Latest / Providence Baptist Church - Sermons / Hebrews 1:1-2a
Transcript
- 0:00Please take your copy of God's Word and join me in Hebrews chapter 1.
- 0:04While you're getting there, just a little aside, a little over a week ago I turned 39, and I'm feeling that.
- 0:18But then I realized that I got an extra short haircut.
- 0:24I sat down with the barber and said, do whatever you want to, which I think is the kind of attitude you should have when you're 39.
- 0:33And this is the haircut he gave me.
- 0:34And then I got contacts, which I realize that many of you have never seen me without glasses.
- 0:42It's been a while.
- 0:44The reason I got contacts is because I used to always wear contacts, but we had a baby, and we just paid him off.
- 0:49He's almost three, and I felt like I could afford contacts once again.
- 0:54I just, I want you all to know that I am not having a midlife crisis.
- 0:59It just kind of all happened at the same time, so I'm okay.
- 1:08I can't guarantee what will happen next January, but at least for now.
- 1:12Our text for today is Hebrews chapter 1, verse 1, and the first half of verse 2.
- 1:22It's my intention, although we know how this goes, to preach a brief sermon this morning as an introduction to the book of Hebrews.
- 1:31But this brief sermon, I hope, is going to be a brief sermon with a long introduction.
- 1:37So I just want you to hang tight on Hebrews chapter 1, verse 1 and 2, as I work to give you some background to the book of Hebrews.
- 1:47The book of Hebrews is a gorgeous book of the Bible.
- 1:50It is extremely well written.
- 1:54And we'll talk a bit more about that soon.
- 1:57As such, it can also be a bit perplexing.
- 2:00If you've ever taken up the task of studying the book of Hebrews, you know exactly what I mean.
- 2:06As we work through it in this next year, I'm sure I'll feel that more than I even do now.
- 2:13I have a wonderful commentary by a man named William Lane, who's a contemporary, highly respected New Testament authority.
- 2:21And he wrote this in his introduction to his commentary.
- 2:25Hebrews is a delight for the person who loves puzzles.
- 2:31Its form is unusual.
- 2:33Its setting in life is uncertain.
- 2:35And its argument is unfamiliar.
- 2:38It invites engagement in the task of defining the undefined.
- 2:44Undefined are the identity of the writer, his conceptual background,
- 2:48the character and location of the community addressed,
- 2:52the circumstances and date of composition,
- 2:56the nature of the crisis to which the document is a response,
- 3:00the literary genre,
- 3:01and the purpose and plan of the document as a response.
- 3:06Although these undefined issues continue to be addressed and debated vigorously,
- 3:14no real consensus has been reached.
- 3:19It's encouraging because we begin a study of the book of Hebrews, is it not?
- 3:24There is probably no other book of the Bible of which more has been written
- 3:28and more opposition exists because we're laboring to define the undefined.
- 3:37There's some things that are unclear about this book.
- 3:40So, Lane then goes on to do a very careful work
- 3:45to give us what I like to call the probabilities and the likelies.
- 3:49So, you'll hear me use those words quite a bit to say probably.
- 3:53So, we're going to talk about the writer of Hebrews
- 3:56because we don't actually know.
- 3:58We don't have a confidence in who wrote the book of Hebrews.
- 4:01But we could say something like probably so-and-so or such-and-such,
- 4:05which I won't really do.
- 4:07But we may do that in some other areas,
- 4:10the probabilities and the likelies.
- 4:14There is, though, one matter without contention.
- 4:17The theme of Hebrews is
- 4:19the supremacy and finality of Jesus Christ.
- 4:25The supremacy and finality of Jesus Christ.
- 4:30Christ is greater than.
- 4:34You can fill in anything in that blank.
- 4:37Christ is greater than.
- 4:39And the writer of Hebrews makes the case
- 4:41that Christ is greater than angels.
- 4:44Christ is greater than priests.
- 4:47And Christ is greater than any old covenant institution.
- 4:52Christ is supreme.
- 4:54And Christ is the final word.
- 5:00God has spoken by His Son.
- 5:04We'll see in our text this morning.
- 5:06And we need now no new revelation.
- 5:11God spoke in Christ and in the New Testament
- 5:14that gives witness to Christ.
- 5:17So, Jesus is also final in this way.
- 5:24The supremacy and finality of Jesus Christ.
- 5:29Now, let's talk about some things we can know
- 5:33and maybe guess at
- 5:35about the author,
- 5:39about the audience,
- 5:41and about the occasion of this writing.
- 5:45Now, the author is presumably
- 5:47within the circle of Paul.
- 5:50Pauline's circle, missionary band.
- 5:53You remember that Paul would travel around.
- 5:54He'd pick up a disciple
- 5:56and leave a disciple behind.
- 5:58They were constantly in this melee
- 6:01of joining and splitting apart.
- 6:04Although, with fair confidence,
- 6:07we can say that the author was not Paul.
- 6:11So, we can see that he was part of the circle of Paul
- 6:13because in Hebrews 13, verse 23,
- 6:16he says,
- 6:16you should know that our brother,
- 6:19Timothy,
- 6:20has been released,
- 6:21with whom I shall see you
- 6:23if he comes soon.
- 6:26So, he often has the intention
- 6:27of coming back and joining this people,
- 6:29and he anticipates
- 6:30that Timothy will join him.
- 6:33And this is the Timothy we know
- 6:35as Paul's compatriot.
- 6:37Right?
- 6:37However,
- 6:39we do not believe that he is Paul
- 6:43because the language of Hebrews
- 6:45constitutes the finest Greek
- 6:49in the New Testament.
- 6:51Now, you might think,
- 6:52gosh, but Paul's writing.
- 6:54And yes, I agree with you on that.
- 6:56But even as we say that,
- 6:58we have to go,
- 6:58oh, but the writer of Hebrews.
- 7:01It is the finest Greek
- 7:03in the New Testament.
- 7:05Right?
- 7:06We don't really have a standard
- 7:07for that as American Christians.
- 7:10So, we have to look to scholars
- 7:11to help us with it.
- 7:13Again,
- 7:14William Lane says
- 7:15that the writer of Hebrews,
- 7:18Greek,
- 7:18is far superior
- 7:20to the Pauline standard.
- 7:24And,
- 7:25it contains within it
- 7:26very distinctive imagery.
- 7:28Ship Adrift,
- 7:30chapter 2, verse 1.
- 7:31An anchor gripping the seabed,
- 7:34chapter 6, verse 19.
- 7:36A double-edged sword,
- 7:40chapter 4, verse 12.
- 7:42And these are all images
- 7:44that are foreign to Pauline usage.
- 7:47He never again,
- 7:48he never picks these things up,
- 7:49I shouldn't say again.
- 7:50He never does use any of this imagery.
- 7:52And it's wonderful imagery.
- 7:55If you stick with me for very long,
- 7:57you'll hear me use the same imagery
- 7:58because when I find one that works,
- 8:00I use it.
- 8:00Right?
- 8:01And Paul doesn't do that
- 8:03in any of his letters.
- 8:06And so,
- 8:07this man,
- 8:08I think with fair certainty,
- 8:10we can say,
- 8:10was in the circle of Paul,
- 8:11but was not Paul.
- 8:15We also,
- 8:16with some fair certainty,
- 8:18can know that he was a
- 8:19Hellenistic Jewish Christian.
- 8:23That is to say,
- 8:24he was Jewish
- 8:26in his ethnic descent,
- 8:28but he was Hellenistic,
- 8:30it means he's a Greek-speaking Jew.
- 8:33He had been part of dispersion
- 8:35and his family had been spread abroad
- 8:38and then had come down through.
- 8:40So,
- 8:41the Hellenistic Jews
- 8:42were those who were primarily,
- 8:43predominantly,
- 8:45Greek-speaking Jews.
- 8:47Hebrews.
- 8:48And we can presume this
- 8:49because the book of Hebrews
- 8:51is full,
- 8:52it is,
- 8:53it is just chock full
- 8:55of Old Testament references,
- 8:57but they are exclusively
- 8:59from the Septuagint.
- 9:01The Septuagint,
- 9:02the Septuagint was the Greek translation
- 9:05of the Old Testament.
- 9:07This would have been the Old Testament
- 9:09of the Hellenistic Jews.
- 9:11Much like we pick up our English copies
- 9:13of the text,
- 9:14they would have picked up
- 9:15a Greek copy,
- 9:16a translated Greek copy
- 9:17of the text.
- 9:19It's called the Septuagint.
- 9:20And all of his citations
- 9:22are from that text.
- 9:25So,
- 9:26maybe he knew his audience
- 9:28so well,
- 9:29who were also most likely
- 9:30Hellenistic Jewish Christians,
- 9:32that he was using their text,
- 9:35but his familiarity with it
- 9:37probably means that it was also his.
