1 00:00:05,744 --> 00:00:10,652 If you've got any conscience at all, 2 00:00:10,652 --> 00:00:13,183 no matter how secure your faith 3 00:00:13,183 --> 00:00:15,344 and confidence in Christ might be, 4 00:00:15,344 --> 00:00:19,127 if you've got any conscience at all, 5 00:00:19,127 --> 00:00:20,560 forgiven as you might be, 6 00:00:20,560 --> 00:00:22,447 but any conscience whatsoever 7 00:00:22,447 --> 00:00:25,474 concerning the sin you've had in your life 8 00:00:25,474 --> 00:00:33,490 and you know it's time to stand before... 9 00:00:33,490 --> 00:00:38,290 what untold comfort 10 00:00:38,290 --> 00:00:41,960 if there you stand 11 00:00:41,960 --> 00:00:44,704 and Christ shows you that wound 12 00:00:44,704 --> 00:00:48,669 and you see your name written there. 13 00:00:48,669 --> 00:00:51,549 My name is written, 14 00:00:51,549 --> 00:00:54,416 the songwriter says. 15 00:00:54,416 --> 00:00:59,009 To see your name written there. 16 00:00:59,009 --> 00:01:01,085 Whatever happens in that judgment, 17 00:01:01,085 --> 00:01:04,458 my name is written in the very wounds 18 00:01:04,458 --> 00:01:10,951 bore by the Judge Himself. 19 00:01:10,951 --> 00:01:25,893 Brethren, let's pray. 20 00:01:25,893 --> 00:01:37,874 Lord, what would we be able to say in that day? 21 00:01:37,874 --> 00:01:42,606 Knowing all the sin that we could even remember, 22 00:01:42,606 --> 00:01:54,209 let alone that which at least now escapes our mind. 23 00:01:54,209 --> 00:01:56,448 We know that that day we'll love grace 24 00:01:56,448 --> 00:01:58,339 as we've never loved it before - 25 00:01:58,339 --> 00:02:01,702 the grace of God that came to us 26 00:02:01,702 --> 00:02:03,881 and offered us such a great salvation 27 00:02:03,881 --> 00:02:06,494 as what we find revealed 28 00:02:06,494 --> 00:02:08,612 and even that we'll look at today. 29 00:02:08,612 --> 00:02:13,809 Lord, my desire, help us to know 30 00:02:13,809 --> 00:02:15,626 how great this salvation is. 31 00:02:15,626 --> 00:02:17,403 My desire would be that others 32 00:02:17,403 --> 00:02:20,489 that don't know anything about it - 33 00:02:20,489 --> 00:02:22,476 they don't rest in Christ now; 34 00:02:22,476 --> 00:02:27,474 they haven't seen the greatness of this - 35 00:02:27,474 --> 00:02:34,483 Lord, I pray, reveal the wonders of Your Word. 36 00:02:34,483 --> 00:02:36,870 I want to pray for our brethren down in Laredo. 37 00:02:36,870 --> 00:02:39,541 May the grace of God fall upon them. 38 00:02:39,541 --> 00:02:46,010 May great grace be upon our brethren there. 39 00:02:46,010 --> 00:02:47,317 We can see their faces. 40 00:02:47,317 --> 00:02:49,092 Brothers and sisters that we love 41 00:02:49,092 --> 00:02:50,321 and we just pray, 42 00:02:50,321 --> 00:02:53,062 I don't know if they're meeting in their new place today, 43 00:02:53,062 --> 00:02:55,359 but I pray, Father, be with them. 44 00:02:55,359 --> 00:02:56,668 Help them. 45 00:02:56,668 --> 00:02:58,252 Build that church down there. 46 00:02:58,252 --> 00:03:00,059 Our brethren in Corpus - we can see 47 00:03:00,059 --> 00:03:02,742 those brothers and sisters before our eyes as well. 48 00:03:02,742 --> 00:03:05,175 We ask You, Lord, 49 00:03:05,175 --> 00:03:07,754 oh, may Christ be great there. 50 00:03:07,754 --> 00:03:09,783 We ask that. 51 00:03:09,783 --> 00:03:11,332 Our brethren that labor, 52 00:03:11,332 --> 00:03:13,657 John and Judy and the girls, 53 00:03:13,657 --> 00:03:16,414 I pray, Father, 54 00:03:16,414 --> 00:03:20,036 I pray that Your hand is on them for good, 55 00:03:20,036 --> 00:03:21,691 leading them, steering them, 56 00:03:21,691 --> 00:03:23,323 showing them where they should go, 57 00:03:23,323 --> 00:03:25,583 what they should do, when they should do it. 58 00:03:25,583 --> 00:03:28,114 Lord, we pray, give us an orphanage there. 59 00:03:28,114 --> 00:03:32,432 May it teem with young men and women 60 00:03:32,432 --> 00:03:34,178 being exposed to the Gospel; 61 00:03:34,178 --> 00:03:36,102 being exposed to the light of the truth. 62 00:03:36,102 --> 00:03:38,025 We pray, Lord, that You would grant us 63 00:03:38,025 --> 00:03:39,823 a harvest in that place. 64 00:03:39,823 --> 00:03:42,270 For the (unintelligible), as they labor down there 65 00:03:42,270 --> 00:03:43,848 without the Ritchie's with them, 66 00:03:43,848 --> 00:03:45,816 we ask You to protect them. Be with them. 67 00:03:45,816 --> 00:03:47,524 Give them wisdom. 68 00:03:47,524 --> 00:03:50,262 Lead them. Use them. 69 00:03:50,262 --> 00:03:53,518 Lord, Trevor and Teresa as they labor 70 00:03:53,518 --> 00:03:59,295 over there in Indonesia, I pray for them. 71 00:03:59,295 --> 00:04:08,634 Oh Lord, be kind to the (unintelligible) people. 72 00:04:08,634 --> 00:04:10,779 Cannibal society as it is, 73 00:04:10,779 --> 00:04:13,081 we pray that they would one day be with us, 74 00:04:13,081 --> 00:04:14,510 many of them, 75 00:04:14,510 --> 00:04:18,359 bowed down before the throne of Christ. 76 00:04:18,359 --> 00:04:22,290 Lord, we pray for our brethren here in this city 77 00:04:22,290 --> 00:04:23,757 that meet in other places, 78 00:04:23,757 --> 00:04:25,926 God, help us. God, be with us. 79 00:04:25,926 --> 00:04:29,856 God, allow us all to be light here in San Antonio. 80 00:04:29,856 --> 00:04:38,157 We pray, Lord, light. Make us light. 81 00:04:38,157 --> 00:04:40,207 I just pray, Lord, make Your salvation 82 00:04:40,207 --> 00:04:43,911 great in the eyes of Your people. 83 00:04:43,911 --> 00:04:47,399 In Christ's name I pray, Amen. 84 00:04:47,399 --> 00:04:49,175 Okay. 85 00:04:49,175 --> 00:04:51,674 Hebrews. 86 00:04:51,674 --> 00:04:55,465 If you would, turn in your Bibles 87 00:04:55,465 --> 00:05:08,329 to chapter 2. 88 00:05:08,329 --> 00:05:11,425 Just right here at the beginning. 89 00:05:11,425 --> 00:05:13,304 I want to do something really basic, 90 00:05:13,304 --> 00:05:15,139 really fundamental, 91 00:05:15,139 --> 00:05:18,086 very simple. 92 00:05:18,086 --> 00:05:24,735 I'm not going to lose you with profoundness at all. 93 00:05:24,735 --> 00:05:26,511 Hebrews 2:1. 94 00:05:26,511 --> 00:05:28,090 You just follow with me here. 95 00:05:28,090 --> 00:05:33,061 "Therefore, we must pay much closer attention 96 00:05:33,061 --> 00:05:35,445 to what we have heard 97 00:05:35,445 --> 00:05:41,149 lest we drift away from it." 98 00:05:41,149 --> 00:05:46,735 Now, this isn't rocket science, folks. 99 00:05:46,735 --> 00:05:49,772 "...Lest we drift away from it." 100 00:05:49,772 --> 00:05:56,794 What is the "it" that we don't want to drift away from? 101 00:05:56,794 --> 00:05:58,748 What's the "it" at the end of the verse? 102 00:05:58,748 --> 00:06:04,997 "...Lest we drift away from it." 103 00:06:04,997 --> 00:06:08,662 I mean, just based on this verse alone, 104 00:06:08,662 --> 00:06:11,864 what is it? What is "it"? 105 00:06:11,864 --> 00:06:13,799 What we have heard. 106 00:06:13,799 --> 00:06:15,816 Who said salvation? 107 00:06:15,816 --> 00:06:19,982 But you didn't get that from this verse. 108 00:06:19,982 --> 00:06:22,921 This verse right here - 109 00:06:22,921 --> 00:06:30,381 the "it" is what we have heard. 110 00:06:30,381 --> 00:06:32,123 You all see that, right? 111 00:06:32,123 --> 00:06:34,166 It's real basic. 112 00:06:34,166 --> 00:06:36,524 You know, you may have different translations, 113 00:06:36,524 --> 00:06:40,612 but basically see the same thing. 114 00:06:40,612 --> 00:06:43,060 But what have we heard? 115 00:06:43,060 --> 00:06:44,870 What is the writer of Hebrews 116 00:06:44,870 --> 00:06:52,178 assuming has been delivered to our ears? 117 00:06:52,178 --> 00:06:53,946 Somebody said the Gospel. 118 00:06:53,946 --> 00:06:56,068 Craig said the Gospel. 119 00:06:56,068 --> 00:06:58,173 And I would say that's absolutely right. 120 00:06:58,173 --> 00:07:00,545 And I would say that we can deduce that. 121 00:07:00,545 --> 00:07:02,218 We don't have to just guess. 122 00:07:02,218 --> 00:07:03,920 We can come to that conclusion. 123 00:07:03,920 --> 00:07:07,860 Let's just read further. Hebrews 2:2. 124 00:07:07,860 --> 00:07:10,545 "For..." That's like saying "because." 125 00:07:10,545 --> 00:07:13,086 He's going to extend this argument. 126 00:07:13,086 --> 00:07:16,064 The "for" tells us he's talking about the same thing. 127 00:07:16,064 --> 00:07:18,118 He's not changing subject matter on us. 128 00:07:18,118 --> 00:07:20,776 "For since the message declared by angels 129 00:07:20,776 --> 00:07:21,847 proved to be reliable, 130 00:07:21,847 --> 00:07:24,209 and every transgression or disobedience received 131 00:07:24,209 --> 00:07:25,987 a just retribution, 132 00:07:25,987 --> 00:07:28,634 how shall we escape..." 133 00:07:28,634 --> 00:07:32,368 Just retribution is what he has in mind. 134 00:07:32,368 --> 00:07:35,149 "How shall we escape (that just retribution) 135 00:07:35,149 --> 00:07:38,641 if we neglect such a great salvation?" 136 00:07:38,641 --> 00:07:40,372 His assumption here is, 137 00:07:40,372 --> 00:07:43,436 clearly, what we have heard 138 00:07:43,436 --> 00:07:46,662 is the message of a great salvation. 139 00:07:46,662 --> 00:07:48,968 That's therefore what we need to pay 140 00:07:48,968 --> 00:07:50,770 more closer attention to 141 00:07:50,770 --> 00:07:52,737 and what we don't want to neglect. 142 00:07:52,737 --> 00:07:55,396 And if those that heard this word 143 00:07:55,396 --> 00:07:56,893 that was delivered by angels - 144 00:07:56,893 --> 00:07:58,432 the old covenant, that which was 145 00:07:58,432 --> 00:07:59,820 delivered to Moses - 146 00:07:59,820 --> 00:08:02,354 if they received just retribution for that 147 00:08:02,354 --> 00:08:05,268 then how much more this what we've heard now - 148 00:08:05,268 --> 00:08:07,698 this "it" that we don't want to drift away from, 149 00:08:07,698 --> 00:08:09,787 this great salvation, how much more 150 00:08:09,787 --> 00:08:12,516 will we receive just retribution - 151 00:08:12,516 --> 00:08:14,061 how are we doing to escape 152 00:08:14,061 --> 00:08:16,666 if we neglect this great salvation? 153 00:08:16,666 --> 00:08:19,287 But if we keep reading, 154 00:08:19,287 --> 00:08:22,859 Hebrews 2:3 about midway there, 155 00:08:22,859 --> 00:08:26,061 "It was declared at first by the Lord." 156 00:08:26,061 --> 00:08:28,925 So there's the "it" again - what we've been talking about. 157 00:08:28,925 --> 00:08:30,775 It was declared by the Lord. 158 00:08:30,775 --> 00:08:35,688 "And it was attested to us by those who heard 159 00:08:35,688 --> 00:08:37,447 while God also bore witness 160 00:08:37,447 --> 00:08:39,649 by signs and wonders and various miracles 161 00:08:39,649 --> 00:08:41,339 and by gifts of the Holy Spirit 162 00:08:41,339 --> 00:08:44,034 distributed according to His will." 163 00:08:44,034 --> 00:08:46,275 And brethren, I mean, it's not very difficult 164 00:08:46,275 --> 00:08:48,773 for us to come to some conclusions 165 00:08:48,773 --> 00:08:51,344 about what it was that was declared to us 166 00:08:51,344 --> 00:08:53,872 by our Lord and by those who followed Him, 167 00:08:53,872 --> 00:08:55,626 by the apostles. What was it? 168 00:08:55,626 --> 00:08:57,828 We can look all sorts of places, 169 00:08:57,828 --> 00:09:01,122 but just a quick reference. Matthew 4:23, 170 00:09:01,122 --> 00:09:03,453 "He (Jesus Christ) went throughout all Galilee 171 00:09:03,453 --> 00:09:05,542 teaching in their synagogues 172 00:09:05,542 --> 00:09:08,269 and proclaiming the Gospel of the kingdom." 