God Has Spoken to Us by His Son

Hebrews 1:1-3

Rev. Min J. Chung

(New Years Eve Service, December 31, 2002)

In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of Gods 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. Hebrews 1:1-3, NIV.

Introduction

The end of the year is a great time for reflection on the past and redirection for the future. How was this past year? We must reflect and evaluate. Without evaluation we cannot improve or grow. Evaluation helps us determine what to commit ourselves to in the coming year. After evaluation, we must plan. Reflecting on the past makes us redirect for the future. Lets invest in the right things.

This winter break period in a campus setting like ours reminds me of the Intertestamental period (the 400 years between the New and Old Testaments). There was no revelation of God between Malachi and Matthew. During those days, people were wondering why there was no revelation from God. It was a time of reflection and thinking about Scriptures. As they reflected, they realized that somebody was coming. The Messiah was coming. And they waited in expectation. They reflected and they expected during this period. My oldest son Joshua and I were reading at the bookstore when I was thinking about this. Joshua showed me the page between Malachi and Matthew in his Bible, helping me notice that he had reached that point in his Bible reading program. I told him that I was just thinking about that. I asked him, Coincidence? But he knew the sovereignty of God. He knew the Holy Spirit was working in all of these things. I was really surprised that at that time, he just showed me that page between the testaments.

There is a correlation between the Intertestamental period and our period at the end of the year. I think we can think about a similar thing as we think about the past (Old), and think about the future (New). We must reflect on how God works in the history of redemption, and we must correlate that to how God works in the history of our own lives. Oh, how those Jews longed for the voice of God. I pray we will also long for the revelation of God. Gods word explains what happened.

The context of the book of Hebrews is that people are going through persecution and a great persecution is impending. Emperor Nero later blames the Christians for his burning of Rome. The writer of Hebrews is writing to the saints of God, perhaps a small group of people preparing them for the persecution to come. They were thinking about Gods word. And vv. 1-2 says, In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. How encouraging it would have been as they were waiting for direction. As they were reflecting on the future, they read the words, In the last days, God speaks!!! So as we look at this text, we will look at it from the perspective of the author. Well look at 1) Past Revelation (In the past) 2) Present Revelation (in the last days, meaning today), and 3) Personal Application.

I. PAST REVELATION
- Its basically talking about the Old Testament, In the past, God spoke.

A. God Spoke to His People

1. God was not silent. He communicated. He meant to connect with His people. He was not just an idea to be thought about, but a person to be listened to, understood, and obeyed. He was a person, and is a person who speaks. There is a God who speaks that we might know Him love Him, and live in joyful obedience to His commands. God spoke!

B. God Spoke Through the Prophets

1. v. 1, In the past, God spoke to our forefathers, through the prophets. God did not communicate with words in the sky. Some people say, If God writes a sentence in the clouds, I would believe Him. If you watch Cubs games, sometimes there are airplanes that fly over the stadium writing letters in the sky, such as, Will you marry me? Someone is proposing during the baseball game. Well, God did not choose that method to communicate to us. He did not shout from a mountain to the world, IM GOD!!!!! Nor did He whisper to us one by one. He could have done it using any of these methods. But.

2. The method He chose was to speak to the prophets. Therefore, through the prophets, he spoke to His people. He spoke to the prophets, and the spoke through the prophets. Somehow, the prophets received the messages, and it moved their hearts. Lots of times, when a message comes in the scriptures, its an oracle. That can also mean burden. When the message comes, it becomes a burden in the heart of the prophets. God spoke to their hearts and minds. He spoke to them in their own vocabulary and burdened their hearts with His word. He used their logic and their own vocabulary, and the prophets wrote the Scriptures from their hearts with tears in their eyes. He spoke to the person of the prophets. It was internalized in the person, convicted, understood, and spoke forth with the words they would use to their children and to others.

3. Then when we read, the Holy Spirit uses what was spoken to us to convict us.

C. God Spoke In Eloquence

1. v. 1, In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways. He could have spoken just once, but He spoke eloquently in various ways through history. This verse stresses the lavish variety of Gods communication. He spoke to Moses in Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. When He spoke to Moses in the Sinai, it was in thunder and lightning with the voice of a trumpet. He spoke to Elijah differently, whispering to him in a still small voice. He spoke to Ezekiel in a vision. To Daniel in a dream. To Abram in human form. To Jacob in the form of an angel. God declared himself by laws, warning, exhortation, types (picture or illustration that points to the New Testament), parables, etc.

2. Why these various ways and in many times? I think it tremendously demonstrates Gods passion and loving desire to communicate to His people. His heart is crying out, Make sure they know the value of the word of God. Makes sure we know, so we can internalize these words and let God speak to us this message.

