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[0:00] We're actually picking up where we left off last time and looking at the superiority of Christ over angels.

[0:16] ! Very important to that Hebrew church, which I've explained before, but I'll close tonight with that.! I read these verses last time as we closed our lesson.

[0:30] And it shows that Jesus had a much better name than do angels. Having become as much superior to angels, I'm in chapter 1, verse 4 and 5.

[0:43] Having become as much superior to angels as the name He has inherited is more excellent than theirs. To which of the angels did God ever say, You are my son, today I have begotten you.

[0:57] Or again, I will be to Him a father and He shall be to me a son. So we see there that Jesus has a much better name. The Lord Jesus Christ is better than angels because He has a better name than they do.

[1:13] Some theologians prefer to describe this truth as the Lord having a much better title. And you could probably get away with that. Sometimes the names were the titles.

[1:25] I mean, Christ is the anointed one. Jesus is He who saves. Lord is the King of the Supreme Being. But we can use either of those interchangeably.

[1:41] I prefer name. Some prefer title. The passage just cited tells us Jesus has inherited a more excellent name than they.

[1:52] That is, the angels. And just what is the most excellent name that Jesus has ever inherited over angels?

[2:05] Well, we see two references to the better name in the verse I just read. First of all, the Father says, You are my son. That's a pretty good name, isn't it?

[2:18] To be the Son of God, capital S. And then, next in line in that verse, the Father says, I will be a father to him and he shall be a son to me.

[2:32] That is certainly better than any of the angels. Angels are ministers and messengers created by the Lord for that purpose.

[2:48] To be ministers and messengers. The angels were created servants of the triune God. Only Christ has the title or name Son.

[3:00] The Lord Jesus has a far greater name than any angel ever could have. No angel has or ever will be referred to as Son or Lord or God.

[3:15] Now, that was actually Lucifer's downfall. That was Lucifer's downfall. Lucifer wanted to be referred to as the highest God or the most high God.

[3:34] And he wanted his throne above that of God. And Lucifer wanted to establish his throne above God's throne. For that, he was cast out of heaven.

[3:46] Along with all the angels that followed him, which number in the millions, perhaps billions, we do not know. And I've got to think over time.

[3:58] And we don't know how long ago that was either. But I got to think some of those angels are saying, what a bad decision I made. And there's nothing they can do about it.

[4:09] There's nothing they can't be redeemed. There's no redemption for them. But those angels were cast out with him. They came cast out to this earth.

[4:22] And the fallen angels we today call demons. And there's a lot of them. We don't know how many. Now, the author of Hebrews took the name Son of God from the Psalms.

[4:39] Psalm 2.7, I will tell of the decree. The Lord said to me, you are my son. Today I've begotten you. And then in 2 Samuel 7, verse 17, I will be to him a father.

[4:56] He shall be to me a son. This passage in 2 Samuel is principally or primarily a reference to King David.

[5:09] This is a reference to David. I don't think he was king yet. But as only God can do, he is also looking forward in time in this passage to the root and offspring of David, David, the Lord Jesus Christ, referring to him as my son.

[5:29] So the father is able to look forward and see that the offspring of David, the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, we should never read into these passages that Christ was somehow inferior to the father, a lesser God, if you will.

[5:49] The cults like to do that, thinking that since Jesus is a son, he must be inferior. Many of them think he was a created being. Jesus has never been less than divine.

[6:03] Even when he was on earth in the incarnation. Now, he did set aside some of his divine attributes. I mean, he had to. Can you imagine him down here in his full glory?

[6:14] You couldn't get near him. You'd pass out or die. So Jesus is greater because of his name.

[6:26] And there's another point to be made here. Jesus is greater than angels because Jesus is worshipped. I hope you've worshipped him today.

[6:38] It's a good way to start your morning. Worshipping the true God. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Hebrews chapter 1 verse 6. And again, when he brings the firstborn, that's the premier one, into the world, he says, Let all God's angels worship him.

[7:00] Wow. That really puts an angel in his rightful place. He's supposed to worship the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus is better than angels because he is God's son.

[7:13] He is also greater because he is worshipped. He is to be worshipped. And we know in the incarnation he took upon himself human flesh.

