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Hebrews 2:1 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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Well, we have been preaching verse by verse through the book of Romans, and we have spent the past two weeks in chapter 6 thinking about what it means to be set free from sin.
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! I have been attempting to help you see the tightrope we walk as Christians, knowing that we are saved by grace alone through faith alone and the personal work of Jesus Christ alone,
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but also knowing that if we have been saved, set free from the power of sin, given a new nature, then our faith will be a faith that works in the pursuit of holiness.
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I do not think that I have done a good job of helping the church see this careful tension over the past decade and a half.
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It seems to me that I have overemphasized sanctification as evidence of justification.
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Not an untruth, but perhaps a truth with too much emphasis.
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I want you to know that this comes from a desire for you to persevere, but the imbalance comes from a reaction to the cheap grace preaching of our day.
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Perhaps you remember me recently reading from John MacArthur's commentary.
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There he wrote,
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Perhaps the most common reason why Christians find it hard to believe they are freed from sin's tyranny while they are still on earth,
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is that their continued battle with sin seems almost constantly to contradict that truth.
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If they have a new holy disposition and sin's control has truly been broken,
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they wonder, why are they still so strongly tempted, and why do they so often succumb?
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So this morning, I want to step away from Romans 6 before we complete it, Lord willing, next week,
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and I just want to encourage you.
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The planned text for today, sufficient for the task.
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Verses 15 through 23.
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It can be accomplished there, but not the way I wrote it this week.
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So I'd like to labor with it a bit more that we might get that balance correct in that text.
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In Isaiah chapter 42 and verse 3, it is prophesied of the Lord Jesus Christ.
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A bruised reed he will not break,
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and a faintly burning wick he will not quench.
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And I think that most people in our church are like me, are hard on themselves.
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I am my own worst critic.
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I don't think Satan has any concern with being an accuser to me,
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because I take care of it all on my own.
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I think perhaps because we're a church that takes the Bible seriously,
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because we care about holiness,
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perhaps because people can tend to be attracted to the preaching of someone who feels the way they feel.
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We're kind of alike in this way.
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So, this morning you may feel beaten down.
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You may feel like the flame of your faith is just barely lit.
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You are in good company.
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I often feel this way.
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Many of us do.
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In fact, as I just searched,
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kind of thinking towards the end of this week,
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perhaps not the way I wrote Romans 6, 15 through 23.
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This text that were coming to my mind,
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things that we had preached on before,
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I thought, oh, that's a good, encouraging text to this point.
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And I would go and I would read those sermons and go,
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whew, that was really hard on us in that particular passage.
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And so I just want to be an encouragement to us today.
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I want to prod at us,
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help us to consider the completed work of Christ on our behalf.
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And we're going to do that by looking at Hebrews chapter 2, verse 1.
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Before I read it, let me remind you, beloved,
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that this is God's word to us,
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written for his glory and our good.
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And so we would do well to listen to it
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in order to believe its promises.
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Let me emphasize that part of this thing I say when I preach.
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Believe its promises and obey its commands.
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Hebrews 2 and verse 1.
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Therefore, we must pay much closer attention
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to what we have heard,
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lest we drift away from it.
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There is one exhortation or encouragement in today's text,
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and it is the ruling or overarching exhortation
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of the entire letter to the Hebrew people.
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The original audience for Hebrews
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is a church of Hellenistic Jews,
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think Greek-speaking Jews,
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that had not seen Jesus,
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but they had heard the gospel and believed.
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Most likely a small church meeting on the outskirts of Rome.
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They had endured much suffering to this point,
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and the author is anticipating that they will suffer further.
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So there exists among them the temptation
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to forsake their faith in Jesus Christ
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and return to Judaism.
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Jews practicing Judaism
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had long been accepted in the Roman Empire,
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and this remained true
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in the days that this letter was written.
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So they're being tugged at.
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Perhaps we can still worship God in that way,
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this way that won't cost us
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our possessions and our comfort and our lives.
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And apostasy had already happened in the life of the church,
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so there's lots of warning in this letter.
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And we find that there's an accompany warning in this verse.
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And we're not going to neglect it altogether,
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but we're going to focus our energy together
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on the exhortation from the letter.
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Therefore, we must pay much closer attention
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to what we have heard.
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The exhortation begins with a therefore,
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and as you may be thinking,
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how is this text meant to encourage me this morning?
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Well, here it is.
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Everything contained within that therefore.
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That is what is meant to be an encouragement to you today.
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The therefore refers back to all that the author has said
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of Jesus Christ in chapter 1.
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Now, we don't have time this morning
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to unpack all of chapter 1.
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Perhaps we could fly over it,
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but I think that would be unfair to you.
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So we're just going to look at two verses from chapter 1.
