Text: Hebrews 1:3 (NIV) The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.
I. Radiance of God’s glory.
- Creation reflects His glory. Jesus radiates it.
- Creation is like the outfit He wears, but He is the One who makes it stand out!
- That’s why we worship the Creator and not the Creation. That’s why it’s erroneous to say the universe did this or that, or gave this or that to me.
- God’s glory radiates in the face of Christ (2 Corinthians 4:6).
II. Exact representation of His being.
- He is also the exact representation of the Father’s “BEING”
- Of the character of God. As parents might say, he or she “got that from mom or dad” Jesus is just like His Father. He is the exact representation of Him.
- Philip asked Jesus, “Show us the Father” (John 14:8) and Jesus said, don’t know me, Phillip? “He who has seen me has seen the Father, He said.
- Jesus, came to give us a manifestation of God that we could relate to,
- If we want to know what God is truly like, our best chance of understanding is to look at Jesus. Because it is in Christ we see the expression of the power, the beauty, the wisdom, the love, the justice, the immortality of God.
III. Redemption: Purification of Sins.
- The purification of sins under the Old Covenant was a process consisting of a number of sacrifices – like a Sin offering and rituals, like ritualistic bathing. Under the New Covenant it is accomplished by One sacrifice.
Just a Moment… The New Covenant is based on “better promises” (Hebrews 8:6). The Old Covenant, rooted in the Law, emphasized personal performance and adherence to rules. It was a covenant of “you reap what you sow.” You got what you deserved. But the New Covenant, established by Jesus is a covenant of grace, where we receive blessings we don’t deserve.
IV. Putting it all together.
When you put all three of those things together. The radiance of God’s glory, the exact representation of His being and the purification of sins, this is what you come up with.
- Jewish religious leaders sent temple guards to arrest him: John 7:46 (NIV) 46 “No one ever spoke the way this man does,” the guards declared. I don’t think this means Jesus was necessarily a gifted communicator. Matthew 7:9 indicates that it had more to do with the substance and the authority of His words. He didn’t teach like the skilled teachers of the law.
- Jesus calmed a terrifying storm. Luke 8:25 (NIV) 25 “Where is your faith?” he asked his disciples. In fear and amazement, they asked one another, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.”
- Jesus made the Scriptures come to life: Luke 24:32 (NIV) 32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”
- After healing a paralytic. Luke 5:26 (NIV) 26 Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, “We have seen remarkable things today.”
- Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written. John 21:25 (NIV)
Fascinating is not a big enough word for who Jesus is.
No wonder Paul said… Philippians 3:8 (NIV) What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ Unsearchable Riches of Christ.
And that is why “Getting to know Him better” is the number one ministry objective of Valley Brook Community Church.
And with all that greatness, He delights in being with you…
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