[7:24] He became a man. He was 100% God and 100% man. Never 50-50. When Christ came to this earth as a man, he humbled himself.

[7:39] The scriptures tell us he became for a time lower than angels. That's an amazing passage. We could talk about that a while. And yet we're told here angels were to worship him.

[7:53] Now, if angels, and if you get a copy of this, ignore the word angles. That's hard. Angels are instructed to worship him.

[8:04] And he is obviously greater than they are if they are to worship the Lord Jesus. Now, follow this thinking.

[8:16] Jesus is greater than the angels. The covenant he brought is greater than their covenant. Remember, they did bring a covenant working with God and with Moses.

[8:29] But the new covenant is greater than the old covenant. What do you think wrong with the old covenant? It was incomplete until Christ came. But the angels brought from God to Moses on Mount Sinai, the old covenant.

[8:46] Christianity is far greater than Judaism. Christ Jesus brought us the new covenant based upon the cross and Calvary and all the things that happened there.

[8:58] Now, in the Psalms, there are predictions that all the angels of God will worship the Lord Jesus. This was no surprise to the angels that did not fall with Lucifer, but continued to serve in heaven.

[9:18] Angels had worshiped Christ throughout their entire existence since they were created by Christ. And we'll cover that here in just a little bit.

[9:29] They worshiped Christ as God, the second person of the Trinity. In the incarnation, he was to be worshiped as the very son of the Father.

[9:43] We have an example of angelic worship in the Scriptures. Listen to these words in the book of Revelation, chapter 5, verse 11. Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders, the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.

[10:20] That's a tremendous worship passage. If you get into a dry spell, get over into the fifth and sixth chapter of Revelation. Read those prayers. Pray those prayers.

[10:31] That's a prayer the angels prayed. That's angelic worship. In context, the Lord is about to take back the earth from Satan and demons.

[10:43] That's what's going on in Revelation 5. The Father has the title deed to the earth, and it is sealed shut with multiple seals.

[10:55] John, he begins to weep. The Apostle John, not this John. John begins to weep. Because no one, in John's observation, is able to take the seal from the hand of God and break those seals open.

[11:15] And one of the elders, and I think he represents the church, one of the elders standing nearby cries out to John. And one of the elders said to me, what John is talking, Weep no more.

[11:28] Behold, the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has conquered so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.

[11:42] So someone was there able to take that scroll from the hand of the Father, if the Father has hands, take that scroll and break the seals and open the scroll.

[11:57] Just amazing. When the angels realized what was about to happen, they burst into praise. They burst into worship because they're less than the Father and the Son.

[12:13] They worship the Father and the Son. And they burst into this worship of praise as does the church that's in heaven. As does the church. And we may be there for this.

[12:25] I don't know. And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea and all that is in them saying, To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever.

[12:43] And the four living creatures said, Amen. And the elders fell down and worshiped. Well, these are great worship passages, guys. Jesus is greater than angels because of his superior nature.

[13:00] Jesus has a superior nature. Hebrews 1.7 And regarding the angels, he says, He makes his angels winds and his ministers a flame of fire.

[13:18] Awesome verse of scripture. Makes his angels winds and his ministers a flame of fire. The very nature of Christ makes him vastly superior to angels.

[13:31] The Hebrew church had to hear that because they thought angels were superior to everything. We see the difference of natures of the sun and angels in Hebrews 1.7.

[13:44] That verse starts out with the words, Who makes his angels? I mean, that right there is enough to know that Christ is superior, right? He makes his angels.

[13:57] That is a tremendous revelation. In the Greek, the word there, poio, I don't know if I did that right or not, means to create or to make.

[14:08] So who created the angels? Well, the Bible tells us. It tells us who did so. Colossians 1.16. For by him, that's Christ, for by him, all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities, all things have been created through him and for him.

[14:38] that entire section. That entire section, and you can read it tonight during the seventh inning stretch. The entire section of Scripture in Colossians is speaking of Christ Jesus.

[14:53] That's his chapter. Here we learn that the Lord Jesus created all things and possesses all things. Since angels are created beings, that includes them as well.

