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Hebrews 1:2-3 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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I invite you to take your copy of God's Word and turn to Hebrews chapter 1.
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Our text for this morning will be Hebrews chapter 1, verses 2 and 3.
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!
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To an unknown and obscure group of Hellenistic Jewish Christians, most likely, probably living
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on the edge of Rome, having been dispersed from Rome, but still living in an urban environment.
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Likely a small group of people having been pressed out of the synagogues, huddled together
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in a house.
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This group of Christians had suffered, and they would suffer.
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We don't know the exact nature of their suffering, but we know it was because of the name of Christ.
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And we get a bit of a taste of it in Hebrews chapter 10, verses 32 and 33.
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The writer of Hebrews says,
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But recall the former days when after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle
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with sufferings.
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Sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners
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with those so treated.
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We read later in Hebrews chapter 12 that none of them had suffered yet to the point of shedding
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blood.
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But the writer of Hebrews seems to be implying there that that day was coming.
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And so the writer of Hebrews very pastorally sends to them a letter that is sermonic in
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format.
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He states a thesis, and he spends the letter defending it.
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And he uses the Scripture to do so.
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The reason we think that he's a Hellenistic Jew, Greek-speaking Jew, and that these Christians
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are Hellenistic, Greek-speaking Jews, is that he cites only from the Septuagint, the Greek
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translation of the Old Testament.
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And he uses it in spades.
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The book of Hebrews is full of the Old Testament texts.
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And one of the reasons that we're studying the book of Hebrews is because the Old Testament,
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the Bible in total, but the Old Testament particularly, is under quite a bit of attack in our day.
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And so we want to talk about both the discontinuity and the continuity between the Old Testament
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and the New.
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This is an eloquent letter.
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William Lane, the respected New Testament scholar, stated the language of Hebrews constitutes
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the finest Greek in the New Testament.
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And the thesis that the author defends is the supremacy and finality of Jesus Christ.
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He states that thesis in the first four verses.
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Last week, we looked at the first verse of chapter one and just a bit of the second verse and saw that the writer of Hebrews
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employs his eloquence to speak of the eloquence of God in the past.
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Verse one says,
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Long ago at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets.
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Many different ways he spoke by the prophets.
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The prophets then in turn relayed the message of God in many ways.
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And this is recorded in the Old Testament text.
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The eloquence of the writer of Hebrews also spoke.
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We saw last week to the eloquence of God in the present, he says at the beginning of verse two.
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But in these last days, he has spoken.
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Praise God.
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In these last days.
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And most think that he's referring to the age of the church.
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And third, we saw the eloquence of God in the person of Christ.
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In these last days, he has spoken to us by or in his son.
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We have a God who speaks in order to make himself known.
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Praise God.
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He is not a silent God.
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He is a speaking God that we might know him.
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He wants to be known.
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And he can be known as he has spoken to us by his son.
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So imagine with me, if you will, once again, if you were here last week for the first time, if not.
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A small, exhausted, suffering church.
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Having been enlightened, having been converted to faith in Jesus Christ, and have found no earthly pleasure from doing so.
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Nothing was going well for them by the standard of the world.
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And they've gathered together.
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They've heard this author has sent a letter to them.
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And they've gathered together to hear its reading and to be encouraged by it.
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Some of you may find this exercise of imagination difficult.
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Because you've not suffered for your faith.
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You've not pursued Christ in a way that makes you pleasant to those who are pursuing him and unpleasant to those who are not.
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Your life looks like the life of the world.
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No one has any need of rejecting you because you look just like them.
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Paul wrote to Timothy in 2 Timothy 3.12.
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Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.
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If it is difficult for you to imagine this, and you are in Christ, if you are resolute to follow him, you will suffer.
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There will come a day, a very soon day, that you will suffer for proclaiming the name of Jesus.
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Some of you, I think many of you, have no difficulty whatsoever imagining being this people, beat down and tired.
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Because you've been faithfully pursuing this Christ.
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You've been sharing him with others.
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And people have not liked you for it.
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You have felt the pressing back of the world as you try to press the light into it.
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But be encouraged this morning by what the writer of Hebrews, God by his pen, would say to you.
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To encourage you to be perseverers to the end.
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So I'll read our text, Hebrews chapter 1, verse 2 and 3.
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Before I do, let me remind you, beloved, that this is God's word to us.
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It was written for his glory and our good.
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And we would all do well to listen to it in order to believe its promises and obey his commands.
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But in these last days, he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things,
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through whom also he created the world.
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He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature.
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And he upholds the universe by the word of his power.
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After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high.
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And there it is.
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The supremacy and finality of Jesus Christ.
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This is, in large, the thesis of this entire book.
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The writer will go on to defend it.
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He is more excellent than anything that you think is excellent.
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Place Christ above that thing because he is supreme and he is final.
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Kent Hughes, who's a contemporary pastor and wrote a really wonderful commentary on the book of Hebrews,
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said this,
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Christ is held up like a great jewel to the sunlight of God's revelation.
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And as the light courses through it, seven facets flash with gleaming brilliance.
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Christ's supremacy and finality is refracted for us to consider.
