Well, there's not a better song
than that song. Would you turn back to Hebrews
chapter 1? Tonight we're going to have a
get-together for the graduating seniors. And we're after the
services and I'm going to be preaching this evening on you
are the salt of the earth. You are the salt of the earth.
I've entitled this message, God has spoken by his son. Hebrews chapter one, verse one. God, who at sundry times, various
times, and in diverse manners, different manners, spake in times
past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last
days spoken unto us by His Son. There are two phases to God speaking. What is said in verse one, when
he spake in times past unto the fathers by the prophets. And then the final word hath
in these last days spoken unto us. God has spoken unto us by
his son. Hold your finger there and turn
with me to the book of Malachi, last book in the Old Testament. Chapter three, verse one, chapter three, behold,
God says, I will send my messenger. Speaking of John the Baptist,
the last Old Testament prophet, And he shall prepare the way
before me. This is part of God speaking
in various manners by the prophets. He shall prepare the way before
me and the Lord Whom you seek shall suddenly come to his temple,
even the messenger of the covenant, the Lord Jesus Christ, whom you
delight in. Behold, he shall come, saith
the Lord of hosts. Now, that's exactly what the
writer to the Hebrews is saying in Hebrews chapter one, verse
one and two. Now the Lord Jesus Christ is
the son of God. He is the messenger of the covenant,
but more than being the messenger of the covenant, he is the message. He is the word of life. He is the utterance
of God. He is the word of God. He is who and what God has to say. In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was, eternally was,
in the beginning with God. He is all that God says. This is my beloved Son, in whom
I am well pleased. Hear ye Him. No man has seen God at any time,
the only begotten Son. who is in the bosom of the Father,
he hath declared him, as that song we just heard sang, he is
the true and the living word. If God communicates himself to
me, if God communicates himself to you, here is all he has to
say, my son. Now Hebrews chapter 1 verses
1 through 3 contains an account of the excellency and the glory
of Jesus Christ that is unsurpassed in scripture. The writer to the
Hebrews gives us seven things regarding the Lord Jesus Christ
by whom God has spoken. Now let's read Hebrews chapter
one, verses one through four together. God, who at sundry times and
in diverse manners spake in time passed unto the fathers by the
prophets. He spoke through Malachi. He spoke through Isaiah. Hath
in these last days Ever since our Lord was resurrected, we've
been living in the last days. I hope we're living in the last
of the last days, don't you? When the Lord will come back.
Oh, I hope that. But whatever, it's going to be
soon. We are in the last days. Might
be another 200 years. I won't be around that long.
You won't be around that long. Some of us might be dead in a
year or so. But these are the last days. He hath in these last
days spoken unto us by his Son. And then he names seven things
with regard to his son. Number one, whom he hath appointed
heir of all things. Number two, by whom also he made
the worlds. He's the creator. Number three,
who being the brightness of his glory. Number four, and the express
image of his person. Number five, upholding all things
by the word of his power. Number six, when he had by himself
purged our sins. Number seven, he sat down on
the right hand of the majesty on high, being made so much better
than the angels as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent
name than they. Now, the writer to the Hebrews,
when he speaks of God speaking by his son, before we consider
what he said, he gives us seven things to consider regarding
his son. First, he's the heir of all things. He has an infinite, limitless
inheritance. He inherits all of the father's
incomprehensible wealth and glory. He is the heir of all things. You see what the father does.
He does that in all things, his son might have the preeminence. That's his purpose. He is the
heir of all things. For it pleased the father that
in him should all fullness dwell. He is preeminent in his father's
esteem. And what about that one? that
doesn't esteem the Son. He's preeminent in the Father's
esteem. The heir of all things. And He is the creator of the
universe. Look what it says next. By whom
also He made the worlds. He's the one who said, Light
be! And light was. He's the one who
brought the universe into existence. He's the one who created something
from nothing. All things were made by him,
the scripture says. And without him was not anything
made that was made. He is the mighty creator of the
universe. Now creation is what only God
almighty can do. He creates something from nothing. What power is involved in that?
There was nothing, nothing but God. And He simply willed it
and the universe was brought into existence. He created something
from nothing. And beloved, for you and I to
be made something, we're first going to have to be a nothing.
Absolutely nothing in us that God could be pleased with. It's
only when I'm nothing that I've made something. He is the creator
of the universe. And look what it says next in
verse three, who being the brightness of his glory. Now, most people
believe that this is a reference to the Shekinah glory that filled
the temple. Remember how in the tabernacle
in the temple, the Shekinah glory would fill it. Men couldn't go
in. It was just the brightness. He's called the brightness of
his father's glory. He is the sparkling of deity. Now, think of this. God's glory
is that which is essential to his being. Glory isn't essential
to my being. It's not essential to your being.
