Christ Really Is That Awesome
First B Jackson
2014-12-21

Automatically transcribed. Where this and the recording disagree, the recording is the record.

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Good everybody. Hi. How are y'all? Good. Everybody's alright.

We're gonna go ahead and get started because the clock says it's time to. We we realize people are trudging through or digging out probably this morning but would you stand with us and the gals are going to lead us in song. Amen. Y'all can have a seat. I've got a few announcements this morning.

First of all, the first B Noel Tree, if you still want to do that, there's still time. We have a few tags out there. I see people circling it right now But that has gone very well. If you've been in my office or Diane's office, you see that they're completely full. Here's the Fiesta Navidenia tonight meeting here starting at 04:30 in the afternoon.

So we'll meet in this room, and we'll take up the fellowship hall later on but Fiesta Navideno, bilingual Christmas party and we have pinatas and Mexican food coming. So, please feel free. It's not just for Spanish only speakers. So, feel free to come on. It should be a pachanga.

It should be a pretty good party. So, come on and join in. Christmas Eve services, 04:30, there's a contemporary Christmas Eve candlelight service and that'll be kind of a sing along with the the guys version of the band, not the gals this time but the guys version of the band will be leading the 04:30 service and then at six, there's a choir cantata. So, the first one will be participatory and the second one will be a presentation kind of from the choir But if you want to come to one, either or both, whichever you want to do, you're welcome to any of those. It's kind of a big deal.

Christmas is kind of a big deal. You know, it's awesome. So the Youth Alliance are meeting tonight. So that's all of the about four or five of the churches around here, the youth groups all get together. And it's kinda nice that the youth alliance meets from time to time.

Tonight, they're they are gonna play broom ball on the pond behind River Crossing. And they might, some of them wanna stay inside and watch the holiday classic Elf. So that's what's happening at River Crossing tonight from five to seven for the youth. The Advent this week is the Swink family. I'm gonna ask Jenny and Craig to come up.

It's the fourth Sunday in Advent. Good morning. Today,

we light the fourth candle on our advent wreath, the candle of love.

God's inexpressible love was demonstrated in the sending of his son. His love has led us to our salvation. We respond by loving and living for him.

John three sixteen through 17 says, for God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world but to save the world through him.

Father, we thank you As we sing praise and worship in this song, Emmanuel means God with us. So, as we stand and sing, let's just remember, he is with us. Oh come, oh

Amen. Y'all can have a seat and I'm going to invite the frontline team to come forward as I pray. Lord, thank you for all that you have done, lord. I thank you for the incarnation, for being found just as we are found in flesh, lord. That the transcendent has become imminent God, I'm amazed.

Joy. God, would you please take this offering that we come laying before you, lord and we want for it to do your bidding to advance the gospel here in Jackson, to advance the gospel here in Wyoming, in The United States, but also around the world. God, we've heard in the missions meeting this morning, many opportunities in places where things are just growing and things are going. So, God, would you please just advance your kingdom using these offerings as we give back a little portion of what you blessed us with. In Jesus name, amen.

Merry Christmas to all of you. Merry Christmas. I'm excited about it. I'm happy about it and there's a reason because Christ really is that awesome. He is.

Y'all been together for holiday parties at work but this is Christmas and y'all know it and we all know it. It's Christmas because Christ really is that awesome. So, I actually, as I was considering this week, what it is that we should look at. We have all heard Matthew and Luke within the past week. Have we not?

Has everybody in here heard a passage from Matthew or Luke about Christmas? Yes, I have and it was absolutely wonderfully demonstrated by the kids last week. I thought that was great. Herod, kudos. That was wonderful but this this is going to be Hebrews one and two.

So, listen fast. It's about Jesus. This time of year is about Jesus. Every time of year is about Jesus but we're celebrating Christ because he really is that awesome. So, let's get into it and listen fast so I can talk fast.

God, almighty God, who at various times and in various ways spoken the time past to the fathers by the prophets has in these last days spoken to us by his son. Do you get that? Almighty God has worked at communicating with men since the very beginning of man. He has been there. He was in the garden there with Adam.

Our federal head, the one who was the man at the time, the man and he We'll go on. This is awesome. He spoke with Adam and then that communion was broken by Adam and by Eve and when that happened, there was a distance but God continually, continually was reaching out to man. He was working with them and at various times and in various ways, he spoke to them in time past. He did it through audible voice from the burning bush.

He did it in lots of different ways through the prophets he spoke but in the last days, he spoken to us by his son, the writer of Hebrews says, whom he has appointed heir of all things. That's pretty big because Christ really is that awesome. He's the heir of literally everything. The next says, through whom also he made the worlds because why? Because Christ really is that awesome.

He was the instrument of creation. This is not the only place in scripture we see that. Who being the brightness of his glory? Really? That awesome.

