Jesus is God’s Final Word

Do you believe in Jesus? Seems like a pretty straightforward question. But you’d be surprised to know how many people don’t want to be asked that question. Recently, I came across a man on the street interview, where a guy holding a microphone walks up to seemingly ordinary people on the street and asks them, “Do you believe in Jesus?” Now, most didn’t want to be bothered. They quickly walked by. Many gave a quick “No!” and turned away. Occasionally, he met someone who said, “Yes.” And that got me to thinking. Maybe he’s asking the wrong question. Maybe he should be asking, “Do you know Jesus?” Or “Do you know who Jesus is?”

After all, when you ask, “Do you know who Jesus is?” most people have some idea. In fact, they might say something like, “Jesus was a great moral teacher.” Or that “Jesus was a good example.” Or they might say, “Jesus was a prophet.” Those are all pretty common answers given by people who know a little about Jesus, but don’t really know Him. After all, it was C.S. Lewis who once said, “A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic…or he would be the devil of hell. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us.” So, the question I want us to answer over the next couple of months is this: Do you know who Jesus is?

Because the more you know Jesus,the more you’ll discover what God is like. The more you know Jesus, the more you’ll find out how valuable you are to Him. And the more you know Jesus, the more you will learn how truly great He is. So, today we’re going to dive into the book of Hebrews, a book written to reveal the greatness of Jesus and the superiority of Jesus over the Old Testament Prophet’s, His superiority over angels, His preeminence over the Old Covenant, and so much more. So, if you find yourself wanting know Jesus in a way that can strengthen your faith, and give you confidence to follow Him in this broken and hostile world that’s not our home, then let me invite you to open your Bibles to Hebrews 1:1-4, where we’re going to unpack the first characteristic that makes Jesus worth knowing, and that’s this: Jesus is God’s Final Word to Man. Jesus is superior to the prophets and the OT Scriptures, because in Jesus, we find God’s complete and authoritative Word to us.

Now, why does this matter today? Here’s why: We live in a day today, where the majority of Americans no longer believe there are any absolutes. 70 percent of Americans today believe there is no ultimate authority out there that tells us how we should live. Instead, we believe we are our own authority. We can make up our own rules, our own morality. And if we don’t like our rules today, we can change them tomorrow. Now, philosophers have a fancy name for this way of thinking. This is called “Moral Relativism.” Moral Relativism exists today because of man’s rebellion against God. If we can convince ourselves that God is some distant disconnected deity, who got this world going, but has not spoken to man, then we can throw off the constraints of God’s moral authority. We can go our own way and create our own values in life.

Now, there is a cost for embracing this way of thinking. The price we pay for moral relativism is the loss of truth. For if God has not spoken, then we live in world where you cannot really know anything for sure. And one thing you cannot know is God. And if you cannot know God, then you certainly cannot know if there’s someone out there who cares about you, and you cannot know if there’s someone out there to save you. Instead, with no ultimate authority, we are left to go it on our own, with no real meaning for life, no hope of heaven, and no answer for the problem of death. That is why knowing Jesus matters. For in Jesus, we find God’s complete and authoritative Word that is so vital to give us meaning and hope in a world that’s gone off the rails.

So, let’s begin by listening to how God spoken to us, beginning in verse one: In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son. Hebrews 1:1
Whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom also He made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. Hebrews 1:2-3

This is where our journey of knowing Jesus begins. It begins with this ultimate reality: 1. In the past, God Spoke through the Prophets: In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, Hebrews 1:1
Long ago God spoke to “the fathers,” the Old Testament people, our spiritual ancestors. He spoke to Moses, Abraham, Elijah, Isaiah, Jeremiah and Daniel. Sometimes He spoke through dreams, at other times through visions. Sometimes He spoke directly, at other times through angels. He spoke in a storm and thunder to Moses. He spoke in a still small voice to Elijah. Yet, as we see here, what we have today, as the Old Testament account of God’s works of creation and redeeming, of God’s promises and purposes, of God’s warnings and will – these were all written and recorded for us by men to whom God spoke. As Peter explained, “Men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” 2 Peter 1:21

This is an incredible revelation. God made Himself known to man. I love what English Professor F.F. Bruce says about this revelation, “Had God remained silent, enshrouded in thick darkness, the plight of mankind would have been desperate; indeed, but now He has spoken His revealing, redeeming and life-giving word, and in His light, we see light.” In other words, our God is not silent! He made Himself and His plan for all mankind known to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, so that today, we can know something of God’s will and ways, and His plan to redeem all mankind as recorded for us in the Old Testament Scriptures.
However, as God spoke through these prophets, over and over again, God’s revelations was not fully complete. For in this revelation God spoke of the One to come who would redeem the nations. When He spoke to Abram, it was a promise of an offspring who would be blessing the nations. When He commanded the Israelites to slaughter a lamb and place the blood on their doorposts, so the angel of death would Passover them, this lamb was foreshadowed the coming lamb of God who would take away the sins of the world. And when Isaiah gave a prophecy that a virgin would conceive and give birth to a son, who would be called Immanuel – these promises, symbols and prophesies were God speaking in part of what would be completed when Jesus would come and fulfill all God had promised.