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Hebrews chapter 1, verse 2 and verse 3.
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So let me read verse 1 just to get us into verse 2 and 3.
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Long ago, at many times and in many ways,
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God spoke to our fathers by the prophets.
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But in these last days, He has spoken to us by His Son,
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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
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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,
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He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.
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Behold, in these two verses,
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the supremacy and the finality of Jesus Christ.
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Kent Hughes, a contemporary pastor,
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in his commentary on this text, said,
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the grand theme of these verses
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is the supremacy of Christ as God's final word.
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Christ is held up like a great jewel
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to the sunlight of God's revelation.
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And as the light courses through it,
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seven facets flash with gleaming brilliance.
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Christ's supremacy and His finality
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is refracted for us to consider.
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This is the encouragement this morning,
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who Christ is and what He's accomplished.
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So let's give these seven refractions,
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titles, to help us in our study.
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Christ is, so this is an outline if you care for it.
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I'll repeat these.
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But Christ is an inheritor,
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a creator, a sustainer,
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a radiator, a representer,
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a purifier, and a ruler.
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So first, Christ is an inheritor.
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We see in verse 2,
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whom He, God, appointed the heir of all things.
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It follows that because Jesus is the Son of God,
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then He is also the heir of God.
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The writer of Hebrews identifies for us
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Jesus Christ as the anointed and Son of Psalm 2
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when He cites Psalm 2-7 in chapter 1 and verse 5.
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You are my Son.
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Today I have begotten you.
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He's referring to Psalm 2.
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In Psalm 2 and verse 8,
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the psalmist writes,
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Ask of me,
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and I will make the nations your heritage
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and the ends of the earth your possession.
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Referring to this anointed one.
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So Psalm 2 teaches us
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that the inheritance of Jesus Christ
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is the earth and its peoples.
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But Colossians chapter 1 and verse 6
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teaches us that all things,
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so the very cosmos themselves,
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were created for Him.
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Him.
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But not only that, beloved,
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if you are in Christ Jesus,
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then you,
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specifically you,
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are His inheritance.
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You belong to Him.
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Through the sacrificial work of Jesus Christ
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on the cross,
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He has purchased you
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and He treasures you
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as His inheritance.
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In Ephesians chapter 1 and verse 18,
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Paul tells the Ephesian believers
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that He always prays
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that they may know
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what are the riches
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of His glorious inheritance
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in the saints.
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What an astounding truth.
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But not only are we Christ's inheritance,
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we are also His co-heirs.
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Heirs.
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In Romans 8 and verse 17,
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Paul calls us heirs,
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heirs of God
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and fellow heirs
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with Christ.
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Christ is the heir of all things.
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He is the heir of God,
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but as followers of Christ,
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we are found in Him,
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so we are also heirs.
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1 Corinthians chapter 3,
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verse 21 and following says,
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So let no one boast in men,
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for all things are yours,
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whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas
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or the world or life or death
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or the present or the future,
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all are yours,
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and you are Christ's,
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and Christ is God's.
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We are heirs with Christ.
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Secondly, Christ is creator.
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Verse 2 says that God created the world
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through Him.
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Not only does Christ inherit all things,
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but He also created all things.
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The Greek word here,
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translated world,
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could be more literally translated ages.
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And it is a wonderful word
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because it includes all things.
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Not only space,
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but also time.
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Brooke Westcott,
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who was a 19th century British theologian,
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defines this Greek word in this way.
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The sum of the periods of time,
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including all that is manifested
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in and through them,
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an order which exists through time,
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developed in successive stages.
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Everything,
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all of it,
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forever,
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was created by Christ.
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Our galaxy is an average-sized spiral galaxy.
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Those of you who know me
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know I like this kind of stuff.
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It's over 100,000 light years across,
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which is 600 trillion miles.
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I dare you to comprehend a number like that.
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600 trillion miles across 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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Each galaxy contains
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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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This is astounding.
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The universe is absolutely astounded.
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And it was created by and for Christ.
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John 1 and verse 3,
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All things were made through Him,
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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 and verse 6,
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Yet for us there is one God,
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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 chapter 1 and verse 16,
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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 and 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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Amen.
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The cosmos were created
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that we might praise Christ.
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And we are a new creation, beloved,
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for the praise of Christ.
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2 Corinthians 5 and verse 17,
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Therefore, if anyone is in Christ,
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he is a new creation.
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Behold, it's passed away.
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Behold, the new has come.
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Christ is the creator of all things,
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including us.
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A powerful word has spoken all things
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for the praise of God into existence.
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Not only is Christ the creator,
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He's also the sustainer.
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Verse 3 tells us that He 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 sustains them, keeps them going.
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He actively sustains by the word of His power.
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That means that Jesus says 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 to do otherwise.
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I think that's very cool.