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So think about this, right?
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The writer of Hebrews is saying Christ is better.
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He is greater.
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He is above all things.
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And he is the final word for how it is we are to know God.
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And this text takes that reality and refracts it,
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splits it into seven things for us to consider together this morning.
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So let's give these seven refractions some titles to help us in our study.
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I'm going to read them to you quickly.
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And then, of course, I'll go through them each one by one with some expedience this morning.
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Christ is number one, inheritor.
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Number two, creator.
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Number three, sustainer.
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Number four, radiator.
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Number five, representer.
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Number six, purifier.
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And number seven, ruler.
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I know you'd stayed with me until representer.
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Number five, representer.
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Number six, purifier.
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Number seven, ruler.
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Number one, Christ is inheritor.
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In these last days, he has spoken to us by his son.
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In the middle there, verse two says, whom he, being God, appointed the heir of all things.
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It follows that because Jesus is the son of God, then he is also the heir of God.
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He will receive the inheritance of God.
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The writer of Hebrews identifies for us Jesus Christ as the anointed and son of Psalm 2,
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when he cites Psalm 2, 7 in verse 5 of chapter 1.
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Here's if you look down just a little bit.
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He's citing here from the Septuagint.
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Psalm 2, 7.
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You are my son.
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Today, I have begotten you.
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Going on in Psalm 2, the psalmist writes in verse 8,
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Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,
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and the ends of the earth your possession.
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So let me read that to you together.
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Hebrews 1, 5, which is Psalm 2, 7, and into verse 8.
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You are my son.
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Today, I have begotten you.
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Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, or inheritance,
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and the ends of the earth your possession.
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So Psalm 2 teaches us that the inheritance of Jesus Christ is the earth and its peoples.
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But Colossians chapter 1 and verse 6 takes us a bit further, doesn't it?
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Oh, verse 16, excuse me.
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That all things, so the cosmos themselves were created for him.
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That's not an accident that the children are learning Colossians 1, 15 through 20 right now.
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But not only that, beloved, if you are in Christ Jesus, then you, specifically you, are his inheritance.
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Through the sacrificial work of Jesus Christ on the cross, he has purchased you,
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and he treasures you as his inheritance.
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In Ephesians chapter 1 and verse 18, Paul tells the Ephesian believers that he always prays that they may know
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what are the riches of his, Christ's, glorious inheritance in the saints.
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Paul prays that the Ephesian believers would understand that they are Christ's inheritance,
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that he treasures them as such.
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What an astounding truth.
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If you are in Christ, then you are treasured by him as in his inheritance.
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But not only are we Christ's inheritance, we are also his co-heirs.
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In Romans chapter 8 and verse 17, Paul calls us heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ.
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So if Christ is the heir of all things, if he's the heir of God, all things belong to him.
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But as followers of Christ, we are found in Christ.
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And so we are also heirs.
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Amazing.
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Paul writes in 1 Corinthians chapter 3 verse 21 and following,
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For all things are yours.
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Whether Paul or Apollos, Cephas or the world, or life or death, or the present, or the future,
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all are yours and you are Christ and Christ is God's.
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He makes the case in the opposite direction.
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Because Christ is God's, then all things are Christ's, and therefore all things are ours.
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Christ is the inheritor.
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Secondly, Christ is the creator.
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It makes sense that he inherits all things that he made.
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The end of verse 2, through whom also he created the world.
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God creating the world through Christ.
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Not only does Christ inherit all things, but he also created them.
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The Greek word here, translated world, is ionas.
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Probably not pronouncing it correctly.
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More literally, ages.
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Ages.
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More literally, ages.
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This is a wonderful word because it includes all things.
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Not only space, but also time.
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It's a very elastic word.
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It means more than just those things that we can see,
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but everything outside of that as well.
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Well, Brooke Foss Westcott, who's a 19th century British theologian,
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defines this Greek word as the sum of the periods of time,
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including all that is manifested in and through them,
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an order which exists through time developed in successive stages.
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He just says in a lot of words,
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the space-time continuum is what he is saying.
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This is what this word means.
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Through Christ, God created the space-time continuum
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and all that is contained within it.
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Astounding.
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An incredible reality.
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People have been guessing for ages
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at how it is that the universe came into existence.
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And they are guesses at best.
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All theories of knowledge have at their base some foundation.
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And for most, they are guesses.
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But for followers of Jesus Christ,
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we know exactly what that foundation is.
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It's Jesus himself.
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He created all things.
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Our universe is astounding.
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I hope the little thing I did with the kids
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was even a bit helpful to you.
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Let's just talk in larger terms.
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Our solar system is part of a galaxy called the Milky Way.
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Our galaxy is an average-sized spiral galaxy
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over 100,000 light-years across.
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It contains thousands of millions of solar systems.
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These numbers are staggering, right?
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It's about 100,000 light-years across,
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which is 600 trillion miles.
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This is a crazy thing.
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This is just our galaxy.
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We can see with modern telescopes
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about 100,000 million galaxies.
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100,000 million galaxies.
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This is just what we can see in the universe
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with modern telescopes.