So, yes, in the past God spoke through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but everything God revealed in the past was pointing to God’s final and complete revelation that would be spoken to us by His Son. So, let’s look at that now:

2. In these last days, God has spoken to us by His Son: But in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son. Whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom also He made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. Hebrews 1:1b-4 God’s full and perfect revelation to us has come in a person, His Son Jesus Christ… The gospels tell His story, the epistles comment on it, and the Book of Revelation reveals its culmination. From beginning to end the New Testament reveals Jesus as God’s full and final revelation. So that today, when you hear Jesus, you hear the Father’s voice.

As John wrote, Jesus is the Word made flesh, who made His dwelling among us. He came to live among us to express exactly what God is like. So that now, when you see Jesus, you see the glory of the Father, and when you hear Jesus, you are hearing the Father speak to you. For Jesus himself said this, “For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken. I know that His command leads to eternal life. So, whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.” John 12:47-50. There are many voices in our world today that want to persuade you how to live, how to be satisfied, how to find life. But there is only one voice who speaks truth; only one voice who gives the words of life; only one voice who fully expresses the will of the Father: Jesus, the living word of God.

Now, if God has spoken to us through Jesus, that tells us something about God. First, it tells us that God wants to communicate with us. He doesn’t want to leave you in the dark about who He is. He wants to make Himself known to you through Jesus. Second, the best way to know God is to listen to Jesus. When you listen to Jesus you can know what God values, what He’s passionate about, what He delights in, and what’s really important to Him. When you listen to Jesus you can know God’s heart, you can know God’s mind, you can know God’s will for your life.

After all, that’s what we do in any meaningful relationship. Once the ice has been broken, you can open up and share what’s on your heart. You can share what’s on your mind. In that way, the person you are sharing with can get to know you. That’s what I did when I was first dating Becky. The more we got to know one another, the more we shared our values, our passions, our hopes and our dreams… That’s exactly what God did when He spoke to us through Jesus. Now, when you listen to Jesus, you can discover what matters to Him. You can discover that He values mercy, compassion and love. When He opened His heart to the poor, the weak and the needy, we hear His compassion. When He shared His table with outsiders, with those who had been rejected, we hear that His heart is big enough to love even the worst of sinners. When he forgave the woman who’d been caught in sin, we heard that there’s no one so bad that Jesus can’t give them mercy.

The point is, God spoke to us in Jesus so we could hear how much He truly loves all mankind. And how much He truly loves you. That’s why Jesus is God’s full and final revelation to us. When we hear His voice, we can know how much God loves us. That’s who Jesus is. Jesus is the voice of God, who makes it possible for us to know God. Now, that’s not all He is. For now, the author of Hebrews begins to lay out his credentials for us, so there can be no doubt about how truly great Jesus is – how superior he is to the prophets. So, what we see next is this:

Jesus is the Heir of all things: Now, Because Jesus is God’s Son, that makes Him the heir of all that God possesses. Not only that, but to be God’s “heir” was to be invested with everything. So, one thing Jesus is invested with is the full authority of God. This is what makes Jesus superior to the Prophets. Here’s the difference: The prophets were given a message from God to speak to our ancestors. As such, they spoke for God. However, since the Father gave Jesus His full authority, whenever Jesus spoke, His words were the authoritative Word of God.
In other words, Whatever Jesus says, is the very Word of God. And if that’s true, then if you want to know what it takes to please God, you need to be a disciple of Jesus, a follower of
Jesus, so you can learn from Him how to live a life that pleases God.

Now, there’s another aspect of Jesus being the heir of all things that we need to grasp. And that is this: If Jesus is the heir of all things, then everything in heaven and earth belongs to Him. That means you belong to Him; your family belongs to Him; and every person you lock eyes with belong to him. Listen to how Colossians describes this: For in Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether
thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created by Him and for Him.Colossians 1:16. Take note of that final phrase. All things were created by Him and for Him.
You were created by Jesus and for Jesus. That means your life has tremendous dignity, value, and purpose. And what this means for you personally is this: since Jesus is the owner of all things, including you – there’s no one who cares about your life than Jesus. He created you to find your greatest joy and meaning in life in a relationship with Him…

We live in a world today where people are longing for meaning. They’ve lost a sense of who they are. They’re struggling to find an identity that gives them worth. They don’t know why they exist. But when you know Jesus is the heir of all things, that He cares about your life because He created you, that changes things. For now, when you come to know Him, you don’t just find forgiveness from Him, but you can find out why you were created. And you were created to know Him, experience His love and acceptance, and to find joy and purpose in a life with Him. He created you so you can find meaning in a relationship with Him.
Which leads us to the next truth about Jesus:

Jesus is the Creator of the Universe: One of the greatest proofs of Jesus’ divine nature is His ability to create. Think of all He has created: He made the sun and the moon. He put the stars in place. The closest star to us Alpha Centauri, 4.37 light years from us. And yet Alpha Centauri is just one spec in our galaxy. But what’s even more amazing, is that astronomers estimate that there are currently 100 to 200 billion galaxies known to man.
And Jesus spoke each of them into existence.

