[0:00] And this morning we will be in Hebrews chapter 1, as we continue working our way through Hebrews. If you stand with me, I'm going to read from verse 5 to verse 14.

[0:19] For to which of the angels did he ever say, you are my son, today I have begotten you? And again I will be to him a father and he shall be to me a son but when he again brings the first born into the world he says let all the angels of God worship him and of the angels he says who makes his angels spirits and his ministers a flame of fire but to the son he says your throne oh God is forever and ever a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of your kingdom you have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness therefore God your God has anointed you with the oil of gladness more than your companions and you Lord in the beginning laid the foundations of the earth and the heavens are the work of your hands they will perish but you remain, they will all grow old like a garment like a cloak you will fold them up they will be changed but you are the same and your years will not fail but to which of the angels has he ever said sit in my right hand till i make your enemies your footstool are you not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation and lord again we thank you for your word minister to our hearts we pray in jesus name amen you can all be seated.

[1:46] As you can see, there's a lot there. And so we're going to make it down, hopefully, to verse 14 there. But by way of introduction and as a reminder, the writer of Hebrews, which I believe is the Apostle Paul, last week I gave my reasons why I'm convinced it's Paul. And so don't hold it against me if I reference Paul as the writer. As I'm teaching, because I might do that. I'm that convinced. And so now the Apostle Paul writing to the Jewish believers, I'm just kidding.

[2:32] They having stepped out of Judaism into Christianity, their whole world has been turned upside down And being pressured, obviously, when you think about that, by religion, by tradition, by their whole way of life, everybody they know, especially by their family and their friends, you know, everything that they have, everything they've done in, you know, their previous relationship. They're pressured in their small neighborhoods their villages and their towns there's an intense peer pressure because they believe in Jesus Christ and so this book of Hebrews is is going to address these things and you might remember a quote that I gave in last Sunday's message, or in the last Hebrew message by Donald Gray Barnhouse, the book of Hebrews.

[3:46] Quote, the book of Hebrews written to the Hebrews to tell them to stop acting like Hebrews, unquote. And that really is a good quote for what we're looking at.

[4:00] A way of life is ingrained in us. And once we become a Christian, we are changed by God within our very nature. Amen. God touches us, and God indwelling us gives us power to overcome our sin nature. Not that we always do. We're not always successful. But Paul writes, in all these things, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. And so the apostle paul also he writes in second corinthians chapter 5 verse 17 therefore if anyone is in christ he is a new creation old things have passed away behold all things have become new and so we know from the scriptures that god is a god of new beginnings of fresh starts You know, he just wipes the slate clean. And so we need to embrace the grace God died to give us and that he's made available to us. Point being now, what we have is so much better. Last week's title was The Better Way.

[5:27] And this week's title is So Much Better. And so we become or became a christian when we became a christian we entered the battle in the spiritual realm and that surfaces in the worldly earthly realm all around us the physical material world all around us this is why paul when he wrote in ephesians chapter six he said it this way for we do not wrestle against flesh and blood although it appears that's what's going on.

[6:03] But against principalities and against powers and against the rules of darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. And so that's where the real battle lies. And the enemy will try and use all that is so easily usable all around us every day. So be on your guard, be filled with the spirit. And so this is why when we hear a brutal rejection and persecution that family members will shun new believers in their family because they are no longer following the family religion. And we hear of horrible accounts of rejection from families and friends. They will consider them dead to themselves. and then some in some cases literally will have family members killed and.

[7:07] And it's just horrible. But, you know, not so much in the United States of America, but, you know, there is kind of the lynch mob mentality, in other third world countries, in the Middle East and in Africa and so forth. It's like the wild, wild west. You know, in our country, we're governed by laws, fortunately. Although if you look at Minneapolis today, you might not know that, but we are. We're governed by laws, but, you know, that gets a little out of control sometimes. But, you know, that's just common in some places in the world, but not here so much.

