Christ is > the Prophets
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Introduction:
vv 1-2) The greater spokesman.
vv 1-2) The greater spokesman.
We start off this study with a wonderful truth: God has spoken to man. God isn’t far off in the distance, someplace in outer space, so far away that He is unconcerned with what is happening to man and his world.
The opposite is true: God is very concerned with our lives, with the trials and troubles, sin and evil, suffering and disease, death and decay- with all that happens to us. Every little thing.
God has spoken to us; He has given us the wonderful words of life, light, and deliverance.
He has told us exactly how to overcome trials, temptations, corruption, and death. Some might ask well, when did God speak to man, and where can we find the record of these Words? If God is really not far off in the ether someplace- if God has really spoken to man, then we must find His Word and cherish it deeply. Because it would mean that His World would bring everlasting life and victory over evil, trials, corruption, and death.
So again where is it found? It is in two places:
God’s Word is found in the prophets. In ancient times God spoke to man by His prophets, that is, by persons whom He had chosen to proclaim His Word to the world. Who are these people?
They are men and women of the OT Scriptures. But note a significant fact: God spoke through the prophets...
Notice “many times” (polumeros); in many separate revelations.
In “many ways” (polutropos)
So what dos this mean? No human being could possibly receive and understand or explain the whole revelation of God. God and the truth of God is too big for any one person. Therefore, God had to make many revelations to many different people, and He had to use many different ways to speak to men.
The great theologian Matthew Henry states it well by saying that there had to be a “gradual opening of man’s mind concerning the Messiah, the Savior of the world.”
God spoke to Adam and told him that the Savior would come from the seed of the woman (Gen 3:15)
15 I will put enmity between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and her offspring;
he shall bruise your head,
and you shall bruise his heel.”
God spoke to Abraham and told him that the Savior would come from his seed (Gen 22:18)
18 and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.”
God spoke to Jacob and told him that the Savior would come through the tribe of Judah (Gen 49:10)
10 The scepter shall not depart from Judah,
nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,
until tribute comes to him;
and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.
God spoke to David and told him that the Savior would be born of his house (2 Sam 7:13)
13 He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
God spoke to Micah and told him that the Savior would be born in Bethlehem (Mic 5:2)
2 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,
who are too little to be among the clans of Judah,
from you shall come forth for me
one who is to be ruler in Israel,
whose coming forth is from of old,
from ancient days.
God spoke to Isaiah and told him that the Savior would be born of a virgin (Isa 7:14)
14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
Note also the different ways in which God spoke to the prophets:
He spoke to Moses in a great thundering voice in the midst of a storm (Exodus 19:19)
19 And as the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him in thunder.
22 “These words the Lord spoke to all your assembly at the mountain out of the midst of the fire, the cloud, and the thick darkness, with a loud voice; and he added no more. And he wrote them on two tablets of stone and gave them to me.
He spoke to Elijah by a still small voice (1 Kings 19:12-13)
12 And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper. 13 And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
He spoke to Isaiah in a vision (Isa 1:1
1 The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
On and on the list could go, for God spoke to His prophets in many different ways. But the point to see is this: each prophet could present only a part of God’s revelation. Not a single person could have presented the whole revelation of God. The full revelation of God is not found in the prophets. Well… where is is found then? This brings us to the second point.
God’s Word, His full revelation, is found in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Just as it states in verse 2.
This is unbelievable. This should absolutely floor you! For God could send no great messenger with His Word than to send His very own Son.
Before Christ, we only had fragments, bits and pieces of the full truth. But now God’s very own Son has come to earth and revealed God, proclaiming all that God is.
He Himself is the revelation of God. HE embodies the Word of God. In fact, He is the Word of God. Everything that God ever wanted to say to man is said in the person of Jesus Christ. He is the perfect expression of God’s mind.
You might say then well why does this matter:
God loves you… He has not left you in the dark, trying to find truth about life and your purpose on your own. God has spoken and revealed the truth about:
Where we have come from.
Why we are here.
Where we are going.
How we can overcome the difficulties and sin.
If we want to know the truth about God and ourselves we only have to look to God’s Son. He is the solution.
Jesus Christ is greater than all the prophets; He alone is the supreme revelation of God. As great as the OT prophets were, they do not hold a candle to God’s Son. There is no greater spokesman.
v 2)The Heir of all things.
v 2)The Heir of all things.
What do we mean by Jesus being heir? That Jesus Christ is to receive and be “the lawful Owner of all things.” Jesus Christ alone has inherited all that God is and has.
No other man is great enough or worthy enough to be the heir of God. Jesus alone lived and walked perfectly before God.So what is Jesus going to inherit and receive?
