58 Preaching Teaching/ Hebrews 1: The Bulls Eye of Christianity

Title:The bulls eye of Christianity = Jesus Revealed

ETS: The revelation of Jesus by his father is the greatest and ultimate revelation.

ESS: Jesus of the Bible has to be the Bulls eye of Christianity

Jesus is the bullseye of our faith:

DDS: Is Jesus the bulls eye in your life?

Every Christian should embrace Jesus as the Bull’s eye of their faith because:

God ultimate revelation is Jesus

1)Jesus is God’s greatest Revelation

2)He is worthy of worship

Maybe change the phrasing to this:

Why do we need to make Jesus the Bullseye

Because he is revealed to us

Because he is great

The real Jesus is the only one worthy of worship

G. Campbell Morgan suggested that when the church ceases to lift Christ to the height where all people can see him, it becomes useless and a fraud.

Walk through this quote slowly:

Have you ever missed the Bullseye before?

I remember a game when I missed the bullseye.

First game against Milby- Focus on We could of won but I did not hit the bulls eye

A pro bball player challenged me after that to make 96 of 100 free throws after practice. He used to make 100 free throws in a row after practice so he was giving me a break.

Not hitting the bullseye made me want to get so good so that I could hit the bullseye.

Today I believe as a church it is so easy for us to miss Jesus the bullseye of our faith:

It is why students can trust him for their heaven but not with their daily living.

It is why we have many professors of Christianity and not many possessors.

It is why those who say they are Christians are not much different than the rest of the world.

When we miss the Bullseye we make Jesus small

The Jesus of the Bible however if not small but great. And if we get him wrong we get the rest of Christianity wrong.

Background: There is no certainty who the author of this book is: Some think Paul, others Luke and other options.

God has something to say to the church and that message focuses preeminently the person and work of the exalted son. 

Thiselton claims that these verses “provide one of the most arresting beginnings possible, combining elegance, alliteration, rhythm, rhetorical artistry, and unstoppable force with probably the most sophisticated and stylish Greek in the entire New Testament.”

Today Jesus wants to be the bullseye of your life. Let’s see how we can hit the bullseye more consistently.

1.  We make Jesus our bullseye by loving God’s Word (1-2a).

Hebrews 1:1–2 NASB95

God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.

Where do you go to for direction and life?

The Sunday School Answer is simple God’s word but what is the reality.

Is it facebook

Is it your favorite news station

What is your roadmap

God wants our road map to be our food

God has has a track record of revealing himself to man (1)

Hebrews 1:1 NASB95

God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways,

These first couple of verses in Hebrews are rich.

"Revelation is the speech of God to man,” and A. B. Davidson to remark, “Revelation when spoken is the ‘word’ of God.”"

God has revealed himself

Or has initiated 

Spoken

If God had not revealed himself we would not be able to know him

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth Genesis 1:1.

Adam and Eve-God gave them marching orders, they disobeyed but God came back to them and covered their same. He continually revealed himself to them.

Cain and Abel-he accepted one and rejected the other, and even after Cain murdered Abel God still revealed himself to Cain

Enoch-revealed himself so much to Enoch that he took him. Genesis 5:24.

Noah-God revealed himself so much to Noah that he gave him an assignment to do. Noah walked by faith and obeyed God. Genesis 7

God revealed himself to Jacob in a wrestling match can you picture wrestling God. Genesis 32:22

Genesis 37:2-even in prison God was with Joseph

Gig has revealed himself in creation Psalm 19:7.

Revealed himself to

He would speak through prophets-give an example of Nathan calling Davis out

At one point he even revealed himself through a donkey (Baalam)

I could go on and on about different portions and different ways God has revealed himself.

Could you picture if God did not reveal himself? We would be lost and without hope.

What would life be like?

Isn’t it awesome that we have a God who has revealed himself to MAN!

What a great God we have!

But now in these last days

God’s saved the best for last (Hebrews 1:2)!

Hebrews 1:2 NASB95

in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.

Exegesis-The contrast is between the multiplicity and diversity in form and content compared to the singularity and finality of revelation in the Son.

