So our text this morning is going to be Hebrews chapter 1, and we're going to be looking at the first four verses. I will just say that it will be a high-level look at these verses. There's a lot there. But as you are turning to Hebrews chapter 1, let me just provide some quick observations to the text. The first thing that we'll notice when we read the text is that there's no greeting to this letter. The writer just jumped right in, you know, long ago and at many times, you know, so there's no greeting, very interesting. And then when you think about that, the entire book of Hebrews, which I highly recommend you take time to read, it reads more like a sermon than it does a letter. But there's also one other observation that I see here, and that is the beginning of Hebrews is a lot like the beginning of Genesis. And that is, the writer does not attempt to prove that God exists. He assumes, that's the premise, that God exists, and here in Hebrews, he's not only saying God exists, but that God has spoken. He has made Himself known. And we know He's done that, not just from Genesis or from Hebrews, but there's other texts, like Romans chapter 1, in verse 19 to 20, where we read, "...for what can be known about God is plain to them." God has shown it to them, for His invisible attributes, namely His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made, so they are without excuse. And if you remember when we worked our way through the book of Colossians, we read this in chapter 1. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible. Whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities, all things were created through Him and for Him, and He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together." So God does exist and He has made Himself known. But here in these first four verses of chapter one of Hebrews is a kind of a summary, but it's still a description of the person and the work of Jesus Christ. And I see that in five ways in these verses. That Jesus is high and exalted, He's lifted up. He's the second person of the Trinity. He's the perfect sacrifice for sin, and His place is at the right hand of the Father. And He is greater than the angels. So these four verses are just rich with meaning and significance, and we're just going to scratch the surface of that this morning. So with that said, let's read the text, follow along as I read the first four verses of chapter one. Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets. But in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature, and He upholds the universe by the word of His power. After making purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name He has inherited is more excellent than theirs. So what we see in our first point, which I'm going to work through pretty quickly because I want to spend most of our time on our second point this morning. But the first thing we see is that God has revealed himself to mankind. And we see that in a few ways. The words that we see, long ago, many times, in many ways, He has shown Himself to us. And when I think of long ago, the first thing I think of is really, ever since God created the world, He has been revealing Himself to us. The whole of creation alone is enough to show that God exists and He is reaching out. But it also says He spoke to us many times. There's a lot of things we can mention here, but let me just mention a few individuals that were at different times that God has used. For example, Adam. After Adam's sin, what did God do? He came. And that's where we see the first mention of the Gospel in Genesis 3, verse 15. God's sacrifice to cover Adam and Eve. God spoke to Abraham. He established His covenant with Abraham. And the Savior would come through that Abraham line. He spoke to Jacob, and that's where we see that Christ would come through the tribe of Judah. He spoke to David, and we know that Christ is going to be of the line in the household of David. He spoke through Micah, where he told us that the Savior would be born in Bethlehem. He spoke through Isaiah, showing that the Savior would be born of the virgin, as we know, Mary, from the New Testament. So there are many times that God has spoken and made himself known. But we also see that he's made himself known in many different ways. Now we have an advantage here in the 21st century, and have had for many years, because we have the full counsel of God, known as the Bible. And so we have the advantage of seeing how the Scriptures from Genesis to Revelation all work together perfectly, and we see the harmony of the Scriptures. And as a result of that, we see how God used various means of Revelation. He would use angels. He would use dreams, visions. There were times where he actually used his very finger to write on a wall when King Belshazzar was having a feast. He used prophets, as we see in our text. He said, he spoke to our fathers by the prophets. And I understand, by the title of the book, we know that the writer is speaking to Jewish Christians. So when he said, spoke to our father, they immediately knew what he was talking about. That is, the patriarchs. And so God has used all these persons and ways to communicate to us. Let me try to illustrate what I mean when I talk about the harmony of the scriptures. Think about an orchestra. And the maestro that's standing there in front of that entire group of musicians and he has a score of music in front of him. And this score of music is not something like what we see in our hymn book. This is several lines of basically the same line repeated but with all the different instruments. And so the maestro is having to follow all that and direct that orchestra. And as he's directing the orchestra, And they're following their maestro. That song that they're playing is just beautiful. And it plays together and works together. This is the harmony of the scriptures. And this is what we have seen when God has revealed himself. It's beautiful music, if you will. But it goes even beyond that. It says, the text tells us that He has spoken to us by His Son. So we've seen how God spoke to us in the Old