Closer Attention to Christ

Well, it's very good to be with you here this morning in the house of the Lord. It's always a great honor and privilege to preach at Calvary Church, my home church. And I'm very thankful to my dear pastor, Dr. Monroe, for extending this honor and privilege to me here today. Today, we are going to hopefully together look into the Word of God. And as we look into the Word of God, we're going to together study a passage, and this passage very clearly points us to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

And hopefully, each and every one of us will today leave, and as we do, leave giving closer attention to Christ. As many of you know, and undoubtedly, we are all aware, we are surrounded by distractions. Everywhere around us, we find something that distracts us, especially from important things. Things are competing at all times for our attention. And I myself have been reminded recently of the need to give close attention to the most important things. Earlier this spring, I was working in my yard and I was trimming some shrubbery in my lawn, and I was focused on making sure that the shrubs were trimmed evenly. I know that sounds like a simple thing.

It's actually harder than it looks. And I needed to back up. I needed to gain some perspective on the overall shape of the shrubs. Now, we're not talking about like animal figures.

We're talking about just making sure they're round. And when I did, when I backed up, when I was able to gain some perspective, I noticed that inches away from where I had just been, there was a rather large snake. And it was looking at me in a rather displeased way. I actually took a photograph of the snake.

There it is right now. You can see the look of displeasure on its face. And the shrubbery is kind of round, but that's not part of the picture. This snake that you see, perhaps it's a king cobra, I couldn't tell, or a boa constrictor. I'm not a reptile expert. But regardless, I determined it was best to leave the snake alone. And the snake apparently determined it was best to find a new yard to be in.

Or so I thought. Again, one day recently, not today, but recently, we had some severe storms in the Charlotte area. And when there was a break in the storm, I walked out of my house very focused on a specific task I wanted to accomplish. And as I did, I noticed something on my front porch.

It wasn't an Amazon box smiling back at me. It was the very same snake I had encountered earlier in the spring. And I watched in horror as it slithered into my garage. Now, my children, not knowing how dangerous a king cobra or boa constrictor could be, thought the whole matter was very exciting. Eventually, the serpent was convinced he needed to leave my garage and find a new place to rest.

And having encountered this snake two times already, I can't say for certain if there will be a third encounter. But one thing I can say for certain, I have decided to give much closer attention to where I step when I leave my house. Today, as we look into the Word of God, we are told there is a great need for all of us to give much closer attention, not necessarily to where we are stepping, but closer attention to Christ. For when we look into and study the Word of God, specifically Hebrews chapter 1 and Hebrews chapter 2, we find that for centuries, God spoke his law through angels and his prophecies through prophets, until finally, God spoke by his only begotten Son. And while we must give close attention to what God spoke through the angels, and we must give close attention to what God spoke through the prophets, Hebrews tells us we must give closer attention to what God spoke through his only begotten Son. Today, as we seek to understand and apply the Word of God, we can be sure that every word of Holy Scripture from Genesis to Revelation is the very Word of God. We must give close attention to all of it, but we must give even closer attention to the words of the Son of God. Please turn with me to the New Testament book of Hebrews, the New Testament book of Hebrews, Hebrews chapter 1. And today, as we look into the Word of God, we will find three truths about God speaking. And these truths, they tell us about our need to give closer attention to Christ.

We'll find this very clearly in Hebrews 1 and 2 as we study today. But before we move into our time of study, let's take a moment and bow our heads and close our eyes and go to the Lord one more time in prayer. Father, I do thank you again for the privilege of being here with my brothers and sisters. Thank you so much for Calvary Church.

Thank you for the faithful leadership we have here at the church. I pray, Father, that each and every one of us here today would see Christ. We wouldn't see distractions. We wouldn't see even the preacher. We would see Christ in the perfect Word of God. I pray that hearts would be changed, lives would be touched, and I pray that each and every one of us would leave here today firmly committed to today and this week and forevermore give closer attention to Christ. For it is in the name of Christ that we pray.

Amen. The first truth we find today is that God has spoken by his prophets. God has spoken by his prophets. We read this in Hebrews chapter 1, verses 1, 2, and 3.

Look into the Word of God with me. The Bible says, long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets. But in these last days, he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He, talking about the Son, is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature. And he upholds the universe by the word of his power. The Bible tells us that long ago, God spoke.