173 00:09:08,269 --> 00:09:11,223 So yes, of course, we're looking at the Gospel here. 174 00:09:11,223 --> 00:09:13,279 We're looking at a message 175 00:09:13,279 --> 00:09:15,644 of very great salvation. 176 00:09:15,644 --> 00:09:18,752 I know this is plain. I know this is simple. 177 00:09:18,752 --> 00:09:23,212 But I want to show you something. 178 00:09:23,212 --> 00:09:24,822 Let's use our imaginations. 179 00:09:24,822 --> 00:09:27,718 Come with me for a second. 180 00:09:27,718 --> 00:09:30,788 Think, think, think. 181 00:09:30,788 --> 00:09:33,535 I love to read church history. 182 00:09:33,535 --> 00:09:35,603 And one of the things that will make you 183 00:09:35,603 --> 00:09:37,151 appreciate your Bibles 184 00:09:37,151 --> 00:09:39,198 is you just read about times in history, 185 00:09:39,198 --> 00:09:42,919 or read about countries even now - 186 00:09:42,919 --> 00:09:45,220 there are countries that exist 187 00:09:45,220 --> 00:09:48,250 on the face of this earth right now, 188 00:09:48,250 --> 00:09:50,219 if you're found with the Word of God, 189 00:09:50,219 --> 00:09:52,755 it will cost you your life. 190 00:09:52,755 --> 00:09:57,389 Still. 191 00:09:57,389 --> 00:09:59,370 And throughout history we can see it. 192 00:09:59,370 --> 00:10:02,939 There were times in the English speaking world 193 00:10:02,939 --> 00:10:06,078 when it was a capital offense to be caught 194 00:10:06,078 --> 00:10:08,702 with the Scriptures in your hands. 195 00:10:08,702 --> 00:10:10,620 Can you imagine in the days 196 00:10:10,620 --> 00:10:12,281 before the printing press 197 00:10:12,281 --> 00:10:14,968 when we did not have the multitude of Bibles 198 00:10:14,968 --> 00:10:16,769 like we have today? 199 00:10:16,769 --> 00:10:18,661 I have read about instances 200 00:10:18,661 --> 00:10:20,175 even after the printing press, 201 00:10:20,175 --> 00:10:22,857 like in Romania, parts of Eastern Europe, 202 00:10:22,857 --> 00:10:24,706 behind the Iron Curtain 203 00:10:24,706 --> 00:10:29,519 in the days of Communist regimes and reign, 204 00:10:29,519 --> 00:10:34,250 it was not unknown at times in China 205 00:10:34,250 --> 00:10:39,088 for a whole church to have one Bible. 206 00:10:39,088 --> 00:10:40,621 And you know what they would do? 207 00:10:40,621 --> 00:10:43,938 Can you imagine if the only Bible we had 208 00:10:43,938 --> 00:10:45,311 was this one? 209 00:10:45,311 --> 00:10:47,787 Right here. That I have right in my hand. 210 00:10:47,787 --> 00:10:49,612 This is the only Bible. 211 00:10:49,612 --> 00:10:53,538 There are no stores that have Bibles. 212 00:10:53,538 --> 00:10:55,209 You can't get them. 213 00:10:55,209 --> 00:10:58,426 This is it. 214 00:10:58,426 --> 00:10:59,839 Well, I can tell you this, 215 00:10:59,839 --> 00:11:03,139 we wouldn't keep the Bible whole. 216 00:11:03,139 --> 00:11:04,592 We wouldn't keep it like this. 217 00:11:04,592 --> 00:11:05,894 You know what we would do? 218 00:11:05,894 --> 00:11:09,326 We would carefully take it apart. 219 00:11:09,326 --> 00:11:11,266 Why? Because what would happen, 220 00:11:11,266 --> 00:11:12,596 and I've read about this, 221 00:11:12,596 --> 00:11:16,676 they would actually lend parts of it out. 222 00:11:16,676 --> 00:11:18,813 The different people in the church 223 00:11:18,813 --> 00:11:21,149 would take it and they would go home 224 00:11:21,149 --> 00:11:23,777 to copy it or to study it 225 00:11:23,777 --> 00:11:25,180 or to memorize it. 226 00:11:25,180 --> 00:11:27,547 Well, let's say we're in a church like that 227 00:11:27,547 --> 00:11:30,431 and through the course of years 228 00:11:30,431 --> 00:11:32,948 the Bible has been distributed 229 00:11:32,948 --> 00:11:34,148 and sent around. 230 00:11:34,148 --> 00:11:38,078 Well, at some point, Hebrews 1 231 00:11:38,078 --> 00:11:41,421 got sent over to Scott's house 232 00:11:41,421 --> 00:11:43,920 and his dogs ate it. 233 00:11:43,920 --> 00:11:45,966 I mean, we're using our imagination here. 234 00:11:45,966 --> 00:11:47,136 But you can imagine, 235 00:11:47,136 --> 00:11:49,957 in a time when they were like that, 236 00:11:49,957 --> 00:11:51,946 something like that could have happened. 237 00:11:51,946 --> 00:11:55,264 Imagine that all of a sudden, 238 00:11:55,264 --> 00:11:58,177 we're now a generation removed from Scott. 239 00:11:58,177 --> 00:12:00,090 The church has this Bible 240 00:12:00,090 --> 00:12:04,252 and I'm coming to proclaim it to you 241 00:12:04,252 --> 00:12:08,886 and we're starting in Hebrews 2:1 242 00:12:08,886 --> 00:12:11,486 because we don't have Hebrews 1. 243 00:12:11,486 --> 00:12:13,724 None of us have ever seen it. 244 00:12:13,724 --> 00:12:16,659 We have no clue about what it even says. 245 00:12:16,659 --> 00:12:18,875 And here we come to Hebrews 2:1 246 00:12:18,875 --> 00:12:20,779 and we start reading, 247 00:12:20,779 --> 00:12:24,455 "Therefore..." 248 00:12:24,455 --> 00:12:26,564 Well, that tells us something right away. 249 00:12:26,564 --> 00:12:28,683 We're missing something, right? 250 00:12:28,683 --> 00:12:30,054 You don't start that way. 251 00:12:30,054 --> 00:12:32,441 I mean, can you imagine me saying to Richard, 252 00:12:32,441 --> 00:12:35,585 "Therefore, turn off the computer." 253 00:12:35,585 --> 00:12:37,822 You're looking for some kind of reason right? 254 00:12:37,822 --> 00:12:39,159 Some kind of argumentation? 255 00:12:39,159 --> 00:12:41,363 If I say, "Richard, this is sensitive stuff, 256 00:12:41,363 --> 00:12:44,154 therefore turn off your computer," then you will all understand it. 257 00:12:44,154 --> 00:12:47,039 If I just start out by saying, "Therefore, turn off the computer." 258 00:12:47,039 --> 00:12:50,015 You're saying something is missing. 259 00:12:50,015 --> 00:12:53,118 There's reasonings; there's argument that's not there. 260 00:12:53,118 --> 00:12:54,853 When we start out reading, 261 00:12:54,853 --> 00:12:57,846 "Therefore, we must pay 262 00:12:57,846 --> 00:13:02,051 much closer attention to this great salvation 263 00:13:02,051 --> 00:13:05,179 that we've heard about lest we drift from it." 264 00:13:05,179 --> 00:13:09,892 What would we expect went before this? 265 00:13:09,892 --> 00:13:12,578 I mean, you would expect - I would expect 266 00:13:12,578 --> 00:13:14,594 when something starts with "therefore," 267 00:13:14,594 --> 00:13:16,995 that we're missing something that went before it. 268 00:13:16,995 --> 00:13:24,321 Well, if we all knew we're missing chapter 1... 269 00:13:24,321 --> 00:13:26,193 Think with me here. 270 00:13:26,193 --> 00:13:28,600 Just think about this. 271 00:13:28,600 --> 00:13:33,117 (Incomplete thought) 272 00:13:33,117 --> 00:13:35,880 We don't have Hebrews 1. 273 00:13:35,880 --> 00:13:38,450 We know the writer inspired - 274 00:13:38,450 --> 00:13:41,629 God is telling us there's this great, 275 00:13:41,629 --> 00:13:45,399 I mean, marvelous salvation. 276 00:13:45,399 --> 00:13:48,167 And he's obviously just been giving us reasons 277 00:13:48,167 --> 00:13:50,018 why we shouldn't drift from it; 278 00:13:50,018 --> 00:13:51,872 why we shouldn't neglect it, 279 00:13:51,872 --> 00:13:54,851 and why we need to pay much closer attention to it. 280 00:13:54,851 --> 00:13:57,705 So, I would expect that he was saying 281 00:13:57,705 --> 00:14:00,817 right before this - 282 00:14:00,817 --> 00:14:02,402 he was just showing us 283 00:14:02,402 --> 00:14:04,833 this magnificent salvation. 284 00:14:04,833 --> 00:14:07,778 Now, think with me here. 285 00:14:07,778 --> 00:14:09,937 Let's say this afternoon at lunch, 286 00:14:09,937 --> 00:14:11,933 you're in here and somebody comes in 287 00:14:11,933 --> 00:14:13,855 and they say, "I hear that this church 288 00:14:13,855 --> 00:14:16,743 preaches about this great salvation. 289 00:14:16,743 --> 00:14:19,761 I want you to tell me about it." 290 00:14:19,761 --> 00:14:21,466 Well, think with me. 291 00:14:21,466 --> 00:14:23,221 Let your imagination go. 292 00:14:23,221 --> 00:14:25,886 We're thinking about such a great salvation. 293 00:14:25,886 --> 00:14:28,597 Where would we start? 294 00:14:28,597 --> 00:14:33,839 I mean, I would think, this salvation - 295 00:14:33,839 --> 00:14:36,506 I'll tell you this, this salvation is great 296 00:14:36,506 --> 00:14:38,495 because it's permanent. It's forever. 297 00:14:38,495 --> 00:14:40,377 I mean, when I get saved, 298 00:14:40,377 --> 00:14:42,517 I'm saved for good. It's eternal life. 299 00:14:42,517 --> 00:14:45,032 It's going to go on till the ends 300 00:14:45,032 --> 00:14:46,711 and out there into the ages 301 00:14:46,711 --> 00:14:49,852 and on and on and on eternally. 302 00:14:49,852 --> 00:14:51,919 It's a salvation that saves me forever! 303 00:14:51,919 --> 00:14:56,276 That certainly makes it pretty great. 304 00:14:56,276 --> 00:14:59,949 God loved me 305 00:14:59,949 --> 00:15:01,843 with an everlasting love. 306 00:15:01,843 --> 00:15:03,368 I find that God chose me 307 00:15:03,368 --> 00:15:05,677 before the very foundations of the world. 308 00:15:05,677 --> 00:15:07,520 That makes it great. 309 00:15:07,520 --> 00:15:09,951 This isn't just something God does off the cuff 310 00:15:09,951 --> 00:15:11,403 in a moment of time. 311 00:15:11,403 --> 00:15:13,607 It just happens to catch Him by surprise. 312 00:15:13,607 --> 00:15:15,323 He had this planned. 313 00:15:15,323 --> 00:15:18,380 The roots, the foundation of this salvation 314 00:15:18,380 --> 00:15:21,538 are deep, brethren. They're deep. 315 00:15:21,538 --> 00:15:24,855 We look at the cost of it. 316 00:15:24,855 --> 00:15:27,826 Wow! 317 00:15:27,826 --> 00:15:33,335 It cost His Son His life. 318 00:15:33,335 --> 00:15:35,328 We can look at justification. 319 00:15:35,328 --> 00:15:37,635 You could imagine that the whole first chapter 320 00:15:37,635 --> 00:15:40,330 could have been this whole unraveling 321 00:15:40,330 --> 00:15:43,015 of all the glories of justification. 322 00:15:43,015 --> 00:15:45,747 (Incomplete thought) 323 00:15:45,747 --> 00:15:47,738 Brethren, if there is something 324 00:15:47,738 --> 00:15:49,561 that makes this salvation so great, 325 00:15:49,561 --> 00:15:51,687 it is the doctrine of justification. 326 00:15:51,687 --> 00:15:53,573 It is getting to Judgment Day 327 00:15:53,573 --> 00:15:55,560 and saying, 328 00:15:55,560 --> 00:15:57,268 "I have committed so many sins 329 00:15:57,268 --> 00:15:58,678 I can't remember them all. 330 00:15:58,678 --> 00:16:02,281 The weight of it reaches up to the heavens. 331 00:16:02,281 --> 00:16:05,393 And because of nothing that I did, 332 00:16:05,393 --> 00:16:07,462 He took it all." 333 00:16:07,462 --> 00:16:11,548 Brethren, justification is such a glorious Gospel. 334 00:16:11,548 --> 00:16:13,594 We could talk about regeneration. 335 00:16:13,594 --> 00:16:15,388 It's coming and saying 336 00:16:15,388 --> 00:16:19,268 this salvation is so glorious. 337 00:16:19,268 --> 00:16:22,106 Why? Because it doesn't just take away my guilt. 338 00:16:22,106 --> 00:16:23,922 God comes in there and says, 339 00:16:23,922 --> 00:16:25,828 "You're going to call My Son Jesus 340 00:16:25,828 --> 00:16:28,449 because He's going to save His people from their sin." 341 00:16:28,449 --> 00:16:31,246 And He breaks the power of it! 342 00:16:31,246 --> 00:16:34,979 Romans 6:14 says that. 343 00:16:34,979 --> 00:16:37,332 It will not have dominion. 