The Son Speaks

Introduction

Introduce the series…

My desire for our church is that we grow closer to Jesus

In order to do that, we have to know a little more about him

next four weeks

The Position of the Son

The Growth in the Son

The Sacrifice of the Son

Today - The Son Speaks

I recently listened to part of a sermon somebody put on Facebook

Long ago God spoke to the fathers by the prophets at different times and in different ways. 2 In these last days, he has spoken to us by his Son. God has appointed him heir of all things and made the universe,f through him. 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact expression of his nature, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.,i 4 So he became superior to the angels, just as the name he inherited is more excellent than theirs.

I occasionally see some of these on social media and I always hesitate to comment, in fact I very rarely do.

I rarely comment because arguing on social media does not accomplish anything good…

Had social media been around at the time, I am sure that it would have been added to the list in Ecclesiastes of things that are vanity… or futile, depending on your translation.

This sermon, like a lot of others out there, was a great pep talk

Got people excited, had enough scripture with it to make people think that the speaker got it from the Bible

but it had nothing really to do with the story the speaker had been reading from

and because of that, it went against the gospel

I believe that we fall for things like this a lot because of two reasons

we do not know the gospel well enough to recognize it, or recognize when it is not spoken of correctly

If we do not recognize the gospel, it is because we do not know who the gospel is from… or at least not well

Long ago God spoke to the fathers by the prophets at different times and in different ways. 2 In these last days, he has spoken to us by his Son. God has appointed him heir of all things and made the universe, through him. 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact expression of his nature, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.,i 4 So he became superior to the angels, just as the name he inherited is more excellent than theirs.

In order to recognize the gospel better we must know it…

we must know how God communicated it to us, know where it is from

V1 - God used to speak to people by the prophets in various ways

dreams, through fire, visions ext…

Last days through Jesus

last days = the messianic age,

the time from Jesus ascended into heaven after the resurrection until he comes again

so the writer explains to us who Jesus is, so that we know who and can recognize

The Son’s Shining

The Son’s Strength

We often think of Jesus as the soft loving guy in the NT

If I were to ask about the strong powerful God, we normally think of the God in the OT, as if they are different, the creator God who simply spoke things into existance

Like in , where He tells Job, I will question you and you will stand here and answer me… Where were you when I created the world?

The one that commanded a fish to swallow Jonah and then to spit him out

The one who was able to make bread rain down from heaven, quail to come pile up in camp so the Israelites were able to just grab all they wanted, the one who split the seas, and saved his people, or maybe the God who was able to stop time, and keep the sun in one place so that the Israelites were able to win the battle

The reason our minds separate this out is because we tend to think of them as different…

The trinity is confusing, I am not going to claim that I have it all figured out

there are so many illustrations out there, I am not sure any of them really do a good job

I heard the one about the egg… three separate parts one egg

as is the case with God… three personalities, one God

Jesus is the one who created everything

v2 In these last days, he has spoken to us by his Son. God has appointed him heir of all things and made the universe, through him.

For everything was created by him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through him and for him.

16 For everything was created by him,

in heaven and on earth,

the visible and the invisible,

All things were created through him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created.

whether thrones or dominions

or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through him and for him.

Jesus was not created when he was born on Christmas morning

all things have been created through him and for him.

Jesus was not created by God the father

this is what separates our beliefs from some of the cultic belief systems

Mormons - Jesus is a spiritual child of God the Father and his spiritual wife… as are we.

Jehovah’s Witness believe that Jesus is another God, lesser than the father, but separate none the less

for example… v2 in the JW bible says that speaks to us through a son, instead of his son.

these subtle changes makes a difference in who we say that Jesus is…

Not only has all creation come from him… it is held together by him as well

That is interesting to think about… Do we really believe that

We trust him about like a plastic shopping bag

we are afraid that if we put to many can goods in there, the bag is going to rip as we are trying to carry it into the house

and the cans, like our life will be spilled out all over the place

a big mess and completely out of control

We read a lot in scripture about the mighty arm of God

Isaiah says that nobody has a mighty arm like God, Job says who could compare to the mighty arm of God

other places we see strength and protection from the mighty arm of God

v3 tells us that everything that is created, is held together the same way that Genesis says it was created… by his word

the word of the son is strong enough to create the world and hold the world together

For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

The rest were killed with the sword that came from the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds ate their fill of their flesh.