He's the very brilliance of God. We see the sun and you know, the the blast that it is, it's only a medium sized star. Christ is the very brilliance of God and the express image of his person. He really is that awesome. This is what God looks like in human flesh.

This is what God looks like. He showed us exactly the heart of God. Have you read anything about Jesus? Have you read the gospel of John? That's what God looks like.

And upholding all things by the word of his power. Colossians one, y'all remember that? Everything is held together in him. In him, we live and breathe and have our being. Everybody He's so powerful that nothing would continue to exist without him.

So, he created it and he holds all things together by his power. There's a reason we still celebrate Christmas and we don't celebrate anybody else's birthday. I mentioned that a couple weeks ago. Christ really is that awesome and this is why. This is a big why.

When he had by himself purged our sins. He sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high. How many of are Presbyterian in here? You can say so. It's okay.

The session of Christ is a big deal that's brought out in the Presbyterian Church and I love it because when he finished his work, he sat down. Amen. Because Christ really is that awesome. He alone handled the sin of the world. There was nobody else that could do it.

He did it and when he did, he sat down. Praise God. Having become so much better than the angels as he has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. Did you get that? He'll expound further in chapter two.

Having become so much better than the angels. Wait a minute, the angels, we hear about them singing at his birth all the time. They knew he was better to begin with. They knew what the chance was. Adam had ruined things.

Adam ate the apple. Our teeth still ache, right? Adam had ruined things. But when Christ was born, without that original sin. He had the opportunity and that was something for the angels to sing about.

Having become so much better than the angels as he has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. His inheritance, he's the heir of all things. He holds all things together by the power of his word. The word of his power. Christ really is that awesome.

He's way more awesome than angels. Angels, what did they say every single time anybody sees him in scripture? Fear not. Do you think they're awesome? Angels are awesome.

For sure. Touched by an angel stayed on forever. Those slow talking angels drove me crazy. Anyway, way more awesome than angels. Therefore, God, this is Philippians two.

I come, it comes up every sermon but listen to this. Philippians two five through 11. This is the great Christ hymn, one of the earliest hymns of the church. Just listen to it. Close your eyes if you want to.

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus. 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 men. That's Christmas right there. Almighty God takes on flesh.

That's Christmas right there. Christ really is that awesome. He took this on and being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself. He emptied himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of a cross. Therefore, for this reason, God has also highly exalted him and given him the name which is above every name, all of the angels, all of the people, all of everybody, forever.

Christ has the name that's above every name. Messiah, the anointed one, Christ. That at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow. Of those who are in heaven, angels And on those of those on earth, people, and of those under the earth. The devil and his demons have to declare this.

Christ really is that awesome. And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is lord to the glory of God the father. Now, for a few biblical proofs. Now, if you all are not first century Hebrews, this probably won't matter to you. So, I'm going to go through em even faster than I went through that.

Old Testament Fruits, for to which of you did the angels ever say, you are my son, capital S. Today, I have begotten you. That's Psalm two seven and again, I will be to him a father and he shall be to me a son. That is second Samuel seven fourteen but when he again brings the firstborn into the world, he says, let all the angels of God worship him. What happened?

When he came into this world, the multitude of heavenly host. Glory to God in the highest and on earth. Peace, goodwill to men. That's Deuteronomy thirty two forty three and Psalm ninety seven seven. And the and of the angels he says, who makes his angels spirits and ministers of a flame of fire?

That's Psalm 104 but to the son, he says, your throne, oh God, is forever and ever. A sceptive righteousness is the scepter of your kingdom. Psalm 45, six, and seven. The righteousness of Christ is the scepter that he reaches out. Passes along.

Praise God. From his session, seated at the right hand of the father. He's the only one who could and he does. Praise God. He does it keeps on.

Moral testament proof. You've loved righteousness and hated lawlessness. Therefore, God, your God has anointed you with the oil of gladness more than your companions. Companions, Jesus was one of us just like us. He was a human being, 100% human companion but he's anointed with the oil of gladness more than his companions.

That's Psalm 45, six, and seven. And you, the Lord in the beginning, laid the foundation of the earth and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish but you will remain and they will all grow old like a garment like a cloak. You will fold them up and they will all be changed but you are the same and your years will not fail. Psalm one zero two.

But to which of the angels has he ever said, sit at my right hand till I make your enemies your footstool. Psalm one ten one. Christ really is that awesome. He makes a huge difference. Has anyone ever made that kind of difference?

No. There's not ever going to be anyone else that makes that kind of a difference. Has anyone else made that kind of a difference in your life? Okay, I'm not even to the part I wanted to preach yet. Really, we're building up to this.

Hebrews two, let's skip that. Let's wait on these four verses and we'll come back to this, I promise. Okay. So, Christ is awesome but what are we? If we turn the corner on this, what are we?

