If you will find your place in the scriptures, Hebrews chapter one. Hebrews chapter one, we have gathered today to. Open up God's perfect word. May he grant to us a humble and worshipful listening today. The book of Hebrews is like A wonderful treasure chest. And we have spent the last two Sundays looking at the introductory note, which when you lift the lid, the note sits right there on top. It explains to you in short summary form all of the wonderful things that you are about to get into. Hebrews one in verse one, God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past, to the fathers by the prophets. As in these last days spoken to us by his son, whom he has appointed heir of all things, through him also he made the worlds, who being the brightness of his glory and the express image of his person and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high. This is the introductory note. This is what you find and will explain the rest of the book to us in summary form. There is one God who speaks and he does not lie and he never regrets his word. This one God spoke in time past in multiple ways, multiple pieces. visions, voices, ceremonies, laws by various prophets. But in these last days, God has spoken by his son. God has spoken in a better way. In the completed and fulfilled way. How can this book speak of a better covenant? With better promises and a better priesthood and a better sacrifice, how can all of these things be better? Because God has now spoken by his son. The superior revelation. And final revelation of the purposes of God. And why is he superior? Notice what we have looked at already. Because he's the heir of all things. Because through him the worlds were made. How is the son superior over all of the other bits and pieces Ways and prophets. Well, because the sun is the very radiance of God's glory, he is the express. Imprint of the character of God. How can he be better? Well, he binds everything by the word of his power and upholds it. How can how can he offer a better sacrifice? Well, because he by himself purged our sins and sits down because it's finished. And when he sits down, oh, look where he sits. This is how these things can be better, because now we see that God is spoken by his son who, when he finishes his work, sits at the right hand of the ancient of days. That's how these things are better. That's why this book unfolds to you a superior revelation of God. That's the point of the book. The son is the superior. and final unveiling of God over the uncompleted piece by piece, this way and that way, gradual and progressive manner of God's revelation. And so the writer we've seen already chooses particular descriptions to show this contrast with this list of seven that we looked at last week is not a random list. It's not a haphazard list of some of the things the son is and some of the things that he has accomplished. It's a very specific list because it shows the design of God. The design of God in time past employed men in three offices to give God's word. Some of them God called to preach and some of them some of the others God called to portray and in one way or another his progressive and truthful, but yet as of as of then unfulfilled and uncompleted unveiling of his purposes. God employed numerous prophets, God employed numerous priests, and he employed numerous kings to bless the Hebrew fathers with his word. He blessed them with instruction by the preaching of the prophets. He blessed them with portrayals of atonement and intercession by the dress and the appearance of the priests and the tabernacle. He blessed them with portrayals of authority of lordship, of provision, of protection by the decrees and the walls and the weaponry of kings. But in these last days, God has not spoken by them anymore. In these last days, God has spoken by his son, the superior priest. He has spoken by his son, the superior prophet and superior king. He is superior. He is the superior prophet because he he does not just preach about the radiance of God. He is the radiance of God. He is the superior priest. Who makes his sacrifice one time. And purges our sin. God is now spoken by his son, the superior and final king, who is the inheritor of all, who is the creator and sovereign Lord over all. God is now spoken by his son. So that's the introductory note. That's how the whole book begins in which the main idea is stated. Now, you may remember from our first sermon, I gave to you the general outline of the whole book where you have the first introductory note and then you have four points which all support this main idea of the superiority of the son. Remember, those four points that will follow in the book are are involved, angels, Moses, Aaron, and the tabernacle. The son is superior, and then the first point is he is superior over the angels. Second main point, superior over Moses, and then Aaron and the tabernacle, and the rest of the book is concluding applications, much like a sermon that you might listen to. What we're going to do today is we're going to begin looking at point one. Jesus is better than the angels. It's stated to you and then it's proved by scripture. You'll notice if you have your Bibles open, you'll notice. If you take just a bigger look here, verses four through 14. Verse four contains the doctrinal statement that I've just said, Jesus is better than the angels of the sun is better than the angels. That doctrinal statement is then followed by three proofs or three evidences from the scripture. All the way down through 14. All right. So the