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Each galaxy contains 100,000 million stars.
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The average distance between these galaxies
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is 3 million light-years.
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It's an astounding reality
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of how big the universe is.
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And theoretic physicists say
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that it's expanding as well.
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This is included in this idea of ages.
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It's ever-expanding.
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What?
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The universe is absolutely astounding.
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And it was created by Christ,
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and it was created for Christ.
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If you have never seen images
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from the Hubble Space Telescope,
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I encourage you to go Google that this afternoon.
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The astounding beauty
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of the world in which we live.
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And it is screaming, right?
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Praise Jesus,
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the maker of all these things.
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The New Testament has quite a bit in it, right?
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Saying this very reality.
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John 1, verse 3.
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All things were made through Him, Christ,
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and without Him was not anything made.
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That was made.
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1 Corinthians 8, 6.
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Yet for us there is one God, the Father,
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from whom are all things,
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and for whom we exist.
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And one Lord, Jesus Christ,
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through whom are all things,
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and through whom we exist.
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Colossians 1, 16 in its totality.
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For by Him all things were created
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in heaven and on earth,
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visible and invisible,
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whether thrones or dominions
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or rulers or authorities,
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all things were created
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through Him and for Him.
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And Romans 11, verse 36.
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For from Him and through Him
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and to Him are all things.
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To Him be glory forever.
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Amen.
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The cosmos were created
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that we might praise Christ.
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Everything that has been made
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was made for Him.
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We, those of us who are in Christ,
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are a new creation.
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We have been made new.
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Created and then recreated new
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for the praise of Christ.
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Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 5, 17.
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For if anyone is in Christ,
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he is a new creation.
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The old has passed away.
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Behold, the new has come.
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So Christ is creator.
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Third, Christ is sustainer.
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Again, verse 3.
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And He upholds the universe.
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Upholds the universe
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by the word of His power.
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Jesus Christ created all things
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and He sustains all things.
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I love that the author of Hebrews
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uses the word upholds.
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Not like Atlas upholding a static globe of stone.
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But He does it with His words.
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And it's not just the earth,
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it's the universe.
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This great expanse that we have just considered.
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He upholds all of this.
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He sustains all of it
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by the word of His power.
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He actively sustains
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by the word of His power.
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This means that Jesus says
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to the world,
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move like this.
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Behave like that.
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Rain here, snow there,
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and the world obeys.
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This means that nothing will cease to do
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exactly as it is told
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until Jesus says
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to do otherwise.
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He says orbit,
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and it orbits
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until He says stop.
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It continues to go
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just the way
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He commands it to go.
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Now,
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I want to go off point
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just for a sec.
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Well, it's on point,
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but just to make your head
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hurt a little bit.
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Many of you know
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that I really love
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Jonathan Edwards.
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Most will say
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he's the greatest theological mind
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that America has ever produced.
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He was rather brilliant,
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and he believed in a doctrine
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called continuous creation.
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And I'm just going to tell you
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a little bit about it
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and let your mind trip a little bit,
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and then we're going to get back
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to what we're talking about.
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But essentially it's this,
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that Jesus is continually
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speaking the world into existence.
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So even now,
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the fact that I exist
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is being sustained by the fact
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that Jesus is causing me to exist
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in successive moments.
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He wrote this.
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It is plain,
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this won't be plain to you,
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it's not to me.
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He says,
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this is Edwards for you,
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it is plain,
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nothing can exert itself
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or operate
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when and where
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it is not existing
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because
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what is past
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entirely ceases
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when present existence begins.
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It does no more
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coexist with it
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than it does
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any other moment
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that it ceased
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20 years ago.
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They don't coexist,
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right?
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And essentially
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what he's saying is
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the past
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does not have the power
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to sustain
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that which is in the present
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or in the future.
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My present self
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doesn't have the ability
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to sustain
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my future self.
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He also said,
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God's upholding
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created substance
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or causing
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his existence
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in each successive
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moment
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is altogether
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equivalent
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to an immediate
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production
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out of nothing.
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He's speaking us
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into existence
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now
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out of nothing
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is what Edwards
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is postulating.
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At each moment
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because its existence
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at this moment
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is not merely
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in part from God
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but wholly from him
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and not in any part
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or degree
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from its antecedent existence.
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So exactly what he's saying is
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if Jesus were to stop speaking
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we would also cease to exist.
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That's hard to wrap
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your mind around.
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Edwards apparently
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had.
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That doesn't necessarily
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make it true
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but
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isn't it incredible
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to think
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about the very nature
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by which
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Jesus sustains
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the world
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by the word
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of his power.
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Whether or not
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this continuing
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creation
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thing is a reality
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doesn't
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minimize
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the fact
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that Jesus
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is upholding
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what is happening
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now
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is happening
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because
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of Jesus'
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mighty word.
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It's because
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of his sustaining
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work
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that we have
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our life
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and our being.
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If Jesus Christ
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has the power
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to sustain
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the world
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which he does
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then he
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also
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has the power
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to sustain
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our faith.
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Having made us
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new creations
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he has the power
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to continue
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in us
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this
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new
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creation.
