Jesus is Better

Introduction

Tonight I want to tell you about the best thing I know.

Now if you know me properly you might think I came to talk to you about fried rice cause that is one of the best thing I know about.

That fried rice I ate by Camara recently tasted really great but that is not what I came to talk to you about tonight.

The best thing I know is even better than Fried Rice.

And no I am not to here to talk to you about getting the Iphone or the Ipad as if that is the best thing I know but the best thing I know is even better than any apple product.

Before I even get into what is the best thing I know I want to ask you what is the best thing you know?

For some of you - you might be thinking the beach. I know a lot of you missed the beach water so badly during this time of Covid.

For some men today - the best thing they know is their cars and their big rides.

That is the best thing they know.

Recently by Mathai there was the grand opening and the biggest attraction were the fast cars and we see that these owners of their vehicles spent a lot of money to have their cars like the fast and the furious.

That may be the best thing they know

For some of you the best thing you know is your husband or your wife.

When fellas see a real nice girl they say - oooh gooood check out that bess thing

There are many things that we love a lot and we may consider best things but I want to let you know tonight that no matter what you may be thinking of JESUS IS BETTER!!!

Yes that is what I am here to talk to you about - JESUS IS BETTER

Let us turn to the Book of Hebrews and we will be reading from verses 1-4

Scripture

Hebrews 1:1–4 (NIV)

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.

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.

4 So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.

Background

Sermon Outlines for Growing Christians The Best Thing I Know (Hebrews 1:1–3)

Dr. Howard Lowry once said that when one speaks on a significant occasion he should say the best thing that he knows. That is why I would speak to you of Jesus. This is exactly what the author of Hebrews was doing all through his epistle.

Adrian Rogers Sermon Archive Introduction

you’re going to find this phrase “better” or “much better” used over and over and over again in the Book of Hebrews, because it speaks of the superiority of our superlative Savior, our wonderful salvation.

Adrian Rogers Sermon Archive Introduction

You see, the Book of Hebrews was written to Jewish Christians, people who had received Christ and yet they had a tendency to go back to the old way, to cling to the old customs, the old traditions, the old ceremonies. And what the Book of Hebrews was written to show us is that those things were shadows of the substance that is to come, and that they need to leave the shadows and come to the substance, because the substance, Jesus, is so much better.

Sad to say it have so many believers today who operate as though the old way of living is better than the new way of living when the way of Jesus is so much better.

One way of illustrating this is

Adrian Rogers Sermon Archive Introduction

Now if there is a mean dog, and that dog has a bone in its mouth—or even a nice dog, for that matter—and you try to take the bone from him, he might bite you. But here’s the way to get a bone from a dog. It’s perhaps a little expensive, but I believe it would work. You just take a nice t-bone steak and put it down there on the ground in front of him and see if he doesn’t drop the bone in order to get the steak—and then you pick up the bone.

Now I believe that in a sense what the writer of Hebrews, who I think was Paul, is doing right here, he’s just showing us that we don’t need these dry bones of Old Testament ceremony anymore. We have something so much better in the Lord Jesus Christ, our superlative Savior. There’s no one and nothing that can be compared with Jesus, amen? No one and nothing can be compared with Jesus.

Adrian Rogers Sermon Archive Introduction

H. G. Wells, the noted and famous historian, wrote in his outlines of history the 10 greatest men of all history. And number one on his list was Jesus Christ. But Jesus Christ does not belong on anybody’s list. He’s not Jesus the Great. You can talk about Alexander the Great, you can talk about Peter the Great, you can talk about Charlemagne the Great, but not Jesus the Great. He is Jesus, the One and the only. He is in a class by Himself altogether. So oftentimes we want to say that Jesus was the first among men. Oh no, He is God’s unique, only begotten Son. He is our singular Savior. He is our superior Savior. He is our superlative Savior. And that’s what I want us to think about.

One of the main differences between Christianity and other religions is that you cannot take Christ out of Christianity and still have Christianity.

Today we have lots of people who like to focus on doing good and you will get to heaven. Not so with Christianity.

I heard a Pastor say can’t take Christ out of Christianity and still have Christianity, because Christianity is not a code, not a cause, not a creed, not a church, but Christ. It is a vital relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. And if you tried to take Jesus out of Christianity, that would be like taking the notes out of music. That would be like taking the water out of a well. That would be like taking numbers out of mathematics. If you take Jesus out of Christianity, you don’t have anything left, because Christ and Christianity are the same.

Rogers, A. (2017). Our Superlative Savior. In Adrian Rogers Sermon Archive (Heb 1:1–4). Rogers Family Trust.

Folks I want to let you know that Jesus is better

Now Danny has a phrase he uses a lot when he is preaching and that is - TIME WILL NOT PERMIT

and it is true - time will not permit to explain to you in detail all the different ways that Jesus is better as described in the book of Hebrews

My aim tonight is to just wet your appetite and you can do further reading into the book of Hebrews to see all the ways that Jesus is better but tonight if you forget everything I say just don’t forget those 3 simple words and that is JESUS IS BETTER!!

