Hebrews 1: Jesus the name above every other name
Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 13 viewsNotes
Transcript
The book of Hebrews - a book which I’ve read loads of times throughout my walk with Jesus.
A book that used to confuse me. A book that I didn’t fully get, but a book which I have found myself reading again and again over the past 3 years.
As I’ve been praying and planning sermon series in that time, I’ve always had Hebrews as an option, but just sensed the Lord was saying ‘hold that one for my right timing’.
And then as I was discerning the this next season of sermons, I felt the Lord clearly confirm that now was the time for Hebrews.
It’s the story of Jesus, it’s a book that references the Old Testament, and shows how everything points to Jesus.
It’s a book which unpacks further the creed which we’ve inherited and been studying and a book which gives us such hope.
Some say that Hebrews is to the New Testament, what Leviticus is to the Old.
Leviticus is the hinge of the Old Testament, it’s the instruction book for how God rebuilds the relationship we broke.
Hebrews is the same to the New Testament, which explains just how precious the rebuilt relationship is between us and God.
And the book of Hebrews is all about communication and relationship.
I wonder what your favourite form of communication is?
Is it over zoom, or face time, teams or Skype
Is it sending a text, a whatsapp message, an email
Over the phone or maybe by snail mail
But I know the communication that most of us are looking for after the past year is chatting in person
I went to my first in person outside meeting of local vicars on Thursday and it was so good to see each other in the flesh. It made a massive difference to communicate in person, reading each others full body language, not just their head and shoulders in a box on the screen.
Communication is what Hebrews is all about. About how God communicates with us.
As we’ve heard Phil read today
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.
Notice how the emphasis here is on communication between us and God.
First God did it through speaking to people who listened to him and passed that message on. The prophets.
But to us, he has spoken through His own Son. His Son whom he appointed the inheritor of all things, the one who inherits everything.
And then the author throws in, Oh yeah, and through whom also he made the universe.
How awesome that the creator is our saviour, but for the author Hebrews, it is even more awesome that the creator communicates with us through Jesus who is in fact the same as God.
So before we go any further, let’s sit back and watch a clip from the Bible project which introduces this book to us.
I hope that was helpful in setting the scene.
What we see in these first few verses isn’t the author giving us a fancy intro, no. It tells us clearly how the author is going to unpack these truths of God with us. He’ll start with a passage from the Old Testament, and show us how that passage points forward to something yet to come. And then he’ll show us that something which is in our future, is in fact Jesus.
As Tom Wright puts it
Again and again the ‘something’ it points forwards to turns out to be Jesus—Jesus, as in this passage, as God’s unique son, the one who has dealt with sins fully and finally, the one who now rules at God’s right hand, the one to whom even angels bow in submission.
Turn to verse 3 with me.
3 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.
First let’s dwell on these two images of the relation between Jesus and God the Father.
Radiance is inseparable from the Sun in the sky. Radiance is how we view the sun, it’s the light beams which we experience. It is how the sun is communicated to us.
Similarly, in the ancient world, an impression or representation, was a way of creating the closest likeness to a ruler or person in power. Much time was taken over getting the portrait right on the harder metal, and then that impression would be used to impress upon a softer piece of metal the image of the ruler. Until this technology was created, people may have only seen a rough sketch of the ruler, but now they were able to see the authorised image.
In Jesus, we don’t just have a close copy of what God looks like, but the exact image of God.
Jesus said to Thomas
7 If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.’
3 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.
He is the radiance of God’s glory, the exact representation or impression of God’s being, and he...
sustains all things by His powerful word.
Let’s just dwell on that image. Because it’s essential.
Through the Word of God, through every mouth from the word of Jesus all things are being sustained.
If we read the Old Testament in light of the New Testament, we see that in the very beginning as God said ‘Let there be light’ we believe that the Word that was being spoken was in fact the Word of God, Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ is the creator with God the Father. Through Him all things were made. Nothing has been made that is not made by Him. And here the writer to the Hebrews says that Jesus sustains all things.
The laws of physics, the rotation and orbits of the planets are sustained by Him. Cells regenerate because of Him. You and I are held and loved by the one sustaining creation.
God hasn’t just created this world and moved onto another, He is here, sustaining it, keeping it going as he moves toward renewing and restoring it, and He does it through Jesus Christ.
4 So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.
And that’s important to you and I because when we pray, Jesus hears and answers. Jesus creates new realities in our own lives.
It’s why we pray in the name of Jesus.
Because there is power in the name of Jesus.
The Power of creation. We don’t use the name of Jesus as a magic word, but in partnership with Him.
When we pray for healing, we reach out a hand and speak to the illness or pain and command it to be healed in Jesus name, because we believe we are working in partnership with Jesus. Being His and hands and feet on earth. And we believe that Jesus is still at work on earth, because he is sustaining all things by His powerful word.
Sadly, we’ve seen this misused by viral footage throughout the pandemic, of people rebuking shop staff in the name of Jesus because they were asked to wear a mask.
It’s why one of the 10 commandments is, Do not use God’s name in vain. Blasphemy is a sin, and it’s one still prevalent among believers. Do catch yourself and repent the next time you’re about to use the name of God, Jesus or Christ as a swear word.
Because there is power in the name of Jesus, in the name of the creator. We sang earlier, the name of God, YAHWEH, the divine name which he revealed to Moses. God wanted His children to know His name, and so He gave it. YAHWEH is Jesus, and Jesus is YAHWEH.
And to round up this amazing verse 3,
The New International Version Chapter 1
After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.
Scripture teaches scripture, and if you look at every reference to the right hand in the Bible you’ll find it means (58 verses):
authority, power, strength, blessing, honour, rank,
He is sat because the work is completed ‘it is finished; the work of salvation is done.
The right hand is also sword hand, a metaphor for the omnipotence of God (almighty)
traditional place of honour
we salute - respecting power and honour with our right hand
So why does it matter that Jesus is at the right hand of God?
because your friend who rescued you is there, and He has given you access to Him
Why do we pray in the name of Jesus?
because we are declaring that we are doing something on earth in His authority and in partnership with the God who is still at work in the world
Why does it matter that Jesus is the exact likeness of God
because He is the one who rescued us, YAHWEH the God who revealed himself to Moses and created everything is also Jesus. God the Father, Son and Spirit are one God
We don’t pray to a lesser God, but to the almighty creator
This means that you are not alone. This means that you are not powerless. This means that you are not despised.
The God of the universe loves you so much that he has revealed himself to you, He is for you and He has sent His Spirit, the Spirit of Jesus, to empower you. Not with magical power to be misused, but with His power which flows from the relationship He restored for you.
There is power in the name of Jesus to break every chain.
I wonder what chain you feel wrapped up in today? What situation seems impossible?
Or is it someone else who is chained up?
Let’s spend some time with the Holy Spirit, claiming this truth that in Jesus name the chains would be broken.