Sermon Tone Analysis

Life is characterized by unexpected things.

A few years back my father-in-law and I were installing a light and fan in our living room, for some reason when our house was built they didn’t think it was necessary to have a light in the living room.

If you ever have done any remodeling you know there is always at least one unexpecting thing that will happen.

But we had no issues installing the light and we even had made a hole in the wall for where Leanna wanted the light switch.

The next day we had the whole day just to install the switch, so we were thinking at the worst-case scenario we will have at least a half-day to sit back and relax a little.

But you know where this going.

That didn’t happen, we only had to drop the wires from the ceiling, normally there is one maybe two, 2x4’s on the top of the wall.

I’m not making this up, it is true, by the time we drilled through the fifth 2x4, I had burned two drills I had used all sorts of drill bit extensions and connections.

After a day of drilling and borrowing tools from my neighbor, we were barely able to get through 2x4 number 10.

In this endeavor, we experienced the feeling that we all often experience in dealing with unexpected things.

We got frustrated and angry, thinking of things we could or should have done differently, then we switch to planning how we can fix the issue or the situation.

In our case was just had to get through and get it done.

In all of our thinking and planning, we are acting like God is NOT in control.

In these moments we are believing that we are in control and not Him.

We can forget at that moment that whatever happened was not out of God’s control and under God’s plan.

We can forget God’s sovereignty, He is in control.

He is reigning.

This is at the heart of what this passage is telling us about Christ from v 8-13.

The author is telling us that Christ is the Sovereign King, the one that never changes.

He is the King.

He is the creator and sustainer.

He is in control even of those little or big things that we did not expect.

For the readers of the first century, some of those unexpected things were to deal with the worship of angels or the teaching that the OT was greater than the revelation of the new covenant.

Then the author of Hebrews continues this comparison between Jesus and angels.

Now in v 8-13, he makes the last references to the Old Testament in chapter 1 by pointing out that Jesus cannot be compared to angels, rather Jesus is far greater in every aspect, ultimately Jesus is God.

Another unexpected thing was that I was planning to look at all 6 verses today.

However, we will look only at two verses instead, because there is a very important lesson that we need to be reminded of from these two verses.

That is: Jesus is eternally and righteously reigning.

Jesus is reigning even during the unexpected moments in life, whether they are big or small.

It says in v8-9.

Heb 1:8-9 “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.”

In these verses, the author is quoting Psalm 45:6-7.

This psalm celebrates a royal wedding, the subscription says that it is a love song.

In this psalm, the poet addresses the bridegroom and then the bride.

Considering other Scripture where Christ is referred to as the bridegroom and the church as the bride, it should not surprise us that the verses quoted in Heb 1:8-9 are attributed to the bridegroom, Christ.

It is possible that initially, this psalm was attributed to a king likely a descendent of David.

However, it is hard to point this psalm to any human king because in Psalm 45:6 it calls this king God, it says “your throne, O God, is forever and ever”.

The first-century readers of this letter of Hebrews knew that this reference to Psalm 45 was a reference to the Messiah.

The author is reminding them of how the OT describes the Messiah.

Similarly the other references in Heb 1, it can only be attributed to God and no one else.

As we know Jesus is both a descendent from David and the second person of the Trinity.

Throne

Therefore, we know for certainty these verses are addressed to Jesus, but what do they say?

It starts with “your throne, O God, is forever and ever,” When it says throne, it is pointing to the place where the king sits to judge.

I don’t know about you but the first thing that comes to mind when I think of the throne is one of those pictures of a fancy chair covered with gold and ornate symbols.

There are few countries nowadays that have kings and queens.

The most know to us is probably queen Elizabeth II, who since 1953 in London sat on a chair or a throne for the coronation ceremony.

The coronation chair or throne is a symbol of the power and authority invested in someone as the ruler, the sovereign of the country.

In the OT there is a description of Solomon’s throne (1 Kings 10:18-20, 2 Chr 9:17-19) which is described as a great ivory throne (or chair) overlaid with the finest gold.

It had six steps and a footstool of gold.

On each side of the seat was an armrest and two lions standing beside the armrests.

Often the throne of kings was placed in the higher ground or made taller to indicate the higher position of the one sitting on that chair.

Unlike Queen Elizabeth II who sits on the throne only for a ceremony.

King Solomon likely sat on his throne to judge and rule Israel.

Just as his father David would have.

Interestingly there is not a specific description of David’s throne, often when Scripture mentions’ David’s throne is a symbolic reference to his rule as the king of Israel.

Similarly in Heb 1:8 the reference here to Jesus’ throne is quite different from kings on this earth.

It says “your throne, O God, is forever and ever”.

When we compare God’s throne to any other human throne, we see anyone on this earth is at best sitting on a temporary, and imperfect throne.

Sometimes people say that the president of the US is the most powerful person because of being in charge of one of the most powerful military forces.

However, this office is limited to a 4-year term.

In the scope of eternity 4 years is not even a spec of dust in the timeline.

If we take all of the military forces in the entire world together this is nothing compared to the power of God, the God who spoke, and everything in creation came into existence.

All kings and authorities and countries are temporary, but God’s throne is forever and ever.

This indicates eternality, God’s throne is eternal.

When we think that God’s throne is eternal we might think that is eternal in the future, but we forget that He has been on His throne from eternity past, even before anything existed.

God was God and because of who He is, He has always been in charge and always will be.

And if we want our minds blown even more.

Remember that God is not limited by time, He created time.

Eternity was and is to come.

It says in Proverbs 21:1 “1 The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will.”

That means that the person who would be considered the most independent and free to do whatever they want, is ultimately under God’s control and He can turn someone’s heart whatever way God wills.

That means that when we look at the world and its defying of God and rebellion against God even this is not out of God’s control.

He is ultimately letting bad things happen and evil seemly go unpunished because God is using it all to ultimately bring glory to Himself.

To exalt His amazing grace and His righteousness through eternal punishment.

In addition, it means that Christ is ruling even when WE in our sinful mind think that we are solely in control of things.

He is ruling even when things don’t go the way we expected and we are not happy with the way things are going.

He is ruling even when deep down in our hearts, we don’t want to submit to His ruling, to His will.

Even in the moments that it seems impossible for us to see how God could turn that situation for good.

He is still ruling, forever and ever.

As believers, we have such promises that even in the middle of the bad and terrible things that might happen “we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose”

We are often caught unaware that we hold to the idea that God’s will is the same as our will !!!

What do we desire most of the time?

Comfort.

Easy and pleasurable lives, No one wants to suffer nor do we think we deserve suffering.

According to Paul Tripp, “None of us get up in the morning and prays “Lord if you love me, you will send more suffering my way today”

But God’s desire for each of us is not for us to live comfortable and pleasurable lives.

I think this is one of the big lies in American culture.

That if you work hard and follow God you will have easier lives, that God will help you so you can live the life you want.

Why do you think that churches that preach every Sunday “here are blank ways for you to have a better life” seem to attract more people?

There is an easy way to fill up a church, just give people what they want to hear.

I’m not saying that they are not Christians, they might know the gospel well.

But they may not be mature believers or their faith is weak.

When suffering comes their faith will be shaken.

Ultimately they do not want to grow in the likeness of Christ, but rather live the lives they want, instead of living the life that God wants for us, and that often means suffering.

2 Tim 3:12 “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,”

God’s deep desire for all of us is to be more and more like Christ, to grow in our faith and love and hope in Him.

Often God uses suffering to mold us and change us.

It takes fire to take the dross out of gold.