15th September 2022

15th September 2022


Pray (ACts)


Read (Hebrews 2.1-4)


Message (Scott Woodburn)


If Christ is greater than both the prophets and the angels then we would be fools to disregard His message. The Apostle John once said "No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known." (John 1v18) So Christ has made God known to us and revealed that to be doing the work of God we must believe in the One that was sent (John 6v29). Christ is the One sent and Christ was crucified for sin and raised for our justification. This is the old, old Gospel that deserves our close attention lest we drift away from it (v1).


The prophets were reliable and trustworthy as they delivered their message and so too were the angels (v2). What message was declared by the angels? The angels played a part in delivering the moral law of God. We read in Deuteronomy “The Lord came from Sinai and dawned from Seir upon us; he shone forth from Mount Paran; he came from the ten thousands of holy ones, with flaming fire at his right hand." (Deuteronomy 33v2) So as the law was given to Moses, thousands of angels were present. Additionally, Paul says in Galatians "Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary." (Galatians 3v19) The angels therefore played a part in delivering the message of God's law.


The moral law of God isn't sin. It has been given to us by God Himself and shows us His holiness and what pleases Him. However as James makes clear "whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it." (James 2v10). If we break any part of the law that was put in place by the angels then we will receive a just punishment (v2).


Therefore if Christ's message is greater than the message declared by the angels, how will we escape the wrath of God if we neglect the Gospel? (v3) The message of salvation was declared by Christ Himself (v3) and it was delivered to the world by those who heard it (v3b) and it was confirmed by signs and wonders and miracles (v4) performed by the Apostles (2 Corinthians 12v12). The Gospel is nothing short of the most important message the world has ever heard.


The temptation for the Christian is to believe that since we have been saved we have no further use of the Gospel. We think that it doesn't need to be preached regularly and we don't need to meditate upon it. If that is our attitude then may the Lord correct us. The Apostle is clear. The Gospel is glorious and it has been delivered to us by Christ Himself. We must take it seriously and we must pay closer attention to it so that we don't drift away. Do you consider the scale of the Gospel on a daily basis? Do you preach the Gospel to yourself each day? Do you allow the grace of the Gospel to impact your hard heart and to drive you to forgiveness of others? Pay close attention to the Gospel so that you may stand fast.


Finally if you are reading this devotion and you remain unsaved, then it is time for you to repent and believe the Gospel. Christ is no second rate messenger. God once spoke by the prophets and by the angels but Christ trumps them all. He is true God, true man and without sin. He gave Himself as a ransom for many and by His death for sin and miraculous resurrection He is able to save to the uttermost all who call upon Him. My friend your sins are an abomination before a holy God and He will certainly pour out His furious wrath upon you if you will not believe.


So I urge you to believe. I urge you to fall before Christ. I urge you seek forgiveness for your sins. I urge you to pay close attention to the Gospel. How will you escape the wrath of God if you ignore this message?


Pray (acTS)


Sing


WSC
Q53 Which is the third commandment? The third commandment is, Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain: for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.