The Son
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Introduction
Introduction
The book of Hebrews is written to Christians who are thinking about giving up on the Lord.
These Christians were going through a lot. Life was difficult for them.
Because of this, their zeal for Christ had waned.
That makes this book extremely relevant to us because that’s where we find ourselves at times.
Sometimes we are the people who are going through a lot.
Sometimes we are the people who have lost zeal for Christ.
So, the lesson that the author of Hebrews is trying to teach his audience is a lesson that’s very relevant to us. Here’s the lesson:
The author of Hebrews is trying to show his audience who Jesus is. He wants his audience to see how Jesus fits into the biblical narrative, and how he’s better than what preceded him.
This is an important lesson for us because it teaches us why people abandon the faith. The author of Hebrews teaches us that people abandon the faith because they don’t know enough about Jesus.
People leave the faith because they don’t mature in their thinking about Jesus. They are stuck drinking milk, but they should be maturing to solid food.
Thesis
Thesis
So, in this lesson, I want to start a series going through the book of Hebrews.
Here’s why I want to do this:
We don’t do it often
It’s needed
We are going to begin in chapter one, and as the weeks go on, we are going to make our way through the book and learn what The Preacher is teaching his audience.
In this lesson, we are going to look at the first 4 verses and start learning about our Savior.
The Heir
The Heir
Hebrews 1:1-2.
1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 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.
One of the first things that the author tells us is that Jesus is the son who is the heir of all things.
In the ancient world, this was a pretty important thing. During that time, there was a son who was the primary heir.
This son would get the home, most of the property, and if the father was the king, then this son would get the throne.
So, being an heir was a very important thing especially if you are royalty.
Jesus was this heir, but he was a different type of heir.
First of all, he isn’t the heir of the home or property… Jesus is the heir of all things. This is a reference to Psalm 2:7-9.
7 I will tell of the decree:
The Lord said to me, “You are my Son;
today I have begotten you.
8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,
and the ends of the earth your possession.
9 You shall break them with a rod of iron
and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”
God tells his anointed king that the nations will be his inheritance. This king is different from all other kings… He will inherit it all.
Second, this heir is different because he isn’t the first son (so to speak). Exodus 4:21-23.
21 And the Lord said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the miracles that I have put in your power. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go. 22 Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord, Israel is my firstborn son, 23 and I say to you, “Let my son go that he may serve me.” If you refuse to let him go, behold, I will kill your firstborn son.’ ”
Israel is God’s firstborn, but Israel isn’t the heir. Jesus is, and Jesus doesn’t just inherit Israel; he inherits all nations.
The Christians that received the book of Hebrews were struggling with their faith, so what did they need to know about Jesus? They needed to know that he was the heir.
The Creator
The Creator
Hebrews 1:2.
2 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.
In the previous point, the preacher of Hebrews goes to the end of time when Christ will inherit all things. In this point the author goes back to the beginning. Jesus is the creator.
This is a point that’s made clear throughout the New Testament, but someone might say, “didn’t God create everything?”
Imagine that I’m a contractor and I’ve been hired to build a mall in town. Imagine that Aaron is the main construction engineer who oversees the construction process on the ground.
Who built the mall? Someone might say that I built the mall, while another person might say that Aaron built the mall.
In the same way, both the father and the son are the creators of this world.
So, Christ is not only the heir of all things… He’s also the creator of all things. How does this help those struggling through oppression?
Imagine having the builder guide you through the mall. Do you think you are going to get lost?
Our king is the one guiding us through this life.
The Radiance
The Radiance
Hebrews 1:1-3.
1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 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. 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. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
Here we are told that Jesus is the radiance of God’s glory. This is very significant because it has some references back to the Old Testament.
Exodus 33:18-23.
18 Moses said, “Please show me your glory.” 19 And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The Lord.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. 20 But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.” 21 And the Lord said, “Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock, 22 and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by. 23 Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen.”
Moses asks to see God’s glory, and God says, “I will show you, but you can’t see it fully.”
Exodus 34:5-7.
5 The Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord. 6 The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, 7 keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.”
Instead of seeing God’s full glory, Moses gets to hear about how wonderous and glorious God is. He doesn’t get to see God; he gets to hear about God.
This is how it was in the OT.
This changed in the New Testament. John 1:14, 18.
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.
When God was in the tabernacle in the OT, humanity could not see him, but when God became flesh and tabernacled among us, we were able to see his glory.