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This is why
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Paul was able
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to say
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with such
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confidence
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to the
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Philippian
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believers
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in chapter 1
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verse 6
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of Philippians
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I am sure
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of this
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that he who
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began a good
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work in you
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will bring it
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to completion
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at the day
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of Christ.
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Nothing
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escapes him
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everything
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is upheld
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by the word
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of his power
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including
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our faith.
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What a confidence
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we have
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in our pursuit
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of him.
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Fourth
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Christ is
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radiator.
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Christ is
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radiator.
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He is the
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radiance
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of the glory
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of God.
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And
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he is the
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radiance
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of the glory
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of God.
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Radiance
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here
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in the
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English Standard
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Version
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is a
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better
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translation
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than the
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oft-used
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reflection.
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Some of you
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may have a
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Bible translation
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that says
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reflection
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and that
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doesn't make
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it a bad
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translation
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necessarily
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but in
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this case
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the word
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radiance
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is a
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better word
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for what's
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trying to be
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communicated
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here
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because the
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moon
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reflects the
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light of
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the sun
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the sun
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radiates
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that
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light.
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Jesus does
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not merely
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reflect
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God's
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glory.
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He is
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part and
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parcel
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of
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God's
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glory.
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This is
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speaking to
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Jesus'
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very being.
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He is
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the
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radiance
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of the
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glory
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of God.
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We are
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created
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as
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creation
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to reflect
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God's
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glory.
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But
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Christ
27:56
as
27:56
creator
27:57
is
27:57
part
27:58
and
27:58
parcel
27:58
of
27:59
God's
28:00
glory.
28:02
John
28:03
chapter 1
28:03
verse 18
28:04
no one
28:04
has ever
28:04
seen
28:04
God
28:05
the only
28:05
God
28:06
referring
28:06
to
28:07
Jesus
28:07
who is
28:08
at the
28:08
Father's
28:09
side.
28:09
He
28:10
has
28:10
made
28:10
him
28:11
known.
28:12
Right?
28:13
Radiated
28:14
him
28:14
out
28:16
to us.
28:17
Jesus
28:18
is
28:19
God.
28:21
I'm
28:22
always
28:22
looking
28:22
with the
28:23
children
28:23
for the
28:23
specific
28:23
answer
28:24
of
28:24
Jesus
28:25
and
28:25
when
28:25
I
28:25
say
28:25
God
28:25
I
28:25
go
28:26
yeah.
28:27
Right?
28:27
Yes.
28:28
Because
28:28
Jesus
28:28
is
28:29
God.
28:32
The
28:32
Nicene
28:33
Creed
28:33
325
28:34
AD
28:35
this is
28:35
on
28:36
your
28:38
bulletin
28:38
this little
28:39
excerpt
28:40
from it
28:40
says
28:43
we
28:43
believe
28:43
in
28:43
one
28:44
Lord
28:44
Jesus
28:45
Christ
28:45
the
28:46
only
28:46
Son
28:47
of
28:47
God
28:47
begotten
28:48
from the
28:48
Father
28:48
before
28:48
all
28:49
ages
28:49
God
28:50
from
28:51
God
28:52
light
28:53
from
28:53
light
28:54
true
28:55
God
28:56
from
28:56
true
28:57
God
28:58
begotten
28:58
not
28:59
made
28:59
of
29:00
the
29:00
same
29:00
essence
29:01
as
29:02
the
29:03
Father
29:03
this
29:04
is
29:04
what
29:04
they're
29:04
communicating
29:05
right?
29:06
This
29:06
is
29:06
an
29:07
expansion
29:08
of
29:08
this
29:09
idea
29:09
of
29:09
Jesus
29:10
being
29:10
the
29:10
radiance
29:11
of
29:11
the
29:11
glory
29:12
of
29:12
God
29:13
right?