We're fallen, but it's essential to his being. To say to the praise
of his glory and to the praise of Christ is to say the precise
same thing. He is the glory of God. So much so that when Moses said,
I beseech you, show me your glory. And God answered Moses and said,
I'll make all my goodness to pass before you. And I'll proclaim
my name before you. And I'll be gracious to whom
I will be gracious. And I'll show mercy to whom I
will show mercy. Would I be doing any damage to
that text? When he said, show me your glory.
He said, I'll make my son to pass before you. And I'll proclaim
the name of my Son before you. And I'll be gracious to whom
I will be gracious in my Son. His Son is the brightness, the
sparkling of deity, the brightness of God's very glory. Next it says, he's the express
image of his person. He's the perfect representation
of his father. He's the visible sight of the
invisible God, the exact representation of his person. So that he could
say to Philip, when Philip said, show us the father, and it suffice
of us. He said, I've been so long time
with you, Philip, and yet has thou not known me? He that has
seen me, I've seen the Father. All I'm ever going to see of
the Father is Jesus Christ the Lord. That's who He is. The express image of the Father. Paul tells us, in Him, in the
Lord Jesus Christ dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead. bodily. All the fullness of all
that God is dwells in the body of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now
this is the one by whom God hath spoken. Isaiah chapter nine,
verse six says unto us, a child is born unto us. A son is given and the government
should be upon his shoulders. His name shall be called wonderful. Isn't his name wonderful? Counselor. He's the true counselor. The
mighty God, the everlasting father, the prince of peace. This isn't so much understood
as just bowed to and worshiped. He is the express image of the
father so that all we'll ever see of the father is Jesus Christ
the Lord. Let's go on reading in Hebrews
1 verse 3. who being the brightness of his
glory and the express image of his person and upholding all
things by the word of his power. You know what that means? That
means everything that happens, he's in control of. Talk about
providence, providence. Providence is everything that
happens in time. Right now, providence is going on. God's purpose is
going on. God's will is being done. Providence
is everything that happens in time. And the Lord Jesus Christ
upholds all by the word of his power. That one who lived upon
the earth, that one who died upon the cross, the man Christ
Jesus is right now the sovereign ruler of the universe. He controlled nature. Everything
that happens. the weather, whatever you want
to talk about it, he's the controller of it. You know how hot it's
going to be today? It's exactly how hot he's determined
for it to be. Everything he's in control of. He's in control of history. History is his story. It's his
will being done. He controls the political affairs
of men and nations. Isn't that wonderful? I can get
so stressed out about things. All I got to do is watch a newscast.
I get stressed out. But remember, He controls everything.
There's nothing to be stressed about. He controls all things. You know, He controls your personal
experience and my personal experience. Everything that happens, everything
that happens, He's in control of it. And He sent it my way
for His glory and my good. He's in control of it. Just the
personal experiences and the destiny of all people lies in
His sovereign hands. Now listen to me. Whether or
not I'll be in heaven or whether I'll be in hell is up to Him.
He's in control of it. Whether you'll be in heaven or
whether you'll be in hell, it's up to Him. You and I are in His
hands. Can I not do what I will with
my own? He upholds all things by the
word of his power. All I love to think of the word
of his power. He controls everything and it's
not hard work for him. He doesn't have limitations like
you and I. He doeth according to his will in the armies of
heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth, and none can stay
his hand or say unto him, what doest thou? He upholds all things
by the word of his power. Six, I love this. When he had
by himself purged our sins. When he had by himself with no
creature aid, he had no man helping him in this. He had no angel
helping him in this. When he did this by himself,
he single-handedly by himself purged our sins. Now notice what it says. It didn't
say he made forgiveness available to us. It didn't say he made
purging available to us. It said he by himself purged
our sins. When the Lord Jesus Christ said,
it is finished, everybody he died for, their sins were canceled. They were washed away. They were
purged. The us in our text, when he had
by himself purged us of our sins, that don't talk about all men.
That's talking about those for whom he died. That's talking
about the elect. That's talking about those who
believe. You see, the notion that Jesus Christ shed his blood
for everybody and made salvation available for everybody is a
denial of the very content of the gospel. You see, the content
of the gospel, here's the gospel, that when he died, my salvation
was accomplished. That's the content of the gospel.
And if you can die for somebody and they wind up in hell anyway,
you've taken the gospel away from me. I love that passage
of scripture in Galatians 2.21. Paul said, if righteousness came
by the law, then Christ died in vain. But Christ didn't die
in vain. Everybody he died for, he made
altogether righteous. That's what the purging of sins
is. If he purged your sins, he didn't just leave you Kind of
neutral, he made you the very righteousness of God in the Lord
Jesus Christ. And he did this by himself. Not the labor of my hands can
fulfill the law's demands. Could my tears forever flow? Could my zeal no respite know? These for sin could not atone.