What does it say about us? Hebrews two is where I wanted to go. Five through 18. That's what I was going to preach and I read it to Carl and he almost fell asleep, honestly. Carl, thank you very much for that.

So, I decided to add a chapter and a half to it. Hebrews two five through eight says, for he has not put the world to come of which we speak in subjection to angels. The world to come is not in subjection to angels. Angels are not going to rule. What is man?

Oh, but one testified in a certain place. This is Psalm eight actually. What is man that you're mindful of him or a son of man, a son of man, not the son of man. The son of man was Jesus's favorite self term. That was his favorite term for himself and Daniel speaks of the son of man coming on the clouds and that's talking about Jesus.

Ezekiel though mentions a bunch of times, a son of man. It's a very Hebrew thing to say, who is man? Who is a son of man but that? It's a normal way. It's a poetic way of speaking.

What is man that you are mindful of him or a son of man that you take care of him? Who are we as human beings? What are we? You have made him a little lower than angels. You've made us.

As human beings, we are lower than the angels. So we're less awesome than angels. We knew that. Right? Right?

Did you know that? But you have crowned him with glory and honor and you have set him over the works of your hands. You've put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. You remember Adam having dominion over the animals?

He got to name the animals. That was a big deal. Adam had this. In the beginning, he had everything absolutely subject to him. He named and could control.

He could exercise, excuse me, authority. Glory, and honor. God had crowned him with that. No matter because God is, oh, we matter. Sorry, we matter because God has crowned us with glory and honor and authority.

Now, this last verse but now we do not yet see things, all things put under him and these are all small H's. Do you all notice that? That's talking about man, mankind. It's not talking about Jesus. They'd be capital Hs if they were talking about Jesus.

We do not see all things put under him. In our authority as people, has the world really done well? You remember the verse of the there is no peace on earth, I said? You remember that Christmas carol? I heard the bells on Christmas day and it's talking about peace on earth, goodwill to men but there is no peace on earth, I say.

It mocks the song of peace on earth, goodwill to man. What have we done? We have not done well. We are not awesome. If we are awesome, we're awesome in seeing death and destruction and hatred.

And disease and genocide and everything else. We do not now see all things put up under him and then the big but praise God but we see Jesus who was made a little lower than the angels just like us. That's Christmas right there. The incarnation of God. God became a man.

Who was made a little lower than the angels exactly the same way it describes us as people. Christ started his earthly life just like us. Now, y'all probably weren't born in a manger. Some of you might have been. I heard some stories recently that some of y'all were born in some weird places.

But he started his earthly life humble just like us. I doubt that there actually was a halo of God's God's brilliance around him but there was a star over his head leading people to him. But we see Jesus who was made a little lower than angels. Why? For the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor.

We start out, started out with Adam, crowned with glory and honor. Jesus died, crowned with glory and honor. That he by the grace of God might taste death for everyone. That might in there is very important. It's a very real possibility for people now because he died crowned with glory and honor.

It's a very real possibility for you to accept his substitutionary death and we'll go on to see more about that in a minute. So that he might taste death for everyone. It is a very real open invitation for you to believe and put your trust in him and allow him to pay your debt and this is where this comes in. For it was fitting for him, capital H. It was fitting for Jesus.

For whom all things are all things and by whom are all things. He's saying it again and bringing many sons to glory to make the captain. Some versions say author. Some say champion. There are lots of different versions right there and actually, what it's saying is Christ is awesome.

Sorry. But our our case is captain translated here, author, pioneer, originator, prince, leader, or founder. Author and finisher of our faith is later on in Hebrews and that part, author and finisher of our faith, that's the same word. This is what it means. Y'all care.

Archegos, from the first and to lead. Properly, it is the first in a long procession, a file leader who pioneers the way for many others to follow. It does not strictly mean author like someone who writes the story, but someone who leads the way. Rather, a person who is the originator, a founder of a movement, and continues as the leader. In Jesus case, he is the archegos.

The captain. And I'll go back to, where is it? To make the captain of their salvation perfect through his sufferings. You might hang up on perfect and go, wait a minute, Jesus was perfect. From the beginning, he was always perfect.

I don't want to hear anything about him not being perfect. Yes, he was but he had to go through what he went through. You remember him praying in the garden and saying, lord, if there be any other way, let's do that but not my will be done but yours. That's part of it. He had to go through that anguish.

He had to go through that suffering. He had to go through every lash. He had to go through every bit of this. So that he would be the acceptable sacrifice. For both he who sanctifies and those who are, that's Jesus, and those who are being sanctified, those are all who believe in him.

They are all one. Joint heirs with Jesus. To what? Everything. Absolutely everything.

For which reason he is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters, brethren. Saying, I will declare your name to my brethren. In the midst of the assembly, I will sing praise to you from Psalm 22 and again, I will put my trust in him and again, here am I and the children whom God has given me. Christ is really that awesome. Where are we?

