Christ is Better Than Angels Part 3 | Hebrews 1:8-14 | Dr. Casey A Butner

Devotional

Day 1: The Eternal King Above Every Created Thing

Jesus is not merely above angels; he is enthroned forever as the unchanging Son. Everything we can see—from skies to schedules—wears out and shifts, but he remains steady. Angels are servants; Christ is the sovereign, so we refuse to treat created gifts as rivals to his rule. When good things begin to crowd out time in the Word and prayer, we gently reorder our loves and bow again before the King. Let your heart rest in his permanence today; his throne outlasts your pressures. Worship the Savior, not the servants, and let that priority bring peace. [06:04]

Hebrews 1:8, 10–12 — About the Son it is said: Your throne, O God, lasts forever, and your rule is marked by true righteousness. Long ago you laid earth’s foundation, and the heavens came from your hands. Creation will wear out like clothing and be folded up and changed, but you never change; your years never end.

Reflection: What good thing has quietly climbed onto the throne of your attention this week, and how will you practically move it beneath Christ’s rule—perhaps by a concrete change to tomorrow’s schedule?

Day 2: Holiness Increases Happiness: The Oil of Gladness

Jesus loved righteousness and hated wickedness, and the Father poured on him the oil of gladness. As you choose holiness in thought, feeling, and action, Christ shares that gladness with you—an inner buoyancy no storm can sink. Drifting from him slowly drains joy, but returning in repentance restores it surprisingly fast. Holiness is not cold moralism; it is loving the One who first loved you, and finding your heart bright again. Ask him to renew a clean heart and a happy obedience today. [09:26]

Hebrews 1:9 — You loved what is right and rejected what is lawless; so God—your God—poured over you the oil of deep joy, placing you above your companions.

Reflection: Where do you sense the Spirit inviting you to practice loving righteousness and hating wickedness in one specific habit, and what small act of obedience will you take in the next 24 hours?

Day 3: Guided by the Shepherd’s Scepter—Crook or Rod

Your Shepherd leads with a scepter that both guides and corrects. If you yield to his gentle crook, you can learn by your ears instead of your tears. But when we stubbornly wander, he loves us enough to discipline us for our good and our joy. In Christ we hold both joy and sorrow—enduring crosses while looking to the joy set before us. Invite the Spirit to trouble your heart when you stray and to steady you when you return. Those who are guided by God are glad. [16:36]

Hebrews 12:2 — Keep your eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and completer of faith. For the joy ahead, he endured the cross and its shame, and then took his seat at God’s right hand.

Reflection: Where has God been nudging you gently (through Scripture, conscience, or counsel), and what step could you take today to respond before the “rod” of harder circumstances becomes necessary?

Day 4: Set Your Mind on What Remains

Everything visible is in decline—clothes fray, bodies tire, buildings age—but Christ remains the same. When we prize perishing things over people and over Christ’s purposes, our peace starts to erode. Re-center on what is eternal: the presence of Jesus, the people he loves, and the mission he gave. Let tools stay tools, and keep souls as the priority; schedule accordingly so busyness no longer steals first love. Looking above steadies hearts below and releases joy that stuff can’t supply. [25:34]

Colossians 3:2–3 — Set your thoughts on what is above, not on what is earthly. You have died, and your true life is now hidden with Christ in God.

Reflection: Which perishing thing is stealing the most mental space right now, and what deliberate calendar change will help you re-prioritize people and God’s presence this week?

Day 5: Live as Those Who’ve Already Won

Jesus is seated; the work is finished, and every enemy is on its way to becoming his footstool. Angels are not objects of awe but partners in God’s care for those who will inherit salvation. So walk with quiet confidence, ordering your life by facts and faith while letting feelings catch up. Refuse to drift; abide, obey, and let perseverance be your worship. Tell your face the gospel today, then let your choices reinforce what is already true in heaven. [45:29]

Hebrews 1:13–14 — Sit at my right hand until I place your enemies under your feet. Aren’t all angels serving spirits, sent out to help those who are about to receive salvation?

