sermon: Jesus Christ: First Savior, Second High Priest, Third King
John W. Ritenbaugh
Given 10-Sep-18; Sermon #1451B; 73 minutes
This sermon that I'm going to give today was actually first prepared by me to be given. Within the Hebrew series, I haven't changed my mind. It still fits within the Hebrew series, but I began to recognize, as I was preparing it, that it also fits into an aspect of the feast of trumpets very nicely. So this is kind of a, a double, meaning one at the one and the same time. Well, I firmly believe that very few people, including those who would consider themselves to be serious believers in the word of God, would name the epistle to the Hebrews as being their favorite book that they just loved to get into it because there is so much meat there. Well, usually people do not say that about the book of Hebrews because it has a very wide reputation of being a difficult book. I also believe that it has earned this reputation unfairly because preachers these days do not preach out of the Old Testament very often and though Hebrews is in the epistles's section of the New Testament, much of its subject material is directly tied to the Old Testament. Hebrews is most especially tied together with Leviticus. Uh, which is yet another book having a reputation as being difficult. Now those reputations are two strikes already against uh, it being or them being an easy reading for a student. And thus comparatively little interest is given to the vital importance to its vital importance to a New Covenant Christian's life and salvation. By way of contrast with those worldly church pastors, I have spent a lot of time preparing. The 5 sermons I had given at this time providing you with a background on just one subject regarding Hebrews, and that is what was going on in the cultures at the time and in the church that leads us to understand why this vitally important epistle was written. Now that Aad gives us just a tiny degree. I mean what I have given, that gives us just a tiny degree of insight showing the church members' need for Jesus Christ. It was not and it still is not merely needed. It is vitally needed for the salvation of those converted and most especially by those converted from Judaism in the immediate decades following Christ's resurrection. And though that initial need is not so urgent today. Because we are converted from a world at large and are called by God already having at least a small portion of understanding regarding Christ that we picked up as we lived through our pre-calling life. Now this understanding is still needed for our salvation because Hebrews teaches us how much we need to relate to our high priest. How can we ever please God without our high priests showing us how to please God and by giving us the incentive and the spiritual power to enable us to do so. We need this instruction because as he truthfully says in John 15:8 that we can do nothing without him in regard to producing fruit that glorifies God. I will come back to this verse, not with any detail, but I think that I will have enough detail within the sermon at that time. To see why what Jesus said was absolutely correct, we can do nothing, he means spiritually without him. Now to use a modern metaphor, Christ is not blowing smoke regarding his part in fulfilling John 15 and verse 8. There is vital truth laden substance to what he said. Now what he said there in John 15:8 is one sweepingly dramatic and grandiose all-encompassing statement. To put it bluntly, if we produce no fruit. That pleases and glorifies God, we will not be in His kingdom. That's how absolute our need is for Christ, who says we can produce nothing without Him. The relationship with Christ is the key to salvation once we are called, so we need Him all throughout our conversion period. Without him there would be no fruit produced. That is what the vital metaphor metaphor that he uses indicates. And since the scriptures also tell us that salvation is by grace through faith, that fact indicates that faith in Jesus Christ is at the very nucleus of our salvation in terms of its vital importance to our future in the kingdom of God. Well, the first scripture that we are going to look into here is one that we have looked into before. It's the entire chapter of Hebrews 8. So if you will turn there, Hebrews 8 and verses 1 through 13, I want to begin there as both a foundation and direction for the sermon by reviewing what is found in the book of Hebrews. And this is interesting, maybe especially interesting because it was the author himself who caused this to be written so that we would see partway through what this book is about. Chapter 8 and verse 1. Now this is the main point. Of the things we are saying. We have such a high priest who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the majesty in the heavens, a minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected and not man. For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices. Therefore, it is necessary that this one also have something to offer. For if he were on earth, he would not be a priest, since there are priests who offer the gifts according to the law, who serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things as Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle, for he, meaning God, said, see that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain. But now he has obtained a