HEBREWS - Jesus' Superiority and you
Updated: Mar 27, 2022
It is always good to read or hear the Word of God preached. Sometimes sermons will tell you stories ‘about’ God, so you will come to know stories about the Bible and about God. But, sometimes you may have to actually experience God, and it is then, you may come to actually know Him.
I like to say that “Knowledge which is not applied, is just idle information; and, wisdom which is not used, is just useless knowledge.”
This is the challenge we face: Not just knowing about God, but, actually coming to know Him and to apply that knowledge as He speaks to us and works through us in our circumstances, our prayers and activities.
Our relationship with God requires more than just knowing about Him. We must know Him, believe Him and we must follow Him, which requires our FAITH in ACTION.
Pastor and author Henry Blackaby points out, in his study “The 7 Realities For Experiencing God”, what we should know about God’s ways, His plans and His purposes. It illustrates how we can follow Him:
God is always at work around you.
God pursues a continuing love relationship with you that is real and personal.
God invites you to become involved with Him in His work.
God speaks by the Holy Spirit through the Bible, prayer, circumstances, and the church to reveal Himself, His purposes, and His ways.
God’s invitation for you to work with Him always leads you to a crisis of belief that requires faith and action.
You must make major adjustments in your life to join God in what He is doing.
You come to know God by experience as you obey Him, and He accomplishes His work through you.
JESUS’ MINISTRY IS OUR MINISTRY
Our relationship with Jesus is more than ‘Just Knowing About Him’; it requires Knowing, Believing and Doing. Jesus has given us...
(a) The plan we are to follow,
(b) The purpose which is our purpose, and
(c) The ministry for us as His disciples.
The letter of Hebrews is an example of how God speaks to us, warns us, protects us and instructs us in His methods and ways. He has a plan for us, but, we are not just recipients of His plan, we are to be active participants. We are on mission with Him.
The primary theme of the letter to the Hebrews is “The Superiority of Jesus”. This book is not just stories from or about the Bible or about God, it is a letter, written, originally to the Hebrew Christians, and by extension, to all believers for all times. It addresses three separate groups: (1), believers in Christ, (2), unbelievers who had knowledge of and an intellectual acceptance of the facts of Christ, and (3), unbelievers who were attracted to Christ, but who rejected Him ultimately. It’s important to understand which group is being addressed in which passage. To fail to do so can cause us to draw conclusions inconsistent with the rest of Scripture.
You see, having become a believer in Jesus and having accepted His magnificent gift of salvation (sozo), you and I have entered into a Salvation Covenant with Him. We have agreed to certain terms, and, to go back on our word to Him can be an eternal and fatal mistake.
Read with me, and let’s gain knowledge for wisdom and wisdom for action. Let’s experience God and desire to do His Will:
Now,
Hebrews 1:1, says, “God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, verse 2. in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom He also made the world. Verse 3. And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
WHAT WE KNOW FROM HEBREWS 1:1-3
GOD SPEAKS TO HIS PEOPLE. God spoke to the fathers and through the prophets in many ways.
Why is this important to know? (If you ask, He will answer you. If you are quiet, willing, listening and submitted to Him, you will hear Him.)
2. WE ARE IN THE "LAST" "DAYS".
Why is it relevant to the Christian to know that we are in the Last Days? (There are a succession and a convergence of events occurring, which require Christians to prepare for participation. Being unprepared or unwilling can lead to eternally catastrophic consequences.)
(Details about THE LAST DAYS are at this link. Also, click on these blue words linked to “Last” and “Days”, separately, for the Greek translation. Then, click on green linked THE LAST DAYS for important details about THE LAST DAYS.)
3. God has spoken to us, IN THESE LAST DAYS, in Jesus.
What is the significance of the reference of “IN THESE LAST DAYS” being linked to Jesus' Name?
(First, Jesus said we are in the Last Days, and everything that follows in that context should be carefully observed.)
(Secondly, scriptures tell us that God has spoken to us in His Son, Jesus, and Jesus is giving instructions for how we can overcome the evil one and endure to the end and be saved in these days.)
1. Jesus is heir of all things.
What do we know about Jesus from these words? How does this impact us, as Christians, and, what is our responsibility?
(I am leaving this for you to search the scriptures and find the answers.)
2. God made the world through Jesus.
What do we learn about God and Jesus from these words? What does this say about our relationship with God, and what are the implications?
(Click on the green links for the answers.)
3. Jesus is the radiance of God’s glory.
What does this reveal about Jesus?
(Jesus is the “radiance” of God: The “apaúgasma” – someone who literally "shines", is only used in Hebrews 1:3, where it refers to Christ's eternal radiance – supremely reflecting the effulgent glory of the Godhead. His eternal light breaks through all the darkness that keeps someone in spiritual ignorance (bondage), i.e. every resistance exerted by sin. This tells us that Jesus is the exact representation of God’s Nature. He is our example.)
4. Jesus upholds all things by the word - of - His - power.
Look at the Greek translation of the “word” and “power”. How does this explain Jesus’ power? What are the implications for you?
5. Jesus has ‘made purification for our sins’. (cleansed us of all sin).
(This fact is too wonderful and too amazing to fully grasp. But, we must remember what Jesus says about the Church is made holy by the washing with water through the word; and what He has said about confessing our sins, so we will be cleansed from all unrighteousnes.)
6. Jesus is seated at the right hand of God.
(And, according to Ephesians 2:6, "He has raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus", at the right Hand of the Father. For it is in Him that we live and move and have our being.)
Let's recap:
Hebrews 1:1, says,
#1. God spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, (God Speaks to us).
#2. In these last days, God has spoken to us in His Son, (Jesus speaks to us)
#3. Whom God appointed heir of all things, (Jesus is God's heir, and we are joint heirs with Jesus)
#4. Through Whom, (that is, Jesus), God also made the world.
#5. Jesus is the radiance of God's glory, and
#6. The exact representation of God's nature, and,
#7. Jesus upholds all things by the word of His power.
#8. Jesus has made purification of our sins,
#9. He is seated at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
It is particularly important that, in these Last Days, we know our calling, our ministry and our mission. As Scriptures tell us, we are to be 'doers of the Word and not hearers only'.
...see you on the mission field!
Your Brother and Friend,
Mike Young