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Jonathan Edwards,
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one of the greatest minds
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that this country has ever produced,
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much less greatest theological minds,
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he's often given credit for being
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just one of the greatest minds,
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believed in something that he called
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continuous creation.
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And that was to say that he thought
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that the world was being created
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moment by moment,
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spoken into existence moment by moment.
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And to be frank,
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this makes my head explode
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because I am no Jonathan Edwards,
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in case you were unclear about that.
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But just listen to what he says.
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It's just fascinating.
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So, quote,
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It is plain,
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nothing can exert itself or operate
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when and where it is not existing
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because what is past entirely ceases
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when present existence begins.
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It does no more coexist with it
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than it does any other moment
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that had ceased 20 years ago.
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Here's my dumb summary of that.
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The past does not have the power
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to sustain that which is in the present
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or in the future.
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I believe that's what he just said.
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But he goes on.
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Here's the part I want to get you to.
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Quote,
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God's upholding created substance
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or causing its existence
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in each successive moment
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is altogether equivalent
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to an immediate production
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out of nothing
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at each moment
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because its existence at this moment
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is not merely in part from God
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but wholly from him
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and not in any part or degree
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from its antecedent existence.
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He's saying the past ceased to exist
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in the past,
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so the present must exist
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by the power of God.
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Now,
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you could rewind this idea
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of continuous creation
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and hear that whatever he's saying
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is that Christ,
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by the word of his power,
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holds us together.
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Have you ever really considered
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what it is that keeps us together?
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Why is it that our atoms exist
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the way our atoms exist
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and that those atoms exist together?
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There are scientific explanations for this.
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I understand.
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But I just want to posit to you
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that if Christ would cease
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holding us together
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by the word of his power,
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what makes us up
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would just fly off into oblivion.
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In a moment,
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it would all be gone.
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Christ is the sustainer.
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If Jesus Christ has the power
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to sustain the universe,
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the cosmos,
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then, beloved,
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he has the power
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to sustain our faith.
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As feeble as it can be at times,
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he can hold that together.
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This is why Paul was able to say
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with such confidence
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to the Philippian believers
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in Philippians 1-6,
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I am sure of this,
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that he who began a good work in you
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will bring it to completion
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at the day of Christ.
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Christ is the sustainer.
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Notice fourthly
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that Christ is the radiator.
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We see in verse 3,
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he's the radiance of the glory of God.
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Radiance here is a better translation
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than the oft-used reflection.
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Maybe your translation this morning
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says reflection.
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The moon reflects the light of the sun.
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The sun, though, radiates that light.
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Jesus does not merely reflect God's glory,
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he is part and parcel of God's glory.
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He is part of the source of that glory.
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John writes in John 1 and verse 18,
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no one has ever seen God,
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the only God, referring to Jesus,
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who is at the Father's side,
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he has made him known.
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The Nicene Creed,
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325 A.D.,
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an important confession,
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states,
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we believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,
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the only Son of God,
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begotten from the Father
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before all ages,
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God from God,
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light from light,
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true God from true God,
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begotten not made
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of the same essence
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as the Father.
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And this is what
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the biblical evidence bears out,
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including Hebrews 1 and verse 3.
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Jesus is God,
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so when we see Jesus,
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we see God.
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And this is an astounding reality
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for us living in the New Testament era.
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Colossians chapter 1 and verse 15 says,
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Jesus is the image
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of the invisible God.
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Christ is the radiator.
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Christ is also the representer.
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Verse 3 says,
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he's the exact imprint
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of God's nature,
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of his nature.
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Now this phrase balances out
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the previous phrase.
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Jesus as God's radiance
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speaks to his oneness
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with the Father.
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Jesus as God's representer
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or imprint
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speaks to his distinctness
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as the Son.
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So the author of Hebrews
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gives us a taste
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of the mystery
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that is the Trinitarian nature
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of God.
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Many people have attempted
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to give some analogy for this
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and they all fail miserably,
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which is why I never try.
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Beloved, this reality
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of the triune nature of God
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should move us
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to odd speculation.
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A God who is one
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but three in one.
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A mystery that I look forward
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to having unraveled
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in glory.
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I often joke,
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you may know,
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that I feel like
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there's going to be
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a frequently asked questions
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video when we arrive
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in that day.
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They're just going to be like,
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hey, wait, wait, wait,
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hold the questions.
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An old VHS will be popped in
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to help us understand
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these types of glorious truths.
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But I don't know
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that we're going to fully comprehend
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this one ever.
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It's possible
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that we may explore
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the glory of this God
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one but three in one
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forever.
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We might constantly be becoming
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new revelation,
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awe and wonder
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and worship
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for eternity.
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Now, exact imprint
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refers to the image
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on a coin made by a die.