Here we are. In as much then as the children have taken of own flesh and blood, this partaken of or joined in or shared flesh and blood. He's saying, we all are built the same way. We have flesh and blood and we know what that's like. He himself likewise shared in the same.

That's Christmas right there. The incarnation of God into something that we can understand. Something we can relate to. Something that God could say, I can relate to you. Been there.

Done that. That through that is so that in order that Hena, in order that through death, he might destroy him who had the power of death, that is the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. Do you know that? Do you experience that? Do you feel that?

Do you see people that are stuck? Just flat out stuck. Praise God. Christ is the answer to get them out of it because he really is that awesome. Amen.

That's thank you very much. I was looking for that. For indeed, he does not give aid. Where we at? Where we?

For indeed, he does not give aid to angels. Angels are awesome but they are what they are. Their path is fixed and praise God. They're praising God forever but he does give aid to the seed of Abraham. That's us, people.

He does give us aid. He has made the trip for us. Might cry. We're almost through too. So, don't worry.

Therefore, in all things, he had to be made like his brethren. That's Christmas. God knew that this had to happen. Therefore, in all things, he had to be made just like his brothers and sisters that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God. Now, the priest had a couple of functions.

One of em was he had a function to the people. He had to minister to the people but he also had some very specific things that he had to do before God. This is saying that Jesus was the high priest. Faithful in all things pertaining to God to make propitiation for the sins of the people. So, the propitiation for the sins of the people, propitiation.

What, does anybody know what that means just off the top of

your head? No, me neither. Anyway, I do actually know

what it means. Halascomai, properly to extend propitiation to show mercy by satisfying, literally propitiating the wrath of God on sin. So, there is a penalty that must be paid for sin. It has to be paid. For Christ to make propitiation for that sin, he did what was necessary.

He satisfied the wrath of God on the cross through the grave, out the backside of the resurrection and when he finished, he sat down. Praise God. He satisfied the wrath of God on sin to conciliate, to appease, to propitiate. Now, back to the ones that I skipped earlier. Are couple reasons.

Y'all know I like to preach through passages and that's one of the reasons why I did this and y'all know that we're in Corinthians right now in our regular study outside of Christmas. We're working up to, we're starting chapter 12 where we go into the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Because of all of this that Christ has done, because he is that awesome. Let's just go to this. Therefore, we must give the more earnest heed to the things that we have heard, lest we drift away.

This is speaking to believers. You know this story. We've heard it a thousand times. We've seen it. We've seen it acted out.

We've read about it. We hear it. We've read Christmas cards about it. We know it but listen to this, we must give more earnest heed to the things that we have heard. Lest we drift away.

We don't want to just think that this is just, it's just what we do. It's just a tradition. For if the words spoken through the angels proved steadfast, did it? Yes, everything that God's messengers said would happen in the Old Testament came to pass. And every transgression and every disobedience received, it's just reward and they did.

How shall we then escape if we neglect so great a salvation? It has been presented to you. You have heard it this morning. Christ really is that awesome. He is our only refuge.

He is our only hope and he made the trip for us. He didn't say, you have to do this this certain way to get to me. He said, I'm coming to you and he did. How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation? Which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord from the very beginning of the Old Testament and he's already proven that multiple times through all of those Psalms and all those Old Testament prophecies and quotations he's saying.

This has been the plan since the beginning. It's the only plan. There's a plan A and that's it. Which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed to us by those who heard him, Christ. God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, a virgin bearing a son.

That's a sign and wonder right there. Angels singing at his birth, the star in the sky, all of the stuff that we know from the Christmas story that we've heard many times throughout the season, both signs and wonders and with various miracles. Again, read through John. Read through Matthew. Read through Mark.

Read through Luke and see the various miracles. And read through Corinthians and see and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. If you don't believe it, look around in the body of Christ and see all the gifts that he has given. The gifts of the Holy Spirit. According to his own will.

Merry Christmas and that's it. We are finished fifteen minutes early. I thought this was going go fifteen minutes long. Two whole chapters of Hebrews. Did y'all get it?

If you didn't get it, get it again this afternoon. Read it. It's just straight through. In Hebrews, I read it this week because I was so excited about what was coming next. It really is that good because where'd it go?

Christ really is that awesome, okay? Would you stand with me and we're going to sing another song? The gals are going to come back up and I mean that in a very affectionate way. Endearing. Oh come all you faithful and let's sing it like Christ really is that awesome.

Amen.

Sorry, we weren't.

Thank you, father. Thank you for the privilege that it is to gather together and assemble in your holy name. And together, maybe lift up this song and praise and joy and thanksgiving for indeed you have come. You've come, and we are so thankful. Praise you.

Oh, holy, holy God. Thank you Jesus hallelujah

Amen. And may Christ bless this week and may you go and be awesome in his name. Amen. Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas.

