The Superiority of Christ (Part A)

His name will be called wonderful Counselor, the mighty God, everlasting father, the Prince of peace. So this the second verse whoever wrote humans go pouring out these superlatives of doctrine and truth, glory, concerning the one whom we love and who loves us even more. We would a bunch of all the love all of all the Christians ever together. It still would not come close to the love that God has for us as individuals. This is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston. Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville.

Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of Hebrews. Please stay with us after today's message to hear more about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching, but for now let's join Pastor Rick in the book of Hebrews chapter 1 as he begins a brand-new message called the superiority of Christ are in the book of Hebrews chapter 1 will take verses one through four. God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets has in these last days spoken to us by his son, whom he has appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the world being the brightness of his glory and the express image of his person upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, set down at the right hand of Majesty on high, having become so much better than the Angels as he has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they were told in our Bibles at mansion. I live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. If you are to make a list of greatest chapters of the Bible. This first chapter would be there. These first four verses that we read this morning. They could've been a song there. Some of the most beautiful words that speak directly about our Savior is why we believe he is the son of God not the only reason. But in this section there is enough to come away with understanding that God in Christ Jesus is indeed God the son speak of his glory, as should every Christian may be. Maybe you have a problem with gossiping be a good idea to replace the gossip with the exaltation of Christ talk about him last week we introduced this document. Hebrews and we won't ask going to verse one to much this morning except to say that it begins with in our English Bibles typically God, the Bible never tries to prove God.

It understands that God exist and expects that human beings would see it the same way we talk about it a little bit last session, but I will take this from Romans one for since the creation of the world his invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse. God says the fool has said in his heart there is no God. Well, that is the beginning of course this paragraph. Are we going to go right to verse two, and again this is one of the essential sections of Scripture that teach us something about Jesus Christ do nothing to find outside of the revelation of God's word is not an authority. You'll find Christian's preaching it because it is first been said here verse two, as in these last days spoken to us by his son, whom he has appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the world of the last days began with the coming of Christ. I'm going to take some Scriptures to point that out because it is important to us. The prophets of the Old Testament have much to say about the day of the Lord in the end times in the New Testament has much to say about the last days, which again began with the coming of Christ.

Hebrews 9 verse 26.

He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world. But now once at the end of the ages he has appeared to put away sin of the sacrifice of himself. First Corinthians 10 verse 11. Now all these things happen to them as examples. They were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come see Paul is saying these things are written for us. The New Testament church and the end of the ages has come to us. Of course, we think in terms of the end of the ages now.

This year, this week Bible is of course much more extensive than that in its scope but it has lost souls in mind again. Acts chapter 2 verses 16 and 17 but this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel and it shall come to pass in the last days as God that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh. This your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams. So Peter knew it was the last days and finally Peter again knowing this second Peter chapter 3 verse three that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, scoffers against Jesus Christ and so these are the last days and so God who at various times in various ways spoke to the fathers by the prophets has in these last days spoken to us as it says in verse two by his son of this spoken to us by his son. Again, the subject is not our salvation is important to each and every one of us and it's important enough to God to have his son Diana cross for us. But without God being first, there is no salvation so he starts off with the subject, not the salvation or the blessing, but it is Jesus. It is all about Jesus to us.

Remove Jesus and we are left with nothing as the lost soul is left with nothing but judgment. Christ does not speak himself in this Hebrew document, but the message. The message of Christ is all through it and he is the message when we preach the gospel. We preach Jesus Christ. He is the message lives gospel chapter 9.

Then a voice came out of the cloud, saying, this is my beloved son here him to cast up the connection there with the apostles on the Mount of Transfiguration.

They were very mindful of Moses and the prophets Elijah and all the Old Testament that we have and yet the father spoke and said, it is my son, the prophets, Moses writings they were about him is all about Jesus to get that right you got it right get that wrong, you may be doomed. This is our message again in John's Gospel. This is at the wedding of Cana, and in this little snapshot of the very human seen on a wedding when his earthly muster mother was flustered. They ran out of wine she called to him. And of course he said woman that now is not my time and she dismisses that she says of the servants whatever he says do it. He is the one all the attention was shifted off of everyone at that instant, to Jesus Christ, and seems to be such a little piece of Scripture and yet the Holy Spirit is is deemed it to be the word of God.

We take a John chapter 2 verse five. His mother said to the servants, whatever he says to you do it. Nothing has diminished the authority and the force of those words.

To this day.

It is still in force.

To this day we will believe. Follow those instructions, God still speaks what drew what he has spoken and not outside of that is how the sex and the Colts are born God's final revelation was given to man in Jesus Christ. Jesus is the message from the Godhead, so we read again verse two has in these last days spoken to us by his son.