The Son is so powerful, he is able to speak everything into existence and sustain it simply by his word

The Son’s Shining

Have you ever seen somebody that just seemed to have a glow about them

we interact with different people, and some for some reason just seem to shine

I am not talking about sweat…

but their personality, who they are just kind of glow and draw people to themselves

as we said, Isaiah told us that there was nothing special about the appearance of Jesus

there was nothing about him that told everyone look at him...

he did not walk around the earth with a big glowing halo around his head

that would have made things a lot easier for everyone if he did

a The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact expression of his nature, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.

The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact expression of his nature, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.

Then I turned to see whose voice it was that spoke to me. When I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and among the lampstands was one like the Son of Man,,ac dressed in a robe and with a golden sash wrapped around his chest. 14 The hair of his head was white as wool—white as snow—and his eyes like a fiery flame. 15 His feet were like fine bronze as it is fired in a furnace, and his voice like the sound of cascading waters. 16 He had seven stars in his right hand; a sharp double-edged sword came from his mouth, and his face was shining like the sun at full strength.

12 Then I turned to see whose voice it was that spoke to me. When I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and among the lampstands was one like the Son of Man,,ac dressed in a robe and with a golden sash wrapped around his chest. 14 The hair of his head was white as wool—white as snow—and his eyes like a fiery flame. 15 His feet were like fine bronze as it is fired in a furnace, and his voice like the sound of cascading waters. 16 He had seven stars in his right hand; a sharp double-edged sword came from his mouth, and his face was shining like the sun at full strength.

The first time that Jesus came to this earth, Isaiah said that there was nothing about him that would draw people to him

I believe that next time we see Jesus… we will know that it is him

He is the radiance the glory of the father

radiance - light or heat reflected by something

The true light that gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.

Jesus spoke to them again: “I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life.”

This is not a a reflection like the moon…

we are like the moon, the moon has no power on its own, not light which it shines

it can only reflect what comes from the sun

The son is God… the exact imprint

I have always thought that my dad and I look a lot alike

but when I came across a picture of my dad when he was younger, Jimmy looks more like him than I do

we are not talking about a look alike here

Jesus doesn’t just resemble the father like a son looks like his dad

KJV ‘express image of his person”

this is God in the flesh… Immanuel

Jesus is the fingerprint that God left on the scene of the crime

As Christ lives in us we shine his light in the darkness of this world

it is not our light, but his

The Son’s Supremacy

We proclaim that Jesus is Lord

cute sayings like, “Jesus is Lord of all, or He is not Lord at all.”

we will sing, Jesus is Lord of all, He is worthy

but do we believe it?

Hebrews 3b-4 After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. 4 So he became superior to the angels, just as the name he inherited is more excellent than theirs

After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.,i 4 So he became superior to the angels, just as the name he inherited is more excellent than theirs

after coming to this earth and dying for you and me, he now sits at the right hand of the father.

This is a place of honor and authority...

all the beings in heaven… none are worthy to sit at this position of honor.

Then I saw in the right hand of the one seated on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides, sealed with seven seals. 2 I also saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” 3 But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or even to look in it. 4 I wept and wept because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or even to look in it. 5 Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Look, the Lion from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered so that he is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”

Then I saw in the right hand of the one seated on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides, sealed with seven seals. 2 I also saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” 3 But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or even to look in it. 4 I wept and wept because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or even to look in it. 5 Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Look, the Lion from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered so that he is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”

Instead he emptied himself

Why is Jesus in this place of honor? The angels were sinless…

I am sure that you know some pretty good people…

maybe one of them is worthy, maybe we could make a case of a great person that sacrificed for our country

as good as some people may be,

they are not perfect

they never died for your sins, or mine

because of what he has done for us…

by assuming the form of a servant,

Instead he emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant, taking on the likeness of humanity. And when he had come as a man, 8 he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death—even to death on a cross. 9 For this reason God highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow—in heaven and on earth and under the earth — 11 and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

taking on the likeness of humanity.

The question that remains, is what then will you do?

And when he had come as a man,

Is Jesus truly the lord of your life?

8 he humbled himself by becoming obedient

are you willing to go where he sends you

to the point of death—

are you willing to share his gospel

even to death on a cross.

We share our sports teams, our political ideologies and our daily schedules at the coffee shop coop or social media

are we willing to acknowledge that Jesus is Lord on those same platforms

9 For this reason God highly exalted him

and gave him the name

that is above every name,

10 so that at the name of Jesus

every knee will bow—

in heaven and on earth

and under the earth — 11 and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

11 and every tongue will confess

that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.