Y'all see it. Merry Christmas. And you know why? Everybody wants to do something. Everybody feels like this because Christ really is that awesome.

He actually is. And today, I thought, you know, last week we heard the double take from Matthew and from Luke. We heard that from the children's pageant that was here and how many of y'all have heard the Christmas story read from Matthew this year? Already? Yeah, almost everybody.

How many of you heard it read from Luke this year? Yeah, almost everybody. How many of you have heard Christmas messages over and over and over again already this year? Me too. I've heard lots of those.

So, I am going to go from Hebrews chapters one and two and I mean chapters one and two. So, listen fast, okay? Listen fast. If you don't get it all, when you get home this afternoon, just open up the book of Hebrews and read it. It is so good and for me this week, it was just popping off the page.

I don't know if it'll do it for you. I'm going to try to help, okay? So, we're going to go through this. Christ really is that awesome. A one point sermon.

Hebrews one verses one through four. Go like this. God, that's almighty God. God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets has in these last days spoken to us by his son, his son, Christ, merry Christmas, Christ. He spoke in those last days like that but the first line up there, God, who at various times and in various ways spoke, had he spoken?

Burning bush, he speaks in an audible voice. Moses hears him. Pharaoh heard him through the plagues. In various times, in various ways, God has spoken in the past but the writer of Hebrews says, in these last days, he's chosen to speak to us through his son, Christmas is about his son, right? Whom he has appointed heir of all things.

Christ really is that awesome. In fact, he is the heir of literally everything, all things, Ponta, every, everything. He is the heir of literally everything because he really is that awesome. Through whom he also made the worlds. Christ is really that awesome.

He was the instrument of creation. If you look back in the Genesis and you look all the way forward, there was nothing made that was not made through him. Christ really is that awesome. He is the instrument of creation. Who being the brightness of God's glory.

He's that awesome. Christ is the brilliance of God but the next part says, and the express image of his person. Christ is exactly what God looks like in human flesh. If you've read the gospel of John, you've seen how he treated the Samaritan woman. That's how God cares about that Samaritan woman.

That's how God cares about us. Nicodemus in the night, Samaritan woman at the midday at the well. If you have seen what the scripture says about Jesus, you have seen how God is. He is exactly what God looks like. In human flesh, that's the Christmas part of it.

The incarnate deity. We've sung about it twice already this morning. And upholding all things by the word of his power. Does that sound like Colossians one to anybody? All things are held together because of him.

In him, we live and breathe and have our being. Not just us but everything. Everything which he will inherit. It's his. Christ really is that awesome.

He's so powerful powerful that nothing would continue to exist without him. So, he spoke it into being. God spoke it into being. Christ was that instrument, the divine logos, the divine word of God that created all that we see out of nothing. And he continues to uphold it by the word of his power.

He really is that awesome. When he had by himself purged our sins, this makes me cry. When he had by himself purged our sins, he sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high. I asked in the first service, how many y'all are Presbyterian up in here? And several of them raised their hand.

They admitted but anyway, this when when you go to a Presbyterian church, they spend a little time about the session of Christ, not just his perfect life, perfect death, burial, resurrection but they speak of a session and I love that. That resonates with me because after he had done the work, completed to tell us die. It is finished. When he had done the work, he sat down because the work was finished. Seated at the right hand of the father, making intercession for us.

Christ really is that awesome. He alone handled the sin of the world and then, he sat down. Praise God. Having become so much better than the angels as he has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. That reminds me.

Christ is really that awesome. He really is. He's way more awesome than angels. And I'm saying this in the sense that awesome really means. To be filled with awe.

Something that inspires a sense of wonder. He really is that. I I thought immediately of Philippians two. I think of it every week. I mentioned it almost every week.

Philippians two, this is the great Christ hymn. Two, five to 11 and since this is Christmas, we are singing the praises of Christ. I want to read that to you. You can close your eyes if you want to. You can read it off the screen.

Let this man be in you which was also in Christ Jesus. Allow this to happen in you. Which was also in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God. He was right. He was right.

Do y'all get that? But he didn't have to prove it to everybody. He gave people the option. He did not consider it robbery to be equal with God but he made himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bond servant, and coming in the likeness of men. That is Christmas, the incarnate deity where God steps out of his eternal being into time and space which he created in a form that we could understand, in a form where he could really understand us.

Being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself or emptied himself and became obedient to the point of death even the death of a cross. Therefore, God also has highly exalted him and given him the name which is above every name. The reason I went to this is because of this, having become so much better than the angels. He is by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. Whose name is higher than Jesus?

None. There is none other. Jesus Christ is his name is above all other names. We actually had a wall in Mexico where we had all the volunteers that came down, signed the wall before they left. It was, you know, intentional graffiti but we had, you know, the church team.