Again, we have just read this. Long ago, at many times, in many ways, God spoke to whom? Our fathers, by whom? The prophets. For centuries, God spoke through his prophets. Men like Obadiah, men like Amos, men like Daniel and Isaiah, men like Elijah and Elisha. However, the Bible clearly tells us that in these last days, God has spoken as well, Hebrews 1 and 2. We've just read this. In these last days, he, talking about God, has spoken to whom?

Us, by whom? His Son. And God speaking by his only begotten Son is very different than God speaking by the prophets. One reason this is the case is that the Son of God is superior to the prophets. Hebrews doesn't just tell us this. Hebrews gives us five ways in which the Son of God is superior to the prophets.

We have just now read this. We see the first way it gives us is God's Son was instrumental in creation. In Hebrews 1 and 2, we read, it was through whom? His Son that he, talking about God, created the world.

Are we aware of that? That it was through the Son of God that the world itself was created. Are we aware of this second way that Hebrew gives us? That God's Son is actually the sustainer of all that was created? Hebrews 1 and 3 tells us, as we've just read, God's Son upholds the universe by the word of his power. Are we aware of a third way that God's Son is superior to the prophets that we have just read? God's Son is the heir of all that is. Hebrews 1 and 2 says, regarding his Son, that he, talking about God, appointed him heir of all that is. Surely, nothing like what we have just seen could ever be said of the prophets. But having just seen three ways in which God's Son is superior, Hebrews gives us two final ways to show us that God's Son is superior to the prophets.

But we see something else in these two final ways. We see that the Son with the Father and with the Spirit is truly God. We read that God's Son is the radiance of the glory of God. Hebrews 1 and 3, it records here for us that he, talking about the Son of God, is the radiance of the glory of God. The Bible does not say that the Son of God merely reflects the glory of God. The Bible says that the glory of God radiates out from the Son of God.

And John himself also testified about Christ. In John 1 and 14, we have seen his glory, talking about the glory of the Son of God. Glory as the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

So we see that's quite different from the prophets, isn't it? We see here that the Bible tells us God's Son is the radiance of the glory of God. But more than this, he is also the exact imprint of the nature of God.

Hebrews 1 and 3 tells us this, he is the Son, the exact imprint of God's nature. James tells us in the New Testament about one of the prophets, specifically about Elijah in James 5 and 17. He says, Elijah was a man with a nature like ours. Elijah had a human nature. I have a human nature.

You have a human nature. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours. And although Jesus Christ had a fully human nature, meaning he was fully human, Christ also had the fully divine nature, meaning he was also fully God. Yes, he was fully human, but he was at the same time in every way fully God. And this is how John describes Christ when he writes in John 1 and 18, no one has ever seen God, but the only God who is at the Father's side, talking about the Son of God, he has made him known. John calls the Son of God the only God in John 1 and 18. Titus in Titus 2 and 13 says, our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.

When Thomas sees the resurrected Christ there following the bodily resurrection in John 20 and 28, he says, and Jesus does not correct him, my Lord and my God. Clearly, the Son of God is superior to the prophets. And for this reason, when God speaks through the Son, it's very different than when God speaks through the prophets. But another reason this is the case is that the Son of God, he is actually the subject about which the prophets wrote. When the prophets wrote their prophecies, what were their prophecies about? They were about the Son of God.

Sometimes it can be difficult for readers when they look into the Old Testament prophets, when they look into the prophetic writings that contain like Elijah and Elisha's words or Samuel's words or even the Psalms or David's words or when we look into the major prophets or minor prophets. Sometimes when we read it, it can be difficult to know what precisely is this about. It reminds me of some of my students. As Pastor indicated, I currently serve as a seminary professor and I have great students, wonderful students.

Many of them are wonderful and great. And many of the courses I teach require them to write a research paper. And it just so happens it also requires me to grade the research paper.

But it seems that for many students, one of the hardest things about writing their research paper is deciding on their subject. What are they going to write? I know this is grammatically incorrect, but what are they going to write about?

About. Some students, they want to write about everything and I have to encourage them. You need to narrow your topic. You need to narrow your subject.

That subject, it could fill books, it could fill volumes, it could fill libraries, and it has filled libraries. You need to narrow your topic. Some students, when they tell me their subject, frankly, I don't understand what they want to write about.

