Hebrews: Jesus Is Superior – Part One

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Preached at Straightway Bible Church on March 23, 2014.

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Jesus Is Superior – Part One

Brent Riggs – www.seriousfaith.com Hebrews 1:1–3  Jesus is Superior The first paragraph is a poetic/hymn-like presentation of Jesus

  • the heir of the Father’s creation (v. 2)
  • the agent of the Father’s creation (v. 2)
  • radiance of the Father’s glory (v. 3)
  • Exact image of the Father’s nature (v. 3)
  • the sustainer of the Father’s creation (v. 3)
  • the means of forgiveness of the Father’s creation (v. 3)
  • the royal and priestly Messiah sent by the Father (v. 3)

“Hath in these last days.” What last days?

  • In the last days of promise, in the days of fulfillment.
  • In the Old Testament the Jew always saw the last days as the time when all the promises were fulfilled.
  • They saw the last days as the time when Messiah came, the kingdom came, salvation came, Israel was not under bondage any more.
  • The last days was the time when the promises stopped and the fulfillments began.
  • The Old Testament age of promise ended when Jesus arrived.

Jesus Christ is no mere man. He is the revelation of God ended, climaxed. God fully expressed Himself in Christ in total truth.

  • When God’s prophet spoke, the people knew they were hearing from God.
  • God did not entrust His full revelation to be given by man. He took the initiative to declare it Himself through His Son.
  • Jesus is God’s method of communicating his mind and will under the New-Testament dispensation in the last days

There was first the natural revelation; then the patriarchal, by dreams, visions, and voices; then the Mosaic, in the law given forth and written down; then the prophetic, then Christ.

  • It is the final, the finishing revelation, given forth in the last days of divine revelation, to which nothing is to be added, but the canon of scripture is to be settled and sealed
  • So Jesus is superior to all other methods by which God gave us revelation. Again, the primary point of Hebrews is what?  JESUS IS SUPERIOR

Hebrews gives 7 Reasons that “Jesus is Superior”

1. He is the Heir of all things!

  • Since Christ is the Son and even more particularly the only Son, of God He is also the heir, the sole Heir of all things.

2. He is the Creator of all things!

  • Hebrews says “he made the worlds”… the word translated world here is not the normal Greek word (kosmos) but rather (aionos) which means “the ages.”
  • Jesus made everything for all time, including time itself
  • Jesus created our very existence, our reality, our concept of “life”

3. He is the Keeper of the Universe

  • In fact, even today scientists have no idea what “mysterious force” holds the ATOM together because given it’s structure and our understanding of it, the atom should completely fly apart… but some unknown “nuclear force” is holding every atom together

4. He is the Radiance, the Light, the Brilliance of God’s glory

  • To see Jesus is to see God, as a mirror reflects the light of the full sun. The Hebrew term “glory” (kabod; “the name Ichabod, ie. which means “Where is the glory?”) was often used in the sense of brightness

5. He Is the Exact Representation of His Father

  • Jesus exegeted or explained, reveal, spoke truth about God.
  • Later when the disciple Philip asked Jesus to show him the Father he replied, “He who has seen me has seen the father …” (John 14:9)

6. He is the Kinsman Redeemer of Humanity 7. He Is Ruler of the Universe “…sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.”

  • Few other statements in the Bible are filled with greater importance.
  • 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).
  • “He sat down” – his position is fixed and final.
  • None of the angels held such a position of honor in heaven.
  • Seated in honor, Jesus remains superior.

7. Jesus also sat down at God’s side to intercede for us. Romans 8:34, “He is seated at the right hand of the Father making it a session for us.”

  • We have God’s portrait of Jesus Christ. You’ve seen the preeminent Christ in all His offices.
  • We see Him as prophet, the final spokesman for God.
  • We see Him as priest, atoning, and interceding.
  • We see Him as King, controlling, sustaining and seated on the throne.

This is our Lord Jesus Christ.