The Life: No One Like Jesus
February 17, 2018
All my life I’ve loved reading biographies. My very first biography was the life of Mickey Mantle. I was never a Yankee fan, but I loved Mickey. In fact, I’ve read lots of sports biographies: Jerry Kramer, Pistol Pete Maravich, Sandy Koufax, Ben Hogan, Payne Stewart to name a few. After I started following Jesus I began reading the lives of great Christian leaders: C.S. Lewis, D. Martyn Lloyd Jones, Charles Spurgeon, Adonirom Judson, Billy Graham. Then the last ten years or so, I’ve gotten into reading biographies of Presidents: like George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S Grant and Teddy Roosevelt. Roosevelt’s 3 Volume set by Edmund Morris may be the most fascinating account of a life I’ve ever read. But as great a life as he lived, or any of any these men lived, I’ve always been left with the sense that there have been very few truly great men in history. And then when you compare these great men with Jesus, well all I can say is this: There’s no one like Jesus! There’s no one wiser, no one stronger, no one as loving and no greater than Jesus.
In fact, if you were here last week as we celebrated our third anniversary as a Church, you heard me say, that we will always be a church about Jesus, that we’ll always be a people who are helping people become friends, family and followers of Jesus. Why? Because for many Jesus is simply a mystery. Some people say he was a prophet, a great teacher, a great moral model; some claim he was a religious fanatic, or a political revolutionary and nothing more. Still others believe He may be have been the highest form of humanity, but when it comes to believing that Jesus is the divine Son of God, who came to die for us and give us a life we do not deserve… well, that’s where many still struggle and stumble believing even today.
So beginning today, we are going to dive into the life of Jesus Christ. And we are going to start, not in the Gospels, but in the New Testament letter to the Hebrews. For it is here, in Hebrews 1:1-4, where the author of this letter stakes His claim as why There IS NO One Like Jesus. So, if you brought you Bible, you can turn there. But as we begin this series on the life of Jesus together, I’d like us to stand and read this passage together. So would you stand in read God’s Word with me:
In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days He has spoken to us by his Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom also He made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. So He became as much superior to the angels as the name He has inherited is superior to theirs. Hebrews 1:1-4
There’s no one like Jesus! And the first reason why there is no one like Jesus is this:
He is the Revealer of God Look at that first verse again: In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days He has spoken to us by his Son.
In the past, all throughout the Old Testament, we see that God revealed Himself at many times and in various ways. He spoke through the prophets, He appeared In dreams and visions. He spoke through angels and He even spoke through Balaam’s donkey in Numbers 22. But here in this text the author tells us that God has spoken to us through His Son. Everyway God prior to Jesus: through the prophets, dreams, angels, or donkeys, was all of God’s revelation to mankind. But all of God’s previous revelation pointed to one person – Jesus Christ. And now through Jesus, God was able to fully and completely express Himself to us. Jesus is God’s voice in the Flesh. Jesus is the Word made flesh who lived among us so we could hear what God wanted us to hear about life, about love and about knowing God.
In fact, everything Jesus taught was given Him by the Father to teach. So that when we listen to the teachings of Jesus, we are actually listening to the Father’s Word. This is how Jesus put it in John 12:47-50. He said, “If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day. For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken. I know that His command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.”
Remarkable. This is why there is no one greater than Jesus. If you want to know truth, if you want to know God’s will, if you want to know what God is like, if you want to know how to have eternal life, listen to Jesus. God has fully expressed Himself through His Son. There are many voices competing in our world trying to tell you how to live, how to be satisfied, how to find life. But there is only one voice that speaks truth; only one voice that has the words of life; only one voice that fully expresses the will of the Father: Jesus, the living word of God.
And if this is true, there is no one greater than Jesus. If this is true then you owe it to yourself to listen to His voice, study His words and learn how to put them into practice. For it is Jesus who said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my followers. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32 There is no one wiser than Jesus. Jesus is the revealer of God, of God’s Word. The Father Himself said this about Jesus: “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.” Luke 9:35 There is no One like Jesus. He is the final and complete word of God. That’s the first reason Jesus is so great. Now the second:
He is the Owner of All Things But in these last days He has spoken to us by his Son, whom He appointed heir of all things.
Jesus is the heir of all things. This too is quite remarkable. For when Jesus first came to live among us, He became poor for our sakes, that we, through His poverty, might be made rich. He had nothing for Himself. He had “nowhere to lay his head” (Luke 9:58). Even His clothes were taken from Him when He died. And when he was buried, he was laid in a grave that belonged to someone else. But when Jesus comes to earth again He will completely and eternally inherit all things. Why? Because everything that has been created, was created by Him and was created for Him; including you and me. Listen to how Paul describes this in Colossians 1:16, For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.
If this is true, then there is no one like Jesus. If this is true, then everything that exists will find its true meaning only when it comes under the rule of Jesus. You see, if this is true, then there is great hope for our world and your life. For if you believe that Jesus is the heir of all things, including your life – that means you belong to Him. He created you. He gave you your personality, your passions and your abilities. You are fearfully and wonderfully made. And that means when you trust Jesus to lead your life, no one knows you better than Him. And because He loves you with a sacrificial love, no one will love you better than him.