more excellent ministry inasmuch as he is also mediator of a better covenant which has established established on better promises, for if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second. Because finding fault with them, he says, behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a New Covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, because they did not continue in my covenant, and I disregarded them, says the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their mind and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother saying, know the Lord, for all shall know me from the least of them to the greatest of them, for I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their sins and their lawless deeds. I will remember no more. In that he says, a New Covenant. He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away. Though the author waited until after one half of the epistle was written writing to write chapter 8, what he wrote succinctly summarizes why the entirety of it was written. Now I will summarize the reasons with one statement made by the very highly respected commentator Arthur Pink. If you ever see something written by Arthur Pink, it's worth reading if you are serious about sacred things. He said, Quote Regarding doctrines, Hebrews is the most important book in the New Testament. More important than even the book of Romances. Which is doctrinally. One end to the other almost entirely laying out the foundational doctrines of the entire church of God. He says Hebrews is more important even than Romans. Now I will break what Pink said into three subdivisions that appear in uh. The epistle to the Hebrews. First of all, it was written to specify that our high high priest is fully qualified and able to serve us. Fully qualified and able to serve us 2nd. That the New Covenant and its promises and regulations are in full force for the church. This is what Hebrews is about. And the 3rd It was actually said by the author himself. It is to exhort and encourage us that we must put the fullness of our faith and efforts to submitted submitting to both of these for our eternal well-being. And therefore, to fulfill our spiritual responsibilities, what is being addressed in Hebrews must be the major focus of our life within our calling, especially when remember that Christ said, Without me you can do nothing. And Hebrews is all about that relationship and what is our responsibility and the way is our we are to respond to him. So for this to be our focus is not easy. Because it requires a great deal of attention in this very busy world as we do battle withholding our focus in order to keep salvation from slipping away through inattention to Christ. In a way he's somewhat easier to forget. You never see him. You have to communicate with him, have a relationship with him without ever seeing him. That's pretty hard for human beings to do and maintain a steady pace in doing it. Now as we as we proceed now. Let us learn, understand, appreciate, and make use of a somewhat different statement or a title to the accomplishment of a goal we have become part of and must hold our focus as God's calling in us is be to us as being lived. We are involved in something far greater than we may have ever thought of before. I want you to turn with me to I Corinthians 15. That's the resurrection chapter I Corinthians 15, and we are going to begin in verse 20. But now Christ is risen from the dead and has become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by man also came the resurrection of the dead, for as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But each one in his own order, Christ the first fruits afterward those who are Christ at His coming. And then comes the end when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when he puts an end to all rue and all authority and power, for he must reign until he has put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. For he has put all things under his feet, but when he says this is the verse I really want you to pay attention to. 4 He has put all things under his feet, but when he says all things are put under him, it is evident that he who put all things under him is accepted. Now when all things are made subject to him, then the son himself will also be subject to him who put all things under him that God may be all. In all It is that last phrase in those eight verses that we are going to pay a bit of attention to right now. What does it mean when it says that God may be all in all? Now that is a statement regarding the goal. That God is working out. He is heading toward this. This is his goal. His personal private goal, if I can put it that way. He is heading toward being all in all. Oh we have been drawn. Into what he is working toward and when he is finished with his creation of everything, listen carefully when God is finished with His creation of us, everything, every aspect of what we are then. Will have been personally created by him, molded shaped by him as part of his handiwork, I should say his creative handiwork, and we will and he will have completed this only when every one of us, all of us, all in all, when he is all in all, in everybody. Have been framed in his image. Everybody who was ever born and is in his kingdom. We have come nowhere near that yet. But that's what he's heading toward. That's when he will say, I have been