- 9:39It was the text that he himself
- 9:40would have learned from.
- 9:44The book of Hebrews
- 9:46is a work of eloquent rhetoric.
- 9:51Eloquent rhetoric.
- 9:53So, the author makes a case
- 9:55and then spends the letter
- 9:57defending that case.
- 10:01Because of that,
- 10:02I like Apollos as the writer.
- 10:06I can't know this for sure,
- 10:08but I just like him.
- 10:09If I was going to say,
- 10:10I've got to pick one,
- 10:12that's my guy
- 10:13I'm going to pick.
- 10:15And this is because,
- 10:16and this is as complicated
- 10:18as my argument will be,
- 10:19and then I'll move on.
- 10:21Luke writes in Acts 18,
- 10:23verse 24,
- 10:25Now a Jew named Apollos,
- 10:27a native of Alexandria,
- 10:29Hellenistic Jewish Christian,
- 10:31came to Ephesus.
- 10:33He was an eloquent man,
- 10:35competent in the Scriptures.
- 10:37And this phrase eloquent man
- 10:39was used to describe somebody
- 10:42who had been trained in rhetoric.
- 10:46So, we know that Apollos
- 10:47was a Hellenistic Jew.
- 10:49He was a Christian.
- 10:50And he had been trained in rhetoric.
- 10:54And Luke then tells us,
- 10:55verse 24,
- 10:56that he was competent
- 10:57in the Scriptures.
- 10:58What would have been
- 10:59Apollos' Scriptures?
- 11:01The Septuagint,
- 11:02that Greek translation
- 11:03of the Old Testament.
- 11:05That's it.
- 11:07That's why I like him for it.
- 11:09And not beyond.
- 11:10So, I will not refer to Apollos
- 11:12as the author.
- 11:13I will just say
- 11:13the writer of Hebrews.
- 11:17Now, this eloquence
- 11:19that's here used to describe Apollos
- 11:23can most certainly be used
- 11:26to describe the writer of Hebrews
- 11:28is persuasive speech or writing.
- 11:32I think we really quickly think
- 11:34of eloquence as beautiful speech.
- 11:36And it can be that.
- 11:38The book of Hebrews is that.
- 11:41But moreover,
- 11:42the word means persuasive writing.
- 11:46Sometimes beautiful writing
- 11:47is persuasive.
- 11:48But that's the point,
- 11:49is that the author of Hebrews
- 11:52is an eloquent writer.
- 11:55Has made the case
- 11:57very carefully
- 11:59and very well
- 12:00for the supremacy
- 12:01and finality
- 12:03of Jesus Christ.
- 12:06It's very likely
- 12:07that the writer of Hebrews
- 12:08was a trained man.
- 12:11He'd been trained in this art
- 12:13of being persuasive
- 12:15with words.
- 12:17But at the end of it all,
- 12:19he is unknown
- 12:20and obscure.
- 12:22We're just not sure.
- 12:26Let's talk a little bit
- 12:27about his audience.
- 12:29Again, as I said,
- 12:31I believe that these were
- 12:32Hellenistic Jewish Christians
- 12:35because of the use
- 12:36of the Septuagint.
- 12:37They were Greek-speaking Christians
- 12:39of Jewish descent.
- 12:42And these were
- 12:42Hellenistic Jewish Christians
- 12:44that had not seen Jesus
- 12:46but had heard the gospel
- 12:47and believed.
- 12:49This was a church
- 12:50that had been
- 12:51formed by
- 12:54those who had gone out
- 12:56to preach the good news
- 12:57of Jesus Christ.
- 12:59Hebrews 2, verse 1.
- 13:02The writer says,
- 13:03Therefore,
- 13:04we must pay much closer attention
- 13:05to what we have heard
- 13:08lest we drift
- 13:09away from it.
- 13:11In other places
- 13:12in the New Testament,
- 13:13Paul will say things like
- 13:14what we have seen
- 13:15and heard.
- 13:16So it's most likely
- 13:18that they hadn't seen
- 13:20but they had heard.
- 13:21They had heard this good news
- 13:23and believed it
- 13:24and became Christians
- 13:26as such.
- 13:28We also believe,
- 13:29with the kind of certainty
- 13:30that we can have,
- 13:32that this group of Christians
- 13:34had an Italian
- 13:36locust,
- 13:38location,
- 13:39the center.
- 13:39They were somewhere
- 13:40in the realm
- 13:41of Italy.
- 13:44And there's some clues
- 13:45in the text
- 13:46that they were in
- 13:47an urban environment
- 13:48and so many will say
- 13:49likely they were somewhere
- 13:51in or around Rome.
- 13:55Hebrews 13, 24,
- 13:56the writer says,
- 13:57Greet all your leaders
- 13:58and all the saints.
- 14:00Those who come from Italy
- 14:02send you greetings.
- 14:04But we think
- 14:05he's referring to people
- 14:06who had been sent
- 14:07from them,
- 14:08who knew them,
- 14:09right,
- 14:09or sent from them
- 14:10to where he was
- 14:11are simply saying,
- 14:12oh hey,
- 14:13you're writing a letter
- 14:13back to them?
- 14:14Please let them know
- 14:15we said hello.
- 14:17So it's likely
- 14:18this is where
- 14:18they're located
- 14:20but once again,
- 14:22unknown
- 14:23and obscure.
- 14:25We're not really
- 14:26sure.
- 14:29Now we know
- 14:30a little bit more
- 14:31about the occasion
- 14:32but not the specifics
- 14:34of it.
- 14:35Why is the writer
- 14:36of Hebrews
- 14:36writing?
- 14:38Why is it that he
- 14:38thinks it's so important
- 14:40to develop
- 14:41such a beautiful work
- 14:44to convince them
- 14:45of the supremacy
- 14:45and finality
- 14:46of Jesus Christ?
- 14:47We know a bit
- 14:48about what was
- 14:49going on
- 14:50with them.
- 14:52We believe
- 14:53that this was
- 14:55a first century letter
- 14:56likely written
- 14:57before A.D. 70
- 14:58which is when
- 14:59the temple in Jerusalem
- 15:00was destroyed.
- 15:02And we believe
- 15:03this because
- 15:04he uses language
- 15:06speaking of the
- 15:07sacrificial system
- 15:08as if it's still
- 15:09happening.
- 15:09He doesn't speak
- 15:10of it in past tense.
- 15:12He speaks of it
- 15:12in present tense.
- 15:14And in A.D. 70
- 15:15when the temple
- 15:15was destroyed
- 15:16that service
- 15:17stopped.
- 15:18It no longer
- 15:19existed
- 15:20at that point.
- 15:22So Hebrews
- 15:22chapter 7
- 15:23verse 27
- 15:24and 28
- 15:25he says
- 15:27he has no need
- 15:28speaking of Christ
- 15:28like those high
- 15:29priests
- 15:30to offer
- 15:30sacrifices daily
- 15:32first for his
- 15:33own sins
- 15:33and then for
- 15:34those of the
- 15:34people
- 15:34since he did
- 15:35this once for
- 15:36all when he
- 15:37offered up
- 15:37himself.
- 15:39For the law
- 15:39appoints men
- 15:40in their weakness
- 15:40as high priests
- 15:41but the word
- 15:42of the oath
- 15:42which came later
- 15:43than the law
- 15:43appoints a son
- 15:45who has been
- 15:46made perfect
- 15:47forever.
- 15:48So you see
- 15:49that present
- 15:49feeling to the
- 15:51text that he's
- 15:52writing there.
- 15:52So it likely
- 15:53happened
- 15:53this letter
- 15:54was written
- 15:55before the
- 15:56temple was
- 15:56destroyed.
- 15:58It also
- 15:58likely happened
- 15:59we don't know
- 16:00but probably
- 16:02after the
- 16:04Christian persecution
- 16:05under the
- 16:05Roman emperor
- 16:06Claudius.
- 16:09The Roman
- 16:09historian
- 16:10Suetonius
- 16:11wrote in
- 16:12Life of the
- 16:13Deified
- 16:13Claudius
- 16:14quote
- 16:16there were
- 16:16riots in
- 16:17the Jewish
- 16:17quarter
- 16:18at the
- 16:18instigation
- 16:19of
- 16:20Crestus
- 16:21as a result
- 16:22Claudius
- 16:23expelled
- 16:23the Jews
- 16:24from Rome.
- 16:26Modern
- 16:27historians
- 16:27widely agree
- 16:28that
- 16:29Crestus
- 16:29is a
- 16:30reference
- 16:31to Christ.
- 16:32It's a
- 16:33mishearing
- 16:34it's a
- 16:34Romanization
- 16:35of the
- 16:36word
- 16:37Christ.