[7:50] But this is why Jesus, knowing this would happen, he said it this way, and everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for my name's sake shall receive a hundredfold and inherit eternal life and so making the hard choices of rejection because you choose to stand with Jesus Christ and and not compromise no matter who it is that comes against us because you know we do wrestle and struggle with people we love so much and you know we want to keep relationships strong and that's what's in us but if compromising our relationship with Jesus is what it takes to keep relationships strong in this life, Jesus says, no, no, you follow me. You follow me. And the book of Hebrews, again, is only second to the book of Revelations and references to the Old Testament.

[9:01] And showing us Jesus is the so much better way. And then his reasoning is solely based on the superiority of Jesus Christ over Judaism, over the Old Testament, over the Old Covenant, and it's repeated and comparisons are given.

[9:24] Jesus said it himself when establishing the first communion service from the traditional Passover, feast remember he he says then he took the cup and gave thanks and gave it to them saying drink from it all of you for this is my blood of the new covenant which is shed for many for the remission of sins and so you know Jesus made it clear that the new covenant is by his blood not the old covenant of the blood the sacrificial blood of the animals and so forth as a matter of fact when we get into chapter 7 of Hebrews. It states, therefore, such a high priest was fitting for us who is holy, harmless.

[10:10] Undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens, who does not need daily as those high priests to offer up sacrifices, first for his own sins, and then for the people's. For this, he did once for all when he offered up himself. And so everything changed with Jesus Christ and his sacrifice for us. And so in every way, Jesus is better. And the book of Hebrews systematically states this over and over. Christ is better than angels, for they worshiped him. He is better than Moses, for he created him. He is better than the Aaronic priesthood, for his sacrifice once and for all. He is better than the law for he mediates a better covenant and and as as each of these come up we'll look at them a little bit more, when we get to them but today we consider jesus is better than the angels.

[11:15] And when we when we're in you know spinning off of verse four there you notice having become, so much better having become so much better than the angels it says there in verse four And so because the subject is not his deity becoming so much better than the angels, the subject is his humanity. When we begin to look at this, it's important to understand that. And so when you look at verse 5 there, it says, For to which of the angels did he ever say, You are my son, today I have begotten you? The answer is, you know, to that question, the answer is never. Never would angels ever be, you know, referenced in that way.

[12:28] Nor will ever be on the same plane as Jesus Christ. And so anyone who attempts to make Jesus comparable or equal to angels are off their rocker. Because they have to just completely get rid of Hebrews 1 to make such statement or to think such things. Is Jesus, the created being, brother of Lucifer, Michael, the archangel, and on and on and on goes all the rhetoric of false doctrines and religions and so forth.

[13:11] But again, you know, spelled out in these verses, you know, it tells us that, you know, you are my son. And then he says, today I have begotten you. Today I have become your father. And at conception, nine months before that first Christmas, God, in his first Christmas, presented his son, Jesus, on Christmas Day. And who made up the choir?

[13:46] That christmas day very familiar account in luke chapter 2 now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields keeping watch over their flock by night and behold an angel of the lord stood before them and the glory of the lord shone around them and they were greatly afraid, and the angel said to them do not be afraid for behold i bring you good tithes of great joy which will be to all people for there is born to you this day in the city of david a savior who is christ the lord this will be the sign to you you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths lying in a manger and suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of heavenly hosts praising god and saying glory to god in the highest and on earth peace goodwill toward men so when the angels had gone away from them into heaven that the shepherds said to one another, let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us. And so the angels, they're messengers. We see them showing up frequently in the scriptures.

[15:00] And when it says there, today I have begotten you, that word begotten means brought forth. It also is used when a woman giving birth. And so in this instance, we know by the scriptures that Mary, who gave birth to Jesus, was a virgin.

[15:20] And the Bible prophesied that as being such.

[15:26] We see, you know, we see first reading from Micah 5.2, But you, Bethlehem, Ephrath, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to me the one to be ruler in Israel, whose going forth are from old, from everlasting.

