Jesus Is Better

Tonight we're going to be starting a new series. I'm going to kick it off for the first couple of Wednesday nights and then Pastor Jason's going to join me and then a couple more from me and then Pastor Michael wrap it up. But uh going to talk about Jesus is better. Amen. Jesus, he's the best. Do you believe that? Yes. Jesus is better. Now, what could possibly be worth walking away from Jesus for? Can you think of anything? I can't personally, but people do it all the time. They walk away from Jesus. Today, as we start this series about Jesus is better, we're going to discover that sometimes life does get difficult and our faith gets tested and world gets pulled in every direction and but absolutely nothing nothing in this world compares to him.

Amen. Nothing compares to Jesus. Nothing that you could gain in this world and nothing that you could lose in this world compares to having a relationship with Jesus Christ. Over the next several weeks, we're going to be challenging you to deepen our faith and to hold on tightly to God's promises because there's nothing worse worth losing our relationship with Jesus over. Why would you go back after all that he has done for you? Why would you go back if if Calvary alone was all he did? That is more than enough. Amen. Just Calvary. But it isn't just there. I mean, there's the faithfulness of of his his mercies that are new every day and the and the blessings that come into our life and all the small little things he shows us.

He loves us on a daily basis. His goodness, just like we were singing about from generation to generation, he has been faithful and good. Now, we haven't always been faithful. Or maybe I'll just speak for me. I haven't always been faithful. And if you were honest, you'd say, "Neither have I." But he has always been. So why would we go back? To me, I think when you when you look at human nature, I find it very interesting that we can become so comfortable with the familiar that we struggle to embrace something better. And that can be something small like moving from a new phone to a from an old phone to a new phone or or trying to decide if you want to have new dinner wear at home but you're like I still like this old plate.

I may be speaking from examples that are going on at the Allen household right now. I love you. But isn't it interesting how and what what I have noticed as my time in ministry that that that oftentimes when when life is good, we don't really have a problem with our relationship with God. We talk about his goodness and his mercy and his grace, but the moment life throws us the curveball. How many times I've seen people go back to their old ways when faced with adversity? And I want to say, why would you go back? Why would you go back? But people do it all the time. Because they're comfortable with the familiar. We become comfortable with our routines. I'm guilty of that. My wife says that my mind likes a wellworn path.

I don't know why there's wrong with having routine in your life. We can become attached to our traditions. We can become attached to the things that we've always known. And sometimes even when God is leading us forward, we find ourselves looking backwards. ask Lot's wife, right? We look at that and we say, "Why would she do such a thing?" But yet, if we're honest, we're probably just as guilty as she has she was at some point in our life. We look back, too. The familiar at times can become a greater influence in our lives than faith can. Numbers chapter 14. And I'm going to go ahead and tell you right now, I'm being very bishop to priest tonight. I have a lot of scripture. In fact, someone up in the sound booth said, "We're going to start in Genesis and go all the way through the maps tonight.

Numbers 14 verse number three says, "Why has the Lord brought us to this land to fall by the sword that our wives and children should become victims? Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?" So they said to one another, "Let us select a leader to return Egypt." Think about this moment. Think about this moment. God had showed up because they had been crying out because of their their their enslavement. They they asked to be delivered and God delivers them in a miraculous way. Parts the Red Sea. They are out there in the desert and because it got a little uncomfortable, they're like, "You know what? Let's go back." Now, we read that every year, like if you're if you read your bread chart or read through your Bible in the year, you you you know, you go to this passage in Exodus and you're like, "What is wrong with you?

Have you lost your mind? Why would you willingly say we had it better in Egypt? Did you forget that you were getting whipped? That you were making bricks every day? That you had to go collect your own hay and stubble? Did you forget that? Evidently, they did because we find them when something isn't working out the way they wanted to that they somehow would rather go back to the familiar as to proceed into the unknown following God. Now, what I know is that wasn't just the book of Exodus. But that is 2026 in Murphy'sboro, Tennessee. I see it in people's lives. The moment life takes a turn and we get a little uncomfortable because we can't quite see what God's trying to do in our life.

And before long, we find ourselves flirting with the idea of going back to the familiar. Why would we do that? Why would when Jesus is better? Jesus is better. Say that out loud. Jesus is better. He is better. Why would you go back? This is a danger that every generation of believers must confront. When following God becomes difficult, the temptation is not to always abandon our faith altogether. Sometimes we're just looking for something that seems to demand less from us. Think about Peter after the resurrection. What does he do? He goes back to fishing. Why are you fishing, Peter? Why are you Why? Because it was familiar. He knew how to do that. That's part of the tension that we encounter when we go to the book of Hebrews.

Now, I'm going to be transparent. I'm I'm I'm pastor of this church and I'm aware of most things that go on here. That was meant to be funny. We have a committee that works on putting together our life classes. And I knew that our life, one of the life classes that had been talked about coming to pass was about the book of Hebrews. I didn't know that it was going to go on the same time that I was putting together a series on the book of Hebrews. So, for those of you that are in the Hebrews life class, you get a double whammy of Hebrews. For those of you that don't go that class, welcome to the book of Hebrews. We're going to be talking about for the next six weeks why the book of Hebrews talks about that Jesus is better.