Think of just what He created here on earth: He created the blue skies, the falling rain, the oxygen we breath. He created the majestic mountains, cool breezes and vast oceans. In fact,
one of the blessings of living here in the desert is we learn first had that God has created over 91,000 species of insects and over 2,000 different kinds of cacti. But His greatest creation was You! And if Jesus created you, then every word He has spoken is for you. Think about that. This Bible is not just God’s story of redeeming mankind. This Bible is not just full of beauty,
grace, mercy, wisdom and truth. This Bible is God’s love letter to you. That’s why Jesus is God’s full and final revelation to us. Jesus created you, so He could make Himself known to
you as the One He loves.

And if you are willing to listen to Him, and look to Him, this is what you will see. You will see that Jesus is the Spitting Image of the Father: The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful word. Hebrews 1:3 In the desert, we know something about the radiance of the sun. However, as scorching and dazzling is the brightness of the sun in the heavens, we would never see
it nor feel its heat without the radiating beams that come to earth. So, it is with God and His Son. Without the Son we would remain in the dark regarding the glory of God. But with Jesus, we have an ideal, indeed, a perfect revelation of God. As Paul said to the Corinthians, that we see “the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” 2 Corinthians 4:6 Jesus is the light of life, the light of the world, the visible
appearance of all the glory and beauty of God.

In other words, Jesus radiates God’s glory in all He says and does, but we are also told that the Son is the exact representation of His being. The Greek word here is “character.”
This word refers to the stamp or imprint made by a die or seal. The best example is a coin with the imprint of a ruler’s face. In other words, when you look at Jesus you can see exactly what God is like. And that’s good news: God is not distant. He has come near. He has made Himself knowable. For now, if Jesus truly is the spitting image of the Father, then anyone can come to know God, by getting to know the Jesus of the gospels. As Jesus himself said, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.” John 14:9. That’s why Jesus is so much more than a great moral teacher or a good example to follow. Jesus is God. He is the Son of
God who has come to make the Father known.

Now, you’d think the author has done enough up to this point, but there’s more. Next, he wants us to know that Jesus is the Sustainer of all things: Jesus holds everything together by His powerful word. The Greek word for “holds together” means “to support, to maintain, and it is used here in the present tense. Which means, that right now everything in the entire Universe is being held together by the power of Jesus’ Word. Can you imagine what would happen if Jesus relinquished his hold over the laws of the Universe? If He suspended the laws of gravity only for a few moments, none of us would survive.

But what I want us to think about is the power of His word in how it applies to your life. Jude wrote, that “Jesus is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy.” Jude 24 Here’s the good news about the power of Jesus’ word to hold you. If you’ve given your life to Jesus, Jesus’ will hold onto you no matter what you are going through. His power will carry you through to the end. He will never let you go. This is who Jesus is. Jesus holds all things together. And He will always hold onto you. Now, I don’t know about you, but I find this truth about Jesus incredibly comforting. If you’ve come to faith in Jesus, then you can know that you’re never going to be alone. You’re always going to have someone there for you with Jesus. No matter what you’re going through, no matter how difficult life can be for you, Jesus’ got a hold of you.

Finally, we see that Jesus is presented to us as the Savior of the world: Here the author wants us to know that not only is Jesus our Savior, but he now functions as our Great High Priest. Let me read this: After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. Hebrews 1:3 What the author wants us to glean from this verse is that as Our Savior, Jesus takes on the high priestly function of providing purification for sins. This is something that was impossible for us to do on our own. We have no ability to remove our own sinfulness. We have no ability to wash away our sin or earn God’s forgiveness of sin. This is something only God could do for us. So out of His great mercy, God who is rich in love, sent His Son to be the perfect sin offering. He shed His blood for your sins on the cross. Then, as the true and final priest, he went into heaven to present His own blood to God to secure your full, perfect and final forgiveness. And now because there is no sacrifice for our sin left to make, Jesus took His seat at the right hand of the Father, symbolizing that His work is done. So that now, since Jesus offered himself in your place, and presented His blood as purification four your sin, you get to stand pure and blameless before God. This is what Jesus did for you.

Som there you have it. Jesus is greater than the prophets. Jesus is God’s complete and final word to us. Jesus is the heir of all things: When you hear Jesus you’re hearing God’s Word. Jesus is the Creator of the Universe: You were created by Him and for Him. Jesus is the spitting image of the Father: When you see Jesus, you see God. Jesus is the sustainer of all things. That means he holds your life in His hands. And Jesus is the purifier of our sins. After He presented His blood to the Father, His work was completed, and you were forgiven once and for all, and forever.

So, let me ask you once again: Do you know this Jesus?