Thou must save and thou alone. He by himself purged our sins. In John chapter 17, verse four,
our Lord said, I've glorified thee on the earth. I have finished
the work that thou gave us me to do. Finished in time. It's all over. He did it all.
but also finished as to nothing left to be done, finished in
accomplishments. Look at Hebrews chapter 10. Hebrews chapter 10. I remember one time I was listening
to Henry Mayhem was saying he was going to preach from Hebrews
chapter 10. And he said, I hope I have some liberty in preaching
from Hebrews chapter 10. And, and, uh, one man replied,
well, if you read it, that's enough. Hebrews chapter 10 is
a wonderful chapter, but look in verse 11 of Hebrews chapter
10 and every priest stand daily, not Not sitting, but standing
daily. The reason they're standing because
their work's never finished. Every priest standing, daily
ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can
never take away sins. But this man. after he had offered
one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of
God, from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his
footstool, for by one offering he hath perfected forever. Then bitter sanctified. Is that
the gospel or what? He by himself purged our sins. There's nothing left to be done.
Nothing left to be done. He did it all. And look at this
one's position. When he had by himself purged
our sins, he sat down on the right hand of the majesty on
high. I love that name for God, the
majesty on high. And he sat down at his right
hand, the place of authority, the place of power, the place
of high esteem. Oh, the greatness, the excellency
and the glory of this one by whom God has spoken. He's the
heir of all things. He's the creator of the universe.
He is the very brightness of the glory of God. He's the perfect
representation, the express image of his person. He's the one who
upholds all things by the word of his power. He's the controller
of providence. He's the one who by himself purged
our sins. And he's the one who is set down
at the right hand of the majesty on high. And God has spoken by
him, by his son. God now has spoken, he the true
and living word. Now by faith, by faith, not by
sight, but by faith, I want us to go back, go back, back, back,
back, and see in the present this one nailed to the tree. How you go about doing that by
faith? He's called the new. That means
freshly slaughtered. It's as if he was just slaughtered
today. It's as if he was just crucified
today. The new and the living way. I want us to go back and see
that one nailed to a tree. We just heard that song smitten,
stricken, and afflicted. See him dying on the tree. Tis the Christ by man rejected. Yes, my soul, tis he, tis he. See the one who is the son. by whom God has spoken nailed
to a tree. The earth quakes, the sun refuses
to shine as the creator is nailed to a cross by his creatures. And remember, he's omnipotent.
He's not a victim. He's in control of this. It all
happened according to his will. Him being delivered by the determinate
counsel and foreknowledge of God. You have taken and with
wicked hands have crucified and slain. Now, what does God say
by this? His son the darling of his heart,
the express image of his person, nailed violently to a tree, bleeding,
groaning, dying. What does God say? First, here is the evil of sin. Ye who think of sin but lightly,
Nor suppose the evil great here may view its nature rightly,
here its guilt may estimate. God saw sin on his son. No, God saw sin in his son. who his own self bear our sins
in his own body on the tree. God saw sin in his only begotten
and well-beloved son, and he killed him. He gave him no mercy. He showed him no pity. He forsook
him. Because sin is an infinite evil
and God won't let it go by even in his son. If you want to know how bad sin
is, you look at the cross and you
see what God the Father did to his only son. Don't look within
yourself to find out how bad sin is. Don't think, well, don't
look to your own experience. You look to the cross and there
you'll find out how bad sin is. That's what God has to say. Oh,
the infinite evil of sin. What does God have to say? Here
is the evil of man. Right here. Here's the evil of
me. Here's the evil of you personally. When God left men alone, the
scripture says He delivered Jesus to their will. What was their will? Put Him
to death. Crucify Him. Kill Him. Now here
is me and you. If God took away the restraints
and he left me or you to ourselves and left us to our will and didn't
stop us, we would be right there with him, crucified. There is
the evil of man. His will is to put Christ out
of business. I don't want him to reign over
me. We will not have this man reign over us. That's man's desire. Here I see the moral wickedness
of man. Now you can talk about moral
goodness. You can talk about free will. You can talk about
any of those things. It's all a lie. The cross tells
us the reality of what every man is. This is me. This is you. I see the evil of
sin. God killed his son. And I see
the evil of the one who committed the sin, men. But you see that
one on the cross? Here is God's word. Here is God's
revelation of who he is. Oh, that God is pleased to make
known to us concerning his person is seen in the cross, that one
being nailed to a cross. Now that shows us the significance
of this. You know, it's amazing when we
talk about the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ, many people not
even interested. Is that all you got to say? Teach
us how to live. Give us some directions on how
to have better marriages and how to do better in life. Don't you see the glory of this? This is who God is. You want
to know how? The absolute justice of God. He will not let sin go unpunished. He's just. He's righteous. He's
holy. Oh, His Don't you admire the Lord that
there is such a thing as absolute, perfect, impartial justice? I
couldn't trust God if He wasn't that way. He will not let sin
go unpunished. He's God. I see His sovereign purpose. Christ is
called the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. It was
always God's purpose to crucify his son to make himself known.