To understand the book of Hebrews, you need to understand the audience in which it was written to. The book of Hebrews is written to believers who were deeply familiar with the Jewish scriptures and traditions, the priesthood, the sacrifices. The letter doesn't explicitly identify its author, but I personally believe it was Paul. I can't prove that to you. I just tell you that's how I feel based on a lot of proofs. And I know I'm not alone in that. And a lot of theologians feel like it was Paul that wrote this letter. It contains clearly that it's being addressed to Christians who were experiencing pressure and they were needing to be encouraged to remain faithful to Jesus Christ because they were trying to they were tempted to go back.

And the writer here is saying but Jesus is better. Why would you go back when Jesus is so much better? They understood the significance of Moses and importance of the priesthood and the sacrifice and the tabernacle and the covenant that God had established with Israel. But the writer here wanted them to understand that everything that they had known about the old covenant was pointing towards something better. There was something better that was coming. He's going back to remind them, hey, don't lose sight of what was really being said. The reason we were given the law was because the law was pointing to something that was better coming. Jesus was who it was pointing to. The issue was not whether the Old Testament was wrong. The issue was that his promises and patterns had found their fulfillment.

Hebrews 10 and:1 says, "For the law having a, listen to the words, a shadow of good things to come and not the very image of things can never with the same sacrifices which they offer continually year by year make those who approach perfect." That expression, the shadow of good things to come. The Old Testament was not meaningless. It was preparing God's people for the revelation of the mighty God in Christ. That's what it was trying to do there. The Passover lamb was pointing towards the lamb of God. The priesthood was anticipating the great high priest. The tabernacle revealed principles of how we were to approach a holy God, how we were to live and how we were to to come before him. The sacrifices demonstrated the seriousness of sin and the necessity of atonement.

And now the writer declares that what we had been waiting for had finally arrived. That's why Hebrews is such an important book for the church today. Because what I said just a few minutes ago, I'm seeing play out in our world today where so many people are facing the temptation to go back. It doesn't make sense if you say it out loud. If you if you point out said, "Look, look, you you were addicted. You were bound. You had all these things and then Jesus came in your life and freed you from those things. Why would you go back? Why would you go back? Jesus is better." Yet, if we're all honest, we probably have flirted with the idea oursel at one point or another.

Why is that in our nature? The central message of Hebrews is simply Jesus is better. To me, one of the most significant reoccurring ideas in this book is the word better. It's used 13 times in 12 verses. A few examples, 1 and four says Jesus is better than angels. 7 and 19 says we have a better hope. 7 and 22 says Jesus is the shorty of a better testament. 8 and6 says he's the mediator of a better covenant and upon better promises. Hebrews 9:23 the sacrifice is better than the sacrifices under law. Hebrews 11:16 for people desired a better country. 11:35 faith towards a better resurrection. The writer is building an argument that there's nothing that you can have in this life that's better than Jesus.

There's nothing that you had in your previous life that's better than Jesus. There's just nothing better than Jesus. Amen. He is the fulfillment of everything God has been revealing throughout scripture. And this gives us a powerful truth for us to live by. When you have Jesus, you don't need to look for anything else. Amen. When you have Jesus, you have all you need. When you have Jesus, you have everything. When you have Jesus, you have the best that you can have with him. Why would you go back? The world offers alter alternatives. Culture always tries to challenge our convictions. Life will test our faith. Amen. But the message of Hebrews remains unchanged. There is no greater savior. There is no greater sacrifice. There is no greater covenant.

There is no greater hope. Jesus is the best. Hebrews reveals this this this continuity of God's plan. And I want us to understand something as we begin this lesson tonight. The New Testament does not introduce a different God or an unrelated plan of salvation. is simply the fulfillment that what was set in motion as I preached this past Sunday back in Genesis chapter 3 that God gave a promise and as I said Sunday hell can't cancel Calvary. Amen. I feel like preaching that all over again. That was a good message. I want to show you some things. I I want I want to I want to reveal to you and again I've already said I'm I'm going to show you a lot of scripture. If you're a notetaker, write down these verses of scripture.

I encourage you to go back and re re-evaluate these yourself. But I want you to show you how scripture from from Genesis through Revelations was pointing about what God had already set in motion from the foundations of the world being created. Isaiah 43 and 10. You are my witnesses, says the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me there was no God formed, nor shall there be after me. I even I am the Lord and beside me there is no savior. Matthew 1:21, "And she will bring forth a son. He shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sin." So if I look at this, Isaiah declares that the Lord alone is savior, but Matthew declares that Jesus will save his people from their sins.

Is this a contradiction? No, it's not a contradiction. It's proclaiming the exact same thing. It's part of the unfolding revelation of the mighty God in Christ and his redemptive purpose. Colossians 2:9. And I'm going to say this scripture a lot tonight. It's one that you need to have highlighted in your Bible and have memorized. For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. In him dwells all the fullness of the godhead bodily. From an apostolic understanding of scriptures. We recognize that Jesus Christ is the fullness of the one true God manifested in flesh. The God who spoke through the prophets now revealed himself in this manner. And that brings us directly to the opening words of Hebrews. Hebrews chapter number one verse number one says, "God who at various times and in various ways spoke in times 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 him also he made the worlds." So we see at the very beginning what I feel like is a remarkable statement by the writer of Hebrews that God has always been speaking. From the beginning it was through creation and creation is still talking to you. Just go outside for a minute and be quiet. is still declaring his glory. It's still declaring his supremacy. It's still talking to us. Then he spoke through prophets and then he spoke through the law. He spoke through promises and covenants and visions and divine encounters. And the Bible's full of all these things are there. But now the writer says God has spoken to us through his son. Notice the progression. In times past, God spoke by the prophets. In the last days, however, he's speaking through his son.

