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Published: Oct. 26, 2023, 7 a.m.

Welcome to Day 2226 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.\nThis is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom\nPutnam Church Message \u2013 04/16/2023\nThe Last Word\u2026Worthy of Worship\nLast week, on Resurrection Sunday, we focused on The Death of Death because the Resurrection is real and changes everything.\n\nToday, we are beginning an extended series through the book of Hebrews in the New Testament. The theme of the superiority of Christ in His person and work resounds from every chapter of the book of Hebrews. It is the repeated melody with which every subject of the letter resonates in perfect harmony. To develop his anthem of Christ\u2019s superiority, the author conducts his readers through three major movements:\n

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1. Christ is superior in His person. (1:1\u20134:16)
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2. Christ is superior as our high priest. (5:1\u201310:39)
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3. Christ is superior for pressing on. (11:1\u201313:25)
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\nThe first question that may come to your mind is, what is the relevance of Hebrews for us?\n\nMost people reading the book of Hebrews today are not Jewish believers. And even if they are of Hebrew ancestry, none are living in the terrors of first-century Rome under the madness of Nero. However, we all\u2014Jew or Gentile\u2014can sense the heat rising in our increasingly anti-Christian culture and feel pressured to conform to this darkening world's values and priorities. Like the first-century Jewish followers of the Messiah who were tempted to abandon His way, truth, and life for a more comfortable path, we need to come to grips with Christ's sufficiency and absolute superiority over all things. We must pledge our allegiance to the Lord, who bought us with His blood.\n\nThe central theme of the book of Hebrews is simple but powerful: Christ is superior in His person and work. Throughout the book, the author develops this theme in vivid detail.\n\nThroughout today\u2019s message, I will read the verses of Hebrews 1 as we come to each section.\n\n \n\nDrawing on the Hebrew people's great regard for the primary means of revelation in the Old Testament, the prophets and angels, the author of Hebrews compares these celebrated earthly and heavenly beings with God\u2019s Final Word and Messenger, Jesus Christ. As powerful and significant as those holy people and holy angels were, they were inferior to the Son of God. He alone is God\u2019s Final Word, superior in His person to God\u2019s previous messengers and ministers\u2014whether human or angelic. Why? Because Jesus is the Word incarnate (in the flesh)\u2014fully human and fully divine\u2014who occupies a superior place over all things.\n\nIn the past God spoke\xa0to our ancestors through the prophets\xa0at many times and in various ways,\n\nIn the first century, the apostle Peter described the ministry of the Old Testament prophets, noting that in 2 Pet. 1:21,\xa0\u201cFor prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God\xa0as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.\u201d For centuries leading up to Peter\u2019s simple summary of the process of divine inspiration, a long line of prophets spoke and wrote God\u2019s words under the supernatural guidance of the Spirit. 2 Timothy 3:16 says, \u201cAll Scripture is God-breathed\xa0and is useful for teaching,\xa0rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.\u201d These prophets issued warnings and rebukes, which flew off their lips like arrows from a bow to strike at the hearts of their hearers.\n\nThe names of these servants of God endowed with the prophetic gift reads like a roll call from the Bible\u2019s Who\u2019s Who list:...