Introduction
When you open the letter to the Hebrews, you come across three verses that read like a solemn declaration. No preamble, no polite introduction: from the very first line, the author sets Jesus forth as the final word of God, the heir of all things, the reflection of the Father's glory, the one who upholds the universe by his powerful word. That is the starting point of this sermon, preached at Tokyo Christ Church on Sunday, November 16, 2025, to open a new series on Hebrews. The title already sets the tone: Amazing Jesus. The book was written to Christians of Jewish origin, in a context of persecution, at a time when many were tempted to abandon Christ in order to regain the safety of official Judaism, which was authorized by Rome. And the author, rather than giving them tips on how to hold on, speaks to them first of all about Jesus. At length. Precisely. As if everything hinged on that. This sermon invites you to walk the same path: recognize who Jesus is, understand how he surpasses everything, and let that vision reshape the way you hold on to your faith.
Outline of the message
1. Jesus alone is God: the opening claim of Hebrews
- The letter to the Hebrews is a special case in the New Testament: unknown author, the most polished Greek of the entire canon, dated between 58 and 70 AD, because it was written during violent persecution but while the Temple was still standing.
- It sheds light on the Old Testament through the person of Christ, reveals dimensions of Jesus found in no other book, and reaches its climax in chapter 11 with a sweeping account of faith.
- Hebrews 1:1-3 states the conclusion before the argument even begins: Jesus is the final word of God, the heir of all things, the Creator, the reflection of divine glory, the exact imprint of his nature, the one who upholds the universe, the one who purified sins, the one who is seated at the right hand of the Father.
- The question being asked is not philosophical but very concrete: today, for you, who is Jesus? A spiritual teacher among others? A moral ideal? Or truly God?
- The Jewish Christians to whom the letter is addressed could have avoided persecution by giving up just one thing: Jesus. Every other piece of their faith (the one God, Scripture, their fellowship) could stay. All they had to do was blur Jesus. That is why the author begins with him, and with nothing else.
2. Jesus surpasses: greater than everything that already seems great to you
- Hebrews 1:4 introduces a word that will recur throughout the letter: Jesus is better, superior. Better than the angels, better than the prophets, better than Moses, better than everything that structured Jewish piety.
- This comparison does not exist because Jesus would need to be compared to anyone else: God cannot be measured. It exists because the reader needs to grasp just how great Jesus is.
- Take the example of the sun: its diameter is 109 times that of the Earth. You might think the Earth is big, until you see it as a tiny dot next to the sun and realize the scale. Then you learn that there are stars hundreds of times bigger than the sun. That is the shift in scale the author of Hebrews wants to produce in how you see Jesus.
- This message is not addressed to a strong community, but to tired, tossed-about Christians tempted to abandon the assembly and let their faith slip away. Telling them "hang in there, you'll make it" would do nothing.
- What he tells them (and what he tells you) is something else: go back to what you already know about Jesus. The things you hold dear, your values, your culture, your wounds, your discouragement: Jesus surpasses them. He is not just one more option, he is what is worth more than everything else.
3. The practical exhortation: do not drift, consider Jesus
- After establishing the person of Christ, the author moves to exhortation in Hebrews 2:1: "We must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it."
- Spiritual drift is rarely sudden: it is slow, quiet, and you do not notice it happening. Hence the insistence on paying closer attention to what has been heard about Christ.
- Hebrews 3:1 adds the second practice: "Consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession." Fixing your thoughts on Jesus, regularly, actively.
- An illustration shared in the sermon: a brother falsely accused for 25 years of viewing and paying for inappropriate content from his work computer. With no proof to defend himself, he faithfully served the church the whole time. This year, the person who had actually committed the acts (a former colleague who used his computer while he was away), came forward and confessed the truth. Forgiveness is now at work between them.
- This brother would have had a thousand human reasons to leave the church and cut all ties. He did not, because he saw something greater than the suspicion: a Jesus who surpasses the pain, a Jesus who remains worthy of trust even when human recognition is lacking.
Key takeaways
- Hebrews 1:1-3 states the thesis before the argument: Jesus is God, heir, Creator, reflection, imprint, purifier, sovereign seated at the right hand.
- The first recipients could keep their entire religion as long as they gave up Jesus. That is why the book opens with him: he is the line that does not move.
- The keyword better runs through the letter: Jesus is superior to the angels, to the prophets, to Moses, not to be compared, but to recalibrate how you see him.
- When your heart is weary, it is not a simple word of encouragement that holds you together, it is a renewed vision of a Jesus who surpasses what is weighing on you.
- Two concrete practices: stay very attentive to what you have heard about Jesus (Heb 2:1), and actively fix your thoughts on him (Heb 3:1).
Personal application
- If someone asked you today, point-blank, who Jesus is for you, what would you answer? Does your answer match Hebrews 1:1-3?
- Is there an area of your life where you have started to set Jesus aside a little to keep "a faith that suits you"? Name it.
- What today feels bigger than Jesus in your heart: a fear, a wound, a value, a pressure, a culture? What difference does it make to believe that he surpasses it?
- At what point in your week could you set a fixed time to "consider Jesus" without being swept up by something else?
- As in the testimony of the falsely accused brother, is there a situation in which you are called to hold on without human recognition? What does "seeing a Jesus who surpasses that" mean for you this week?
Verses cited
Frequently asked questions
What is the letter to the Hebrews about?
The letter to the Hebrews is a sermon written in highly polished Greek, addressed to Christians of Jewish origin who were tempted to return to Judaism to escape persecution. Its author is unknown. The book focuses on the person of Christ, sheds light on the Old Testament through him, and offers, in chapter 11, a sweeping picture of faith.
Why does Hebrews 1 say Jesus is superior to angels and prophets?
Because Jesus is not just one more messenger. He is the heir of all things, the Creator, the reflection of God's glory, the exact imprint of his nature, the one who purified sins and sat down at the right hand of the Father. Angels and prophets serve the revelation; Jesus is the revelation itself.
How can I keep from drifting away from Jesus?
Hebrews 2:1 calls us to pay closer attention to what we have heard, or we will be swept away. Hebrews 3:1 calls us to consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession. In practice: pay attention to the state of your heart and regularly fix your thoughts on who Jesus is.
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