This does not diminish the prophets or the scriptures that they wrote. Instead, it is it is simply confirming that what he has said in motion it was coming to pass. The prophets carried the word of the Lord, but Jesus was the word made flesh. John 1:14. And the word was made flesh and dwelt among us. And we beheld his glory, the glory of the only begotten of the father, full of grace and truth. That is the message of Hebrews that is beginning to establish the revelation that has reached its decisive fulfillment in Jesus Christ. And to me, when I look at this, it raises a very important question. Who is this Jesus that the writer of Hebrews declares to be greater than everything that came before him?

What is he trying to say? Simply this, that Jesus Christ is the full revelation of God. The writer begins reminding us that God has always desired to reveal himself to humanity. He didn't want to keep it hidden. It had been his goal. He wasn't trying to keep knowledge from Adam and Eve, but when the time of maturity was right, he was going to begin to reveal himself. They decided to supersede that because the the the serpent somehow convinced them that God was withholding things from them that if they would partake of that that they become they could become like God. He appealed to the flesh that was there and because of their disobedience sin entered the world. But again, as I said Sunday, God wasn't surprised by this.

And he sure wasn't having to go to plan B. He had already had a redemptive plan put in place. And what I'm talking about tonight in the mighty God in Christ was the plan that had always been established from the beginning that he knew he was going to come to be the sacrifice that we would need because of the mess we were going to get ourselves in. Amen. This message was there. So we see this throughout the Old Testament. God spoke through prophets and promises and covenants and divine encounters. To Abraham, he revealed a covenant promise. To Moses, he talked about his power and his holiness and he gave Moses the law. To David, he revealed the promise that he was going to establish an everlasting kingdom.

It was a progression. One piece, another piece, another piece. He kept revealing it because we couldn't comprehend it all at one time. We didn't have the capacity to fully understand. So when the fullness of time came as he began to work through the process, oh, I wish I had somebody else besides Taylor Little excited about what I'm preaching tonight. This is good stuff, guys. God was not revealing different versions of himself. He was progressively revealing his eternal purpose. As I said to you already, John 1:14, the word became flesh. Yeah. One one of his encounters he's having with his disciples, Philip said, you know, it it would suffice us. It would make us happy. Modern language, Jesus, you would make me happy if you would just show us the father.

And I can almost see Jesus looking at him going, "What are you talking about, Philillip?" Because he says this in in John 14:9, "Have I been so long with you yet you don't know me, Philillip? He who has seen me has seen the father." So how can you say, "Show me the father?" I added the Kevin version. Hello. What are you? I'm right here. Can you not see me? Colossians 2:9. For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. This is foundational to our apostolic understanding of who Jesus Christ is. He's not merely a man possessed by God's power. He was God manifest in genuine humanity. The invisible God had made himself known through Jesus Christ because he's the expressed image of God's purpose.

Hebrews 1:3. Again, we're we're three verses in the book of Hebrews. Who being the brightness of his glory and the expressed image of his person and upholding all things by the word of his power when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the majesty on high. Now, I know some people that have believe in a in a in a triune God want to say, "Well, there right there. I mean, he sat down on the right hand of God." Let me ask you, where is God's right side? Does God have a right side? Does he have a left side? Like how do you how God who's a spirit, God who you can't see, how can he be on the right side?

Most of you who know and have studied the scriptures know this is not talking about a physical right side. What's it talking about? It's the power that is there. It was the power of God. So having scriptural knowledge helps you understand the scriptures when someone brings it up. Otherwise, things have a way of being misleading without you being able to rightly divide the word of God. Two expressions I love in this in this verse number three right here. First, the brightness of his glory. Throughout the Old Testament, God's glory was associated in his manifest presence. Moses once prayed in Exodus 33:18 when he said, "I beseech you, show me thy glory." And what was the response from God? No man can see. No man can see me and live.

He put him in the cliff of the rock and he walked past him and revealed and after he had passed by, he removed his hand. And for most of us who've studied the word of God, he sees the backside of God. He sees the history that was there. That's how Moses was able to write the Pentatuk, Genesis, Exodus. How how was able to write the history before the law was given out because he seen the backside there. Plus, here's the deal is he couldn't show him something that wasn't there yet. He couldn't show him his face because his face had not been formed. Are you guys okay? You guys excited yet? He hadn't revealed it yet. But you remember when Jesus had the encounter with his disciples on the Mount of Transfiguration, who showed up on that mountain besides him and the disciples?

Who was there? Moses was there. And and in Moses, he got to see the face of Jesus because we know that Paul says this in 2 Corinthians 4:6. For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shown the heart to give the light of knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Moses, you and I, I can't show it to you now. You're asking for something that I can't reveal to you now, but in time, Moses, I I'll reveal to you. So, on Mount Transfiguration, he said, "What you ask for now, you see, you can see it in the face of Jesus Christ that was there." Guys, this is such good stuff. when you begin to dig into the word of God and see how wonderfully he had purposely placed his plan of revelation to us if you're willing to study it out.