writer tells you what is true and then proves it to you. The evidence for the son being better than the angels is explained in terms of Christ's primarily in terms of Christ's kingly office. So what we're going to get as we work through the rest of Chapter one is we're going to see that he is better than the angels for three reasons. And those three reasons that are going to be given to you and we're just going to look at the first today. But the three of them are number one, the name of the king. Number two, the worship of a king and number three, the sovereignty of a king. The name, the worship and the sovereignty, or I should say his name, his worship and his sovereignty, if you'll consider the evidence that's brought On those three points, you will see and you will definitely agree the sun is better than the angels. So here's what we're going to do today. We're going to begin at verse four. The doctrinal statement, and then we're going to look at the first proof, his name, and that's given to you in verse five. So the statement in verse four, the proofs in verse five. And then we will conclude by considering how this doctrine is profitable for us. Let's read verses four and five then. Of this one who has now been described to us in a sevenfold perfection, verse four, having become so much better than the angels as he has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. As one commentator puts it, The writer is about to give us an argument of unequals. He is going to make his point, he's going to prove his point by giving to you an argument of unequals. This is what you were about to see. Notice what is the doctrinal statement. This is the teaching. Here is the truth stated. The sun, notice verse four, is better than the angels. Now, this may seem to you like a wholly unnecessary point. Why even mention this? I mean, are we not in agreement on this? Is he not writing to those who have already professed faith in Christ? Why mention this? Why bother with something so obvious? Why does it have to be stated? Why mention angels at all when talking about how God speaks? Well, let me remind you again from the overall flow of the book that the book lays out those four supporting points of how the sun is superior as God's completed and final revelation. And those things are mentioned angels Moses Aaron the tabernacle. But why mention angels. Maybe Moses is a little more plain to us. Why mention angels alongside Moses and Aaron and the tabernacle. Well we can we can look at scripture and find above it abundant evidence as to why. Angels are mentioned in this book. You can think of Daniel 8 and the vision of the ram and the goat that Daniel has. Well, you may remember Daniel does not understand the vision. The vision has to be interpreted for Daniel. Do you remember who does the interpretation for Daniel? It's Gabriel. And then you go to Daniel chapter 9, the vision of the 70 weeks. Do you remember who it is actually who is describing the 70 weeks? Well, again, it's Gabriel. It's an angel who is giving the word to Daniel. We can think of lots of New Testament examples. We can go to Luke 1 and it's again Gabriel who speaks to Zacharias and it's Gabriel who speaks to Mary. We can go to the Gospel of Matthew and we can see there that it's an angel of the Lord who speaks to Joseph and tells him regarding Mary's pregnancy. And again, it's an angel of the Lord, Matthew tells us, that warns Joseph in a dream to flee to Egypt. Angels are very busy unveiling pieces of God's revelation. But there's a particular, one more very important way, and it may be the primary way referenced in our text in front of us. And it's mentioned a couple of places in the New Testament, more than a couple. I'll give you a couple. You remember when Stephen is brought before the council and that included the high priest? He's brought on charges of blasphemy, and Stephen has this opportunity in Acts 7. He, as described in Acts 7, he gives this extended sermon and presentation. Well, he makes, he mentions something in particular, and I'll just, I'll just read it for you. He says, about the middle of his sermon, he says, which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the just one of whom you have now become the betrayers and murderers. Who? He's going back to the fathers, right, who have received the law by the direction of angels. You hear what Stephen says? They received the law by the direction of angels and they've not kept it. Galatians 3, Paul says this in that letter. He says, what purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions to the seed should come. whom the promise was made and it was appointed through, you remember who it was appointed through? Through angels by the hand of the mediator. And look at the book that we have open in front of us in Hebrews 2. Look at chapter 2, verse 2. Here's another reference in the New Testament. Chapter 2, verse 2 mentions something about a word spoken through angels. Well, that's why angels are listed alongside Moses and Aaron in the tabernacle. Angels have been very busy. in history being used by God to unveil something of his purpose. The testimony of scripture is abundant and it's clear God has employed these creatures of heavenly origin at various times and he has employed them. He did employ them in various ways to reveal his plan and purpose. Sometimes you read in the Old Testament there was a work that an angel would perform. Sometimes it would be a word that the angel would speak. So that partly answers our question, why mention angels? Well, because