Jesus inherited all power in heaven and earth: Mt 28:18
18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
Jesus inherited the authority to dish out judgement upon men: Jn 5:22
22 For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son,
Jesus inherited the Lordship over the dead and living: Ro 14:9
9 For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.
Jesus is going to inherit all government, establishing an eternal government: Is 9:6-7
6 For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of his government and of peace
there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
Jesus inherited all the angels and all the other spiritual authorities and power: 1 Pe 3:22
22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.
v 2)The Creator and Maker of the entire universe
v 2)The Creator and Maker of the entire universe
This is the third reason why Jesus Christ is superior to the prophets. He has created both the universe and the ages that roll in one upon another, the event to event, and generation to generation.
16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.
Here in verse 2 the word for “world” is plural. What this implies is that all dimensions of being, or other worlds/ planets, there may be Christ created them all and is the rightful God of all.
v 3) The very glory of God
v 3) The very glory of God
You might as the question why is this important? What verse 3 implies is that Jesus Christ Himself possessed the glory of God before He ever came into the world. He has always existed in the glory of God; He is eternal.
What does glory mean though? It means all the brightness of God- all the brilliance, radiance, splendor, and light of God’s Being.
Think about it like this family: Just as the glory of the sun’s light reaches down to earth and touches the lives of men, so Jesus Christ, who is the glory of God, reaches down and touches the lives of men.
We are called to reflect that glory to a dead and dark world. That is the call of believers. Just like the moon. However we fail to do so when we get eclipsed by the world: Matthew 16:24-26
24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?
v 3) The image of God
v 3) The image of God
Does this not just bake your noodle? Jesus Christ is the express image or exact representation of God.
When we say “exact” it means the very stamp, mark, and impression- the very reproduction of God. Jesus Christ is the perfect imprint and very image of God’s nature.”
What is even cooler is the meaning behind the word “image” which means substance. Jesus is the very substance, the very Being, Person, and embodiment of God.
30 I and the Father are one.”
9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works.
4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
v 3) The Sustainer
v 3) The Sustainer
You and I cannot hope to hold the universe together… Honestly I can’t hold my own life together let alone all things in existence… But here is the thing… Christ does hold all things together.
God didn’t create the world and left it to it’s own demise. God is in control. His Son, Jesus, is controlling the world and moving it forward to a climactic moment of renewal and recreation what the Bible calls the great day of redemption.
Note how He is holding it together: by the power of His Word. He simply speaks and the laws that hold the world together are set in motion. Col 1:17
17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
It is His love and power...
That keeps the universe from flying apart and disintegrating.
That keeps evil from completely conquering and utterly destroying all things.
v 3) Jesus is the Redeemer
v 3) Jesus is the Redeemer
Redemption has not come from some great prophet, influencer, bible teacher, or celebrity pastor. Redemption can only come through Christ and Christ alone. After all He Himself is the only one who could be our propitiation. No one else would do, no one else would even come close to being enough to save you.
It is important to understand that man has to pay for man’s mistakes therefore the importance of Jesus’ humanity. A perfect man cannot atone for all of mankind, it just means that you are free from the judgement and guilt of sin.
God is required to be apart of this you see. Because it is the power of God that is able to satiate the wrath of God. You cannot have one without the other. Both are desperately needed.
So what happens to a man who believes in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Mind you a true believer… The sinner is given the righteousness of Christ, purified, their sins are cleansed and washed away.
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
5 and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth.
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood
v 3) Jesus the Mediator
v 3) Jesus the Mediator
This is our last reason why Jesus is superior to the prophets. He sat down on the right hand of God, sitting there as the great Mediator and Intercessor for man.
No other person could ever come close to being seated at the right hand of God; no other person could ever be accepted by God as the Mediator and Intercessor for mankind. Christ and Him alone can sit at the right hand of God.
I understand the meaning behind praying to saints. But there is one better then they that has the ear of God. Go to Him the King of kings, and Lord of lord.
Let’s talk about the importance of where Jesus is… seated at the right hand of God. Jesus is the exalted as Lord and as the Sovereign Majesty of the universe. He is the greater/supreme Being of the universe, the Person who is to be supremely respected, honored worshipped, and served by all beings in everywhere.
9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,
One more point… Where is Jesus again? In the presence of God serving as our Mediator and Intercessor, as the only Person who has the right to represent man before God.
Please realize that Jesus isn’t in that place to be our Prosector or Judge… He represents us, pleads for us, to offer His righteousness and sacrificial death for us. What does that mean pastor?
One day standing before God, if we placed our trust in Jesus as our Savior, God will be able to deal with us in love not judgement! God will accept all those who have trusted Jesus to be their Mediator.
5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,
25 Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.
26 For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.
24 The Lord bless you and keep you;
25 the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
26 the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
Beautiful
Verse 1
Beautiful beautiful
Jesus is beautiful
And Jesus makes beautiful
Things of my life
Verse 2
Carefully touching me
Causing my eyes to see
Jesus makes beautiful
Things of my life