Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction: The writer of the letter to the Hebrews does not waste any time in getting to the point he wants to make.

In the first four verses we are introduced to the idea that he wants to be so imprinted on our minds and hearts that it causes us “to go on to perfection” (6:1), and the idea that he wants us to be so overwhelmed by is this: Jesus is better than everyone and everything.

Jesus is Better than Old Testament Revelation, Greater than All Things, and Superior to Angels

Here in the first three verses the writer of Hebrews gives us insight into the purpose of God in revealing truth in the Old Testament.

In other words, we could ask, why did God reveal Himself to the fathers through the prophets?

Dissect verses.

The reason we are given here is this: God spoke to the fathers through the prophets in order to prepare the way for ultimate revelation of God in the Son of God who is better than everyone and everything.

Here in the first four verses the writer of Hebrews gives us insight into the purpose of God in revealing truth in the Old Testament.

In other words, we could ask, why did God reveal Himself to the fathers through the prophets?

The reason we are given here is this: God spoke to the fathers through the prophets in various ways and in various times in order to prepare the way for ultimate revelation of God in the Son of God who is better than everyone and everything.

As we studied in our last series, Jesus is the greatest revelation of the brightness of the glory of God, and the writer of Hebrews reminds us that the Old Testament exists, not as the greatest revelation, but in order to prepare the way for the greatest revelation - Jesus who is the Son of God.

The Birth of False Religions

Man is natural.

Now the question for us is: why did God choose to reveal Himself?

We know that man is natural and can only understand natural things.

So, if we are going to know and have a relationship with God God must reveal Himself to man.

Through the revelation of God by the prophets [who prepared for the coming of Christ] and by Christ we have all that we need in order to live a life that goes on to perfection.

The problem comes whenever natural man devises ways to perceive supernatural truths without the Spirit of God.

False religions are born out of this kind of thinking.

Through the revelation of God by the prophets [who prepared for the coming of Christ] and by Christ we have all that we need in order to live a life that goes on to perfection.

The problem comes whenever natural man devises ways to perceive supernatural truths without the Spirit of God.

False religions are born out of this kind of thinking.

Through the revelation of God by the prophets [who prepared for the coming of Christ] and by Christ we have all that we need in order to live a life that goes on to perfection.

The problem comes whenever natural man devises ways to perceive supernatural truths without the Spirit of God.

False religions are born out of this kind of thinking.

John MacArthur’s box example

Examples: Mormonism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Psychology

Jesus is Better Than the Old Testament

Man naturally knows that the supernatural exists, but man cannot naturally perceive the supernatural.

If we are to know anything about God, God must tell us and we must trust what He says.

Define progressive revelation

This is not to say that any of the Old Testament is unneeded or unimportant.

All that this means is that God progressively revealed Himself throughout history and as more and more of the Old Testament was written, the clearer and clearer God’s truth became until the revelation of the brightness of His glory culminated in the ultimate revelation of God’s truth in Jesus.

An easier way to put it would be this: the Old Testament promised that God would send a Messiah and Jesus fulfilled all of those promises.

Jesus is better than the Old Testament because he fulfilled the Old Testament.

The Old Testament gave truth in pieces and Jesus has put all of those pieces together.

Since Jesus is the final and decisive Word of God to men to add anything to Christ is blasphemous, out of line, and damnable.

Jesus is Above All Things

In His Being

In His Power

In His Sacrifice

In His Exaltation

Jesus, Greater Even than Angels

Explain the Jewish idea of angels

Explain the Jewish idea of angels

If the writer of Hebrews is going to say that Jesus is better than the Old Covenant than he must show that Jesus is better than the mediators of the Old Covenant.

Conclusion: So, what does this mean for us?

Since Jesus is greater than the Old Covenant we know that the law is not sufficient for us to go on to perfection, since Jesus is greater than all things we know that they are not sufficient for us to go on to perfection, and since Jesus is greater even than angels we know that their power is not even enough to be sufficient for us to go on to perfection.

The only way that we can know God and perceive the supernatural truths of God is by believing the truth of God which testifies of Christ.

Christ is sufficient for us to go on to perfection.