What I feel like is so many people sell theirelves short because they're they're they're satisfied with the goosebump relationship with God. Guys, there's something more than just having the goosebumps. I love it when I feel God's presence here and I get that little little as we can that little spiritual check like woo. Yeah, God is here. But there's so much more depth to having a relationship with him when you dive into the word of God. And that's what Hebrews is about. Again, we're we're just three verses in right now. Three verses in and we got all this being revealed to us. The creator became our redeemer. Hebrews 1:2, well, we already read it says by whom all the worlds were made. Genesis 1:1 says, "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

And God declared through Isaiah in Isaiah 44 and 24, I am the Lord that maketh all things, that stretcheth forth the heavens alone, that spreadth abroad the earth by myself. There's only one creator. But now consider John's declarations in John 1. In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God. He was in the beginning with God, and all things were made through him, and without him nothing was made that was made. Wait a minute. Wait a minute. What's going on here? Verse 14 tells us, "And the word was made flesh and dwelt among us." From an apostolic perspective, we recognize that the eternal word was with God himself and that the word was manifest in flesh through Jesus Christ.

That the creator entered his own creation to redeem the people he made. I will say that again, that the creator entered his own creation to redeem the people he made. If you're going to get into a literal word study, it comes he he had to he had to ungod himself to put on flesh to step down in the mess of humanity. I love that he didn't leave us alone, but he's like, "You guys have made a mess." And when the fullness of time had come, he says, "Now I will step I will I will I will take off the royal robe and I will step down into humanity so that I can walk among you so that eventually I can die for you so that I can send my spirit to be in you so that I can resurrect you one day to a new life."

How awesome is our God? And that's what the writer of Hebrews is trying to tell us and explain to us is don't get so caught up when you get frustrated because Jesus is better. I know life gets frustrating. It doesn't work out for most of us. We get we have we have things happen that we don't like. But whatever you do, don't go backwards. Don't go back to what he's already taken you out of. Why would you go back and be enslaved again? Why would you go back and be under the burden of the law when there's so much better thing that has happened in your life? And it's Jesus. Amen. The one who formed Adam from the dust took upon himself genuine humanity.

The one who gave mankind life came to be our everlasting life. Matthew 1:23, "Behold, a virgin shall be a child and bear a son. They shall call him Emmanuel, which is translated God with us." Not merely God watching us, not God speaking to us, but God with us, walking with us every day, living our life with us. Jesus accomplished what no one else could do. Remember the conclusion of chapter three of chapter 1 verse number three of this when he had by himself purged our sins sat down on the right hand of the majesty on high the writer introduces a truth that we'll develop extensively in in a couple of weeks but I want you to know under the old covenant the priest continually offer sacrifice for sin but those sacrifices can never accomplish what Jesus accomplished at Calvary in fact if I fast forward in Hebrews and I take you to chapter 10 look at verse number 11 and every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices which can never take away sins.

But this man after he had ordered one sacrifice for sins forever sat down at the right hand of God. Notice the contrast of the Old Testament priest stood there because the work continued. But Jesus and his sacrifice was complete. We didn't have to have another one. When he said it was finished, honey, it was done. There didn't have to be another one. We have that we have that advocate with him that he he his blood covers our all of our mistakes and all of our failures. When he said it was finished, it it covered it all. We don't have to go back and revisit those things. All we have to say is, "God, please forgive me." And he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all.

What a God we serve. Jesus is better than anything this world could possibly offer you. The one who created us is the one who redeemed us. And he accomplished our redemption through his own sacrifice. And he is the name that is above every name. Let's go back to chapter one and verse number four. I'm getting ahead of myself. Now we're going to go four verses in. Being made so much better than the angels as he hath by inheritance obtain listen to the language. Obtain a more excellent name than they. So now the writer is introducing us and starts talking about angels. But notice the reference of a more excellent name. Philippians 2:9. Therefore God hath highly exalted him and given him the name which is above every name.

that the name of Jesus every knee should bow those in heaven and those of the earth and those under the earth and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the father. Acts 4:12 there is now so there is there salvation in any other for there is no other name under heaven given among men why whereby we must be saved. That's why the name of Jesus is so central to our apostolic faith. I've heard it said and you've heard me say this before if you've been here a few years. People say you you apostolic y'all just y'all just just just Jesus Jesus only. I'm like, "No, we're we're Jesus everything. Everything." Yeah. We're Jesus for healing. We're Jesus for provision.

We're Jesus when I don't feel good. We're Jesus when I need restoration. We're Jesus when I need forgiveness. Well, there there is no other name. There's Jesus when I get baptized. There's Jesus when I'm praying. There's Jesus when I worship. There's Jesus when I'm Why when I when I plead the blood, I plead the blood of Jesus over everything I have, over everything. Why would I not be that? That's the name right there. When I say that, all of the all of the other names of the Bible are encompassed in that one name. All of the other promises, all the other declarations, they're there in that name. When I say Jesus, I said it all. I don't have to say anything else. It's in him.

Jesus is greater than the messengers. Yes. Hebrews 1:4, being made so much better than the angels. Why does the writer begin comparing Jesus to angels? Do you guys ask questions when I read scripture or is it just me? Am I the only one that's I know it got me in trouble when I was a kid and it frustrated me when my daughters are this way. But does anybody else besides me say why? Like when you read it I'm like well why you know why why writer why why Paul why why did you write about the angels? Why do we have to declare that? Because he's letting us know something there. There's a reason. Because angels played a significant role throughout Israel's history, right? They were the messengers.

