ASSASSIN
05-30-2008, 04:01 PM
Sunday School Lesson for June 1, 2008
GOD’S SON -
Hebrews 1:1-12
BACKGROUND:
Jesus created a thorny theological problem for church leaders in Jerusalem . There was simply no place for Him to fit in their belief system. As a result, they challenged Him, and ultimately hung Him on a cross. From their point of view, what else could they do? The Pharisees believed in angels, but not the Son of God. After all, the Messiah of the Old Testament would come sometime after the “return” of Elijah (cf. Malachi 4:5). But even in that, the Pharisees failed. Elijah did come – in the form of John the Baptist (Matthew 11:13, 14)...
So with the presence of Jesus raising questions that religious leaders could not answer, someone had to explain. The writer of Hebrews (and we can’t be sure just who that was) set about the task. First, Jesus had to be put into proper perspective, which brings us to today’s lesson. Just who was Jesus? How does He compare to known “quantities” in religious circles? How does He compare to God? How does He compare to angels? Should He be worshipped? What if YOU had to field such questions? How would YOU proceed?
GOD’S COMMUNICATION (Hebrews 1:1, 2a)
Could this be the announcement of the end of human prophets? In the past, says the writer, God spoke at various times and in different manners to mankind through the prophets. Of course, the prophet usually had no idea just what he was prophesying about. He had little or no insight as to just what God’s plan was concerning the event in question; indeed, he was nothing more than a mouthpiece who delivered a message. One would have to go to God in some way himself to get a detailed explanation. But not so with the Son. Jesus not only spoke prophecies, He also knew their meaning, since He was responsible for their coming to pass. No more getting the word from God through a mouthpiece. Now, man could get the word from God Himself! The Maker was (and in the Spirit still is) making known the Will of God directly from the Maker to man...
GOD’S SON (Hebrews 1:2b-4)
And just who IS this Son? He is the only begotten of God, and direct heir to everything in existence. He (Jesus) is also the maker of ALL things (John 1:3). He is the “brightness of (God’s) glory”. That is, Jesus has His own “brightness”, just as does the Father. Jesus is not to the Father as the moon is to the sun. No, Jesus is not a reflection of the Father, Jesus and the Father are one (John 10:30)...
But even more important to us is that Jesus single-handedly freed us from our sins by paying our debt on the Cross. Then He followed that by sitting down on the right hand of His Father in Heaven. Of course, the “right hand” of the King is the position of honor and power...
And what of angels? Remember, many religious leaders believed in, and possibly worshipped, angels. Here, the writer makes it clear: Jesus is so much better than angels; He had a more excellent name than they. Remember, in the endtimes angels will be constantly worshipping around God’s throne, while Jesus will have His seat at the Father’s side. Jesus is the Maker. Angels are simply messengers...
SON’S SUPERIORITY (Hebrews 1:5-7)
The writer continues his comparison between Jesus and the angels. While this may not appear to be extremely significant to us today, to the people of that day it was of utmost importance. Today, we must be reminded that Jesus is greater than any world power, or leader, or group of people. What would the writer write to us today concerning Jesus?
How great is Jesus? Who else has God called His begotten son? Who else has God called His Son at all? The best WE can do is be adopted, and that through the Blood of the Son Jesus...
The comparison comes to a climax with the words “…and let all the angels of God worship Him…”.
THE SON’S POSITION (Hebrews 1:8-12)
Jesus’ position as God’s Son is not temporary. Jesus is rather eternal, just as God is eternal. There never was a time that Jesus was NOT. There will never be a time when Jesus isn’t. God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are all made of the same “stuff”, and always has been, and always will be. The same is true for the Throne which the Son occupies: it always has been, and always will be, HIS...
Here is another interesting point: God is totally unaffected by time. He is not “trapped” in an instant as we all are. There is no future or past for God, as he is present in all time references. One of the results of this fact is that the “things” that God made all age, as they all have a past, present and future. Not so with God. He has no past or future, only a present. Therefore God never gets old….