victorious. I am all in all. Now through the resurrection of all those called though the resurrection of all those called is the central subject in this chapter, this specific paragraph applies directly to the Father. This statement as is looking beyond even our resurrection to eternal life in the kingdom of God. By wit of God, which by all by itself is going to be pretty exciting. It is looking toward an occasion that will happen only one time. And one time only because it will exist forever after that after that when that point is reached, when he is all in all, there will be no need whatever for this ever to happen again because one of God's major purposes for His creation will be completed. Now this series of verses is speaking of the time or the occasion. When the Father's sovereignty will be acknowledged by everything and everybody in all of creation, there will be no doubt whatever anywhere that God the Father rules, and there will be no challenges by anybody whatever to His or against his rulership. Cause remember about everybody in this body that he is talking about has been created by him and he has passed on it. I mean spiritually created. And it's just not anybody. Nobody exists living anywhere. That is going to be a challenge to him. Everybody will be submissive to him. And glorify him in everything they do, brethren, that's where he's headed. His victory is absolute and absolute peace prevails everywhere in his creation, and even the physical creation that Romans 8 speak so movingly of is at peace because God is all and in all. Father and son are are one with all they have made and prepared for this moment. Let me say it again. Let me repeat it, brethren. This ultimately is what we are being prepared for. It's not just the resurrection. It's a resurrection where everybody is absolutely perfect like the Father. We are every one of us in the image of the Father. How great is he now? How great is that family going to be when everybody is like him and the son. I meant it when I said we are heading for something that is far bigger than you may have ever thought. So brethren, this is what we are looking forward to and ultimately. That is what this day is for as well, because it's part of the step to help prepare us to become like that. Now I want you to turn with me now to the book of Ephesians. Ephesians, the first chapter, and we are going to begin in verse 15, Ephesians 1 and in verse 15. Therefore, I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and Revelation in the knowledge of Him, to the eyes of your understanding being enlightened. That you may know what is the hope of his calling, what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power toward us who believe according to the working of His mighty power which he worked in. Christ, when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places far above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named not only in this age but also in that which is to come. And he put all things under his feet. We read of that in I Corinthians 15. He put all things under his feet and gave him to behead over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. Now, all in all is used again in this chapter, but this time it is used of Christ specifically in his relationship. With us In the church Is Christ all in all to you? We have a long way to go, brethren. When this chapter is read. With a pretty fair measure of spiritual understanding, I can grasp why Herbert Armstrong said that this was his favorite chapter. This particular paragraph is especially meaningful. Because it is it is at one and the same glorious time and so exalting of us as mere human mortals being given such an unearned and unmerited awesome gifts and yet at the same time so humbling because it is a stark reality that we have absolutely earned nothing but death. Now let's look A little bit more closely at all in all in the context of Jesus Christ, somewhat more closely. Now, as far as we know, the epistle to the Hebrews was among the final biblical books written, and it appears that it was written sometime around the mid-sixties. If that dating is correct, then those Christians that experienced the persecutions prior to that time did so without the aid of Hebrews. However, I do not mean that they had no instruction at all. In reality, they had excellent instruction. Christ had already prepared the apostles to enable them to be a major teaching of major teaching importance to the church during that very perilous time for the church, and in addition. When he converted the apostle Paul, he prepared Paul by placing him where he could, he would have ample time for study and prayer and meditation in a desert location. And thus Paul had ample solitary time to sort things out as it were and to understand and confirm his beliefs which he then passed on to the church. So it is of great importance, humbling importance to us that the teaching in verses 22 and 23 where it says all in all is bestowed upon church members because do not forget. Christ is the real author of this book. He inspired what is written, and it is personal to him. And these verses described the church as his body. The fullness of him. Using the body metaphor for understanding, it means that the church completes. Or fills out Christ. Now with the rest of the church filling him out. You have to think of this metaphorically with the rest of the