HEBREWS 1:1,2

"GOD HAS SPOKEN"

 

Intro: Today we are beginning a study in one of the most Fascinating books in the N.T. –

A) It is a book that Presents Christ to us in a very Unique way

 

B) The Gospels present Jesus in His first Coming as the Perfect servant / as the Lamb of God / as the Perfect man / The way to God

  1) The focus of the Gospels is on what Jesus did for us !!!!

 

C) Books like Daniel & Rev. Present Jesus as the Conquering King – the Lion of the tribe of Judah –

1)    The Focus is on what He is going to do when He comes a 2nd time to set up His Kingdom on the earth

 

D) But the book of Hebrews is Unique in this – A great part of the focus of this book is to Reveal what Jesus is doing now – As our High Priest

1)   It Uniquely reveals that role that Christ desires to play in our lives now

 

 

In the Christian community today there is a Lack of Stability in peoples walks / much wavering – giving into temptation

A)There seems to be a definite Lack of Confidence in Christ – the book of   HEB. HAS BEEN ORDAINED BY GOD TO CURE THAT PROBLEM

 

B) Hebrews presents to us a continued  thought – that is brought to us over & over again – OF CONFIDENCE IN CHRIST

1)   Instead of us walking around FEEBLE IN OUR FAITH / or WEAK in our WALKS / Powerless in our Position / Defenseless in our Doctrine

 

C) It is God’s Desire that thru this Particular book /to make us Secure in our Position / Certain in our Salvation

1)   To bring our relationship w/ HIM to that Place of Firm / Fastened & Fixed Faith -   That is what this book will do !!!   ( Challenge to study)

I learned something about myself these last few weeks / recovering

A)I learned that I don’t like being dependent on others !!!

 

B) That first week at home from the Hospital – there was very little I could do w/out Denise’s Help / Simplest things were impossible

1)   It Drove me Crazy !!!! I wanted to get independent as soon as I could

 

C) I Have progressed a lot – still some simple things need I need her help socks / shoes /

1)   Denise has been a wonderful helper / nurse / maid / Have to admit there have been days – Drove her crazy  - Hurry up & get better

 

D) Everyday – I am trying to do more & more on my own as I feel myself getting stronger

 

 

But one day I as I was pondering how much I hate being dependent on someone else / The Lord spoke to my heart – how I often do the same w/ Him

A)How I can find myself instead of completely depending on Him – trying to live independent of His Care / His Grace/ His Power

 

B) Thought –How stupid I can be – If I only realized who it is that has made Himself available to me – 24-7 to help in all things

1)   I would lean on Him Constantly – even in the simplest / or what I perceive to be the smallest things

 

C) I am walking now over a mile ….. a day / But I can’t do it w/out my crutches - / Muscles stretched & not strong enough yet

1)   W/out my Crutches I stumble & fall /  I wonder how many times I stumble and fall because I am not leaning on Christ

 

Am I suggesting that Christ is a Crutch? Listen He is more than a Crutch – He is the whole Hospital & Surgical Staff

A)He is the Surgeon/ the doctor / the physical therapist /Nurse/ Medicine

 

B) And the great thing is He never tires in taking care of & being there for you & me !!!

1)   In fact He loves for us to LEAN on Him & LOOK to Him / DEPEND on Him for all things / From Big to small – Day to Day

 

C) And when we truly have a Glimpse of who He is that will be our reaction

 

Hebrews is a Book of EXAMINATION -

A)Specifically written to Jewish believers who for one reason or another began to neglect their salvation being  tempted to go back into Judaism

 

B) Some struggled in letting go of their traditions

1)     They had grown up in a system of Worship that was given to them by God

 

C) It was not an easy thing for a Jew to forsake that which had been such an important part of their lives

 

D)Hebrews was written to reveal that all of those RITUALS & TRADITIONS – were pictures & Shadows of the real thing –CHRIST

 

Others struggled because of Persecution :

A)The high priest Ananias was especially hard  on those who embraced Christ /  they were  automatically banished from the holy places.

 

B) That was tough. All their lives they had had access to these sacred places.  

1)   Now they could have no part in the God-ordained services.

     Now They were considered unclean.

 

C)They couldn’t go to the synagogue, much less the Temple; they could not offer any sacrifices; they could not communicate with the priests.

1) They could have nothing to do with their own people. They were cut off from their own society.  / They were OSTRACIZED by their families

 

D) For EMBRACING   Jesus as the Messiah, they were banished from almost every sacred thing they had ever known/      worse than Gentiles

Hebrews is a book of EVALUATION it calls us to consider  What am I really trusting in/ and what are our lives built upon !!!

A.)    Words BETTER, PERFECT, & ETERNAL used repeatedly:                    Christ  brought better hope -

 

B.) He Established a better Covenant/  a better promise, a better sacrifice, a better country, a better resurrection, a better everything.

