International Gospel Hour

Guest (Male): He has spoken unto us by his Son. Oh, thank you, Father and God Almighty. Let's allow God to speak to us through his word. A highlight from Hebrews is coming up from the International Gospel Hour right here.

J. Webb: It's time for our broadcast from the International Gospel Hour. I'm J. Webb, and welcome to our study today as we embrace God's word to help us meet the challenges of today. Let's open our Bibles and open our hearts for this time of Bible study with our speaker, Jeff Archey, of International Gospel Hour, a broadcast of the churches of Christ. Here's Jeff.

Jeff Archey: Well, thank you always to our J. Webb for his kind words. And greetings to all of you. It's great to have you with us for our broadcast here from the International Gospel Hour. We want to remind our consistent listeners and even some of our newer folks that are coming on board that everything we offer from International Gospel Hour—study material, reading material, links, and so on—is absolutely free.

Friends, we try to put good, sound, biblical material in your hands and your possession, whether online or by mail. We want to send you the very best that we possibly can. We're grateful for so many folks that make this possible, and therefore we do not ask for one dime from our listening audience or from our viewing audience. We're thankful that you've joined us, so you can relax knowing we're not going to be asking for your money. We want to work together, and we want to share with you the great message, the gospel of Christ.

You know, there's no better way than to begin a broadcast about the book of Hebrews than to begin, well, with the book of Hebrews. In Hebrews 1, beginning with verse one: God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds; who being in 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 at the right hand of the Majesty on high.

My friend and brother Michael Whitworth, in his excellent book *The Son's Supremacy*, expressed the following: "I believe the original audience of Hebrews were Christians in some first-century locale outside of Palestine. They had at first received the gospel with gladness, and early trials had failed to rattle them. But over the years, the cumulative effect of temptation, trouble, and sorrow had taken its toll. Plateauing in their spiritual growth had not helped matters, nor had ostracism and boycotts from the Jewish community."

"There was now a sentiment predominating that these Christians would be better off if they made the minor adjustment of returning to Sinai and the covenant, and they were experiencing a crisis of faith. Return to Moses or double down, if you will, on Jesus. Hebrews then was written to urge them to maintain their faith in and confession of Jesus. Hebrews chapters 3:6 and 14, Hebrews 4:14, and Hebrews 10:23." Again, that's Michael Whitworth's book *The Son's Supremacy*, the introduction, page six.

In an additional thought, Brother Whitworth summarizes the book in a very concise manner: "This letter is about one thing, the supremacy of the Son of God. Supremacy over Moses, angels, and the Levitical priesthood." Friends, in just a moment, we're going to look at Hebrews 1 with our highlights from Hebrews program as we talk about Christ is superior. But first, a few words about our friends at the World Video Bible School.

J. Webb: World Video Bible School is at wvbs.org. That's wvbs.org. You can check out over 2,400 videos on a number of biblical subjects, and you can also enroll in their online school and work at your pace. And friends, it's absolutely free. That's wvbs.org. Again, that's wvbs.org.

Jeff Archey: And friends, our co-laborers at wvbs.org, World Video Bible School, they have an in-depth study of the book of Hebrews that's available. So check it out as an online course today. Again, that free online study awaits you at wvbs.org. That's wvbs.org.

Now from chapter one of the book of Hebrews, let's talk about Christ is superior. As we read moments ago from verses one through three, he is superior to the prophets of old, spoken by the Son, of whom God continues to speak through his word today. John 12 and verse 48, the word of Christ will judge us. In Galatians 1:6-9, we see that if we go after any other gospel which is not another, let us be accursed. Only the gospel of Christ should speak today.

We note Matthew 17:1-5 of how God said, "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him." Have you ever said, "Well, that's my final word on the subject"? Or maybe you've said, "That's it, I'm not saying any more," or even, "That's my last word on it." Well, if you want to summarize what God is saying to the book of Hebrews through the writer, he is telling us that he has spoken to man in many different ways in the past, but now he speaks to us in and through his Son. That's God's final word on the subject.

