Sermon Series: Letter to the Hebrews, the Superiority of Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ:
The
Hebrews
1:1-3 and selected verses
Jesus
Christ is superior to everyone and everything and he calls us to listen to him
so that we become mature believers.
"Come
here and listen to the words of the LORD your God.…" (Joshua
3:9 New International Version) See
also John 7:46 NIV.
"To
those who are open to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they
will have an abundance of knowledge. But to those who are not listening, even
what they have will be taken away from them."
(Matthew 13:12 New Living Translation)
"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."
(Hebrews 1:3 NIV)
"In
the past God spoke …in various
ways."
(Heb. 1:1a NIV)
1.
From
the Garden of Eden to the present day, God’s voice could be heard by any
willing seeker.
"The
LORD God called to the man, 'Where are you?'"
(Gen. 3:9 NIV)
Jesus
said, "I and the Father are one heart and mind."
(John 10:30 The Message)
"And
everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved."
(Joel 2:32 NIV)
"'For
I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans to prosper you and
not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me
and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me
when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,' declares the
LORD." (Jeremiah 29:11-14 NIV)
2.
To those willing to hear, God will communicate in whatever way
necessary to be understood.
"Come
to me and listen; listen to me so you may live. I will make an agreement with
you that will last forever. I will give you the blessings I promised to
David."
(Isaiah 55:3 New Century Version)
Whatever
your circumstances, come to him ask as him to speak the fullness of life to you.
No
one else has ever or could ever speak with the relevance and clarity like Jesus
did. "In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets
at many times and in various ways, but
in these last days he has spoken
to us by his Son."
(Heb. 1:1,2 NIV)
"No
one ever spoke the way this man does."
(John
7:46 NIV)
1.
Superior in
Revelation.
Old
Testament prophets spoke inspired but incomplete revelation from God.
Christ
spoke conclusively,
fulfilling the revelation of the prophets. "The
Son is the radiance of God’s glory
and the exact representation
of his being." (Hebrews 1:1, 3 NIV)
2.
Superior in
Character.
Every
prophet was a sinful man,
saved by the grace of God. See
Daniel 9:36.
Jesus
Christ was sinless, saving
sinful men. See 2 Corinthians 5:21.
Be
blessed: Place whatever he says to you through his Word above all other
thoughts.
Superior
in His Power
"And
Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and
in earth." (Matt.
28:18 King James Version)
1.
He Created
All Things.
Jesus
Christ "Made
the universe and everything in it."
(Heb. 1:2b NLT)
2.
He Holds
All Things Together.
"He
sustains the universe by the
mighty power of his command." (Heb. 1:3 NLT)
3.
He Can
Overcome Any Barrier.
"Ah,
Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and
outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you."
(Jeremiah 32:17 NIV)
He
can break through any barrier that separates you from his fulfilling grace.
Superior
in His Giving
"After
he had provided purification
for sins, he sat down
at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven."
(Hebrews 1:3 NIV)
1.
He Gave
Freely So You Can Be Forgiven
"No
one can take my life from me. I lay down my life voluntarily. For I have the right to lay
it down when I want to and also the power to take it again." (John 10:18
NLT)
2.
He Gave
Completely So You Can Add Nothing to It.
"Their
sins and lawless acts I
will remember no more. And where these have been forgiven, there is no
longer any sacrifice for sin."
(Hebrews 10:17-18 NIV)
He
is the only one to whom you can go to for complete forgiveness and a fresh
start!