angels have been used extensively. They were a very important means that God used in this bit by bit, piece by piece, gradual and progressive unveiling of his purposes. Well, we have another question that we have to that's presented to us really by the text, and it's why compare them to the sun? Why go through the trouble of proving And I think we'll probably end up spending three sermons looking at all these proofs. Why go to all this trouble proving that the sun is better than the angels? Well, because there was a problem. And we might think, isn't that obvious that the sun is better than the angels? Well, it has not been obvious to all Christians at all times, maybe as obvious as it is to you today. The problem is not that God used angels. The problem is that these original recipients and you were born wanting to change the glory of the incorruptible God into images of creatures. That's the problem. We were all born wanting to exchange the truth of God for a lie. We were all born wanting to give worship to a creature, which would be yourself or something else, rather than to God alone. So the text, we must be careful here, is not rebuking Orthodox Old Covenant believing Judaism. The text is not saying that the Jews should have never listened to angels. It's not telling us that. The text is correcting that branch of mystical or idolatrous Judaism, which read some of the same verses that we could find in the Old Testament and elevated angels to a place that they don't deserve to be. This may be a part of the immaturity that we've looked at already from Hebrews chapter five. This is an immaturity on the part of these original recipients that has to be corrected. You remember the writer, he says to them in Hebrews five that they should have been at a point of being teachers themselves, but he has to come and be their teacher. They should have been at a point where They were already taking solid doctrinal food, but instead he has to come along and give them milk. They were unskilled in the word, he says. They are undiscerning. And this correction that has to be brought with angels may be a part of that. Some of them, think of them as Jewish Christians, may have very likely been raised with a very unbiblical view of angels. stream of mystical Judaism that was very much present in that day and had raised angels to a place where they were being venerated. So that's why we have to have the sun compared to the angels and we can think of the Colossian congregation as another example facing a threat. Apparently some strange mix of pagan and Jewish superstition and ceremonialism. You remember what Paul had to say to them. He had to write to them and say, let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels. That's why the sun is compared to the angels. Now, here's my point. Here's my point, and this is all under this first looking at what is this doctrinal statement? The sun is better than the angels. Here's my point in talking about angels so much. The veneration of angels was and it still can be a temptation for immature Christians. We must guard our own hearts and especially a temptation for these immature Jewish Christians. They may have been raised with an improper view of angels. Think about what they're going through. They're raised with this Jewish heritage in this Jewish culture, and now they have come to believe in Christ. The writer treats them as genuine believers, but they're in the struggle of what do I hold on to from the past and what do I let go? All of this turmoil that they're having to work through. And you throw into that the struggle of not fully grasping onto Christ, not fully grasping his superiority and his finality in his revelation of the Father. And then you add this thing about angels and then the need to correct and rebuke presents itself, does it not? So this is why I think we have this in the book. This is why they are mentioned alongside the rest. But guard your own hearts. There's a lot that we don't know about angels. When you think about angels, there's a lot of mystery about them and a lot of people down through the ages of church history have used that mystery. to manipulate immature Christians who are not discerning and are unskilled in the word. So, we must be careful and we must guard our own hearts. Well, what is the solution? What is the teaching they need? Well, notice again in verse four, here's the milk that they need. Here is one of those first principles of the oracles of God that they need to learn. Again, verse four, one greater than even the angels has come. Angels were present and apparently very busy at Mount Sinai, not because they were busy bodies, but because they were sent by God to accompany the deliverance of the word, which would inaugurate a people. With a deliverance and with a law and with a very specific worship, consider who consider who they are, messengers from the very immediate presence of God. They were heralds of God himself. And in these last days, do you see what the writer is getting at? We are we are no longer to strain our ears. For angelic voices to give us bits and pieces of God's word. And why not? Because one, as the text tells you, is one so much better, so much better than the angels has come to us. Can it really be true? Is there one more glorious than the glorious angels? Is there one greater than the great ministers who serve in the very presence of God? Who are able to move from that realm and into ours and then back again? If the scripture answers that question by saying, yes, there is a greater one who's