Who Is Jesus, What Has He Done, and What Is He Doing?

Hebrews 1:1-4

What comes to mind when you think of your relationship with God? Do you dwell on former seasons where the relationship felt easier? Or perhaps you are discouraged at the present because you feel stuck? Or maybe you are worried about whether or not you can remain faithful as life seems to be getting more complicated? 

These are the kinds of questions and problems that the Letter to the Hebrews is addressing. Many of them were either holding onto obsolete forms of worship of the past or experiencing discouragement as they were thinking about their present and future circumstances. The writer of Hebrews addresses these questions by pointing to Jesus Christ.

The first chapter compares how God has been working in the past with how God is working now in Jesus Christ. Many of us take for granted how envious it is for us to live in this era after Jesus's resurrection. Prior to this, people's relationship with God was not as direct or as secure as their communication with God was mostly mediated by prophets and other anointed people of God. For the recipients of Hebrews and for us, we now have a more direct relationship with God because our mediator is Christ himself! In fact, Christ is in us and we are in Christ!

The sermon will focus largely on verses 3-4 where it emphasizes who Jesus is and what he has done/is currently doing. 

a) Jesus is "the exact imprint of [God's] nature": although God is so holy and transcendent, in Jesus, we see his qualities most accurately and vividly.  

b) Jesus "upholds the universe by the word of his power": this assumes that Jesus has created all of reality by his mere Word (John 1.1-3) and that all of reality is sustained by the same power of his Word. 

c) Jesus made "purification for sins": despite being God himself and the creator/sustainer of the universe, he purified our sins by dying for us. 

d) Currently Jesus is sitting "down at the right hand of the Majesty on high": this means that he is in his glorified position, but it also means that he is currently interceding for us through prayer.

In each of these points, there is so much relevance and depth that will be elaborated during the sermon.

Read Hebrews 1.1-4

1. Go back to the introduction of the sermon summary above and share your response to such questions.

2. Our relationship with God might seem complex or difficult, and focusing on Jesus Christ might seem like an oversimplification. He is, after all, the answer to every Sunday school question! But in your own words, why is looking to Jesus Christ not an oversimplification, but the truth that we need based on this passage/sermon? Share about an experience that you had where looking to Christ is what you needed.

3. Review the last paragraph of the sermon summary above. Which aspects of Jesus resonate with you the most and why?