The Early Church Needed to be Reminded of Its Best Thing

Sermon Outlines for Growing Christians (The Best Thing I Know (Hebrews 1:1–3))

The Hebrew Christians, after years of unrelenting persecution, were beginning to focus on some of the church’s good things at the expense of its best thing.A. Some were wanting to follow angels. Angels do God’s bidding, deliver His messages and watch over His children. Angels are good things, admits the author, but they are not the best thing. Jesus is better

In these first few verses we see 7 things about Jesus

1. God made Him heir of everything (v. 2a; cp. Col 1:16).

2.Through Christ, God made everything (Heb1:2b; cp.]n 1:3).

3. Through Christ, we can see God's glory (Heb 1:3a; Cp. In tha),

4.Through Christ, God revealed His nature or image (Heb 1:3b; cp. Col1.15).

5.Through Christ, God holds the universe together (Heb 1:3c; Cp. Col 1.77).

6.Jesus Christ became the ultimate sacrifice for the sins of the world (Heb 143d; cp.1Pt 1:18-19).

7.God has given Jesus Christ ultimate authority and honor (Heb 1:3e; Cp. 1Pt 3:22).

The first argument the author basically says is that Jesus is better than the Angels

While we may have angels protecting us as we go through life - no angel did for us what Jesus did for us?

No angel died on a cross for you - no angel was able to pay the price for your sins - no angel delivered you and liberated you from death

Today the Son of Man has set us free and it wasn’t no angel who did that for us.

Angels minister before the throne but they do not sit on the throne. Jesus is the one on the throne.

One of the main teachings of Psalm 110 is that Jesus Christ is now enthroned in glory.

When it comes to the Angels - Jesus is better

The Early Church needed to be reminded of this

Sermon Outlines for Growing Christians (The Best Thing I Know (Hebrews 1:1–3))

Some were wanting to cling to their religious heritage and focus on the founders of their faith—Moses, Joshua and Aaron. But, as the author reminds them, the word of Christ is greater than any law of Moses, His promised land is greater than the one to which Joshua led Israel, and His priesthood is superior to Aaron’s. These are good men, but they are not the best man. Jesus is better

The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Three: Greater than Moses (Hebrews 3:1–4:13)

Next to Abraham, Moses was undoubtedly the man most greatly revered by the Jewish people. To go back to the Law meant to go back to Moses, and the recipients of this Letter to the Hebrews were sorely tempted to do just that. It was important that the writer convince his readers that Jesus Christ is greater than Moses, for the entire system of Jewish religion came through Moses

Moses was a mere man, called to be a prophet and leader, while Jesus Christ is the Son of God sent by the Father into the world. The title apostle means “one sent with a commission.” Moses was called and commissioned by God, but Jesus Christ was sent as God’s “last Word” to sinful man.

Moses freed them from Pharoah and slavery in Egypt. Jesus frees us from an even bigger enemy which is the Devil and being slaves to sin, and death.

Moses was a prophet these Jewish people looked up to and he was indeed a good prophet but still cannot be compared to Jesus.

Moses was a precursor to Christ but he was no Christ!!

Some were looking to religious institutions—the temple and its rituals. But, as the author reminds them, the earthly temple is but a shadow of a greater one in heaven, and its sacrifices are just an illustration of and preparation for the far greater sacrifice of Jesus Christ. These are good things, but they are not the best thing. Jesus is better

Hooks, S. M. (1996). Sermon Outlines for Growing Christians (S. E. Stone, Ed.; p. 23). Standard.

A teenage boy, whose mother was away on a visit, found himself with time on his hands. He decided to read a book from the family library. His mother was a devout Christian, so the boy knew there would be a sermon at the beginning and an application at the end of the book, but there would also be some interesting stories in between.

While reading the book, he came across the phrase “the finished work of Christ.” It struck him with unusual power. “The finished work of Christ.”

“Why does the author use this expression?” he asked himself. “Why not say the atoning or the propitiatory work of Christ?” (You see, he knew all the biblical terms. He just did not know the Saviour!) Then the words, “It is finished,” flashed into his mind, and he realized afresh that the work of salvation was accomplished.

“If the whole work was finished and the whole debt paid, what is there left for me to do?” He knew the answer and fell to his knees to receive the Saviour and full forgiveness of sins. That is how J. Hudson Taylor, founder of the China Inland Mission, was saved.

Hebrews 1:3 NIV

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.

The words SAT DOWN had huge significance that you may not know about when it comes to Jesus Christ.

