September 22, 2024: Sunday School

Order of Service

• Scripture Reading — Hebrews 1:1-4
• Sermon
• Prayer of Benediction

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Sermon Title: Christ as Prophet — The Radiance and Revelation of God

Scripture: Hebrews 1:3

I. Review: The Three Offices of Christ in Hebrews 1:1-4

A. The author of Hebrews introduces Christ as King, Prophet, and Priest in the opening verses B. Last week covered Christ as the superior King; this week focuses on Christ as Prophet C. Seven stunning statements about the Son are made in these verses; statements three and four concern his prophetic office

II. The Son is the Radiance of the Glory of God

A. The meaning of "radiance"

1. As sunlight radiates heat and light to earth, the Son radiates the glory of God to us
2. Without the Son we remain in the dark regarding the glory of God
3. 2 Corinthians 4:6 — we see the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (Rick Phillips)

B. Application: We must maintain a high view of Christ as the God-man

1. Tendency to focus on Christ's humanity at the expense of his full deity
2. Colossians 1:19 — in Christ all the fullness of God dwells
3. The Reformers argued that images and depictions of Christ (paintings, actors) are Second Commandment violations, offering only a "half Jesus"

C. Christ as the living revelation of the Father — John 14:4-9

1. "I am the way, and the truth, and the life" — Christ is the living revelation of the Father's will
2. Philip asks to see the Father; Jesus responds: "Whoever has seen me has seen the Father"
3. In the gospels we have seen God walking, talking, loving, and going to the cross

D. Calvin's caution: God uses language fitted to our capacity; all illustrations of the Trinity fall short, but the image of radiance is the closest language available to us

E. Philippians 2:5-11 — Christ as the form of God made fully manifest

1. Though he was in the form of God, he did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped
2. He emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men
3. God highly exalted him; every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord
4. Only as fully God and fully man could he be our perfect substitute, Savior, and Redeemer

III. The Son Upholds the Universe by the Word of His Power

A. Even as the incarnate Son walked the earth, he never ceased upholding all things by his word B. This is the word of our King and our Prophet — the full and final revelation of God's will and person C. Christ is the superior Prophet: his entire life and ministry, not just his teaching, constituted prophecy

1. Like Hosea, whose life itself was prophecy, Christ's whole being was the prophetic word
2. Deuteronomy 18:15-18 — the promise of a prophet to come after Moses
3. Many prophets followed Moses, but only Christ fulfills this promise: "I will put my words in his mouth"
4. Christ's opening proclamation: "Repent and believe the gospel" — he is a preaching prophet

IV. Introduction to Christ as the Great High Priest

A. Hebrews 1:3b-4 — "After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high" B. No Old Testament priest ever sat at the right hand of God — Christ alone does so C. His priesthood as the living sacrifice, offered once for all, is the foundation of our rest in him D. Verse 4 introduces Christ's superiority to angels — to be addressed next week as the remainder of chapter 1 is covered