Series:  Jesus is Greater

Title:  Jesus is Greater than the Angels

Scripture: Hebrews 1:4-14

Audience: Sunday Morning, November 27, 2022, at Trinity Baptist Church, Findlay, Ohio

Subject: Angels

Central Theme: Jesus is Superior to the Angels.

Objective Statement: Jesus is superior in every way.  He is superior to the angels as seen in these four ways.

Keyword: Ways

Points:

1. He has a superior name. He is the Son. They are worshippers. (v.4-7)
2. He has a superior position. He is King.  They are servants. (v.8-9)
3. He has a superior origin. He is Creator. They are created. (v.10-12)
4. He has a superior role. He is Ruler. They are ministers. (v.13-14)

Introduction:

Connection:

• In recent years a head coach divorced his wife of 26 years when he left coaching a college team to become head coach in the National Football League. He said he needed a wife while coaching on the college level for social functions and to show families that he would be looking out for their sons. In pro football, however, she was an unnecessary accouterment and a distraction to winning. He said winning football was his number one priority and his two sons second. How tragic!
• In contrast to this, Tom Landry, former coach of the Dallas cowboys said, "The thrill of knowing Jesus is the greatest thing that ever happened to me ... I think God has put me in a very special place, and He expects me to use it to His glory in everything I do ... whether coaching football or talking to the press, I'm always a Christian ... Christ is first, family second and football third."
• Haddon Robinson points out that one old recipe for rabbit started out with this injunction: "First catch the rabbit." Says Robinson: "The writer knew how to put first things first. That's what we do when we establish priorities -- we put the things that should be in first place in their proper order.

Tension:

• This is what the writer of Hebrews is trying to do for us.
• He is helping us to see that Jesus Christ is greater. He is superior in every way.
• We must prioritize Him in our lives.
• We must put Him first.
• This is being declared in the sermon that we started last week that we will finish today where I began to summarize and clarify what the author of Hebrews is saying about Jesus’s superiority to angels.
• This is a time of year where we hear about angels.
• In the narrative about Christmas we hear about an angel coming to Mary, to Joseph, to Zechariah, and to the shepherds.
• All of these happened in recognition of Jesus Christ Himself. Why?

Objective Statement:
Jesus is superior in every way.  He is superior to the angels as seen in these four ways.

1.     He has a superior name.  He is the Son. They are worshippers. (v.4-7)

Hebrews 1:1-3

(1)  God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,

(2)  Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

(3)  Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

Hebrews 1:4-14

(4)  Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

(5)  For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?

• Here the author asks a question: “Which angel did the Father claim to have begotten?  Which angel did the Father claim to be His only begotten Son?”
• He was referring to the Father’s declaration in Psalm 2:7-

Psalms 2:7

(7)  I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.

• How was Jesus the begotten Son? In His birth…

Luke 1:35

(35)  And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

• He was declared to be Son in His resurrection.

Acts 13:-34

(32)  And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers,

(33)  God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.

(34)  And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David.

• Paul said this in Romans 1:3-4:

Romans 1:3-4

(3)  Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;

(4)  And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:

• Because Jesus was declared to be the Son of God with power through the incarnation, conception and virgin birth…
• Because Jesus was declared to be the Son of God with power through the resurrection from the dead for our sins…
• …We know that Jesus Christ is Superior in every way to the angels. He has obtained the name of Son- a name that they were never given.  He is the only begotton Son.
• He has a superior name. He is the Son.  They are…what are they?

(6)  And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.

(7)  And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.

• They worship Him because He has a superior name. He is the Son.  They are worshippers.
• That leads us to our second point.

2.     He has a superior position.  He is King.  They are servants. (v.8-9)

(5)  For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?

• In verse 5 we have already mentioned the first quotation, Psalm 2:7.
• At the end of the verse it is quoted, “I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?”
• This is another quotation from the Old Testament. You’ll find it in 2 Samuel 7:14.  Let me read it in its full context starting in verse 12 and read to verse 16.