We know a great deal about the temple (in Jerusalem) and it furnishings, but, fascinatingly, there were no chairs in this billion dollar building that took 46 years to complete. There were no chairs because the priest of Israel never sat down. They never sat down because their work was never done. Their work was never done because the blood of bulls and goats could never take away sin. It was a stop-gap; it was temporary; it was incomplete. And so, priest after priest, course after course, year after year, century after century, with monotonous repetition, would come to the Temple; and they would function, but they would never sit down. They could never rest for their work was never done, the task was never completed.”

But Jesus once for all time paid the penalty for sin! The writer of Hebrews will later explain (10:11-12) “And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. (12) But this man (Jesus), after He had offered one sacrifice for sin forever, sat down at the right hand of God.”

And so Jesus offered himself as the “once for all time” sacrifice for sin. The work was now done and never needed to be repeated. “He sat down” – that is the significance of His triumphant words from the Cross when he shouted (telestai) “It is finished” (John 19:30).

Max Lucado says it like this - The best just got better

The best was Judaism but it got better in Jesus

In our church if you visit it or are a member of our church we end our sunday morning service with a blessing spoken in Hebrew with even the sound of a Shofar

Now if you’re visiting and hear that for the first time you might begin to think you gone into a wrong church or you might wonder if we practising Judaism

I can guarantee that in Gospel Lighthouse we know that -JESUS IS BETTER

I was listening to a preacher in a thanksgiving recently and he was speaking along these same lines so I would share some of the things he was teaching the listeners.

Every other religion looks at self effort as a way to find favor with God

There is a lot of striving and doing this and doing that as a way to try to please God

We feel we can go to church every Sunday and that is what is going to cause God to be pleased with us.

Or we may tell ourselves let us go and feed the poor in San Fernando and then that will cause us to be right with God.

The truth is a lot of us going to feed the poor in hope that God will bless us for doing that

All of this self effort is not going to bring us any closer to God

That’s the way of religion that’s the way of a human being

This was what these Jewish Christians had been brought up to belive in the past but tonight I am here to let you know that the way of Jesus is better...

Today I want to remind us that the sacrifice that Jesus did for us on the cross is a way superior sacrifice than any animal sacrificce that was done in the past.

If a man is still killing animals as a sacrifice for sins he is plunging himself further into The pit Of hell

No need to go and get a bull or a goat and sacrifice it to God anymore for your sins.

If you killing any goat or animal - make sure and curry that goat and invite me to come eat it.

Don’t kill it as a way of offering it as a sacrifice for sins

Jesus died for you - he paid the ultimate sacrifice

Hebrews 10:4 NIV

4 It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

Jesus’ blood was way superior to the blood off bulls and goats

Jesus IS BETTER!!!

Application

Tonight I want to let you know that all of us face the same issues as these Jewish Christians.

Their conversion had brought them hardship and persecution with the result that some had slipped back into Judaism. And, thus, the purpose for writing was to encourage them to not fall away, but to press on

Tonight I want to let you know all of us face times when we feel like it’s better to go back than when we found Christ.

Many times I don’t behave as though I believe Jesus is better

me watching friends and family

Nowadays we see a lot of people are leaving Church and turning their backs on Jesus altogether ?

During the pandemic lots of people left and have no interest in seems

you may be tempted to go back to religion or to partying and drinking by the rum shop every day

this Jesus thing is a waste of time - better i sleep late on a Sunday

Don’t get between me and my wife

CONCLUSION

Jesus is the true and better Adam who passed the test in the garden and whose obedience is imputed to us. Jesus is the true and better Abel who, though innocently slain, has blood now that cries out, not for our condemnation, but for acquittal. Jesus is the true and better Abraham who answered the call of God to leave all the comfortable and familiar and go out into the void not knowing wither he went to create a new people of God. Jesus is the true and better Isaac who was not just offered up by his father on the mount but was truly sacrificed for us. Jesus is the true and better Jacob who wrestled and took the blow of justice we deserved, so we, like Jacob, only receive the wounds of grace to wake us up and discipline us. Jesus is the true and better Joseph who, at the right hand of the king, forgives those who betrayed and sold him and uses his new power to save them. Jesus is the true and better Moses who stands in the gap between the people and the Lord and who mediates a new covenant. Jesus is the true and better Job, the truly innocent sufferer, who then intercedes for and saves his stupid friends. Jesus is the true and better David whose victory becomes his people’s victory, though they never lifted a stone to accomplish it themselves. Jesus is the true and better Esther who didn’t just risk leaving an earthly palace but lost the ultimate and heavenly one, who didn’t just risk his life, but gave his life to save his people. Jesus is the true and better Jonah who was cast out into the storm so that we could be brought in. Jesus is the real Rock of Moses, the real Passover Lamb, innocent, perfect, helpless, slain so the angel of death will pass over us. He’s the true temple, the true prophet, the true priest, the true king, the true sacrifice, the true lamb, the true light, the true bread.

Jesus is better

The best just got better in Jesus Christ

In the same way how the Early Church needed to be reminded of its best thing so we need to be reminded as well

JESUS IS BETTER