- 16:38And so
- 16:38this Roman
- 16:39historian
- 16:40tells us
- 16:41that there
- 16:41was a
- 16:41time we
- 16:42think
- 16:42around
- 16:43AD
- 16:4349
- 16:44when
- 16:45Jewish
- 16:45Christians
- 16:46were
- 16:46expelled
- 16:47from Rome.
- 16:49So that
- 16:49may place
- 16:50this group
- 16:51having already
- 16:52bore up
- 16:54under some
- 16:54persecution
- 16:55as we'll
- 16:55see in a
- 16:56moment
- 16:56sent out
- 16:58of Rome
- 16:58possibly
- 16:59living still
- 16:59in an
- 17:00urban
- 17:00environment
- 17:00on the
- 17:01edges
- 17:01of
- 17:02their
- 17:02suburban
- 17:04Christians.
- 17:07They were
- 17:08a suffering
- 17:09group of
- 17:10Christians
- 17:10and they
- 17:11would
- 17:12suffer
- 17:13further.
- 17:15It's the
- 17:16purpose of
- 17:16the very
- 17:17writing of
- 17:17this letter.
- 17:19It's a
- 17:19very pastoral
- 17:20work.
- 17:22Hebrews
- 17:22chapter 10
- 17:23verse 32
- 17:24and following
- 17:25but recall
- 17:26the former
- 17:27days
- 17:27possibly
- 17:28these
- 17:29days
- 17:29under
- 17:30Claudius
- 17:31when
- 17:31after you
- 17:33were
- 17:33enlightened
- 17:33you
- 17:33endured
- 17:34a hard
- 17:34struggle
- 17:35with
- 17:36sufferings
- 17:37sometimes
- 17:38being publicly
- 17:38exposed to
- 17:39reproach
- 17:40and affliction
- 17:40and sometimes
- 17:41being partners
- 17:43with those
- 17:44so treated
- 17:45for you
- 17:46had compassion
- 17:47on those
- 17:47in prison
- 17:48and you
- 17:48joyfully
- 17:49accepted
- 17:50the plundering
- 17:51of your
- 17:51property
- 17:52since you
- 17:53knew that
- 17:53you
- 17:53yourselves
- 17:54had a
- 17:54better
- 17:55possession
- 17:55and
- 17:57an
- 17:57abiding
- 17:58one.
- 17:59Part of
- 18:00his
- 18:01writing
- 18:01to convince
- 18:02them of
- 18:02the supremacy
- 18:03of Christ
- 18:03is to
- 18:04remind
- 18:04them
- 18:05that they
- 18:05also
- 18:06believed
- 18:07in the
- 18:07supremacy
- 18:08of Christ.
- 18:09That they
- 18:10had suffered
- 18:11and in the
- 18:12process of
- 18:13suffering
- 18:14had lost
- 18:16property.
- 18:17Possibly
- 18:18they were
- 18:18driven
- 18:19out of
- 18:20Rome
- 18:20altogether.
- 18:22And then
- 18:23they would
- 18:24suffer
- 18:25further.
- 18:27The author
- 18:27writes
- 18:27Hebrews
- 18:28chapter 12
- 18:28verse 4
- 18:29In your
- 18:31struggle
- 18:31against sin
- 18:32you have
- 18:33not yet
- 18:34resisted
- 18:35to the
- 18:36point of
- 18:37shedding
- 18:37your blood.
- 18:40It would
- 18:40seem
- 18:40there's a
- 18:41hint
- 18:41there
- 18:41that no
- 18:42one had
- 18:43yet been
- 18:43martyred
- 18:44for their
- 18:44faith
- 18:45but that
- 18:46this was
- 18:46coming
- 18:47their way.
- 18:49So we
- 18:49see there's
- 18:50a great
- 18:50deal of
- 18:51suffering
- 18:51that has
- 18:51happened
- 18:52to these
- 18:53Hellenistic
- 18:55Jewish
- 18:55Christians
- 18:56and we're
- 18:57going to
- 18:57see in
- 18:58our study
- 18:58of it
- 18:58that the
- 18:59temptation
- 18:59for them
- 19:00then was
- 19:01to simply
- 19:01go back
- 19:02to Judaism.
- 19:03This had
- 19:04been accepted
- 19:04by Rome
- 19:05and there
- 19:05was no
- 19:06persecution
- 19:06for those
- 19:07who worshipped
- 19:08God in
- 19:08that way.
- 19:09It was
- 19:10Christ followers
- 19:10who were
- 19:11being persecuted.
- 19:12It was
- 19:12Christ followers
- 19:13as Jesus
- 19:14said
- 19:15who were
- 19:16suffering
- 19:16the way
- 19:17he suffered.
- 19:17They were
- 19:18the ones
- 19:19who were
- 19:19filling up
- 19:19what was
- 19:20lacking
- 19:20in the
- 19:20afflictions
- 19:21of Christ.
- 19:22So there
- 19:23was this
- 19:23temptation
- 19:24to say
- 19:24oh but
- 19:25the old
- 19:25ways
- 19:26weren't
- 19:26too far
- 19:27off the
- 19:28mark
- 19:28were they?
- 19:30And the
- 19:30writer of
- 19:31Hebrews
- 19:31says
- 19:31absolutely
- 19:33you cannot
- 19:35go back
- 19:35you know
- 19:36this Christ
- 19:37and he is
- 19:37supreme
- 19:38and he is
- 19:39final.
- 19:42So
- 19:42at the end
- 19:44though we
- 19:45don't know
- 19:45the specific
- 19:46circumstances
- 19:47verses
- 19:47and so
- 19:47it is
- 19:48still a
- 19:48bit
- 19:48unknown
- 19:49and
- 19:50obscure.
- 19:52Even the
- 19:53literary
- 19:53genre
- 19:54of this
- 19:54letter
- 19:55is a
- 19:55bit of
- 19:55a
- 19:55head
- 19:56scratcher.
- 19:57I would
- 19:58suggest
- 19:58to you
- 19:59that it is
- 20:00written
- 20:00more
- 20:01as a
- 20:03sermon
- 20:03than as
- 20:05a letter.
- 20:06In fact
- 20:07it kind of
- 20:07starts out
- 20:07that way.
- 20:08You see
- 20:08all of
- 20:08Paul's
- 20:09letters
- 20:09begin
- 20:10with a
- 20:10greeting.
- 20:11This
- 20:11does not.
- 20:12There is
- 20:13no greeting
- 20:13whatsoever.
- 20:14It just
- 20:14launches
- 20:14right in
- 20:15to the
- 20:16discourse.
- 20:18And it
- 20:18remains
- 20:19at this
- 20:19pace
- 20:20almost
- 20:21to the
- 20:22very
- 20:23end.
- 20:23All the
- 20:24way through
- 20:24chapter 13
- 20:25and verse
- 20:2621.
- 20:28And then
- 20:28there seems
- 20:28to be this
- 20:29postscript
- 20:29added to
- 20:30it.
- 20:30Like,
- 20:31oh and
- 20:31by the
- 20:31way,
- 20:31goodbye.
- 20:33Seems
- 20:33to be the
- 20:34way that
- 20:34it's
- 20:35written.
- 20:37So this
- 20:37man who's
- 20:38most likely
- 20:38trained in
- 20:39this
- 20:39rhetoric,
- 20:40unable to
- 20:41be with
- 20:42them and
- 20:43speak these
- 20:43words,
- 20:44wrote the
- 20:44words down.
- 20:45It's like
- 20:46a sermon
- 20:46manuscript.
- 20:48And I
- 20:49am so
- 20:49encouraged by
- 20:50that possibility
- 20:51because most
- 20:52of the
- 20:52preaching we
- 20:53have recorded
- 20:53in the
- 20:54Bible are
- 20:54very short
- 20:55presentations.
- 20:57Oh,
- 20:57I love
- 20:57that there's
- 20:58a 13
- 20:58chapter one
- 20:59now.
- 21:00It's
- 21:01pretty
- 21:01fantastic.
- 21:02It helps
- 21:02me preach
- 21:03longer than
- 21:0445 minutes
- 21:05to make a
- 21:06case for
- 21:06such a
- 21:07thing.
- 21:08Again,
- 21:08there's a
- 21:09thesis,
- 21:10right?
- 21:10The supremacy
- 21:10and finality
- 21:11of Jesus
- 21:12Christ,
- 21:12which he
- 21:13lays out
- 21:13in verses
- 21:13one through
- 21:15four.
- 21:16And then he
- 21:17goes on
- 21:17through the
- 21:17rest of
- 21:18the text
- 21:19to defend
- 21:20what he's
- 21:21saying in
- 21:21those first
- 21:22four verses.