They put their name over the place and then all of them sign off that they had worked on this little school in Mexico and then, we were one day working up on the rafters and somebody got up there and he put it in small letters so not many people could see it but it's he went all the way to the very top apex and he put Jesus because it was a name above all names. He's a very literal guy. Okay, it was me but anyway, Jesus name above all names. Christ really is that awesome. God has also has highly exalted him, given him the name which is above every name that at the name of Jesus and Jesus alone, every knee will bow.

Of those in heaven and those on the earth. So, angels and men and those under the earth, demons, and Satan. And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is lord to the glory of God the father. That's what Jesus is all about. He really is.

That awesome. Now, for a few big biblical proofs, if you don't know about Hebrews, we don't have time to go into all the background of it but the author of Hebrews is very good about laying out a proposal, a thesis kind of and then he backs it up with Old Testament proofs because he's speaking primarily to first century Jews who would know very well the Old Testament. So, he's taken off of that and bringing them all into his proposal and everything that he has said is all biblical and he's fixing to show you how and I'm not going to spend much time on it. Trust me. This is what he's saying.

He's proven the points he's already made. For to which of the angels did he ever say, you are my son, capital S. Today, I have begotten you. That's Psalm two seven and again, I will be to him a father and he shall be to me a son, capital S. That is second Samuel seven fourteen but when again, begin brings the first, when he again brings the firstborn into the world, he says, let all the angels of God worship him.

What happened when he came into this world at Bethlehem? A multitude of heavenly hosts shown. The glory of God and saying, glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace, goodwill to men. That is actually from Deuteronomy and Psalms and of the angels, he says, who makes his angels spirits and his ministers a flame of fire? That's Psalm 104 but to the son, he says, your throne, oh God, is forever and ever.

A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of your kingdom. That's Psalm forty five six and this is seven. 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, and they will all grow old like a garment, like a cloak.

You will fold them up. He created time and us and everything else and he can just fold them up like a garment. You are the same and you, your years will not fail but to which of the angels, that's Psalm 102, by the way, but to which of the angels has he ever said, sit at my right hand when I said Christ sat down when his work was finished, sit at my right hand till I make your enemies my footstool. That was a thousand years before Christ was born in Psalm 110. Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation.

So, he's saying angels, yeah, angels are awesome but they have a purpose. They have a reason and they are just ministering spirits sent forth to minister to those who will inherit salvation. They were not in peril, the angels. Listen to this. Well, don't listen to this.

Let's wait on this. These four verses and we'll come back to these at the end. I knew I was going to do that. I set it up ahead of time. So, okay.

So, Christ is awesome. Y'all got that. That's the one point, right? Christ really is that awesome and that's why we celebrate Christmas. Two thousand years later, do you think of any other birthdays you remember?

No. Christ really is that awesome but what are we? What are we? In Hebrews two, he goes a little bit into that but he holds it up against who Christ is. He's already told us throughout the whole chapter one that Christ is awesome and God said he was going to be before he got here.

Hebrews two five through eight and originally, actually, this sermon was going to be Hebrews two five through 18 and I read it to Carl and Carl almost fell asleep just while I was reading it to him and so, I said, maybe I'll just do verses seventeen and eighteen. Those two, those two are better and then, I decided it had to go collapse like that or it had to expand another chapter and just get the momentum. Christ really is that awesome. For he has not put the world to come of which we speak in subjection to the angels. He's speaking of life on this Earth.

He did not entrust life on this Earth to angels. He gave it to Adam, our federal head. In the garden, he gave Adam a charge. He had a chance and he blew it. He and Eve both blew it and since then, everybody who has been born has been born with that original sin and if you argue against original sin as soon as people get a chance, what do they do?

Sin, okay? We do it by nature and by choice. He's not put the world to come of which we speak in subjection to angels. This is about what we are. One testified in a certain place that probably David.

It's a Psalm of David from about a thousand BC. What is man that you are mindful of him or a son of man that you take care of him? That's Psalm eight. You have made him mankind a little lower than the angels. You have crowned him with glory and honor and set him over the works of your hands.

Now, we are less awesome than angels. Is that news to anybody? In the in the Bible, in the New Testament, in the Old Testament, anytime that anybody runs up on an angel, what's the first thing the angel has to say? Fear not because they are scary awesome. Really?

But you have crowned him mankind, people, Adam, with glory and honor and you set him over the works of your hands. Do you remember in the garden where he gave him dominion over the animals and asked him to name him? That's a very Hebrew concept of if you're naming something, you have the authority to do so. We name our children and that's God given authority that we're exercising. You've crowned him with glory and honor and set him over the works of your hands.

You have put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that, he put all in subjection under him. He left nothing that is not put under him. So, everything, Adam had a chance at putting everything into subjection. He he screwed it up.