church filling him out, he would have a head. As it were to think with. But no body to carry out what he thought to do. That's what the body does. It carries out what the head directs us to do. And thus, since Christ inspired this description of the church and of course his relationship with it, it tends to indicate that Christ perceives Himself as to some degree and in some way, listen to this. Incomplete until this process of adding parts to his body is totally finished. That's awesome. Or another way of saying this is that as each person is added to Christ's body, it moves Christ and His operations toward completion because the total number number who will be in the church at any at certain times is not yet reached. Now when I Corinthians 15:27, which we've already read, is added to this description, the term all things under his feet confirms that only the Father is excepted from all things being under Christ. Incidentally, I maybe should have said this earlier, but the title of of my sermon here is kind of progressive. Progressive that is in our relationship to and with Jesus Christ and so I titled it Jesus Christ 1st Savior, 2nd high priest, Third King. There is a progression there. In our relationship with him. First we come to know and so forth and we go on. Now, in other words, And this is awesome to consider. Christ has already been given by the Father. Universal approval to use the church as a body. And also therefore, each and every individual member of the church because we are all part of the same body of, of people. And therefore each and every individual member of the church as he sees fit in any situation and at any time. He doesn't have to ask permission of the Father, he just goes and doesn't. Do you understand that? Therefore, our faith in him and dedication to him can become a very great importance. Now this agrees perfectly with what Christ had already said earlier. In Matthew 28 and in verse 18, hold your place there in Ephesians, but I want you to turn to these verses because I want you to add them in your mind to Christ's position in relation to the church and what has been given to him. So this is Matthew 28 and in verse 18 where it says. And Jesus came and spoke to them saying, All authority has been given to me in heaven. Did you catch that? In heaven. And on the earth. That's a lot of authority. Including heaven, in heaven and on earth. Now, that's going to go back all the way into the Psalms. I said, remember, we might get back there to Ephesians the 2nd chapter, but in Psalm 8, Psalm 8, just one verse there, and in verses 7 and 8. I would say All sheep and oxen, even beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea. That passed through the paths of the sea. I do not know why I had this first. I can't remember what it was right now. Oh, here it is in verse 6. You have made him to have dominion over the works of your hands. And you have put all things under his feet, all sheep and oxen, the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, the fish of the sea, and to pass through the and the that pass through the paths of the sea. Oh Lord, our Lord, how excellent is your name in all the earth. So there I'm giving you scriptures from both the New Testament and the Old Testament that show you that his position. Under the Father only is superior to everything else. Now A conclusion He has nothing to restrain him. From taking action in any direction he chooses to use for his purposes, including his use of time, he doesn't have to wait for approval from headquarters. This includes over it entire nations, angels, demons. Remember, he has authority in heaven as well. Entire nations, angels, demons, dictators, presidents, congresses and parliaments, and any individual, whomever they might be, this means in practical fact that he is restrained by nothing for any use that he might make of the entire church in behalf of his purposes or make use of even any single person within the church. Uh, within the body of the church, because remember we are somewhat like individual cells within his body because remember Paul states states Christ places us and I will add uses us as his as it pleases him within his body. Let's take a look at that and have it proved to us by Scripture in I Corinthians 12. I Corinthians 12 and in verse 18. But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as it pleased. Just as he pleased, OK, now. Now this also helps us understand in a practical way. Why he said in John 15:8. That without me you can do nothing. We are like a cell in his body. Every cell in one's body is linked and directed to the head, as it were, and given permission and commands to act. You get the picture there involving us within the body of Jesus Christ. This body analogy helps us to understand in a practical way why he said in John 15. And in verse 8 without me you can do nothing using that analogy of us being part of his body. And he is the head. We are to carry out what he commands as the head, but every cell in one's body is linked and directed to the head, as it were, and given permission and commands to act. And therefore, in Ephesians 1 and verses 22 and 23, it's declaring that he listen this is. He is so intimately, profoundly and boundlessly united by spiritual love with everybody for everybody within the church, and since it is his body, it is a major source of our confident hope that he can enable us to carry through till we join him in person in the kingdom of God. Please try to understand these analogies as I go through them. Now in Ephesians 5. Ephesians 5, I will turn to it, but you cannot unless you have your own little private flashlight and verses 25 and then verse through verse 33. 