Memorial Drive
12/13/15
THE GREATEST "SPEECH" OF ALL TIME
Hebrews 1:1 - 2:3
… Great Speeches
And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country."(JFK)
"… we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender."(Churchill)
"Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth, upon this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal."(Lincoln)
... THE GREATEST "SPEECH" (1-2a)
"God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in {His} Son …"
"And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14)
Paul tells us: "… in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form." (Col. 2:9)
… THE SUPERIOR SON (2b-14)
… God has spoken through the prophets, but now through His Son!
"Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard and put a wall around it and dug a wine press in it, and built a tower, and rented it out to vine-growers, and went on a journey. And when the harvest time approached, he sent his slaves to the vine-growers to receive his produce. And the vine-growers took his slaves and beat one, and killed another, and stoned a third. Again he sent another group of slaves larger than the first; and they did the same thing to them. But afterward he sent his son to them, saying, 'They will respect my son." (Jesus' Parable in Matt 21:33-37)
Superior to what? Or who?
Note: Hebrews 2:2 "… if the word spoken through angels …"
… God has spoken through angelic majesties
"… received the law as ordained by angels, and {yet} did not keep it."(Ac 7:5)
"… the angel who was speaking to him (Moses) on Mount Sinai … and he received living oracles to pass on to you. And our fathers were unwilling to be obedient to him, but repudiated him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt …".(Ac 7:37-39)
Note: They were "unwilling to be obedient"! Outcome: "… every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense …" (vs. 2)
If God will judge when people disregard what He has spoken through men and angels, how much more so when He speaks through His Superior Son.
The "Superior Son" contrasted to angelic majesties …
… THE DANGEROUS NEGLECT (2:1-3a)
"For this reasonwe must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away {from it.} For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense,how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?"
None of us will leave here exactly the way we came for we have "heard"!
Salvation's Message:
1) We are all sinners! (Isaiah 53:6, Romans 3:23)
2) A penalty is due! (Romans 6:23)
3) A provision has been made! (Isaiah 53:6, Romans 6:23)
4) I must respond personally: Acknowledge need and receive the provision
"As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become sons of God." (John 1:12)
"The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart"-- that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus {as} Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved …" (Romans. 10:8-9)
"How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?"
Have I personally "received" Christ as my Savior and Lord?
Am I faithfully "tending to" my salvation?