He he missed it and since then, we have missed it. If you are looking at it and thinking, well, we we do have, we're crowned with glory and honor. We do have authority and that's a good thing. We matter to God because he has ground us with glory and honor. We matter because he matters and we're made in his image.

He gave us glory and honor and authority. Ask us to exercise it. That's something about free will in there. There's something in there that we had the choice, that Adam had the choice and blew it, that we still have the choice and we still blow it. We're not as awesome as God.

We're not as awesome as the angels. But now, we do not yet see all things put under him and I say that because some have tried to translate this and say, all of those little Hs in there should be capital Hs. The capital H is because it's Christ. Up here, especially right in there where it says, son of man, Jesus referred to himself as son of man many many times. It was his favorite self designation.

It was also used in Daniel speaking of the Messiah. There's no doubt about that. It's an Old Testament prophecy looking for many of them but it was also used in Ezekiel and in other places that a son of man, not thee, but a son of man, speaking just of mankind in general. It's a very poetic way of saying, what is man that you are mindful of him or a son of man? That's so and so.

It's a very poetic way of saying it. You have made him a little lower than the angels. That's talking about mankind. Every single one of us has made a little lower of the angels. Now, we'll see in other places further on down in Hebrews, it says that we are in a place where angels long to look.

They long to have the opportunity that we do. But now, we do not see all things put under him. In fact, if we see what we've done to things, all the war, all the genocide, all the bad stuff, with us being in charge, we have not done well. Mankind has not done well. Glory and honor.

The authority issue, we have not done well with it. But big capital but we see Jesus who was made a little lower than angel. Hey, we were made a little lower than angels. Now, Jesus was made a little lower than angels. What's that?

Christmas. Incarnate deity, God taking on flesh. Why? He started earthly life just like us. Maybe you weren't born in a stable.

You know, some of you might have been. I talked to somebody in the first service that was born in somebody's, you know, upstairs attic but there are some weird places that we could have been born but he started out flesh and bone, flesh and blood, just like us. 0% human, 100% God. Why? For the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor.

God made man a little lower than the angels and crowned him with glory and honor and he rejected it, pushed it aside, wanted to go his own way but Christ, it says, when he was crowned with glory and honor, was at his death. That he, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone. The might is very important in there. That's a subjunctive thing that means the option is there. It's there for everyone to take but not everyone will.

But he died so that we might partake of it. That we might not have to pass through death. He tasted it for everyone. And he goes on from there. The right of Hebrews from two ten for it was fitting for him and the purposes of God.

It was fitting for Christ. For whom are all things and by whom are all things. He's already covered that in the first chapter because he's really that awesome. In bringing many sons to glory to make the captain of their salvation. Your translation may say author.

It may say founder. It may say champion. It there are several things it might say. To make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. This is why Christmas is so important because of the salvation that is available in Christ alone.

The incarnate deity gave it the chance. The perfection through sufferings is really hard for people to say. The captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. I thought Jesus was perfect from the beginning. He was.

Virgin born, no original sin. Why do you think the angels were singing? Second chance. Second Adam. Adam messed it up but Jesus has this opportunity.

And he does it. He doesn't mess it up. The captain there, Christ is awesome. Let me mention that again if you forgotten. Christ is awesome.

Archegos is the word. In this translation, New King James, it's captain, summits, author, pioneer, originator, or prince, leader, or founder and looking at those things, you go, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Do you remember the passage this the he's the author and perfecter of our faith? That passage is also the same word and so we think of it that way but I think it's I think we ought to look at it and look at it a little further because sometimes language messes with us. Archegos from RK, the first, like archaeology, right?

Study the first things. RK, the first, and Ago to lead. Properly, the first in a long procession, a fire leader who pioneers the way for many others to follow. You know what a captain does in the military? He is a leader of men.

He's one who goes with them into battle. He's not sitting back. He's the one that leads and goes forward with. Archegos does not strictly mean author but rather a person who is originator, a founder, or of a movement and continues as the leader, a pioneer leader, a founding leader. He has made the way.

So, backing up to, sorry, to this The captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. We look at it. I I had a a theologian post a question I was studying this week. He said, would it have been alright for Christ to come on Monday and die on Friday and be raised on Sunday and that would have been good enough. Could God have done it that way?

Well, maybe. That's a scholastic argument but this says, no. He could not have. In the eternal purposes of God almighty, he says that the captain, the leader, the one who could do it needed to be perfect for the task by going through those sufferings. So, every whiplash, every lash of the whip, every breath that he took was necessary.

When he prayed in the garden before the crucifixion and he said, lord, take this cup from me. If it, there be any other way that this can go. Take this from me but not my will but yours be done and that's the mind of Christ that we should have in us, not my will but yours be done. Lord, and the answer was, you have to go through it and he did go through it and since he went through it, perfected in suffering. That made him the perfect.