Everything elf filtered through Christ.

Every thought, every whether something is good or bad. If I should do something or not do something the believer filters it through Christ. What does Christ say what is his position on this with this displease him would it honor him would bless others in his name would be a false blessing because it is outside of his name. Every work is of Christ. So heaven has been silent because God has nothing to add.

The work is finished. Christ says it all. He alone is superior and sufficient behavior. Human beings Colossians chapter 2. You are complete in him who is the head of principality and power. How many Christians don't believe the complete in him, so they get bored with Jesus Christ to get bored with the word and they look for something else to supplement God's word needs no improvement. Our relationship I walk with him. Does we don't need something new. We need fresh experiences in the existing Revelation of God.

All of this amplifies the messianic prophecies that spoke centuries before he was coming so many details that only he could fulfill who how many people have been born since the days of the prophets and how many people have fulfilled the prophecies of Jesus Christ. Only one Isaiah when he writes, for unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, you see, when we speak, as has spoken to us in these last days, through his son, unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon his shoulders and his name will be called wonderful Counselor of the mighty God, the everlasting father, the Prince of peace. So this the second verse whoever wrote this as humans go pouring out these superlatives of doctrine and truth, glory, concerning the one whom we love and who loves us even more if we were to bunch up all the love all of all the Christians ever together. It still would not come close to the love that God has for us as individual has in these last days spoken to us by his son. The son is unlike anyone else's son, there's no comparison. God is spoken to man. Therefore he has a purpose for man, not like the deists who believe God sort of started things and then walked away. Let them run their own course to destruction.

That's what the deists believe we know better.

We know God has a plan and purpose, and that he is very much involved with us and had they turned to this first paragraph of the Hebrews, they would've received that information because we going to find out he sustains all things this very moment continues in verse two, whom he has appointed heir of all things, the Godhead God the father know when you think of Jesus you have to sort of think of him this way when you come to verses that suggest to those not mindful of the whole Scripture you have to be mindful that there is Jesus. According to his role as Messiah and then there is Jesus self existent eternal glorious proceeding from the father. And if you miss that, then you may fall into confusion and that's with the Colts to win the Colts see that the Scripture versus Satan will the father appointed him therefore is less than the father therefore he's not equal with God. That's how they reason in a way they are wrong is no excuse for because there is ample evidence in Scripture. For instance, when Paul writes to the Philippians he says equal with the father this the distance rules out objections to his deity. So when the Bible talks this way it is because there is the role of Messiah.

He came as an infant grew up through the years and so here he says whom he has appointed heir of all things.

He is exalted, the air receives everything that belongs to the father because he is equal all that belongs to the father belongs to him in glory and honor and majesty, because as I mentioned, he has come forth from the father. That is the source out of the Godhead.

Same with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit proceeds forth from the Godhead throughout Scripture we find God the father, God the son equal in fact of deity, the son constantly gladly eager to do the will of the father and the father just as gladly constantly even excited about exalting the sun because of the love because of the essence of what we could know as the Trinity were just need to be in Scripture. The fact needs to be there so and it is there.

He shares this inheritance with us the love doesn't stop love flows downward. It comes from the father to us through the sun because without him it would never arrive. We would be in our sins, but he is removed that obstacle. Galatians chapter 4. Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and it was son than heir of God through Christ.

Romans 817. If children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with him.

We may also be glorified together. So he includes us he brings us into this this inheritance were going to get to that as we go through the Hebrews so powerful. I want to get there now but I don't want get off course, through whom he made the worlds you could translate the world here from the Greek of the ages, that is, everything doesn't leave anything out.

It predates Genesis 11 which profit which King which human being or priest as he appointed this distinction through whom he made the worlds non-no human king. No human priest note human profit, though he he has within him the office of all of these towards us. Jesus is the creator not viewed. If you need other Scripture versus I'm going to give you a list.

I remember man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. So why would we skip words.

The names are different. We get the Chronicles will be skipping names all the time. Word of God. God says I will honor my word above my name.

Psalm 138 two. Anyway, Jesus, the creator. John 13 Ephesians 39 Colossians 116 and 17, Revelation 411, Revelation 10, five and six.

Revelation 14 since verse seven Jeremiah 51 verses 15 to 19 coupled with those New Testament verses we have to get to this, the Yahweh of the Old Testament is the Yahweh of the Jesus of the new we go went through this and Zechariah we seek Yahweh the father speaking to Yahweh, the son, leaving no room for it to be any other way. And so, through which man are Angel, has he made the ages not in it says again, through whom he made the world and it will take Colossians 1 verses 16 through 17. For by him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or power.

All things were created through him and for him and he is before all things and in him all things consist. Sounds mighty God like to me.