come. If the scripture says, yes, there is one who has come, God is now spoken by a greater one than these heavenly messengers, then would you wonder Would you wonder how much better is he? Would you perhaps wonder, is he is he is he better by a little? Is he to be preferred slightly or maybe by a little bit more? Well, let's consider proof number one. And you'll find the answer to. To that question, proof number one. Again, in verse four, having become so much better than the angels, And here we begin to get some answers. As he has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. The degree. Or the amount or the magnitude of Christ's excellent excellency over the excellency of the angels. Is to be measured by the same degree. that his name is above their name. Notice that's what it tells us. He has obtained a more excellent name than they. That's how we measure how far excellent the sun is above the excellent angels. The superiority of the sun. Here is our first evidence. The superiority of the sun over the angels is proven to us, first of all, in the superiority of his name over their names. He has a more excellent name than theirs. Now, we must be careful when we read the word name. Now, last night we were gathered in the living room and I was trying to make this point to my kids about how name is functioning here. And so I said, okay, is the name Thomas better than the name Stephen? And they kind of looked at each other and they weren't sure. They were afraid of what I might say. And I was trying to make the point That's not really how we use names. If you think of the names of my kids, it might give you a clue. Maybe there's a name that's passed down in the family. But, you know, if I tell you my name, you really don't know a whole lot about me. It's just a proper name. All right? That's mainly how we use names today. Certainly, you know, I didn't try to figure out how my kids were going to end up, any particular child, and then I would give a name. It wasn't based on that. That's not how name is being used here. It does not reference a proper name given to an individual. So, in other words, when the writer tells us that the son has a better name than the angels or his name is more excellent than their name, he's not saying that the name Jesus is better than the name Gabriel. That's not his point. He's not saying that the name Jesus is better than the name Michael. That's not. That's not the point that he's making. The text is referencing two titles that God gives. There are designations which God himself hands out and the designations do more than what a mere proper name might do. The designations actually give a description of the thing or the being. They describe. It is a title. One greater than the angels has come and the first evidence that he is greater is that this same one has obtained a title that is better than the than the title that the angels have. Now, we have to ask another question at this point, how did he get this title? Notice we cannot skip this. Notice what verse four tells us. He obtained it. He obtained a title. Now, what does that imply to us? Does that not imply that there is a title that he did not before possess and he at some point in time came into possession? That's exactly what it implies. But don't let that disturb you. Hang in there with me for just a moment. He obtains it. And how does he obtain it? Again, verse four, he obtains it, notice, by inheritance. So there is a title that he has. He obtains the title and he obtains it by inheritance. Now, I have not meant to frustrate you today with a bunch of questions and no answers. Because that's pretty much what I've done so far. My intention is not to frustrate you with a bunch of questions. I know you may be sitting there thinking, come on, give me some answers. Well, The reason I'm doing this is not to frustrate you, but I want you to think about these questions because I want you to love the answers. And you are about to see the answers. And brothers and sisters in Christ, these answers are wonderful. You will see that these wonderful answers also have a direct impact upon the safety of your soul. Let's look for the let's look for the answers now. Notice that the writer now. In verse five. Gives you two Old Testament quotations, let's turn to the first one, and as we do this, you're going to see the answers that you're looking for, let's turn to Psalm. Psalm two. OK, so the writer gives you the doctrinal statement. I've told you what that is, the sun is better than the angels, and now we look at the proof for it. And as we look at the proof, it'll explain this concept of obtaining and it'll explain the concept of inheritance, it'll explain to you why it's a better title, and it'll explain to you what the title is itself. All those things will be answered. Psalm 2, let me begin reading at verse 7. The sun is better than the angels. Here's your evidence. I will declare the decree. The Lord has said to me, you are my son. Today, I have begotten you. Ask of me and I will give you the nations for your inheritance and the ends of the earth for your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron. You shall dash them to pieces like a potter's vessel." That's the first quotation. King David was granted by grace the privilege and responsibility to impart, I-N-P-A-R-T, to impart and in pieces portray what is described there in Psalm 2. There is in Psalm 2 an initial and immediate reference to the reign of David. David was a son in the sense that God raised him up to the place that he occupied. God