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So a stamp,
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an exact imprint.
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Once again,
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when we see Jesus,
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we see God.
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We know how He thinks.
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We know how He speaks.
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We know how He feels.
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We know how He relates
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to mankind broadly.
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We know how He relates
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to us as His people.
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God has spoken to us
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in His Son.
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And listen to what Jesus says.
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There's one thing
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from Matthew chapter 11,
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verse 28 and 29.
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Come to Me,
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all who labor
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and are heavy laden,
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and I will give you rest.
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Take My yoke upon you
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and learn from Me,
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for I am gentle
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and lowly in heart,
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and you will find rest
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for your souls.
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So Jesus,
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as the
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representer of God,
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we do have the confidence
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that when He speaks,
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He speaks to us
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from Him,
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and that we can find
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rest for our souls
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in Christ,
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the representer.
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Sixth,
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Christ is
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the purifier.
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Once again,
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verse 3
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says,
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after making
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purification
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for sins,
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Jesus Christ
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is the supreme
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priest.
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He was the agent
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of the purification
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for our sins
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and the sacrifice
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necessary
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for that
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purification.
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He is the supreme
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priest
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and
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the final
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priest.
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We no longer
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have a need
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for sacrifice,
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and we no longer
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have a need
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for a priest
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to offer that
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sacrifice
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on our
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behalf.
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That's why
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in this church,
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you will never
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hear an altar
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call,
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because we do
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not have
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altars
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in a New Testament
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church.
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Christ died
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once for all.
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The sacrifice
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has been made.
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Maybe someone
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will ask you
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to come
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to the stage,
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but there is
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no altar here,
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and there is
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no priest
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except
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for the Lord
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Jesus Christ.
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The author
25:05
of Hebrews
25:05
will go on
25:06
to expand
25:07
on both
25:08
of these
25:08
realities,
25:09
that he
25:09
is the
25:10
sacrifice,
25:10
and he
25:11
is the
25:11
great
25:12
high priest.
25:13
In his
25:13
letter in
25:13
Hebrews
25:14
chapter 10,
25:15
listen to
25:16
verse 11
25:16
and following.
25:18
There he
25:18
writes,
25:18
and every
25:19
priest stands
25:19
daily at
25:20
his service,
25:22
offering
25:22
repeatedly
25:23
the same
25:24
sacrifices,
25:24
which can
25:25
never
25:25
take away
25:27
sins.
25:28
They're
25:28
always meant
25:28
to point
25:29
us to a
25:30
greater
25:30
sacrifice
25:31
than is
25:32
Christ.
25:33
Verse 12,
25:33
but when
25:35
Christ
25:35
had offered
25:36
for all
25:37
time
25:37
a single
25:38
sacrifice
25:39
for sins,
25:41
he sat
25:42
down
25:42
at the
25:43
right hand
25:43
of God.
25:44
Sat down,
25:45
so significant,
25:47
waiting from
25:47
that time
25:48
until his
25:48
enemies
25:49
should be
25:49
made a
25:49
footstool
25:50
for his
25:50
feet.
25:51
For by
25:52
a single
25:52
offering,
25:54
he has
25:54
perfected
25:55
for all
25:56
time
25:56
those
25:57
who are
25:58
being
25:58
sanctified.
26:00
By that
26:01
single
26:01
offering,
26:02
he guaranteed
26:03
the purchase
26:04
of his
26:04
church
26:05
and their
26:06
perfection
26:07
through time.
26:08
He guaranteed
26:09
the thing
26:09
would be
26:10
accomplished
26:10
that is
26:11
now
26:11
being
26:12
accomplished.
26:15
John
26:16
chapter 19
26:17
and verse
26:17
30,
26:17
Christ said,
26:19
it is
26:20
finished.
26:22
And he
26:23
bowed his
26:23
head and
26:24
he gave
26:25
up his
26:26
spirit.
26:27
Romans
26:27
chapter 6
26:28
and verse
26:28
10,
26:29
for the
26:29
death he
26:30
died,
26:30
he died
26:31
to sin
26:32
once
26:33
for all.
26:34
But the
26:34
life he
26:35
lives,
26:36
he lives
26:37
to God.
26:38
He has
26:39
completed it.
26:40
He is the
26:40
purifier.
26:41
It is an
26:41
accomplished
26:42
work.
26:45
And
26:46
seventh,
26:48
Christ is
26:48
the ruler.
26:52
He sat
26:52
down,
26:53
verse 3
26:53
says,
26:53
at the
26:54
right hand
26:55
of the
26:55
majesty
26:56
on high.
26:58
Jesus
26:59
Christ does
26:59
not have to
27:00
work as
27:00
the Levitical
27:01
priests
27:01
work.
27:02
They
27:03
never
27:03
sat.