[15:47] Speaking of Jesus there. and then and then also we see an angel coming with the message in luke chapter one and having come in the angel or the messenger said to her rejoice highly favored one the lord is with you blessed are you among women but when she saw him she was troubled at his saying and considered what manner of greeting this was then the angel said to her do not be afraid mary for you have found favor with god behold you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a son and shall call his name jesus and he will be great and will be called the son of the highest and the lord god will give 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 then mary said to the angel how can this be since i do not know a man how's possible I'm a virgin confirming which of course the Old Testament prophet Isaiah said in chapter 714 therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign behold the virgin shall conceive and bear a son shall call his name Manuel which means God with us.

[17:01] And so, again, this is the ministry of angels. And this is how we understand verse 5 there. And again, it says, And again, I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. And so this relationship depicted throughout the earthly ministry of Jesus, the Father and the Son. And he prays to the Father. And the old testament prophecy gave imagery of god the father raising his son we see that in isaiah chapter 50 where it says the lord god has given me the tongue of the learned that's prophecy of jesus god in the flesh that i should know how to speak a word in season to him who is weary he awakens me morning by morning he awakens my ear to hear as the learned describes the father you know waking a son and teaching him the lord god has opened my ear and i was not rebellious nor did i turn away so he was obedient to the will of the father i gave my back to those who struck me.

[18:20] And my cheeks to those who plucked out the beard. I did not hide my face from shame and spitting. For the Lord God will help me. Therefore, I will not be disgraced. Therefore, I have set my face like a flint. And I know that I will not be ashamed. And so Jesus was set on that course and would not be detoured at all. And then we see here in verse 6, but when he again brings the firstborn into the world, he says, let all the angels of God worship him. And so, okay, if you didn't get it in the last verse, let me stress again, and he's going to increase the stress of what's being said. Let me make it unmistakably clear why. Because Jesus or God alone is to be worshiped.

[19:25] God alone is to be worshiped. And they would know that absolutely. And we have, in scripture, we have the apostle John being corrected by an angel because in Revelation 22, it says, Now I, John, saw and heard these things, and when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things then he said to me see that you do not do that for I am your fellow servant and of your brother and the prophets and of those who keep the word words of these book worship God and so here he fell at the feet of an angel must have been incredible a heavenly body you will find out at the end of Hebrews that sometimes they're angels unaware but this was obviously an angel within his heavenly state and John just fell over and he goes no I'm like you I'm like the prophets you know don't worship me worship God and he and he corrected him and so here you know at the end there verse six let all the angels of God worship him so if you didn't get it before hopefully you get it now but if you still haven't gotten it.

[20:49] And of the angels, he says, who makes his angels spirits and his ministers a flame of fire. And so all through the Bible, the angels have an incredible place and they're powerful beings. And when they show up, people are fearful and fall down on their face. And, you know, they just, you know, freak out because they're just powerful beings. And obviously they have an incredible role, a powerful anointing, but nothing like Jesus. This is the point. Yeah, they are all that, but, verse 8, but.

[21:25] To the sun he says not to angels so you ready for this again intensity and so he says your throne oh god is forever and ever a scepter a ruling rod of righteousness is the scepter of your kingdom And so, again, God the Father identifying Jesus Christ, his Son, as God.

[22:02] As God, is himself very God, Jesus Christ. So if you didn't get it before, I hope you get it now. In Jude 1.25, to God our Savior, who's that? Jesus Christ, only one Savior, only one God, Jesus Christ, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever, amen. And so your throne, O God, is forever and ever. It means from everlasting. I love Psalm 90, verse 2. Before the mountains were brought forth, forever you had formed the earth and the world. Even from everlasting to everlasting, you are God. So Jesus, the Bible tells us, create everything that's been created.

[23:01] And and we see that in john 1 1 through 3 in the beginning was the word of course we know the word is jesus christ because in the 14th verse says the word became flesh and dwelt among us, but in the beginning was the word the word was with god and the word was god he was in the beginning with god all things were made through him and without him nothing was made that was made so jesus creator god and many times in the bible men and women would come and worship jesus, over and over again many accounts never did he correct them never did he say don't worship me, because it was appropriate one example of the many matthew 14 33 then those who were in the boat came and worshiped him saying truly you are the son of god and so he received their their worship many times he received their worship when the bible teaches plainly you worship god and god alone.

