Hebrews Chapter 1: Why to serve whom you choose

Hebrews 1:1-4  God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets,  (2)  has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;  (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, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,  (4)  having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

Above is the text we are going to begin with today as we start our study in Hebrews.  This is such a great segway from Joshua into serving God and walking according to His word.  When we left Joshua last week, he told the people to choose whom they would serve, but he and his house would serve the Lord.  Hebrews jumps right into why we should serve the Him.  SO, here we go!  

The first few verses of this book are reminders to the people of that time who Jesus Christ is.  They had become discouraged and lost some faith because He had not returned as soon after His death as many of them thought He should have.  The writer of Hebrews, whom many scholars believe to be Paul, begins Chapter 1 by saying in the past, God spoke through prophets to the people.  Now, today, He speaks through His only Son, Jesus, the Christ.  Jesus was appointed as God's heir and through Him God made the worlds (or ages).  Then the write goes on to discuss who Jesus is.  

1. He is the brightness of God's glory.  John 1:14 says  And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.  Just as our children are our glory, representative of us, so the appointed heir Jesus is the glory of the Father as the only Son.  He is full of grace and truth.  In fact, Jesus said in John 8:32  "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."  Jesus called Himself the Way, the Truth, and the Life. (John 14:6).  In responding to Pontius Pilate, Jesus said in John 18:37  Pilate therefore said to Him, "Are You a king then?" Jesus answered, "You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice."  Jesus said He was born to bear witness to the truth.  He is Truth.  He said everyone who is of the truth, hears His voice.  He is the Good Shepherd and He also said His sheep know His voice.  
2. He is the expressed image of God's person.  Colossians 1:15  He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.  John 14:7-9  "If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him."  (8)  Philip said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us."  (9)  Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, 'Show us the Father'?
3. Upholding all things by the Word of of His power.  Colossians 1:16-17  For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.  (17)  And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. There is nothing that is outside of Jesus' power.  There is nothing that is outside what He created.  He created all things, and all things are set together within Him (consist).  
4. He purged our sins.  He gave His life so we could be reconciled to our Creator.  John 10:17-18  "Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again.  (18)  No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father."
5. He sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Father.  The right hand of God is one of power and authority.  The position of being seated at the right hand of the Father is one of power and authority.  
6. So much better than the angels.  By His inheritance as an heir, Jesus was received a name that was greater than the angels.  There is no name greater.  Philippians 2:9-11  Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,  (10)  that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,  (11)  and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

So, on the heels of Joshua and now that we have chosen and declared whom we will serve, why do we choose to serve Him?  We serve Him because He worthy of our service.  He gave His only Son over to death, hell, and the grave so they would be conquered on our behalf.  Jesus Christ gave His life, willingly following the will of the Father in obedience to His death for the glory it bring to Him.  He was resurrected and is seated at the right hand of the Father.  We serve Him from a thankful heart for the sacrifice He made for us.  We serve Him for being the ransom paid to bring us out of darkness and into the marvelous light.  We serve Him because He is the God of the Universe and deserves all honor, glory and praise we have to give Him, even unto our physical deaths.  

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