1)   Jesus Christ is presented here as the supreme Best.

 

C) They are reminded that they were losing nothing for which they were not getting something infinitely better.

1)    They had been deprived of an earthly temple but they were going to get a heavenly one. – Eternal

 

D) They had been deprived of an earthly priesthood but they now had a heavenly Priest. – Perfect High Priest

 1) They had been deprived of the old pattern of sacrifices but now they could look to the one final sacrifice

 

Book of EXHORTATION: The Challenge of Hebrews is for all believers to realize what they have in Christ

A) To understand the privilege of being part of the family of God!

                  

B) Hebrews is a book for anyone who wants to know Christ better!

          1.)Anyone Who desires to take advantage of and experience the                           fullness of their Christianity!

 

         

Book of EXALTATION: Magnificently portrays Christ -

A) Over 20 titles used to describe His attributes and accomplishments!  - begin considering some of them next week !!!

 

B) Hebrews is also Unique in it’s Authorship – it has been called to ORPHAN EPISTLE – because we don’t know who wrote it

1)   We will discover some of the theories in our first Wed. night study

C) But Needless to say it lacks the signature  of a Human Author

1)   Where the rest of the epistles – begin w/ Peter or w/ Paul or w/ James – the Human author is identified – Hebrews Uniquely begins w/ God

 

1God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2has in these last days spoken to us by His Son,

"Let all who thirst for God, the living God, draw near & listen" - Murray

 

God has spoken!

A.)Speaking is the vehicle whereby fellowship is developed and friendships are established / Instruction is Given

 

B) God’s purpose in speaking was to reveal Himself to man / His Ways / His Heart / His will

 

C) Now when I speak to someone I appreciate their undivided attention

1)   I hate it when I am talking to my wife & she gets up & goes into the other room or the Kitchen ( Hey get back here – I am talking)

 

When I was a Youth pastor here – there was this girl who would during studies – turn around and talk to people in the row behind her

A)Now the group was only about 100 people – quite obvious – stop and deal w/ her

 

B) Then there are the ones who are there in body- they make eye contact but the brain is 1000 miles away – glazed look – see that in you ( 4th row) comeback

1)   My son in classic at this – Aaron come here  I want you to do such & such – SURE DAD –

 

C) Five minutes later – doing something completely different – And I say I Aaron why aren’t you doing what I asked ? Classic Line – WHAT?

1)   Didn’t you hear a word I said – Undivided / Undistracted attention

 

D) Question – Does the Lord have your Undivided Attention ? Or is your life distracted by other things – Can’t hear Him

God thru the centuries has made it a point to communicate and speak to men - VARIOUS WAYS

A)God has spoke to Moses through a Burning bush  / spoke through Donkey - Balaam  (Balaam spoke back)

 

B)Spoke through angels - spoke with thunderings / Spoke in a whisper to Elijah on Hillside/ Daniel in visions / Joseph thru Dreams

 

But most of time God spoke through men. Men called prophets. They were the mouthpiece of God.

A.) They would pronounce blessing;/ warn coming judgment; give teaching; instruction; as well as rebuke!

 

B) They Utilized nearly every method to communicate their message – Amos gave direct oracles from God/  Malachi used questions & answers

1)   / Ezekiel used symbols / Haggai preached sermons / Zech. Employed mysterious signs / Daniel saw visions /

 

C) Hosea  was told to marry a prostitute to depict the unfaithfulness of the nations / Jeremiah walked around naked – depicting the nakedness of Israel

1)   This wide variety of communication methods – dramatically demonstrated God’s loving desire to communicate w/ His People.

 

Now The Purpose of the Prophetic Ministry was two fold –

A)1st  it was to Awaken man to his need to God / 2nd  to Prepare the People for the coming God's greatest gift!  His Son - the Messiah

 

B) The most important thing the Prophets did was foretell of  Christ Coming

          1.)And they did that a lot - over 300 plus prophecies - in O.T.

             foretelling coming of Messiah / all fulfilled by Christ

 

C) So the Father  boldly proclaims here in Hebrews that in these Last days He has spoken in & thru His Son !!!!!