29:13
He
29:14
is
29:14
God
29:14
himself
29:15
so
29:15
when
29:16
we
29:16
see
29:16
Jesus
29:17
we
29:18
see
29:18
God
29:20
Colossians
29:23
chapter
29:23
1
29:23
beginning
29:24
of
29:24
verse
29:24
15
29:25
Jesus
29:26
is
29:27
the
29:27
image
29:28
of
29:29
the
29:29
invisible
29:30
God
29:31
so
29:33
Christ
29:33
is
29:33
radiator
29:33
Christ
29:34
is
29:34
also
29:35
fifthly
29:36
representer
29:38
the
29:41
middle
29:41
there
29:42
verse
29:42
3
29:42
says
29:43
and
29:43
the
29:43
exact
29:44
imprint
29:44
of
29:46
his
29:46
nature
29:46
and
29:48
this
29:48
phrase
29:48
balances
29:49
out
29:50
the
29:50
previous
29:50
phrase
29:52
Christ
29:53
as
29:53
radiator
29:54
and
29:54
representer
29:55
Jesus
29:57
is
29:57
God's
29:57
radiance
29:58
speaks
29:58
to
29:58
his
29:59
oneness
29:59
with
29:59
the
30:00
father
30:00
Jesus
30:00
is
30:01
God
30:01
Jesus
30:02
as
30:02
God's
30:03
representer
30:04
or
30:04
imprint
30:05
speaks
30:06
to
30:07
his
30:07
distinctness
30:08
as
30:09
the
30:09
son
30:09
so
30:11
the
30:11
author
30:12
of
30:12
Hebrews
30:12
gives
30:13
us
30:13
a
30:13
taste
30:14
an
30:14
inkling
30:15
of
30:15
the
30:15
mystery
30:16
that
30:16
is
30:17
the
30:17
trinitarian
30:18
nature
30:18
of
30:19
God
30:19
it
30:22
is
30:22
a
30:22
confusing
30:23
thing
30:23
to
30:23
think
30:23
about
30:24
God
30:24
as
30:24
one
30:25
but
30:25
three
30:26
in
30:26
one
30:26
it
30:27
is
30:27
a
30:28
thing
30:28
that
30:28
we
30:28
cannot
30:29
in
30:29
our
30:29
fight
30:30
knightness
30:30
fully
30:31
understand
30:32
every
30:32
analogy
30:33
I
30:33
have
30:33
ever
30:34
heard
30:34
is
30:35
woefully
30:35
lacking
30:36
to
30:36
this
30:37
come
30:37
and
30:37
tell
30:37
me
30:38
your
30:38
analogies
30:38
later
30:39
and
30:39
if
30:39
you
30:39
have
30:39
one
30:40
I
30:40
will
30:40
appreciate
30:40
it
30:41
likely
30:41
I
30:42
will
30:42
say
30:42
nope
30:42
and
30:43
here's
30:43
why
30:44
the
30:44
apple
30:44
doesn't
30:44
work
30:45
states
30:46
of
30:46
water
30:46
doesn't
30:47
work
30:47
he
30:48
is
30:48
always
30:49
existing
30:49
in
30:49
one
30:50
but
30:50
he
30:50
is
30:50
also
30:50
always
30:51
existing
30:51
as
30:51
three
30:52
in
30:52
one
30:53
but
30:54
beloved
30:54
this
30:55
should
30:55
move
30:55
us
30:56
toward
30:56
odd
30:57
speculation
30:58
some
30:59
kind
30:59
of
30:59
criticism
31:00
of
31:00
it
31:01
but
31:02
wow
31:03
who
31:04
is
31:04
this
31:05
God
31:05
a
31:06
God
31:06
who's
31:06
one
31:06
but
31:06
is
31:06
three
31:07
in
31:07
one
31:07
this
31:09
is a
31:09
mystery
31:09
that
31:09
I
31:09
hope
31:10
that
31:10
you
31:10
with
31:10
me
31:10
look
31:11
forward
31:11
to
31:11
having
31:11
unraveled
31:12
for us
31:13
in
31:13
glory
31:14
fully
31:15
comprehending
31:16
the
31:17
trinitarian
31:17
nature
31:18
of God
31:20
what an
31:20
incredible
31:21
thing
31:21
to
31:22
understand
31:23
right
31:24
so
31:24
Christ
31:25
is
31:25
God
31:26
but
31:26
he
31:26
is
31:26
also
31:26
distinct
31:27
from
31:28
God
31:29
the
31:29
father
31:29
as
31:30
God
31:30
the
31:31
son
31:32
he
31:32
is
31:33
an
31:33
imprint
31:33
and
31:34
this
31:35
refers
31:35
as
31:35
phrase
31:36
to
31:36
the
31:36
image
31:36
on
31:36
a
31:37
coin
31:37
made
31:38
by
31:38
a
31:38
die
31:39
a
31:39
stamp
31:39
right
31:40
the
31:40
image
31:40
stamped
31:41
onto
31:41
a
31:42
coin
31:43
once
31:43
again
31:43
when
31:43
we
31:44
see
31:44
Jesus
31:45
we
31:45
see
31:46
God
31:47
we
31:48
know
31:48
how
31:48
God
31:48
thinks
31:49
we
31:49
know
31:49
how
31:49
God
31:50
speaks
31:50
we
31:51
know
31:51
how
31:51
God
31:51
feels
31:52
we
31:53
know
31:53
how
31:54
he
31:54
relates
31:54
!
