Jeremiah 32-33 Hebrews 1

“The Son reflects the glory of God and shows exactly what God is like. He holds everything together with his powerful word. When the Son made people clean from their sins, he sat down at the right side of God, the Great One in heaven.” (Hebrews 1:3 NCV)

While some tradition points to Paul as the author of Hebrews, we have no biblical affirmation in the letter itself. In fact, some believe that this wasn’t a letter so much as a sermon. Nevertheless, Hebrews has important teachings on the person of Jesus. That teaching begins in the first chapter where the author compares Jesus to angels and notes how much higher Jesus is than the angels. Jesus told Philip that if he had seen Jesus, he had seen the Father, and Hebrews 1:3 echoes that theme. Jesus, the Son, reflects the glory of God and shows what God is like. His word holds everything together and, after providing for the cleansing of sin for all people, He sat down at the right hand of God the Father. Part of the greatness of the book of Hebrews is how the author reveals the glory of Jesus Christ: God the Son.

One thing that Christians should never forget is who Jesus is. We live in a mixed religious culture these days alongside people of many different religious beliefs. As much as it depends on us, we need to respect other people and their right to hold beliefs that don’t include Jesus, but we should never forget that Jesus is God the Son, sitting at the right hand of God the Father. No matter how great the teachings of these other religions may be; no matter how wonderful the lifestyles of the people involved, as Christians, we believe that the question of eternal life will be answered by a person’s relationship with Jesus. If you know Jesus as your Savior, you’ll enter eternity with God; if you don’t know Jesus Christ, you’ll be separated from God for eternity. For us as Christians, that means two things: 1) We need to share God’s love and the truth of how Jesus cleanses us from our sins with people who need to know Him; and 2) Our lives should reflect the truth that we are in fellowship with the God of the Universe. That reflection shouldn’t show arrogance, but a lifestyle of love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness – showing others the same things God showed us. Our respect for other people should include showing and telling them about the love of God.

Lord, there is no one like You. Let my life bring honor to Your name. Help me to share Your love, mercy, grace, and forgiveness to all people.

Scripture taken from the New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.