gave him the gift of the kingdom. So the high king does for his prince. Only a son enjoys that. David was a son in that sense. But you know that David could never fulfill the words that we've read in Psalm 2. David gave an initial but limited portrayal of kingship. David could only as a man give a very A whispery portrayal of sovereignty. Of protection of the sonship of God. Hebrews 5. I mean, Hebrews, where we are at in verse 5 quotes verse 7 to us. You are my son. Today I have begotten you. Now, let's look at the second quote, if you will turn there to 2 Samuel chapter 7. This is the second quotation. Second, Samuel, chapter seven is the second quotation. I want to begin reading at verse 12, second Samuel seven and verse 12. This is Nathan, the prophet speaking to David. And he's making a prophecy here at first about Solomon and then ultimately about the kingdom. So Nathan says to David in verse 12, when your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your seat after you who will come from your body and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name and Solomon did that, didn't he? He should build a house for my name and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his father. Here it is. This is what is quoted in Hebrews one verse five. I will be his father and he shall be my son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men, but my mercy shall not depart from him as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from before you. And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you, your throne shall be established forever. Solomon was granted by grace the privilege and responsibility to, in part and in pieces, portray what Nathan prophesied to David. But Solomon could never fulfill these words. Solomon, like his father David, died. They've both been dead and we've not heard from them since. In both quotes, a title is given. Oh, finally, an answer. Notice what the title is. There is a title. There is a designation which God never did and never will give to the angels. You know what that title is, you notice what it is, it is the title. Son. Son. So the question is now asked of you in verse five, to help you understand how it's possible that the sun is better than the angels. Here's the question. To which of the angels did God ever say this? To which of the angels did God ever give the title sun? Well, what's the answer to the rhetorical question? Not a single one. In time past, God employed those who are designated forever They are designated forever as servants. They are designated forever as heralds and as messengers. But in these last days, God has spoken by one who has obtained a better title than servant in the house of God. He has obtained the highest title that can be obtained in the house. He's the son. The angels as great And as powerful as they are, have never and they will never share in the inheritance. You know why? Because they remain forever servants of the Most High. God will never call them before his throne and bestow upon them the status of his dear children. He will never do that for angels. He will never call any particular angel to appear before him and grant that angel with a status or the title my dear son. Sonship. Defines a relationship between the first and second persons of the Trinity that nothing in creation is able to attain. Sonship defines a unique relationship and that the son is the only begotten Of the father. There is, if I may use if I if I may use language which will help us understand, there is but one prince who is by nature the rightful heir of God. There is only one. Who has this title? The title of son is a part of his inheritance. Notice back in verse two. This is his title and he has obtained it by inheritance. Remember what we read in verse two? That God has spoken to us in these last days by his son who is the heir of all things. He is the great inheritor. He is the heir. He is the inheritor of all things, among which we now learn is sonship. He is the inheritor of the title son. The angels are lesser than the son because they are not in this line of heritage. The master of the house does not grant his servants to be the inheritors. He grants that privilege to his son. God used the kings of old, and he used the passing of authority from king to prince as a type, as a shadowy instruction to us. There was a shadowy representation of royal inheritance, but in these last days, God has fully unveiled the concept of inheritance. And that concept of inheritance is now seen fully understood and fully unveiled in the Son, in His Sonship. Alright, here's our question. How do we know that the Son is better than the angels? Because God has declared Him Son. He comes into this title by inheritance. It's given to him. Well, we have one final question to answer. It may be the more thorny one, but you'll see that it ends up not being too thorny. It might initially appear to be a very difficult question. We have to ask, when is this title given? Because we can't ignore this. The text says he obtained it. And even more plainly, perhaps from Psalm two, verse seven, you are my son today. Today, I have begotten you. Well, we have to ask, well, when was today? What day was today? This title he obtains better than the angels, what is that day? You are my son today, I have begotten you. Now, you may be aware of how the Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses, they'll take something like this, they'll rip it out of its context and run with it and say, well, see there, Jesus is a created being. Today, see, there