It's very confusing and I have to encourage them. You might want to have a clearer topic to write about. Some students, they even come to me, why don't you recommend me something I should write about? Do you have a list of potential topics? Wonderful students, but it seems to be very difficult for them to come up with a subject on their own.

In almost the opposite way, not coming up with a subject, but recognizing the subject. For many readers, it can be very difficult to recognize the subject of the Old Testament prophets, of these prophecies in the Old Testament. Some readers think the Old Testament prophets, they wrote about dozens and dozens and dozens of different things.

There's no unity to it whatsoever. Some think that. Some might think, well, what the Old Testament writers are even writing about in the prophecies, it's very confusing. It's very confusing and I'm not sure what they're writing about.

But we don't need to think either of these extremes. The Scriptures tell us what the Old Testament prophecies are ultimately about. They are ultimately about the Son of God.

That's what they're about. Christ is the subject of the Old Testament prophecy. Peter writes in 2 Peter 1 and 21, no prophecy was ever produced by the will of men. None of the prophets just woke up one day and said, I'm going to write a prophetic book.

That's not what happened. It wasn't by their will. The Bible says, men spoke from God. Men spoke from God as they, the men, were carried along by the Holy Spirit. And what did they speak about?

What was their topic about which they spoke? Peter tells us what it was in 1 Peter 1 and 10 and 11. The prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours, they searched and inquired carefully, inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he, this was their topic, predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories of Christ. We can know that the Son of God, he is ultimately the subject of Old Testament prophecy. And for this reason too, God speaking by his only begotten Son is very different than God speaking by the prophets. Now today you may hear some say, and this isn't anything new, today you may hear some say, all we need is the New Testament church. We don't need the Old Testament. In fact, some may even advocate, shockingly to many of us, departing in some sense from the Old Testament. But that would be a grave mistake. The Old Testament prophets, we need to read them.

Why? Their writing is the very Word of God. If that were all that we could say, if that were the only reason, that would be a sufficient reading. Their writing is the very Word of God, but their subject is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We need to read Amos and Obadiah. Further, there is so much of the New Testament, there is so much of the New Testament we cannot even begin to understand without going back to and understanding the Old Testament prophecies. Underneath the New Testament is the foundation of the Old Testament prophets. We need to read Isaiah and Daniel. But further, there are many things the prophets actually wrote about that are yet to be fulfilled, that are still future, things we need to know about. We need to read the words of Elijah and the words of Elisha.

Yes, we must read church, the Old Testament prophets, and as we do, we must give them close attention because God has spoken by his prophets. But it's also true that God has spoken by his angels. God has spoken by his angels. We find this in Hebrews 1, 3, and 4.

Look with me, if you will, into the Word of God. Picking up halfway through verse 3, the Bible records, after making purification for sins, he, talking about the Son of God, sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs. The Bible mentions angels here. Hebrews mentions angels because Hebrews is making an argument that God has not only spoken by the prophets, but God has spoken by the angels. We'll read it here in a few moments, but if we go forward to Hebrews chapter 2 and verse 2, we read of the message declared by angels.

What is the message declared by angels? It is the Old Testament law. The Old Testament law is the very message declared by angels. Paul writes to us in Galatians chapter 3 and verse 19, the law was put in place through angels by an intermediary. Stephen 2 speaks to Jewish leaders in Acts chapter 7 and verse 53 and writes, you who receive the law as delivered by angels.

Clearly Hebrews is mentioning angels here because God has spoken through his angels. God has declared by, put in place by, delivered by his angels, the Old Testament law. But we understand that God also used a man to give the law, didn't he? The man Moses. Deuteronomy 31 and 39 records, Moses wrote this law, and what did he do with it?

He gave it to the priests, the sons of Levi, who carried the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord, and he also gave it to all the elders of Israel. Yes, God gave his Old Testament law through the angels. He also used Moses to give his law, and we have that law today.

The books of Exodus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Leviticus. God spoke through his angels, God spoke through Moses, and we have that in the Word of God today. But let us remember in our minds, God has spoken in these last days, not through the angels, not through Moses, but God has spoken to us by his Son. And like we saw with the prophets, when God speaks through his Son, it's very different than when God speaks through his angels or through Moses. Again, because God's Son is superior to the angels and superior to Moses. Now, there may be a confusion about God's Son being superior to the angels.

