God Has Spoken Perfectly

Hebrews 1.

Hebrews 1.

Hebrews 1.

Hebrews 1.

You may be seated.

You say, this is the word of God.

Amen.

Today I want to do stuff just a little differently.

I want to set aside some time to frame all of Hebrews for us to kind of help us see this passage as we're going through it.

Jason gave me the opportunity to pick a book to preach through.

And after much urging and pleading from my wife and daughter particularly, they said, pick Hebrews.

So I want to kind of frame this out for us so that we have that in view as we go through the rest of it.

Every letter has a purpose, right?

When you write a letter, you're writing it for a particular reason.

The author's purpose for writing this one is to encourage and exhort those believers facing persecution and the temptation to turn aside from following Christ.

Four times in this letter, he tells them not to draw back from God.

Five times he tells them to hold on or hold fast to their faith.

Over and over, he says to strive and make every effort.

And twice, he encourages them not to neglect the fellowship of the saints.

Two times, he encourages them to persevere in following Christ.

So the message for us in this book that God has preserved for us, knowing that we still need it, is not turning aside or turning away from Christ.

I'm not going to spend long on the background because the author himself does not.

In fact, we honestly don't know who wrote it.

Origen, one of the early church fathers, says God only knows.

And I believe that's the position the author would have us to take.

We know that he was known to Timothy.

And we know that he was known to his audience.

But that is all.

I think that he does this on purpose, and we're going to see that.

This letter was believed to have been written to Hebrew Christians, most likely those that were in Rome, early in the church.

This was actually probably one of the earliest of the epistles that we have outside of a couple of Pauls.

That it was written probably between 1849 and 1870 at the fall of Rome.

Or sorry, the fall of Jerusalem and the siege.

Church history says that at this point, a lot of the leaders of the Christians were expelled.

They say it was the Jews under Claudius were actually expelled.

But looking back to the church historians, it was actually probably those Jews that had converted to Christianity.

Because at this time, the Jews had a protection under the Roman law to worship as was their custom.

They actually had protections and provisions for that.

But these radical Christians did not.

So it was most likely those Christian leaders, the ones that were expelled from Rome.

And now you have this Roman church sitting here without leadership, young in the faith, being faced with the temptation to turn back to Judaism.

See, some of them in this letter say that they'd suffered reproach.

They'd suffered affliction.

Some had been put into prison.

Some had had their property taken.

Certainly far worse persecution than we face today.

But that their suffering could all end.

If they just went back to Judaism.

They could still have their faith in God, which is the important part, right?

Just leave aside this Christianity.

They could have a quiet, comfortable life.

Their families could be safe.

Things could go well for them.

Church, does this sound familiar to us in our day?

Like I said, the divine author knows that we still need this book.

Few of us are being tempted with going back to Judaism.

However, we all can say that we are regularly presented with the prospect of turning aside from Christ.

Sometimes it's obvious and it's right in our faces.

The area we live in is middle class to obviously very wealthy.

All of it's put on display.

Worldly gain, vainglory, self-indulgence, materialism constantly around us as much as these Christians in Rome ever had it.

We are being bombarded with thing after thing after thing, seeking to draw away our attention and thereby our hearts to something other than Christ.

Sometimes it's obvious and loud.

Sometimes it's subtle.

Just like the old frog in the pot analogy of how you cook a frog.

You know, just put him in there and slowly turn the heat up little by little without him perceiving it until he's cooked.

Oftentimes, the church has suffered more under prosperity than it did persecution.

Because it's just a little, just slight degrees, as long as it seems normal.

We live in a world that says it's okay to be a Christian.

Just don't be a radical one.

You can have all your religion, your faith in God.

Just don't talk about sin.

Don't talk about repentance.

Don't talk about the need of a savior.

Unfortunately, how many of our churches today would preach the message that our author preaches in Hebrews 13, 11?

When he says,

For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy place by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp.

So Jesus also suffered outside the camp in order to sanctify the people through his own blood.

Therefore, let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured.

For here we have no lasting city, but we seek a city that is to come.

Church, the enemy is only, is fine with our faith.

Just that little turning aside.

Just turning aside from Christ, just a little.

That's all it takes.

There's this old saying that's been used so many times by different leaders, we don't know where it comes from.

But the saying goes, do I not make my friends, do I not kill my enemies when I make them my friends?

Make no mistake.

There is open warfare going daily over your soul for who will have its allegiance.

Our foe is only too happy to have us caught up in the entanglements of this life.

We cannot turn aside and go to anything less than Christ.

It's subtle.

You say, well, I know I'm a Christian.

I follow Jesus.

But are you spiritually dry and sluggish?

I know for myself those days when I sit back and I say, well, where have my thoughts been?

Where's my attention been today?

Who has had my heart?