How glory, how beyond our, you think a man could ever come up
with this? God in his infinite wisdom has made a way to be just
and yet justify somebody like me. So that God looks at Todd Nibbert
and says, he's altogether without sin. And the reason he says that
is because I am altogether without sin by what Christ did for me. What wisdom that God could make
a way to be just. punish all sin and yet justify
somebody as sinful and weak and helpless as me in a way that
Christ gets all the glory what wisdom what mercy God God gave
his son What grace! What love! God so loved the world
that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth
on him should not perish, but have eternal life. I see the mighty power of God
in putting away sin. So that it's annihilated. It's
not there. It's canceled. It's gone. That's what the Lord
did on the cross. What power that he could make
something that was to actually not be. So that when God looks
at me, he doesn't remember my sin, the scripture says, because
there's nothing there to remember. It's all gone. Oh, the glory
of God revealed in the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. God
reveals all his glorious person and all of his glorious character. See that one on the cross. God says, there's my salvation. There is my salvation. Here. We have a firm foundation. Hear the refuge for the lost.
Christ, the rock of our salvation. His the name of which we boast.
Lamb of God for sinners wounded. Sacrifice to cancel guilt. None
shall ever be confounded who on him their hope have built. God's salvation. Now, what does
God say by this one? Remember, Paul said in 1 Corinthians
2, verse 1, he said, I determined. I made this my objective. I made
this my goal. I determined not to know anything
among you, said Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. That's the
only thing worth talking about. You believe that? That's the
only thing worth talking about. I determined not to know anything
else among you, saying Jesus Christ and Him crucified, the
cross of the Lord Jesus Christ." Now, what does God have to say
by His Son, by the cross, by the word the Lord has spoken?
What does He have to say? Well, here's one thing He has
to say. There is mercy for the vilest
sinner this side of hell. I don't care how bad you are.
I don't care how abandoned you are. I don't care how evil you
are. I don't care how much sin, light you sinned against. I,
whatever your case may be, I don't care how long you've heard the
gospel and hardened your heart. I don't, doesn't matter. I don't
care how sinful I am or you are. There's mercy for the vilest
sinner, this side of hell that comes to him and sues for mercy. That's what God has to say. There's
mercy. There's grace. There's acceptance
for anyone who comes. That's what God has to say. What
does the son have to say? He's God. What does the son have
to say? Well, he says in John chapter
six, verse 37, all that the father giveth me shall come to me. And
I love this precious statement, him that cometh to me. Him that
cometh to me, I will in no wise, for no reason whatsoever cast
out. You come to him, there is no
reason he won't receive you. What a blessed word. You come,
he'll receive you. He said, if any man thirst, let
him come to me and drink. Whoever you are. What does the spirit say? I hear
what God says. I hear what the son says. What
does the spirit say? And the spirit and the bride
say, come, come and welcome to the Lord.
This one who hung on a cross. What's the church have to say?
The spirit and the bride say, come, Come on in, come and welcome
right now to the Lord Jesus Christ. Any sinner, he came to save sinners. And what do I have to say? Anybody
interested? Not really, I understand that,
but I do have something to say. But it's not my original words,
but this is what I have to say. I have the same thing to say
that Paul had to say when he said, God forbid that I should
saving the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. I glory only. God forbid that I should glory
in anything I did. I love the way he says this.
God forbid that I should glory by the cross of the Lord Jesus
Christ, by whom, notice he didn't say by what, by whom the world
is crucified unto me and I unto the world. You know, you can't
separate the person of Christ and the cross of Christ. The
cross of Christ tells us who the person is. And he says, God
forbid, now remember who Paul is. Paul is the man God used
to expound the gospel. God wrote, Paul wrote 13 books
in the Bible. Paul was the chief apostle. Paul was used so mightily of
God. Can you imagine being used like
Paul was used? Yet what does Paul say? God forbid
that I should glory, that I should take credit in, that I should
have confidence in, that I should rest in, that I should rejoice
in anything save the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. who was
hanging on that cross and what he accomplished by that cross.
Do you know that by his work on that cross, he accomplished
the full glory of God. He absolutely glorified his father
and he absolutely saved everybody. The father gave him to save God
forbid that I should glory saving the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. by whom the world is crucified
to me and I unto the world. God has spoken by his son. Let's pray together.