1)   Jesus Christ is the revelation of God climaxed.  Final Word

     All those other ways  are insufficient in Comparison to Jesus & His Word

Illustrate it in this way  Lets say that I wanted to talk to you express my heart – You don’t know me never met – heard of me though

A)Now the method of communication that I choose is Morris Code – You are there are Home – message comes this is Rob …. I love you care for you

 

B)The message doesn’t mean much – it is impersonal & abstract

1)   You really don’t feel like you know me after that message

 

C) SO I try another approach – Banner Planes –  You are down at the beach

    I love you signed Rob   Impressive / expensive – but still distant

1)   Next I send a Messenger – Still distant impersonal /3rd party

 

D) Finally one day I phone you – Hi this is Rob……. – hear my voice but not sure if it is really me – still not sure –

1)   Then finally one day I show up at your Door – Reveal myself personally

 

 

I realize that all those messages have really been insufficient – in comparison to me coming myself

A)That is what God did when He spoke thru His Son

 

B) The message that Hebrews Boldly Proclaims is don’t be looking for God in Burning Bushes /In Signs /  thru Angels /

  1) I like the Show - touched by an Angel – but the fact of the matter is this Although Angels exist – Ministering spirits – rarely communicate if at all

 

BB) The REASON ? God Has clearly revealed Himself in His Son/ Seen in the Word !!!      So let Him Reveal His Son to you in the Word !!!

 

C) Now V. 2,-4 Give us a 7-fold description of Christ – that we are going to begin to break down next week

1)   But for the remainder of our time today I want us to Briefly Consider  4 ways that God was speaking thru Christ & finish by noting what our response should be to that REVELATION

 

1st Spoke in Words - John 14:9  Jesus declared "Seen me, seen Father"

A) Jesus simplified the Law: He Narrowed it down into two aspects – Love God …….. & Love your neighbor ……..

 

B) He made radical  statements that addressed man’s Greatest needs /

  Man’s biggest Concerns / Deepest Fears

 

C) When it came to man’s Hunger the emptiness that he felt inside – Void – longing for fulfillment / lasting Satisfaction – Jesus Declared

  1) I am Bread of Life - "He comes me never hunger; believes ... thirst"

 

 

Concerning the Prevailing darkness in society – eats at man – How bad can things get –"I am light world

A)He declared that a person comes out of the dark and into light when introduced to God's gift - His son!

 

B) He Lights up our Lives so that the darkness flees !!! – Life takes on a whole new perspective when we are living w/ Him !!!!

 

 

Concerning man’s greatest fear – Death / Life after death  "I am the Rez Life - He believes me - though dead shall live - He believes in me never dies"

A)Jesus proclaimed life was in Him!  Begins now and continues into eternity!   /      man's body - tent;  house's spirit

 

Jesus made seven such I am statements –

A)In each case pointed to Himself! It is me

 

B) In last days spoke in His Son - addressed problem man's void - mans' darkness; man's destiny - man's bondage to sin!

1)     He Spoke by His Words / revealing God’s heart / His desire to cleanse & forgive / Make men new / Bring men to life / Give them abundant life

 

Jesus taught us that the Father is as concerned w/ the Motives & the attitude of the heart as He is w/ the actions

A)Adultery – Heart /  Murder – danger of Judgment – I say Angry w/ brother w/out cause – danger of Judgment

 

B) Jesus sought to get men to understand that we need to be less focused on the temporal & more focused on the eternal   - Matt.6:19-21

 

19“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

 

He told us the secret of a fulfilled life / it is in being a giver / rather than a taker

A)His words were insightful/ Powerful/ Illuminating / He put life into perspective / relationships in order

 

B) And everything He said He backed up by His actions / Spoke in words

 

He Spoke thru His Deeds

A)Touched the untouchable /He Loved the Unlovables /  Lepers / Prostitutes A women caught in adultery/  Samaritan Woman 5 failed marriages

 

B) He called the unwanted / He recruited the unworthy /He was patient w/ the unforgiving / He was faithful to the faithless

 

C) Many people go thru life thinking – they have messed up too many times to be close to God – He doesn’t love them / given up on them / never use

1)   The ACTIONS of Jesus dispel that idea – He loves working w/ Misfits

 

D) The common people were drawn to Him – people loved to be around Him - He wasn't stuffy, distant and pompous like religious leaders their day

 1) He was kind; compassionate; /understanding; considerate; /loving /

      Down to Earth – relatable

John - said best John 1:14  And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

 

He spoke thru His death

A.) At the cross the greatest declaration of God speaking in His Son was      displayed!

 

B)As His body was beaten, whips, beard, nails, crown -     God was Declaring  - sin cannot go unpunished

1)   When the law is broken  there is a Penalty - justice needs to be served –

    It was served at Calvary - God greatest gift bore man's sin!

 

C)On the cross the Son made two powerful proclamations

#1 - My God... forsaken me? Experienced death

#2 - It is finished - complete - price paid, work done

 

D)Now man could be free! Sin's power destroyed - Satan disarmed, deathblow - no power in lives of those who  believe!

 

E)Thru it all he was communicating God’s desire to be Known by men – Experience Intimacy & fellowship w/ Him

   1) He Bridged the gap / He made the way possible !!!!

 

Lastly, God spoke again - three days later - resurrection!

A.)    I am the Victor - Tomb is empty - because I live you can live too!