They carried divine assignments. They ministered to God's people. They were associated with the giving of the law according to Acts 7:53. But the writer wants us to understand something important. Angels may deliver a message from God, but Jesus is the ultimate revelation of God. The truth is this. Here's what here's what I feel like he's trying to say, and that is simply the messenger must never become greater in our eyes than the one who sent the message. Right? I had some person that I won't name who's related to me that doesn't go to this church. They they really don't go to this church that told me that they prayed to their they prayed to their guardian angel every day. And I just said, "Have you lost your mind?"

Like, "What do you mean?" I'm like, "Why why would you pray to an angel? You there is no Bible for that." None. Like, you don't pray to an angel. They're they're simply a messenger. They do God's bidding. Don't pray to them. and pray to the one who sends them. Why would you Why would you sell yourself short on who's doing it? They're not doing it. He does it. If you had a conversation with you, they would say, "Why are you praying to me? I can't do it. He does it." The writer wants us to understand something important. Angels may deliver the message, but he's the ultimate revelation. Jesus possesses an authority. Authority the angels do not have. Hebrews chapter 1 verse number five. For unto which of the angels, listen to this, said he at any time, thou art my son, this day I have begotten thee, and again I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son.

And again, when he bringeth into the first begotten of the world, he saith, and let all the angels of God worship him. Here the writer is quoting Psalms 2:7 in 2 Samuel 7:14, connecting Jesus to God's promises concerning the Messiah. But notice verse six. The angels are committed to worship the son. Yet Jesus declared in Matthew 4 verse number 10, "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." Why? A conflicting message. It's not a conflicting message. They're talking about the same thing. The same thing. Worship belongs to God alone. And Hebrews declares that Jesus is worthy of that worship. Again, Colossians 2:9, for in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. From our apostolic understanding, Jesus is not another God alongside the Father.

He is the fullness of the one true God revealed in flesh. The angels worship Jesus because he's the one that is worthy of the divine worship. And just a little side note here too, again, I'm not trying to be controversial, but I think it begs for you to ask the question when he says begotten. Nowhere in the scriptures entirety, I don't care what version you have that you read, nowhere do we have any account recorded of an eternal son. Nowhere do we have it recorded that he is God the son. It is always referred to as the son of God, the only begotten one. The very word begotten means you had a beginning. So if you have a beginning, where was the beginning at? You have to ask the question.

You cannot just assume due diligence in the process of you studying things out. You must ask the question, where did it begin? Because Genesis 1:1 says, "In the beginning, God created the heavens, earth." It it doesn't try to qualify where God started. He's God. But the son has a beginning because he's begotten. So you got to ask where if you're begotten, where did you begott at? I don't know if that's good English. That's how my Wilson County mind works. When the Holy Ghost overshadowed Mary, and there was a conception that took place, that's where begotten happened. Now, if someone wants to argue with that on the then tell them to show you the scripture that that describes to you the beginning of the sun cuz some say he's the eternal son.

We have no Bible for that. We have no Bible. Again, I'm not trying to split hairs with you, but I think it's important that you know that you know that you know who it is you're worshiping. Understanding and I will say this again. There's the revelation of the mighty God in Christ. It's a revelation to understand who he is. Angels are serving God because are serving Jesus because he is Lord. Hebrews chapter 1 verse number 7. You guys okay? We're going we're eventually going to get to chapter 3. I know we're only seven verses in and let me say tonight in the next 21 minutes I'm going to get you to chapter 3. Right now we're on chapter 1 verse number seven. I I know I know the sister Lindsay back there is running this.

She's like he ain't lying because she's got all the scriptures. We're going to get there. Just stick with me. And the angels have heath Seth. Who maketh his angels spirits and his ministers a flame of fire? But unto the son he saith, thy throne, oh God, is forever and ever. A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of thy kingdom. Notice the contrast. Angels are described as ministers or servants. But the concerning the sun, the scripture declares, "Thy throne, oh God, is forever and ever." Again, if you study this out, he is quoting Psalms 456 and 7, demonstrating the divine dignity and the eternal authority of Jesus Christ. He continues on in Hebrews 1:es 10-12 by by quoting Psalms 102:25, 26, and 27, emphasizing the creation will change, but the Lord remains the same.

He later declares in Hebrews 13 verse number 8, Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever because he's establishing who he is. Everything around us may change, but the one we serve remains the same. That's the constant in our life. The world, guys, we can't control the world. And it's getting crazy. I mean, it it's crazy out there, but I'm telling you, it's the finest hour to be in the church because he's the same yesterday, today, and forever. You and I, in my opinion, we are we are the generation that's going to see him come. And I don't know about you, but that excites me. That excites me. But it also lets me know the urgency of the hour that I can't be setting back and just be passively.

I have to be active in what I'm trying to do. This is not time to be on the defense. This is a time to be on the offense. This is a time to be pushing. This is a time to be telling everybody there's a great opportunity called Be the Church Sunday. There's some cards out there on the desk that you can take and invite somebody to come fill this house that you can introduce them to Jesus Christ, the one and only. Everything around us may change, but he stays the change. Our confidence is in the stability of the of his word and he the fact that he doesn't change. Angels minister, but Jesus saves. Verse number 13 of chapter 1. But to which of the angels said he at any time, sit at my right hand until I make thy enemies thy foottool?

Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation? Angels have a ministry but they cannot excuse me they are not the source of salvation. Jesus Christ is again I take you back to Acts 4 verse number 12. Neither is our salvation in any other for there is none other name given under heaven given under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved. As we go through this as apostolic believers, Pentecostal believers we embrace the supernatural work of God. We believe me miracles, miracles of signs and wonders, gifts of the spirit and the ministry of angels. But we never need to become more fascinated with the spiritual experience than we are in our devoting our relationship with Jesus Christ.

Every genuine spiritual experience should ultimately point us towards him. It's about him. It's always about him. Everything we do is about him. The one who was greater became lower. Hebrews 2:9. But we seeth Jesus who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. So we're here and we look through this in chapter one. The writer establishes that Jesus is greater than the angels. But now he's starting to make a a remarkable declaration. The one who was greater than the angels willingly became lower than the angels. Wait a minute. What's going on? Why? Why is this taking place? Well, because there was something humanity needed that the angels could not provide.

We needed a savior. We couldn't do it ourselves. Philippians 2:6, who being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bond servant, and coming in the likeness of man, and being found in the appearance of man, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, even to the death of the cross. So if you consider this humility of the incarnation, the creator entered his creation. The almighty experienced human weakness and the one who possessed all power submitted himself to the suffering of death. As I said before, he unroed himself to come and be our savior. God did not become man because he lacked power. He became man because humanity needed redemption.

We needed a way. We needed a way. He became the one who could span the gulf over. Jesus Christ was not merely God dwelling in a human being. He was God manifested in genuine humanity. 1 Timothy 3:16. Without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen by angels, preached among Gentiles, believed on the world, received up in the glory. Jesus did not come to simply show us how to live. He came to accomplish what we cannot do by ourselves. He come to take our place. What a God. What a God. What a God. What a God who's willing to do that. who said, "I won't sit in a comfortable distance, but I'll come right down into the mess of your life.

I'll walk where you walk. I'll live where you live. I'll suffer the way you suffered. I'll experience what you experienced. All the hurt, all the all the all the rejection, all the failure, all of that. Yet, he did it without sin. He became like us so that he could redeem us." Chapter 2, verse number 14. For as much then as the children are partakers of the flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same, that through death he might destroy him that had power over death, that is the devil. Notice that expression that is there. I highlighted it on purpose. He also himself likewise took part of the same. Jesus genuinely participated in our humanity. He experienced hunger and exhaustion and sorrow and suffering and pain.

He knew what it was like to be rejected. He understood the limitations of human flesh. But unlike us, he did it without sin. Hebrews 4:15, for we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but with all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. So when you have a bad day and you say, "God, I've had a bad day." He says, "I know what that's like." And they've turned their back on me. They're rejecting me. He's like, "I know what that feels like. I know the sting of that rejection. I know the pain that you're going through. Think about that. Think about that. We don't have a high priest which can't be touched with our feelings."

He's like, "I've been there. I remember. I remember what that feels like. That ought to give you some confidence that you're not praying to someone that doesn't have the ability to to be able to sympathize with you. He He can not just sympathize. He can empathize. He can say, "I was there. I I remember what that felt like. I know what that what that sting hurts like." It's important because our redemption required more than a demonstration of divine power. It required sacrifice. Under the old covenant, the high priest represented the people before God. But the priest himself was a sinner that needed atonement. He was a man that was that was that was that was broken just like you and I. But Jesus was different.

He shared our humanity but without sin. 2 Corinthians 5:21. For he hath made him him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we may be made the righteousness of God in him. The sinless savior took upon himself the consequences of our sin so that we could experience reconciliation with God. That's the only way it could happen. We couldn't do it. I couldn't be good enough. Neither could you. We can't earn our way in. It's not what this is about. It's not about merit badges. But thanks be to God that he realized that they can't, but I can. And I won't leave them alone. I won't leave them by themselves. I'll come to you. You can't come to me, but I can go to you.

That's our God. Jesus is better. Jesus became what we were so that he could accomplish what we could not. He defeated the power of death by entering into death himself. From the beginning, sin brought death into the human experience. Romans 5:12. Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, so death passed upon all men. For that all have sinned. But what Adam lost to his disobedience, Jesus Christ won back through his obedience. Obedience unto death. Calvary was not Satan's victory. It was a place where Jesus Christ accomplished the sacrifice necessary for our redemption. And the resurrection declared his victory over death. Revelations 1:18 says, "I am he that liveth and was dead and behold, I am alive forever more."

Amen. And I have the keys to hell and death. I love that. I got the keys. The devil doesn't even have keys to his own house. More importantly, as I said on this past Sunday, the very thing that the enemy always wants to fly on over, says that he can kill us. And he says, "No, no, no. I have that power. It belongs to him. In him, he possesses all these things. Jesus is better." Why would you turn away? Why would you walk away? Why would you allow discouragement and frustration to cause you to walk away from the best thing that's ever happened to humanity, Calvary? Thanks be to God that he didn't stop based off of our response, but was willing to go on through.

Jesus Christ has conquered death, and because he lives, we have the promise of everlasting life. I love that he understands our struggles and provides our help for us. Hebrews 2:18, friend that he himself suffered being tempted, he is able to secure them that are tempted. That word secure means to help to come to someone's aid. What a tremendous promise that Jesus does not merely know that we experience temptation and suffering. He understands the reality of the struggle is there. And he says, I'm willing to come to your aid and rescue you. Hebrews 4:16, let us therefore because of that, all right, I love this verse. Let us therefore come boldly. Why? because I have something that the world doesn't have. I have this ability to go boldly before him because of what he did for me.