So you see, their attitude without excuse, when they come along and say Christ is not God the son.

That's why say it that way. So often we say that of the son of God. There are those that trick themselves in the thinking will that the disease demoted is less than deed than then God is not is equal to our entire belief system hinges on this. This is what makes a cult.

A cult hope Jehovah's Witnesses. The Mormons those who you know. Herbert W. Armstrong. Some of you remember him cultists denying the deity of Christ, Christian science is a science and whatsoever the liars out of the starting gate is gibberish in the list goes on. Son Young wound in his Unification Church, Scientology and all the other the Colts the Jews the Bible they don't believe it nor receive it, and it's so plain speak here in English and Chinese and Greek in any other language when it is translated it is so clear. The fact is here doesn't have to say that he is God. Come right out. He is God still would have a problem with that. So he demonstrates it is the same in love Romans chapter 5, God demonstrates his love in that while we were still sinners, Christ Jesus died for us. He demonstrated the fact that's the fact right there you can tell someone you love them and then behave as though you don't, you cannot say you love them and behave as though you do.

NASA goes to great lengths to make contact with extraterrestrials. Anyone out there listening to send signals out in different languages.

These are otherwise intelligent people. The spiritual fools because God has spoken in these last days, through his son and then not receiving it. They're not speaking to him. They're not seeking for him. They want aliens going to go there. They're not listening. They will not read they will not heed the will not believe I'm talking about the unbelieving scientists because there are many good scientists that are believed so this is what Zechariah brought up to the people in his day. He was talking about their ancestors. He said, but they refused to. He shrugged their shoulders and stop their ears so that they could not hear what God is spoken in these last days, through his son shrugged her shoulders. They don't want to hear. Verse three. Continuing about Jesus Christ, who being the brightness of his glory and the brightness of the glory of the father and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he by himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high better than the profits.

No profit ever accomplished any of these things only Christ again. It is a distinction being the brightness of his glory, the radiance the outshining the raise of the father who would God can receive such such talk, only God. This is about Jesus Christ as is Paul writing to the two Timothy's is who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. A man that is for the father, but it is also also for Jesus Christ above his role as Messiah in his essence who he is.

Yes, we could see them in the role of Messiah.

But that's not all there is to him and that's why when he prayed in John 17 that he would return to the glory he had with his father before the world began, because he comes forth from his father never lost a just set it on the side for a little bit and not all of it is sovereignty, not his deity, so he allowed them to crucify because the sovereignty was set on the side. He could've activated it. He said that you know I could call legions of angels or I could just do it myself, but he did not met comes into this. What were talking about because that is Jesus in the role of Messiah. Second Thessalonians concerning Antichrist in the last of the last days. We believe all the indicators are saying. Not only are we this present church present believers.

Not only are we in the last days, but we are in the last of the last days because of Israel.

That's the timestamp and Antichrist things are getting ready for him you was a time we just could not fulfill the prophecies in Revelation.

The technology was not there. It's here. You can move vast armies within hours across the globe could not do that before the weapons of mass destruction.

We move from catapult nuclear weapons of Moab on that one sounds scary.

Second Thessalonians. Speaking of Christ return to destroy Antichrist then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of his mouth and destroy with the brightness of his coming. That's what were talking about the brightness of his coming as it says, look at me again in verse three who being the brightness of his glory.

He had the glory for all eternity.

That's what he said on the side and role of Messiah Jesus and the express image of God.

Greek is very clear.

He is an exact stamp and exact.

So when God made himself visible in human form.

It was Jesus Christ the Old Testament when God made appearances in human form called the Christoph O'Neill was Jesus Christ.

Colossians 1 verse 15 he is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation and see the Colts to get there is the firstborn of all creation. As he was born he was not always a good hinges rule out what everything else everything else that is been said is the first in line disease, demonstrated, according to his Messiah ship. He became human so he can set this pattern up before us engraved a single word. This express image of single word in the Greek what is God someone is not a born again Christian. Is it what is God like how can I know what what offends him what delights him. What does he think of me. What does he think of my enemy, what is he think of how I should treat my enemy move. You've been listening to cross reference radio the daily radio ministry of Pastor Rick asked Calvary Chapel in Mechanicsville, Virginia. As we mentioned at the beginning of today's broadcast. Today's teaching is available free of charge at our website.

Simply log on to cross reference radio.com that's cross reference radio.com would also like to encourage you to subscribe to the cross reference radio podcast subscribing ensures that you stay current with all the latest teachings from Pastor Rick, you can subscribe cross reference radio.com or simply search for cross reference radio your favorite podcast to the next time as Pastor Rick continues teaching through the book of Hebrews right here on cross reference radio