2 Samuel 7:12-16

(12)  And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.

(13)  He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.

(14)  I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men:

(15)  But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee.

(16)  And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.

• This is a part of the Davidic Covenant.
• God tells David that His house and his throne shall be established for ever.
• How is this throne of David established “forever”?
• The prophecy had an immediate fulfillment in Solomon in the national sense.
• In a larger and more incredible sense, it refers to David’s greater Son of another nature, Jesus Christ.

(8)  But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.

• What is the position of Jesus Christ?
• By being an heir, the heir of all things mentioned in verse 2, and by having obtained through an inheritance a name that is greater than the angels, he also has been given a throne.
• This throne is not just a theoretical throne.
• The Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God will rule and reign on the throne of David forever, just as God promised!
• Look at what He says in verse 9:

(9)  Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

• Verse 8 and 9 are a quote of Psalm 45:6-7

Psalms 45:6-7

(6)  Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre.

(7)  Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

• There was a near fulfillment in this Psalm referring to Solomon sitting on the throne of David.
• But we find that this quote, through progressive revelation giving us insight in Hebrews 1:8-9, refers to one greater than Solomon. This is speaking of the Lord Jesus Christ.
• Who is Jesus Christ as the Son and Heir? He is the King that will sit on the throne to rule and reign.
• Who are the angels then? They are what is mentioned in verse 7.

(7)  And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.

• He is the king. They are the servants.

Transition:

Jesus is superior in every way.  He is superior to the angels as seen in this third way.

1. He has a superior name. He is the Son. They are His worshippers.
2. He has a superior position. He is the King. They are His servants.

3.     He has a superior origin. He is Creator. They are created. (v.10-12)

(10)  And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:

• Here is another quote from the Old Testament in Psalms.

Psalms 102:25-27

(25)  Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands.

(26)  They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed:

(27)  But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.

• The author of Hebrews quotes the Psalmist as speaking of Jesus Christ.
• In the beginning thou laid the foundation of the earth- This is speaking of Jesus Christ as Creator.
• He speaks of two things being created- the earth and the heavens.
• What does that sound like? Genesis 1:1

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”

• There are many Biblical reasons to believe that God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit were all active in Creation.
• Genesis 1:2 says that the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
• In Genesis 1:26-27, God refers to himself in the plural, and He is also referred to in the singular.

Genesis 1:26-27

(26)  And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.  (27)  So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

• If the God of the Bible is real, He has revealed Himself as trinitarian, and you would expect Him to be described as both singular and plural. That’s exactly what you see in Genesis 1.
• You would certainly not be surprised that all three would be active at creation.
• If the world is created, then whatever created it has to have existed before it. This is exactly what is revealed in the scripture- that God existed in the beginning as the Trinitarian God.
• Jesus Christ is described as the Creator of the Universe throughout the New Testament:
• John 1:1-3

John 1:1-3

(1)  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

(2)  The same was in the beginning with God.

(3)  All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

• 1 Corinthians 8:6

1 Corinthians 8:6

(6)  But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.

• Ephesians 3:8 -11

Ephesians 3:8-11

(8)  Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; (9)  And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:

(10)  To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, (11)  According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:

• Colossians 1:15-18

Colossians 1:15-18

(15)  Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:

(16)  For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

(17)  And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

(18)  And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

• Hebrews 1:1-4

Hebrews 1:1-2

(1)  God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,

(2)  Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

• Revelation 1:8

Revelation 1:8

(8)  I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

• Revelation 3:14

Revelation 3:14

(14)  And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;

• Revelation 4:11

Revelation 4:11

(11)  Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

• Revelation 10:6

Revelation 10:6

(6)  And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer:

• Do you see the overwhelming evidence of the Bible’s consistent revelation about Jesus? He is creator!
• Both our text, and the quote in Psalm 102 go on to say this:

(11)  They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment;

• What does it mean when it says “they all shall perish”?
• The word “they” refers to things that are created. This creation.
• What does it say will happen?
• “perish”
• “wax old”
• We all get the idea of a garment getting old or wearing out.
• Do any of your socks get holes in them?
• I recently talked to a person in our church who shall remain nameless. 😊 He told me that every year his mom buys him socks and underwear for Christmas. Until last year.  He said he told his mom, “Hey!  What about the socks and underwear?”  I thought you may not want them.  “Of course I want them!”
• Why would he want new socks every year? Because they wear out!
• I remember opening the socks or the undershirts as a gift when I was a kid or teenager and thinking, “Gee thanks!”
• Now I’m pretty happy. It’s amazing when you start to have to buy those things on your own that you appreciate it differently.
• The Psalmist says that the created world is wearing out and wearing down. We certainly know that to be the case.
• He also uses that other word, “perish” about things created.
• That is something else that the scriptures teach. The earth is going to end.

2 Peter 3:11-13

2 Peter 3:7-13

(7)  But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.  (8)  But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.  (9)  The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.  (10)  But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.  (11)  Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,

(12)  Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

• The earth is going to end. God is going to judge it, and those on it who do not repent and turn to Christ.
• That is where all of history is going.
• That’s the bad news.
• The good news is that Christ, as Creator, is different than His creation.
• This world waxes old. Christ does not.
• This world will perish. Christ does not.
• Look at what it says in verse 12.

(12)  And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.

• He says about Christ- “thy years shall not fail”. Unlike His creation, there is no end to Christ.
• But what does the author say about creation? He continues the clothing metaphor.  “And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed.”
• What an apt description that is in keeping with the rest of scripture.
• We were just in 2^nd Peter 3 where it is described what will happen to this creation. It’s going to burn up.
• I let off the last verse:

(13)  Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

• There is going to be a new heaven and a new earth.
• That new heaven and new earth will not be cursed by sin.
• It will not wear out.
• Righteousness and rightness will be its marked difference between that world and this one.
• Revelation 21:1-8 foretells what this will look like:

Revelation 21:1-8

(1)  And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

(2)  And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

(3)  And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

(4)  And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

(5)  And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

(6)  And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.

(7)  He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

(8)  But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

• The angels? Did they create the world?  Did they pre-exist creation?  No they did not.  They are created.  They do not create.

Jesus is superior in every way.  He is superior to the angels as seen this way.

1. He has a superior name. He is the Son. They are His worshippers.
2. He has a superior position. He is the King. They are His servants.
3. He has a superior origin. He is Creator. They are created. (v.10-12)

4.     He has a superior Role. He is Ruler. They are ministers. (v.13-14)

(13)  But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?

• In similar fashion to the previous questions, the author asks these last two questions in what makes up Hebrews 1.
• On its face the answer is “none”. He never said for any angel to sit at His right hand.  He never told any angel that he would make the angels enemies their footstool.  He said it to His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
• Where did he say it? He said it in Psalm 110:1, a psalm of David.
• Look at that scripture:

Psalms 110:1

(1)  A Psalm of David. The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.

• The fact that it is a psalm of David is important, because of the issue raised by Jesus Himself in Matthew 22:41-46.
• Look at what Jesus says there:

Matthew 22:41-46

(41)  While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them,

(42)  Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The Son of David.

• The pharisees, who had a problem with Jesus, believed that the Messiah, the Christ, that would come would be a son of David. They answered this correctly.

(43)  He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying,

(44)  The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool?

(45)  If David then call him Lord, how is he his son?

• Do any of you call your kids “Lord”?
• If you do, that is a bad parenting plan.
• There are some families where the kids are in charge. That’s not good.
• Why would David call His Son Lord?

(46)  And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.