 

B) Theme verse in this Book -  Heb. 6:19 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul,

 

C) Anchor speaks of that which is stable / cannot be moved / Secure –not wavering / not tossed around by the Storms of life

1)   This Hope – Jesus came to reveal the father / Came to give life/ came to provide the way / He  died / He rose / He lives – There for you & me

Close – Consider – What should be our RESPONSE

         1) Open the door to your heart

A.) Amazing Truth : Jesus wants and pursues a personal relationship with us

 

B.)    In Bible times one of the most intimate expressions of friendship / fellowship – was eating together

1.) breaking bread – becoming one – taking in the same nutrients

 

C) By simply inviting someone over for a meal in doing so you were expressing a desire to have a deeper relationship with them.

   1) Jesus extends that invitation to us – Rev 3:20 –

 

D) This passage is often used as a evangelistic call which is true and proper it can be used in that way

 

But it is noteworthy – that in its original context it was written to a church – Laodecia. 

A)A church in which Jesus – had been pushed outside – condition of the hearts – lukewarm

 

B) Now their Perception of their condition was that they were fine / Healthy / wealthy & Wise /

1)   What Jesus saw was completely different – Poor wretched Blind & naked / they in their self sufficiency had pushed Christ outside

 

C) But He doesn’t leave – He stands outside the door Knocking – wanting back in / Return to that place of being on the throne

 

The door that Jesus knocks on is the door of the heart  - the heart is the center place of communion and fellowship with God

A)The heart is where we dream, deliberate, decide, want and will – It is the control center

 

B) It is the only fully independent entity in our entire existence. No one invades it unless we give permission.   It is at the core of who we are

C) After all the layers of external camouflage are peeled away my heart is the naked reality of what I really am

 1) This is the place where Christ wants to meet us!/   Ears to hear? 

      Referring to our hearts.

 

D) As He speaks – it is the heart He wants entrance – access and control of

    Surrender

1)   If it is intimacy we want then the relationship must happen where

     intimacy happens – the heart/ anything Less shallow / ritualistic

 

 

A Lot of times the reason that we resist is we have an idea of what we want & think is best & what we see can be very different from what Christ Sees

A) We picture a little cottage / He is building a Palace

 

B) I can’t count the times I was reluctant to surrender & resisted His work in my life out of fear – thinking I wasn’t going to like the outcome

1)   But in the end – It was 1000 times better than I could have imagined

 

C) The more that we see of Christ – The more we understand of His person & the work that He has done & is doing – the Less prone we will be to resist

     1) Or to seek to live any aspect of our lives – Independent of Him

 

Experiencing intimacy with Christ starts when I yield full control of my desires and decisions to His Presence and give him the right He deserves to deep clean and totally remodel if necessary –

 

It means praying the welcoming plea of David and meaning it!  Search me O God … Psalm 139:23,24

Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.

 

 

 

 

2) Pursue Him

A)Relationships are built on communication and closeness

That communication is developed – word and prayer!

 

B) Being still – allowing the Lord to speak to heart/  Journal

     1) More of You – Fall in Love

 

3) Put Him in His Place

A)Make it your heart desire that Jesus be at the center of everything you do!

     As the sun is to the solar system – let Christ be in your life

 

B) Renounce self – ambition – money – success – pleasure – friends – power and position -  comfort and convenience -  anything else

    1) Jesus be the center!

 

 

4) Meet Him in the Crisis

A.)Difficulty – is an opportunity to partake in the fellowship of His suffering

       Know Him for His suffering

 

B) Experience His sufficient  grace – He is there

 

5) See Him in His people!

A) Christ lives in us-  Look for those characteristics  of Christ in others

 

B) We are so prone to see only the bad / Look for the Good – look for what speaks of Christ

 

6) Reflect Him to others -

A) God is still speaking through His son – the message is revealed as those who love His Son – allow that Son to shine through their lives

 

B) Being Jesus to others – what do people see

1.) what is communicated in our tones – attitudes

                                 Mickey Mantle story

Closing: Take time – now – say – Lord search me – search my heart look deep within my soul – see if there be anything at all that might keep me …

 

Also – not saved – Jesus at door

Are saved – Has He been pushed outside?

Is He in the heart but seeking access to a certain room?

 

Are You in need of some Heart surgery – Will you allow Him to be the surgeon -  ( the day of Surgery – Anesthesiologist – You going over the risk – You can die – paralyzed –

 

A) For a split second I thought – do I really want to do this ?

 

B) Know this Jesus Hasn’t lost a patient Yet !!!!

 

Are You Hungry ? Are You weak – Need Illumination?

Jesus said – Come unto ME -  Rest – Not 10 steps / just come

 

Invitation for Salvation – But also afterwards – any time – Life overwhelms us – anytime we lose perspective – Jesus says Come !!!