How is God's Son superior to the angels? In 1 Samuel 17, we read about Goliath. Most of us in here would be familiar with David and Goliath. We read about Goliath. He came with the Philistine army.

He came to Israel. He wanted to challenge Israel, a warrior in Israel, to fight him. And the Scripture records regarding Goliath and the sight of him and Israel's reaction to seeing a warrior such as Goliath. In 1 Samuel 17 and 11, when Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid. The king of Israel was dismayed and greatly afraid. The warriors of Israel were dismayed and greatly afraid. What were they dismayed about and about what were they afraid? It was Goliath.

And why? Because he was superior to them. But in what way? He was superior in quantity. He was a human like the king of Israel. He was a human like the warriors of Israel. It wasn't that he was something altogether different.

He was a human. There was just a whole lot more of Goliath than there was any of them. In terms of quantity, he was just more. And because he was superior in quantity, what do we read in verse 16 of 1 Samuel 17? For 40 days the Philistine came forward, took his stand morning and evening. They saw him for 40 days and they may have not phrased it like this but in their mind they were thinking, he's got so much more quantity than I do he's superior to me.

No one would engage him in battle. David was still less in quantity than Goliath but he volunteered to fight and we know the result. The Lord came. The Lord came into that situation and delivered Goliath into the hand of David and David was victorious. Even though Goliath was superior in quantity than David, the Lord fought for him. Now there are many points to be taken from David and Goliath but when we think in our minds, David on one hand and Goliath on the other, what we are really thinking about is quantity. We're thinking that what they were is exactly the same. David is a human, Goliath is a human. That's not what was different. What was different was how much they were, the quantity.

One was a huge human and one was a more normal sized human. That's what we think about and if we're not careful, if we're not very intentional and cautious, we may begin to think that's how the Son of God is superior to the angels. That would be false. The Son of God is not superior in quantity to the angels. They're not the same thing. It's just that the Son is a whole lot more of something than what the angels are. They aren't the same thing because the Son of God is God and the angels are not God. There is an infinite difference between God and any part of creation. There's an infinite difference between God the Father and the angels, between God the Son and the angels, and God the Holy Spirit and the angels. And there's an infinite difference, if we can just maybe back up and talk about something else, an infinite difference between God and us. He's not like us, just more.

He's completely different than we are. There's an infinite gap between God the Son and the angels. The Son of God is superior to the angels. In Hebrews gives us no fewer than seven different Old Testament quotations to make this point.

Seven of them. We first read in Hebrews 1 and 5, looking to the Word of God with me, we see two quotations here. For to which of the angels did God ever say, you are my son, today I have begotten you.

Or again, a second quotation, I will be to him a father and he shall be to me a son. This first quotation here that we've just read, Hebrews is quoting Psalm 2, the second Psalm, talking about the Lord's anointed, the king that God has established. And about this king, Hebrews quotes Psalm 2, you are my son, today I have begotten you. Hebrews then goes on and quotes 2 Samuel, when the Lord makes the Davidic covenant with King David and promises David he will be a father to David's descendant and David's descendant will to be to him a son.

And this descendant of David was Christ, the Son of God. Clearly, when we read Hebrews 1 and 5, both of these quotations, neither of them rather, are anything that could ever be said of the angels because the Son of God is superior to the angels. We find too, in verse 6 and verse 7, two different quotations from the Old Testament.

Look into Hebrews chapter 1 with me. And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, let all God's angels worship him. But of the angels, he says, he makes his angels winds and his ministers a flame of fire.

This first quotation is actually from the Song of Moses in Deuteronomy 32. Moses here claiming that God's Son should be worshipped by the angels. God's Son is superior to the angels because he's God and the angels should fall down and worship the Son of God. The second quotation, Psalm 104, speaks of the angels. They're just like wind.

They're just servants. They're nowhere near what the Son of God is. And clearly, when we take both of these together, we see that the Son of God is far superior to the angels. Hebrews then gives us a third pair of citations. Look with me, if you will, into Hebrews chapter 1, beginning with verse 8.

This is an extended quotation. The Bible quotes here, but of the Son, he says, your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness. Therefore, God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.

And second, you, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you will remain. They will all wear out like a garment.