344 00:16:37,332 --> 00:16:38,809 He breaks the dominion 345 00:16:38,809 --> 00:16:41,094 of this reigning sin. 346 00:16:41,094 --> 00:16:42,714 And the day is coming, brethren, 347 00:16:42,714 --> 00:16:45,023 when He will eradicate it altogether 348 00:16:45,023 --> 00:16:46,388 and I know that's true 349 00:16:46,388 --> 00:16:48,637 because it says when I see Him, 350 00:16:48,637 --> 00:16:52,242 I'll be like Him and in Him there is no sin whatsoever. 351 00:16:52,242 --> 00:16:54,734 Brethren, we could go through all these things 352 00:16:54,734 --> 00:16:57,697 and we could say not only that, 353 00:16:57,697 --> 00:16:59,368 but this is a salvation 354 00:16:59,368 --> 00:17:02,061 that you can be the chief of sinners; 355 00:17:02,061 --> 00:17:04,047 you can have done such things 356 00:17:04,047 --> 00:17:06,329 that man can't even comprehend, 357 00:17:06,329 --> 00:17:07,886 and you can come before Him 358 00:17:07,886 --> 00:17:10,668 and where sin abounds, 359 00:17:10,668 --> 00:17:12,615 this grace does much more abound. 360 00:17:12,615 --> 00:17:14,422 We can look at that and we can say 361 00:17:14,422 --> 00:17:17,324 the most foul, filthy, wretched sinner 362 00:17:17,324 --> 00:17:19,072 of the East side can come in here 363 00:17:19,072 --> 00:17:20,920 and just like a five year old child 364 00:17:20,920 --> 00:17:24,069 who hasn't done all those things, 365 00:17:24,069 --> 00:17:26,623 if they but come to faith in Christ, 366 00:17:26,623 --> 00:17:29,400 clean as the new fallen snow. 367 00:17:29,400 --> 00:17:32,000 Brethren, there are such glories in this Gospel. 368 00:17:32,000 --> 00:17:34,121 We could look at all these different things 369 00:17:34,121 --> 00:17:35,887 and marvel - just marvel - 370 00:17:35,887 --> 00:17:39,650 absolutely free this Gospel is. 371 00:17:39,650 --> 00:17:42,664 The righteousness of God 372 00:17:42,664 --> 00:17:45,472 which is not by the law. 373 00:17:45,472 --> 00:17:47,125 There is a righteousness of God 374 00:17:47,125 --> 00:17:49,037 which is now by faith. 375 00:17:49,037 --> 00:17:50,588 And it is for everybody. 376 00:17:50,588 --> 00:17:53,964 It is so free and it is so for everybody 377 00:17:53,964 --> 00:17:56,538 who puts their faith in Jesus Christ. 378 00:17:56,538 --> 00:17:58,773 I mean we can just bounce of the walls 379 00:17:58,773 --> 00:18:00,325 with this stuff, brethren. 380 00:18:00,325 --> 00:18:03,321 Our salvation is great. 381 00:18:03,321 --> 00:18:04,878 You think about this. 382 00:18:04,878 --> 00:18:06,384 We were talking about Job. 383 00:18:06,384 --> 00:18:08,154 He gives; He takes away. 384 00:18:08,154 --> 00:18:11,128 But there is an inheritance to be had here. 385 00:18:11,128 --> 00:18:16,680 Brethren, joy. 386 00:18:16,680 --> 00:18:19,071 Have you heard? 387 00:18:19,071 --> 00:18:20,669 Joy. 388 00:18:20,669 --> 00:18:22,497 The fact that forevermore 389 00:18:22,497 --> 00:18:24,152 there are pleasures to be had 390 00:18:24,152 --> 00:18:25,598 and joys to be had 391 00:18:25,598 --> 00:18:27,243 for those who rebelled against God 392 00:18:27,243 --> 00:18:29,536 and were sinners and deserved nothing but hell. 393 00:18:29,536 --> 00:18:30,871 We could go there! 394 00:18:30,871 --> 00:18:32,477 We could just talk about the hell 395 00:18:32,477 --> 00:18:35,067 that this salvation has delivered us from 396 00:18:35,067 --> 00:18:37,642 which we deserved and we know it. 397 00:18:37,642 --> 00:18:39,541 Fully deserved. 398 00:18:39,541 --> 00:18:42,837 We could talk about sanctification and all of that. 399 00:18:42,837 --> 00:18:45,046 I mean, you talk about glory. 400 00:18:45,046 --> 00:18:48,055 We are going to shine like the sun 401 00:18:48,055 --> 00:18:49,579 in the kingdom of our Father - 402 00:18:49,579 --> 00:18:55,239 those of us that have been saved. 403 00:18:55,239 --> 00:18:57,963 He actually says we're going to be 404 00:18:57,963 --> 00:19:00,469 seated with Him on His throne 405 00:19:00,469 --> 00:19:03,568 and we're going to reign with Him. 406 00:19:03,568 --> 00:19:08,567 Brethren, this salvation is truly great! 407 00:19:08,567 --> 00:19:10,147 It is! 408 00:19:10,147 --> 00:19:11,924 But you know what? 409 00:19:11,924 --> 00:19:14,069 Those are just some of the things 410 00:19:14,069 --> 00:19:17,808 that could be said about this salvation. 411 00:19:17,808 --> 00:19:21,527 But that isn't even what the writer of Hebrews does at all! 412 00:19:21,527 --> 00:19:23,624 You might have thought he just spent 413 00:19:23,624 --> 00:19:26,198 a whole chapter articulating 414 00:19:26,198 --> 00:19:30,896 all the glories of salvation. 415 00:19:30,896 --> 00:19:32,321 But you know what? 416 00:19:32,321 --> 00:19:35,132 We do have Hebrews 1. 417 00:19:35,132 --> 00:19:39,494 And when we read it - let's read it. 418 00:19:39,494 --> 00:19:43,136 I want you to notice just how much 419 00:19:43,136 --> 00:19:46,673 our salvation is not talked about 420 00:19:46,673 --> 00:19:48,103 in chapter 1. 421 00:19:48,103 --> 00:19:49,565 That's what I want you to see. 422 00:19:49,565 --> 00:19:51,558 How much it isn't even there! 423 00:19:51,558 --> 00:19:56,094 It's not even on the mind of the writer 424 00:19:56,094 --> 00:19:57,794 to be bringing that out 425 00:19:57,794 --> 00:19:59,838 and showing us all these wonderful things 426 00:19:59,838 --> 00:20:02,934 about this salvation. 427 00:20:02,934 --> 00:20:06,559 Which is not what we might expect 428 00:20:06,559 --> 00:20:08,540 if we didn't have this first chapter. 429 00:20:08,540 --> 00:20:11,294 Listen, "Long ago at many times 430 00:20:11,294 --> 00:20:13,672 and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers 431 00:20:13,672 --> 00:20:15,237 by the prophets, 432 00:20:15,237 --> 00:20:16,565 but in these last days, 433 00:20:16,565 --> 00:20:19,042 He has spoken to us by His Son." 434 00:20:19,042 --> 00:20:21,613 There's no direct mention of our salvation there. 435 00:20:21,613 --> 00:20:23,776 "...Whom He appointed the heir of all things; 436 00:20:23,776 --> 00:20:26,975 through Whom He also created the world." 437 00:20:26,975 --> 00:20:29,143 Again, no direct mention of our salvation. 438 00:20:29,143 --> 00:20:32,272 "He is the radiance of the glory of God, 439 00:20:32,272 --> 00:20:34,753 the exact imprint of His nature..." 440 00:20:34,753 --> 00:20:36,138 "Upholds the universe 441 00:20:36,138 --> 00:20:38,914 with the word of His power." 442 00:20:38,914 --> 00:20:40,376 Again, no mention. 443 00:20:40,376 --> 00:20:42,531 "After making purification for sins..." 444 00:20:42,531 --> 00:20:44,195 Watch that. 445 00:20:44,195 --> 00:20:45,975 Purification for sins. 446 00:20:45,975 --> 00:20:49,988 Three words 447 00:20:49,988 --> 00:20:53,856 that have to do with our salvation. 448 00:20:53,856 --> 00:20:57,904 But that's almost entirely it in the whole chapter. 449 00:20:57,904 --> 00:21:00,445 Listen to what he goes on to say. 450 00:21:00,445 --> 00:21:03,865 "He sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high, 451 00:21:03,865 --> 00:21:06,158 having become as much superior to angels 452 00:21:06,158 --> 00:21:10,152 as the name He has inherited is more excellent than theirs." 453 00:21:10,152 --> 00:21:11,430 Again, no mention there. 454 00:21:11,430 --> 00:21:13,674 "For to which of the angels did God ever say, 455 00:21:13,674 --> 00:21:16,016 'You are My Son; today I have begotten You.' 456 00:21:16,016 --> 00:21:17,877 Or again, 'To Him I will be a Father, 457 00:21:17,877 --> 00:21:19,804 and He shall be to Me a Son.'" 458 00:21:19,804 --> 00:21:23,041 No direct mention at all of our salvation. 459 00:21:23,041 --> 00:21:25,612 Again, "When He brings the Firstborn into the world, 460 00:21:25,612 --> 00:21:29,024 He says, 'Let all God's angels worship Him.'" 461 00:21:29,024 --> 00:21:31,003 No mention of our salvation. 462 00:21:31,003 --> 00:21:34,532 Of the angels, he says, "He makes His angels winds, 463 00:21:34,532 --> 00:21:36,631 His ministers a flame of fire, 464 00:21:36,631 --> 00:21:40,336 but of the Son He says, 'Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. 465 00:21:40,336 --> 00:21:41,892 The scepter of uprightness 466 00:21:41,892 --> 00:21:44,865 is the scepter of Your kingdom. 467 00:21:44,865 --> 00:21:47,419 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness, 468 00:21:47,419 --> 00:21:50,038 therefore God, Your God, has anointed You 469 00:21:50,038 --> 00:21:53,008 with the oil of gladness beyond Your companions, 470 00:21:53,008 --> 00:21:56,457 and You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning 471 00:21:56,457 --> 00:21:58,568 and the heavens are the work of Your hands. 472 00:21:58,568 --> 00:22:01,375 They will perish, but You remain. 473 00:22:01,375 --> 00:22:03,370 They will wear out like a garment, 474 00:22:03,370 --> 00:22:05,265 like a robe You will roll them up; 475 00:22:05,265 --> 00:22:07,598 like a garment, they will be changed, 476 00:22:07,598 --> 00:22:10,491 but You are the same and Your years will have no end." 477 00:22:10,491 --> 00:22:12,583 No mention of our salvation here. 478 00:22:12,583 --> 00:22:14,971 "And to which of the angels has He ever said, 479 00:22:14,971 --> 00:22:17,504 'Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies 480 00:22:17,504 --> 00:22:19,145 a footstool for Your feet.' 481 00:22:19,145 --> 00:22:21,160 Are they not all ministering spirits sent out 482 00:22:21,160 --> 00:22:24,035 to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?" 483 00:22:24,035 --> 00:22:25,501 He uses the word "salvation" there. 484 00:22:25,501 --> 00:22:27,439 There's a reference there to our salvation, 485 00:22:27,439 --> 00:22:29,175 but that's only in passing. 486 00:22:29,175 --> 00:22:33,134 It's an off-handed way. 487 00:22:33,134 --> 00:22:36,165 I mean, literally, you have four words 488 00:22:36,165 --> 00:22:38,370 if you include that "salvation" right there 489 00:22:38,370 --> 00:22:39,759 in that entire chapter 490 00:22:39,759 --> 00:22:42,970 that had anything to do directly with our salvation. 491 00:22:42,970 --> 00:22:45,757 Anything! 492 00:22:45,757 --> 00:22:48,781 And it just strikes me right between the eyes 493 00:22:48,781 --> 00:22:49,976 as I was studying this. 494 00:22:49,976 --> 00:22:53,290 For the writer of Hebrews 495 00:22:53,290 --> 00:22:55,927 to then come to Hebrews 2:1 496 00:22:55,927 --> 00:23:00,539 and say, "Therefore, we must pay 497 00:23:00,539 --> 00:23:04,294 much closer attention to this." 498 00:23:04,294 --> 00:23:05,543 And not drift from it. 499 00:23:05,543 --> 00:23:08,082 Not neglect such a great salvation. 500 00:23:08,082 --> 00:23:10,443 For him to say this when he largely 501 00:23:10,443 --> 00:23:13,232 hasn't even been describing our great salvation, 502 00:23:13,232 --> 00:23:17,515 it shows us, brethren, something infinitely valuable. 503 00:23:17,515 --> 00:23:21,024 Absolutely, our salvation 504 00:23:21,024 --> 00:23:23,433 is inestimably great. 505 00:23:23,433 --> 00:23:26,365 Not just because of what was accomplished in that salvation, 506 00:23:26,365 --> 00:23:28,324 but it's such a great salvation primarily 507 00:23:28,324 --> 00:23:32,033 because Who accomplished that salvation for us. 508 00:23:32,033 --> 00:23:34,256 That's the thing - do you all see that? 509 00:23:34,256 --> 00:23:36,224 When the writer says, 510 00:23:36,224 --> 00:23:40,190 "Therefore, we must pay much closer attention..." 