Turn with me in your Bibles to the Book of Hebrews.

During our “Snow Day” last Sunday, I listened to an online preacher talking about the Dangers of Idolatry. It was a very interesting sermon/ teaching, and very much enjoyed it. In the sermon the minister noted that “everybody worships something”, and that when God took His people out of Egypt under Moses’ leadership, one of the first requirements that God gave His people was:

Exodus 20:2-3 I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

God identified Himself as Israel’s Savior, and Israel as a people saved. God commanded that His people have no other gods before the God Who saved them. God identifies Himself frequently throughout the Scripture, using the same terminology He uses in Exodus 20:2 ..

Deuteronomy 5:6 I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt …

Psalm 81:10 I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt …

Isaiah 43:3 For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Savior: I gave Egypt for thy ransom …

Hosea 13:4 Yet I am the Lord thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but me: for there is no savior beside me.

God identifies Himself as Israel’s Savior.
God identifies Himself as OUR Savior.

When we make an idol of anything, if we worship anything or anyone outside of the God of the Scripture, we demean God our Savior. It is God Who saves us, and not we ourselves. When the commercials today say “Keep on doing YOU”, they are bidding us to follow idols.

Illustrate: I saw a commercial for a Chevy Camaro this morning. It showed a young boy seeing his first Camaro, and falling in love with it. The boy got a pickle jar and started saving for his car. As he grew up, and time passed, situations in his life caused him to spend his “Camaro” money on other things. He spent money on a wedding ring, the birth of his children, the marriage of a daughter. Each time his “Camaro” savings were depleted, and he started saving again. After his wife died, and he emptied the “Camaro” jar to bury her, he again began saving. A birthday coming up, he carries his full pickle jar to the Camaro dealer when, suddenly, he gets a heart attack and dies. As the commercial ends, the man gets to the afterlife, and there is the Camaro of his dreams. He gets in it, and becomes a little boy again. The commercial ends with, “Camaro, the dream never dies”.

This is idolatry. A Camaro cannot save you, nor make your life better. When you die the stuff you made idols of will not be waiting on the “other side” for you. You will just have Jesus’ statement ringing in your ears as you depart into a place of separation from God and eternal punishment. Our Lord’s Words:

Matthew 16:26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

When we make idols instead of worshiping the God Who made us, we rob ourselves of a promised blessed life.

As we continue our series on Baptist Distinctives, tonight we’re going to talk about the Lord Jesus Christ. The Baptist Faith & Message (2000) notes:

“Christ is the eternal Son of God. In His incarnation as Jesus Christ He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. Jesus perfectly revealed and did the will of God, taking upon Himself human nature with its demands and necessities and identifying Himself completely with mankind yet without sin. He honored the divine law by His personal obedience, and in His substitutionary death on the cross He made provision for the redemption of men from sin. He was raised from the dead with a glorified body and appeared to His disciples as the person who was with them before His crucifixion. He ascended into heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God where He is the One Mediator, fully God, fully man, in whose Person is effected the reconciliation between God and man. He will return in power and glory to judge the world and to consummate His redemptive mission. He now dwells in all believers as the living and ever present Lord.”

Within the Trinity of God, the Father is the Planner and the Director of the will of God. God the Son – though equally God with the Father – moves at the discretion and direction of God the Father to save the people of God. The Book of Hebrews teaches us many things about the person of Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ Is Not Lesser God Than The Father
Jesus Christ Is God Manifested To Be Our Mediator

Hebrews 1:1-2 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;

The first point made is that under the Old Covenant (the Old Testament) GOD spoke to humanity “by the prophets”.

The Prophets Were Mediators Between God & Man

2 Peter 1:21 … the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy {Spirit}.

God sometimes came to individuals in a dream. God did this with:

Moses (Numbers 12:6-8)
Jacob (Genesis 46:2-4)
Abram (Genesis 12:1-3)
Noah (Genesis 8:15-19)
Joseph (Genesis 37:5)
Joseph, Mary’s Husband (Matthew 1:20)
Paul (Acts 9)

There are many others God talked to personally, but most people received the Word of God through a mediator. In the Old Testament God chose men to be mediators, people through whom He would speak to humanity called prophets. Under the New Covenant, the Mediator is Jesus Christ, or the Apostles that Jesus Himself chose to speak for Him. The Prophets and Apostles were just plain folk, just like we are. James, the stepbrother of Jesus notes that “Elijah was a man subject to like passions as we are” (James 5:17). The Apostles and Prophets were not “super believers”, but were chosen because they were willing to be used of God. But Jesus, He is more than just another Prophet. We are told:

Hebrews 1:2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he {God} hath appointed heir {Jesus} of all things, by Whom {Jesus} also He made the worlds…

God the Father has made Jesus “heir of all things”. Why is Jesus “heir of all things”? It is because it is “by Whom also {God} made the worlds”. God the Father, the Planner and Leader of the Trinity, made everything you see and cannot see through the Lord Jesus Christ. The Apostle says it this way in:

1 Corinthians 8:6 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.

God the Father is the Planner and Director. Jesus Christ is the means of creation. “By whom are all things, and we by him”. Though Father, Son, and Spirit were in the beginning, from eternity, with God, it was Jesus Christ Who made all things at the direction of the Father. It is Jesus Christ that makes us right with God. Jesus is Creator God. The Apostle notes this in the oft quoted:

John 1:1-3, 14 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. … And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

Jesus Christ is called “the Word”because He IS the ONLY Mediator between God and Man in this current dispensation. He entered His creation through Mary.

Jesus did not come into being when He was born of a virgin. He was “with God, and the Word was God”. John carefully states that “the Word was made flesh”, that is, Eternal God the Son took on humanity through the operation of God the Holy Spirit in the life of the virgin called Mary (Luke 1:35). Jesus is fully equal with both Father and Spirit. Jesus is also like us, but without sin (Hebrews 4:15; 9:28). As God, Jesus knows what it is to be God. As perfect Man, Jesus knows what it is to be in this present creation. The Bible says:

1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

There is only One Person Who has ever been able to act as the conduit between God and Man. I believe that it was Jesus Christ Who walked daily in the Garden with Adam (Genesis 3:8). I believe that it was Jesus Christ Who formed Adam of the dust of the ground (Genesis 2:7), and Jesus Christ Who took a rib from Adam and formed Eve (Genesis 2:21-22).

Jesus made all things at the Father’s direction. Jesus created animals and humanity. When the Bible says that we are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27; 9:6), it means that we were made to be like Jesus, our Creator. Jesus is the “appointed heir of all things” because He made it and us. When creation fell to darkness, it is easy to understand that Jesus would be the Savior, since He made it all in the first place. Everything belongs to Jesus. Everything. When God spoke through the Prophet saying:

Ezekiel 18:4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.

It was the preincarnate Jesus telling humanity that we all belong to Him. It is Jesus Who, offering Himself up on our behalf on the Cross of Calvary, saves whosoever believeth in Him. Why? Why won’t other gods, other methods, bring salvation to a sinner? Because Jesus Christ is the ONE and ONLY MEDIATOR between God and Man. We read:

Hebrews 1:3-4 Who {Jesus} 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: 4 Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

Jesus was made in His humanity, but not in His deity. Jesus Christ is revealed God in human flesh. He is the “brightness of His {God’s} glory”. Jesus said:

John 14:9 … he that hath seen Me hath seen the Father …

The Apostle wrote in Colossians 1:14-17 In {Jesus Christ} we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: 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 {Jesus} is before all things, and by him all things consist.

Jesus is God manifested to us. In Jesus we see “the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power”. The Apostle tells us that we who believe are waiting for “the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ”. Jesus Christ is God. The Father, upon incarnating Jesus into the world, ordered …

Hebrews 1:6 … let all the angels of God worship him.

The Father declares the Godhood of Jesus. Jesus is to be worshiped. Jesus was worshiped. The Magi came looking for the Baby Jesus. “We have seen His star in the east, and are come to worship Him” (Matthew 2:2). When Jesus began His ministry, He often received worship.

“there came a leper and worshiped Him” (Matthew 8:2)
“there came a certain ruler, and worshiped Him” (Matthew 9:17)
“they that were in the ship came and worshiped Him” (Matthew 14:33)
“Then came she and worshiped Him” (Matthew 15:25)
“came to him the mother of Zebedees …worshiping Him” (Matthew 20:20)
“they held Him by the feet and worshiped Him” (Matthew 28:9)

How could Jesus be worshiped? Is this not blasphemy? No, it is not, for God has said of Jesus:

Hebrews 1:8 … unto the Son {God the Father} saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of thy kingdom.