Testament through many ways and many means. But now He is speaking to us through His Son. This is very important because Jesus When He was born and He lived on this earth, He fulfilled all the Old Testament prophecies perfectly concerning Himself. There's not one that was left not fulfilled or partially fulfilled. He's fulfilled them all. And when we think of the prophecies that have yet to take place, and I'm thinking of those end-time prophecies, those too will be fulfilled perfectly. But it says He has spoken to us through His Son in these last days. What are the last days? We have been living in the last days for a little over 2,000 years. It's from the time when Christ rose again and ascended into heaven that that began these last days. And it's important to understand these last days because what that is telling us is that Jesus Christ is the final revelation. There is nothing more to be revealed. This is how we know we're in these last days. Matthew Henry puts it this way, quote, the times of the gospel are the last times. The gospel revelation is the last we are to expect from God, unquote. So there's nothing more to add. We have the full revelation in what we call the Bible. I want to circle back just a little bit to the phrase, He has spoken to us. You know, spoken means just exactly what it says. It's to talk. It's to utter words or to preach. And this is hugely important because, you know, we've heard the quote, preach the gospel at all times, and if necessary, use words. Now, I understand the premise of what the individual was saying, but I don't fully agree with that, because at some point, the gospel has to be proclaimed, and it has to be proclaimed with words. And you say, well, Bruce, how do you know that? It's easy. Romans chapter 10 verse 14. Paul said this, How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? How are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? So the gospel must be proclaimed. Our deeds are not sufficient. Although we should hope that our actions line up with our words. So when we think of Christ being the final revelation, we need to communicate what Christ has done for us, and that is shed his blood on the cross for our sin. Now I know I went through that part very rapidly, but let's turn our attention now to the seven statements I want to focus on that describe or speak to us about the glory of Jesus Christ. So if you look at verse 2, we read, Jesus is heir of all things. So this raises a question for us. How is Jesus the heir of all things? Because he created everything. In John chapter 1 we read, all things were made through him, meaning Jesus, and without him was not anything made that was made. So let's go back to the creation account again, because this is important. When God created Adam, God gave Adam dominion over the earth. In Genesis 1.26 we're told, then God said, let us make man in our image after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over the livestock, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth. And so it's important to understand this because Dominion speaks to rule. Adam was given authority over God's creation. He was to care for the garden. He was to name the animals, name the plants, and he did all these things. If there was something he needed, all he had to do was ask. But there was a problem. There's a tree that God put in the center of the garden, and He said, you can have access to everything you want, but you can't eat of that tree. But they did. And therefore, sin entered the world, and what that did is it disrupted the whole thing. And Adam no longer had dominion over the earth. Sin took that from him. Fast forward now to Jesus Christ. When he was born of the Virgin Mary, he came as a humble child, but he came also as the God-man. We call that the hypostatic union, and if you've never heard that term, it simply means that it's how it describes Jesus Christ, how God the Son, Jesus, took on human nature and remained fully God at the same time. Jesus has always been God. We see that in John chapter 8 verse 58 and chapter 10 verse 30. But at the incarnation, Jesus also became a human being as we see in John 1 14. And what we also see with Christ's ministry is that he performed miracles in every realm. For example, Jesus has full control over the human body. We know that because he healed the sick. He raised the dead. He has control over nature. We know that because remember the disciples? They're on a boat and the storm is raging. They're scared to death. They're going to die. And they wake Jesus up because, well, he was at peace sleeping in the boat. What did Jesus do? Stood up. Peace, be still, and immediately the lake was calm. Jesus has full control over food. Remember, He fed the 5,000 with just five loaves and two fish. Even on another occasion, He fed 4,000. The point in bringing all that up is this, that Jesus recovered all that Adam lost. And therefore, He is the heir to all things. The second thing I want us to see is that Jesus created the world and all there is. We see that also in verse 2. See, Jesus wasn't only present at creation, he was an active participant. We saw that when I read the Colossians 1 passage a few moments ago. In Genesis, we read that God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1-1. In Genesis 1-2, it says the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the earth. And we read in the Gospel of John, the first three verses, and the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made. So we see the Trinity at work together in creation. And so Jesus was there. He was creating. But what is really interesting, at the end of verse 2, we see the word world. That word does not mean cosmos. It's actually aeon. And what it does is it speaks to ages and it's going beyond the creative act of creating the world. And so trying to think how to illustrate this, I want you to picture in your mind eternity on a horizontal line. And I want you to picture this pulpit as time. So you have eternity past to the left, your left, and you have eternity future to the right. But we have this time, this period of time