25 And in verse Verse 25. Now what we have turned to here is the analogy that The apostle Paul gives of the husband and wife. Uh, becoming one. And the husband we are directed here, love your wives just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for it. That's how close his life he is to to those who are part of his body. That he might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word and that he might present her to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own ah bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself, for no one ever hated his own flesh but nourishes and cherishes it just as the Lord does the church. For we are members of his body and of his flesh and of his bones, and for this reason, a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Husbands, this describes the way we should be to our wives and wives. You should expect this in the right way and the right attitude from your husband because it is a godly relationship. Nevertheless, let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself and let the wife see that she respects her husband. So what is being described here is a practical already demonstrated example of how deep and boundless. That love of Jesus Christ for the church is. He is unified with every cell within his body. And it can be counted on. To work that is that unity it can be counted on to work for our eternal benefit. So brethren this metaphorical symbolism is an awesome teaching vehicle if we believe it. Now at this point I want to establish a major reason showing how we individually fit into this picture. The first paragraph of the epistle to the Hebrews begins laying the foundation for establishing the superiority of Jesus Christ as the church's high priest and therefore our relationship with Him is of supreme importance to our growth and salvation of broadly and God's most precise and pointed goal. Now in order to grasp this understanding. Uh, I believe that I have to go begin at the point where our ultimate destination is clearly stated. Now I stated it through this all in all explanation. That I gave you earlier but this adds to and confirms. Uh, that all in all in a very interesting way. So in order to grasp this understanding, I believe I have to begin at the point where our ultimate destination is clearly stated. And it is Jesus who broadly states this in his prayer in John the 17th chapter, so please turn there with me, John 17 and in verse 11. Jesus is praying here. Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to you. Holy Father, keep through your name those whom you have have given me that they may be one as we are. Dropped on to verse 14. Did you hear what he just said, that they may be one as we are. So We already understand that our destination is to be all in all under God, but at the same time this refines it more clearly we are to be one. With those that we are under number. 14 verse 14. I have given them your word, and the world has hated them. And because they are not of the world just as I am not of the world, I do not pray that you should take them out of the world, but that you should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world just as I am not of the world, sanctify them by your truth. Your word is truth. Drop down to verse 20. I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in me through their word. That's you and me, brethren, that they may, that they all may be one as you, Father, are in me and I in you, and that they also may be one in us that the world may believe that you sent me. And the glory which you gave me, I have given them that they may be one just as we are one dropped down to verse 26. And I have declared to them your name and will declare it that the love with which you loved me may be in them and I in them. To me What we have just read is our most broadly stated destiny and heritage. It doesn't mean enough. To really convey a lot when we first hear this that we are to be one with the Father and one with the Son, it's not until after. That we learn a great deal more about the character, about the mind, about the purpose, about the plan that they are working on, and we begin to understand and grasp with great appreciation their love for you and for me and then. Becoming one with each of them is something that really begins to mean something, especially when we compare it to the way this world is is how badly divided it is and how everybody is quarreling and getting ready to fight at the drop of a hat. Hardly one with each other. Doesn't even begin to measure up to being all in all with the Father. Now here is a question. That we need to have a connect a correct answer to. Are we clearly grasping a major detail of the picture that God is teaching us of in our relationship with the eternal God family? Now the specific detail of which I speak is that at every turn. What God is doing with us is very personal. That's the key word right here. It's very personal. It begins when we do not volunteer to become a part of his purpose. Our calling is as individually chosen and selected a production of his and