As The Only Mediator, God The Son Represents
The Saved Before God The Father

There are many idols in the world, but Jesus Christ is no idol. Jesus is “Him that is true, and we are in Him that is true, even in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the True God, and Eternal Life” (1 John 5:20). The Bible makes it very clear that every human is unworthy to stand before God. The Apostle said:

Romans 3:10-12 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

People believe that they can be good enough to reach Heaven. The scripture never teaches such a concept. The Bible tells us that Adam’s sin in Eden brought sin and condemnation to all humanity. We read:

Romans 5:12, 15 -19 … by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: … 15 But not as the offense, so also is the free gift. For if through the offense of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. 16 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offenses unto justification. 17 For if by one man’s offense death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) 18 Therefore as by the offense of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. 19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

Adam sinned a sin that brought sin and death into all of his children. Jesus Christ came to mediate between God and man, to bring us back to a state of rightness with God our Father. Under the Old Covenant, the High Priest would take an animal sacrifice, kill it, and sprinkle its blood on the sinner. The blood sprinkled “atoned for” or “covered up” sin, making that person temporarily right before God.

Hebrews 10:4 … it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.

The Old Testament sacrifices were but temporary measures, until God the Father sent God the Son into the world. “The Law {of animal sacrifices} was a shadow of good things to come, but not in itself the good thing” (Hebrews 10:1). But then the Father sent the Son. Jesus was willing to come and give Himself for our sins.

Hebrews 10:9-14 Then said {Jesus}, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God {the Father}. He taketh away the first {covenant of animal sacrifices}, that he may establish the second {covenant of Calvary’s sacrifice}. 10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering often times the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: 12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God {the Father}; 13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. 14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

God through Moses gave humanity a temporary means by which we could make ourselves right with God the Father. It was temporary, for otherwise the animal sacrifices would only be done once, not year after year as they were. When Jesus Christ came, He came to take the place of the animal sacrifice on our behalf. Dying on Calvary, His Blood willingly offered is “one sacrifice for sins for ever”. When we receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, the Blood of Christ is applied to our lives. We have the promise that “by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified”. We are not, ourselves, perfect in the eyes of the Father, but we are perfect because His precious Son applied His perfection to us. We are loved for Christ’s sake. Does not the Scripture tell the Christian:

Ephesians 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

We have neither earned nor deserved our salvation in the Father’s eyes. No Beloved, “God {the Father} for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you”. Our sins are forgiven for Christ’s sake. When Jesus walked this earth, He often forgave sins. In Mark 2:5 Jesus told theman sick of the palsy, “Son, thy sins be FORGIVEN THEE” (Mark 2:5). When the Jews accused Jesus of blasphemy (for only God can forgive sin – Mark 2:7), Jesus miraculously proved He has the power to forgive sin. When a woman called a sinner washed Jesus’ feet with her tears, and dried His feet with the hair of her head (Luke 7:44), Jesus said:

Luke 7:47-50 Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. 48 And {Jesus} said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. 49 And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also? 50 And He said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.

How can Jesus forgive sins? Because Jesus is not only the Son of God, but Jesus Christ is both the sacrifice for sin as well as our High Priest.

Hebrews 4:14-15 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. 15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

And again in:

Hebrews 7:25-27 Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them. 26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; 27 Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for His own sins, and then for the people’s: for this He did once, when He offered up himself.

As the One True Mediator, Jesus Christ is our High Priest and our sacrifice for sins. He “is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them”. Our Jesus sits on the right hand of God the Father representing those who love Him and obey Him. We have access to God our Father at any time because of Jesus Christ our High Priest, our Savior, our Lord, and our Elder Brother. Robert Stein, the Hogan Professor of New Testament studies at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary notes:

“During his ministry, {Jesus} was recognized as the unique Son of God by demons (Mark 5:7), Satan (Matt 4:3, 6) and most importantly the voice {of the Father} from heaven at his baptism and transfiguration (Mark 1:11; 9:7). During his ministry, he acted as one who possessed a unique authority over the temple by cleansing it (Mark 11:15-19, 27-33; John 2:13-21), over demons and Satan by his exorcisms, over disease by his healings, over the Sabbath by his actions (Mark 2:23-28), over death by his raising the dead and at times even over the Law by his teachings (Matt 5:21-48; Mark 7:18-19).”

We serve an awesome and splendid Savior, Jesus Christ our Lord! If you do not know and live for Jesus as your Lord and Savior, I beg you, give yourselves to Him today! Our Jesus not only gives eternal life in glory, but a blessed life while walking through this maddening world. May God the Holy Spirit draw you close to Him today. Amen and Amen!