- 21:24And then he
- 21:25ends with
- 21:26chapter 13
- 21:27and verse
- 21:2822,
- 21:29I appeal to
- 21:30you brothers,
- 21:31bear with my
- 21:32word of
- 21:33exhortation,
- 21:34for I have
- 21:34written to
- 21:35you briefly.
- 21:36So he
- 21:38even calls
- 21:39what he's
- 21:39written a
- 21:41word of
- 21:42exhortation.
- 21:45He uses
- 21:46the Bible
- 21:46to make
- 21:47his case.
- 21:48Very
- 21:49sermon-esque
- 21:50in that
- 21:50sense.
- 21:51He is
- 21:52appealing to
- 21:53what we
- 21:54now call
- 21:54the Old
- 21:54Testament,
- 21:55what was
- 21:55their
- 21:56scripture
- 21:56in their
- 21:58day.
- 21:59And in
- 22:00doing so,
- 22:00he exposes
- 22:01both the
- 22:01unity and
- 22:03the disunity
- 22:03of the
- 22:04old and
- 22:04new
- 22:05covenants.
- 22:06We don't,
- 22:08as New
- 22:08Testament
- 22:09Christians,
- 22:09disregard the
- 22:10Old Testament.
- 22:11There's much
- 22:12continuity between
- 22:13the two.
- 22:14There's also
- 22:15discontinuity.
- 22:17And we
- 22:17should be
- 22:17careful and
- 22:18think through
- 22:19this very
- 22:19carefully.
- 22:20I think the
- 22:21book of
- 22:21Hebrews is
- 22:22going to
- 22:22serve us
- 22:22well as
- 22:23we work
- 22:23on that
- 22:23together.
- 22:26William Lane
- 22:27again.
- 22:28Hebrews is
- 22:29impregnated
- 22:30with the
- 22:30Old Testament.
- 22:32The writer
- 22:32makes vital
- 22:33use of the
- 22:34Old Testament
- 22:35text in
- 22:35developing
- 22:36his persuasive
- 22:38sections as
- 22:38well as
- 22:39those that
- 22:40are more
- 22:40theologically
- 22:41oriented.
- 22:42Every chapter
- 22:43is marked
- 22:44by explicit
- 22:45or implicit
- 22:46references to
- 22:47the biblical
- 22:48text.
- 22:49The writer's
- 22:50use of
- 22:50scripture
- 22:50expresses his
- 22:52conviction
- 22:52of the
- 22:53continuity
- 22:54between God's
- 22:55speaking and
- 22:56action under
- 22:57the Old and
- 22:57New Covenants,
- 22:58which had
- 22:59urgent implications
- 23:00for Israel
- 23:01and for the
- 23:02church.
- 23:02He
- 23:03presupposes
- 23:05both an
- 23:06essential
- 23:06unity and
- 23:08a development
- 23:08between the
- 23:09old and
- 23:09new economies
- 23:10of redemption.
- 23:12A detailed
- 23:12knowledge of
- 23:13the Old
- 23:13Testament is
- 23:14indispensable for
- 23:15understanding what
- 23:16the writer of
- 23:16Hebrews is
- 23:17endeavoring to
- 23:19say.
- 23:20He assumes
- 23:21on the part
- 23:22of his
- 23:22audience a
- 23:23deep
- 23:23familiarity
- 23:25with our
- 23:26contents.
- 23:27I don't
- 23:28know that we
- 23:28could say of
- 23:29us that we
- 23:30have a deep
- 23:30familiarity
- 23:31with the
- 23:32Old Testament
- 23:33text.
- 23:34Hebrews is
- 23:34going to help
- 23:35us to become
- 23:36more familiar
- 23:37with it.
- 23:39We're going to
- 23:39have to do
- 23:40some work
- 23:40together because
- 23:41the writer of
- 23:42Hebrews assumes
- 23:44a deep
- 23:45familiarity.
- 23:46He knows his
- 23:47audience and
- 23:47he knows that
- 23:49he can both
- 23:49explicitly and
- 23:50implicitly quote
- 23:51the Old Testament
- 23:52text and just
- 23:53keep right on
- 23:54moving.
- 23:55This would have
- 23:56been read as
- 23:57a single
- 23:58sitting.
- 23:59This was a
- 24:00sermon.
- 24:00And we're
- 24:00going to
- 24:01break it
- 24:01up over a
- 24:02year and
- 24:02a half.
- 24:03We've got
- 24:05some work
- 24:05out ahead of
- 24:07us to
- 24:08wring out
- 24:09all that the
- 24:10writer of
- 24:10Hebrews intends
- 24:11by God's
- 24:12good hand
- 24:13for us to
- 24:14understand.
- 24:15So imagine
- 24:17for a moment
- 24:18with me,
- 24:19likely a
- 24:20small church,
- 24:22likely meeting
- 24:24in a home
- 24:25on the edge
- 24:26of Rome,
- 24:27having been
- 24:29kicked out of
- 24:29the city,
- 24:30being tired,
- 24:34beat down,
- 24:36beleaguered in
- 24:38their pursuit
- 24:38of Christ.
- 24:40They had
- 24:40already suffered
- 24:42much,
- 24:45feeling a
- 24:45temptation to
- 24:46walk away from
- 24:48this faith.
- 24:49Some of them
- 24:50we'll see in
- 24:51Hebrews chapter
- 24:5210 had already
- 24:53stopped gathering
- 24:53together with the
- 24:54church.
- 24:55They had just
- 24:55ceased doing it
- 24:56altogether.
- 24:57This is a
- 24:58tired group
- 25:00of Christians.
- 25:03And the word
- 25:04goes out.
- 25:05Hey, we
- 25:06received a
- 25:06letter from
- 25:07the author
- 25:09of Hebrews.
- 25:11And so
- 25:11they're gathered
- 25:12together,
- 25:13eager
- 25:14expectation.
- 25:15What is the
- 25:16word that he's
- 25:17bringing to
- 25:17us?
- 25:18We want to
- 25:19hear.
- 25:20God seems
- 25:21to be silent.
- 25:22What would you
- 25:23say to us
- 25:24from the text
- 25:25to help us
- 25:26at this time?
- 25:27And somebody
- 25:28stands up and
- 25:29opens the
- 25:30letter and
- 25:31says,
- 25:31long ago,
- 25:34at many times
- 25:36and in many
- 25:37ways,
- 25:37God spoke to
- 25:38our fathers
- 25:39by the
- 25:41prophets.
- 25:42But in these
- 25:42last days,
- 25:44he has spoken
- 25:45to us
- 25:45by his
- 25:47son.
- 25:50Beloved,
- 25:51this is God's
- 25:52word to
- 25:53us.
- 25:54It was
- 25:54written for
- 25:55his glory
- 25:55and our
- 25:56good.
- 25:58We would
- 25:58all do
- 25:59well to
- 25:59listen to
- 25:59it in
- 26:00order to
- 26:00believe
- 26:01its
- 26:01promises
- 26:02and obey
- 26:04its commands.
- 26:05Christians.
- 26:06The writer of
- 26:08Hebrews,
- 26:08out of a
- 26:08great love
- 26:09for this
- 26:10little
- 26:11beat-down
- 26:13beleaguered
- 26:13church,
- 26:16employs
- 26:16his eloquence
- 26:17to speak
- 26:19of the
- 26:20eloquence
- 26:20of God.
- 26:23Our
- 26:24God
- 26:24is a
- 26:25God
- 26:26who
- 26:26speaks.
- 26:28He is
- 26:29not
- 26:29silent.
- 26:31In
- 26:31Hebrews,
- 26:32he uses,
- 26:33our
- 26:33God uses,
- 26:34an
- 26:35unknown
- 26:35author
- 26:36writing to
- 26:37an
- 26:37unknown
- 26:37audience.
- 26:39He uses
- 26:40an
- 26:40obscure
- 26:41author
- 26:41and an
- 26:42obscure
- 26:42church
- 26:43to make
- 26:44much
- 26:45of
- 26:45himself.
- 26:47Our
- 26:48God
- 26:49is a
- 26:49God
- 26:49who
- 26:49communicates
- 26:51and he
- 26:51communicates
- 26:52convincingly
- 26:54about
- 26:54himself
- 26:55that we
- 26:56would
- 26:57know
- 26:58him.
- 26:59What an
- 27:00astounding
- 27:00reality.
- 27:03May we
- 27:04make much
- 27:04of him
- 27:05as we
- 27:05consider
- 27:06this
- 27:06little bit
- 27:07of text
- 27:07this
- 27:08morning.
- 27:10First,
- 27:12let's
- 27:13consider
- 27:13the
- 27:14eloquence
- 27:14of God
- 27:15in the
- 27:16past.