therefore to be part of the bride whose husband to be is already one with the Father. Let's go back. We're in the book of John if you haven't turned away, but in John, oh well, I keep saying these things that you can't turn because you can't see. OK, here in John 6 and in verse 44, a very familiar scripture we are talking about how personal God is working. Personally God is working with each and every one of us. Verse 44 says Jesus says no one. Nobody Can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up at the last day. That clearly states that one does not come to Christ, as the world says, except they are drawn. There are no exceptions to that. That is clearly personal. We are not drawn to Christ as very tiny parts of a huge crowd of people at any time in the history of the church as is shown in Protestant evangelistic campaigns, the teaching regarding the. Choosing of the apostles, do you remember that I went through that in detail. The choosing of the apostles extends the application of this truth one step further in that the scripture clearly states. That those 12 were the ones Jesus won. To be his, it was personal. The ones that Jesus wanted. Now the same process that is followed for them is being followed through. For everybody. It's real personal brethren. You're not one of a crowd. You are simply one. That God loves Not the only one. But he loves us that much. God not only has a purpose, he also is following a plan. I've gone through that in several sermons. How that a plan is followed and whatever the plan says, that's what the guys who are assembling things do. They do not put something in there to substitute for the one that the chief engineer, God draw drew for there, and so that's where they go. So God has a plan that he is following, and Paul adds teaching in Ephesians, the first chapter that indicates very clearly that each calling is individualistic. Let me give you an example. Jesus was resurrected. You know, it appears that according to the best researchers that can that can come up. With is that The first gentile converts, who were they? They were Cornelius and his family. They did not even live in Jerusalem. God picked that family out. To convert them and sent Peter. To introduce them in a more personal way to the church and to lead them and guide them to where Peter was absolutely convinced that they were being converted by God. I give you that as an example. Those people did not live in Jerusalem. They lived 50 or 60 miles away from there. And God picked them up. Who but God would personally pick out the apostle Paul? That would be one that we would probably. Enjoy avoiding. But that's how personal it is. If he wants somebody. He goes after them and gives them the opportunity to be converted. And thus that has happened with you and me. And with what all the things that the apostle Paul adds in Ephesians one, it indicates fairly clearly that each and every calling is individualistic. Every part of the bride of Jesus Christ, which will ultimately become both the family and the government of God is being constructed piece by piece as it were until we've come as Jesus is requesting here in John the 1st chapter 17th chapter. Until we are at one with the Father. Do we really see this to the place? Where we appreciate it. We aren't a nobody. I do not know how could we could be more highly rated than to have God be the one who wants us. Boy, I'll tell you that is love. Considering what we are. And considering how confident he is that in the time that is allotted to him to do his converting, that he can get the job done. And then we will be one with the son and with the Father. So every part of the bride of Jesus Christ, which will ultimately become both the family and the government of God is being constructed piece by piece as it were until we become as Jesus is requesting here at one with the Father and the Son. Now we are going to going to begin to lookAt the opening paragraph of the epistle to the Hebrews and through this section I'm going to bump into some things that Richard said in this morning's sermon, and it'll be just a little bit different but also a great deal the same. Now I do not remember the person who originally said what I am going to say, and I can only recall that he was a person who was well known in literary circles. I may have already told you this story, but it is a true one as far as my life is concerned. The mainstream of the story, I recall, was that many authors were asked to suggest what they believe was the very best opening paragraph. Ever of any normal novel that they could think of, and as I recall, there were a number of qualifications that had to be met in order for their opinion to be considered. But apparently the runaway winner was Charles Dickens, first paragraph taken from A Tale of Two Cities which begins. It was the best of time. It was the worst of times, and so forth. Now the author of the article that I was reading stated that his own personal opinion as the best opening paragraph of all times did not qualify because of a technicality. Now in that author's opinion, the very best paragraph opening paragraph is from the epistle to the Hebrews in the Bible. But in his opinion The greatest opening statement of all time, bar none, was so great. That once one understood what was being said. That it was the best, it was the best of times. It was the worst of times. Couldn't even begin to hold a candle. In comparison, he said that the opening paragraph to Hebrews was like a cloud, a loud and rolling thunderclap compared to the pop of a 5 and 10 cents store toy balloon bursting. I know even as I begin I cannot do justice to the tremendous meaning that is stated there in that first paragraph. So make efforts to keep in mind what is being covered in Hebrews. 