Is it myself?

Is it the cares of this life?

How many of them were occupied with Christ?

There's another old saying that goes, that where our eyes go, so shall our heart.

I can't say that I love my wife and give another woman my attention.

Pretty soon, I'll find my heart somewhere else.

The author of the Hebrews knows this and makes it plain to us by repeatedly comparing Christ to everything else they were being tempted to go back to.

Seven times in this letter, he calls the work of Christ, or our faith in him, great.

Ten times he says that it's better, that it's superior.

Twice he uses more excellent when comparing Christ.

The writer of Hebrews' constant theme is the supremacy of Christ.

Not just that he's better than what we're being presented with, but he is the best.

There could be no better.

There could be no better.

When we see Christ, everything else, just like we sang in our song today, grows strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace.

Everything else grows sickeningly pale and weak and small.

All the comforts of religion and every effort that we make become weak and useless.

And then all the enticements of this world start to become vile.

When our gaze is fixed on the one who is glorious like no other, all else loses its value.

That's the theme that I want us to remember as we go through Hebrews.

That where our heart is, where our treasure will be.

It follows a suit.

Where our treasure is, what we set before us, our heart's going to be there.

Our hearts always follow our eyes.

So setting up that frame for Hebrews and that lens that I want us to start reading through.

I want to go into this.

We're actually only going to get through the first verse and a half today.

But I read all of Hebrews 1 so that we have a frame to understand it in and a context.

But the author lays out three things in particular here that help us to understand his first exhortation in verse 2.

So as we go through this, I want you guys to see this with me.

Often, in a letter, the greeting could be made at the end.

But generally, like you see in the other apostles, they lay out who's writing the letter in the beginning.

Our author doesn't do that here.

Why?

There seems like some stuff that you would be expecting to see that seems strangely absent in the first part.

Remember our theme that I said of holding Christ up.

The author doesn't give his name, his authority.

But he puts somebody else's there first.

So that we see, who does he hold up first?

His first line, he starts with a statement that at first is easy to read right over the top of.

But it is so packed full of meaning that I want us to stop here as we go through Hebrews and see the richness of it.

Because it's going to inform the rest of it and help us to understand it.

We have to put ourselves in the frame of the people that were reading this letter to who was written at first.

The verse says,

There's three contrasts that I want you to see in this verse by itself.

That we're going to look at today.

The first one, you'll notice, is long ago.

It's the when God spoke.

Long ago.

But the comparison is, but now, in these last days, it's easy for us to hear when and only think time, right?

Especially in our linear Western perspective, we hear when and we think yesterday or the day before.

But it also has the connotation, as the King James puts it, I think, better than it is, formerly.

In King James, it translates it, in times past.

There's a sense of time order.

However, the phrase, in these last days, literally reads, on these last of days, there's almost a stop to it.

Because the word used for last, here is the word eschaton.

And in Mark's telling of the parable that Jesus gave, that we read in Matthew, this is the word that Mark uses when he says,

Finally, he sent his son.

Eschaton.

This word we know from extra-biblical sources that by the point of Jesus' day, in Jewish teaching in circles,

this word eschaton had taken on a symbolism for the coming Messianic age.

And that's why I believe Mark uses it, is that he is trying to point out the Messiah Christ.

And here, he uses it as well.

This one, here, is meant to signify, this word is the last of things in an order.

The culmination of.

This would be a finality to it.

That's the last of all, the end.

It's a resolution of that time order and those things being described.

This last of these days, of the days.

What we see here is a finality with this Messianic one that the author is establishing for us.

There's a finality here that God has purposed from the foundation of the world.

In Ephesians 1, 7 and 10, he says,

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses,

according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished on us,

and all wisdom and insight, making known to us the mystery of his will,

according to his purpose,

which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time,

to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

Scripture paints a full picture of when this Messiah would come.

That's it.

We looked back in our Sunday school and we saw all these ways that God spoke to his people.

And the author is laying out for us here that long ago, in many times, many ways,

God spoke to our fathers by the prophets,

but in these last of days, he's spoken by his son.

This would stop them.

Here's the Messiah.

This is the one.

This is the end.

These are the last of the days.

Secondly, I want you guys to notice that he says that many times and in many ways,

this is how God spoke.

This is the when and now this is the how.

As compared to what?

By his son.

The phrase there, many times and many ways, in its simplest,

which means bit by bit or piece by piece.

In lots of ways.

The King James here says that sundry times and in sundry ways.

During Sunday school, we had looked at how God had used visions of his glory.

God had spoken to Moses face to face.

God had sent visions to his prophets.

And always there was signs, there's wonders that accompany.

But we never get a full picture.

We see God's holiness.

And it's plain that those prophets delivered the message that he had for them.

But we only got bits and pieces.

Is what the author is saying here.