[15:08] Now, obviously, the Creator is always superior to his creation. How could he not be? He created all things.

[15:19] He's superior to what he created. That just stands to reason. The angels of heaven are described as the servants of Christ.

[15:32] His ministers. They are his ministers. Christ's ministers. It's described as his winds and his flame of fire. Listen to what God the Father has to say about the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

[15:47] Hebrews 1, first part of verse 8. But of the Son, he says, this is the Father speaking, your throne, O God, is forever and ever.

[15:59] Wow! Did you hear that? That stands in one of the most amazing passages in all of Scripture. It's also a vitally important statement.

[16:12] God the Father declares that Christ Jesus is the eternal God. He says, your throne, O God, is forever and ever. Amazing!

[16:26] Now, in my notes that I typed out, I say here, in my notes, that is worth an exclamation point. And I put one. Some cults and other unbelievers claim that Jesus is only a man.

[16:43] Man of love, good philosopher. Others, such as Jehovah Witnesses, claim that Jesus is a created angel, but not the eternal God.

[16:56] Mormons, on the other hand, believe that Jesus and Lucifer were brothers. They were related to one another as brothers, and they were vying for the attention of God the Father.

[17:07] and God finally had to settle the issue, so He chose Jesus as His Son and that infuriated Lucifer and culminated in Lucifer getting booted out of heaven.

[17:21] That's the Mormon view. There are even those who claim that Jesus is some sort of a sub-God, a subordinate to the true God. Of course, these are all lies from hell.

[17:35] Paul would tell us that anyone who espouses such tripe, I think that's the first time I ever used that in 43 years of teaching, is under the anathema of God.

[17:47] What does that mean? That means they are eternally damned. They believe that, there's no redemption. Why? They can't go anywhere else for salvation. Once they reject Christ for salvation, you can't turn to anybody else.

[18:03] There is nobody else. He's it. The Father acknowledges that His Son is God and His throne is an eternal throne.

[18:17] I'm always amazed at how many churches and supposed believers claim that Jesus is somehow lesser. And I've had arguments with guys on that point.

[18:29] Not in this church. But we've had some interesting conversations. here in Scripture, Hebrews 1.8, we have the strongest proof that Christ Jesus is deity and it comes from the Father Himself who declared Him to be God.

[18:49] The Scriptures are filled with passages that claim Jesus as God and they are quoting Jesus Himself. John's Gospel has a lot of them. John 5.18, this was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him because not only was He breaking the Sabbath, Jesus was breaking the Sabbath, He created the Sabbath, but He was even calling God His own Father.

[19:16] Can't do that. You know who else can't do that? Muslims. I had a real good Muslim friend at Phillips and we traveled in the Middle East together all the time.

[19:27] And he's a good man. A decent guy. But he would hear me talking about God the Father, God the Son. He said we would never be that familiar with Allah in our religion.

[19:40] I'm not permitted to call Him my Father. And I said we're allowed to do that because of Christ. But he was even calling God His own Father making Himself equal with God.

[19:56] And then John 10.30 he says I and the Father are one. And when Jesus said He and the Father was one, listen to what happened.

[20:08] The Jews picked up stones again to stone Him. Jesus answered them I've shown you many good works from the Father for which of them are you going to stone Me?

[20:21] And the Jews answered Him it is not for good work that we're going to stone you but for blasphemy because you being a man make yourself God.

[20:32] So they were going to stone Him to death. So He just disappeared. That would give me pause to think who is this guy? He just disappeared. I skipped one not intentionally but the woman at the well.

[20:46] And she was pretty perceptive for a Samaritan which means she was half Jewish and half Samaritan. She was a half breed. And she's talking to Jesus and she informs Jesus look I know one day the Messiah is coming.

[21:03] He'll tell us all things. Boy that's a powerful statement coming from that lady. And Jesus looked at her and the reason I bring this up is how many people there are out here that say Jesus never once claimed to be the Messiah.

[21:18] No He did it a bunch of times. But that's the prevailing view in a lot of churches even mainline churches. And Jesus looked at that woman at the well and He said when she said the Messiah is coming He said I who speak to you am He.

