Reflection

In many of the last 10 days’ readings we have seen that God is the speaking God – the God who communicates in many and various ways. Today the writer to the Hebrews begins by reminding the reader that the preeminent way that God has spoken is through the Son, Jesus our Lord. And with deep theological significance, this passage (like John 1, Colossians 1 and Philippians 2) highlights the “high Christology” of Christian belief. Christians do not believe Jesus was just a man; Christians do not believe that Jesus was created by God in some distant time past. Christians believe that Jesus is one of the Holy Trinity, forever existent with Father and Spirit, and the exact representation of God.

More: Christians believe that the whole universe itself is made through the Son and is constantly sustained by the Son. Christian belief is not deist, believing that God wound up the universe and leaves it to tick along on its own. Christians believe that the cosmos is moment-by-moment dependent on God’s sustaining power.

Even more: the Son, in his incarnation as Jesus the God-man, in his horrific crucifixion, and in his glorious resurrection and ascension … the Son offered the full, perfect and sufficient sacrifice for the sins of the world so that we might live with him forever.

Prayer

Praise be to the Lamb of God who died that we might not die. Praise be to God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, for once we were far off, but through the Son we have seen God and we have been saved from the consequences of our waywardness.

Lord God, give us minds to comprehend such love and give us hearts to worship you daily in all that we do.