 God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.

What have we heard? Have we paid attention? Is it like all of Charlie Brown’s teachers and his parents, too? Wah-wah-wah wah-wah.

God wasn’t afraid to throw angels out of heaven and condemn them. AND THEY WERE ANGELS. What about us, Adam and the Dirt Men from ?

Verse 4:

Signs, wonders, and various miracles: ,

Gifts of the Holy Spirit