31:55
to
31:55
mankind
31:55
God
31:57
has
31:58
spoken
31:58
to
31:59
us
31:59
by
32:00
his
32:01
son
32:01
in
32:02
these
32:02
last
32:02
days
32:03
Christ
32:04
is
32:04
representer
32:05
six
32:07
Christ
32:08
is
32:08
purifier
32:09
Christ
32:14
is
32:14
purifier
32:14
after
32:16
making
32:17
purification
32:18
for
32:19
sins
32:20
our text
32:20
says
32:21
Christ
32:22
made
32:23
purification
32:24
for
32:25
sins
32:26
Jesus
32:27
Christ
32:27
is
32:28
the
32:30
supreme
32:30
priest
32:32
mediator
32:33
between
32:34
God
32:34
and
32:35
man
32:36
he
32:37
was
32:37
the
32:37
agent
32:38
of
32:38
the
32:38
purification
32:39
for
32:39
our
32:39
sins
32:40
and
32:41
he
32:42
was
32:42
the
32:42
sacrifice
32:43
necessary
32:44
for
32:44
that
32:44
purification
32:45
he
32:46
offered
32:46
up
32:47
himself
32:48
he
32:49
is
32:50
the
32:50
supreme
32:50
priest
32:51
and
32:52
the
32:53
final
32:53
priest
32:54
priest
32:56
the
32:56
author
32:56
of
32:57
Hebrews
32:57
will
32:57
go
32:57
on
32:57
to
32:58
expand
32:58
on
32:58
both
32:59
of
32:59
those
32:59
realities
33:00
quite
33:00
extensively
33:01
we'll
33:01
get to
33:01
spend
33:01
a lot
33:02
of
33:02
time
33:03
thinking
33:03
about
33:03
this
33:04
together
33:05
in the
33:05
coming
33:06
months
33:06
but let
33:07
me read
33:07
to you
33:07
from
33:07
Hebrews
33:07
chapter
33:08
10
33:08
beginning
33:08
in
33:09
verse
33:09
11
33:09
and
33:10
following
33:10
the
33:12
author
33:12
says
33:12
and
33:12
every
33:12
priest
33:13
stands
33:14
daily
33:16
at his
33:16
service
33:17
offering
33:18
repeatedly
33:19
the same
33:20
sacrifices
33:21
which can
33:22
never take
33:22
away
33:23
sins
33:24
they're
33:25
insufficient
33:25
for
33:26
that
33:27
task
33:27
and so
33:28
verse 11
33:29
says
33:29
the priest
33:30
is constantly
33:30
doing this
33:31
work
33:31
right
33:32
this work
33:33
that isn't
33:34
sufficient
33:34
to take
33:34
away
33:35
to be
33:35
a finished
33:36
work
33:36
it's not
33:37
sufficient
33:37
for that
33:37
so it
33:37
has to
33:38
go on
33:38
and on
33:39
and on
33:40
and in
33:40
verse 12
33:41
the author
33:42
says
33:42
but when
33:42
christ
33:43
had
33:43
offered
33:43
for all
33:45
time
33:45
a single
33:47
sacrifice
33:48
for sins
33:49
he sat
33:50
down
33:50
at the
33:51
right hand
33:51
of god
33:52
waiting
33:53
from that
33:53
time
33:53
until his
33:54
enemy
33:54
should be
33:55
made a
33:55
footstool
33:55
for his
33:56
feet
33:57
for by a
33:58
single
33:59
offering
33:59
he has
34:00
perfected
34:00
for all
34:01
time
34:01
those
34:02
who are
34:03
being
34:03
sanctified
34:04
his
34:05
sacrifice
34:06
was a
34:07
complete
34:07
and final
34:08
sacrifice
34:09
for god's
34:11
people
34:11
for all
34:12
time
34:13
this is an
34:14
astounding
34:14
reality
34:15
right
34:16
what the
34:17
author of
34:17
hebrews is
34:17
trying to
34:18
explain
34:18
to his
34:20
original
34:20
audience
34:20
and to
34:21
us
34:21
is all
34:22
that's
34:22
encapsulated
34:24
in jesus's
34:25
final word
34:26
recorded in
34:26
john
34:26
chapter
34:27
19
34:28
it
34:29
is
34:30
finished
34:31
the
34:32
sacrificial
34:33
work that
34:34
was necessary
34:34
to atone
34:35
for our
34:36
sins
34:36
to purify
34:37
us
34:37
that we
34:38
might be
34:38
in
34:38
relationship
34:39
with god
34:39
is
34:40
finished
34:41
when christ
34:42
died
34:42
on the
34:42
cross
34:43
right
34:43
he paid
34:43
the full
34:44
penalty
34:45
he was
34:46
the
34:46
sufficient
34:47
sacrifice
34:48
romans
34:51
6 10
34:51
paul says
34:52
for the
34:53
death
34:53
he died
34:54
he died
34:55
to sin
34:56
once
34:57
for all
34:59
a fully
35:01
sufficient
35:01
sacrifice
35:02
to accomplish
35:02
exactly
35:03
that which
35:04
it's intended
35:04
to accomplish
35:05
right
35:06
the salvation
35:06
of god's
35:07
church
35:07
for the
35:08
death
35:08
he died
35:08
to sin
35:09
once
35:10
for all
35:12
and then
35:13
paul in all
35:15
his inspired
35:16
brilliance
35:16
says but the
35:17
life he lives
35:18
right
35:19
he didn't
35:19
stay dead
35:19
but the
35:20
life he
35:20
lives
35:21
he lives
35:22
to god
35:24
right
35:24
toward god
35:25
for the
