[June 7, 2026] How Great Is Our God?

Jun 07, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: When 50 Ounces of Steak Demand Slow Chewing

The Christian life isn’t a fast-food drive-thru but a slow feast on God’s word. Just as a massive porterhouse requires deliberate bites, Hebrews invites us to savor Christ’s supremacy over hurried consumption. Rushing through truth risks indigestion; lingering over Scripture’s richness transforms how we see Jesus as the final answer to every shadow. Spiritual growth happens not in gulps but in steady, chewed-over nourishment. [03:09]

“For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins.”
(Hebrews 10:26, ESV)

Reflection: What “old covenant” habits or systems do you still lean on for security instead of trusting Jesus’ finished work? How might slowing down your Scripture reading this week deepen your reliance on Him?

Day 2: Two Cherubim Guarding Empty Tomb Space

Sacred spaces shift: Eden’s barred garden becomes a tomb guarded by angels, then vanishes entirely. The torn temple veil and Christ’s resurrection reroute holiness into a Person, not places. Like the cherubim at Jesus’ head and feet, all sacred markers now point to Him as the living meeting place between God and humanity. [25:26]

“And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet.”
(John 20:12, ESV)

Reflection: Where do you still seek God primarily in physical spaces or rituals? How does Jesus being the new temple free you to encounter Him anywhere?

Day 3: Let All Gods Worship Him

Heaven’s hierarchy bows: Psalm 97’s command for “gods” (Elohim) to worship Jesus shocks religious sensibilities. Divine beings—angels, seraphim, cherubim—are servants, not rivals. Christ’s superiority silences every spiritual power that distracts from His centrality. Even the supernatural serves His mission to redeem humans, not angels. [17:32]

“Worship him, all you gods!”
(Psalm 97:7, ESV)

Reflection: What lesser “gods” (fear, cultural trends, spiritual forces) compete for your worship? How does Jesus’ supremacy over all powers anchor your confidence today?

Day 4: Wrestling Shadows in Armor Too Big For You

Darkness flees light’s authority. Our battle isn’t against people but corrupted heavenly powers defeated at Calvary. Paul’s armor metaphor assumes we’re clothed in Christ’s victory, not our strength. The belt, breastplate, and sword fit only those who know their enemy’s been stripped of final authority. [29:24]

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness.”
(Ephesians 6:12, ESV)

Reflection: When have you misdirected battles onto people instead of spiritual forces? How does Jesus’ victory reshape how you confront today’s conflicts?

Day 5: Crowned With Glory Beneath Angelic Watchers

Humanity’s paradox: We’re “lower than Elohim” yet crowned with divine purpose. Psalm 8 marvels that dust-born image-bearers get entrusted with God’s dominion. Jesus didn’t become an angel to save angels—He became human to restore our robbed royalty. Your value isn’t earned; it’s etched in creation’s blueprint. [34:29]

“What is man that you are mindful of him…? You have crowned him with glory and honor.”
(Psalm 8:4-5, ESV)

Reflection: What lies about your worthiness or purpose have you believed? How does being God’s image-bearer change how you’ll interact with others today?

Sermon Summary

Hebrews opens by saying that God once spoke in many portions and many ways, but in these last days speaks in his Son. The Son stands as the radiance of God’s glory, the exact representation of his nature, the maker and upholder of all things, the purifier of sins, now seated at the right hand of Majesty. The text presses on Jewish believers tempted to drift back to temple shadows and says the fulfillment has come. The destination is here in Jesus, not in the mile markers of Moses and the prophets.

The Father twice names Jesus as the beloved Son and adds a simple command: listen to him. John the Baptist, Moses, and Elijah serve as signposts; the law and the prophets find their yes in Christ. So interpretation must move through Jesus. Hermeneutics, if it is Christian, keeps its eyes on the Son who taught, fulfilled, and reorients the entire story.

Hebrews then contrasts the Son with angels. Angels are real, numerous, and involved, yet they do not sit at the right hand, and they do not receive the words, You are my Son. Scripture commands the angels to worship him. First century fascination with Gnostic add-ons made “Jesus plus” sound attractive, but the text refuses any downgrade of Christ’s sufficiency.

Because many hear “angel” and picture wings and harps, Scripture’s wider language helps: Elohim, seraphim, cherubim, messengers, archangels, watchers. The cherubim guard sacred space from Eden to the mercy seat, and the empty tomb itself echoes that pattern: two at head and foot, signaling that Jesus himself is the holy of holies. Yet even with a full heavenly family on the scene, worship belongs to Christ alone.

Ephesians 6 fits this backdrop. There are loyal and disloyal heavenly powers. The battle is real, but the war is won. The Satan and his hosts have been disarmed at the cross; authority belongs to Jesus. So the call is not to toy with darkness but to stand in the Lord’s strength.

Finally, Hebrews names angels as ministering spirits for those who will inherit salvation. The Son did not take on angelic nature; he became human to redeem humans. Psalm 8 wonders at this honor, that humanity, made a little lower than the Elohim, is crowned with glory and charged to rule God’s world. At the table, bread and cup declare that the new covenant is better, that forgiveness is accomplished, and that identity is given in the beloved Son.

