Jesus is God

Lesson Text: Hebrews 1

Preached in Quabbin Valley on 1/25/09

Introduction:

There have been many throughout history that have, for one reason or another tried to lessen Jesus Christ. Some have said that Jesus was merely a good teacher that he taught us nice things but he was only a teacher. Others have said that Jesus was a prophet sent by God to tell us about God but he was only a prophet no greater than any other prophet and still others have told us that Jesus is an angel a highly exalted angel. They have told us that Jesus is a mere created being.

In the city of Colossae during the time that the apostle Paul was alive there were some who were teaching this idea that Jesus was one of many angelic beings. They taught that he was the highest of all the angelic beings but he was not God almighty. Paul in Colossians destroys that idea, he and other writers of the New Testament tell us clearly that there is only one God but they also make it clear that there are three persons in that one God. Jesus is not some lesser being but is almighty God, the father is almighty God, and the Holy Spirit is almighty God yet there is only one almighty God.

This morning I want us to look at and get a better appreciation for who Jesus really is as revealed to us by the scriptures.

1) Jesus is creator

a. How many creators does the bible tell us there are? There is only one.

i. Isaiah 42:5 Thus says God, the LORD, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it:

ii. Isaiah 45:18 For thus says the LORD, who created the heavens (he is God!), who formed the earth and made it (he established it; he did not create it empty, he formed it to be inhabited!): "I am the LORD, and there is no other.

iii. Hebrews 1:10 And, "You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, 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 like a robe you will roll them up, like a garment they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will have no end."

iv. Colossians 1:15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

v. John 1:3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men.

2) Jesus is savior

a. There is only one savior even if there are on occasion others who are said to be savior ultimately God alone is the savior.

i. Isaiah 43:3 For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior…

ii. Psalm 106:21 They forgot God, their Savior, who had done great things in Egypt,

iii. John 3:16-18 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already,

iv. Acts 4:10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead--by him this man is standing before you well. 11 This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. 12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."

b. It has always been God who is savior and this God has come in human flesh (John 1:14) to set those free who truly love him. God took on flesh and gave his body and blood for you, Jesus is the only savior.

3) Jesus is God almighty

a. Polytheism is the belief that there are many gods. The bible teaches that there is only one God and anyone who believes in many gods is deceived and is not following the bible. The bible tells us that there are many so-called gods that is that you can call anything a god but it doesn’t make it a real or true god by nature. There is only one being in the entire universe who have the nature of God and that being is Yahweh, or Jehovah, or the Godhead or the Trinity depending on how you want to pronounce the name in Hebrew or if you wish to describe that one being.

i. Isaiah 42:8 I am the LORD; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols.

ii. Isaiah 45:5 I am the LORD, and there is no other, besides me there is no God; I equip you, though you do not know me,

iii. Isaiah 45:22 "Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.

iv. Isaiah 46:9 remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me,

v. John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (That is talking about Jesus, he is the Word)

vi. John 20:26 Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." 27 Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe." 28 Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" 29 Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."

vii. Hebrews 1:3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

viii. Hebrews 1:8 But of the Son he says, "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.

ix. 2 Peter 1:1 Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:

Conclusion:

We do not worship a mere teacher, we do not worship a mere prophet, we do not worship an angel if we did we would be idolaters and would be fighting against God, Yahweh. We worship only one God whose name in Hebrew is Yahweh, who is revealed to us in scripture as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God, all three are the one God. All three are Jehovah, Yahweh.

We are to give thanks to the one God who provides us with salvation. We are never asked to figure this out we are only to believe it, put our faith in what the bible says.

Let’s participate in the supper communing with each other and the one triune God of the universe.