Meeting this week at church on Sunday 11 am for Worship Service and Tuesday 5-7 to open the Food Pantry for the community. Have a blessed week!
10 Jan 2021 Sunday Message: “So, Who is the Lord?”
Call to Worship: Hebrews 1:1-4
In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. 4 So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.
Opening, Prayer Concerns, and Praises; Father in Heaven, today we give all praise and thanks to you, and ask that you would fill our hearts with your power, graces and majesty. Today we ask that you find our offering of ourselves acceptable and that you would grow us into the giving children of God you can mold us to be. Thank you for our very selves.
Amen!
Message Reading: Hebrews 1:5-14
5 For to which of the angels did God ever say,
“You are my Son;
today I have become your Father”?
Or again,
“I will be his Father,
and he will be my Son”?
6 And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says,
“Let all God’s angels worship him.”
7 In speaking of the angels he says,
“He makes his angels spirits,
and his servants flames of fire.”
8 But about the Son he says,
“Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever;
a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.
9 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;
therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions
by anointing you with the oil of joy.”
10 He also says,
“In the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth,
and the heavens are the work of your hands.
11 They will perish, but you remain;
they will all wear out like a garment.
12 You will roll them up like a robe;
like a garment they will be changed.
But you remain the same,
and your years will never end.”
13 To which of the angels did God ever say,
“Sit at my right hand
until I make your enemies
a footstool for your feet”?
14 Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?
Message: “So, Who is the Lord?”
Today I am excited to talk with you on a subject that might on the surface seem like a no brainer for a family of God to contemplate in a Church dedicated to God like ours. But the fact of the matter is, we all have questions sometimes. The question of who is the Lord, has baffled people for as long as there have been people wandering around going all the way back to the fall of mankind.
At the beginning of the New Year, I personally like to take a little time just thinking about the Lord in the larger scheme of things. After spending weeks talking about, thinking about, and anticipating the coming of the Lord and the Nativity narrative of Christmas, to actually ask myself the age-old question; so, who is the Lord? I guess even before that question is asked, maybe it’s good to explore for yourself if you even need to ask the question to begin with.
I mean hey, everyone knows about God and stuff right? God and stuff! We learned that stuff back when we were kids so why revisit again? In my case, I think it’s a good way to review my thoughts about the Lord, and my understanding of God, my relationship with the Lord, and my openness to The Holy Spirit. It’s one thing to pat lip service about loving God and believing in Him, but really, even the demons in Hell believe in God, and their relationship with Him is not so hot. Pardon the pun!
Even though we will be spending an eternity, getting to understand the majesty that is God and knowing Him a little more incrementally through infinity, Hebrews chapter one is always a great place to start in reviewing who the Lord is and what he means to us. Versus 1-4 are like a walk around the block. If you are open to Him, by the time you have done it; you have walked it, read it, reflected on it, lived it, and worked at it, you have been transformed in some mystical way from God’s promptings. So here is our Call to Worship again for your reflection, edification, and transformation:
In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. 4 So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.
It’s as if humanity has been God’s Celestial Flock, and the Good Shepherd (the Lord) has been guiding humanity towards the ultimate green pastures with still waters for our renewal and enjoyment, growth and maturity, love and nurturing, through eternity. And, as we have been led by the Lord even though the destination remains the same, His tools that He selects (people, offices, places, and settings) have changed with the requirements.
From God’s Angels, to His Prophets, Judges, and Kings, and the Lord’s own voice, recorded in scripture, and sustained by the Holy Spirit. A Holy Spirit that props up frail humans; role models, politicians, teachers, parents, all of you and even pastors (you name your calling and vocation). And through it all, God’s Will; regardless of the tools he uses and the people he places at specific times and appropriate places, His Will; be done.
Regardless of God speaking through Prophets, Scripture, or Himself; the Lord’s words and message remain the same. In fact, God gives the message, and it is quoted by the Lord after being asked; what was the most important law of God, in Matthew 22:37-40:
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
There was a famous Rabbi who lived near the time of Jesus, Rabbi Hillel who said the (“Golden Rule”: “That which is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow. That is the whole Torah; the rest is the explanation; go and learn.”) And because he was a devout Jew, the loving God part is already assumed. So, loving God and loving other people is the real key regardless of if you are a Christian or of our ancestry, our forefathers, Jewish. Pretty basic.
It’s not paying 10%, not praying in a certain rhythm, or singing Sunday hymns perfectly (thank heavens), or wearing your hair a certain way, but loving God, and caring for other people. No secret Da Vinci code, or special signs, grunts, words, or handshakes. Just living with and in the Lord, and sharing what you have been given with other people that God has created and placed into your life.