[24:14] And so in verse 9, it says, You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness. Therefore, God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness more than your companions. So God the Father is acknowledging Jesus as God, calling him God.

[24:39] And never was anything like that ever said concerning angels because you know people worshiped angels but you don't worship angels you don't worship saints you don't worship anybody or anything you can have admiration you can have appreciation you know and all of that but you never worship any of those things because an angel can be then an idol you don't anything you worship apart from jesus christ apart from god himself is an idol it doesn't matter what form that idol might be and so you just do not do not do that and so and so jesus anointed the oil of gladness more than your companion so the disciples those jesus administered to jesus was was anointed in that way and so in verse 10 and besides that you might say and, you lord in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth so who's that speaking about jesus christ remember we just read that there in john john 1 you laid the foundation of the earth and the heavens are the work of your hands.

[26:04] They will perish, but you remain, and they will grow old like a garment. And so the temporal, physical, material world all around us will perish one day. Peter talks about that as being consumed in a fiery judgment. And everything burned up in that judgment. And like a cloak, you will fold them up and they will be changed, but you are the same and your years will not fail. Jesus, the ancient of days, and he lives outside of the time.

[26:59] That he created for us he's previous to it all and and he always was always is always will be but you will fold them up so in the final judgment jesus will implement and finalize the judgment he will come and with a word he will judge and then there will be a judgment and all those who are not saved will go to the white throne judgment and end up judged for their sins. But believers, we're not going to be judged for our sins. Why? Jesus took the judgment upon himself.

[27:43] And so we no longer are judged for our sins. And so we go to the beam of seat judgment, the judgment seat where we're judged concerning our works because when we enter into heaven there will be rewards given I have no idea how that works out but apparently then it's going to mean something because it wouldn't be told to us that we will be receiving rewards for those things done in the name of the Lord those things that we did not in the name of the Lord we just did it you You know, those things are just going to be burned up. But those things that we do for the Lord, we get rewarded for.

[28:29] And so Jesus, he keeps track of all that. We'll work all that out. And then we see in verse 13, But to which of the angels...

[28:44] Has he ever said, again, never has, never will statement, sit at my right hand till I make your enemies your footstool. So he's never said that to angels. It'll never be said of angels. These things that the writer of Hebrews is addressing is, is that get your mind off of religion, as religion can bring in so many other factors, and set your heart on a relationship with the one whom you are to worship, and that's Jesus Christ.

[29:27] And so that's what's being said. So whoever was arguing that Jesus was some kind of an angel and less than God Almighty is put in their place here.

[29:43] And so, you know, if you come across that, just know that this is a great chapter to turn to and to address regarding that. And so I was talking to my son yesterday, and he's in the hospital, pray for him, my son Joe. And we were talking about this text because I was studying it, and we got a great conversation, but he says he uses the first four verses whenever somebody knocks at his door, talk Mormons or Jehovah's Witnesses, and he'll go to those first couple verses, And then he'd give a great talk about why he goes to those verses just right off the cuff. And it was just so great. You know, it's just so great. You know, it's so great. There's no greater joy than when your children walk in truth. And, you know, and it's just so wonderful. My son, Joe, had a bad reaction from a CT scan. And so his body, you know, just was hurting all over. And he felt he was losing consciousness and all that. and the nurses and doctor wasn't even in the room. So he kept calling out to them, but they didn't respond. So he's like describing this to me. And he said, when he started losing consciousness, he said, I think I'm gonna die. He says, Jesus, receive me into your kingdom.

[31:05] And he says, and I get to see my daughter that I lost. That was his thoughts. And I thought, that's wonderful. He didn't die, obviously. But I just thought, what a great testimony. You're about to die and you say, oh, Jesus, receive me into your kingdom. Just that thought.