Whenever you see a but there is a comparison or contrast

As C. R. Koester noted, “Multiplicity gives way to the singularity of God’s communication in the Son.” Whereas the prophets conveyed God’s word in their speech (and writings), God spoke not only through Jesus’ words, but also by his person and work. Jesus—in all he is, said, and did—reveals the Father. There is a higher category of revelation (Son versus prophets) because there is a higher category of relationship (Son to the Father over prophets to God).

How did God reveal Jesus-

John 1:14 NASB95

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

As great as his revelation were in the past he has now given us his masterpiece.

Illustration:

Phones-old school phone and how new ones are superior. It would not be very smart to if after seeing both of these phones if I went back to this old one. But also with new phones we can reveal ourselves to people more now. Old days, God revealed with like an old phone. But today it is like a new iPhone or galaxy.

The passage contrasts the prophets and the Son, and the nature of the contrast is between God’s relationship to the prophets and to the Son.

But in these final days there is an even greater revelation

God has now revealed himself through his son

Things we see about Jesus 

He is and always been God

Application:

Is the Jesus the bullseye of your life right now?

Do you passionately read the word of God?

2.  We make Jesus our bullseye by embracing His Person (2b-4).

Would the Real Jesus please stand up!

Instead of allowing God to form us into his image we try to make him into our image. Al other religions account for Jesus their is no denying that he was a real person.

All major religions make Jesus small.

Hindu’s-a god

buddhism-great teacher

muslim-a prophet

New Age-enlightened

‘Jesus was a Pagan god…and Christianity was a heretical product of Paganism!-Timothy Freke and Peter Gandy

Why don’t the names of Buddha, Muhammad, or Confucius offend people the way the name of Jesus does? I think the reason is that these other religious leaders didn’t claim to be God. That is the big difference between Jesus and the others.

McDowell, Josh D.; Sean McDowell. More Than a Carpenter . Tyndale House Publishers. Kindle Edition.

G. Campbell Morgan suggested that when the church ceases to lift Christ to the height where all people can see him, it becomes useless and a fraud.

Thiselton claims that these verses “provide one of the most arresting beginnings possible, combining elegance, alliteration, rhythm, rhetorical artistry, and unstoppable force with probably the most sophisticated and stylish Greek in the entire New Testament.”

What does the biblical Jesus look like?

Hebrews 1:2 NASB95

in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.

Martin Luther said when I look at my self I do not see how i can be saved but when I look at Jesus i do not see how I can be lost.

Let’s look at the person of Jesus so we don’t make him small:

a. God has appointed Christ as heir

It would be one thing that I said I was the president of the united states of America. It would be a totally different situation if I went through the whole electoral process and got voted in. One way is a legitimate way to become president while the other way I would be an imposter. Jesus was enthroned as King of Kings by his father. Many rejected him but the father enthroned him.

57.139 κληρονόμοςb, ου m: (derivative of κληρονομέωb ‘to inherit,’ 57.138) the person who inherits possessions—‘heir.’ οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ κληρονόμος ‘this is the heir to the property’ Mk 12:7.

When I had a kid he was human.

When God talks about his son he is completely God.

Jesus does not share some of God’s possession he shares all of it.

Heir-What is amazing about heir is that we can share in what Christ has done if we believe in Jesus Christ. By simply believing and trusting in Jesus we get to share in Jesus Christ. [Ephesians 1:3]

Since true believers are joint heirs with Christ, how should this impact our sense of assurance and security when it comes to our eternal life?

Let’s look at the person of Jesus:

b. Creator

Through him he created the world

Share about last time I was in Colorado we climbed a mountain instead of taking a ski lift.

I love being in Colorado-God created that

He governs the universe

Hebrews 1:3 NASB95

And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

Let’s look at the person of Jesus:

C. Exact Representation

Shikinah Glory-OT when God’s glory would come down: Explosive.

When you look at Jesus you look @ God.

He is the radiance of Gods glory

He bears gods stamp

1:3. Jewish authors writing in Greek often said that divine Wisdom was the exact “image” (so KJV here) of God, the prototypical stamp by which he “imprinted” (cf. NRSV here) the seal of his image on the rest of creation (the way an image was stamped on coins).

He is the exact representation of God's nature. In this clause the words translated "exact representation" represent the Greek word charakter, a N. T. hapax legomenon.