Like a robe, you will roll them up. Like a garment, they will be changed, but you are the same, and your years will have no end. We see the first quotation here, starting in Hebrews 1 and 8, quotes Psalm 45. And here, notice the psalmist.

Hebrews says, this is talking about the Son, says, your throne, O God, calling the Son of God, God, and then later, calls both the Son of God and God the Father, God, when the quotation says, therefore, God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions. Then the second quotation is from Psalm 102, where the psalmist indicates the Son of God will never change. He will never change. He is immutable. However, the angels will.

They will be rolled up. They will change, is what the Word of God says. Clearly, when we take these together, we see the Son of God is far superior to the angels. However, Hebrews has one more passage to quote. Jesus himself cites this passage. Jesus is having an encounter with the Pharisees, and they are challenging him. Jesus cites this passage, and when he does that, the Bible says, they dare not question him anymore. That's how powerful and definitive this passage is, and Hebrews keeps it until last.

Hebrews 1, 13, and 14. We read in the Word of God, and to which of the angels has he ever said, sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet? Hebrews here is quoting Psalm 110, but doesn't quote the the beginning of it, which says, the Lord says to my Lord, sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool. Here, King David is calling God the Father and God the Son, both by the title, Lord. And this settles the point Hebrews is making, that the Son of God is superior, superior to the angels.

And so we see then, when God speaks through his Son, it's very different than when he speaks through the angels. But another reason for this, like we saw with the prophets, is the Son of God is actually the subject of what the angels delivered, the subject of what Moses wrote about. Hebrews specifies Moses and his writings, Hebrews chapter 3, one chapter later than what we will be studying. And it says as follows in verse 5, now Moses was faithful in all God's house as a servant.

So the angels were servants, Moses is a servant in the house of God. But look what Moses did. Moses, in the law, testified to the things that were to be spoken later. What did Moses testify to that would be spoken later? Moses testified about the Son of God himself.

That's what he testified about. And Jesus declares in John 5 and 46, if you believed Moses, you would believe me. And says about Moses, he wrote of me. We can know that the Son of God is the subject of the law, the law that was delivered by angels, the law that was written by Moses.

And so when God speaks through his Son, it's very different, isn't it, than when God speaks by the angels. But some may say, we don't need the Old Testament. All we need is the New Testament. That would be false.

That would be false. The Old Testament law, like the word of the prophets, is the very word of God. And that alone should be enough for us to read it and pay close attention to it.

But its subject is Christ, our Lord and Savior. And again, like the prophets, there's so much of the New Testament that we cannot begin to understand without understanding the foundation of the Old Testament law. We must read Exodus. We must read Leviticus.

We must read Numbers. We must read Deuteronomy. Hebrews itself argues that Christ is Savior from the law.

Yes, we must read the Old Testament law. And as we do, we must give it close attention, for it is true that God has spoken by his angels. But the third and final truth we'll find today, and there is some sense into the fact that everything we've studied so far has prepared for what we're about to study. The third truth and final truth we will find today is that God has spoken by his Son. We have been discussing the law, the law that was delivered by angels and written by Moses. We've been discussing the prophecies that God spoke through his prophets. And when God's Son came to this earth, the Son of God himself said in Luke 16 and 16, the law and the prophets, they were until John the Baptist. But since then, the good news of the kingdom of God is preached.

The Son of God came and he went from town to town where he was led to go and preached the good news of the kingdom of God. And therefore we see, Hebrews 1 and 2 is correct, in these last days God has spoken to us through his Son, Jesus Christ. About the word that God has spoken by the Son of God, we read in Hebrews chapter 2. The first four verses of Hebrews chapter 2 is where we will conclude here this morning. The Bible says, therefore, we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord and it was attested to by those who heard, while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will. So far we have seen that the Son of God speaking, that God speaking through his Son is very different than him speaking through the angels, very different than speaking through the prophets, but it's not merely different.

Hebrews tells us about God speaking through the Son, we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard the Son of God speak. Not just more attention, not just closer attention, much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. Now we've established good reasons. We have established the following.

You have been told this twice now. Once regarding the prophets, once regarding the angels. The Son of God is superior, superior to the prophets and angels, and so we should pay closer attention to the Son of God. He is the subject of what they wrote about.