- 27:18The writer
- 27:18of Hebrews
- 27:19says,
- 27:19long ago,
- 27:21many times
- 27:22and in
- 27:23many ways,
- 27:24God
- 27:24spoke to
- 27:25our fathers
- 27:26by the
- 27:27prophets.
- 27:28God
- 27:29says,
- 27:30now I
- 27:30don't
- 27:30think the
- 27:30writer of
- 27:30Hebrews
- 27:31intends to
- 27:32leave this
- 27:32little point
- 27:33out,
- 27:33but I
- 27:33just want
- 27:34to add,
- 27:35not only
- 27:36is there
- 27:36a prophetic
- 27:36eloquence,
- 27:38God's
- 27:38people to
- 27:39hear from,
- 27:40but there's
- 27:41also a
- 27:42cosmic
- 27:42eloquence.
- 27:45God
- 27:45spoke the
- 27:46world into
- 27:47existence
- 27:48and he
- 27:48designed it
- 27:49in such
- 27:50a way
- 27:50to say,
- 27:51look at
- 27:52me.
- 27:54Here's the
- 27:55creation
- 27:55and it
- 27:57exists to
- 27:58worship
- 27:58the
- 27:59Creator.
- 28:01Psalm 19
- 28:01verses 1
- 28:02through 4,
- 28:04the heavens
- 28:05declare the
- 28:06glory of
- 28:07God,
- 28:07His
- 28:07greatness,
- 28:08His
- 28:08grandeur,
- 28:09and the
- 28:10sky above
- 28:11proclaims
- 28:11His
- 28:12handiwork.
- 28:13Day to
- 28:14day it
- 28:14pours out
- 28:15speech
- 28:16and night
- 28:17to night
- 28:18reveals
- 28:19knowledge.
- 28:21There is
- 28:21no speech,
- 28:22nor are
- 28:23there words
- 28:24whose voice
- 28:24is not
- 28:25heard.
- 28:27Their voice
- 28:27goes out
- 28:27through all
- 28:28the earth
- 28:28and their
- 28:28words to
- 28:29the end
- 28:29of the
- 28:29world.
- 28:30In
- 28:30them He
- 28:31has set
- 28:31a tent
- 28:32for the
- 28:33Son.
- 28:33Our
- 28:34God
- 28:34speaks
- 28:35cosmically
- 28:36that we
- 28:37would know
- 28:38Him.
- 28:39There's a
- 28:39cosmic
- 28:39eloquence
- 28:40to our
- 28:40God.
- 28:42There's
- 28:42also this
- 28:42prophetic
- 28:43eloquence.
- 28:46At
- 28:46many times
- 28:47and in
- 28:48many ways
- 28:49God
- 28:50spoke to
- 28:51our
- 28:51fathers
- 28:52by the
- 28:53prophet.
- 28:54God
- 28:54spoke to
- 28:54Moses
- 28:55at
- 28:56Sinai
- 28:57in
- 28:57thunder
- 28:57and
- 28:57lightning
- 28:58and
- 28:58with
- 28:58a
- 28:59trumpeting
- 28:59voice.
- 29:01God
- 29:01spoke
- 29:02to
- 29:02Elijah
- 29:03at
- 29:03Horeb
- 29:04in
- 29:04a
- 29:04still
- 29:05small
- 29:06voice.
- 29:08God
- 29:09spoke
- 29:09to
- 29:09Ezekiel
- 29:10in
- 29:10visions.
- 29:11God
- 29:12spoke
- 29:12to
- 29:12Daniel
- 29:13in
- 29:13dreams.
- 29:15God
- 29:15appeared
- 29:16to
- 29:16Abram
- 29:17in
- 29:17human
- 29:17form
- 29:18and
- 29:18to
- 29:18Jacob
- 29:18as
- 29:19an
- 29:19angel.
- 29:20God
- 29:21spoke
- 29:21by
- 29:22the
- 29:23law,
- 29:24by
- 29:24warning,
- 29:24by
- 29:25exhortation,
- 29:26by
- 29:26type,
- 29:26and
- 29:27by
- 29:27parables.
- 29:29He
- 29:30spoke
- 29:30in
- 29:31many
- 29:32ways.
- 29:34When the
- 29:35prophets
- 29:35prophesied,
- 29:37they used
- 29:37as many
- 29:38varied
- 29:38forms.
- 29:40Direct
- 29:40oracles,
- 29:42questions
- 29:42and answers,
- 29:44bizarre
- 29:44symbolic
- 29:45acts,
- 29:46sermons
- 29:47and
- 29:48mysterious
- 29:49signs.
- 29:51At
- 29:52many
- 29:52times
- 29:53and
- 29:53in
- 29:54many
- 29:54ways,
- 29:55God
- 29:55has been
- 29:56declaring
- 29:57to the
- 29:58world,
- 29:58I
- 29:59am.
- 30:00And
- 30:01He
- 30:01has been
- 30:01telling
- 30:01the
- 30:02world
- 30:02how
- 30:02it
- 30:02is
- 30:02that
- 30:03we
- 30:03can
- 30:03know
- 30:04Him.
- 30:07And
- 30:07He
- 30:07has
- 30:07been
- 30:07doing
- 30:08this
- 30:08in
- 30:09the
- 30:09Old
- 30:10Testament
- 30:10and
- 30:10now
- 30:11on
- 30:11into
- 30:11the
- 30:11New
- 30:12progressively.
- 30:14He
- 30:14has
- 30:14been
- 30:15revealing
- 30:15Himself
- 30:16ever
- 30:16more
- 30:17across
- 30:18the
- 30:19text
- 30:19with
- 30:19now
- 30:20the
- 30:20great
- 30:21fulfillment,
- 30:21the great
- 30:22finality
- 30:23in the
- 30:23person
- 30:24and
- 30:24work
- 30:25of
- 30:26Jesus
- 30:26Christ.
- 30:27Many
- 30:28times
- 30:28and
- 30:29in
- 30:30many
- 30:30ways.
- 30:33And
- 30:33consider
- 30:34these
- 30:34Hellenistic
- 30:36Jewish
- 30:36Christians
- 30:37who had
- 30:37this
- 30:37Old
- 30:38Testament
- 30:38text
- 30:39that
- 30:40God
- 30:41had
- 30:41been
- 30:41silent
- 30:42for
- 30:42many
- 30:43years.
- 30:44God
- 30:45did
- 30:45not
- 30:45have
- 30:45a
- 30:46prophet.
- 30:48The
- 30:48book
- 30:48was
- 30:48closed
- 30:49in
- 30:49a
- 30:50sense
- 30:50and
- 30:51then
- 30:51with
- 30:52Christ
- 30:52it
- 30:52reopened
- 30:53and
- 30:53God
- 30:54roars
- 30:54into
- 30:55the
- 30:55world
- 30:55again.
- 30:56Know
- 30:57me
- 30:58by
- 30:59my
- 30:59Son.
- 31:01So
- 31:02let's
- 31:02consider
- 31:03the
- 31:03eloquence
- 31:03of
- 31:03God
- 31:04in
- 31:05the
- 31:05present.