511 00:23:40,190 --> 00:23:42,670 We better not drift from it. 512 00:23:42,670 --> 00:23:44,931 How shall we escape if we neglect 513 00:23:44,931 --> 00:23:48,333 such a great salvation? 514 00:23:48,333 --> 00:23:50,473 The writer's primary argument 515 00:23:50,473 --> 00:23:54,881 for paying attention and not drifting 516 00:23:54,881 --> 00:23:58,364 and not neglecting 517 00:23:58,364 --> 00:24:00,828 does not even flow 518 00:24:00,828 --> 00:24:06,432 from breath-taking views of our salvation. 519 00:24:06,432 --> 00:24:11,605 But he utterly wants to knock the breath out of us 520 00:24:11,605 --> 00:24:16,894 with the glories of the One Who did the saving. 521 00:24:16,894 --> 00:24:18,571 That's what he does here. 522 00:24:18,571 --> 00:24:20,545 Breath-taking descriptions of the One 523 00:24:20,545 --> 00:24:22,083 Who worked out our salvation. 524 00:24:22,083 --> 00:24:23,564 Listen to me. 525 00:24:23,564 --> 00:24:26,342 Nobody - I mean, nobody - 526 00:24:26,342 --> 00:24:28,382 has a great salvation 527 00:24:28,382 --> 00:24:30,991 unless they have a great Christ. 528 00:24:30,991 --> 00:24:32,422 And you watch, brethren, 529 00:24:32,422 --> 00:24:33,716 any religion out there - 530 00:24:33,716 --> 00:24:35,414 I don't care what it calls itself - 531 00:24:35,414 --> 00:24:37,670 whether it calls itself Baptist or Presbyterian 532 00:24:37,670 --> 00:24:39,141 or Methodist or Catholic, 533 00:24:39,141 --> 00:24:41,556 Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, Islam, 534 00:24:41,556 --> 00:24:43,827 whatever religion in the world out there - 535 00:24:43,827 --> 00:24:45,608 if they don't have a great Christ, 536 00:24:45,608 --> 00:24:47,863 they don't have a great salvation. 537 00:24:47,863 --> 00:24:49,702 Lay it down, brethren. 538 00:24:49,702 --> 00:24:52,836 That's the point here. 539 00:24:52,836 --> 00:24:57,722 What the writer of Hebrews shows us 540 00:24:57,722 --> 00:25:02,715 is that if you do nothing 541 00:25:02,715 --> 00:25:09,195 but simply put your gaze on Christ - 542 00:25:09,195 --> 00:25:11,311 I mean, you don't even consider 543 00:25:11,311 --> 00:25:14,151 what He did for you - 544 00:25:14,151 --> 00:25:18,612 you just set your eyes on Him, 545 00:25:18,612 --> 00:25:21,104 you can come to no other conclusion. 546 00:25:21,104 --> 00:25:25,741 Whoa! 547 00:25:25,741 --> 00:25:28,100 That is a great salvation 548 00:25:28,100 --> 00:25:32,857 because that is a great Person. 549 00:25:32,857 --> 00:25:35,972 That's what he wants to have happen to us. 550 00:25:35,972 --> 00:25:39,261 That's exactly it. 551 00:25:39,261 --> 00:25:42,072 Brethren, don't miss this. 552 00:25:42,072 --> 00:25:44,331 It's huge. 553 00:25:44,331 --> 00:25:46,508 You can come to the conclusion 554 00:25:46,508 --> 00:25:49,830 that our salvation is altogether thrilling 555 00:25:49,830 --> 00:25:51,764 and altogether impressive 556 00:25:51,764 --> 00:25:54,229 and altogether beautiful 557 00:25:54,229 --> 00:26:02,932 simply, brethren, focusing on Christ. 558 00:26:02,932 --> 00:26:07,536 That's clearly what's happening in chapter 1. 559 00:26:07,536 --> 00:26:10,033 Brethren, as I tried to urge you 560 00:26:10,033 --> 00:26:12,302 and encourage you before, 561 00:26:12,302 --> 00:26:16,101 our Christianity needs to be consumed 562 00:26:16,101 --> 00:26:19,295 with meditating on the Person of Christ. 563 00:26:19,295 --> 00:26:21,836 It's great, it's glorious, 564 00:26:21,836 --> 00:26:24,211 we should be all about thinking 565 00:26:24,211 --> 00:26:26,553 about what Christ has done for us 566 00:26:26,553 --> 00:26:28,530 and thanking Him for it, but brethren, 567 00:26:28,530 --> 00:26:31,782 I'm telling you, what this teaches us 568 00:26:31,782 --> 00:26:34,740 is there are places and there are times 569 00:26:34,740 --> 00:26:36,517 and much of our life just needs to be 570 00:26:36,517 --> 00:26:41,863 devoted to just looking at Who Christ is. 571 00:26:41,863 --> 00:26:44,133 Just all about His glory. 572 00:26:44,133 --> 00:26:46,458 This is huge! 573 00:26:46,458 --> 00:26:49,249 Huge! 574 00:26:49,249 --> 00:26:55,496 He shows us that what we have heard - 575 00:26:55,496 --> 00:26:58,763 it's unparalleled in its glory! 576 00:26:58,763 --> 00:27:01,835 Because that One that sits on that throne 577 00:27:01,835 --> 00:27:04,380 is of unparalleled glory. 578 00:27:04,380 --> 00:27:06,295 Don't miss it, brethren. 579 00:27:06,295 --> 00:27:08,340 Don't miss it. 580 00:27:08,340 --> 00:27:11,746 That's why we must pay much closer attention. 581 00:27:11,746 --> 00:27:15,104 Brethren, what that means is 582 00:27:15,104 --> 00:27:17,225 you need to give primarily 583 00:27:17,225 --> 00:27:19,380 most attention to Him, 584 00:27:19,380 --> 00:27:23,007 His Person, His beauty. 585 00:27:23,007 --> 00:27:25,086 (incomplete thought) 586 00:27:25,086 --> 00:27:26,246 You know what? 587 00:27:26,246 --> 00:27:28,076 I just get the feeling here 588 00:27:28,076 --> 00:27:30,750 what the writer of Hebrews is wanting us to do 589 00:27:30,750 --> 00:27:36,270 is look at Christ and just say, "Whoa..." 590 00:27:36,270 --> 00:27:38,710 Without a thought - 591 00:27:38,710 --> 00:27:41,871 I mean, with very little mention 592 00:27:41,871 --> 00:27:43,704 of what He actually did for us. 593 00:27:43,704 --> 00:27:47,706 Just look at Him. 594 00:27:47,706 --> 00:27:51,702 And come to the conclusion: 595 00:27:51,702 --> 00:27:58,469 Whoa... if all He did 596 00:27:58,469 --> 00:28:01,045 was glanced at me once 597 00:28:01,045 --> 00:28:03,025 and gave me that attention, 598 00:28:03,025 --> 00:28:06,810 if He even gave me the time of day, 599 00:28:06,810 --> 00:28:11,265 it would be such an unspeakable act of kindness 600 00:28:11,265 --> 00:28:14,206 and glory on His part to do that. 601 00:28:14,206 --> 00:28:18,193 For Him to even welcome me into His courts 602 00:28:18,193 --> 00:28:21,182 one time to stand off in the corner, 603 00:28:21,182 --> 00:28:22,881 but when One like Him 604 00:28:22,881 --> 00:28:25,926 actually takes me to be His bride, 605 00:28:25,926 --> 00:28:29,624 and to bring me right next to Him on His throne, 606 00:28:29,624 --> 00:28:33,121 brethren, this writer just wants us to become 607 00:28:33,121 --> 00:28:36,171 unglued with this! 608 00:28:36,171 --> 00:28:38,510 This is so tremendous! 609 00:28:38,510 --> 00:28:45,435 If such a person as this even regarded me at all 610 00:28:45,435 --> 00:28:47,138 and I neglected it, 611 00:28:47,138 --> 00:28:52,596 it would be a crime of infinite guilt and wickedness. 612 00:28:52,596 --> 00:28:55,454 But when such a salvation is offered to mankind 613 00:28:55,454 --> 00:28:57,016 by such a One as that, 614 00:28:57,016 --> 00:28:59,344 and to neglect it or drift from it, 615 00:28:59,344 --> 00:29:01,537 it is a crime that will receive 616 00:29:01,537 --> 00:29:03,082 a just retribution. 617 00:29:03,082 --> 00:29:07,004 It is a crime you can't even imagine the guilt of. 618 00:29:07,004 --> 00:29:09,166 Because the glory of the One 619 00:29:09,166 --> 00:29:11,083 Who accomplished this salvation 620 00:29:11,083 --> 00:29:13,489 is unspeakable. 621 00:29:13,489 --> 00:29:15,605 We can't even fathom. 622 00:29:15,605 --> 00:29:18,470 In fact, there are statements made here in Hebrews 1 623 00:29:18,470 --> 00:29:20,085 I can't fathom. 624 00:29:20,085 --> 00:29:23,821 I don't even know how to teach these things to you. 625 00:29:23,821 --> 00:29:28,719 This is the kind of stuff you have to look at 626 00:29:28,719 --> 00:29:31,541 and you have to meditate. 627 00:29:31,541 --> 00:29:35,123 You have to use a lot of your life 628 00:29:35,123 --> 00:29:38,339 to just ponder and grasp. 629 00:29:38,339 --> 00:29:40,870 Isn't that what we find ourselves doing 630 00:29:40,870 --> 00:29:43,077 with Christ and with the Trinity 631 00:29:43,077 --> 00:29:44,991 and with everything that is deity? 632 00:29:44,991 --> 00:29:47,031 We're just grasping. 633 00:29:47,031 --> 00:29:50,590 We can't get a firm handle on it. 634 00:29:50,590 --> 00:29:53,549 I mean, things are said, 635 00:29:53,549 --> 00:29:55,652 they're so out there. 636 00:29:55,652 --> 00:29:57,976 They're so high. 637 00:29:57,976 --> 00:30:01,337 But to feel the reality of it. 638 00:30:01,337 --> 00:30:05,011 Brethren, I know, I know, I know, 639 00:30:05,011 --> 00:30:06,237 before I even say this, 640 00:30:06,237 --> 00:30:14,998 this example just pales in comparison. 641 00:30:14,998 --> 00:30:20,060 But there's something in it that just speaks a reality. 642 00:30:20,060 --> 00:30:24,853 In C.S. Lewis' "Chronicles of Narnia" 643 00:30:24,853 --> 00:30:27,540 there's a place in one of the stories 644 00:30:27,540 --> 00:30:30,254 where you have these two talking horses 645 00:30:30,254 --> 00:30:32,250 and this young lady. 646 00:30:32,250 --> 00:30:35,886 Hwin and Bree, 647 00:30:35,886 --> 00:30:38,212 and what was the girl's name? 648 00:30:38,212 --> 00:30:40,931 Aravis. 649 00:30:40,931 --> 00:30:45,135 And suddenly, Aslan appears. 650 00:30:45,135 --> 00:30:49,592 And he is the picture of Christ. 651 00:30:49,592 --> 00:30:53,080 And the female horse, Hwin, 652 00:30:53,080 --> 00:30:56,194 she's trembling, 653 00:30:56,194 --> 00:31:00,270 but she walks over to him and she says, 654 00:31:00,270 --> 00:31:04,759 "Sir, I would rather be eaten by you - 655 00:31:04,759 --> 00:31:07,700 you are so beautiful - 656 00:31:07,700 --> 00:31:10,970 than fed by anybody else." 657 00:31:10,970 --> 00:31:12,905 And I think in some little way, 658 00:31:12,905 --> 00:31:15,592 that's a picture of what the writer of Hebrews 659 00:31:15,592 --> 00:31:17,241 wants us to feel. 660 00:31:17,241 --> 00:31:20,614 He wants us to look at Christ 661 00:31:20,614 --> 00:31:22,501 and say I would rather 662 00:31:22,501 --> 00:31:25,385 lose everything for Him; 663 00:31:25,385 --> 00:31:30,020 I would rather suffer a thousand lives 664 00:31:30,020 --> 00:31:31,550 for Him, 665 00:31:31,550 --> 00:31:34,145 than to feel pleasure anywhere else. 666 00:31:34,145 --> 00:31:38,320 I would rather be a servant on His floor 667 00:31:38,320 --> 00:31:39,919 buckling His sandals, 668 00:31:39,919 --> 00:31:42,460 than to be on a throne in any other kingdom. 669 00:31:42,460 --> 00:31:44,181 He wants us to look and say 670 00:31:44,181 --> 00:31:48,165 I wouldn't trade that for anything at all! 671 00:31:48,165 --> 00:31:51,413 Brethren, do you feel that? 672 00:31:51,413 --> 00:31:52,910 I know, brethren, I know 673 00:31:52,910 --> 00:31:57,506 that example pales, pales, pales. 674 00:31:57,506 --> 00:32:02,811 But there is an intent in this writer 675 00:32:02,811 --> 00:32:06,961 that I should look at this Christ, 676 00:32:06,961 --> 00:32:11,037 and say I'd rather lose my life for Him 677 00:32:11,037 --> 00:32:14,811 than gain it for anything else. 678 00:32:14,811 --> 00:32:18,708 I'd rather suffer the loss of everything 679 00:32:18,708 --> 00:32:25,244 than suffer losing Him. 680 00:32:25,244 --> 00:32:32,099 Brethren, this first chapter is broken up like this: 681 00:32:32,099 --> 00:32:34,398 In the beginning, 682 00:32:34,398 --> 00:32:42,469 seven wonderful, glorious characteristics 683 00:32:42,469 --> 00:32:48,710 or descriptive phrases are used of Christ. 684 00:32:48,710 --> 00:32:50,551 I've actually entitled my message: 685 00:32:50,551 --> 00:32:53,943 "The Sevenfold Glorious Christ." 686 00:32:53,943 --> 00:32:55,623 And it's interesting, 687 00:32:55,623 --> 00:32:58,813 once you have these seven descriptions, 688 00:32:58,813 --> 00:33:03,034 then, see, I don't think seven is by accident. 