1, the superior qualifications of Jesus Christ as high priest. 2, the superiority of the New Covenant over the Old Covenant. And 3, the superiority of Christianity over any other religion on earth, including Judaism, which incidentally the Jews looked upon as being God. Designed, formed, and authorized. No, it really was not what God gave to Moses. What did have those qualifications, but What the Jews had put together had not. Now turn with me if I, if you aren't already at Hebrews, the first chapter and verses 1 through 4, just going to read them. There are a couple of interesting things there. Now Hebrews One God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the Fathers by the prophets, as in these last days spoken to us by His Son whom he has appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds, who, being the brightness of His glory and the expressed image of his person. And upholding all things by the word of his power when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high, having become so much better than the angels as he was by inheritance, obtained a more excellent name than they. It is very possible. That what we are looking at here in the book of Hebrews and studying into is in reality someone's exceedingly well organized sermon notes. There are some researchers who claim that it is the sermon itself. I do not know. I do not think it's necessary for us to explore that. But it is very possible, considering the persecutions of the times that the sermon was delivered in a timely manner to meet the needs of the members while the persecution we have already read of in Acts were under way, the church members in Judea were enduring a major, major crisis of faith. The epistle to the Hebrews was not formally written until many years had passed by, and a new major crisis was brewing that eventually led to the destruction of the temple, but the members in Judea first had to endure their trials, ah, endure their their trials strength by sermons delivered by the apostles and others close to them. Now some members undoubtedly wondered why so many years had gone by and God hadn't acted in their behalf. There was there he was where he was in their time of trial. The problem was not with God. The problem was with the members. He had already acted. What they had forgotten was, here comes the lesson for you and me. What they had forgotten was they were required to use their faith on the foundation and basis of what he had already said through the prophets, what Jesus too had already said and what those that Jesus directly taught the apostles had already said. What the author of Hebrews is saying is that our God is a speaking God and we are to respond by faith regardless of when His word was literally spoken because God's word is always true. God's word can always be trusted regardless of whom it was, who was the instrument used to deliver it, and when it was spoken. Now the author here is first approaching this by establishing that we have a God that communicates. God communicates and is ever watchful over his family. And that is just a beginning for an opening considering that hard-headed mankind generally believes that God is absolutely silent on virtually everything all the time. The basic problem is mankind doesn't believe what God says, and that weakness of belief continues right into the church. Here we have a problem. It must be overcome. Strength of belief is not something automatically we automatically have. It too must be grown into by overcoming carnal self-reliance and trust in mankind and this world. Now I, I found this illustration I'm going to give you. Again, in a, in a, a the exposition of Hebrews by Arthur, Pink. And Pink admitted that he did not know from whom it came. Uh, either. But the illustration is right in the Bible, and it gets right to the point of what a disciple of Christ must learn to do regarding faith. Now Richard touched on this this morning. The illustration is directly from the transfiguration event. I think that because I Organized this sermon completely apart from Richard, and he did his completely apart from me. I take that as a hint from Christ that he wants you to hear this. So you've got it this morning and you're going to get it this afternoon. But he went from the book of Mark. I'm going to go to Matthew. Let's go to Matthew, the 17th chapter. I think he was also in Matthew for a brief period of time too, Matthew the 17th chapter. But I think the illustration that this person gave has a certain value to it. Verses 1 through 8. After 6 days, Jesus took Peter, James, and John, his brother, led them up on a to a high mountain by themselves, and he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as light as as white as the light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them talking with him. And then Peter answered and said to Christ, Lord, it is good for us to be here if you wish. Let us make here three tabernacles, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. And while