is this pulpit. I don't know when time began on the whole linear line of eternity, but at some point God spoke the world into existence. But it's a parenthesis, there's a beginning and there's an end. But the Trinity, God, He is outside of time. He is inside of time. So God knows the end from the beginning, as we read in Isaiah 46.10. And thinking about that, think about an author who's a mystery author. When they're getting ready to write a novel, that is going to be compelling and captivating, they have to know a few things, right? They need to know how that's going to begin, they need to know how it's going to end, so they can fit the stuff in between. This is the power of God, because He knows the end from the beginning. He has a purpose for everything that He does. For example, God had a plan of redemption before the foundations of the world. And so everything that he has done has been to fulfill his plan of redemption through Jesus Christ on the cross. It leads us to a third description of the glory of Christ, that Jesus is the radiance of God's glory, the exact imprint of God's nature, verse 3. Think of that word radiance, reflected brightness or efflugence. I think about our sun, S-U-N. We can't really know the full glory of the sun because if we look at the sun straight on, it's going to blind us, it's going to burn our retinas. We can't look directly at it. And that is what God's glory is like. If we were to be standing in front of God in our Flesh as we have it, we would be killed immediately. We can't stand in God's glory without the blood of Christ covering us. And Paul tells us that God lives in unapproachable light. In 1 Timothy 6 we read, He who is the blessed and only sovereign, the King of kings, the Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see, to Him be honor and eternal dominion forever. But when we think of Christ, Jesus is that manifestation of God's glory in the flesh. where God's radiance is veiled because Christ is in the flesh. Matthew Henry again, he describes that this way, quote, the person of the Son is the true image and character of the person of the Father. Being of the same nature, he must bear the same image and likeness. In beholding the power, wisdom, and goodness of the Lord Jesus Christ, we behold the power, wisdom, and goodness of the Father. For he hath the nature and the perfections of God in him, unquote. So, going back to the Son, S-U-N, as we see the rays of the Son, we feel the heat of the Son, and those things are communicating to us what the Son is like. Well, that is what Jesus is doing. He is revealing to us what God the Father is like. But the text tells us that Jesus is the exact imprint of the Father. That word exact imprint in the Greek is where we get our English word character from. It's kind of the idea of this impressed image from a steel engraving. He's the exact character of God in the flesh. Christ is the revelation of God because he is God. In John chapter 14, we read about this interaction between Philip and Jesus. Philip said to Him, Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us. Jesus said to him, Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. And when we went through Colossians, we see this in chapter 2. For in Him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily. The fourth description of the glory of Christ is found also in verse 3, where it says, Jesus holds creation together by the word of his power. The Greek word that is translated word here is rhema. What it means is utterance or an omnipotent command. So what we're being told here is that Jesus spoke the world into existence. And vice versa, if he wanted to, he could speak the world out of existence. His word is powerful. And I've mentioned this before, that it is a wonder to me that when Jesus Christ took his last breath on the cross, it's a wonder to me this world didn't literally explode and disintegrate. And so let me ask you, how powerful do you think the Word of the Lord is? That the very Creator could die on a cross and yet this world stayed together. Because Jesus Christ holds it together by the Word of His power. For by Him all things were created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities. All things were created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. Colossians chapter 1. The power of Jesus Christ is unfathomable, and it is awesome. So much so that He could die on the cross and creation is still held together. And Jesus continues to hold creation together through the power of His Word. The next thing we see describing the glory of Christ is also found in verse 3. Jesus is the perfect purification for sin. Jesus is the perfect purification once for all for sin. The best way to talk about this is actually found in Hebrews chapter 10. You're welcome to turn there and follow along. I'm not going to read all 18 verses. I would encourage you to read it later, but follow along if you want as I read verses 1 through 4 and then we'll skip down. Verse 1, for since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come, instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near. Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshippers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins? But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year, for it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Jump down to verse 11. And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God." We're going to end reading there. Again, I encourage you to read the entire chapter, but it brings us to our very next point and that is Jesus now sits at the right hand of the majesty on high. We see that in verse 3. So after Jesus accomplished the work of redemption on the cross, he ascended back into glory And the text tells us that he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. He sat down. And what that means, what that indicates, is that the work that he was sent here to do has been finished. Redemption has been accomplished. It's complete. And so he sits at the right hand of the Father, but he didn't sit down because he was tired or that he needs