689 00:33:03,034 --> 00:33:04,392 I think it's deliberate. 690 00:33:04,392 --> 00:33:05,837 You know why I think that? 691 00:33:05,837 --> 00:33:08,418 Because then the writer goes on to give 692 00:33:08,418 --> 00:33:13,380 seven Old Testament passages 693 00:33:13,380 --> 00:33:17,825 to prove Christ's glory and supremacy. 694 00:33:17,825 --> 00:33:19,885 Brethren, you know what the number seven 695 00:33:19,885 --> 00:33:24,232 is meant to indicate in Scripture. 696 00:33:24,232 --> 00:33:27,251 Perfection. Completeness. 697 00:33:27,251 --> 00:33:29,304 I believe that's what we have here. 698 00:33:29,304 --> 00:33:31,813 I believe the point of the writer 699 00:33:31,813 --> 00:33:36,282 is to exalt the perfect supremacy of Christ. 700 00:33:36,282 --> 00:33:38,061 And what I want to do now 701 00:33:38,061 --> 00:33:41,827 as I draw everything to conclusion 702 00:33:41,827 --> 00:33:48,448 is go through these first seven descriptions 703 00:33:48,448 --> 00:33:51,113 and I want you to see them. 704 00:33:51,113 --> 00:33:55,090 Hebrews 1:1, 705 00:33:55,090 --> 00:33:57,518 "Long ago, at many times 706 00:33:57,518 --> 00:33:58,615 and in many ways, 707 00:33:58,615 --> 00:34:02,349 God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 708 00:34:02,349 --> 00:34:03,777 but in these last days, 709 00:34:03,777 --> 00:34:07,847 He has spoken to us by His Son." 710 00:34:07,847 --> 00:34:11,023 You know what I found myself wanting to do? 711 00:34:11,023 --> 00:34:13,122 Here's Christ. 712 00:34:13,122 --> 00:34:16,259 The writer of Hebrews says, 713 00:34:16,259 --> 00:34:18,020 I want to prove His supremacy. 714 00:34:18,020 --> 00:34:20,709 In fact, one of the things that he does in this first chapter 715 00:34:20,709 --> 00:34:23,419 is He proves His supremacy over the angels. 716 00:34:23,419 --> 00:34:25,848 And you know how he does it? 717 00:34:25,848 --> 00:34:28,391 He does it by basically saying 718 00:34:28,391 --> 00:34:34,551 to which one of the angels did He ever say this? 719 00:34:34,551 --> 00:34:36,108 Well, you know what? 720 00:34:36,108 --> 00:34:38,066 I thought I can do no better 721 00:34:38,066 --> 00:34:41,152 than to do what he does. 722 00:34:41,152 --> 00:34:42,892 Well, if I'm going to compare Christ 723 00:34:42,892 --> 00:34:46,347 to all the other prophets, 724 00:34:46,347 --> 00:34:49,376 then I guess I can say this: 725 00:34:49,376 --> 00:34:50,912 To which one of the prophets 726 00:34:50,912 --> 00:34:55,190 did He ever say what's said in Matthew 17:5? 727 00:34:55,190 --> 00:34:56,979 You see, the writer of Hebrews 728 00:34:56,979 --> 00:34:58,539 is taking all of his texts 729 00:34:58,539 --> 00:35:00,455 from the Old Testament, but guess what? 730 00:35:00,455 --> 00:35:03,279 I get to draw from the New Testament. 731 00:35:03,279 --> 00:35:05,066 He didn't have that, but I have that. 732 00:35:05,066 --> 00:35:06,307 So I can draw from there. 733 00:35:06,307 --> 00:35:09,409 And I can say to which one of the prophets 734 00:35:09,409 --> 00:35:11,221 did He ever say this? 735 00:35:11,221 --> 00:35:14,069 "This is My beloved Son 736 00:35:14,069 --> 00:35:15,785 with Whom I am well pleased. 737 00:35:15,785 --> 00:35:17,011 Listen to Him." 738 00:35:17,011 --> 00:35:19,461 And it's the "beloved Son" and the "listen to Him" 739 00:35:19,461 --> 00:35:20,862 that I want you both to see. 740 00:35:20,862 --> 00:35:22,501 Why listen to Him? 741 00:35:22,501 --> 00:35:24,400 Well, this is the beloved Son. 742 00:35:24,400 --> 00:35:27,470 You see, we should listen to the prophets, 743 00:35:27,470 --> 00:35:29,908 but to which of them...? 744 00:35:29,908 --> 00:35:33,595 God said to Ezekiel, "Son of Man" 745 00:35:33,595 --> 00:35:37,310 but which of them did He ever call "My beloved Son"? 746 00:35:37,310 --> 00:35:38,835 None of them. 747 00:35:38,835 --> 00:35:42,612 And listen, we could almost look at Isaiah 748 00:35:42,612 --> 00:35:48,307 as probably the greatest Old Testament prophet. 749 00:35:48,307 --> 00:35:51,300 But even he when he saw the Lord, 750 00:35:51,300 --> 00:35:54,022 what did he say? 751 00:35:54,022 --> 00:35:59,236 "Woe is me. I am undone." Or, "I am lost." 752 00:35:59,236 --> 00:36:02,100 "I am a man of unclean lips 753 00:36:02,100 --> 00:36:05,003 and I dwell in the midst of a people 754 00:36:05,003 --> 00:36:06,483 of unclean lips." 755 00:36:06,483 --> 00:36:12,666 Brethren, that's the best 756 00:36:12,666 --> 00:36:15,508 that one of the prophets could say. 757 00:36:15,508 --> 00:36:18,795 But do you know what was said of Christ? 758 00:36:18,795 --> 00:36:20,896 Here's the prophet saying 759 00:36:20,896 --> 00:36:22,805 "my lips are unclean." 760 00:36:22,805 --> 00:36:25,895 What does the Bible say about Christ's lips? 761 00:36:25,895 --> 00:36:27,824 And it does. It speaks about them. 762 00:36:27,824 --> 00:36:33,003 Psalm 45:2, "You are the most handsome 763 00:36:33,003 --> 00:36:35,779 of the sons of men." 764 00:36:35,779 --> 00:36:38,779 Don't you love that description of Christ? 765 00:36:38,779 --> 00:36:43,316 The most handsome of the sons of men. 766 00:36:43,316 --> 00:36:46,881 "Grace is poured upon Your lips. 767 00:36:46,881 --> 00:36:49,989 Therefore, God has blessed You forever." 768 00:36:49,989 --> 00:36:53,626 Here's this One more handsome than all the sons 769 00:36:53,626 --> 00:36:55,716 blessed of God forever 770 00:36:55,716 --> 00:37:03,306 because grace is on His lips. 771 00:37:03,306 --> 00:37:05,723 Phenomenal. 772 00:37:05,723 --> 00:37:07,779 Can you just imagine? 773 00:37:07,779 --> 00:37:10,479 Have you ever stood and watched somebody talk? 774 00:37:10,479 --> 00:37:12,424 You look over and you see people talking 775 00:37:12,424 --> 00:37:14,302 and you just stand and you watch them. 776 00:37:14,302 --> 00:37:16,606 You don't really hear what they're saying. 777 00:37:16,606 --> 00:37:18,856 Can you imagine just watching from a distance? 778 00:37:18,856 --> 00:37:24,310 Like His disciples must have sometimes? 779 00:37:24,310 --> 00:37:27,397 You know how it is. 780 00:37:27,397 --> 00:37:31,870 I've seen this when I've been in places 781 00:37:31,870 --> 00:37:33,708 where John MacArthur has been 782 00:37:33,708 --> 00:37:35,470 or where John Piper has been 783 00:37:35,470 --> 00:37:37,125 or where Paul Washer's been. 784 00:37:37,125 --> 00:37:39,669 And they're speaking and it's like a magnet. 785 00:37:39,669 --> 00:37:41,381 People want to go there. 786 00:37:41,381 --> 00:37:43,287 Can you imagine with Christ speaking? 787 00:37:43,287 --> 00:37:47,836 His disciples - it would have been 788 00:37:47,836 --> 00:37:50,450 almost unbearable to not hear Him. 789 00:37:50,450 --> 00:37:53,186 I just imagine Him with a leper coming up 790 00:37:53,186 --> 00:37:54,870 and His disciples just thinking 791 00:37:54,870 --> 00:37:57,258 what could He be saying to him? 792 00:37:57,258 --> 00:38:03,264 "I will. Be clean." 793 00:38:03,264 --> 00:38:07,500 I mean, pure, smooth as silk, 794 00:38:07,500 --> 00:38:09,209 precious as gold, 795 00:38:09,209 --> 00:38:12,717 the words just flow out of His mouth. 796 00:38:12,717 --> 00:38:16,327 In Luke 4:22, you know what it says about Him? 797 00:38:16,327 --> 00:38:18,135 "They marveled at the gracious words 798 00:38:18,135 --> 00:38:19,843 that were coming from His mouth." 799 00:38:19,843 --> 00:38:21,489 When those officers were sent 800 00:38:21,489 --> 00:38:23,383 by the chief priests and the Pharisees 801 00:38:23,383 --> 00:38:25,440 to go get Him, you remember what happened. 802 00:38:25,440 --> 00:38:26,865 They come back without Him 803 00:38:26,865 --> 00:38:29,016 and the Pharisees and chief priests are... 804 00:38:29,016 --> 00:38:30,917 "where is He?" 805 00:38:30,917 --> 00:38:34,894 (incomplete thought) 806 00:38:34,894 --> 00:38:36,941 In other words, they were saying, 807 00:38:36,941 --> 00:38:40,922 we never heard anybody talk like this. 808 00:38:40,922 --> 00:38:42,732 "No one ever spoke like this man." 809 00:38:42,732 --> 00:38:44,261 In other words, they were saying 810 00:38:44,261 --> 00:38:47,138 His speaking just astounded us - 811 00:38:47,138 --> 00:38:50,131 we couldn't even get ourselves to the place 812 00:38:50,131 --> 00:38:52,776 where we could take the guy. 813 00:38:52,776 --> 00:39:00,037 We never heard anybody say things like this. 814 00:39:00,037 --> 00:39:03,521 Brethren, the reason nobody ever spoke like that 815 00:39:03,521 --> 00:39:07,443 is because nobody else was ever like that. 816 00:39:07,443 --> 00:39:09,404 God had never come to the earth before. 817 00:39:09,404 --> 00:39:11,840 They never had One so full of glory, 818 00:39:11,840 --> 00:39:13,108 so full of truth, 819 00:39:13,108 --> 00:39:17,501 so much the mouthpiece of God. 820 00:39:17,501 --> 00:39:19,098 In one place, Matthew 7:28, 821 00:39:19,098 --> 00:39:20,931 "When Jesus finished these sayings, 822 00:39:20,931 --> 00:39:25,873 the crowds were astonished at His teaching." 823 00:39:25,873 --> 00:39:29,334 Brethren, they marveled. They were astonished. 824 00:39:29,334 --> 00:39:30,956 Let me ask you this. 825 00:39:30,956 --> 00:39:33,690 Have you, have I, have we 826 00:39:33,690 --> 00:39:36,039 gotten to the place where what Jesus says 827 00:39:36,039 --> 00:39:38,865 doesn't astound us anymore? 828 00:39:38,865 --> 00:39:40,725 I can remember when I was first saved 829 00:39:40,725 --> 00:39:44,400 and opening up the Scriptures and reading, 830 00:39:44,400 --> 00:39:49,543 "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, 831 00:39:49,543 --> 00:39:54,072 and to God the things that are God's." 832 00:39:54,072 --> 00:39:56,840 The wisdom of Him. 833 00:39:56,840 --> 00:39:59,727 To be put in a place where either answer 834 00:39:59,727 --> 00:40:01,175 was going to condemn Him 835 00:40:01,175 --> 00:40:03,840 and then to give an answer that nobody could answer. 836 00:40:03,840 --> 00:40:06,692 You know how many times when He spoke 837 00:40:06,692 --> 00:40:11,750 it says people just went quiet? 838 00:40:11,750 --> 00:40:14,348 He closed their mouths. 839 00:40:14,348 --> 00:40:16,750 (incomplete thought) 840 00:40:16,750 --> 00:40:19,457 Isaiah had impurity mixed in there. 841 00:40:19,457 --> 00:40:20,989 He had to bow his head in shame, 842 00:40:20,989 --> 00:40:22,189 fall on his face. 843 00:40:22,189 --> 00:40:25,124 When Jesus spoke, 844 00:40:25,124 --> 00:40:26,916 all truth. 845 00:40:26,916 --> 00:40:30,403 He said to Pilate, "I came to bear witness of the truth." 846 00:40:30,403 --> 00:40:33,596 (incomplete thought) 847 00:40:33,596 --> 00:40:36,458 There was a day when Herod was speaking 848 00:40:36,458 --> 00:40:37,920 and they said, 849 00:40:37,920 --> 00:40:41,812 "It's the voice of a god, not a man." 850 00:40:41,812 --> 00:40:44,522 That was an abomination, folks. 851 00:40:44,522 --> 00:40:48,064 Herod got eaten by worms and died. 852 00:40:48,064 --> 00:40:49,635 That's a bad thing. 853 00:40:49,635 --> 00:40:51,966 But you know, if you looked at Christ 854 00:40:51,966 --> 00:40:55,379 and you said "the voice of God," 855 00:40:55,379 --> 00:40:56,809 that would not be sarcasm. 856 00:40:56,809 --> 00:40:58,184 That would not be mockery. 857 00:40:58,184 --> 00:41:01,214 That would not be sacrilege. 858 00:41:01,214 --> 00:41:03,363 That is true. 859 00:41:03,363 --> 00:41:05,537 That's the glory of Christ. 