Scripture

But to the Son he says,

“Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever. You rule with a sceptre of justice.”

Observation

“Jesus is superior to the angels. God never said to any angel, “You are my Son.” He also said, concerning Jesus, ” I will be his father, and he will be my Son.”

When Jesus came into the world God said, “Let all of God’s angels worship him.” The angels are servants of God, but Jesus is the Son, the one who reigns forever with a sceptre of Justice.

Application

Over the last few decades, we have seen in parts of the New Age Movement, a resurgence of the worship of angels.

The author of Hebrews points out that Jesus is greater than the angels; they are servants, but Jesus is the one who sits on the throne of God .

His throne endures forever; it is eternal. The Queen will one day pass away. There is speculation that one day in the future, the UK will abolish the monarchy altogether. Then the throne will pass away also.

But the reign of Jesus, His throne so to speak, it will last forever. Having died on the cross and defeated sin then rising from the dead, his rule is never ending.

We don’t worship created beings such as angels. We do not give our primary allegiance to any human ruler. No, we worship the King of Kings, the holy Son of God.

Prayer

Hallelujah! What a saviour! You alone, Lord Jesus, are worthy of my prayers. you reign for ever and ever. Amen

Scripture

The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his commands. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honour at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven.

Observation

In the past, God spoke in many times and in many ways through the prophets. Now, He has given us the ultimate revelation through His Son.

The Son created the universe, and He radiates the glory of God. He expresses God’s character, and He sustains all things. After dying to cleanse us from sin, He ascended to sit in the place of honour beside the Father. The Son is greater than the angels.

Application

Jesus is the expression of the glory and the character of God. When we see Jesus, we see the Father. When we read of the miracles and understand the teaching of Jesus, then we see the heart of God.

The character and glory of God are seen above all in the death of Jesus on the cross. God could not bear to see us lost in our sin, so He took the punishment for us. Jesus, God in the flesh, absorbed all the wrath of God against human rebellion.

Now Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father. Having descended to the place of suffering, God raised him to the highest place of glory.

How can we do anything other than worship our Saviour? How can we do anything other than to surrender our redeemed lives back to him?

Prayer

Lord Jesus, I thank you for dying for me. Thank you for destroying the power of the Devil. Amen

Scripture

For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once or all time.

Observation

Christ came into the world to take away our sins. He said to God,” You do not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings. I will offer my body. I have come to do your will, O God.”

Christ cancels the first covenant, the covenant of Moses, in order to bring a new covenant into effect. Gods will is for all of us to be made holy by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

Application

Jesus came with the sole mission of dying to atone for the sins of all people.

His death is good enough for my sins and for yours. There is no expiry date on His sacrifice.

There is nothing we can add to this sacrifice. It is good for all people for all time. There will never be another Jesus, another atoning sacrifice.

We are made holy by the sacrifice, not by our good deeds. It is all grace from God.

We are not made right by offering sacrifices nor by observing the Jewish festivals. These things have been done away with forever.

Now there is only one sacrifice that puts us right with God – that of Jesus our Lord.

Prayer

Hallelujah! Lord, you have liberated me from bondage to sin and to law. You make us holy by your own sacrifice. Thank you. Amen

Scripture

Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Observation

Faith is being certain of what we hope for, sure of what we do not see. Faith tells us that God created the universe. Faith gave Abel a better sacrifice and lifted Enoch to heaven.

Noah built an ark by faith, and Abraham followed God to a foreign country by faith. By faith Abraham fathered a nation.

Application

Faith is central to our relationship with God.

We must first of all believe that He exists. This is not an intellectual exercise that says there must be a God. No, true faith is a deep trust- I believe that the God of the Bible is real and that He is the one true God.

Faith is an issue of trust or commitment. I commit my whole life into the simple fact that God is here and He controls my living and my dying.

Secondly, faith is built on the belief that He rewards those who seek Him.

We are saved by faith in Christ. That faith tells me that God is good and that He is passionately committed to me. I trust that when I stand before Him, the blood of Christ will protect me from His holy wrath. My sins have been washed away by the blood- they were scarlet but now I am like the snow.

Because I know that He loves me, I can approach boldly the throne of grace. I can come into His presence and ask for the things that I need and the concerns of my heart.

God is good, and I know that He will never disappoint me.

Prayer

Thank you Lord for the gift of faith. It is by faith that I am saved and by faith I am delivered, healed, renewed and redeemed. Thank you Lord for your great grace. Amen.

Scripture

Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another– and all the more as we see the Day coming.

Observation

Priests offer sacrifices over and over, but Christ our High Priest offered the one perfect sacrifice and then sat down at God’s right hand. This one sacrifice atoned for all sin and so there is no longer any need for sacrifices.

Therefore we have confidence to enter the Holy Place knowing that our hearts and consciences have been made clean. We should spur one another on to good deeds, continuing to meet together to encourage one another.

Application

There is a wrong belief amongst some people that we don’t need church to walk with Jesus. Apparently that belief was there from the beginning, but in our increasingly individualistic and fragmented society it is becoming more common.

On the one hand, the New Testament reassures us that we have the Holy Spirit and don’t need anyone to teach us the ways of the Lord. On the other hand, the New Testament also emphasises frequently the corporate nature of the church which is described as the Body of Christ,

We need each other to ensure that we keep growing in Christ. We need each other to complement one another’s spiritual gifts. When we are left to our own devices it is easy to be deceived into believing that we are doing well. When we meet together the exuberance of others might encourage us to go deeper in Christ. Seeing others grow in the Lord can encourage us to see that we have more to learn, more to repent, more to grow.

Prayer

Thank you Jesus for the church, the Body of Christ in the world. Help me to be an encourager to my fellow christians and to be encouraged by them. Amen.