- 31:07The
- 31:07writer
- 31:07of
- 31:07Hebrews
- 31:07says
- 31:08but
- 31:08in
- 31:09these
- 31:09last
- 31:10days
- 31:10He
- 31:11has
- 31:12spoken
- 31:13and
- 31:14there's
- 31:14this
- 31:14precious
- 31:15conjunction
- 31:15pay
- 31:17attention
- 31:17when you
- 31:17see
- 31:18the
- 31:18conjunction
- 31:18but
- 31:20in
- 31:22these
- 31:22last
- 31:23days
- 31:24God
- 31:25spoke
- 31:25in
- 31:26this
- 31:26way
- 31:26at
- 31:27time
- 31:27many
- 31:28times
- 31:28and
- 31:28in
- 31:28many
- 31:29ways
- 31:29but
- 31:30no
- 31:31more
- 31:32now
- 31:33God
- 31:35has
- 31:35spoken
- 31:36in
- 31:37his
- 31:37son
- 31:37God
- 31:39spoke
- 31:39he has
- 31:40spoken
- 31:40and
- 31:41he
- 31:41is
- 31:41now
- 31:42today
- 31:43speaking
- 31:44in
- 31:45his
- 31:46son
- 31:46I
- 31:48came
- 31:48across
- 31:49trying
- 31:49to
- 31:50search
- 31:50for
- 31:50the
- 31:50lyrics
- 31:50of
- 31:50an
- 31:50entirely
- 31:51different
- 31:51song
- 31:52the
- 31:53lyrics
- 31:53to
- 31:54a
- 31:54hymn
- 31:54that
- 31:54we
- 31:54should
- 31:55probably
- 31:55learn
- 31:56called
- 31:57God
- 31:57is
- 31:58spoken
- 31:58by
- 31:58the
- 31:59prophets
- 31:59by
- 32:00a man
- 32:00named
- 32:00George
- 32:00W
- 32:01Briggs
- 32:02please
- 32:03somebody
- 32:03tell me
- 32:03if you
- 32:03know
- 32:04him
- 32:04and
- 32:04we
- 32:04shouldn't
- 32:05sing
- 32:05a
- 32:05song
- 32:05I
- 32:06love
- 32:06the
- 32:07lyrics
- 32:07of
- 32:07this
- 32:07three
- 32:08verses
- 32:08he wrote
- 32:10God
- 32:11has
- 32:11spoken
- 32:11by
- 32:12the
- 32:12prophets
- 32:12spoken
- 32:13the
- 32:13unchanging
- 32:14word
- 32:15each
- 32:16from
- 32:16age
- 32:17to
- 32:17age
- 32:18proclaiming
- 32:18God
- 32:19the
- 32:19one
- 32:20the
- 32:20righteous
- 32:20Lord
- 32:21mid
- 32:22the
- 32:22world's
- 32:23despair
- 32:23and
- 32:24turmoil
- 32:24one
- 32:25firm
- 32:26anchor
- 32:26holding
- 32:27fast
- 32:28God
- 32:29eternal
- 32:29reigns
- 32:30forever
- 32:30God
- 32:31the
- 32:31first
- 32:32and
- 32:33God
- 32:33the
- 32:33last
- 32:34second
- 32:35verse
- 32:35God
- 32:37is
- 32:37spoken
- 32:37by
- 32:38Christ
- 32:38Jesus
- 32:39Christ
- 32:40the
- 32:40everlasting
- 32:41son
- 32:41brightness
- 32:42of
- 32:42the
- 32:43father's
- 32:43glory
- 32:44with
- 32:45the
- 32:45father
- 32:45ever
- 32:46one
- 32:47spoken
- 32:48by
- 32:48the
- 32:48word
- 32:49incarnate
- 32:49God
- 32:50of
- 32:50God
- 32:50ere
- 32:51time
- 32:51was
- 32:52born
- 32:52light
- 32:53of
- 32:54light
- 32:54to
- 32:54earth
- 32:55descending
- 32:56Christ
- 32:57as
- 32:58God
- 32:58in
- 32:59human
- 32:59form
- 33:00verse
- 33:02three
- 33:03God
- 33:04is
- 33:05speaking
- 33:05by
- 33:06the
- 33:06spirit
- 33:07speaking
- 33:08to
- 33:08our
- 33:09hearts
- 33:09again
- 33:10in
- 33:11the
- 33:11age
- 33:11long
- 33:12word
- 33:13declaring
- 33:14God's
- 33:14own
- 33:15message
- 33:15now
- 33:16as
- 33:17then
- 33:17through
- 33:18the
- 33:19rise
- 33:19and
- 33:19fall
- 33:19of
- 33:20nations
- 33:20one
- 33:21sure
- 33:21faith
- 33:21is
- 33:22standing
- 33:22fast
- 33:23God
- 33:24abides
- 33:24the
- 33:25word
- 33:25unchanging
- 33:26God
- 33:27the
- 33:27first
- 33:28and
- 33:29God
- 33:29the
- 33:29last
- 33:30good
- 33:31he's
- 33:32spoken
- 33:32to
- 33:33us
- 33:33in
- 33:34the
- 33:34present
- 33:35in
- 33:36these
- 33:36days
- 33:37by
- 33:38his
- 33:38son
- 33:38and
- 33:39now
- 33:39the
- 33:39spirit
- 33:40testifies
- 33:41through
- 33:42the
- 33:42scripture
- 33:42to
- 33:43his
- 33:44son
- 33:45we
- 33:45have
- 33:46such
- 33:46a
- 33:47treasure
- 33:47!
- 33:47in it
- 33:49God
- 33:50and
- 33:50so
- 33:50lastly
- 33:51the
- 33:52eloquence
- 33:53of
- 33:53God
- 33:53in
- 33:53the
- 33:54person
- 33:54of
- 33:55Christ
- 33:55he
- 33:56has
- 33:56spoken
- 33:56in
- 33:57the
- 33:57last
- 33:58days
- 33:58by
- 33:59his
- 34:00son
- 34:01this
- 34:01could
- 34:01be
- 34:02translated
- 34:02in
- 34:03his
- 34:04son
- 34:05a
- 34:06familiar
- 34:07text
- 34:07to you
- 34:07may be
- 34:07John
- 34:08chapter
- 34:09one
- 34:09verses
- 34:10one
- 34:10and
- 34:11two
- 34:11and
- 34:11then
- 34:11I'll
- 34:11read
- 34:12verse
- 34:12fourteen
- 34:14in the
- 34:14beginning
- 34:14was
- 34:16the
- 34:16word
- 34:16and
- 34:17the
- 34:17word
- 34:17was
- 34:17with
- 34:18God
- 34:18and
- 34:18the
- 34:18word
- 34:19was
- 34:19God
- 34:20he
- 34:21was
- 34:21in
- 34:21the
- 34:21beginning
- 34:22with
- 34:22God
- 34:23in
- 34:23verse
- 34:23fourteen
- 34:24and
- 34:25the
- 34:25word
- 34:25became
- 34:26flesh
- 34:26and
- 34:27dwelt
- 34:27among
- 34:28us
- 34:29and
- 34:29we
- 34:29have
- 34:30seen
- 34:30his
- 34:30glory
- 34:31glory
- 34:31as
- 34:31of
- 34:32the
- 34:32only
- 34:32son
- 34:33from
- 34:33the
- 34:33father
- 34:34full
- 34:35of
- 34:35grace
- 34:36and
- 34:37truth
- 34:38here
- 34:40in
- 34:40our
- 34:40English
- 34:40text
- 34:41the
- 34:42word
- 34:42translated
- 34:43word
- 34:43is
- 34:43the
- 34:44Greek
- 34:44word
- 34:44!
- 34:45It's
- 34:47a
- 34:47manifestation
- 34:48of
- 34:49it's
- 34:49a
- 34:49representation
- 34:50of
- 34:51the
- 34:51thing
- 34:52that
- 34:52it
- 34:52speaks
- 34:53to
- 34:54you
- 34:56could
- 34:56think
- 34:56also
- 34:57in
- 34:58terms
- 34:59of
- 34:59word
- 35:00being
- 35:00a
- 35:01good
- 35:01word
- 35:01to
- 35:02put
- 35:02in
- 35:02this
- 35:02place
- 35:02but
- 35:03you
- 35:03could
- 35:03also
- 35:03think
- 35:03in
- 35:03terms
- 35:04of
- 35:04communication
- 35:05or
- 35:06eloquence
- 35:07God
- 35:10has
- 35:10spoken
- 35:11by
- 35:12his
- 35:13son
- 35:14he
- 35:15has
- 35:15communicated
- 35:16to
- 35:16us
- 35:17eloquently
- 35:18by
- 35:19his
- 35:20son
- 35:21God's
- 35:23desire
- 35:24to
- 35:24make
- 35:25himself
- 35:25known
- 35:26he
- 35:27did
- 35:28most
- 35:28fully
- 35:29he
- 35:30communicated
- 35:30that
- 35:31to
- 35:31us
- 35:32in
- 35:32Jesus
- 35:33Christ
- 35:34and
- 35:35so
- 35:36I
- 35:36just
- 35:36want
- 35:36to
- 35:37reread
- 35:37John
- 35:38chapter
- 35:381
- 35:39verse
- 35:401
- 35:40and 2
- 35:40and
- 35:40verse
- 35:4014
- 35:41and
- 35:41I'm
- 35:41going
- 35:41to
- 35:41replace
- 35:42the
- 35:42word
- 35:43word
- 35:43with
- 35:45the
- 35:45words
- 35:46the
- 35:46phrase
- 35:46eloquent
- 35:47communication
- 35:48I
- 35:51just want
- 35:51you to
- 35:51hear it
- 35:52this
- 35:52way
- 35:52just
- 35:54Christ
- 35:55in
- 35:56the
- 35:56beginning
- 35:56was
- 35:58the
- 35:58eloquent
- 35:59!
- 35:59the
- 35:59eloquent
- 35:59!