[21:35] What a revelation. The Messiah was talking to this Samaritan and a woman not done in Jewish society when the disciples came back they couldn't believe it.

[21:48] What are you doing? And you even took water from her? Yeah I took water from her. I was thirsty. And of course the writings of the apostles all pointed to the deity of Christ as God incarnate.

[22:08] Jesus is greater than angels another reason because of His superior existence. Hebrews chapter 1 verse 10 to 12 You Lord in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth and the heavens are the works of your hands they will perish but you remain.

[22:36] They all will wear out like a garment and like a robe. You will roll them up like a garment they will also be changed but you are the same and your years will not come to an end.

[22:56] Jesus has a superior existence to the angels. angels are created by Christ. The Lord Jesus is superior to that. These verses are actually a quote from Psalm 102.

[23:11] The Holy Spirit says that Jesus is superior because He existed eternally. well obviously if He existed eternally He's superior. That's common sense.

[23:24] If Jesus created everything and He did it stands to reason He existed from before the beginning. He had to be there.

[23:35] He created everything. and John tells us that when He opens up the gospel that bears His name. In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.

[23:53] He was in the beginning with God. The scripture also tells us that the universe is wearing out. It's winding down.

[24:03] I'm winding down. I guess I'm part of the universe. It's wearing out. By the way that's the second law of thermodynamics. Everything is going to a state of confusion I guess you could say.

[24:20] One day Jesus because of His superior existence will roll up the universe and throw away.

[24:30] Throw it away. You're going to throw away the old heavens and the old earth. Peter said this. 2 Peter chapter 3 verse 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat and the earth and its works will be burned up.

[25:01] I love what John MacArthur was saying. If you're an evolutionist and you're upset about global warming you ain't seen nothing. Just wait until you see what Jesus is going to do. He's going to melt all the elements.

[25:12] You talk about global warming it's going to get hot. We see things in the sky. I can see it good out where I'm at. I got a kill switch on my security light.

[25:24] Well I can see the heavens. The glory of God. I can see the fingerprints of God in the heavens. And we see those things in the sky and on earth. And you know what I have to admit I look up there and they appear to me to be permanent.

[25:39] I mean they've been up there for so long and they just appear to be permanent. Peter said things appear to continue just as they have from the beginning.

[25:52] Beginning of what? Beginning of creation. creation. But someday everything we see is going to perish in a moment of time.

[26:04] When that happens the Lord Jesus is going to create a new heaven and a new earth. As one theologian has said the creation will be changed but the creator will not be changed.

[26:16] He changes not. Now one guy said to me well okay if he's going to destroy it what happens to us? Well are you in Christ? Yeah well you're going to be okay. You'll be okay.

[26:29] But we know men come and men go. Worlds come and worlds go. Stars come and go. Even some of the angels went.

[26:41] They fell with Lucifer. They stopped being angels. They became demons. But Christ never changes. He's superior.

[26:52] Christ is not subject to change. Christ is always eternally the same yesterday today and forever.

[27:07] And I'll tell you that's comforting news. Can you imagine if you had to set your alarm at say seven o'clock every morning I'm retired and I don't set the alarm.

[27:18] can you imagine though if every morning we get up at seven o'clock and we got to figure out what new rules has God come up with and what rules has he dropped from the previous.

[27:30] Oh my gosh. Aren't you glad he changes not. They are fixed. That's good news.

[27:40] They're fixed. Christ is eternally the same. Never changes. Well tonight I'm going to mention one final reason Christ is superior.

[27:53] Jesus is greater than angels because of his superior destiny. Hebrews chapter 1 verse 13 and 14 and to which of the angels has the father ever said sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.

[28:15] See the father told Jesus that. Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation? Did you hear that Gus?

[28:30] Angels are ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation. Angels didn't inherit salvation. Christ did not redeem angels on the cross.

[28:46] He didn't redeem them. No angel has ever been promised a place at the right hand of God the Father. Only the Son, Jesus, will sit there.

[29:02] Jesus has a destiny that is far superior to angels. That is summed up in Philippians this way, 2.10 and 11, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.