[31:30] So and encouraged me as a dad you know and spoke to me in that way you know because life is temporary, and you know it doesn't matter you know if you go to your 100 it's still a splash in the pan you know the bible says a vapor right just splash in the pan you go at 20 or go at 100, and and that's correct understanding about this life it's quick when you're young it's hard to think that way but you know the best way to think is just whatever the bible says you know it's true, i fortunately at 18 understood that i don't know how but i understood it so clearly at the time and i remember my grandfather he was about 80 at the time and he was visiting us and, he stood before me and he says, Tony, in his broken English, his first language is Italian, you know. And he says, Antonio, Antonio. And he got my attention. He says, look at me, look at me. And then he slowly turned in front of me, made a complete circle and he came back like this and he says, that was my life. That was it.

[32:50] He's right. He was right, and I'm glad for that illustration. He felt so compelled to impress upon me at that time, And so in this last verse here, are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation? That speaks of our guarding angels. Interesting.

[33:27] And I was thinking maybe next time I'm sensing a message coming out of that verse. You know, because I think that the account of angels could take a little bit more time than what we just now covered. Because they're so powerfully spoken of in Scripture. And they're still angels that God uses in our day and age. And no doubt and some of you i know have experienced encounters believing that you've there there was an angel i have and my pastor down in southern california has and so when i started pondering that i think i don't think i could leave that scripture so quickly and i know i'm not going to have any time left when i get to it i got four minutes but but but you know i I think that we might start there next week.

[34:29] Because I think there's a lot to be said there and a lot for us to consider and not to overlook. And so I don't know where you're at this morning regarding Jesus Christ, concerning your faith. You know, you have choices to make. Praise the Lord for free will. Not everybody uses it the way they need to use it but but i pray that you know you commit your life to jesus christ today stop living your own way and live god's way and be blessed and and i'm one i'm one that goes on record to say he's never he'll never let you down he's faithful in all the, you know, things of life. I like that last song, you know, this is how I fight my battle.

[35:23] You know, I'm going to be left with that in mind. This is how I fight my battle. I praise the Lord. I worship the Lord. I study His Word and set my heart on Him. That's how I fight my battles. And whenever I try to fight my battles my own way, it ends up a mess. Then I have to get back to, you know, on my knees, you know, praising the Lord and worshiping. in our Old Testament study in 2 Chronicles. It was Jotham, the king, that said that he set himself to prepare his heart before the Lord. And God prospered him and blessed him. And he defeated the enemy, made progress, built cities and fortresses and on and on. We don't know much about him, but we know that much. He established his heart before the Lord. He prayed to the Lord. He talked to the Lord. He sought God's counsel before making decisions. Lord, what do you think?

[36:31] And the conversation I'll have with the Lord is, well, Lord, if I don't hear a no or a yes from you, I'm just going to go with my gut feeling, kind of like that. If I hear a yes, that's good. If I hear a no, that's good. But if I'm not like, I've just got to keep moving forward. Lord, stop me, Lord, close doors, open doors. But see, that's a conversation that you need to have with the Lord, because then you're giving it to him, and that's the way it works. That's how you fight your battles, amen? Okay, if you need prayer, come forward. You guys are here every Sunday morning. If you need prayer, come up for prayer. You might think, well, what I have to pray about is not that important. Yeah, it is. If it's on your mind, come pray. So let's stand together.

[37:27] Lord, thank you so much for giving us your word. I pray for all of us here that we would be students of the word, that we would, you know, seek you. As you tell us, seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you. Lord, that we don't get distracted by life, which we will at times, but that we don't get absorbed with being distracted, but that we just get absorbed with our fellowship with you and with one another, keeping our sight set on you, Lord, and knowing that this life is short and we're all headed to the finish line. So we ask for your blessing, and I pray that you move among all of us here today and that we hear from you and we respond correctly, make adjustments where necessary, but the main thing is being sensitive to you and having that conversation. And we thank you in Jesus' name. Amen.