They, in effect, were pointing us. If we follow where they're pointing, it's pointing to Christ itself. We've seen these are both very good reasons to pay much closer attention to the words of the Son of God. But Hebrews here, in verses 1 through 4, gives us two different reasons.

Two different reasons. Different reasons why you and I are to give closer attention to what God has spoken by his Son. The first reason that Hebrews gives is because the consequences of not doing so are so severe. What does Hebrews say here? Hebrews chapter 2 in verse 2. For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? Notice what Hebrews is saying here.

The consequences of not paying much closer attention to the word that God has spoken by the Son of God is so severe that we must pay closer attention to what God has spoken by his Son. What does Hebrews argue here? The Old Covenant law, the message delivered by angels, it has been proven. There's no question in the author of Hebrews mind that the Old Testament law delivered by angels written by Moses is true. It's been proven.

It's reliable. The wages of sin really is death. That's what the Old Testament law pointed to.

That there would be a just retribution for every transgression and every disobedience of man. The wages of sin really is death. And Hebrews says if we neglect the words that God spoke by his Son, then we are neglecting the only way to be rid of our sin. We are neglecting the only Savior there is. We are neglecting the only salvation that we could ever have.

There is no second way to be saved. The law and the prophets, they wrote about righteousness, but the righteousness they wrote about was the righteousness of Christ and the righteousness that we could have by a saving faith in Jesus Christ. The law and the prophets, they wrote about a Savior, but the Savior they wrote about was Jesus Christ.

That's what they are pointing to. And we see quite clearly that Paul writes in Romans 3, but now, today, the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law. Although the law and the prophets bear witness to it, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. Hebrews is saying here, if we ignore the word that God has spoken through his Son, then we will have ignored the only source of salvation that has ever been or would ever be. So we don't need to neglect the words of the Son of God. We need to give closer attention to the words of the Son of God. But Hebrews gives another reason. Another reason we must give closer attention, it says that the word that God spoke by his Son has been confirmed.

And confirmed not just one way, confirmed not just two ways, but three ways it has been confirmed. Hebrews 2 and 3 tells us. We read, the Bible declares, it was declared, talking about the words of the Son of God, it was declared at first by the Lord. What is Hebrews saying here? Hebrews is talking about Jesus Christ. Hebrews is saying Jesus Christ is Lord. Hebrews is saying that the Lord Jesus Christ declared certain words God has spoken in these last days to us through his Son. What are some of the declarations that God's Son made? In John 5 and 24, Jesus Christ declared, truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. These are the words of the Son of God. We must pay much closer attention to John 5 and 24. John 14, 1 through 3, Jesus declares, believe in God, believe also in me.

In my father's house there are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself that where I am you may be also. The Lord Jesus Christ declared this. In Hebrews is saying we must pay much closer attention to John 14, 1 through 3. Jesus Christ has also declared John 3, 14 and 15, as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. Hebrews is telling us, John 3, 14 through 15, the words of the Son of God, pay much closer attention to those words. We see that Hebrews tells us, first of all, first of all, hear that the words of the Son of God, that they were declared by the Lord. But second, Hebrews tells us that the words of the Son of God, they were attested to by those who heard.

Peter preaches in the book of Acts and as he's preaching, what does he say in Acts 5, 32? He says about the apostles, we are witnesses to these things and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him. Hebrews says these apostles, these apostles that were filled with the Holy Spirit and went out and preached the word of God, Jesus Christ not only declared these things but the apostles, they attested to all the words of Jesus Christ. But third and finally, we read in Hebrews 2 and 4 that while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will. Christ declared these, the apostles attested to them, but Hebrews records that God himself, the Father, has borne witness to the words of the Son of God. How did he do this? How did God himself bear witness? By the giving of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, by the various miracles that were performed, by wonders and by signs.

And while it is the case that we could spend an hour discussing each one of these, I want to discuss only one but I won't spend another hour discussing just one. It is signs and I really only want to focus on one sign as we conclude here this morning. The sign of the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ.

A sign points to something else. A sign declares something and the resurrection of Jesus Christ itself declares something. Paul writes to us that the Lord Christ in Romans 1-4 was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead.