Every time it mentions incarnation, every time I say, that's Christmas immediately after that. Have you noticed? It's followed by so that he might go through death so that others might not have to. Perfected in sufferings for both he who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified all are one. For which reason, he is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters, brethren.

And then there's more Old Testament truth. Christ is awesome. Sorry. That's my slides. I missed one slide and there it was.

Okay. Say and I will declare your name to my brothers and sisters in the midst of the assembly. I will sing praise to you. That's Psalm 22 from the great messianic Psalm and again, I will put my trust in him, God and again, here am I and the children whom God has given me, saying, he will get those whom God has called. He's going to hold on to them.

Christ is awesome. Alright, in as much then, as the children, that's all mankind, have taken on flesh and blood, he himself, likewise, shared in the same. That's Christmas. He shared the exact same incarnate deity coming in just like we did passing through. Passing through.

His mother's womb, the same way that we do. He himself, likewise, shared in the same, that in a clause, in order that, so that, through death, he might destroy him who had the power of death. That is the devil and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. Have you ever seen that in your own life? Have you ever felt like you were subject to that bondage of sin?

Have you ever seen anybody else that feels it? Do you know there are millions that are feeling it every single day? Christ has made the way. He is the leader of this way. For indeed, he does not give aid to angels but he does give aid to the seed of Abraham.

So, angels, yeah, they're awesome in one way but they don't get that help from God that we do. Christ did not come to save the angels. Christ came to save mankind. Men, women, boys, girls. He gives aid to the seed of Abraham.

Therefore, in all things, he had to be made like his brethren. That's Christmas. He had to be made just like us, human. That he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God. The priest had two functions in ancient Israel.

One was to the people. He ministered to the people in a certain way but the other word, before God, he had to do certain things. Christ did everything necessary before God to be a faithful and merciful high priest to the people. To make propitiation for the sins of the people. I know there are couple other pastors in here.

Anybody else know what propitiation is? You use that in a sentence very often. Does it come up? Not very often. It comes from this word, Halascomai.

Properly, it is to extend propitiation. Thanks. That helps a lot. It's like looking up the word and getting the same word. But it's showing mercy by satisfying the wrath of God on sin.

That's how Jesus did what he did. He paid the price that we owed for sin. To conciliate, to appease, to propitiate, and everywhere else and here too, it is for those who put their faith in him. For those who believe, who put their faith in Jesus sacrificial, atoning death. He has made the way for life.

He has appeased God. He has satisfied the wrath. He took it on himself. Now, going back to the ones that I skipped earlier. This is Hebrews two.

It's a strong warning. Hebrews two one through four. I skipped it to begin with and there are couple of different reasons. The main reason that I skipped it is to be found in the last verse but let's go to the first verse. Therefore, we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away.

How many of y'all have heard the story of Matthew this week? How many of you heard Luke this week? Did it just roll off your back? Did you just hear it and it go past you? It says, right here in Hebrews, we must give the more earnest heed to all the things that we have heard, lest we drift away.

Lest it become just another tradition and a thing that we do. Christ really is that awesome is what he's saying. For in the words spoken through the angels, if the words spoken through the angels proved steadfast, did it in the Old Testament? Every time an angel said something was going to happen, it happened, okay? In the New Testament, did angel, were angels ever wrong?

No. And every transgression and disobedience received a just reward. How then shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? You've heard the story. If you neglect that, you have missed it.

You have missed Christmas. You have missed what it's about. You've missed the fact that Christ really is that awesome because we're not so awesome. Which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed to us by those who heard him. God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders.

A virgin birth, sign, wonder. Star, bringing wise men to him. Sign, wonder. Multitude of heavenly hosts, sign, wonder, Christmas. And with various miracles, have you read the miracles of Jesus?

Have you read about him in John? Read John. Oh my goodness. It's so good. So exciting.

And you see what God looks like and you see these miracles and they all have a purpose and it is to draw people to God. To reconcile God and man. With various miracles and with gifts of the Holy Spirit. Now, this is the segway to next week. We are up to in second in first Corinthians chapter 12 where we are going to start talking about the gifts of the spirit.

You can see it in every body of Christ that there are gifts of the spirit. He does not wire us all the same way but he shows himself that in everybody, he puts people there to fulfill specific functions. You can see this not just scripturally which Hebrews does very very well. You can see it not just dogmatically, I guess, from from the word on the page but you can see it experientially too. This supernatural gift of Christ for our sins It's God's domain and he proves it.

He's still speaking through various methods but he spoke through Christ who is seated at the right hand of the father making intercession for us. For those of us who have put our faith in him, we've got this. I want to I want you to just dwell on it. Think about it. Read the rest of Hebrews this afternoon.

It's so good. So good. But that's according to his own will. So, merry Christmas, okay? Merry Christmas and why?

Christ really is that awesome. Totally. Amen.