Jesus is the radiance of God’s glory. He is how we come to truly know God. The idea is that Jesus has a special relationship with The Father that no one else can claim to have.
So, someone might be thinking of leaving Jesus, but Jesus is the radiance of God’s glory. He is how we come to know God.
The Imprint
The Imprint
Hebrews 1:3.
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. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
The next thing that we see is that Jesus is the exact imprint of his nature.
The Greek word is charakter, and this word was used to refer to an engraving tool, but it was also used to refer to the imprint made by the tool.
It would be used in reference to the image on a wax seal.
It would be used in reference to the image on a coin.
It’s kind of like our rubber stamps. You would dip that rubber stamp in ink, and then you would make an impression on paper. Both the stamp and the impression would be charakter.
Even if you never saw the rubber stamp, how could you figure out what was on the stamp? You would just need to look at the paper.
The same is true of God. If we want to know who God is, then we can look at Jesus because he is the imprint of God’s nature. He has God’s charakter.
So, if someone is struggling in their faith, they need to know who Jesus is. He is God’s imprint…
The Sustainer
The Sustainer
Hebrews 1:3.
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. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
So, Jesus upholds the universe by the word of his power… The idea is that he sustains it all.
This is very important for us to remember because modern science can cloud us from seeing it.
If someone asks us why there are days, months, and seasons, we think of the earth naturally revolving around the sun.
We don’t think of our God supernaturally holding it all together.
This verse tells us that Jesus is the one who is in charge and holding it all together. Sometimes we think that we are in charge.
Sometimes we think we are in charge of our own house, and in some sense that is true, but God is ultimately in charge. Psalm 127:1.
1 Unless the Lord builds the house,
those who build it labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city,
the watchman stays awake in vain.
Sometimes we think that we are in charge of our own story, and in some sense that’s true, but God is ultimately in charge of history. Psalm 127:2.
2 It is in vain that you rise up early
and go late to rest,
eating the bread of anxious toil;
for he gives to his beloved sleep.
*Also think about Max’s lesson this morning*
The Israelites were fighting against God the entire time, but God is not deterred. He will keep his promises.
When life gets difficult, we need to remember who Jesus is… He’s in charge.
At the Father’s right hand
At the Father’s right hand
Hebrews 1:3.
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. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
Earlier we saw that Jesus is the heir of all things. The idea is that Jesus is going to inherit and rule all things. This verse tells us that Jesus isn’t just going to rule in the future… He’s ruling right now.
But notice again that Jesus is a different kind of King.
But notice again that Jesus is a different kind of King.
Yes, Jesus has been exalted to God’s right hand, but how? In the verse we are told that it was after he made purification for sins. (big point of the entire book)
So, how was Jesus exalted to God’s right hand? He died… He made purification for sins.
Many sons are exalted by escaping death or by spreading death on a battlefield… Jesus was exalted by accepting and defeating death.
Some of the Christians were thinking of leaving Jesus and returning to their old way of life…
They needed to remember that Jesus isn’t just going to rule in the future; he’s ruling now, and he is the one who offers purification of sins.
Superior to the angels
Superior to the angels
Hebrews 1:1-4.
1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 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. 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. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.
The last thing that we see in this section is that Jesus became superior to the angels. The idea here is that when Jesus was exalted after his death and resurrection, he became superior to the angels.
Someone might say, wasn’t Jesus always superior to the angels? Not according to scripture.
Hebrews 2:5-8.
5 For it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. 6 It has been testified somewhere,
“What is man, that you are mindful of him,
or the son of man, that you care for him?
7 You made him for a little while lower than the angels;
you have crowned him with glory and honor,
8 putting everything in subjection under his feet.”
Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him.
Here we are told that for a little while, Jesus was made a little lower than the angels.
The rest of the book traces this progression. The book highlights how Jesus left heaven, humbled himself, became our high priest, and was exalted again.
So, the point in verses 3-4 is that Jesus was exalted to the right hand of God and again became superior to the angels.
So, the author of Hebrews wants these Christians to know that we are saved because of what Jesus has done.
He humbled himself by leaving heaven and becoming man.
He became our high priest and made purification for our sins.
He was exalted to the right hand of God.
Application/Conclusion
Application/Conclusion
So what’s the lesson for us?
If we are struggling with our faith, then we need to remember who Jesus is and what he has done for us.