Here's the sign I want to talk about. The resurrection. When the Father raised the Son from the grave, that declared without question, according to Paul, that Jesus Christ was the only begotten Son of God. And it declared too, without question, that everything Christ said, every word he spoke, everything he said was true. Yes, when God spoke to the fathers by the angels and and by Moses, he spoke truth. The law of God is true. And yes, when God spoke to the fathers by the prophets and their prophecies, God spoke truth. The prophecies are true. But Paul preaches in Acts, Acts 13 and 32, we bring you the good news that what God promised to the fathers, this he has fulfilled to us, their children.

How? By raising Jesus. God himself has confirmed.

God himself has given confirmation. The words spoken by the Son of God are all true and we must pay even much closer attention than we already have to them because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. And so we must heed the warning given. We must give closer attention to Christ. Hebrews tells us in Hebrews 1225, see that you do not refuse him who is speaking. Do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven. Today do not reject, do not refuse, do not ignore the word that God has spoken by his son. Because of this son, Hebrews says in Hebrews 5 9, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.

It's true that God has spoken by his son. In 2015 an article was published on Time magazine's website and it had the following title, you now have a shorter attention span than a goldfish. Apparently the memory of a goldfish is only three seconds, but that doesn't matter. Because a goldfish is able to pay attention to something for up to nine seconds, even if it can't remember what it's paying attention to. And this is significant because in 2015 Microsoft conducted a study and it showed the average person can only pay attention to one thing for eight seconds. Meaning, as you might understand, the average goldfish can pay attention to something for a full second longer than the average person in Microsoft's study.

Now there was no mention about snakes in this study that I could read, but the theory behind all of this is not surprising. It was proposed that the decrease in our attention span is because of distractions, because of things competing for our attention. Most notably, online tools on our mobile phones. We can reach for our phones, we can search for things, we can't be quiet, we always have to be distracted by something. We're surrounded by distractions. Things competing for our attention.

And according to this study that was six years ago, I would be fearful to know what our attention span is today, but according to this study that was six years ago, we even now have decreased attention capability because of our technology. But despite all of this, we must give closer attention to Christ. Yes, for centuries God spoke his law through angels, and his prophecies through prophets, until finally God spoke by his only begotten Son. And while we must give close attention to what God spoke through the angels, and while we must give close attention to what God spoke through the prophets, we must give according to Hebrews closer attention to what God spoke by his Son. Let us commit today to give closer attention to Christ. We here today who are born again, we who have a saving faith in the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who have God as our Heavenly Father on this Father's Day, we can celebrate our Heavenly Father God. We who are saved, let us fix our eyes on the author and perfecter of our faith, giving closer attention to Christ. Let us lay aside every encumbrance and sin that so easily entangles us, giving closer attention to Christ. Let us run the race that is set before us, even today and this week, with endurance, giving closer attention to Christ. But those of you who are hearing my voice, who are not born again, who have never expressed or had a saving faith in the Heavenly Father and his Son Jesus Christ, today if you hear his voice through the message, if you hear his voice through his word, do not harden your hearts.

Hebrews 4 and 2 says, the word that is preached, it will not profit the person if it is not united by faith in their hearts, in their minds, in those who have heard. If there's anyone today who has been neglecting Christ and does not have a saving faith in Christ, Paul declares, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Regardless of where we are, let us each today commit to leave, giving closer attention to Christ.

Let's pray. Father, I thank you for the time we've had here together. Father, I thank you for showing us how wonderful the words of the prophets are, how wonderful the words that the angels have declared and Moses has recorded for us are. I thank you so much that we have these words in all the words of the Old Testament. Father, I pray that we will read, that we will study, we will give close attention to the wonderful Old Testament that we have in our Bible. But I pray that we will give even closer attention to the one who is superior.

We will give even closer attention to the one that the law and the prophets was written about. Father, I pray that we would give closer attention to Christ as we leave here. We would give closer attention to Christ even at this very moment as we conclude the service. Father, you have told us in your perfect word the consequences of neglecting the words of Christ are so severe, eternal condemnation. I pray if there is anyone here today that does not know Christ as Lord and Savior, today they will be saved. I pray, Father, that we might have our eyes opened and our ears open to your truth. And Father, we might understand that when you raised your son from the grave, that you testified and you confirmed that the words of your son Jesus Christ were all true and that Christ was your only begotten son. And I pray, Father, that we would give him closer attention. Be with us as we serve you today. For it is in Christ's name we pray these things. Amen.