27:05
The
27:06
temple,
27:06
the
27:06
tabernacle
27:07
preceding
27:08
it,
27:08
had lots
27:09
of furniture
27:09
in it,
27:10
with lots
27:11
of purposes,
27:12
not a
27:12
single place
27:13
to sit
27:13
down.
27:14
They
27:14
never,
27:15
they were
27:15
always,
27:16
when they
27:16
were on
27:16
their shift,
27:17
continually
27:17
making
27:18
sacrifice
27:19
for the
27:19
sins
27:20
of Israel.
27:21
Meant to
27:22
teach us
27:22
something,
27:23
there is a
27:23
greater
27:23
sacrifice,
27:25
one who
27:25
will
27:26
come.
27:27
The
27:27
writer of
27:27
Hebrews'
27:28
words are
27:28
astonishing
27:29
here.
27:30
Don't
27:30
let this
27:31
be lost
27:32
on you.
27:34
The
27:34
original
27:35
hearers of
27:35
this letter
27:36
would have
27:37
taken such
27:38
courage
27:39
from this
27:40
phrase,
27:40
he sat
27:41
down at
27:42
the right
27:43
hand of
27:43
the majesty
27:44
on high.
27:45
They would
27:46
have remembered
27:46
that Jesus'
27:48
sacrificial
27:48
work is
27:50
finished,
27:51
completed.
27:53
Romans chapter
27:53
three,
27:54
verse 21 and
27:55
22,
27:55
but now the
27:56
righteousness of
27:57
God has
27:57
been manifested
27:58
apart from
27:59
the law.
28:00
Although the
28:00
law and the
28:01
prophets bear
28:02
witness to
28:02
it, the
28:03
righteousness of
28:04
God through
28:05
faith in
28:05
Jesus Christ
28:06
for all
28:07
who believed.
28:10
It is of
28:11
great significance
28:12
that Jesus is
28:13
at the right
28:14
hand of the
28:14
majesty on
28:16
high.
28:17
Having
28:17
completed that
28:18
work, the
28:19
right hand
28:20
historically was
28:22
the place of
28:23
highest honor
28:24
power and
28:25
power.
28:26
Second only to
28:27
the king was
28:29
the one that
28:29
sat at the
28:30
right hand
28:31
of the king.
28:33
Ephesians 4,
28:34
verse 10,
28:36
he who
28:37
descended,
28:38
being Christ,
28:39
is the one who
28:39
also ascended
28:40
far above all
28:42
the heavens
28:43
that he might
28:44
fill all
28:46
things.
28:48
Where Jesus
28:49
is now,
28:51
bodily,
28:53
is in what
28:53
is called his
28:54
session, his
28:55
reign over
28:56
all things.
28:59
Paul tells us
29:00
this session
29:01
means something
29:02
for us.
29:03
He's doing
29:03
something specific
29:04
for those who
29:06
believe in
29:07
him.
29:08
He's carrying
29:09
out a specific
29:11
task.
29:12
Romans chapter
29:13
8, verse 31
29:14
and following,
29:15
just after a
29:16
grand explanation
29:17
of God's
29:18
elective purpose,
29:19
calling together
29:20
a people for
29:22
his possession,
29:22
says,
29:24
what then
29:25
shall we say
29:26
to these
29:26
things?
29:28
If God is
29:28
for us,
29:30
who can be
29:30
against us?
29:32
He who
29:32
did not
29:32
spare his
29:33
own son,
29:33
but gave
29:34
him up for
29:34
us all,
29:35
how will
29:35
he not
29:36
also with
29:36
him graciously
29:37
give us
29:38
all things?
29:40
Who shall
29:40
bring any
29:41
charge against
29:42
God's elect?
29:42
God.
29:43
It is God
29:43
who justifies.
29:45
Who is to
29:45
condemn?
29:47
Christ Jesus
29:47
is the one
29:48
who died.
29:48
More than
29:49
that,
29:49
who was
29:50
raised,
29:51
who was at
29:51
the right
29:52
hand of
29:53
God,
29:54
who indeed
29:55
is interceding
29:58
for us.
30:00
He's making
30:01
a case for
30:02
us to God.
30:04
He sees
30:05
you in
30:06
him and
30:07
he says
30:07
mine to
30:09
God.
30:10
He belongs
30:10
to me.
30:11
She belongs
30:12
to me.
30:13
Regardless of
30:14
their performance,
30:15
but because of
30:15
mine,
30:16
they are
30:17
ours.
30:21
So Christ
30:21
is the
30:23
inheritor,
30:23
the creator,
30:24
the sustainer,
30:25
the radiator,
30:25
the representer,
30:26
the purifier,
30:28
and the
30:29
ruler.