was a day when God the Father, then he created the Son, and then on that day he was begotten. That's not at all what it's saying to us. Haven't we read descriptions already of the deity of Christ in this letter, maker of the worlds? The radiance of God's glory. Well, thankfully, we don't have to guess what this means. We affirm the eternal sonship of God. He is eternally begotten of the father, we have to affirm that aspect of his begottenness or his sonship. The son has always and eternally been the son. There's never been a time that he was not the son. In that eternal sense, We read last week some words from John chapter one in the beginning was the word of the word was with God and the word was God. He was in the beginning with God. And in that same chapter, the word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the father, full of grace and truth. And again, no one has seen God at any time. The only begotten son who is in the bosom of the father, he has declared him. So we affirm the eternal. sonship of the Son. He has always been the Son. He has never had a non-Son nature. His title in that eternal sense has always been His title. So again, we have this question in front of us raised by verse 4 and verse 5. We know the Bible is not contradicting itself, so we have to ask, in what sense Is the text in verse four and in verse five speaking of an entitlement which occurs in time? Well, thankfully, we have some answers in the New Testament, but if I what if I said to you that the Apostle Paul interprets this verse and in doing so answers our question, would you be interested in hearing what the Apostle Paul says? Would you be? OK, I thought you might be. Let's look. Let's look at Acts chapter 13. Paul does this twice. We don't have to guess, we don't have to try to come up with something. It's all explained to us in the scriptures. In Acts 13, we find Paul preaching. Verse 13 sets the context for us. Let's just make sure we have that in our heads. Paul and his party set sail from Paphos, and they came to Perga in Pamphylia, and John, departing from them, returned to Jerusalem. And when they had departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia and they went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and sat down. So Paul is preaching in the synagogue. And he says, in part, this is what he says, look at verse 28. And though they found no cause for death in him, they asked Pilate that he should be put to death. Now, when they had fulfilled all that was written concerning him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb. Notice what Paul says in verse 30. But God raised him from the dead. He was seen for many days by those who came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. Who are his witnesses to the people, and we declare to you glad tidings, that promise which was made to the fathers, God has fulfilled this for us, their children, and that he has raised up Jesus as it is also written in this. Well, look here. Paul's point here is talking about the resurrection of Christ from the dead. And to what verse does Paul go to prove his point? Psalm two and verse seven. This is exactly what God has been promising all along, Paul says to those listening to him in the synagogue. God would raise up his son and make a declaration of his power to you And this has always been before you could find it in Psalm 2 verse 7. You are my son today. I have begotten you. Now there's another place where Paul interprets the verse if you look at Romans chapter 1 Romans 1. We can read from the beginning of the letter, Romans one and verse one. Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle separated to the gospel of God, which he promised before through his prophets in the holy scriptures. Concerning his son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who was born of the seed of David, according to the flesh and declared to be something. Jesus Christ receives a title. God designates the second person of the Trinity. Not in reference to his eternal sonship, but in time. We see God, the father, granting a title to God, the son, and he says that this declaration to be the son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness by You see what Paul says by the resurrection from the dead. By the resurrection from the dead. This declaration is made by the resurrection, by the resurrection foretold, so says the Apostle Paul twice by Psalm two, verse seven. And quoted now for us in verse five. In the context of the son receiving his inheritance. Don't let the word begotten disturb you. Begotten in the Bible can be used literally and it can be used figuratively. Literally, we beget children. All right. In other words, we play a role in making new people manifest, so to speak, in a very literal sense. When a man fathers a child, when a woman gives birth to a child, this can be referred to very literally as begotten. making them manifest, but it's also used figuratively, and we see that here in Psalm 2. Figuratively to describe what God the father does for God, the son. Remember Paul's interpretation. Upon the successful completion of the work to which the father sent the son, the father raised him up in a public begetting. The son. was raised in what Paul interprets as a public declaration, a public manifestation of the power of the Son, of a public declaration of the Son's exaltation to the position and title of highest honor. When you see Christ in the Word raised from the dead, This is what you were observing, so says the Apostle Paul. You are