We didn't get a whole picture of who God is and what he's like.

But scripture tells us that even those prophets of old were looking forward to Christ.

When Jesus shows himself to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, he says,

And he said to them, O foolish ones and slow to heart,

to believe all that the prophets had spoken.

Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?

And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

And then, if it couldn't be more clear, in Revelation 19.10,

the angel tells John that the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

And then, Peter, in 1 Peter 1.10.12, says,

It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves, but you.

And the things that you have now been announced to through those who preach the gospel.

I'm sorry, preach the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven.

Things into which angels long to look.

So I want you to see that simple contrast.

Before, it was many times.

Many ways.

Bit by bit.

Cloudy.

Uncertain.

We got a glimpse of God.

But it was fire and thick smoke.

We got rumblings and peels of thunder.

But then what's the contrast?

His son.

One voice.

One way.

One time.

It's the son who says,

I am the way, the truth, the life.

No one comes to the Father but by me.

If you had known me, you would have known my Father also.

Clear.

Unveiled.

Christ before us.

The other contrast I want to see in there is by whom God spoke.

Before it was by prophets.

Now it's by his son.

Today and for the rest of our sermon, I want to unpack a little bit more of the method, the by part.

And then next time I get to preach, we're going to look at the whom a little deeper.

But in his closing to the church in Rome and probably much the same Christians,

Paul says,

Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ,

according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages,

but has now been disclosed.

So there's,

we see this working with the scriptures that we already saw,

that all those prophets were looking forward to Christ and pointing forward to Christ.

But there's a full unpacking of the mystery of what God would do in the person and work of Christ.

Paul starts to make plain what he means in mystery,

in Colossians, when he says,

Of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that is given to me for you,

to make the word of God fully known,

the mystery hidden for ages and generations, but now revealed to his saints.

To them God chose to make known

how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of his mystery,

which is Christ in you,

the hope of glory.

And then he clarifies even more when he tells them that his desire for them is that they would reach all the riches of the full assurance of understanding

and the knowledge of God's mystery,

which is Christ.

And then in 1 Timothy 2, 5 and 6,

Paul says,

For there is one mediator between God and man.

Remember we looked at the mediation of Moses.

We saw that.

We saw God mediating his word through Isaiah and through Ezekiel.

But now he says,

The man, Jesus Christ, who gave himself as a ransom for all,

which is the testimony given at the proper time.

So for these Hebrews,

this introduction would serve to point them right to Christ.

First and foremost,

that's where the author heads.

When being presented with all the possibility of turning aside and going back,

he stops them with this idea

that they would be familiar with,

but points it right to the one.

This is it.

These are the last of days.

Truly,

the Messiah is here.

These are it.

The Messiah has come.

The Messiah has come.

That is all.

There's no need for further speaking from God.

Nothing's lacking.

There is no other word.

Nothing more to look for.

Nothing to go back to.

Nothing more to add.

Christ is the pinnacle of God speaking to his people.

The gospel of Jesus Christ is the fullness of the mystery of God.

Everything that had been proclaimed to all of God's people in ages past,

this is the end.

This is the end.

Here's that end mark.

God has spoken by his son.

God has spoken.

God has spoken.

God has spoken.

This is the perfect word of God.

Finally, he's spoken.

as opposed to times past.

Singularly he's spoken

as opposed to bit by bit

and by his son

as opposed to by prophets.

No one who seeks to add anything

to what God has spoken

can come away

and not have to deal with this.

Any other voice that claims

to be coming from God

and speaking a better word

is saying that they are speaking

a better word spoken by his son.

By holding up the supremacy of Christ

being the final word spoken by God

it leaves us in a spot

where all else is cut off.

What else is there to turn to?

What else is there to turn aside to?

If this is the word of God

given in his son.

In John, Jesus says

in John 5.38

he says

and you do not have

his word abiding in you

for you do not believe

the one he has sent.

You search the scriptures

because you think

that in them you have eternal life

and it is they

who bear witness about me.

Yet you refuse to come to me

that you may have life.

There's no way

we can go and dabble

in a Christless religion

and walk by this verse

and not be confronted

with an emptiness

to what we'd be playing with.

What worth is there

if it's not

in the fully spoken word of God?

I don't know

all of you

and where you all stand

with the Lord

but if you're sitting here

and you're waiting

for God to speak to you

he has.

Maybe you're unsure

that he exists

and you're waiting

for him to show you

that he's real

what he's like

he did.

Maybe you're not sure

who he is

and who

who he has

in relation to you

what he's supposed to be.

You have only to look at Christ.

When Philip

is there with Jesus

at the last supper

and he says

show us the Father

and it's enough for us.

Just show us God

and that'd be alright.

Jesus says

have I been with you

so long

and you do not know me?

