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Sermon 38

Sermon by Keith Bateson on Sunday 6th August 2006

 

Series -: Hebrews  – Jesus is the Greatest

 

           

Click here for the Bible reading :-           BibleGateway.com - Passage Lookup: Hebrews 1:5-14

                                                            BibleGateway.com - Passage Lookup: Hebrews 2:1-18

 

Opening Prayer

Lord, open your word to our hearts, and our hearts to your word, in your Spirit’s power.  Amen.

 

Introduction

Brief recap

This is the second of series about Hebrews.

Liz taught us

… letter to a backsliding friend

… persecution making pressure to backslide—into Judaism (because, unlike Christianity, Judaism was tolerated in the Roman empire)

… Jesus is unique

… High priest/sacrifice is unique to Hebrews

 

Angels

These chapters talk a lot about angels.   The Jews believed in angels—powerful spirit beings who serve God, and can interact with this world.  You can see the sort of thing in the book of Tobit in the apocrypha (‘the apocrypha’ is those Jewish books that didn’t make it into the Bible but are regarded as instructive). 

 

The actual word ‘angel’ mainly means ‘messenger’, one sent to bring God’s message.  Angels are mentioned 117 times in the Old Testament.  They are mentioned 107 times in the New Testament apart from the book of Revelation, and 81 times in Revelation.  The Bible believes in angels.  This book, Hebrews, has that intriguing verse about ‘entertaining angels unawares’.  Angels are wonderful, agrees the writer to the Hebrews—“14Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?”

 

Here’s a story—I can’t vouch for its truth, but it is claimed to be true.

“Dodie Gadient, a schoolteacher for thirteen years, decided to travel across America and see the sights she had taught about.  Travelling alone in a lorry with caravan in tow, she launched out.  One afternoon rounding a curve on interstate highway I-5 near Sacramento in rush-hour traffic, a water pump broke down on her lorry.  She was tired, exasperated, scared, and alone.  In spite of the traffic jam she caused, no one seemed interested in helping.    Leaning up against the caravan, she prayed, “Please God, send me an angel... preferably one with mechanical experience.”  Within four minutes, a huge Harley-Davidson drove up, ridden by an enormous man sporting long black hair, a beard, and tattooed arms.  With an incredible air of confidence, he jumped off and, without even glancing at Dodie, went to work on the lorry.  Within another few minutes, he flagged down a larger lorry, attached a tow chain to the frame of the disabled vehicle, and whisked the whole 56-foot rig off the main road onto a side street, where he calmly continued to work on the water pump.   The intimidated schoolteacher was too dumbfounded to talk.  Especially when she read the paralyzing words on the back of his leather jacket:  “Hell’s Angels—California.”  As he finished the task, she finally got up the courage to say, “Thanks so much,” and carry on a brief conversation.   Noticing her surprise at the whole ordeal, he looked her straight in the eye and said, “Don't judge a book by its cover.  You may not know who you're talking to.”  With that, he smiled, closed the bonnet of the lorry, and straddled his Harley.  With a wave, he was gone as fast as he had appeared.”

 

An ‘angel unaware’?   We shouldn’t get hung up on angels, though we shouldn’t doubt their existence.  They are God’s servants and only do His will.

 

Angels are wonderful; the basic message of these two chapters agrees, but its main point is ‘Jesus is the greatest!’  Jesus is the greatest!    “But, but, but,” someone might have objected, “angels don’t die.  Jesus died, so how can he be greater than the angels, let alone God?”

 

The writer deals with this question, but doesn’t start with it.  He starts with the Son.  ‘The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being.’   The writer calls him ‘the Lord’.   He uses the Scriptures (OT) (which were accepted by his readers—this is the letter to the Hebrews after all) to prove that Jesus is

·                    Superior to angels (1:4)

·                    God’s Son (1:5)

·                    Worshipped by angels (1:6)

·                    O Lord… creator (1:10)

·                    The Lord who announces salvation (2:3)

·                    Jesus (at last) (2:9)

·                    Now crowned with glory and honour—because he suffered death! (2:9)

·                    To taste death for everyone (2:9)… and bring many sons (heirs and heiresses) to glory (2:10)

·                    Even though God’s Son, he was made perfect through suffering. (2:10)

·                     

Jesus is the Lord who announces salvation.

 

Salvation

Announced by Christ (2:3)

Christ is its author (2:10)

It involves purification for sins (1:3)

How shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation, asks the writer (2:3)

We need salvation

·                    Jesus did not die for something unnecessary (God wasn’t just showing off).

Salvation is not forced on us

Salvation involves submission (2:8)

·                    [the word ‘Islam’ means submission]

We are ready to submit to someone we trust

Fear of death

·                    [False Evidence Appearing Real]

 

OT v NT Salvation

This salvation is great when compared with that granted to the Jews.  One commentary put it like this:

1.         The Jewish dispensation of salvation was provided for the Jews alone; the Christian dispensation for all mankind.

2.         The Jewish dispensation was full of significant types and ceremonies; the Christian dispensation is the substance of all those types—the real thing.

3.         The Jewish dispensation referred chiefly to the body and outward state of man—washings and external cleansings of the flesh; the Christian, to the inward state—purifying the heart and soul, and purging the conscience from dead works.

4.         The Jewish dispensation promised temporal happiness; the Christian, spiritual.

5.         The Jewish dispensation belonged chiefly to time; the Christian, to both time and eternity.

6.         The Jewish dispensation had its glory; but that was nothing when compared to the exceeding glory of the Gospel.

7.         Moses administered the Jewish dispensation; Jesus Christ, the Creator, Governor, and Saviour of the world, the Christian one.

8.         This is a great salvation, infinitely beyond the Jewish; and how great no tongue or pen can describe.

 

In this salvation:

God speaks to us 1:1,2

Angels serve us 1:14

Signs, wonders, miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed

Put under God 2:8
[not useless doormat, but rightful place of blessing]

Christ has done it

Tasted death for everyone 2:9
bringing many (sons) to glory 2:10
been made perfect through suffering 2:10
makes men holy 2:11
calls us brothers 2:11,12
frees us (from fear of death) 2:15
made atonement for sins 2:17
helps those who are tempted 2:18

Jesus is the greatest!

 

Implications for us

Don’t neglect your salvation

·                    Live with no reference to God

·                    What difference does it make?

·                    [car to illustrate]

 

Look for, and use, the gift/s of the Holy Spirit distributed to you.

Worship Jesus

Dwell on his love for you—and seek his help when you are tempted.

Joy (1:9)

 

Closing Prayer

Father, there is so much in your Word, and it is such a blessing.  Thank you that we can have fellowship with you through your Son, and all the joy of knowing that you love us so much, without our having to deserve it!  Amen

 

 

 

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