he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud saying, This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. Hear him. And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid. But Jesus came and touched them and said, Arise and do not be afraid. And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only. Peter was so excited by what he was witnessing he wanted to make one boot for each of these great personalities, each of whom taught God's word Moses, Elijah, and Christ. But suddenly God Himself intervened, formed a cloud, and the three personalities, including Jesus, disappeared from view. And then they heard the voice saying, this is my beloved son. Hear him. And when they recovered their senses The cloud had dissipated and only Christ was seen. Now God's point is clear. All the glory and the honor associated with Moses and Elijah and any other personality was so eclipsed by the infinitely greater glory connected with Jesus Christ, they faded from view. So here is my conclusion. Jesus Christ is the church's commander in chief, and a disciple must use his faith to follow him. No Let's go back to I Peter 2. Just remember that that that lesson is so clear. It's going to be an awful lot of competition. For those out there who want us and you to follow them. But even a personality as great as a Moses or Elijah were not to be followed whenever Christ was the one who was leading us. So in I Peter 2 and verses 18 through 21, I Peter 2:18 says this, Remember, follow Christ, Hear Christ. I Peter 2:18 says. Servants Servants of Christ, that is, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and the gentle, but also to the harsh, for this is commendable if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongly. For what credit is it if when you are beaten for your faults you take it patiently. Remember I told you how clearly it shows that Christ has the right, the authority, the dominion to do anything at any time from the Father in his use of the church and the individual church members. For what credit is it if you, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently, but when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. For to this you were called. That's very clear, for to this you were called because Christ also suffered. We have to follow. The captain of our salvation Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that you should follow his steps. Now this is the alignment with which the way Hebrews is written. We walk as he walked imitating him. Every way of life and every personality that is brought into view by the author within the pages of the epistle to the Hebrews is to be compared with the Son of God, and they all fade from view in every comparison. And that person is judged and then passed over as lacking not to be compared any further. Christ is always better, and that is why the term better becomes a dominant theme throughout the epistle. The first judged are the prophets, however, We are not yet done with the exaltation of Jesus Christ in this opening paragraph. There is an interesting usage of the term son in verse 2. Let's go back to Hebrews once again. This time in Hebrews 1 in chapter one. God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time pasted to the Fathers by the prophets. Has in these last days spoken to us by his son. Whom he has pointed heir of all things and through whom also he made the worlds. We're not done with the sun yet. There is an interesting usage to the term sun in verse 2 that should draw our attention. Now you will notice that the pronoun his is written in a different script that indicates that pronoun does not appear in the original. Rather, his has been inserted by the editors to alert us to this fact. His was inserted to make reading smoother to an English speaking person. However, the original author purposely left it out. Because that was the way the human author was inspired. Verse 2 should read. He has in these last days spoken to us in sun. And there was a reason for that. Thus the author is drawing attention in the Greek language. Remember, he wrote this in Greek, in the Greek language, immediately that the son is the speaker to whom we should listen. Hear him. God clearly words it that prior to Jesus the message given by prophets or dreams, hearing voices or seeing visions were all fragmentary, but son is different. Because the son is already one with the Father. And he is the only one through whom God is perfectly and finally made known, not the prophets nor angels nor any others that might be suggested and judged. When son speaks, it's as though the Father is speaking. Son is the ultimate source. And channel from which all blessings of the knowledge of God flows, and as much as people may have admired the communications of some of the prophets that God had employed, they were nothing but introductory to some one better and grander, and that was sun. The way Hebrews begins was stated deliberately and directly as simply son to emphasize the Father and the Son were already one. When the one speaks, it's as though the other is, and when the other speaks, the sun already is. There is no difference between them. I remember what I told you in the sermon. We are being drawn. To be one with both the Father and the Son and those who have already been perfected before us, and we will be creations of God and like the Son. Be just like the Father.
JWR/aws/drm