Whoever has seen me

has seen the Father.

Friend

if that's you

come now to Christ.

He is the final word

you are going to get

from God.

come to Christ

simply trusting

that this is how

God has spoken to man.

We looked at

and it was

brought out by several

in Sunday school

how all those ways

that God spoke

it was God

who instituted it.

It was God

who initiated it.

God is holy

and he speaks to people

as he will.

He started it.

you are coming

and humbly agreeing

with scripture

that God has provided

that you can know him

and it begins

with faith

in the life

death

burial

resurrection

and ascension

of Christ.

He lived the life

that God required

of you.

his death

paid the penalty

for the sin

that keeps you

from him

and his resurrection

gives you the hope

that you will see him.

If you will not

come humbly

to Christ

what is there

else for you?

If you will not

your rejection

of him

is actually

rebellion

to God

because God

has spoken

to us

he chooses

he is holy

he has sent us

his son

and beloved

of Christ

this then

puts us

to how do we

portray Christ

to others

when we speak

of him

if we shy

away from

speaking the gospel

and we don't

ever bring

Christ

we actually

deny God

speaking

if this is

how he

has put

in these

last of days

this final

this end cap

and spoken

by his son

while we

profess Christ

do we put

Christ

forth

to others

I know

for myself

often times

it's easy

to talk

to co-workers

to friends

about all sorts

of stuff

and even try

and point

them to God's

truth

but if we

don't bring

Christ

we're not

agreeing

with God

he has

spoken

he decides

are we

quick

to speak

about God's

love

but never

hold up

the cross

of Christ

where God

put that

on display

in the most

vivid way

possible

do we

speak

to our

friends

and our

family

about coming

to God

for

his healing

his comfort

but never

show them

his physician

do not

forget

there's no

clear

fuller

picture

of who

God

is

and what

he is

like

than in

the full

person

and work

of Christ

see we

have to

remember

as we go

through this

that this

letter is

written

to those

in the

church

it's

easy

to say

this

to those

outside

but God

knows that

we still

need this

there are

so many

voices out

there calling

regularly

for our

attention

but if

God has

spoken

fully

and perfectly

in his

son

what are

we listening

to

what has

our ear

what's

clamoring

for our

attention

are you

satisfied

with lesser

things

maybe

your love

has grown

cold

where are

you looking

maybe

even

in those

subtle

sneaky

crafty

ways

of our

enemy

you know

a lot

about the

Bible

you love

listening to

doctrine

but has

it driven

you closer

to Christ

of late

do you

see him

more clearly

don't forget

its aim

may it

cause you

to see

him

we are

regularly

put forward

with things

to turn us

aside from

following

Christ

go to

God's

word

sit at

the foot

of Christ

and listen

to him

I wanted

to read

for you

the words

of Christ

for this

reason

he says

truly

truly

I say

to you

the son

can do

nothing

of his

own

accord

but only

what he

sees

the father

doing

for whatever

the father

does

that the

son does

likewise

for the

father

loves

the son

and shows

him

all that

he himself

is doing

and greater

works than

these

will he

show him

so that

you

may marvel

for as the

father raises

the dead

and gives

them life

so also

the son

gives life

to whom

he will

brothers and

sisters

there is

nothing

left to

turn aside

to

that as

we go

through

Hebrews

and we

get to

study

this

letter

to

Christians

that are

really

much the

same

politics

that we

are

when we

come to

the word

there's

really

two

responses

that we

have

is to

be cut

with

conviction

when God

shows us

our need

of him

and those

things that

have turned

us aside

from seeing

the supremacy

of Christ

and the

other side

of that

coin is

to see

him and

rejoice

so my

prayer as

we go

through

Hebrews

together

is that

he would

hold up

Christ

before our

eyes

God

that

he would

be

glorious

to us

that

everything

else

would

become

pale

my

prayers

that

God

would

work

in

each

of

us

a

measure

of

both

may he

turn

our

eyes

fixed

to

Christ

let me

pray for

us

!

Heavenly

Father

Lord

you are

so good

that you

the holy

would step

down

and speak

to men

that the

word would

take on

flesh

and dwell

among us

that you

would show

your people

the full

picture of

you and the

glorious face

of Christ

Lord I pray

for all of us

here today

for those

that do not

know you

yet

that you

would

create in

them a

hunger to

where they

can turn

nowhere else

but only

find their

satisfaction

in you

Lord I pray

for your

church

that you

would preserve

us

by your

word

that this

word from

you

Christ

on full

display

would be

to us

sweeter

than honey

that we

could not

turn aside

to anything

else

that you

would capture

Lord the

thoughts and

the affections

of our

hearts

oh Christ

there is

none like

you

Holy Spirit

I pray that

you help us

to do this

it is in

your son's

name Lord

that I pray

all of this

amen