30:31
And that's
30:32
what's contained,
30:33
at least that
30:34
is what's
30:35
contained in
30:35
the word
30:36
therefore
30:36
in Hebrews
30:38
2
30:38
and verse
30:40
1.
30:41
But let's
30:42
look at the
30:43
rest of the
30:43
verse.
30:45
Because of
30:46
Jesus'
30:46
supremacy
30:47
and finality,
30:49
we must
30:50
pay much
30:51
closer attention
30:52
to what
30:53
we have
30:55
heard.
30:56
The author
30:57
of Hebrews
30:57
is referring
30:57
to all
30:58
they knew
30:59
of Jesus,
31:00
his person,
31:02
and his
31:02
work,
31:03
which he's
31:04
referring back
31:05
to in this
31:05
therefore of
31:06
verse 2
31:07
and 1.
31:08
and then
31:08
he refers
31:08
forward to
31:09
it in
31:10
chapter 2
31:11
and verse
31:11
3 as
31:12
such a
31:13
great
31:14
salvation.
31:16
We're
31:17
to pay
31:17
much
31:18
closer
31:19
attention.
31:22
The Hebrew
31:23
verb
31:24
pay attention
31:25
is in the
31:25
present
31:26
tense,
31:27
which means
31:28
that the
31:28
author does
31:29
not have
31:29
in mind
31:30
the completion
31:31
of the
31:31
task in
31:32
any given
31:33
amount
31:33
of time.
31:36
This suggests
31:36
that one
31:37
can pay
31:37
attention,
31:38
but that we
31:39
must all
31:39
continue
31:40
paying
31:41
attention.
31:43
The work
31:43
of paying
31:44
much closer
31:45
attention
31:45
is not
31:45
a work
31:46
that will
31:47
be
31:47
completed.
31:49
We're to
31:49
pay much
31:50
closer
31:50
attention
31:50
and pay
31:51
much
31:51
closer
31:51
attention
31:52
and pay
31:52
much
31:53
closer
31:53
attention.
31:55
But note
31:56
with me
31:56
the emphasis.
31:59
Not pay
32:00
much closer
32:00
attention
32:01
to
32:01
yourself.
32:03
your successes
32:04
or your
32:05
failures.
32:06
Our faith
32:07
cannot be
32:08
sustained
32:08
if the
32:09
focus of
32:10
it
32:10
is on
32:10
ourselves.
32:13
Our faith
32:13
is sustained
32:14
by focusing
32:15
on what
32:16
we
32:16
have
32:17
heard.
32:19
Saving
32:20
and sustaining
32:20
faith must
32:21
find its
32:22
focus
32:22
on
32:23
Christ.
32:26
Just
32:27
pay attention
32:28
to what the
32:28
author of Hebrews
32:29
is saying
32:29
here.
32:30
Remember
32:30
a people
32:30
who are being
32:31
tempted
32:31
to apostatize,
32:33
to walk
32:33
away
32:33
from
32:34
the
32:34
faith.
32:35
Different
32:36
than we
32:36
may be
32:37
feeling
32:37
beat
32:37
down,
32:38
but they
32:38
were
32:38
feeling
32:38
beat
32:39
down
32:39
by being
32:39
followers
32:40
of
32:41
Christ.
32:41
And he
32:42
says to
32:42
them,
32:42
therefore
32:43
we must
32:43
pay much
32:43
closer
32:44
attention
32:44
to what
32:44
we have
32:45
heard
32:45
lest
32:46
we drift
32:47
away
32:47
from it.
32:48
Turn
32:48
your
32:48
focus
32:48
on
32:49
Christ
32:49
so
32:49
that
32:50
you
32:50
will
32:50
not
32:51
drift.
32:54
And we
32:54
don't
32:54
want to
32:55
ignore
32:55
that
32:56
warning.
32:57
We're
32:57
just
32:57
going
32:57
to
32:58
minimize
32:59
it
32:59
a bit
32:59
this
33:00
morning.
33:01
But there
33:01
is a
33:02
warning
33:02
there
33:02
that
33:02
accompanies
33:03
this
33:03
exhortation
33:04
lest
33:05
we
33:06
drift
33:06
away
33:07
from
33:08
it.
33:09
The
33:09
picture
33:10
the
33:10
author
33:10
is
33:10
painting
33:10
here
33:11
is of
33:11
a
33:11
ship
33:12
safe
33:12
at
33:13
harbor
33:13
not
33:14
having
33:14
its
33:15
anchor
33:15
properly
33:16
set,
33:18
slowly
33:19
moving
33:19
out
33:19
toward
33:20
the
33:20
danger
33:20
of
33:21
the
33:21
sea,
33:22
imperceptibly
33:23
being
33:23
drug
33:24
in
33:24
that
33:25
direction.