3. His message in the Old Testament, was always progressive. When you read, it seems like theyre talking about the same thing, but as you read, its always a little bit more. Its always progressive, revealing more of God as you we read Genesis, Exodus, Deuteronomy, and all the way to Malachi.

4. Also, there is an incredible continuity. There are previous words, different time periods, different authors, but an incredible continuity. Why? Because God spoke through the prophets. He was elaborate and eloquent but His eloquence was never complete until that time past the intertestamental period in the New Testament.

II. PRESENT REVELATION
- Basically talking about the New Testament, In these last days. spoken to us by his Son. The message spread to the first century and the entire Roman empire. These New Testament saints who did not have the New Testament book saw the message of the New Testament through Jesus.

A. God Spoke Through the Son

1. v. 2, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. You just saw two phases of revelation. Before the coming of the son of God, He spoke through the prophets. And through the Son coming into the world, instead of the prophets, the apostles wrote the life and work of Jesus, which will become the New Testament. Two periods, Old and New Testaments. Why? Arent those great prophets enough? God so much wanted to communicate to us, just to make sure you get it, that He sent His Son. How much He wants to communicate to us! How much He loves us!

2. The New Testament can be summarized in a few ways: the work of Christ, the teaching of Christ, and the teaching about Christ.

a) Work of Christ gospels and miracles.

b) Teaching of Christ all the words of Jesus, parables, sermons, five discourses, etc.

c) Teaching About Christ all the epistles, letters, Pauline and Johannine epistles. Even Revelation is teaching about Christ (the victory of Christ in the end.)

This is the New Testament. All of it teaches about the person of Christ.

3. This verse says, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son. In the Greek, by his Son is literally en kurios, translated in Son, which would render it, In the last days, God spoke in son. This is emphasizing that in the person of the Son, He contains everything. In other words, if you really know the person of Jesus, you know everything about the New Testament. Everything in the New Testament is to show Jesus. He is the message of the whole New Testament. The whole New Testament is Jesus!

4. C.S. Lewis talked about an unbeliever knowing God. Just as characters in a drama cannot know the author, so likewise unbelievers cannot know God. He thought the gap was so vast between God and man, that men could no more know God than Hamlet could know his author, Shakespeare. But he argues that it is possible if Shakespeare makes it possible to make Hamlet know him. Better yet, if Shakespeare writes himself into the play and dialogues with Hamlet, Shakespeare would be both the author and the character in the story. Then Hamlet can know the author precisely. Of course, it is an imperfect analogy, but somehow it correlates to show that Jesus, the author and creator, came into the world to explain to His characters who He is. He writes Himself into the story of redemptive history. Hes not only the author, but the main character of redemptive history, to explain to His people who He is, making Himself the ultimate communication.

B. God Spoke A Better Message Through the Son

1. The implication of these verses is a comparison between the message of the prophets and the message of the Son. It implies that the message of the Son is a better message.

2. Jesus was a better Message, and a better Messenger than the prophets. Jesus is both the Message and the Messenger. Just to talk about His qualification, the writer of Hebrews talks about some characteristics of Christ. But in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.(v. 2).

a) Heir means He is the Son, the One who owns all things.

b) Through whom he made the universe - Just so we would know that He always existed before the creation of the world. And through Him all the universe is made. He owns all things, He made all things, and then v. 3.

c) The Son is the radiance of Gods glory- Hes the Radiator, not just the reflection. Reflection is not the source. But radiance of Gods glory is the source of the Gods glory. He is God himself.

d) and the exact representation of his being Hes God Himself, but different from God the Father. Hes the exact representation. He is God, but was with God as the Son.

e) sustaining all things Hes Creator, Radiator, but also Sustainer. How?

f) by his powerful word - Every star, every cell, and everything that exists in this world is sustained. Why does a flower in Africa grow? Because Jesus says Grow! Why are you breathing? Because He says Breathe! If he says Stop breathing! you would stop. Everything in this universe is sustained by His word.

Now consider all of these characteristics of this man. This man speaks his words to you! Will you fear persecution or death? Hes speaking! Listen! God spoke a better message. Hes a better Messenger and a better Message. The prophets only spoke about Christ. In the Old Testament, they were only able to speculate about the person of Christ (What does He look like? What is He like?) But Jesus came and showed Himself. He had a better message and he was a better messenger.

C. God Spoke the Final Message Through the Son

1. v. 3, After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. He spoke to us as prophet, purified us as a priest, and sat down to rule as a king. It is finished! Jesus is saying, My job to reveal who God is, to make you purified to worship God, to make God be their God is done. My revelation is enough. When they think about me through the passages of the New and Old Testaments, theyll have everything they need to love and worship God.

