"God's Final Word" (Part 5)

In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. (Hebrews 1:1-3 NIV).

The fifth principle revealed in our reading is the Son is the redeemer of sins. The scope of the things said about Jesus is more than merely impressive. Already the works of creation and revelation have been credited to Him. Now the write of Hebrews takes it a step further. Almost like Emeril Lagasse, he says, “Bam! Let’s take it up a notch!” He declares Jesus to be the redeemer, providing “purification for sins.” Now that’s taking it up a notch. Just knowing Jesus as creator and revealer is interesting and important, but it does not satisfy man’s deepest need. We would come away with that as Isaiah did, crying that we are a people of “unclean lips,” a people of unprepared lives. The greatest need of man is the redemption from our sin. The Son has done what was needed to be done for this need to be satisfied.

The phrase “provided purification for sins” comes from Greek words conveying the meaning of “cleansing.” This is one of the major themes of this letter. What the Law of Moses could never do, Jesus did. What the Old Testament sacrificial system could never do, Jesus did. The verb form further indicates that it was His personal work. He did it Himself because no other could.

There’s a great story told of a little boy who built a sailboat. He built the sail and had it all fixed up, tarred and painted. He took it to the lake and pushed it in hoping it would sail. Sure enough a wisp of breeze filled the little sail and it billowed and went rippling along the waves. Suddenly before the little boy knew it, the boat was out of his reach, even though he waded in fast and tried to grab it. As he watched it float away, he hoped maybe the breeze would shift and it would come sailing back to him. Instead he watched it go farther and farther until it was gone. When he went home crying, his mother asked, "What's wrong, didn't it work?" And he said, "It worked too well." Sometime later, the little boy was downtown and walked past a second hand store. There in the window he saw the boat. It was unmistakably his, so he went in and said to the proprietor, "That's my boat." He walked to the window, picked it up and started to leave with it. The owner of the shop said, "Wait a minute, Sonny. That's my boat. I bought it from someone." The boy said, "No, it's my boat. I made it. See." And he showed him the little scratches and the marks where he hammered and filed. The man said, "I'm sorry, Sonny. If you want it, you have to buy it." The poor little guy didn't have any money, but he worked hard and saved his pennies. Finally, one day he had enough money. He went in and bought the little boat. As he left the store holding the boat close to him, he was heard saying, "You're my boat. You're twice my boat. First you're my boat 'cause I made you and second you're my boat 'cause I bought you!"

If you ever think that you aren't worth much and if you think you're cheap, just remember what God thinks of you. He thinks you're His. Twice His. First you're His because He made you. And second you're His because He bought you on the cross. He paid a price to redeem you. So let go of your stress to God's care, and let go of your sins to God's cross.