Who is Jesus? Fix our eyes on him!
DRIFTING AWAY FROM
THE KING OF ANGELS
(HEBREWS 1:4-2:4)
Penge Baptist Church
19th January 2014
Hebrews 1:4-2:4
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So he became as much superior to the angels as the
name he has inherited is superior to theirs. For to
which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my
Son; today I have become your Father’” ? Or again,
“I will be his Father, and he will be my Son” ? And
again, when God brings his firstborn into the world,
he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him.” In
speaking of the angels he says, “He makes his angels
winds, his servants flames of fire.”
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But about the Son he says, “Your throne, O God,
will last for ever and ever,and righteousness will be
the scepter of your kingdom. You have loved
righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore
God, your God, has set you above your
companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.”
He also says, “In the beginning, O Lord, you laid
the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are
the work of your hands. They will perish, but you
remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You
will roll them up like a robe; like a garment they
will be changed. But you remain the same,and your
years will never end.”
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To which of the angels did God ever say, “Sit at my
right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for
your feet” ? Are not all angels ministering spirits
sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?
We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to
what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.
For if the message spoken by angels was binding,
and every violation and disobedience received its
just punishment, how shall we escape if we ignore
such a great salvation? This salvation, which was
first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us
by those who heard him. God also testified to it by
signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of
the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.
Background
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Hebrews was written to Christians from Jewish
background, under pressure to return to “old
faith”
Angels exalted in Judaism of the time as givers of
the law to Moses
And some believed Michael the Archangel would
rule God’s kingdom
So who is Jesus?
What are angels?
What danger of turning away did the hearers
face? And us?
Jesus, the Son and the King
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“You are my Son; today I have become
your Father” (from Psalm 2:7)
“I will be his Father, and he will be my
Son” (from 2 Samuel 7:14)
“Your throne, O God, will last for ever…”
(from Psalm 45:6)
Jesus, the King of Righteousness
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About the Son he says, “Your throne, O
God, will last for ever and ever,and
righteousness will be the scepter of your
kingdom. You have loved righteousness
and hated wickedness; therefore God, your
God, has set you above your companions
by anointing you with the oil of joy.” (from
Psalm 45:6-7)
Jesus, the King for Eternity
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He also says, “In the beginning, O Lord,
you laid the foundations of the earth, and
the heavens are the work of your hands.
They will perish, but you remain; they will
all wear out like a garment. You will roll
them up like a robe; like a garment they
will be changed. But you remain the
same,and your years will never end.” (from
Psalm 102:25-27)
Jesus, the King who is Victorious
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“Sit at my right hand until I make your
enemies a footstool for your feet” ? (from
Psalm 110:1)
And what are angels?
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Created spiritual beings, with no physical
body, high intelligence and power, able to
make moral choices, carrying out God’s
purposes
“He makes his angels winds, his servants
flames of fire.” (from Psalm 104:4)
“Are not all angels ministering spirits sent
to serve those who will inherit salvation?”
The angels’ relation with Jesus…
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“So he became as much superior to the
angels as the name he has inherited is
superior to theirs.”
“when God brings his firstborn into the
world, he says, “Let all God’s angels
worship him.””
…and with us
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“Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve
those who will inherit salvation?”
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“Do you not know that we will judge angels?” (1
Corinthians 6:3)
Protect us – but also witness our misdeeds
Show us God’s mercy
An example of obedience and worship
Reality of the unseen world
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When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, “Surely the
Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” He was
afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none
other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven.”
(Genesis 28:16-17)
The Danger of turning away from
the Gospel
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For if the message spoken by angels was binding,
and every violation and disobedience received its
just punishment, how shall we escape if we
ignore such a great salvation? This salvation,
which was first announced by the Lord, was
confirmed to us by those who heard him. God
also testified to it by signs, wonders and various
miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed
according to his will.
The Monarch has come in
person!
How might turning away come
about?
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Worship of angels
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Demoting Jesus to a created being
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Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons deny the Trinity
“Believing anything that suits you”
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“Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and
the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize.”
(Colossians 2:18)
The New Age/Postmodern paradigm
The New Atheism
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Richard Dawkins and his hatred of God
Drift – the greatest risk
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“We must pay more careful attention,
therefore, to what we have heard, so that
we do not drift away.”
A boat without a motor can hit the rocks…
…and harm the community at the same
time…
…as we become spiritually lazy and even
obese
Our defence
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Knowing who Jesus is – the King of
Angels - and fixing our eyes on him
Let Scripture speak truth as in Hebrews
Always being filled with the Holy Spirit
Seeking daily intimacy with Jesus in prayer
Aiming to grow as a disciple of Jesus – and
it being evident in our lives