A
GOD’S SON -
Hebrews 1:1-12
BACKGROUND:
Jesus created a thorny theological problem for church leaders in Jerusalem . There was simply no place for Him to fit in their belief system. As a result, they challenged Him, and ultimately hung Him on a cross. From their point of view, what else could they do? The Pharisees believed in angels, but not the Son of God. After all, the Messiah of the Old Testament would come sometime after the “return” of Elijah (cf. Malachi 4:5). But even in that, the Pharisees failed. Elijah did come – in the form of John the Baptist (Matthew 11:13, 14)...
So with the presence of Jesus raising questions that religious leaders could not answer, someone had to explain. The writer of Hebrews (and we can’t be sure just who that was) set about the task. First, Jesus had to be put into proper perspective, which brings us to today’s lesson. Just who was Jesus? How does He compare to known “quantities” in religious circles? How does He compare to God? How does He compare to angels? Should He be worshipped? What if YOU had to field such questions? How would YOU proceed?
GOD’S COMMUNICATION (Hebrews 1:1, 2a)
Could this be the announcement of the end of human prophets? In the past, says the writer, God spoke at various times and in different manners to mankind through the prophets. Of course, the prophet usually had no idea just what he was prophesying about. He had little or no insight as to just what God’s plan was concerning the event in question; indeed, he was nothing more than a mouthpiece who delivered a message. One would have to go to God in some way himself to get a detailed explanation. But not so with the Son. Jesus not only spoke prophecies, He also knew their meaning, since He was responsible for their coming to pass. No more getting the word from God through a mouthpiece. Now, man could get the word from God Himself! The Maker was (and in the Spirit still is) making known the Will of God directly from the Maker to man...
GOD’S SON (Hebrews 1:2b-4)
And just who IS this Son? He is the only begotten of God, and direct heir to everything in existence. He (Jesus) is also the maker of ALL things (John 1:3). He is the “brightness of (God’s) glory”. That is, Jesus has His own “brightness”, just as does the Father. Jesus is not to the Father as the moon is to the sun. No, Jesus is not a reflection of the Father, Jesus and the Father are one (John 10:30)...
But even more important to us is that Jesus single-handedly freed us from our sins by paying our debt on the Cross. Then He followed that by sitting down on the right hand of His Father in Heaven. Of course, the “right hand” of the King is the position of honor and power...
And what of angels? Remember, many religious leaders believed in, and possibly worshipped, angels. Here, the writer makes it clear: Jesus is so much better than angels; He had a more excellent name than they. Remember, in the endtimes angels will be constantly worshipping around God’s throne, while Jesus will have His seat at the Father’s side. Jesus is the Maker. Angels are simply messengers...
SON’S SUPERIORITY (Hebrews 1:5-7)
The writer continues his comparison between Jesus and the angels. While this may not appear to be extremely significant to us today, to the people of that day it was of utmost importance. Today, we must be reminded that Jesus is greater than any world power, or leader, or group of people. What would the writer write to us today concerning Jesus?
How great is Jesus? Who else has God called His begotten son? Who else has God called His Son at all? The best WE can do is be adopted, and that through the Blood of the Son Jesus...
The comparison comes to a climax with the words “…and let all the angels of God worship Him…”.
THE SON’S POSITION (Hebrews 1:8-12)
Jesus’ position as God’s Son is not temporary. Jesus is rather eternal, just as God is eternal. There never was a time that Jesus was NOT. There will never be a time when Jesus isn’t. God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are all made of the same “stuff”, and always has been, and always will be. The same is true for the Throne which the Son occupies: it always has been, and always will be, HIS...
Here is another interesting point: God is totally unaffected by time. He is not “trapped” in an instant as we all are. There is no future or past for God, as he is present in all time references. One of the results of this fact is that the “things” that God made all age, as they all have a past, present and future. Not so with God. He has no past or future, only a present. Therefore God never gets old….
A