seeing the father. Look at his son who has successfully completed the work. And he ushers the son into his inheritance. He ushers the son to the position and the title and the rewards of highest honor. And you know, a part of that reward is it's the title. Son. Son. He obtains it in time. The second person of the Trinity has always been the son. But then he was incarnated. And he took upon himself all of the sufferings and all the humiliations, and he successfully completed the work that the father gave him to be. And upon the successful completion of all the work, He comes into his inheritance and for the first time ever, the one fully God and fully man takes his rightful place on the throne. As fully God and fully man. He was given an inheritance. He was given an inheritance when you see him raised from the dead. When you see and you hear by the text, the father saying today I have begotten you today, I publicly manifest you and declare you to be the son of God coming into his inheritance, coming into his reward. You are seeing the son come into his inheritance of dominion and come into his inheritance of glory. and kingdom that all peoples and nations and languages should serve him. And when you think about his inheritance, we see that his inheritance is everlasting. And his inheritance is the one which shall not be destroyed today. Today, I have begotten you. To which of the angels? Did God ever say or grant such things? Not a single one. Let's tie it all together, then. The one who is and has ever been the eternal son of God. Second person of the Holy Trinity, maker of the world and upholder and sustainer of all things by the word of his power. In the fullness of time. Came and took upon himself man's nature. And in that he took upon himself the common infirmities of being a man, though without sin. And he endured to the very end. And he finished the work. So that when the sufferings of his incarnation were completed, he was then exalted. And publicly manifested with a name above every name. And rightly rewarded. As. as any son of the king should be rewarded. John Owen ties it all together in this way. He says this, the Lord Christ then who in respect of his divine nature was always infinitely and incomparably himself more excellent than the angels. After his humiliation in the assumption of the human nature with the sufferings and temptations that he underwent Upon his resurrection was exalted into a condition of glory, power, authority, excellency and entrusted with power over the angels. Here's how another commentator put it. Angels are of all mere creatures most excellent. If Christ then be more excellent than the most excellent, he must need to be the most excellent of all. How is this useful to us? How is this useful to think and to consider how the sun is better than the angels? The first evidence that's given to us is his title. The title that he obtains as a part of his inheritance, as a part of this most glorious and eternal reward, which the father bestows upon his son upon the completion of his work. How is this useful to us? In time past, God spoke. By the prophets and revealed the shadows of a kingdom. In time past, God revealed the faint outlines of a throne. And he revealed just the whispers of a sovereignty. But in the fullness of time, Gabriel came to a young woman named Mary, and he said to her, He said, behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a son and call his name Jesus. And then Gabriel begins to quote from Second Samuel, chapter seven. He says he will be great and he will be called the son of the highest and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father, David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever and of his kingdom. There will be no end. In these last days, God has spoken by the air. Christ is not just the last piece among equal pieces of the puzzle. He's not just simply the last messenger among equal messengers. He is infinitely and he is incomparably superior. He is the infinite and incomparable king of the angels who possesses a king's inheritance, even up to and including the king's name. By these Old Testament quotations. And by the context of inheritance and by the Apostle Paul's infallible interpretation, you have been allowed, in a sense, to witness a most marvelous coronation. By the word, we have been invited into the throne room and you might feel a little uncomfortable in the throne room, you may feel like you need to stand off to the side and watch what has just been described. And by the word, we have all gathered for the great coronation when the prince comes to officially and publicly receive his reward. To receive his inheritance. And by these Old Testament quotations, you have been allowed to listen in to what the father says to his son. So there you are, you're staying off to the side and the son comes in. so glorious and He is brought before the ancient of days. And you watch and you listen in with a sense of awe and wonder at the proceedings. The Son is brought to the ancient of days and He inherits everything. As we watch, we rejoice for the Son. We're thrilled for him. We rejoice when we see such merit. We rejoice when we see such obedience. We are struck then also by the generosity of the father to his son. We are when we watch these proceedings and we see what is handed in title and in all of these possessions and the glory and the honor and the kingdom that is given and put into his hands. We were amazed At the generosity of the father, we were amazed at his love for his son. We were amazed