A Sermon Series on the book of Hebrews Press on to maturity! A Sermon Series on the book of Hebrews

Jesus “sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.” Hebrews 1:3-4 Why is he making this case? “the message declared by angels proved to be reliable.” Hebrews 2:2 In Galatians 3:19, speaking about the law of Moses, Paul indicates the law “was put in place through angels by an intermediary.” In our text this morning, the author of Hebrews quotes from 7 Old Testament passages to ensure his readers keep angels in their proper place with respect to God’s final word “spoken to us by his Son.” Hebrews 1:2 To cap off his case for the superiority of Jesus, the author of Hebrews comes back to the point he made in 1:3 as to where Jesus is presently seated by quoting a Psalm and the Father’s statement to His Son “sit at my right hand.” Hebrews 1:13

This seat is taken! Hebrews 1:5-14

I. Christ is superior to angels because He is the Son of the Father (verses 5-6) 5 For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”? Or again, “I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son”? 6 And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him.” …The Lord said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. Psalm 2:7-8

I. Christ is superior to angels because He is the Son of the Father (verses 5-6) 5 For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”? Or again, “I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son”? 6 And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him.” “And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.” 2 Samuel 7:16

I. Christ is superior to angels because He is the Son of the Father (verses 5-6) 5 For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”? Or again, “I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son”? 6 And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him.” “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” Luke 1:32-33

I. Christ is superior to angels because He is the Son of the Father (verses 5-6) 5 For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”? Or again, “I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son”? 6 And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him.”

II. Christ is superior to angels because He is the everlasting God Christ is the everlasting King (verses 7-9) 7 Of the angels he says, “He makes his angels winds, and his ministers a flame of fire.” 8 But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom. 9 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.”

II. Christ is superior to angels because He is the everlasting God Christ is the everlasting King (verses 7-9) Christ is the everlasting Lord (verses 10-12) 10 And, “You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands; 11 they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment, 12 like a robe you will roll them up, like a garment they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will have no end.”

III. Christ is superior to angels because He alone is exalted to the place of highest favor (verses 13-14) 13 And to which of the angels has he ever said, “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”? “And as Jesus taught in the temple, he said, ‘How can the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David? David himself, in the Holy Spirit, declared, “The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet.” David himself calls him Lord. So how is he his son?’” Mark 12:35-37

III. Christ is superior to angels because He alone is exalted to the place of highest favor (verses 13-14) 14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation? “…his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things…” Hebrews 1:2 “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ.” Romans 8:16-17

IV. Does the message of angels pose a threat to the spiritual well-being of our church today? By our mishandling of a reliable message Not all angels and their messages are created equal “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.” Galatians 1:8 “Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, ‘You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God...’” Revelation 19:10

IV. Does the message of angels pose a threat to the spiritual well-being of our church today? By our mishandling of a reliable message Not all angels and their messages are created equal Our culture exalts pleasant fictions about angels “I've discovered that the quickest and most efficient route to happiness is through connecting with the angels.” Doreen Virtue, Metaphysician