It was used of the impression on a coin or a seal. Just as the die corresponded with the image on a coin, so Christ corresponds to God.

Let’s look at the person of Jesus:

D. He is the purifier of sins!

We know that Jesus forgives us, here it says purifies us; 

The idea of forgiveness is not a New Testament idea, it has been around ever since Adam sinned.

Illustrate what it looked like.

In the Old Testament sacrificial economy, sin defiled the person, and this necessitated a cleansing by the sprinkling of blood upon the altar from a sacrifice. The threefold result of the sacrificial offering was the objective removal of sin, the provision of forgiveness, and the cleansing of the sinner. This is dealt with in detail by the author in Hebrews 9.

Purification—the process by which a person unclean, according to the Levitical law, and thereby cut off from the sanctuary and the festivals, was restored to the enjoyment of all these privileges.

: to remove dirty or harmful substances from (something)

: to free (someone) from guilt or evil thoughts

We all know Jesus purified us from our sins if we are believers

When we trust Jesus Christ we are forgiven past, present and future. Only Jesus Gould pull this off.

Today their are many different Jesus out there. 

What makes Jesus different is what allows him to forgive and purify us from our sins.

If you are a believer in Jesus in here it is not that you do not believe Jesus. however it is easy for you to see Jesus as smaller thtn what he really is.

Before God tells us what to do he is going to tell us who he is. When we struggle with sin the problem is not that sin looks that great it is that God looks smaller than he really is. Sin looks greater than God. God wants us to daily seek his face and to just get a glimpse of who he really is.

Let’s look at the person of Jesus:

E. He reigns!

Day every knee will bow, every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord. You can either willingly worship him, but you will bow down to him one day either willingly or unwillingly.

Three areas 

Break the text down

Martin Luther said when I look at my self I do not see how i can be saved but when I look at Jesus i do not see how I can be lost.

Hebrews 1:5–14 NASB95

For to which of the angels did He ever say, “You are My Son, Today I have begotten You”? And again, “I will be a Father to Him And He shall be a Son to Me”? And when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says, “And let all the angels of God worship Him.” And of the angels He says, “Who makes His angels winds, And His ministers a flame of fire.” But of the Son He says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, And the righteous scepter is the scepter of His kingdom. “You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness above Your companions.” And, “You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the works of Your hands; They will perish, but You remain; And they all will become old like a garment, And like a mantle You will roll them up; Like a garment they will also be changed. But You are the same, And Your years will not come to an end.” But to which of the angels has He ever said, “Sit at My right hand, Until I make Your enemies A footstool for Your feet”? Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?

Application

My senior year I hit the bulls eye I was the best free throw shooter in the state of Texas

In basketball a make is the bulls eye

Is Jesus the bullseye of your life right now?

I hope most of you have accepted him before but there may be someone in here who has never trusted in the him alone for salvation.

Is he enthroned in your life right now?

Maybe you are looking at turning away from Jesus all the way. A student the other day who recently made a profession of faith said ever since I accepted Jesus I have been injured and life has been a lot harder.

Maybe you are not wanting to turn away from him completely you are just wanting to have a little Jesus and then run your life.

All of Gods word is connected to Jesus because he is the final revelation

What we believe is as important as what we do they are connected

Mormons are some of the most devout people you will meet but they are believing falsely about Jesus 

Story of a pastor who was not hitting the bullseye:

Jesus is our only ultimate hope

Alastair McGrath

It's pastoral weaknesses became especially evident to me during a three year period as a pastor in Nottingham (1980-1983), in which I came to realize that liberalism had little to offer in the midst of the harsh pastoral realities of unemployment, illness and death.

Your view of Jesus needs to become greater

G. Campbell Morgan suggested that when the church ceases to lift Christ to the height where all people can see him, it becomes useless and a fraud.

Tonight I want to challenge us to hit the bullseye so that

-We can be forgiven our sins

-We can experience abundant life

-

Hebrews 1:1-4

Why he has the authority to be the final authority

Heir of all things

Christianity is not just better it is eternal, put that together and nothing can be better

Application

We are capable of fellowship

He enjoys fellowship with us

He wants to have fellowship with us

We measure importance by the importance of the speaker

This is my beloved son whom I am well pleased