But there’s even more good news than that. For when you trust Him with your life, the Bible says you become a co-heir with Christ. That means that when Jesus returns you will own everything with Him. Therefore, worry be gone. You don’t need to worry about this life as much as you do. This life with its dog eat dog, keep up with the Jones, the man with the most toys wins philosophy will loose its hold on you. Because with Jesus, one day this will all be yours. He is the heir of all things. God the Father the appointed Him as the heir. There is no one like Jesus. With Him you will have it all.
Now, the third reason: He is the Creator of the Universe But in these last days He has spoken to us by his Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom also He made the universe. What this author is saying is the very same thing John stated at the beginning of his gospel of Jesus Christ: Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. John 1:3
One of the greatest proofs of Jesus divine nature is His ability to create. Ability to create belongs to God alone and the fact that Jesus creates reveals to us there is no one great. He is God. He created everything material and immaterial. He made the sun and the moon. He put the stars in place. The closest star to us Alpha Centauri, is 4.37 light years from us. One light year is 5.88 trillion miles. And yet Alpha Centauri is just one small spec in the vast universe that Jesus spoke into place. Jesus created oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, chlorine and fluorine. Jesus spoke into existence the blue skies, majestic mountains and flowing rivers. He created 91,000 species of insects. He created 2,000 different kinds of cacti. He created the weather. He thought up the concept of a raindrop. Have you ever wondered how all that water stored up in a cloud actually stays there until it pours out as individual drops? It’s all God’s creation.
But the greatest example of His creation is you. You were made in the image and likeness of God. The reason you long to love and be loved is that God put that in the DNA of every single person ever created. Jesus created you.
And if Jesus created you, then every breath you take, everyday you live is a gift from him. And if Jesus created you, then your life has dignity, meaning and purpose. You are here today, because Jesus wanted you to be here. But more importantly because He wanted you to be with Him for eternity. There’s no one like Jesus He is the Creator.
Forthly, He is the Radiance of God’s Glory Radiance is light that streams forth from a source of light. As no one can separate the sun’s light from the sun itself, so also no one can separate the nature of Christ from that of his Father. Whether the radiance is seen as reflected brightness or inherent brightness, the thought is clear: in Jesus we see the essence of God. He is, therefore, the exact representation of His being.
Jesus is the light of life, the light of the world, the visible manifestation of the glory and beauty of all that is God. We would never be able to see or enjoy God’s light if we did not have Jesus to look at. Jesus said, “I am the light of the world; he who follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” John 8:12. Because Jesus is the radiance of God’s glory He can transmit His light into your life and my life, so that we, in turn can radiate the glory of God. We live in a dark world, but into this dark world God sent His glorious light, Jesus.
So now when anyone looks to Jesus they can know for certain what God is like. That is why Jesus said, “Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent. The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me. I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.” John 12:44-45
And now when you put your faith in Jesus, you too can shine the light of Jesus. We live in a dark world that desperately needs the light of life. Jesus is that light. He is the radiance of God’s glory. There is no one like Jesus.
Fifthly, He is the Sustainer of all things The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. Hebrews 1:3
Jesus is the master of the universe. He is the glue that holds everything together. He is the power that keeps everything moving. If Jesus for one moment, let go of all the physical laws that He set in place, we would instantly cease to exist; gravity would disappear, we would float into space and where would freeze or suffocate. He’s the one who tilted our globe at an angle of 23 degrees. If that’s the only thing he allowed out of His grip, in short time vapors from the oceans would move north and south creating monstrous continents of ice. If He refused to hold the moon in place, the ocean tides would flood the earth twice a day. But the most important aspect of His sustaining hold is that He holds your life in the grip of His grace.
You see, everyday you live, every beat of your heart, every breath you make, you make becauseJesus holds everything together. And if that doesn’t set Jesus apart. If that doesn’t say He is good, that He is great, that He is God… then the final reason on our list should:
For that final reason why there is no one like Jesus is this: He is the Purifier of all Sin After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. So He became as much superior to the angels as the name He has inherited is superior to theirs. Hebrews 1:3b-4
Because He died for me, I now stand pure before God! And because He is seated at the Father’s right hand that means His saving work, his purifying work is complete. It is finished. And the picture of Jesus seated at the Father’s right hand insures this. God has accepted the work of Jesus on the cross. His blood shed for you has paid the price. And now when you put your faith in Jesus, you are forgiven once and for all and you are fully accepted by God. You never have to worry about earning His love again – for you now have it completely.
JESUS HAS DONE IT, and now when you believe in Him you get to REST in His purifying grace.
Therefore His name, the name of Jesus is exalted above all names. For there is no one like Jesus. No one who even comes close. His is incomparable… For
He is the revealer of God
He is the Owner of all Things
He is the Creator of the Universe
He is the Radiance of God’s glory
He is the Sustainer of all Life
He is the Purifier of all sin
Therefore, the Father has exalted His name, THE NAME OF JESUS above every name. For now anyone who calls on name of Jesus will be saved.
As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:11-13
There is no one like Jesus. That’s why He is the life, why eternal life is found in Him. Have you called on Him? Are you ready to trust in Him? You can today. Let’s pray.
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