860 00:41:05,537 --> 00:41:09,481 How about this? Hebrews 1:2, 861 00:41:09,481 --> 00:41:13,395 "Whom He appointed the heir of all things." 862 00:41:13,395 --> 00:41:16,221 Now, brethren, it's not absolutely certain 863 00:41:16,221 --> 00:41:19,708 but it's definitely possible that if you look down at verse 5, 864 00:41:19,708 --> 00:41:29,425 there is a quote from Psalm 2 865 00:41:29,425 --> 00:41:31,121 where it says, "You are My Son, 866 00:41:31,121 --> 00:41:32,761 today I have begotten You." 867 00:41:32,761 --> 00:41:37,382 Well, Psalm 2 is definitely in the writer's mind 868 00:41:37,382 --> 00:41:40,543 when he wrote that Christ is heir of all things. 869 00:41:40,543 --> 00:41:42,670 And it's very possible he said that 870 00:41:42,670 --> 00:41:44,447 because he was thinking about 871 00:41:44,447 --> 00:41:47,321 what it says in Psalm 2 872 00:41:47,321 --> 00:41:49,216 right after it says that. 873 00:41:49,216 --> 00:41:50,546 What does it say? 874 00:41:50,546 --> 00:41:53,205 "You are My Son; today I have begotten You. 875 00:41:53,205 --> 00:41:58,333 Ask of Me and I will make the nations Your heritage." 876 00:41:58,333 --> 00:41:59,579 That's what the ESV says. 877 00:41:59,579 --> 00:42:02,493 Every other translation I saw says "inheritance." 878 00:42:02,493 --> 00:42:03,642 That's the word. 879 00:42:03,642 --> 00:42:04,670 That's what it means. 880 00:42:04,670 --> 00:42:07,411 The ESV translates it that way 881 00:42:07,411 --> 00:42:10,167 almost everywhere. 882 00:42:10,167 --> 00:42:12,643 Excuse me. 883 00:42:12,643 --> 00:42:15,070 Let me ask you this. 884 00:42:15,070 --> 00:42:17,342 Here's the Father saying to the Son, 885 00:42:17,342 --> 00:42:20,294 "Ask of Me and I will give You the inheritance..." 886 00:42:20,294 --> 00:42:23,567 Who gets the inheritance? 887 00:42:23,567 --> 00:42:25,511 The heir. 888 00:42:25,511 --> 00:42:27,654 Who's the heir? 889 00:42:27,654 --> 00:42:33,715 Christ. 890 00:42:33,715 --> 00:42:38,735 "...And the ends of the earth Your possession." 891 00:42:38,735 --> 00:42:43,520 Brethren, just imagine this. 892 00:42:43,520 --> 00:42:47,008 Let it take hold. 893 00:42:47,008 --> 00:42:50,013 Daniel 7:13, 894 00:42:50,013 --> 00:42:51,789 "I saw in the night visions, 895 00:42:51,789 --> 00:42:54,316 and behold with the clouds of heaven, 896 00:42:54,316 --> 00:42:58,262 there came one like a Son of Man." 897 00:42:58,262 --> 00:43:00,082 Can you imagine? 898 00:43:00,082 --> 00:43:02,053 The clouds of heaven. 899 00:43:02,053 --> 00:43:07,624 And here comes One in His glory. 900 00:43:07,624 --> 00:43:08,857 He's like the Son of Man. 901 00:43:08,857 --> 00:43:11,698 "He came to the Ancient of Days." 902 00:43:11,698 --> 00:43:13,313 He came to His Father. 903 00:43:13,313 --> 00:43:15,568 "And was presented before Him. 904 00:43:15,568 --> 00:43:18,467 And to Him was given dominion 905 00:43:18,467 --> 00:43:21,375 and glory and a kingdom 906 00:43:21,375 --> 00:43:23,836 that all peoples, nations, and languages 907 00:43:23,836 --> 00:43:25,270 should serve Him. 908 00:43:25,270 --> 00:43:27,945 His dominion is an everlasting dominion 909 00:43:27,945 --> 00:43:29,931 which shall not pass away 910 00:43:29,931 --> 00:43:32,710 and His kingdom one that shall not be destroyed." 911 00:43:32,710 --> 00:43:35,606 Brethren, the Son of Man. He is the heir. 912 00:43:35,606 --> 00:43:37,423 Do you recognize what that means? 913 00:43:37,423 --> 00:43:39,476 The Father holds nothing back. 914 00:43:39,476 --> 00:43:42,167 Nothing at all. All is for Christ. 915 00:43:42,167 --> 00:43:44,461 Ephesians 1:22, "God put all things 916 00:43:44,461 --> 00:43:46,324 under Christ's feet." 917 00:43:46,324 --> 00:43:48,765 Gave Him as Head over all things 918 00:43:48,765 --> 00:43:50,986 to the church. 919 00:43:50,986 --> 00:43:52,831 This is what we see. 920 00:43:52,831 --> 00:43:58,168 How about Psalm 72? 921 00:43:58,168 --> 00:44:01,350 "May He have dominion from sea to sea 922 00:44:01,350 --> 00:44:04,314 and from the river to the ends of the earth. 923 00:44:04,314 --> 00:44:07,491 May the desert tribes bow down before Him 924 00:44:07,491 --> 00:44:11,113 and His enemies lick the dust. 925 00:44:11,113 --> 00:44:13,621 May the kings of Tarshish and of the coastlands 926 00:44:13,621 --> 00:44:14,922 render Him tribute. 927 00:44:14,922 --> 00:44:18,128 May the kings of Sheba and Seba bring gifts. 928 00:44:18,128 --> 00:44:20,667 May all the kings fall down before Him; 929 00:44:20,667 --> 00:44:23,857 all nations serve Him." 930 00:44:23,857 --> 00:44:25,594 Brethren, you know how we've heard 931 00:44:25,594 --> 00:44:29,871 that all things work together for good 932 00:44:29,871 --> 00:44:32,391 to those that love God; 933 00:44:32,391 --> 00:44:34,859 to those that are called according to His purpose. 934 00:44:34,859 --> 00:44:37,855 Do you know what Scripture also tells us? 935 00:44:37,855 --> 00:44:42,883 All things work together to serve Christ. 936 00:44:42,883 --> 00:44:47,198 Even if it's His enemies licking the dust. 937 00:44:47,198 --> 00:44:49,418 You know what that does? 938 00:44:49,418 --> 00:44:51,902 That makes Jesus relevant, right? 939 00:44:51,902 --> 00:44:53,637 If we say this: 940 00:44:53,637 --> 00:44:58,619 Literally everything, Christ has inherited. 941 00:44:58,619 --> 00:45:00,882 It's all for Him. Even His enemies. 942 00:45:00,882 --> 00:45:03,319 Even that which is wicked, that which is dark, 943 00:45:03,319 --> 00:45:05,491 that which is stained. 944 00:45:05,491 --> 00:45:08,940 Brethren, even if it's a vessel of wrath 945 00:45:08,940 --> 00:45:12,042 that does nothing but exalts His wrath, 946 00:45:12,042 --> 00:45:14,354 it is for Him and it serves Him. 947 00:45:14,354 --> 00:45:15,627 That is huge! 948 00:45:15,627 --> 00:45:16,880 You know what that means? 949 00:45:16,880 --> 00:45:19,603 That means that we all - you and me - 950 00:45:19,603 --> 00:45:21,248 we belong to Him. 951 00:45:21,248 --> 00:45:22,928 That makes Him relevant. 952 00:45:22,928 --> 00:45:24,893 I mean, if you go out of here today 953 00:45:24,893 --> 00:45:27,340 and you say "well, that doesn't really matter," 954 00:45:27,340 --> 00:45:29,578 you're not connecting with truth. 955 00:45:29,578 --> 00:45:30,494 Right? 956 00:45:30,494 --> 00:45:33,352 You need to go out of here after reading things like that 957 00:45:33,352 --> 00:45:37,022 and say "I'm His. And I'm serving His ends. 958 00:45:37,022 --> 00:45:39,691 And I'm going to bring glory to Him one way or another. 959 00:45:39,691 --> 00:45:43,546 And it may be licking dust, but I'm for Him." 960 00:45:43,546 --> 00:45:45,840 Brethren, that's what that text says. 961 00:45:45,840 --> 00:45:48,481 People are either bowing down and serving Him 962 00:45:48,481 --> 00:45:50,609 or they're licking the dust and serving Him. 963 00:45:50,609 --> 00:45:52,701 It's relevant to everything. 964 00:45:52,701 --> 00:45:56,099 Literally everything. To you. To me. 965 00:45:56,099 --> 00:45:57,955 We need to realize this is the Christ 966 00:45:57,955 --> 00:45:59,414 we have to reckon with. 967 00:45:59,414 --> 00:46:01,657 He owns us. He has us. 968 00:46:01,657 --> 00:46:05,193 We have been offered to Him by the Father 969 00:46:05,193 --> 00:46:06,476 as an inheritance. 970 00:46:06,476 --> 00:46:08,627 And we are going to serve His purposes. 971 00:46:08,627 --> 00:46:10,798 And brethren, it behooves every one of us 972 00:46:10,798 --> 00:46:13,986 to bow before Him. 973 00:46:13,986 --> 00:46:17,646 My friend, don't serve Him by licking dust 974 00:46:17,646 --> 00:46:21,380 as one of His enemies. 975 00:46:21,380 --> 00:46:23,155 Right now, He calls you. 976 00:46:23,155 --> 00:46:25,207 Do you remember how it says there? 977 00:46:25,207 --> 00:46:28,307 I'm so convinced that the writer of Hebrews 978 00:46:28,307 --> 00:46:31,700 has Psalm 2 in mind because listen to what it says. 979 00:46:31,700 --> 00:46:35,072 "Ask of Me and I will make the nations Your inheritance 980 00:46:35,072 --> 00:46:39,215 and the ends of the earth Your possession. 981 00:46:39,215 --> 00:46:42,231 You shall break them with a rod of iron." 982 00:46:42,231 --> 00:46:44,691 What's He going to break with a rod of iron? 983 00:46:44,691 --> 00:46:47,296 What's been given to Him as an inheritance. 984 00:46:47,296 --> 00:46:49,537 He's going to come to what He's inherited. 985 00:46:49,537 --> 00:46:51,518 He's going to take a rod of iron 986 00:46:51,518 --> 00:46:53,232 and bang! 987 00:46:53,232 --> 00:46:54,947 He hits it. 988 00:46:54,947 --> 00:46:58,227 "...And dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel." 989 00:46:58,227 --> 00:47:00,312 You say, "He is?" 990 00:47:00,312 --> 00:47:02,452 (incomplete thought) 991 00:47:02,452 --> 00:47:04,583 My son is my heir 992 00:47:04,583 --> 00:47:08,203 and I come bring to him some treasured family relic 993 00:47:08,203 --> 00:47:11,006 and I give it to him and he just takes out a rod 994 00:47:11,006 --> 00:47:12,785 and smashes it. 995 00:47:12,785 --> 00:47:14,963 But I'll tell you this, it doesn't meet 996 00:47:14,963 --> 00:47:20,213 the disapproval of the Father at all. 997 00:47:20,213 --> 00:47:23,550 There's a conclusion to that. 998 00:47:23,550 --> 00:47:27,643 "Therefore, O kings, 999 00:47:27,643 --> 00:47:29,755 (and every one of us), 1000 00:47:29,755 --> 00:47:32,098 be wise, be warned, 1001 00:47:32,098 --> 00:47:33,883 O rulers of the earth, 1002 00:47:33,883 --> 00:47:37,484 serve the Lord with fear 1003 00:47:37,484 --> 00:47:39,404 and rejoice with trembling. 1004 00:47:39,404 --> 00:47:42,971 Kiss the Son lest He be angry 1005 00:47:42,971 --> 00:47:44,691 and you perish in the way, 1006 00:47:44,691 --> 00:47:46,553 for His wrath is quickly kindled. 1007 00:47:46,553 --> 00:47:50,802 Blessed are all those who take refuge in Him." 1008 00:47:50,802 --> 00:47:54,223 Oh brethren, this stuff is so wonderful and fearful. 1009 00:47:54,223 --> 00:47:55,924 "Kiss the Son." 1010 00:47:55,924 --> 00:47:58,583 "Blessed are all those who take refuge..." 1011 00:47:58,583 --> 00:47:59,846 in the Heir. 1012 00:47:59,846 --> 00:48:02,204 Him Who is the Heir of all things. 1013 00:48:02,204 --> 00:48:05,133 This has to do with your life. 1014 00:48:05,133 --> 00:48:06,118 You can't get away. 1015 00:48:06,118 --> 00:48:07,862 I don't care who you are here today. 1016 00:48:07,862 --> 00:48:09,497 Whether you're a Christian or you're not a Christian, 1017 00:48:09,497 --> 00:48:11,224 you're just visiting, you're old, you're young, 1018 00:48:11,224 --> 00:48:12,568 you're male, you're female - 1019 00:48:12,568 --> 00:48:13,955 you can't get away from this. 1020 00:48:13,955 --> 00:48:16,504 You have something to do with Christ 1021 00:48:16,504 --> 00:48:20,079 because He owns you. 1022 00:48:20,079 --> 00:48:22,931 Then it goes on to say this, 1023 00:48:22,931 --> 00:48:28,095 "Through Whom also He created the world." 1024 00:48:28,095 --> 00:48:31,130 Well, who created the world? 1025 00:48:31,130 --> 00:48:36,380 Who is the "he" in v. 2? 1026 00:48:36,380 --> 00:48:39,170 It's not the Son. It's the Father. 1027 00:48:39,170 --> 00:48:44,459 The "he" is God Who creates. 1028 00:48:44,459 --> 00:48:47,920 Do you all see that? 1029 00:48:47,920 --> 00:48:49,700 "Through Whom..." 1030 00:48:49,700 --> 00:48:51,728 The "whom" is Christ. 1031 00:48:51,728 --> 00:48:59,467 Through Christ, God creates the world. 1032 00:48:59,467 --> 00:49:03,636 Through God Who is the Son, 1033 00:49:03,636 --> 00:49:06,725 God Who is the Father creates the world. 