Reflection: If Jesus’ victory is settled, what one choice will you make this week that aligns your actions with that reality—especially in a place you’ve been tempted to drift—and how will you remind your feelings of the facts?

Sermon Summary

Hebrews 1:8-14 lifts our eyes to the throne where the Son reigns forever. He is not like angels; they are ministering spirits, but He is the enthroned, unchanging Lord. The text says He loved righteousness and hated lawlessness, and therefore He was anointed with the oil of gladness above His companions. That is not a sentimental glow; it is the deep, steady joy that flows from holy love. Holiness increases happiness. The holier you are, the happier you will be, because joy is the fruit of a life aligned with Jesus.

This joy is not the absence of sorrow. Christians learn to hold joy and sorrow together. There are trials of correction when we drift, and trials of perfection when God matures us. Either way, we walk with Jesus. If your peace is thinning, your love cooling, and your stability fading, don’t push through on willpower—repent and return. He guides with the Shepherd’s scepter: the crook that gently draws, and the rod that corrects. Learn by your ears, not by your tears.

Christ remains; creation wears out like an old garment. Everything you can hold will perish. So do not give your heart to what is doomed to decay. Set your mind on things above. Serve the Savior, not His servants. Beware of being too busy to pray, read, and love the body—busy often means being under Satan’s yoke. Put Christ on your calendar first. Buildings, hobbies, even good things are tools and gifts, not gods.

Jesus is fully God and fully man—the only One who could make propitiation for sin, finish the work, sit down at the Father’s right hand, and promise that every enemy will become a footstool. Live like that is already true, because it is. Put facts first (God and His Word), let your faith follow, and let your feelings trail. If feelings lead, you’ll have a train wreck; if Christ leads, you’ll have the oil of gladness. Do not drift. Abide, continue, endure, and you will find that obedience is soaked with joy.

Key Takeaways

1. Love righteousness; receive deeper joy. Loving righteousness and hating wickedness is not grim duty; it is the pathway into the anointing of gladness. Joy is not a mood swing but a reward of alignment with Jesus. When Christ is your first love, He becomes your inner stability and your delight. Drift from Him, and joy dims; return to Him, and joy rises. [09:26]
2. Creation fades; Christ remains the same. Everything visible is in decline—clothes wear out, bodies falter, buildings crumble. If your heart rides the ups and downs of perishing things, you’ll lose peace. Fix your soul on the One who does not change, and you’ll be steadied while the world shifts around you. Set your mind on things above to keep your joy anchored. [22:13]
3. Be guided by crook, not rod. The King’s scepter is a shepherd’s staff: a crook to draw you and a rod to correct you. If you yield to His Word and Spirit, you learn by your ears, not by your tears. Resist, and He loves you enough to discipline you. Train your soul in godliness so His gentle guidance can keep you glad. [15:04]
4. Don’t drift; abide and persevere. The great danger is slow drift—a busy heart, a crowded calendar, a cooled love. Put Christ first on purpose; order your life around His Word, His people, and His mission. Perseverance isn’t flashy, but it proves you are His and protects your joy. Keep abiding and you’ll keep shining. [35:02]
5. Live as ones who’ve already won. Christ is seated; the work is finished; the enemies will be His footstool. Live from victory, not for it. Tell your face what your faith knows, and let your feelings catch up to the facts. Submit emotions to truth, and your courage and joy will take the lead. [45:06]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[03:24] - Anointed with oil of gladness
[06:04] - Jesus eternal; angels are not
[08:04] - Don’t worship servants; serve the Savior
[09:01] - Joy flows from loving righteousness
[12:35] - Signs you’re drifting from Jesus
[14:39] - The Shepherd’s scepter: crook and rod
[18:30] - Anointing and appointment of Christ
[21:36] - Creator remains; creation diminishes
[24:27] - Set minds on things above
[29:17] - Christ enthroned; angels minister
[31:22] - Psalm 110 confounds the Pharisees
[33:52] - Fully God, fully man for salvation
[35:02] - Don’t drift; abide and persevere
[47:24] - Closing prayer