- 35:59communication
- 35:59was
- 36:02with
- 36:02God
- 36:03and
- 36:03the
- 36:03eloquent
- 36:03communication
- 36:04was
- 36:05God
- 36:05he
- 36:06was
- 36:07in
- 36:07the
- 36:07beginning
- 36:07with
- 36:08God
- 36:09and
- 36:10the
- 36:10eloquent
- 36:10communication
- 36:11became
- 36:12flesh
- 36:12and
- 36:12dwelt
- 36:13among
- 36:13us
- 36:13and
- 36:14we
- 36:14have
- 36:14seen
- 36:15his
- 36:15glory
- 36:15glory
- 36:16as
- 36:16of
- 36:16the
- 36:16only
- 36:17son
- 36:17from
- 36:17the
- 36:17father
- 36:18full
- 36:18of
- 36:19grace
- 36:19and
- 36:21truth
- 36:21see
- 36:24beloved
- 36:24we
- 36:24are
- 36:25created
- 36:26for
- 36:27worship
- 36:27this
- 36:28intrinsic
- 36:29it
- 36:29is
- 36:29built
- 36:29into
- 36:30us
- 36:31worship
- 36:31is
- 36:32inevitable
- 36:33you
- 36:34will
- 36:34worship
- 36:35something
- 36:37things
- 36:38you'll
- 36:40worship
- 36:40others
- 36:41we
- 36:41have
- 36:42a
- 36:42whole
- 36:42culture
- 36:42built
- 36:43on
- 36:43that
- 36:43people
- 36:43are
- 36:43famous
- 36:43for
- 36:44being
- 36:44famous
- 36:45you'll
- 36:46worship
- 36:47yourself
- 36:47all the
- 36:48various
- 36:49manifestations
- 36:50of
- 36:50who
- 36:51you
- 36:51think
- 36:51you
- 36:51should
- 36:51be
- 36:52or
- 36:52what
- 36:52you
- 36:52deserve
- 36:53you'll
- 36:55worship
- 36:55a
- 36:56job
- 36:57you'll
- 36:59worship
- 36:59a sports
- 36:59team
- 37:00you'll
- 37:00worship
- 37:01a
- 37:01political
- 37:01ideology
- 37:02worship
- 37:04is
- 37:05inevitable
- 37:06but
- 37:08worship
- 37:08that
- 37:09is
- 37:09not
- 37:09placed
- 37:09fully
- 37:10on
- 37:10God
- 37:10himself
- 37:11the
- 37:11creator
- 37:11is
- 37:12called
- 37:13idolatry
- 37:14it's
- 37:16called
- 37:16idolatry
- 37:17the
- 37:18worship
- 37:18of
- 37:18lesser
- 37:19things
- 37:20and
- 37:21it
- 37:22is
- 37:22damning
- 37:22for
- 37:22us
- 37:23and
- 37:24it
- 37:24is
- 37:24heartbreaking
- 37:24to
- 37:25God
- 37:25we
- 37:27were
- 37:27created
- 37:28to
- 37:28be
- 37:28worshipers
- 37:29of
- 37:29God
- 37:30his
- 37:30creation
- 37:31singing
- 37:31his
- 37:32praise
- 37:33as
- 37:33the
- 37:34rest
- 37:34of
- 37:34creation
- 37:35does
- 37:36but
- 37:37we
- 37:37as
- 37:37humans
- 37:38marred
- 37:38by
- 37:38sin
- 37:38turn
- 37:40away
- 37:40from
- 37:41the
- 37:41creator
- 37:42God
- 37:42and
- 37:43turn
- 37:43to
- 37:43lesser
- 37:44worship
- 37:45there
- 37:47is
- 37:47no
- 37:47higher
- 37:48good
- 37:49for
- 37:49man
- 37:49than
- 37:50he
- 37:50would
- 37:50worship
- 37:51the
- 37:51one
- 37:52who
- 37:52created
- 37:53him
- 37:53God
- 37:54gives
- 37:55this
- 37:55to
- 37:55us
- 37:55in
- 37:56so
- 37:56many
- 37:56ways
- 37:57communicates
- 37:57it
- 37:57to
- 37:58us
- 37:58in
- 37:58so
- 37:58many
- 37:58ways
- 37:58because
- 37:59he
- 37:59loves
- 37:59us
- 38:00he
- 38:01knows
- 38:01the
- 38:02best
- 38:02thing
- 38:02for
- 38:02us
- 38:02is
- 38:02to
- 38:03orient
- 38:03our
- 38:03worship
- 38:04as
- 38:04it
- 38:04should
- 38:04be
- 38:04oriented
- 38:06fix it
- 38:06firmly
- 38:07on
- 38:07him
- 38:08Jonathan Edwards
- 38:11once wrote
- 38:12and this is on the front of your bulletin
- 38:13in very tiny font
- 38:14thank you Andy for making this fit
- 38:16he wrote
- 38:23God is the highest
- 38:25good
- 38:26of the reasonable
- 38:27creature
- 38:28the enjoyment
- 38:30of him
- 38:30is our
- 38:30proper
- 38:31and this
- 38:31the only
- 38:32happiness
- 38:33with which
- 38:34our souls
- 38:35can be
- 38:36satisfied
- 38:36all of the
- 38:37idols
- 38:38will fail
- 38:38us
- 38:38at some
- 38:39point
- 38:39God
- 38:39is the
- 38:40only
- 38:40one
- 38:41that
- 38:41will
- 38:42satisfy
- 38:42to
- 38:43go
- 38:43to
- 38:43heaven
- 38:43fully
- 38:44to enjoy
- 38:44God
- 38:45is
- 38:45infinitely
- 38:46better
- 38:46than the
- 38:47most
- 38:47pleasant
- 38:48accommodations
- 38:49here
- 38:50better than
- 38:51fathers and mothers
- 38:51husbands
- 38:52wives or
- 38:53children
- 38:53or the
- 38:54company
- 38:54of any
- 38:55or all
- 38:56earthly
- 38:56friends
- 38:57these
- 38:59are but
- 38:59shadows
- 39:01but the
- 39:02enjoyment of
- 39:03God
- 39:03is the
- 39:03substance
- 39:04these
- 39:06are but
- 39:06scattered
- 39:07beings
- 39:08but God
- 39:08is the
- 39:09sun
- 39:10these
- 39:11are but
- 39:11streams
- 39:12but God
- 39:14is the
- 39:14fountain
- 39:15these
- 39:17are but
- 39:17drops
- 39:17but God
- 39:19is the
- 39:19ocean
- 39:20infinitely
- 39:22greater
- 39:23infinitely
- 39:24worthy
- 39:25of all
- 39:26of our
- 39:26worship
- 39:27I want
- 39:31to read
- 39:31now
- 39:31John
- 39:31chapter
- 39:321
- 39:32verse
- 39:3418
- 39:34no one
- 39:37has ever
- 39:37seen
- 39:38God
- 39:38the only
- 39:39God
- 39:40he's talking
- 39:40about the
- 39:41word
- 39:41there
- 39:41the eloquent
- 39:43!