2. The word that God spoke by His Son is the decisive Word. It will not be followed by any greater word. Jesus was enough. When He finished the Old Testament and the New Testament, there was no better message in this world, and no better messenger than Christ. One book is enough. Its done!!!

3. Jesus says, You go and make disciples of all nations. and surely I will be with you always to the very end of the age. The messenger was with us. Now He is with us by the Holy Spirit. And right now, what is He doing? By the Holy Spirit in your heart, he is speaking to you. And as we go forth, He will speak through us. Isnt that the same thing as he spoke to and through the prophets in the Old Testament? We have that kind of calling. We are royal priesthood, royal prophets, and royal heirs of the king. You must get into the word of God. Open your hearts, so that He will speak to you, so that He will speak through you. We have the message of Jesus, the authority and power of Jesus.

III. PERSONAL APPLICATION

A. Meditate More on Jesus

1. The first obvious application is that if He is the best message that we need, then we should meditate more on Jesus.

2. As He breaks the bread and gives the drink, right before his death, he says Remember me! Because when you do, you will be changed, transformed, forgiven, growing, loved, Christ-like, powerful, conquering, and loving.just like Me! You will be able to persevere, walk on the path, deny yourself, finish the race, have hope, never die in your heart, and continue to have the faith and hope of Christ. Remember me! Im the Creator and Sustainer of all things. If I speak to you, you will live. I will sustain your heart.

3. The Glory of the Lord fills the earth. If everything is in Christ, then do you see Him? Do you see Him when youre walking in the streets, in your classrooms, at work, in front of the computer, in the bathroom, in front of the mirror, and in this church? Do you see Him? Do you feel Him? Do you think about Him? Do you love Him? Do you live for Him? Meditate more on Jesus. Hes the best message that will speak to you. The best message that will transform you.

4. So how can we meditate more on Jesus?..

B. Meditate more on the Old and New Testaments.

1. Since we said that Jesus is the best message, and we can find Him clearly in the New Testament, then the logical mistake we can make is to conclude that all we need to do is to meditate more on just the New Testament. Thats great you might think because you always hated reading the Old Testament anyway, especially Leviticus. So you would start from Matthew. Maybe Luke, because you dont want to read the genealogies of Matthew either. J Well, reading just the New Testament is a mistake.

2. Let me read these verses in Luke 24, where Jesus speaks to two disciples who are discouraged and downcast, not knowing that Jesus was the hope of resurrection. As they speak, they do not know that it is Jesus who is speaking to them after the resurrection. Their hearts are in darkness, but as He speaks, the light goes into their hearts.

a) And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. Scriptures refers to the entire Old Testament, which happened to be the only Scriptures that existed at the time. The New Testament had not even been written yet. All Scriptures was what? Concerning himself. Jesus is teaching the disciples, From Genesis to Malachi, its about me!

b) Also, Luke 24:44, He said to them, This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.

3. So if you skip the Old Testament and go to the New Testament, you miss much of Christ, because both the Old and the New talk about Christ. The depth of preparation is an inescapable imperative to the thorough understanding of the New Testament. The Old Testament prepares you to read the New Testament. The depth of the New Testament cannot be grasped without the Old Testament. Every successful acquisition requires adequate preparation. What sports team would win without preparation? What business would be successful without preparing? The Old Testament prepares for your getting into the New. If you just read the Old Testament, you can only speculate about Him. If you just read the New Testament, your understanding of Christ would be so superficial. Both Old and New is a fuller understanding of Jesus.

4. Why are there four gospels? Why not write two? Because each book talks about a different face of Christ. Matthew portrays Jesus as king; Mark portrays Jesus as a servant; Luke portrays Him as the Son of Man; and John portrays Jesus as Son of God. Read together, you get a fuller picture of Jesus. The Old Testament makes you look forward to the coming of Christ and then when you get to the New.BOOOOM. you see an explosion of a fuller picture of Jesus.

5. Let me explain to you the idea of progressive sanctification. It means that as a Christian, you will grow. Slowly but surely you will grow, be more sanctified, and be more like Christ. All the saints will finish the race. In the same way, there is such a thing as progressive revelation. Just like a heart changes progressively through the Spirit and results in gradual growth, so there is progression in revelation. From Genesis to Revelation, there is a growth of the explanation of Christ. As scripture goes forth, you must accumulate all the knowledge of both the Old and New Testaments. Remember that Jesus ordained marriage to picture Christ and the church. The husband is to picture Christ, and the wife is to picture the church. Both husband and wife are needed to picture the gospel. In the same way, there should not be a divorce between the Old and New Testaments. There must be a marriage between the Old and New Testaments. They will complement one another, and you will have a fuller picture of Christ and the church. There will be a fuller picture of God speaking to His people. Both Old Testament and New Testament make it fuller.