1034 00:49:06,725 --> 00:49:10,447 How does that happen? 1035 00:49:10,447 --> 00:49:12,452 Brethren, don't you see 1036 00:49:12,452 --> 00:49:17,022 that constantly what the writer of Hebrews 1037 00:49:17,022 --> 00:49:19,381 and God in all of the Scriptures 1038 00:49:19,381 --> 00:49:21,370 is constantly trying to stretch us. 1039 00:49:21,370 --> 00:49:23,963 Stretch. Stretch your mind. 1040 00:49:23,963 --> 00:49:28,456 Because God is so absolutely beyond our minds, 1041 00:49:28,456 --> 00:49:30,324 but He tries to give us thoughts 1042 00:49:30,324 --> 00:49:35,436 that we have to try to get our hands on 1043 00:49:35,436 --> 00:49:39,369 and get into our minds. 1044 00:49:39,369 --> 00:49:42,743 How does one do it, 1045 00:49:42,743 --> 00:49:44,740 but He does it by another? 1046 00:49:44,740 --> 00:49:46,192 I mean, I could understand, 1047 00:49:46,192 --> 00:49:49,094 you know I call you by my cell phone. 1048 00:49:49,094 --> 00:49:50,887 Did I call you? Did the cell phone? 1049 00:49:50,887 --> 00:49:54,957 I did it through that. 1050 00:49:54,957 --> 00:50:01,970 Brethren, our examples never stack up. 1051 00:50:01,970 --> 00:50:04,153 But the best I can do with all this 1052 00:50:04,153 --> 00:50:06,369 is go to God's Word at look at it. 1053 00:50:06,369 --> 00:50:12,268 Listen, back in Proverbs 8, 1054 00:50:12,268 --> 00:50:18,345 what you have is apparently Solomon 1055 00:50:18,345 --> 00:50:26,696 takes wisdom - the wisdom of God - 1056 00:50:26,696 --> 00:50:29,991 and he turns it into a person. 1057 00:50:29,991 --> 00:50:33,193 You say why would he do that? 1058 00:50:33,193 --> 00:50:38,760 Well, maybe because Jesus one time said, 1059 00:50:38,760 --> 00:50:40,960 "you go into those Scriptures 1060 00:50:40,960 --> 00:50:42,449 thinking you have eternal life, 1061 00:50:42,449 --> 00:50:46,720 but they speak about Me." 1062 00:50:46,720 --> 00:50:49,720 Have you ever read that Jesus 1063 00:50:49,720 --> 00:50:52,419 is the wisdom of God? 1064 00:50:52,419 --> 00:50:55,186 Scripture tells us that in 1 Corinthians 1. 1065 00:50:55,186 --> 00:50:57,343 So when I come to Proverbs 8 1066 00:50:57,343 --> 00:50:59,483 and I begin to read this way: 1067 00:50:59,483 --> 00:51:01,643 Now look, just listen. Listen. 1068 00:51:01,643 --> 00:51:04,429 Try to just take some glory from this. 1069 00:51:04,429 --> 00:51:07,290 I'm trying to come up with biblical descriptions 1070 00:51:07,290 --> 00:51:10,519 of how the Father does the creating, 1071 00:51:10,519 --> 00:51:13,094 and yet He does the creating in such a way 1072 00:51:13,094 --> 00:51:16,362 that the Son does the creating. 1073 00:51:16,362 --> 00:51:20,734 "The Lord possessed Me at the beginning of His work. 1074 00:51:20,734 --> 00:51:22,863 The first of His acts of old. 1075 00:51:22,863 --> 00:51:25,539 Ages ago, I was set up at the first, 1076 00:51:25,539 --> 00:51:28,490 before the beginning of the earth. 1077 00:51:28,490 --> 00:51:30,286 Where there were no depths, 1078 00:51:30,286 --> 00:51:32,418 I was brought forth." 1079 00:51:32,418 --> 00:51:34,729 You say, I was brought forth? 1080 00:51:34,729 --> 00:51:37,037 But this is the idea. 1081 00:51:37,037 --> 00:51:42,233 Jesus proceeds from the Father. 1082 00:51:42,233 --> 00:51:46,535 Jesus was begotten by the Father. 1083 00:51:46,535 --> 00:51:48,560 How do we explain that? 1084 00:51:48,560 --> 00:51:52,503 How is Christ proceeding from? 1085 00:51:52,503 --> 00:51:55,646 Emanating from? 1086 00:51:55,646 --> 00:52:00,353 Being begotten by the Father? 1087 00:52:00,353 --> 00:52:03,707 "Brought forth when there were no springs 1088 00:52:03,707 --> 00:52:05,078 abounding with water, 1089 00:52:05,078 --> 00:52:07,192 before the mountains had been shaped, 1090 00:52:07,192 --> 00:52:11,043 before the hills, I was brought forth. 1091 00:52:11,043 --> 00:52:13,873 Before He had made the earth with its fields 1092 00:52:13,873 --> 00:52:15,787 or the first of the dust of the world 1093 00:52:15,787 --> 00:52:17,798 when He established the heavens, 1094 00:52:17,798 --> 00:52:19,445 I was there. 1095 00:52:19,445 --> 00:52:20,576 When He drew a circle 1096 00:52:20,576 --> 00:52:22,420 on the face of the deep; 1097 00:52:22,420 --> 00:52:24,645 when He made firm the skies above; 1098 00:52:24,645 --> 00:52:27,275 when He established the fountains of the deep; 1099 00:52:27,275 --> 00:52:29,459 when He assigned to the sea its limits 1100 00:52:29,459 --> 00:52:32,584 so that the waters might not transgress His command; 1101 00:52:32,584 --> 00:52:35,772 when He marked out the foundations of the earth, 1102 00:52:35,772 --> 00:52:39,438 then I was beside Him like a master workman." 1103 00:52:39,438 --> 00:52:41,765 This one speaking says, 1104 00:52:41,765 --> 00:52:44,199 "I was the master workman." 1105 00:52:44,199 --> 00:52:48,051 Well, wait. But it just said 1106 00:52:48,051 --> 00:52:50,179 that the One that possessed Him 1107 00:52:50,179 --> 00:52:51,756 at the beginning of His work 1108 00:52:51,756 --> 00:52:54,650 is the One that was actually 1109 00:52:54,650 --> 00:52:56,674 making firm the skies above. 1110 00:52:56,674 --> 00:52:59,497 So why is the One speaking, 1111 00:52:59,497 --> 00:53:02,120 the One with the Lord, 1112 00:53:02,120 --> 00:53:06,432 why is He saying He's the master workman? 1113 00:53:06,432 --> 00:53:09,602 Because He is. 1114 00:53:09,602 --> 00:53:12,376 He says, "I was daily His delight, 1115 00:53:12,376 --> 00:53:14,387 rejoicing before Him always, 1116 00:53:14,387 --> 00:53:17,013 rejoicing in His inhabited world 1117 00:53:17,013 --> 00:53:21,359 and delighting in the children of men." 1118 00:53:21,359 --> 00:53:23,276 Again, you can argue with me 1119 00:53:23,276 --> 00:53:25,302 whether you think that's Christ or not, 1120 00:53:25,302 --> 00:53:30,106 but don't we have to try to reach 1121 00:53:30,106 --> 00:53:33,382 and stretch and let the Bible 1122 00:53:33,382 --> 00:53:38,795 try to put this together for us in our minds? 1123 00:53:38,795 --> 00:53:40,374 What a Person! 1124 00:53:40,374 --> 00:53:42,761 I mean, brethren, what the writer of Hebrews 1125 00:53:42,761 --> 00:53:44,697 is wanting us to do - 1126 00:53:44,697 --> 00:53:46,920 he wants us to see that there was 1127 00:53:46,920 --> 00:53:49,896 this plain looking, very unassuming 1128 00:53:49,896 --> 00:53:53,858 Jewish carpenter. 1129 00:53:53,858 --> 00:53:58,588 And he wants you to look at Him and say, 1130 00:53:58,588 --> 00:54:04,269 "Wow... He created the worlds." 1131 00:54:04,269 --> 00:54:05,740 The worlds. 1132 00:54:05,740 --> 00:54:08,903 That means the ages. This present age. 1133 00:54:08,903 --> 00:54:11,479 All of the universe. All of time. 1134 00:54:11,479 --> 00:54:14,856 All of space. All of everything. 1135 00:54:14,856 --> 00:54:19,394 This One - He came into the world. 1136 00:54:19,394 --> 00:54:21,032 And when He walked down the street 1137 00:54:21,032 --> 00:54:25,168 there were no blasts of archangel trumpets. 1138 00:54:25,168 --> 00:54:26,847 There was no great applause. 1139 00:54:26,847 --> 00:54:30,097 And the writer of Hebrews is saying: 1140 00:54:30,097 --> 00:54:33,226 but He demanded it. 1141 00:54:33,226 --> 00:54:36,882 When He entered those gates of glory, there was. 1142 00:54:36,882 --> 00:54:38,530 There was such a celebration. 1143 00:54:38,530 --> 00:54:40,357 There was such a reception 1144 00:54:40,357 --> 00:54:42,217 when those gates lifted up 1145 00:54:42,217 --> 00:54:47,032 and admitted Him in, brethren. 1146 00:54:47,032 --> 00:54:50,307 Beloved, our salvation is very great 1147 00:54:50,307 --> 00:54:52,544 becaues our Savior is great like this. 1148 00:54:52,544 --> 00:54:53,682 How about this one? 1149 00:54:53,682 --> 00:54:56,934 "The radiance of God's glory." 1150 00:54:56,934 --> 00:54:58,838 Hebrews 1:3, "He is the radiance 1151 00:54:58,838 --> 00:55:00,025 of the glory of God, 1152 00:55:00,025 --> 00:55:01,874 the exact imprint of His nature." 1153 00:55:01,874 --> 00:55:04,204 What do you think of when you think of radiance? 1154 00:55:04,204 --> 00:55:05,811 I think of light. 1155 00:55:05,811 --> 00:55:08,948 I think of brilliant, bright shining, 1156 00:55:08,948 --> 00:55:11,111 amazing light. 1157 00:55:11,111 --> 00:55:15,566 You know how it is when it's all overcast? 1158 00:55:15,566 --> 00:55:16,974 Like if it was all cloudy - 1159 00:55:16,974 --> 00:55:19,303 we don't get many days like that here in Texas - 1160 00:55:19,303 --> 00:55:21,318 but when it's just cloudy all day long. 1161 00:55:21,318 --> 00:55:22,887 In Michigan where I grew up 1162 00:55:22,887 --> 00:55:25,576 there were too many days like that. 1163 00:55:25,576 --> 00:55:27,858 But you know what it's like when it's cloudy? 1164 00:55:27,858 --> 00:55:30,771 You don't really see where the light's coming from. 1165 00:55:30,771 --> 00:55:35,103 You see that everything is sort of lit, 1166 00:55:35,103 --> 00:55:38,518 but you don't see where it's coming from. 1167 00:55:38,518 --> 00:55:40,628 Not like last night 1168 00:55:40,628 --> 00:55:42,983 when I was standing out front of my house 1169 00:55:42,983 --> 00:55:45,772 and this great big cloud, 1170 00:55:45,772 --> 00:55:48,903 this thunderhead was pluming up, 1171 00:55:48,903 --> 00:55:51,987 and the rays of light were piercing through there 1172 00:55:51,987 --> 00:55:55,665 and you could see them stretching across the sky. 1173 00:55:55,665 --> 00:55:58,032 Not like an overcast day, but like that. 1174 00:55:58,032 --> 00:56:01,785 That's how I envision radiance 1175 00:56:01,785 --> 00:56:03,986 where you can see these beams of light 1176 00:56:03,986 --> 00:56:05,503 and they're streaming out. 1177 00:56:05,503 --> 00:56:12,902 Like when the sun pierces across these mighty clouds. 1178 00:56:12,902 --> 00:56:14,911 Beams of light. 1179 00:56:14,911 --> 00:56:17,762 Like 10,000 bolts of lightning. 1180 00:56:17,762 --> 00:56:19,341 You know how a bolt of lightning 1181 00:56:19,341 --> 00:56:21,178 just lights up everything at night, 1182 00:56:21,178 --> 00:56:25,971 where you have that intensity of light 1183 00:56:25,971 --> 00:56:29,611 just emanating, shining rays. 1184 00:56:29,611 --> 00:56:33,405 And it comes and you draw it back to its source 1185 00:56:33,405 --> 00:56:35,185 and the source is One 1186 00:56:35,185 --> 00:56:37,246 Who is sitting on a throne. 1187 00:56:37,246 --> 00:56:40,288 Brethren, emanating brightness. 1188 00:56:40,288 --> 00:56:43,476 Now look, I know God is everywhere. 1189 00:56:43,476 --> 00:56:45,208 But I know that there are places 1190 00:56:45,208 --> 00:56:46,535 He manifests Himself 1191 00:56:46,535 --> 00:56:48,554 and I know God is not everything, 1192 00:56:48,554 --> 00:56:50,530 and there are things that are dark. 1193 00:56:50,530 --> 00:56:52,563 And He shines into them. 1194 00:56:52,563 --> 00:56:55,092 Piercing, dazzling, shimmering. 1195 00:56:55,092 --> 00:56:57,259 He shines into that darkness. 1196 00:56:57,259 --> 00:56:58,749 There is none in Him. 1197 00:56:58,749 --> 00:57:00,648 You look towards the center 1198 00:57:00,648 --> 00:57:01,892 and it's blinding. 1199 00:57:01,892 --> 00:57:03,756 There's no darkness there at all. 1200 00:57:03,756 --> 00:57:05,435 That's what Scripture tells us. 1201 00:57:05,435 --> 00:57:07,145 And Paul would say 1202 00:57:07,145 --> 00:57:09,548 it's an unapproachable light. 