35:25
glory of
35:26
god
35:27
as he's
35:28
now
35:29
ascended
35:30
and seated
35:31
at his
35:32
right hand
35:33
so christ
35:34
is
35:35
purifier
35:36
this
35:38
speaks to
35:39
us
35:39
and it
35:40
should
35:40
speak
35:40
loudly
35:41
to us
35:41
about our
35:43
need of
35:43
him
35:44
if we're
35:45
ever to be
35:45
found right
35:46
with god
35:47
you've ever
35:48
felt the
35:48
weight of
35:49
your sin
35:50
carried the
35:51
guilt of
35:51
it as
35:52
you should
35:52
because you
35:53
are guilty
35:54
of your
35:54
sin
35:56
it should
35:57
cause us
35:58
to cry
35:58
out
35:59
for the
36:00
perfect
36:00
once for
36:01
all work
36:02
of christ
36:03
this
36:05
should
36:05
if we
36:06
are the
36:06
new
36:07
creation
36:07
cause us
36:10
to love
36:10
god's
36:11
sustaining
36:11
grace to
36:12
us
36:12
in christ
36:14
if we've
36:15
yet to
36:16
receive
36:16
this
36:17
mercy
36:17
it should
36:19
cause us
36:20
to flee
36:20
to christ
36:21
the perfect
36:23
sacrifice
36:24
christ is
36:26
purifier
36:28
and lastly
36:30
christ is
36:31
ruler
36:32
christ is
36:34
ruler
36:34
having been
36:37
sacrificed
36:37
once for
36:38
all
36:38
raised on
36:40
the third
36:40
day
36:40
he ascended
36:42
and he
36:43
sat down
36:45
our text
36:45
says he
36:45
sat down
36:47
at the
36:47
right hand
36:48
of the
36:49
majesty
36:49
on high
36:51
jesus christ
36:52
does not
36:53
have to
36:53
work as
36:54
the
36:54
levitical
36:54
priests
36:55
work
36:56
as i
36:57
said they
36:57
never
36:58
sat
36:58
they
36:59
were
36:59
continually
36:59
making
37:00
sacrifice
37:01
for the
37:01
sins
37:02
of israel
37:03
and all
37:04
of the
37:04
careful
37:04
instruction
37:05
for the
37:05
tabernacle
37:06
and then
37:06
the temple
37:07
there were
37:07
never
37:07
seats
37:08
there's
37:08
no need
37:09
for seats
37:09
if you
37:10
were working
37:11
in the
37:11
temple
37:11
you were
37:12
making
37:12
sacrifice
37:12
when you
37:14
cocked out
37:14
you went
37:15
home
37:15
but when
37:16
you were
37:16
there
37:17
you were
37:17
constantly
37:18
making
37:18
sacrifice
37:20
the writer
37:22
of hebrews
37:22
words are
37:24
absolutely
37:25
astonishing
37:26
here
37:26
don't
37:27
let this
37:28
be lost
37:28
on you
37:29
21st century
37:31
american christians
37:32
his original
37:34
listeners would
37:35
have taken
37:35
such courage
37:37
from this
37:38
phrase
37:38
he sat
37:39
down at
37:40
the right
37:40
hand of
37:41
the majesty
37:42
on high
37:43
this is
37:44
massively
37:45
significant
37:47
they would
37:48
have remembered
37:49
at the
37:50
opening of
37:50
this letter
37:51
that jesus
37:52
is
37:52
sacrificial
37:53
work
37:54
is
37:55
finished
37:56
all that
37:57
it guarantees
37:58
will happen
38:01
because
38:01
it's
38:02
finished
38:03
all the
38:04
promises
38:05
of god
38:05
find their
38:06
yes
38:07
in christ
38:09
it
38:10
is
38:11
finished
38:12
this is
38:13
massively
38:14
significant
38:16
paul wrote
38:18
in romans
38:19
chapter 3
38:20
verse 21
38:20
and 22
38:21
but now
38:21
the righteousness
38:22
of god
38:23
has been
38:24
manifested
38:24
apart from
38:25
the law
38:25
although the
38:26
law
38:26
and the
38:27
prophets
38:27
bear witness
38:28
to it
38:28
there's the
38:30
continuity
38:30
of the
38:31
old testament
38:31
and the
38:32
reason we
38:32
should
38:33
still use
38:33
it
38:34
the righteousness
38:36
of god
38:36
through faith
38:37
in jesus
38:37
christ
38:38
for all
38:39
who believe
38:41
finished
38:43
work
38:43
and now
38:44
we believe
38:45
in this
38:46
finished
38:46
work
38:47
and we're
38:47
granted
38:48
the
38:48
righteousness
38:48
of christ
38:50
it is of
38:52
great significance
38:52
that jesus
38:53
is at the
38:54
right hand
38:54
of the
38:55
majesty
38:55
on high
38:56
the right
38:57
hand
38:58
was the
38:58
place
38:59
of highest
38:59
honor
39:00
and
39:01
power
39:02
paul writes
39:04
in ephesians
39:04
4 10
39:05
right as a
39:06
as a
39:06
parenthetical
39:07
he who
39:08
descended
39:08
being christ
39:10
is the one
39:10
who also
39:11
ascended
39:12
far above
39:12
all the
39:13
heavens
39:14
that he
39:15
might
39:15
fill