33:27
Now
33:27
the
33:27
ship
33:28
was a
33:28
common
33:28
early
33:29
symbol
33:29
of the
33:30
church.
33:31
You
33:31
can
33:31
see
33:32
some
33:32
examples
33:32
of
33:32
this.
33:32
1
33:33
Peter
33:33
chapter
33:33
3
33:33
Peter
33:34
makes
33:34
a
33:34
connection
33:34
between
33:35
Noah
33:35
and
33:35
his
33:35
family
33:36
being
33:37
carried
33:37
safely
33:38
through
33:38
the
33:38
flood
33:39
and
33:39
the
33:39
church
33:39
being
33:40
in
33:40
Jesus
33:41
Christ.
33:43
Mark
33:43
chapter
33:44
4
33:44
Jesus
33:45
calms
33:46
a
33:46
storm,
33:47
a
33:47
little
33:48
tossed
33:49
ship
33:49
on a
33:50
troubled
33:51
sea.
33:52
When
33:52
the symbol
33:53
of the
33:53
cross
33:53
had to
33:53
be
33:54
hidden,
33:54
it
33:54
could
33:55
be
33:55
easily
33:56
disguised
33:57
in the
33:58
mast
33:58
of a
33:58
ship.
33:59
And this
33:59
constantly
33:59
happened.
34:00
They put
34:00
crosses
34:01
in those
34:01
masts
34:02
of the
34:03
ship.
34:04
Brothers
34:05
and sisters,
34:05
this picture
34:06
of drifting
34:06
is meant
34:07
to elicit
34:08
imagery
34:09
of subtle
34:10
movement,
34:11
of movement
34:12
toward danger
34:12
made by
34:13
degrees
34:14
and increments
34:15
at a
34:16
time.
34:17
And so,
34:18
we must pay
34:19
much closer
34:20
attention and
34:21
continue
34:21
doing it
34:22
lest we
34:24
drift
34:24
from it.
34:26
later in
34:28
Hebrews,
34:28
the author
34:28
writes in
34:29
chapter 6
34:30
and verse 19
34:30
and following,
34:31
we have
34:32
this as
34:33
a sure
34:33
and steady
34:34
anchor
34:35
of the
34:36
soul,
34:37
a hope
34:38
that enters
34:38
into the
34:38
inner place
34:39
behind the
34:39
curtain
34:40
where Jesus
34:40
has gone
34:41
as a
34:41
forerunner
34:42
on our
34:43
behalf.
34:45
So notice
34:45
again that
34:46
language.
34:46
He's trying
34:47
to draw
34:47
us to
34:48
this careful
34:49
consideration,
34:50
this closer
34:51
attention
34:52
to Christ
34:53
himself,
34:54
his person
34:55
and his
34:56
work.
34:57
Him
34:57
being
34:58
the
34:58
anchor
34:59
because we
35:01
don't want
35:01
to drift
35:02
from him.
35:04
In Hebrews
35:05
6,
35:06
verse 7
35:06
and following,
35:07
having just
35:08
spoken of the
35:09
apostate,
35:09
the author
35:10
of Hebrews
35:10
uses a
35:12
different
35:12
metaphor.
35:14
Here he
35:14
says,
35:15
for land
35:16
that has
35:16
drunk of
35:16
the rain
35:17
that often
35:17
falls on
35:18
it and
35:19
produces
35:19
a crop
35:20
useful to
35:20
those who
35:21
forsake it
35:21
as cultivated
35:22
receives a
35:23
blessing
35:23
from God.
35:25
But if it
35:25
bears thorns
35:26
and thistles,
35:27
it is worthless
35:27
and near to
35:28
being cursed
35:29
and its
35:29
end is
35:31
to be
35:31
burned.
35:32
There's the
35:33
drifting
35:33
taking place
35:35
there.
35:37
Let us be
35:38
careful lest
35:38
we drift.
35:40
Paul speaks
35:41
of the same
35:41
concern in his
35:42
first letter
35:43
to Timothy.
35:44
Chapter 1
35:45
and verse 19,
35:46
Paul makes
35:46
mention of
35:47
Hymenaeus
35:47
and Alexander
35:48
who made
35:49
shipwreck
35:50
of their
35:51
faith by
35:52
rejecting
35:52
faith and
35:54
a good
35:54
conscience.
35:54
And then
35:56
in 1 Timothy
35:56
chapter 6
35:57
verse 20
35:58
and 21
35:58
he says,
35:58
O Timothy,
35:59
guard the
36:00
deposit
36:00
entrusted
36:01
to you.
36:02
Avoid
36:02
the irreverent
36:03
babble
36:03
and contradictions
36:04
of what is
36:04
falsely
36:05
called
36:05
knowledge.
36:06
For by
36:07
professing
36:07
it,
36:08
some have
36:08
swerved
36:09
from the
36:09
faith.