1203 00:57:09,548 --> 00:57:10,932 In other words, 1204 00:57:10,932 --> 00:57:15,221 when you take all that God is, 1205 00:57:15,221 --> 00:57:18,259 brethren, even in glory, it's unapproachable. 1206 00:57:18,259 --> 00:57:20,302 We will never see God for all - 1207 00:57:20,302 --> 00:57:23,113 we will never see the entire brightness. 1208 00:57:23,113 --> 00:57:27,022 Because we will never be beyond created. 1209 00:57:27,022 --> 00:57:30,605 And His uncreated fullness 1210 00:57:30,605 --> 00:57:32,356 can never be seen by us. 1211 00:57:32,356 --> 00:57:34,525 We will never fully grasp God. 1212 00:57:34,525 --> 00:57:37,308 We will never fully come to that. 1213 00:57:37,308 --> 00:57:38,799 It's unapproachable. 1214 00:57:38,799 --> 00:57:42,146 There's a brightness that transcends everything. 1215 00:57:42,146 --> 00:57:44,257 It's so intense a brightness 1216 00:57:44,257 --> 00:57:46,929 that is literally God Himself. 1217 00:57:46,929 --> 00:57:48,210 I mean, can you imagine? 1218 00:57:48,210 --> 00:57:53,193 Just pure God. 1219 00:57:53,193 --> 00:57:54,970 Even after we've been there 1220 00:57:54,970 --> 00:57:57,161 through eons of ages, 1221 00:57:57,161 --> 00:58:01,852 we will only know some of what God is. 1222 00:58:01,852 --> 00:58:05,829 Brethren, brethren! Grasp this with me. 1223 00:58:05,829 --> 00:58:12,392 Do you remember how Jesus defined eternal life? 1224 00:58:12,392 --> 00:58:14,712 "This is eternal life, 1225 00:58:14,712 --> 00:58:23,467 that they might know You (the Father, God) 1226 00:58:23,467 --> 00:58:28,786 and Who else? 1227 00:58:28,786 --> 00:58:31,128 Jesus Christ Whom He has sent. 1228 00:58:31,128 --> 00:58:33,339 Know. That we might come to know. 1229 00:58:33,339 --> 00:58:34,867 I want you to think about this. 1230 00:58:34,867 --> 00:58:38,611 John tells us God is light. 1231 00:58:38,611 --> 00:58:40,395 The writer of Hebrews tells us 1232 00:58:40,395 --> 00:58:44,571 Jesus Christ is the radiance of that light. 1233 00:58:44,571 --> 00:58:47,539 Now you tell me this. 1234 00:58:47,539 --> 00:58:53,447 Here's God pulling us into eternity 1235 00:58:53,447 --> 00:59:00,079 to know light and the radiance of light. 1236 00:59:00,079 --> 00:59:02,166 Brethren, this is the glory. 1237 00:59:02,166 --> 00:59:05,804 This is eternity. 1238 00:59:05,804 --> 00:59:08,558 It's God pulling us 1239 00:59:08,558 --> 00:59:13,044 deeper and deeper and deeper into the light 1240 00:59:13,044 --> 00:59:15,139 that we might come to know it more 1241 00:59:15,139 --> 00:59:17,643 and more and more fully, 1242 00:59:17,643 --> 00:59:19,532 further and further and further 1243 00:59:19,532 --> 00:59:22,006 into that light. 1244 00:59:22,006 --> 00:59:24,384 Brethren, you think about it. 1245 00:59:24,384 --> 00:59:27,320 We as Christians are going to shine like the sun 1246 00:59:27,320 --> 00:59:28,924 in the kingdom of our Father. 1247 00:59:28,924 --> 00:59:31,446 We are going to have such glorified bodies. 1248 00:59:31,446 --> 00:59:34,201 We are going to be created as the bride of Christ. 1249 00:59:34,201 --> 00:59:36,869 To be able to exist somewhere 1250 00:59:36,869 --> 00:59:38,719 in His manifest presence, 1251 00:59:38,719 --> 00:59:40,353 and as He manifests Himself 1252 00:59:40,353 --> 00:59:42,647 more and more and more, 1253 00:59:42,647 --> 00:59:45,241 we are actually going to be beings 1254 00:59:45,241 --> 00:59:48,433 created to endure more and more - 1255 00:59:48,433 --> 00:59:51,399 never all - but fuller and fuller, 1256 00:59:51,399 --> 00:59:53,101 deeper and deeper 1257 00:59:53,101 --> 00:59:54,959 He is going to draw us into that light. 1258 00:59:54,959 --> 00:59:58,062 Brethren, when it talks about the unsearchable riches of Christ, 1259 00:59:58,062 --> 00:59:59,875 it doesn't say that for nothing. 1260 00:59:59,875 --> 01:00:04,576 Can you even get this? 1261 01:00:04,576 --> 01:00:06,533 I can't. 1262 01:00:06,533 --> 01:00:08,511 The exact imprint of God's nature. 1263 01:00:08,511 --> 01:00:11,047 I mean, the Son is the exact representation 1264 01:00:11,047 --> 01:00:14,060 of everything that is true of God's being. 1265 01:00:14,060 --> 01:00:15,773 That doesn't mean God the Son 1266 01:00:15,773 --> 01:00:17,791 is the same person as God the Father, 1267 01:00:17,791 --> 01:00:21,869 but it means that when you see the Son, 1268 01:00:21,869 --> 01:00:25,625 you see what He is, what He is like, 1269 01:00:25,625 --> 01:00:28,465 He is everything that the Father is. 1270 01:00:28,465 --> 01:00:31,563 Brethren, when you see Him weeping 1271 01:00:31,563 --> 01:00:35,994 over Jerusalem, you see the heart of God. 1272 01:00:35,994 --> 01:00:39,597 When you see Him lay His hand on that leper, 1273 01:00:39,597 --> 01:00:41,666 oh brethren, that is God's heart - 1274 01:00:41,666 --> 01:00:44,429 a heart to heal, a heart to save, 1275 01:00:44,429 --> 01:00:48,582 a heart to help. 1276 01:00:48,582 --> 01:00:52,279 Brethren, it says He upholds the universe 1277 01:00:52,279 --> 01:00:54,589 by the word of His power. 1278 01:00:54,589 --> 01:00:56,451 Brethren, think about it right now. 1279 01:00:56,451 --> 01:01:00,040 All this cinder and block 1280 01:01:00,040 --> 01:01:03,024 and sheetrock and the rebar inside of it, 1281 01:01:03,024 --> 01:01:05,321 it is all right now upheld 1282 01:01:05,321 --> 01:01:08,273 by the word of His power. 1283 01:01:08,273 --> 01:01:09,358 He upholds it. 1284 01:01:09,358 --> 01:01:10,942 Your heartbeat. He upholds it. 1285 01:01:10,942 --> 01:01:14,083 Again, I was saying before, because He's the heir of all things, 1286 01:01:14,083 --> 01:01:15,627 He's relevant to everything. 1287 01:01:15,627 --> 01:01:17,644 Brethren, because He upholds everything 1288 01:01:17,644 --> 01:01:20,453 by the word of His power He's relevant to everything. 1289 01:01:20,453 --> 01:01:23,278 If He just said "stop" 1290 01:01:23,278 --> 01:01:24,838 by the word of His power, 1291 01:01:24,838 --> 01:01:27,796 He stopped thinking things into existence, 1292 01:01:27,796 --> 01:01:30,089 speaking them, upholding them, 1293 01:01:30,089 --> 01:01:35,356 if He stops that for a second, we go out of existence. 1294 01:01:35,356 --> 01:01:37,745 Literally, He holds us. 1295 01:01:37,745 --> 01:01:39,779 It's amazing, brethren, 1296 01:01:39,779 --> 01:01:42,864 can you remember those days of your wickedness? 1297 01:01:42,864 --> 01:01:47,357 When you were just hell bent on wicked things? 1298 01:01:47,357 --> 01:01:50,383 To do evil. 1299 01:01:50,383 --> 01:01:55,497 And He upheld you. 1300 01:01:55,497 --> 01:02:01,148 Oh brethren, but now He has revealed Himself to us 1301 01:02:01,148 --> 01:02:03,388 as One Who upholds us 1302 01:02:03,388 --> 01:02:05,598 but will also take us to Himself 1303 01:02:05,598 --> 01:02:08,345 if we but call upon Him. 1304 01:02:08,345 --> 01:02:13,387 Brethren, purification - then He sat down. 1305 01:02:13,387 --> 01:02:15,915 I'm not going to deal with purification this week 1306 01:02:15,915 --> 01:02:18,607 because I'm diving into it next week. 1307 01:02:18,607 --> 01:02:23,928 But listen, Jesus didn't just sit down anywhere. 1308 01:02:23,928 --> 01:02:28,155 He sat down on a throne. 1309 01:02:28,155 --> 01:02:32,095 And I was just thinking, 1310 01:02:32,095 --> 01:02:36,269 brethren, He is high 1311 01:02:36,269 --> 01:02:38,885 and He is lifted up. 1312 01:02:38,885 --> 01:02:40,900 And He is seated 1313 01:02:40,900 --> 01:02:44,218 not in any low place. 1314 01:02:44,218 --> 01:02:50,027 He's seated on the highest throne of all. 1315 01:02:50,027 --> 01:02:52,022 And I looked at Him - 1316 01:02:52,022 --> 01:02:53,736 last night I was out in the field, 1317 01:02:53,736 --> 01:02:59,861 and I was just contemplating all these pictures of Christ. 1318 01:02:59,861 --> 01:03:03,007 Brethren, if there isn't any place 1319 01:03:03,007 --> 01:03:09,105 for a Christian who hungers, 1320 01:03:09,105 --> 01:03:13,018 thirsts to be righteous, 1321 01:03:13,018 --> 01:03:16,800 to please God, 1322 01:03:16,800 --> 01:03:21,345 but you fall... 1323 01:03:21,345 --> 01:03:24,164 you know that you aren't 1324 01:03:24,164 --> 01:03:27,767 what you want to be. 1325 01:03:27,767 --> 01:03:31,131 You aren't what you were by any stretch, 1326 01:03:31,131 --> 01:03:33,222 but you're striving 1327 01:03:33,222 --> 01:03:35,029 and it feels like so often there's 1328 01:03:35,029 --> 01:03:39,412 these weights of sin. 1329 01:03:39,412 --> 01:03:41,471 Just weight. 1330 01:03:41,471 --> 01:03:43,642 And I was thinking about this Christ. 1331 01:03:43,642 --> 01:03:46,058 And I thought if there is anybody 1332 01:03:46,058 --> 01:03:48,840 to come and help us - 1333 01:03:48,840 --> 01:03:50,160 I was thinking, 1334 01:03:50,160 --> 01:03:52,010 call His name Jesus. 1335 01:03:52,010 --> 01:03:54,189 He's going to save His people from their sin. 1336 01:03:54,189 --> 01:03:57,264 If this is such the kind of Jesus that we have, 1337 01:03:57,264 --> 01:03:59,218 One like this, One that is that great, 1338 01:03:59,218 --> 01:04:01,465 One that is that powerful and enthroned, 1339 01:04:01,465 --> 01:04:02,858 everything committed to Him, 1340 01:04:02,858 --> 01:04:04,287 One Who is this radiance, 1341 01:04:04,287 --> 01:04:06,135 One Who is this exact imprint, 1342 01:04:06,135 --> 01:04:08,140 One Who is speaking the Word - 1343 01:04:08,140 --> 01:04:10,428 if we have such a salvation based on 1344 01:04:10,428 --> 01:04:12,537 such a One as this, brethren, 1345 01:04:12,537 --> 01:04:15,140 we need to be saved still! 1346 01:04:15,140 --> 01:04:16,529 This is ongoing! 1347 01:04:16,529 --> 01:04:18,326 We need to be saved from our enemies. 1348 01:04:18,326 --> 01:04:19,815 We need to be saved from sin. 1349 01:04:19,815 --> 01:04:21,495 We need to be saved from its power. 1350 01:04:21,495 --> 01:04:23,562 We need to persevere and make it to the end. 1351 01:04:23,562 --> 01:04:24,916 And we do that by Him. 1352 01:04:24,916 --> 01:04:26,903 But in that picture, is there not 1353 01:04:26,903 --> 01:04:28,821 full reason to believe and trust 1354 01:04:28,821 --> 01:04:30,887 and to hold firm and fast your confidence 1355 01:04:30,887 --> 01:04:32,905 that this One can do it? 1356 01:04:32,905 --> 01:04:34,867 We're not dealing with a novice here. 1357 01:04:34,867 --> 01:04:36,979 We're not dealing with a lightweight. 1358 01:04:36,979 --> 01:04:40,849 We're dealing with this Christ 1359 01:04:40,849 --> 01:04:42,778 Who transcends all. 1360 01:04:42,778 --> 01:04:44,600 King of kings 1361 01:04:44,600 --> 01:04:46,442 seated on a throne, 1362 01:04:46,442 --> 01:04:48,377 inherited everything. 1363 01:04:48,377 --> 01:04:50,653 He owns it. He creates it. 1364 01:04:50,653 --> 01:04:52,204 He upholds it. 1365 01:04:52,204 --> 01:04:54,464 And you come to Him and you say 1366 01:04:54,464 --> 01:04:56,590 is there any possibility You might help me 1367 01:04:56,590 --> 01:04:58,565 and save me from my sin? 1368 01:04:58,565 --> 01:04:59,635 Of course! 1369 01:04:59,635 --> 01:05:02,060 That's exactly what the writer wants us to think. 1370 01:05:02,060 --> 01:05:04,585 Remember this whole book is about holding fast, 1371 01:05:04,585 --> 01:05:08,870 firmly, fast to your confidence. 1372 01:05:08,870 --> 01:05:12,926 Next week, we look at purification for sins. 1373 01:05:12,926 --> 01:05:19,086 Brethren, just swim in these truths. 1374 01:05:19,086 --> 01:05:20,566 Swim in them. 1375 01:05:20,566 --> 01:05:22,659 Lose yourself in them.