Hebrews #02: an exposition of Hebrews 1:4-14. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday morning, April 6, 2014.
Intro:
Have you ever thought, “You know life would be a little easier if I didn’t believe?” Ever find yourself so beaten down by those around you who do not believe, it would just be easier if you just walked away? Let’s face it living the Christian life is not easy. Life is not all sunshine and no rain. At times you find yourself at odds with the people you love and the people you have to work with. Living by faith in an increasingly unbelieving culture can be grueling. While you may not be tempted to deny your faith all together there is the temptation to “tone it down.” Maybe you should not be so vocal. Continue to believe in Jesus just don’t push the unique Son of God angle or demand that He is the only means of salvation. Hold your beliefs privately, quietly do more to blend in with the surrounding culture. Maybe then life would be a little easier. Things would not be so tense at work or at family gatherings.
They were young in the faith. They had believed the message of the Gospel and had trusted in Jesus as Messiah, as Lord and master. By so doing they were spurned by their families. The government came down on them. Their faith cost them dearly. Some had turned back. They walked away from the faith. Others were thinking of doing the same thing. The writer of Hebrews took pen in hand to write to them about persevering. His focus was on the person of the Lord Jesus. Who is he and what did he do? What sustains your faith in the face of great opposition is not a doctrine or a creed but a person. The Lord himself. The writer begins by saying God is not silent. He has spoken many times in the past through various means. But in these last days he has spoken his final word in the person of his Son. Jesus is God’s final, ultimate word. The Lord Jesus is the effulgence, the shining forth, of the glory of God. He does not reflect God’s radiant glory he is that glory. Further he is the exact imprint of God’s nature. He is God. This is the same one who has made purification for our sin. He now sits at the right hand of the Majesty on high. He has the superior name. The name that is above every name. And the one before whom all will bow. The writer implores struggling believers to look to him. Having stated the glory of the Son he now sets forth the evidence supporting his superiority. Our text this morning begins with verse 4 of chapter 1.
Text: Hebrews 1:4-14
In our text the writer makes the case that Jesus is superior to angels. That seems strange. Why would he need to do that? In order to understand you need to fix in your mind the temptation facing these struggling believers. They are being pressured to back off their new found faith. These harassed, persecuted and beleaguered saints were on the verge of turning back. Their faith had cost them dearly. But they would not have to blatantly deny Jesus just compromise a little. Agree that Jesus was an angel but not God. You can affirm, even revere him but not as God. An angel, a great man, a wise teacher even a supreme teacher but not God. But to compromise would be to deny. Jesus is not a good man he is the god-man. He is not a way of salvation. He is the way of salvation. He is not a hope he is the only hope.
As we work our way through this text we are reminded that…
Thesis: “A biblical faith steadfastly affirms and glories in the supremacy of the Lord Jesus.”
The writer expertly gathers various Old Testament texts to affirm the superiority of the Lord Jesus. As we work through those we discover 5 affirmations of biblical faith.
- Biblical faith affirms that Jesus of Nazareth is uniquely the Son of God. (1:4,5)
- Biblical faith affirms that Jesus alone is worthy of worship. (1:6)
- Biblical faith affirms Jesus’ unique status as Sovereign over all things. (1:7-9)
- Biblical faith affirms Jesus as the Eternal One. (1:10-12)
- Biblical faith affirms Jesus as the almighty ruler and king. (1:13-14)
Conclusion:
Are you beaten down? Have the cares and sorrows of this life so overwhelmed you that you want to throw in the towel? Take heart this glorious Son of the Living God is your God and he had given charge over his angels concerning you. Does that mean your troubles will vanish? No. But you are not alone. His power is sufficient. These things are ultimately for your good and His glory. Don’t turn back. Don’t walk way look to Him.