Come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace and to help in the time of need. I love that invitation. I don't have to send him an email. I don't have to send a carrier pigeon. I don't have to find someone who's lived the right life. But but I I can come boldly. Do you know the power that you have that you possess? whatever you're facing when you're feeling overwhelmed and you feel like life's about to drown you that you have the ability to cry out and say, "Jesus, Jesus, I have the right because of what you did at Calvary to now come before you boldly into your throne room." What's that mean? Is whatever business is going on, I I have the ability to override that.

I I can walk into his presence. I don't have to have a high priest. I don't have to bring that sacrifice. He fulfilled all those things. The veil was rent from top to bottom that I have the ability whenever I call out on his name to go boldly into the throne room. I get to run in there as as we sing about sometimes into the throne room to bow before him and say, "God, this is where I am. This is what I need." And he he is there to hear me. He's not far away, but he will meet me in the midst of my trials and my troubles and my struggles and whatever I'm going through. I'm not alone. I don't I'm not by myself.

I may feel alone, but I'm I'm not alone. That's not my reality. My reality is that I have an advocate with him. That I have the ability to go to where his presence is and he will meet me there. What a God. Jesus is better. But we got to be careful. Okay. I'm I'm actually going to get into my message now. That was all the setup. Good for you. It's short because here's what happens. Okay, here's what happens. I'm I'm going really really be transparent with us tonight. This happens to those of us who've been around the church for a while. Not so much to new people, right? New folks come in and this this relationship and feeling God's presence and and being in an atmosphere like we have around here on a regular basis.

This is so new and I I love when I see newcomers. They're the best. They're the best. Everything's new and everything they experience. It's like the first time you carry a kid to Disney World, you know, it's like all you can think about standing in line for 24 hours, but to them it's like it's the best thing ever. These new new people before God and in the presence, they get lost in his presence. But we sometimes us, you know, righteous us those us folks have been living for God. But we got to be careful because sometimes the familiar, we get really comfortable with it and we don't always allow God's spirit to direct us the way it needs to be because we're very familiar with it.

So you got to be careful, okay? Because I'm going to show you what the writer's talking about. He gives us a warning is there. You guys okay? All right. I'm still I got eight minutes. Everybody okay? Everybody awake? All right. The danger of spiritual drift. Hebrews 2:1. Therefore, always got to love those words, right? It's like what we just talked about. That's what the therefore is what all that was. Therefore, so chapter one, the therefore, we go into chapter two. We ought to give more. Why? Well, so because of who he is, because he's better than the angels, because he was a sacrifice, because of everything I've just talked about for the last 50 minutes, because of all of that, he sets us up for for chapter 2 to explain why he gave us that information.

We ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest any time we should let them slip. Everybody say, "Oh my." Oh, he realized we're a pitiful bunch. We're pitiful. Yeah, I'm talking to you and me, too. We're We're a pitiful bunch. Jesus is greater than the angels because of he is the fullness of God's revelation. Because he has accomplished our redemption, we must give serious attention to what we have received and not treat it casually as if it's something common. It's not common. What you have is special. what God has given you, what he has filled you with. Don't treat that like something common. He's explaining all the reasons why he says, "Therefore, be careful because you can slip."

The expression, "Let them slip" carries the idea of drifting away. When I think about it, the first thing that came to my mind is is is a boat that's not not tethered to the dock. If it's there and if any of you who've done any boating, you know that all of a sudden you turn around that thing's 15 feet away from you and you got to either swim or pray somebody brings it to you. And basically, this is the this is the word picture that's being painted here for us. You got to be careful because if you're not mindful, you'll drift. If you're not, as you you know, I'm I'm famous for saying around here, you're never staying still. You're either getting closer to God because you choose to every day or by default you drift away.

The same thing can happen to us. Spiritual drift rarely begins with rebellion, ladies and gentlemen. It rarely begins with rebellion. Listen to me. Spiritual drift rarely begins with rebellion. It often begins with neglect. I was a little tired. You know, I was late last night. So, I'm just I'm just Lord, you know, you know my heart. You know, I always pray to you every day, but today I'm just neglect. Neglect. It doesn't take much. And isn't it amazing how quickly it happens. Proverbs 4:23, "Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life." Our relationship with God requires in intentional attention. salvation. It's too It's too costly for you to neglect it. Hebrews 2 and2 for the word spoken by angels was steadfast and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense and reward.

How shall we escape if we neglect? There it is. He talked about slipping and went from slipping to neglecting. How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation? The writer makes a powerful comparison. If the law delivered through the angels demanded obedience, how much greater is our responsibility to respond to what Jesus Christ did at Calvary? That's why, again, I know I'm just stepping on all kind of things, and I'm not meaning to offend anybody. I'm really not. But I'm telling you, this this this passivity that's being pushed in mainstream Christianity is simply a lie from hell. You don't you don't you don't earn your way into heaven. You don't. We We can't do enough good deeds. But I'm I'm here to tell you that it it requires more than you just having some belief.

It requires a daily active relationship working with God and being obedient with him. And I'm afraid there's going to be a whole lot of people that's going to wake up one day when the rapture takes place and wonder what happened to them. Because you got to have more than a one-time experience with God. You got to have a daily interaction with him. You got to be committed to this. You got to be devoted to this. I mean, I'm not meaning this bad, but I I know people who are more more devoted to their to their fantasy football league than they are to reading the word of God. More devoted to to all these things that matter for not. And it's what the writer Hebrews is saying.