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading
- Hebrews 1:8-14

Observation questions

In Hebrews 1:8-9, what titles and images are used for the Son’s rule (throne, God, righteous scepter), and what do those images imply about His authority?
Verse 9 says the Son “loved righteousness and hated lawlessness.” What is the stated result of this posture toward righteousness and wickedness?
Practically, what are the two parts of the Shepherd-King’s scepter—“a crook to draw you and a rod to correct you”—and what are they for? [15:04]
In Hebrews 1:10-12, what word pictures are used to describe the difference between creation and the Son? How do “garment,” “roll them up,” and “You remain” clarify that contrast?

Interpretation questions

“Holy living will make you happy.” [09:26] How does Hebrews 1:9 (loving righteousness, hating lawlessness, anointed with oil of gladness) explain the connection between holiness and deeper joy?
“Learn God’s lessons through your ears instead of your tears.” [15:04] What does that suggest about how a believer responds to the crook (gentle guidance) and the rod (loving correction)?
“Everything in this world is in decline.” [22:57] If the Son “remains” while creation wears out (Hebrews 1:10-12), how should that shape what a believer trusts, treasures, and measures as success?
“Live as ones who’ve already won.” [45:06] If Christ is seated and His enemies will be His footstool (Hebrews 1:13), how should that “already-but-not-yet” victory change the way a believer faces pressure, fear, or opposition this week?

Application questions

“B-U-S-Y: Being under Satan’s yoke.” [08:32] Where have good things crowded out the great—prayer, the Word, loving the body? What one specific commitment will you clear from your calendar so you can put Christ first this week?
Watch the drift. A few indicators were named: “a lack of joy… a lack of inner stability… a lack of peace.” [12:55] Which of these warning lights are blinking for you right now? What would repentance and return to Jesus look like in one concrete step tonight or tomorrow morning?
“Learn by your ears, not by your tears.” [15:04] Where do you sense the crook gently tugging you? What Scripture will you submit to this week so you don’t need the rod? Who can help you follow through?
“Set your mind on things above.” [24:27] Which perishing thing (a possession, project, or even a good ministry tool) has been getting too much of your heart? What boundary, budget shift, or screen-time change would help re-center your affections on Christ?
“Break out the calendar.” [37:03] When, specifically, will you meet with Jesus in the Word and prayer this week? Name the days and times. What will you read, and how long will you linger?
Facts, then faith, then feelings—“or you’ll have a train wreck.” [46:34] Where have feelings been driving your decisions lately? What truth from God’s Word will you put in the engine, and what action will show your faith is following the facts?
“Tell your face what your faith knows.” [45:39] In one area where fear or discouragement is loud, what is one bold, obedient step you will take as if Christ really is on the throne—and how will you remind your heart of that truth each day?

Sermon Clips

Jesus is both God and human at the same time not compromising either Fully God fully man The God man essential for us to believe that because it required a full man to pay the full price on the cross Without the hypostatic union the crucifixion is voided The substitutionary death doesn’t add up We need both God and man to pay the price Nobody could do that except for Jesus Christ He’s the perfect representative He’s the perfect sacrifice to bridge the gap between sinful man and a holy God [00:33:52] (42 seconds) #FullyGodFullyMan

Aren’t you tired of trying to manage the diminishment of things Aren’t you just tired and weary of your clothes wearing out and to buy new ones Or maybe your body is diminishing and for that reason you got to buy new ones New glasses Everything in this world is in decline We’re cleaning We’re fixing We’re replacing But Christ is forever Our hope and our glory and our peace and everything is in Christ [00:22:35] (30 seconds) #ChristIsForever

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Christ is Better Than Angels Part 3 | Hebrews 1:8-14 | Dr. Casey A Butner | 2025-12-21