6. Brothers and sisters, do you know both Old and New Testaments? Do you know what Ezekiel is about? Jeremiah? Song of Songs? Perhaps you know Song of Songs. We must fly around the Scriptures. I always read the Bible, and I systematize what I read. Then when I read it, I think of the correlation the passage has with other passages throughout the Bible. Im flying through the Bible, and I can see Jesus. When you have this, you will have a deeper knowledge of Christ and love for Christ.

C. Meditate More on Christ for Reflection and Rededication

1. Dont think about the past and all your sins, failures, and success. When you think about your failures, you get discouraged, and when you think about your successes, you get proud. No, dont do that! Rather, think about Jesus!!! Dont say, Im gonna be a CEO, or get on the bronze tablet (thats okay, but not your major goal). Rather, say, Christ! How can I glorify Christ?! So meditate more on Christ for reflection and dedication.

2. If there is a progressive revelation in your heart there will be progressive sanctification in your soul. Progressive revelation of Christ in your heart, leads to progressive sanctification of Christ-likeness in my being.

3. Some people say that the older you get, you get more impure. That must mean that Im the second or so most impure person in this church. I refuse to believe in that! Ideally, the older you get, you should have more revelation of Christ. The more you grow older, the more of Christ you have. But that will happen if and only if we grow in Christ, meditate on Christ through both the Old and New Testaments.

4. When you think about your failures, dont get discouraged. Instead, repent and think, What mercy of Christ! Dont get discouraged, but think about your failures and say, Thank you Jesus for forgiving me. Be christocentric, even in thinking of your failures. Your heart becomes so warm for the mercy of Christ.

5. When you think about your successes, dont get proud. Instead, pray, Thank you Jesus, for daily grace, daily victory, and daily strength. You see, whether through failure or success, it glorifies Christ.

6. In the year 2003, you must make a proper commitment, and practical plan. Proper commitment to Christ, but then a real practical plan. Draw closer to Christ. Read the Bible. Go to a good retreat. Pray more. Read more books. Etc. Align yourself with His calling. What does God want you to do fifty years later? If you dont know that, spend time and search. If you do, just spend time in the callings that you have. I tried to pray for everybody earlier tonight at the prayer meeting, but whoever I did pray for, I prayed like this: Lord, may they receive the mercy and forgiveness of Christ, that will generate love for You. As they think of their successes, may they be thankful for Christ. And Lord, as they come to this service, as they sing hymns and listen to the message, may they recommit themselves, so as they walk out, they will live for You. And then I pray for your spouse, children, generations to come, that you may live and die for Jesus, be martyrs for Christ, able to bleed and get your arms chopped off for Christ, so that Christ will be honored. I pray for all that. I just bestow the blessings upon you. Be christocentric as you recommit. History is about Jesus. J This past year and this new year is about Christ.

7. CS. Lewis memorably portrayed the growing Christians experience in a way that no on else can. He puts it like this in his Chronicles of Narnia. He correlates how if you grow spiritually, then Christ gets bigger. Lucy, caught up in her spiritual quest, sees the lion Aslan (figure of Christ), and she rushes into his arms, and he embraces her. He bends forward and touches her nose with his tongue. His arm is all over her, and she comes up to the large, strong, caring, wise, tender face. Aslan says, Welcome child! Lucy says, Aslan, youre bigger. She knew him before, but this time he looked bigger. Aslan said, That is because you are older, little one. Older is more mature. Now you see how great I am. My bigger size is more subjective not objective. Im as great as you can imagine, but because youve grown older, I look bigger to you. Lucy said, Not because you are bigger than before? Aslan says, I am not, but every year you grow, you will find me bigger. Brothers and sisters, every year you grow spiritually, Christ will get bigger and bigger. Thats my final prayer for you, as this year passes, you will grow, and Christ will get bigger and bigger and bigger.

Conclusion

May sin never make you see Christ smaller. May hardships never make you see Christ smaller. May your failures and discouragement never make you see Christ smaller. May your worries about this world and deceitfulness of wealth, never make you see Christ smaller. In everything, whether through trials, hardships, difficulties, failures, walking through the desert, or the valleys of the shadow of death, the bloody battlefield, a messy home, may you never ever ever see Christ as smaller. I pray that every year you grow, you will find him bigger. Lets pray so that at this time, our hearts and our eyes will grow bigger and wider, so that Christ will be bigger.

Suggested Closing Songs

Above All

Complete

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