In Jude verse three, "Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints." When we read that in Jude 3, to contend earnestly for the faith—the faith, the gospel system, the teaching, the one faith (Ephesians 4)—which was once for all delivered to the saints. There is nothing more that God has to add, dear friends.

We understand from 2 Peter 1:3-4 that he has given us all things that pertain unto life and godliness. And dear friends, all means all. In 2 Timothy 3:16-17, "For all scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." Dear friends, we have the final word, the Holy Bible, that speaks of Jesus, and those words are true. We can depend on God's word, for Christ is superior to the prophets and he speaks to us through his Son.

We notice, continuing in chapter one, verses 3-7, how Christ is superior to the angels. We pick back up with verse three: "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 at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become so much better than the angels, as he has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they."

"For to which of the angels did he ever say, 'You are my Son, today I have begotten you'? And again, 'I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son'? But when he again brings the firstborn into the world, he says, 'Let all the angels of God worship him.' And of the angels he says, 'who makes his angels spirits and his ministers a flame of fire.'"

Now friends, as we've read a little, let's study a little. When we go back to verse three and we see the phrase "express image" or "exact image," it means that he is upholding all things by his power. In Matthew 28 and verse 18, Jesus said all power or all authority is given unto me in both heaven and on earth. Back up with that Romans 8 and verse 17 as well. And how he was able to purge all the sins of mankind?

Well, we see that also in 1 Peter 1:18-19, as well as in Matthew 26 and verse 28, when at the Last Supper he took the cup and said, "This is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins." So in verse four, we understand that he has become so much better than the angels; he obtained a more excellent name. Philippians 2 and verse 9, rather, that at the name of Jesus Christ every knee should bow, of things in heaven, things in earth, and things under the earth.

In verse five, of course, when he said, "Which of the angels said he at any time, 'Thou art my Son'?" Let's remember a few moments ago from Matthew 17 and verse 5, when the voice from heaven said, this speaking of Christ, "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him." In verse six, where God brings the firstborn into the world and said, "Let all the angels of God worship him," does that not remind us of Luke chapter 2, verses 10 through 14?

When the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger." And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men."

Yes, Christ was worshiped by the angels. And let's not forget, in Revelation 22:8 and 9, an angel is not to be worshiped by anyone. My friends, what great highlights from this awesome chapter. Now, we've been emphasizing speaking of Christ and how we are to hear Christ. Friends, we have a fantastic online study through our good friend and brother, Rob Whitaker, and here is our J. Webb to tell you how you can view that study online.

J. Webb: Let's go back to the Bible, shall we? On International Gospel Hour, we always desire to go back to the Bible for our studies. And now we are delighted to offer a special video series through our friends at World Video Bible School. It's called "Back to the Bible" with our friend, Rob Whitaker, a simple yet thorough study that deals with authority in religion, the church, and your salvation.

It's free, friends. Call us at 855-444-6988. Tell us your email address, say "Back to the Bible," and we will send the link to you. It's that easy. You can go to our website at internationalgospelhour.com, click on the "Contact" tab, leave us your email, type "Back to the Bible" in the message box, and we will send the link right away. We look forward to hearing from you.

Jeff Archey: Well friends, we hope that this highlight from Hebrews has been of great interest to you, and we'll be working on other studies in the book of Hebrews as well through our broadcast here. But today, let's rest assured that Christ is superior, and let us go back to the Bible and see his superiority and how he and only he can make us great. Dear friends, let's turn unto Christ and we'll continue these studies together at another time. Thank you for joining me today here on the International Gospel Hour. I'm Jeff Archey, and as always, friends, keep listening.

J. Webb: Thank you for listening today. To God be the glory, and we hope that our study today will draw you closer to his word to walk in his way. Feel free to listen to our other programs at our website at internationalgospelhour.com. And join us next time.