Our Call to Worship instructs us that the Son inherits all, that he created all, and that he is the radiance of God, the exact representation of God’s being, has purified and sustains us, and sits at the right hand of the Majesty in Heaven. This celestial majesty who has reclaimed you and me instructs us to love God and other people. Giving us a better idea of who the Lord is.
So now that we have been given an idea of the Lord, that he is the creator, reclaimer/perfector, and sustainer, we now are in a position to know what the Lord is superior to and over. Today, we are looking specifically at the Angels, since they are the first to be addressed in the letter to the Hebrews. Beginning in verse 5:
5 For to which of the angels did God ever say,
“You are my Son;
today I have become your Father”?
Or again,
“I will be his Father,
and he will be my Son”?
6 And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says,
“Let all God’s angels worship him.”
7 In speaking of the angels he says,
“He makes his angels spirits,
and his servants flames of fire.”
8 But about the Son he says,
“Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever;
a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.
9 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;
therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions
by anointing you with the oil of joy.”
10 He also says,
“In the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth,
and the heavens are the work of your hands.
11 They will perish, but you remain;
they will all wear out like a garment.
12 You will roll them up like a robe;
like a garment they will be changed.
But you remain the same,
and your years will never end.”
13 To which of the angels did God ever say,
“Sit at my right hand
until I make your enemies
a footstool for your feet”?
14 Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?
Hebrews details how the Son of God is different and superior to Angels, and uses David’s words in the Psalms to emphasis it. But before I proceed further, I want to stress that I am in no way demeaning Angelic Beings. These are God’s creation that are for us an instrumental part of God’s divine plan. They are as the Hebrews letter implies; ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation.
I think sometimes TV shows like Highway to Heaven and Touched by an Angel can confuse us by making something sacred, common. (Not that there is anything necessarily wrong about depicting God’s Messengers, we just want to think before we comment on things we do not really understand.) They are not to be demeaned, looked down upon or dismissed, nor are they to be worshiped. As stated from verse 4, it is on the Lord who we need to focus our praising glorifying and magnifying His holy precious Name.
Our passage begins by describing He who sits at the right hand of the Majesty as God’s son and God’s First Born. Who is to be worshiped by the Angels, who are God’s servants and like flames of fire, or majesty in action. Things continue to become clearer as the author of Hebrews quoting Psalms now describes the conversation in grandeur that the Godhead is having in all of its splendor.
8 But about the Son he says,
“Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever;
a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.
9 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;
therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions
by anointing you with the oil of joy.”
God is saying; “Your throne O God will last forever”. God does not speak about the Godhead often so when it is mentioned in scripture, it is a reverent time indeed. It’s almost too sacred and holy to be speaking about, and never to be mentioned halfheartedly. And now we are beginning to get a better understanding of who our Lord is.
God also instructs:
…“In the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth,
and the heavens are the work of your hands.
11 They will perish, but you remain;
they will all wear out like a garment.
12 You will roll them up like a robe;
like a garment they will be changed.
But you remain the same,
and your years will never end.”
In the midst of all of the Celestial happenings in our scripture reading, reflecting, and discussion, how special is it to be able to consider yourself a part of this incredible family of the ages!
And when God’s plan has fully unfolded, and His plans have come to fruition, when all have bent knees and proclaimed Glory to God in the Highest Heaven, and everything else has withered away, God will still exists.
He will fold up the Heavens and the Earth and like a garment they will be changed. But the Lord will still be, and as the Gospel of John 1:1-5 so eloquently states the Lord’s light will still shine.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
That’s the family that you are a part of and it is anchored, centered, created, saved, and sustained by a Lord that loves you. You, who are that light that shines in the darkness illuminated and fueled by that same Lord we reside in as the Body of Christ.
We will indeed be learning more of who our Lord is as we mature, grow, and develop in our walk in and with the Lord of all creation. May you enjoy the journey of eternity that lies before you.
Therefore, at the beginning of this New Year, it is my hope and prayer that you afford yourself some time to take a breath, step back and think about the greatness that is your Lord. More importantly, reflect on how blessed we are to have the intellect, to appreciate this moment in time as something truly special.
Amen!
Benediction based on; Isaiah 61.
May the Spirit of the Sovereign Lord be upon you,
because the Lord has anointedyou
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent you to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,
2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
May you be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the Lord
for the display of his splendor. Amen!