[29:36] You know, I've often said this, but there's no prescribed posture when you pray. There's all kinds of different postures. Standing, kneeling, bowing, laying down, there's all kinds.

[29:51] But I think there's something to be said in your prayer life, in your closet from time to time. Get on your knees. You don't have to wait for the future. You can do that now.

[30:02] No reason to wait. You can be doing that now. Frequently, daily. Well, there's a day approaching when God the Father will turn everything over to Christ the Son.

[30:21] Christ will rule everything and everyone. But to sort of confuse things, let me read this inspired passage of Scripture. 1 Corinthians chapter 15 beginning in verse 24.

[30:40] Then comes the end. When He delivers the kingdom, He, Christ, delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power.

[30:55] for He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. When all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subjected to Him.

[31:12] Let's talk about the Father, who put all things in subjection under Him that God may be all in all. That was verse 24, 25, and 28. Now we must remember that the Father and the Son are not in competition with each other to see who's going to rule.

[31:33] They're completely harmonious, completely unified. God forbid that they would be arguing over who's going to rule.

[31:43] That would never happen. Christ in eternity is pleased to place Himself under the Father. At the same time, the Father is pleased to place under the Son's feet all kingdoms and authorities and powers in the universe.

[32:02] That will happen at the second coming when the Lord Christ returns in glory. They are co-equal, co-eternal, along with the Spirit.

[32:13] I think we should be saying tri-equal, but it's just me. Jesus has a superior destiny to the angels.

[32:25] But what is the destiny of angels? Do they have a destiny? Yeah. We know that Lucifer and the demons will spend eternity in the lake of fire.

[32:39] Eternity. 450 trillion millennia from now, they will not have reduced by one second the amount of time they have to spend there.

[32:51] Isn't that scary? Same is true of people who reject Christ and end up in the lake of fire. But what about this destiny for angels?

[33:03] I'm not talking about demons. I'm speaking of God's angels as ministering spirits. back again in verse 14 of Hebrews 1.

[33:14] Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation? the destiny of God's angels are to serve forever those who are heirs of salvation.

[33:34] Who's that? It's Wes. He's the only who raised his hand. It's us. It's believers. They're going to serve us. That just, that staggers me.

[33:45] Because angels were created superior to us. But they're going to serve us in eternity. We will be eternally in the presence of God.

[33:55] We will be eternally served by angels. And I can just imagine an angel saying, hey, what was it like? Christ went to the cross for you.

[34:06] He didn't go to the cross for us. Tell us what that's like. We don't know what that's like. We've got to be able to answer that. Let me do a brief recap.

[34:21] We've covered five reasons Christ Jesus is superior to angels. His name, the fact that he is worshipped, his nature, his existence, and his destiny.

[34:39] That information would have been vitally important to the Hebrew church. Because Jews, and these guys had come out of Judaism, but remember when we started, they were mere babies.

[34:54] They were just taking baby steps. Jews tended to venerate angels. After all, they worked with the greatest Jew.

[35:06] Who was the greatest Jew in their mind? Moses. To this day, you go to the Orthodox in Israel. Who's the greatest Jew? I think of guys like Abraham, David.

[35:18] They'll tell you, Moses. Greatest Jew that ever lived. And they tend to venerate angels, and that is sin. They are beneath Christ infinitely.

[35:33] Well, I have an announcement to make. amazingly, we've completed the first chapter of our study of the epistle to the Hebrews. And we did it in eight lessons.

[35:47] It's simply amazing. And that's where we're going to pick it up next time in chapter 2, Lord willing. So let's close with a word of prayer. Gracious God and Father of the Lord Jesus, Your Word is perfect.

[36:02] perfect. It never passes away. All will be fulfilled. You're still calling out a people for your namesake who will worship you, worship the Lord Jesus Christ for eternity.

[36:22] Angels will serve, and we will be together in heaven, praising and worshiping Christ, and the Father, as directed by the Spirit.

[36:38] Lord, hasten the day as we see this world getting darker and darker. Our attention grows more to what lies ahead, and I believe, soon lies ahead.

[36:55]  The Spirit and Bride in the close of Revelation says, even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus. let that be our prayer as well. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.