Hebrews 1

After reading Paul's steadfast pursuit of the hearts of men and women (Gentiles and Jews) throughout the latter chapters of Acts, and seeing how greatly God showed up to support and lead and direct him, it is time to stop and worship Jesus for Who He is and the book of Hebrews (and particularly chapter1) gives us that opportunity.

What an amazing picture of the risen victorious Savior we have in this book! Having seen the movie "Son of God" last weekend, I am freshly reminded of the total sacrifice it was for Jesus to even leave His throne in heaven to walk our dirty, dusty streets, without a place to call home. But he came to make his home in the hearts of men and He relentlessly pursued the path of pain and anguish that the Father had laid out for him - in order to bring many to His Father. He went open-eyed to the cross, the place of ultimate anguish, to render a sacrifice that would save men - for a relationship with Himself and with His Father. What a Savior! To live and die for men who so quickly reject and abandon you. Who would do such an act of mercy and grace, but Jesus the Son of Man and Son of God?

And who is this Savior? Hebrews 1 spells it out clearly -

God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.

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, having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they.

This is Jesus, God's ultimate Word to the nations. This is Jesus, who sums up the Word of God in His life, His sacrifice, His "words of eternal life" (John 6:63). This is Jesus, who shut the mouths of his critics and stormed the gates of His adversary and put down the rebellion against His Father's love of His creation once and for all. This is Jesus who will ride to victory on a white horse (Rev 19:11-16) as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. This is Jesus whom Paul proclaimed over and over and over to often dull ears, but kept on preaching in the hope that some would be saved.

This Jesus is Heir of all things. He owns it all and graciously shares His inheritance with us (as we'll read in Galatians) as adopted sons and daughters of His Father. This is Jesus who spoke the world into being because it pleased Him to make a home suitable for us and reflective of His Glory. This is Jesus who radiates the Glory of God, both visually and tangibly in how perfectly He obeyed and submitted to His Father's will (Phil 2:5-8). This is Jesus, who Perfectly Represents God, since He is God in the flesh and who perfectly represents man, since He became humbled to be born of man. This Jesus can reconcile men to His Father and to Himself by His perfect sacrifice on the Cross, to satisfy both the Justice and the Mercy of God. This is Jesus who upholds the intricacies of the universe by the Word of His Power. He created the world and He sustains it. Should He so speak it, all the forces that hold all the elements of the world in place, would relax and creation would cease to be. He upholds all things by the Word of His power.

And this is Jesus who in an ultimate act of Love and Grace, made purification for our sins by His death on the cross. He who knew no sin, became sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God. How worthy of worship is this Saviour of ours, how indebted we are to Him for all of our life, for all of our being, for even our existence is upheld by His word.

How can we not worship Him who has demonstrated the great depths of the Person of God? O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! As Moses sang, "For I proclaim the name of The Lord; Ascribe greatness to our God! The Rock! His work is perfect, For all His ways are just; A God of faithfulness and without injustice, Righteous and upright is He."

This is the Jesus who now sits in Glory, having accomplished the mystery of our salvation, our reconnection to our Creator, by His forever-sacrifice, but who also actively advocates for us before the Father. Hebrews 7:25 says that He is "able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through Him, for He always lives to make intercession for them."

Application:

How can we not, with Paul and all who gave their lives to build His Kingdom, fall down and worship Jesus?

• Lord, help us to increasingly understand the depths of your love for us.
• Lord, help us to understand the price you paid to make men free of the slavery of sin.
• Lord, help us to run to you for freedom to live as your bondservants.
• Lord, help us to not go back to the slavery of men's rules or our own empty passions.
• Lord, help us to run to you and to run after your passions, the hearts of men, with a measure of the love you have for them.

God the Holy Spirit, continue to shine the light of truth on the Person of Jesus, so that we can worship Him truly and want to live for Him fully.

Thank you to the Holy Spirit, the writer of Hebrews, for giving us a glimpse of His glory!

 TOM ALBERS | Elder Chairman

Tom committed his life to Christ as a junior in high school in 1975. After moving to Austin in 1995, Tom and Cindy attended Hill Country Bible Church in Cedar Park before becoming part of the HCBC Pflugerville and Hutto Bible church plants. Tom serves as a Small Group Leader and in Youth ministry and in other ministry oversight roles. Tom and Cindy were married in 1986 and are parents to Will, Emily, Clare, Hannah and Nathan and grandparents to Owen.