39:16
all
39:17
things
39:18
right
39:19
bring to
39:20
pass
39:21
everything
39:22
that his
39:23
death and
39:24
resurrection
39:24
guaranteed
39:25
would come
39:26
to pass
39:27
that he
39:28
would finish
39:28
the work
39:29
of the
39:30
church
39:30
and bring
39:31
heaven
39:32
down to
39:33
earth
39:33
in jesus's
39:36
session
39:36
sitting at
39:38
the right
39:38
hand
39:38
paul tells
39:40
us something
39:41
that he is
39:41
doing
39:42
specifically
39:43
for those
39:44
who believe
39:45
in him
39:46
so if you've
39:46
yet to be
39:47
encouraged
39:48
i hope you'll
39:49
find this of
39:50
great encouragement
39:51
to you
39:52
i know
39:53
that these
39:54
listeners of
39:55
this letter
39:56
would have
39:56
taken great
39:57
courage from
39:58
it they
39:58
would have
39:58
pressed on
39:59
they would
39:59
have
39:59
persevered to
40:00
the end
40:01
as they
40:01
heard just
40:02
these opening
40:03
comments
40:04
from the author
40:05
of this letter
40:06
paul tells
40:09
us romans
40:09
chapter 8
40:10
verse 31
40:11
and following
40:12
just after a
40:13
grand explanation
40:14
of god's
40:15
elective
40:16
purposes
40:17
what then
40:19
shall we
40:19
say to
40:20
these
40:20
things
40:21
if god
40:23
is for
40:23
us
40:23
who can
40:25
be against
40:25
us
40:26
he who
40:29
did not
40:29
spare his
40:30
own son
40:30
but gave
40:31
him up
40:31
for us
40:31
all
40:32
how will
40:32
he not
40:33
also
40:33
with him
40:34
graciously
40:35
give us
40:36
all
40:36
things
40:38
who can
40:39
bring any
40:39
charge against
40:40
god's
40:41
elect
40:41
it is
40:42
god who
40:43
justifies
40:43
who is
40:45
to condemn
40:45
christ jesus
40:47
is the one
40:48
who died
40:48
more than
40:49
that
40:50
who was
40:50
raised
40:51
who is at
40:52
the right
40:53
hand of
40:53
god
40:53
so here's
40:54
this language
40:54
again
40:55
right
40:55
seated
40:56
at the
40:57
right hand
40:58
of god
40:59
and then paul
41:00
says
41:01
who indeed
41:02
is interceding
41:03
for us
41:05
beloved he is
41:07
praying
41:07
for us
41:09
he is
41:09
speaking
41:10
on our
41:11
behalf
41:11
to god
41:13
this is
41:14
astounding
41:15
astounding
41:16
truth
41:18
as he is
41:19
the ruler
41:19
and bringing
41:19
all things
41:21
to pass
41:21
he's doing
41:22
so by the
41:23
power of
41:23
spirit in
41:23
his people
41:24
and he is
41:24
praying
41:25
for us
41:26
so christ
41:28
is
41:29
inheritor
41:31
creator
41:32
sustainer
41:33
radiator
41:34
representer
41:35
purifier
41:36
and ruler
41:38
i hope you're
41:40
seeing the
41:41
supremacy
41:42
and the
41:43
finality
41:44
of jesus
41:45
christ
41:46
right
41:46
this is the
41:48
theme
41:48
right
41:49
this is the
41:50
ark
41:50
that's going
41:50
to rest
41:51
over the
41:52
top of
41:52
this
41:52
entire
41:53
letter
41:54
we're
41:54
going to
41:54
continue
41:54
to develop
41:55
it out
41:56
further
41:57
in the
41:58
coming
41:58
month
41:59
in closing
42:00
let me
42:01
repeat to
42:01
you my
42:02
hope for
42:02
our study
42:03
of the
42:03
book of
42:04
hebrews
42:04
number one
42:06
that we
42:07
would greater
42:08
appreciate
42:09
both the
42:10
continuity
42:10
and the
42:11
discontinuity
42:12
of the
42:13
old and
42:14
new
42:14
covenants
42:15
and therefore
42:16
the old and
42:17
new testaments
42:18
that our
42:19
scripture
42:20
right
42:21
the canon
42:21
all 66
42:22
books of it
42:23
will become
42:23
more precious
42:24
to us
42:24
as we study
42:25
this book
42:25
of the
42:25
bible
42:26
together
42:27
that it
42:28
would be
42:28
greater
42:29
concreted
42:30
in our
42:30
hearts
42:31
right
42:32
that this
42:32
is god's
42:33
inspired
42:34
inerrant
42:35
authoritative
42:36
sufficient
42:37
word
42:38
to us
42:38
and second
42:40
that we
42:41
would greater
42:42
love the
42:43
risen
42:43
christ
42:44
that we
42:46
would so
42:46
love the
42:46
risen christ
42:47
that we
42:48
would worship
42:48
him with
42:48
greater
42:49
fervor
42:49
in the
42:50
face of
42:51
opposition
42:51
that we
42:52
would be
42:52
a people
42:53
who
42:54
persevere
42:54
to the
42:55
end
42:56
for the
42:57
glory
42:57
of god
42:58
let's pray
43:00
together