36:12
Back to
36:12
Hebrews 6
36:13
verse 9,
36:15
though we
36:15
speak in
36:16
this way
36:16
of this
36:17
good
36:17
cultivated
36:18
soil
36:19
and this
36:19
thorn
36:20
producing
36:20
soil,
36:21
he says
36:22
there,
36:22
yet in
36:23
your
36:23
case,
36:25
beloved,
36:26
we feel
36:26
sure of
36:28
better things,
36:29
things that
36:30
belong to
36:31
salvation.
36:33
So how do
36:34
we ensure
36:35
that we are
36:37
not drifters?
36:39
Therefore,
36:40
we must pay
36:41
much closer
36:42
attention to
36:42
what we have
36:43
heard lest
36:43
we drift
36:44
away from
36:45
it.
36:46
Love the
36:48
person and
36:48
work of
36:50
Jesus
36:50
Christ.
36:51
You
36:51
will
36:52
serve
36:53
what you
36:54
love.
36:56
Set your
36:56
gaze on
36:57
him.
36:58
Recognize
36:59
that all
36:59
the promises
37:00
of God
37:00
are confirmed
37:01
in his
37:02
completed
37:03
work.
37:05
Consider it
37:05
and consider
37:06
it and
37:07
consider it
37:07
and surround
37:08
yourself with
37:08
people who
37:09
are doing
37:09
the same
37:09
and will
37:10
help you
37:10
do this.
37:11
People who
37:12
will speak
37:12
the truth
37:13
to you
37:13
when you
37:13
most desperately
37:14
need to
37:16
hear it.
37:17
Christ is
37:18
the inheritor,
37:18
the creator,
37:19
the sustainer,
37:19
the radiator,
37:20
the purifier,
37:22
and the
37:24
ruler.
37:26
In
37:26
closing,
37:26
I would
37:26
like to
37:27
read to
37:27
you a
37:27
prayer from
37:28
the Valley
37:29
of Vision,
37:29
which is a
37:30
collection of
37:30
Puritan
37:31
prayers.
37:32
And I
37:32
want you
37:32
just to
37:33
note the
37:35
great
37:35
humility and
37:36
self-awareness
37:37
and recognition
37:39
of frailty
37:40
of this
37:41
author.
37:42
The
37:43
attitude of
37:44
his heart,
37:44
which I
37:45
will assume
37:46
led him to
37:47
pay much
37:48
closer.
37:49
attention.
37:51
This is
37:52
the prayer.
37:53
You are
37:54
the blessed
37:55
God,
37:57
happy in
37:57
yourself,
37:58
source of
37:59
happiness in
38:00
your creatures,
38:02
my maker,
38:03
benefactor,
38:04
proprietor,
38:06
upholder.
38:07
You have
38:08
produced and
38:09
sustained me,
38:11
supported and
38:12
indulged me,
38:13
saved and
38:14
kept me.
38:15
you are in
38:16
every situation
38:17
able to
38:17
meet my
38:18
needs and
38:19
miseries.
38:20
May I
38:21
live by
38:22
you,
38:22
live for
38:23
you,
38:24
never be
38:24
satisfied with
38:25
my Christian
38:25
progress,
38:26
but as I
38:26
resemble Christ
38:27
and may
38:28
conformity to
38:29
his principles,
38:30
temper and
38:30
conduct grow
38:31
hourly in
38:32
my life.
38:34
Let your
38:34
unexampled
38:35
love constrain
38:36
me into
38:37
holy obedience
38:38
and render
38:38
my duty,
38:40
my delight.
38:41
If others
38:42
deem my
38:43
faith folly,
38:44
my meekness
38:45
infirmity,
38:46
my zeal
38:47
madness,
38:48
my hope
38:49
delusion,
38:49
my actions
38:50
hypocrisy,
38:51
may I
38:51
rejoice to
38:52
suffer for
38:53
your name.
38:55
Keep me
38:55
walking
38:56
steadfastly
38:57
towards the
38:57
country of
38:58
everlasting
38:58
delights,
38:59
that paradise
39:00
land which
39:01
is my true
39:02
inheritance.
39:04
Support me
39:05
by the
39:05
strength of
39:06
heaven that
39:06
I may never
39:07
turn back
39:07
or desire
39:08
false pleasures
39:09
that will
39:09
disappear
39:10
into nothing.
39:12
As I
39:12
pursue my
39:13
heavenly journey
39:14
by your
39:14
grace,
39:15
let me be
39:15
known as
39:16
a man with
39:16
no aim but
39:17
that of a
39:18
burning desire
39:19
for you and
39:20
the good and
39:22
salvation of
39:23
my fellow men.
39:24
Let's close
39:25
in prayer.