How how shall we escape if we neglect? If if you guys thought the law was something, as you heard me say before, grace is the most abused word in all Christianom because people misunderstand grace. It's been stretched and abused and misshaped and misformed. To understand grace is you look at Calvary, that's the picture of grace. Grace says that's the standard that you you look at Calvary, that's grace. Grace is a higher law than the law ever was because grace says you got to give it all. He says if you're going to follow me, you got to take up your cross. But so many people don't they want to do their own thing. So many people want to want to to do this. And this is where it's really frustrating in today's world is people have somehow in in in in North America especially.

People have somehow convinced themselves that that that's just not how I feel like God is. I didn't know that God ever left his interpretation of who he is up to us. I feel like he's pretty clear about defining who he is in his word. And just because you're uncomfortable with some of the words doesn't mean that it's any less true. And I don't know how well you're going to do the day that you stand before God and try to tell him, "Well, God, I know that's what your word said. I just didn't think it was really who you were." Just because you can't get your mind around it doesn't mean that it's not true what God has already spoke. I'm not trying to be mean.

I I really my my job is Here's the deal. I say this quite a I want you to like me. I do. I want you to like me. If you don't like me, it'll hurt my feelings a little bit, but I'll get over it. But my job is not for you to like me. My job is for you to fall in love with him and for you to make it to heaven. And if that means you got to get mad at me, but I get you to heaven, I promise you when you're in heaven, you'll forget that you were mad at me. I'm always going to do my best to try to have a right heart, a right attitude, but to bring you what thus sayith the word of God.

And when you dive into the book of Hebrews, I feel like it's one of the most critical books in the New Testament because he's basically explaining this is who he is, but you got to be careful. You got to be careful because you can get comfortable with the familiar. You can you can be like they were in Exodus and say, "Did you just bring us out here die?" I would rather go back to Egypt because it was familiar. It was uncomfortable. I didn't like it, but at least I knew what to expect. Oh my. Oh my. Colossians 2:6. As you therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him. So as I bring this to a close tonight. Don't drift away from something so great.

So I'll go back to where I started. The children of Israel experienced God's deliverance, provision, and promise. Yet when life became difficult, they began discussing the return. At one point they bring up, "Didn't we have onions and garlic?" I'm like, "Really? You got golden grams out there every morning? You want to go back to onions and garlic?" Yet when it became difficult, that's what they that's what they said. So, when I think about what we've discovered just tonight in the first couple of chapters of Hebrews, we see that Jesus is greater than the prophets because he's the fullness of God's revelation. That Jesus is greater than the angels because he possesses divine authority. And he became a man so that he could accomplish and fulfill our redemption that we so desperately need in our life.

Jesus conquered death so that we could have everlasting life. And now the writer says, "How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?" And church, don't become so familiar with salvation that you lose your appreciation for what Jesus has done. When's the last time that you said to him, "I'm I'm digging around your tree right now." When's the last time that you said, "God, thank you for filling me with your spirit." Not that you got money in the bank account. Not that your not that your toe doesn't hurt anymore. Those things are all worth praying for. But I'm asking you, when's the last time you said, "Thank you for Calvary." When's the last time that you were just besides Easter? When's the last time that it crossed your mind that you didn't have to you didn't have to die for me, but you did.

You chose to you chose to step out of all that you had down into the mess of our world and meet me where I'm at. What a God. And when's the last time you said, "Thank you for that. Thank you that you did that. You didn't leave us alone, but you provided a way for us. You had already had a plan in the midst of our failure. Why would you go back when Jesus has given you something better? Hebrews 3:1, "Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the apostle and high priest of our profession, Christ Jesus." That word consider, it says, "Give attention. Give him your attention. Remember who he is. Remember what he's accomplished. Remember the salvation he's provided." This the answer to spiritual drifting is bringing Jesus Christ back to the center of our lives.

to perhaps as I'm closing this out tonight, this is for me to ask you this question. Where do you need examined in your life? Have you allowed your prayer life to go on the back burner simply because life's not bad right now? Have you neglected his word? Have we allowed other things to take priority over our relationship with him? My last verse for you, James 4:8 says, "Draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you." So, as you stand with me tonight, if you've been drifting, I encourage you to draw closer. If you become distracted, oh, I encourage you. I encourage you to get refocused. If your relationship with God has become routine, then maybe it's time to renew your devotion, to come up with a new routine, to figure out what it is you need to do to bring back Jesus to the center where he belongs in your life.

There's nothing greater to return to. There's nothing better to pursue. Jesus is better. And he is more than enough. More than enough. God, I love you and I'm so thankful. So thankful for Calvary and what you did long ago. Thank you, Lord Jesus, for the sacrifice that I didn't deserve. Lord, I couldn't earn it. I couldn't buy it. I couldn't I couldn't but you you willingly came and died for me. God, I pray today that if someone is in this place tonight and we realize that maybe we're maybe we're not where we need to be, maybe we've drifted a little bit. Lord, highlight the areas in their life that they need to change. Help us see, God, that we need to be mindful of you every day of our life.

God, give us a hunger and a desire to keep you in the center of all that we do. As we leave this place tonight and go with us, bring us back this weekend for a wonderful service. In Jesus name we pray. Amen. Amen. And amen.