- 39:43communication
- 39:43Jesus
- 39:44Christ
- 39:45who is
- 39:46at the
- 39:46father's
- 39:47side
- 39:47he
- 39:48has
- 39:48made
- 39:49him
- 39:49known
- 39:51we can
- 39:53know
- 39:54God
- 39:54and we
- 39:54can worship
- 39:55him rightly
- 39:55because
- 39:56God has
- 39:57spoken to
- 39:58us in
- 39:58these last
- 39:59days
- 40:00by
- 40:00his
- 40:01son
- 40:03my
- 40:05hope
- 40:05for our
- 40:06study
- 40:07of
- 40:08Hebrews
- 40:08I
- 40:11hope
- 40:12that we
- 40:12would
- 40:12greater
- 40:12appreciate
- 40:13both
- 40:15the
- 40:15continuity
- 40:15and
- 40:16the
- 40:17discontinuity
- 40:18of the
- 40:18old
- 40:18and new
- 40:19covenants
- 40:20and
- 40:21therefore
- 40:21the
- 40:22old
- 40:22and
- 40:22new
- 40:23testaments
- 40:24that the
- 40:25scripture
- 40:25would become
- 40:26more
- 40:26precious
- 40:26to us
- 40:27because
- 40:29God
- 40:29has
- 40:29spoken
- 40:30to us
- 40:31by it
- 40:32it is
- 40:33this
- 40:33book
- 40:33that gives
- 40:34testimony
- 40:34to who
- 40:35Christ
- 40:36is
- 40:37we don't
- 40:38worship
- 40:38the Bible
- 40:39but we
- 40:39worship
- 40:39the
- 40:40Christ
- 40:40of
- 40:41the
- 40:41Bible
- 40:42it's
- 40:42a
- 40:42precious
- 40:43thing
- 40:43to those
- 40:45who
- 40:45follow
- 40:45Jesus
- 40:45secondly
- 40:47I hope
- 40:49that we
- 40:50would
- 40:50greater
- 40:50love
- 40:51the
- 40:52risen
- 40:52Christ
- 40:53that we
- 40:54would
- 40:54greater
- 40:55love
- 40:55the
- 40:56risen
- 40:56Christ
- 40:57that we
- 40:58would
- 40:58so
- 40:58love
- 40:59the
- 40:59risen
- 40:59Christ
- 40:59that we
- 41:00would
- 41:01worship
- 41:01him
- 41:01with
- 41:01greater
- 41:02fervor
- 41:03in the
- 41:04face
- 41:04of
- 41:05opposition
- 41:05that we
- 41:07would be
- 41:07a people
- 41:08who
- 41:08persevere
- 41:09to the
- 41:10end
- 41:11for the
- 41:11glory
- 41:12of God
- 41:12this
- 41:13is
- 41:13the
- 41:13goal
- 41:14of the
- 41:14writer
- 41:14of
- 41:15Hebrews
- 41:15he
- 41:17is
- 41:17saying
- 41:17to
- 41:17these
- 41:18people
- 41:18Christ
- 41:19is
- 41:19better
- 41:20he
- 41:21is
- 41:21supreme
- 41:22don't
- 41:23give
- 41:23up
- 41:23press
- 41:24on
- 41:25to
- 41:25the
- 41:25end
- 41:25there's
- 41:26a
- 41:27great
- 41:27glory
- 41:27that
- 41:28awaits
- 41:28you
- 41:28don't
- 41:30look
- 41:30for
- 41:30ease
- 41:30and
- 41:31comfort
- 41:31in
- 41:32this
- 41:32world
- 41:33look
- 41:33for
- 41:34Christ
- 41:35because
- 41:36in
- 41:37him
- 41:37God
- 41:38has
- 41:39spoken
- 41:40I
- 41:42want
- 41:42to
- 41:42conclude
- 41:43with a
- 41:43small
- 41:45anecdote
- 41:45I'm
- 41:46reading
- 41:47now to
- 41:47our
- 41:47boys
- 41:48the
- 41:48Chronicles
- 41:49of
- 41:49Narnia
- 41:49we've
- 41:51read
- 41:53the
- 41:54Lion
- 41:54the
- 41:54Witch
- 41:54and
- 41:54the
- 41:54Wardrobe
- 41:54and
- 41:56we've
- 41:57just
- 41:57finished
- 41:57reading
- 41:57Prince
- 41:58Caspian
- 41:58and
- 42:00yes
- 42:00in
- 42:00that
- 42:00order
- 42:00because
- 42:01it's
- 42:01the
- 42:01published
- 42:01order
- 42:01and
- 42:02it's
- 42:02the
- 42:02right
- 42:02way
- 42:02to
- 42:03read
- 42:03it
- 42:03I
- 42:06stand
- 42:06by
- 42:06that
- 42:07without
- 42:07apology
- 42:07and
- 42:10in
- 42:11Prince
- 42:11Caspian
- 42:12the
- 42:13Pevensies
- 42:13the
- 42:14children
- 42:14if
- 42:15you're
- 42:15not
- 42:15familiar
- 42:15with
- 42:15the
- 42:15story
- 42:15I'm
- 42:16going
- 42:16to
- 42:16totally
- 42:16confuse
- 42:16you
- 42:16there's
- 42:17four
- 42:17children
- 42:17and
- 42:18their
- 42:18siblings
- 42:18the
- 42:19Lion
- 42:19Witch
- 42:19the
- 42:19wardrobe
- 42:20they're
- 42:20drawn
- 42:21back
- 42:21to
- 42:21Narnia
- 42:22and
- 42:22it's
- 42:22many
- 42:22thousands
- 42:23of
- 42:23years
- 42:27on
- 42:28the
- 42:28throne
- 42:29and
- 42:29it's
- 42:30very
- 42:30far
- 42:31into
- 42:31the
- 42:31book
- 42:31it's
- 42:31a little
- 42:32over
- 42:32halfway
- 42:32into
- 42:32the
- 42:32book
- 42:33before
- 42:33the
- 42:34character
- 42:34in
- 42:35C.S.
- 42:35Lewis'
- 42:36writing
- 42:36that
- 42:36represents
- 42:36Christ
- 42:37shows up
- 42:38and his
- 42:38name
- 42:38is
- 42:39Aslan
- 42:40and he
- 42:40is
- 42:40a
- 42:41lion
- 42:41right
- 42:42Lewis'
- 42:43writing
- 42:43is
- 42:43just
- 42:44fantastic
- 42:44my
- 42:45heart
- 42:45skips
- 42:46a beat
- 42:46when I
- 42:47see the
- 42:48name
- 42:48on
- 42:48the
- 42:48page
- 42:48it
- 42:49stands
- 42:49out
- 42:49on
- 42:50the
- 42:50page
- 42:50oh
- 42:51good
- 42:51Aslan
- 42:52is
- 42:52on
- 42:52this
- 42:52page
- 42:52this
- 42:52is
- 42:52fantastic
- 42:53wonderful
- 42:55writing
- 42:55Aslan
- 42:57doesn't
- 42:57show up
- 42:58until
- 42:58much
- 42:58later
- 42:58in
- 42:58the
- 42:58story
- 42:58and
- 42:59it's
- 42:59the
- 42:59youngest
- 42:59of
- 43:00the
- 43:00Pimansi
- 43:01children
- 43:01that
- 43:02notices
- 43:02him
- 43:02first
- 43:03she
- 43:04sees
- 43:05him
- 43:05the
- 43:05others
- 43:05don't
- 43:05see
- 43:06him
- 43:06finally
- 43:06she
- 43:07actually
- 43:07encounters
- 43:08him
- 43:08and I
- 43:08just
- 43:08want
- 43:08to
- 43:08read
- 43:08a
- 43:09little
- 43:09bit
- 43:09to
- 43:10you
- 43:10Lewis
- 43:13writes
- 43:14she
- 43:14rushed
- 43:23do
- 43:23was
- 43:24that
- 43:24she
- 43:24was
- 43:24kissing
- 43:24him
- 43:25and
- 43:25putting
- 43:25arms
- 43:25as far
- 43:26around
- 43:26his
- 43:26neck
- 43:27as
- 43:27she
- 43:27could
- 43:27and
- 43:28burying
- 43:28her
- 43:28face
- 43:29in
- 43:29the
- 43:29beautiful
- 43:30rich
- 43:30silkiness
- 43:31of
- 43:31his
- 43:32mane
- 43:32Aslan
- 43:34Aslan
- 43:34dear
- 43:34Aslan
- 43:35sobbed
- 43:35Lucy
- 43:36at
- 43:36last
- 43:37the
- 43:38great
- 43:38beast
- 43:39rolled
- 43:39over
- 43:40on
- 43:40his
- 43:40side
- 43:41so
- 43:41that
- 43:41Lucy
- 43:42fell
- 43:42half
- 43:43sitting
- 43:43and
- 43:43half
- 43:43lying
- 43:44between
- 43:44his
- 43:44front
- 43:44paws
- 43:45he
- 43:46bent
- 43:46forward
- 43:47and
- 43:47just
- 43:48touched
- 43:48her
- 43:48nose
- 43:48with
- 43:49his
- 43:49tongue
- 43:50his
- 43:50warm
- 43:51breath
- 43:51came
- 43:51all
- 43:51around
- 43:52her
- 43:52she
- 43:52gazed
- 43:53up
- 43:53into
- 43:54the
- 43:54large
- 43:54wise
- 43:55face
- 43:56welcome
- 43:58child
- 43:59he
- 43:59said
- 43:59Aslan
- 44:01said
- 44:01Lucy
- 44:01you're
- 44:02bigger
- 44:03that
- 44:05is
- 44:05because
- 44:06you
- 44:06are
- 44:06older
- 44:07little
- 44:08one
- 44:08answered
- 44:09he
- 44:09not
- 44:11because
- 44:11you
- 44:11are
- 44:12said
- 44:12Lucy
- 44:13I
- 44:14am
- 44:15not
- 44:15but
- 44:16every
- 44:17year
- 44:17you
- 44:17grow
- 44:18you
- 44:19will
- 44:19find
- 44:19me
- 44:20bigger
- 44:21not
- 44:23good
- 44:23for
- 44:26a
- 44:26time
- 44:27she
- 44:27was
- 44:27so
- 44:28happy
- 44:28this
- 44:29is
- 44:29happy
- 44:29I
- 44:32promise
- 44:32I'm
- 44:33not
- 44:33having
- 44:33a
- 44:33midlife
- 44:33crisis
- 44:34for
- 44:39a
- 44:40time
- 44:40she
- 44:40was
- 44:41so
- 44:41happy
- 44:42that
- 44:43she
- 44:43did
- 44:43not
- 44:43want
- 44:44to
- 44:44speak
- 44:44but
- 44:46Aslan
- 44:46spoke
- 44:47let's
- 44:49pray
- 44:49together