at the acceptance that he has of his son on display in such a generous inheritance. But as you watch that, is there not also a yearning? As much as you rejoice for the son and are amazed by him and are in awe of him, and as much as you are in awe of the ancient of days himself who occupies the throne, is there not also a yearning? Would you not think in your heart if you could just have some small token from his hand who occupies the throne? Because you see how generous he is. Would you not wish for that yourself? If it could just be granted, if he on the throne could just graciously grant that I could just crawl on my hands and knees to him and if only If only I could just receive a crumb from his hand, it would be enough. Well, brothers and sisters in Christ. There's good news for you today from God's word. The son perfectly obeyed and offered a perfect sacrifice through the eternal spirit. And when the son did this, he fully satisfied the justice of God. He obtained peace between God and all who put their trust in him. And he purchased something else for all who put their trust in him. He purchased an everlasting inheritance. You can never, ever have a share in this inheritance by nature. And you can never, ever have a share of this inheritance by right. You can never earn it. There is only one eternally begotten of the Father who has perfectly obeyed his will. But dear saints, we are accounted as sons and daughters of God by grace. James tells us that God has chosen the poor of the world to be rich in faith, and God has chosen the poor of the world to be heirs of the kingdom. And that God promises inheritance for all who truly love him. Paul wrote to the Romans and he said, For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God. For you who have entrusted your soul to Christ. Do you know what is that you have received? It's so much better than crumbs from his hand, and that would be enough. We stand and we watch the son by the word we watch, we can observe and we can listen in as he is brought But for the ancient of days. And the father says, this is my son. And hands him everything. And the son then ushers along with himself all who have put their trust in him. And we join him in receiving an inheritance. It would have been enough and it would have been right for us to have been excluded. There would have been no wrongdoing in God if he had kept us in the corner. In fact, if he had kept us locked outside the gate, not even we're not even worthy to witness and to hear such things. That would have been right for him to do. But instead, he gives us this promise that we have not received again the spirit of bondage again to fear. We have received the spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, Abba, Father. The son is son by right, the son is son by his rightful inheritance. But he is so generous then. God is so kind and God is so generous as to allow a sharing of the inheritance. That we can be called the adopted children of God. And the children, Paul says to the Romans, if children than heirs, heirs of God, Think about it and joined heirs with Christ. Paul wrote the Galatians, and he said, if you are Christ, then you are Abraham's seed and heirs, according to the promise. And Paul wrote the Ephesians. He said, for you Gentiles, and that's where we are. Us Gentiles, where are we? What are we the inheritors of? Paul said he wrote to them. If they had heard of the dispensation of the grace of God, which was given to me for you, he Paul wrote to them, he said that by by that revelation which had been given to him, the mystery. Which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, but it's now been revealed, Paul says, I come to speak to you of this mystery now revealed in the apostles of Christ and by his prophets. And what's that mystery, Paul? What good thing do you have for us Gentiles, those who have not been a part of the promises and those who have not been a part of inheritance? Well, here's the mystery, Paul says to you Gentiles, that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs of the same body and partakers of his promise in Christ through the gospel. You know what appeared when Christ appeared? When God gave his son to us, it was the appearance of the kindness and love of God, our Savior. God has poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ, our Savior, his Holy Spirit. And this has not been by our works of righteousness that we have done. It's all been according to his mercy. That's how he has saved us. According to his mercy, through the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Spirit. We've been justified by his grace. As Paul wrote and instructed Titus, we have been justified by his grace that we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. So, dear saints, I say to you, read and rejoice. Read and rejoice when you read of this one who is. The superior king, king over even the angels, and we know he is superior over them because he has a king's name. He has received the title of the king. He has received the inheritance of the king. The inheritance of everything. But we don't have to read and. Wish for some crumb we can read. Of God's generosity to us that this inheritance is shared with us, this very inheritance is shared with us. An inheritance of glory. An inheritance of a kingdom. An inheritance of salvation. So Christ welcomes all of those who put their trust in him. What good thing can you have apart from him? And what good things can you have with him? Unto us a son is given. And we call his name wonderful.