• They couldn’t answer, but we can.
• The reason that David called his son Lord is because son is born in His line, but is begotten of the Father.
• He is both human and divine.
• One commentator put it this way:

my Lord. This title refers to the divine/human King of Israel—the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ's humanity descended from David, which is demanded by the Davidic promise of 2Sa_7:12. Using this passage, Christ also declared His deity in the Gospels (Mat_22:44; Mar_12:36; Luk_20:42-43) by arguing that only God could have been lord to King David.

• Jesus has a much different role than the angels. This is what is being stated here.
• Let’s look at this seat, and His enemies.

His Seat.

• His place to sit is at the right hand of the Father.
• What does this mean?
• It is place of honor in the heavenly throne room.
• Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father.
• We’ve already been told that this is where Jesus sat down when the work of redemption was accomplished in Hebrews 1:3. It says in Hebrews 1:3b:

…when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

• This is a place of honor for the Son alone.
• Perhaps this is why Jesus said to the disciples that it was not his place to give them a seat at his right hand and his left when they enter the kingdom. That’s not how it works.
• Jesus deserves the highest place. He deserves the place of honor having obeyed the Father, and purged our sins.
• He has a different role because of His seat.

His enemies.

(13)  But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?

• What is a footstool?
• This is a metaphor that was used a lot in ancient times to refer to picture someone’s absolute victory.
• The idea is that one had so conquered that their enemy was underfoot. They were in absolute subjection to them because of that victory.
• Do you remember what we studied when we looked at Ephesians 1? Look at what Paul prayed that the Ephesians (and us) would know about the greatness of Jesus’ power.

Ephesians 1:19-23

(19)  And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, (20)  Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,  (21)  Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: (22)  And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, (23)  Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

• When Jesus came the first time, He came to Bethlehem as a baby. He came in humility.  He came fully God and fully man.
• He was the suffering Servant.
• When Christ comes back again, He will come as the conquering King. He will put all His enemies under His Feet.
• Love compels me to tell you this: The Fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom.
• Know that Jesus Christ loves you. He died for you.
• But that does not mean that there is nothing to be feared.
• To be against Jesus is to be His enemy, and you do not want to be His enemy.
• We learned last Sunday night from Philippians 2:9-11

Philippians 2:9-11

(9)  Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

(10)  That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;  (11)  And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

• Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess.
• Some will do it willingly receiving the gift of Salvation.
• Some will do it as conquered foes, under His feet.
• Make the right choice!
• His role is different than the angels.
• Look at how the author concludes what we call Hebrews 1 in talking about the angels:

(14)  Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?

• The angels are ministering spirits.
• They do the bidding of God himself.
• Here it says they are “sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation”.
• God loves people.
• He often will use angels to minister and protect people.
• This concept was explained by Jesus talking about children specifically.

Matthew 18:10-

(10)  Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.

(11)  For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.

• If God, and the angels themselves, take the time and effort to protect and help people, we must have that same mindset towards others ourselves.
• Angels do not rule. They are not sitting at the right hand of the father.
• They worship. They serve. They are created and they are ministers.

Conclusion:

Jesus Is superior in every way.

• He is the Son.
• He is the King.
• He is creator.
• He is ruler.

And what is amazing beyond amazing is that He loves you.  He gave His life so that you can be saved.  Bow your knee now.  Confess Him as Lord now, and receive the gift of Salvation!

You know what it makes me think of… A verse in the Christmas Carol we all sing every year…

“Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation

Sing, all ye citizens of heaven above!

Glory to God

All glory in the highest

O come, let us adore Him

O come, let us adore Him

O come, let us adore Him

Christ the Lord

Was this supposed to be 26 or 32?  I made it 32 on the slide since the only verses showing were 32-34… if it’s different let me know.

@Benjamin Jennings This one also says 1-4 but only shows 1-2? I did 1-2 on PP

@Benjamin Jennings this says through 14 but only shows 10-11? I did PP 10-11