rest. Not at all. In fact, He continues to work and He's very much involved in our lives today. Because He intercedes for us. He intercedes for the saints. Hebrews chapter 7 tells us in verse 25 that He is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. So He is working on our behalf. What he's doing is what Chris was talking about over these last couple of weeks. Sanctifying us as Christians. He's preparing us for glory. So I ask you this morning, what do you need? Everything we need is found in the Lord Jesus Christ. Everything. So what do you need? Come to Christ. Find your rest in Him. Then the seventh description that describes the glory of Jesus is found in verse 4. Jesus is superior to angels, and his name is more excellent than angels. We read about angels all throughout scripture. They are God's ministering spirits. We see a lot of examples of angelic ministry. They have been sent to announce things. They have been sent to announce judgment. They have been sent to protect. So it's clear that angels are very important in God's order of things. However, Jesus is superior to angels. How do we know this? Well, let me just do a little compare and contrast. Angels are created beings. Jesus Christ is not created. He is eternal. Angels do what they are commanded to do. It is Jesus who tells them what to do. He is their commander. In fact, scripture describes Jesus in this way, Lord Sabaoth, which means he is the Lord of the angelic hosts, the hosts of heaven. Angels are not relatives of God. Jesus Christ is the very Son of God. He's the second person of the Trinity. Angels do not have an inheritance, but as we've already talked about this morning, Christ is the heir of all things. So as we conclude this morning, I have a simple question. What is the implication of this? What is the implication of God speaking and revealing Himself to us? And are we listening to what He is saying? Again, Romans 1 tells us that we are without excuse because God has shown us, He has provided evidence of His existence through all of creation. To kind of illustrate that, when Donna and I were up in New York visiting my sister and dad and brother, one evening we sat down to watch a documentary that my sister Brenda had watched before and she just thought it was so neat and she wanted us to watch it, so we did. And this documentary was about a year-long, give or take, interaction between a certain man, a diver, and an octopus. I will tell you, it was fascinating to watch this documentary. It really was. But I remember when it was done, my response to that was actually out loud. And I said, how can you say there is no God? Because that octopus Just one small piece of creation screams, God created me by the way that octopus carried on. Sadly though, as most documentaries on anything with nature goes, it has that evolutionary bent. As Pastor Pat says on several occasions, you eat the meat and discard the bones. So ignore the evolutionary part. But it was fascinating to watch. that whole year-long event. So again, I say to you, God is speaking. Are we listening to Him? See, the real implication about God speaking and revealing Himself to us is that there's only two responses that are possible to the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. The first response is you respond by faith and you surrender and you give your life to Christ as you believe on Him. As we see in Ephesians chapter 2, 8 and 9, for it is by faith we are saved. The other response to the Gospel is a total rejection of the One who is speaking. And so I ask you, how are you responding to the Gospel? Have you responded by faith? Or have you responded by rejecting the one who is speaking? And you may say, why is that important? It's important because the consequences of your response to the gospel are vastly different from one to the other. If you respond to the gospel by faith, you will enjoy eternal life. If you reject the one who is speaking, All you have waiting for you is damnation and eternal death in hell. There's no middle ground, folks. There's no fence to sit on. It's one or the other. It's black or white. And I say that strongly on purpose because Jesus Christ one day is going to stand up in heaven. He's going to mount a white horse and he is going to return to this earth. And he is not coming back as a little baby humble in a stable. He is coming back as a conquering king. He is coming back to judge the earth and those upon it. And folks, you and I, every one of us, I don't care if you believe in Jesus Christ as your Savior or not, you are going to stand before the very God of Heaven and be judged. There are two judgments that we read about. You have the judgment seat of Christ. That's where Christians, believers, will go. And we will be judged by our works, and they will pass through the fire, and those things that are burned up, we will suffer loss, but those things that remain, we will have reward in Heaven for. But then there's the Great White Throne Judgment, where those who have rejected Jesus Christ, who have rejected the gospel, they are going to stand before the God of the heavens, and he is going to judge them based on their sin. And the consequence and the justice that is deserved for sin is death, hell, and destruction. Which judgment are you approaching? We don't know when our last days are. We don't. We've heard of two people this morning who are in very serious, life-threatening cancer battles. We gotta take this seriously, people. Take it seriously. And no creature, in Hebrews chapter 4, no creature is hidden from His sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of Him whom we must give an account. Also in chapter 3 of Hebrews we read these words, Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your heart. Also in chapter 3, but encourage one another day after day as long as it is still called today so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. So today, folks, is the day of salvation. Respond by faith if you haven't already. Do not reject the one who is speaking. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved. Amen? Let's pray.