Key Takeaways

1. Read all Scripture through Jesus. Interpretation runs through the Son who fulfills the law and the prophets and teaches their true intent. Reading Scripture any other way treats signposts like destinations. Listening to him is not optional; it is the Father’s command for understanding God’s story. Let the voice of the beloved Son train the eye and steady the heart. [11:23]
2. Jesus is the true destination. Moses, Elijah, and John point down the road, but the journey lands in Christ. Treating shadows like substance breeds drift and disappointment. The gospel announces that the fulfillment has arrived and invites real rest in the finished work of the Son. [13:23]
3. Do not drift to old shadows. Hebrews warns that willful “sin” here is not basic moral failure but abandoning Christ for obsolete sacrifices. That path cannot deal with guilt because it bypasses the one sacrifice that purifies. Faith holds fast to the once-for-all work instead of chasing a system God himself has surpassed. [07:51]
4. Honor angels, worship Christ alone. Scripture names a rich heavenly family, but none share the Son’s throne or name. Gratitude for angelic service is fitting, superstition or fixation is not. The Father commands the angels to worship Jesus, and that sets the pattern for every loyal heart. [17:32]
5. Fight darkness with Christ’s authority. The powers are real, but they are not ultimate. Strength comes by standing in the Lord’s might, wearing his armor, and refusing footholds to the enemy. Victory is Christ’s; participation is daily, sober, and hope-filled. [30:05]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:54] - Trail Dust steakhouse illustration
[03:09] - Hebrews is a porterhouse steak
[03:53] - Authorship, audience, supremacy theme
[04:38] - 70 AD and the temple context
[07:00] - What Hebrews 10:26 really means
[08:53] - The Son’s supremacy in 1:1-4
[11:23] - The Father says, listen to him
[13:23] - Signposts vs destination in Jesus
[14:48] - Christ the image and creator
[17:55] - Gnosticism and angel fixation
[20:38] - Elohim and God’s heavenly family
[30:05] - Spiritual warfare and Christ’s victory
[33:13] - Ministering spirits for human heirs
[42:38] - Communion, new covenant, benediction

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
- Hebrews 1:1-4 (ESV): “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.”
- Psalm 8:4-6 (ESV): “What is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet.”
- Ephesians 6:12 (ESV): “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”

Observation Questions

What four titles or roles of Jesus are listed in Hebrews 1:1-4, and how do they contrast with the role of angels?
According to the sermon, why did the cherubim appear at Jesus’ tomb in the same pattern as the Ark of the Covenant? [25:26]
How does Psalm 8:4-6 describe humanity’s relationship to the “heavenly beings” (Elohim) and God’s purpose for humans?
What distinction does Ephesians 6:12 make about the nature of spiritual conflict?

Interpretation Questions

Why does Hebrews emphasize Jesus’ superiority over angels, and how might this have addressed the struggles of Jewish believers tempted to return to old practices? [16:16]
The sermon mentions that Moses, Elijah, and John the Baptist were “signposts” pointing to Jesus. How does this imagery help us understand the relationship between the Old Testament and Christ? [12:51]
What does the presence of cherubim at sacred spaces (Eden, the Ark, Jesus’ tomb) reveal about God’s holiness and Jesus’ identity? [23:50]
How does the idea that angels are “ministering spirits” (Hebrews 1:14) reshape our view of their role compared to Christ’s?

Application Questions

In what areas of life do you find yourself tempted to treat “shadows” (like rituals, rules, or traditions) as destinations instead of focusing on Christ? How can you reorient your heart? [13:23]
The Father commands, “Listen to him” (Matthew 17:5). What specific “false prophets” (fear, shame, etc.) do you need to silence this week to better hear Jesus’ voice? [14:14]
How might recognizing Christ’s authority over all spiritual powers (Ephesians 6:12) change the way you respond to fear, conflict, or temptation? [30:05]
The sermon warns against “Jesus plus” additions (like angel fixation). Are there subtle ways you’ve added conditions to Christ’s sufficiency in your faith? What would it look like to rest fully in His work? [18:11]
Psalm 8 says humans are “crowned with glory” yet dependent on God. How does this truth combat feelings of inadequacy and pride in your daily life?
What practical step can you take this week to “stand in the Lord’s strength” (Ephesians 6:10) rather than relying on your own efforts in spiritual battles?

Sermon Clips

47s

#BattleStillOn

“He won it. This war has been won. But what we have to understand this morning is the battle still goes on. There is still a battle until we die or Jesus comes again, you're in a battle. Every day, as Paul is saying here, we don't wrestle against each other. Now we're busy busy getting mad at people. And and I am not saying people aren't responsible, but what's going on behind is we don't wrestle with flesh and blood. There's powers and principalities into this into this world, into humanity. Here's my exhortation for all of us is don't mess around with darkness.”

35s

#JesusIsTheDestination

“When you go on a trip, a road trip, and you you see a mile marker or you see a sign that says you're still a 100 miles away from your destination, that's what's going on in the law and the prophets. Don't stop in the law. Don't stop in the prophets. Keep going because your destination is the fulfillment of Jesus of the law and the prophets. I can't stress that enough because that's what Hebrews is telling us is Jesus is the destination. We have arrived. The destination is here.”

40s

#AngelsServeJesus

“Jesus is a big deal. He is it. He is the center of the universe, of all things. And so there was a a bit of a correction that the writer of Hebrews is giving to these Christian Jewish Christians in the early church angels were created by Jesus to do God's work on behalf of humanity. So what we're gonna see throughout this is we're not to worship angels. We're not to pray to angels.”

30s

#JesusConquersDarkness

“The best part about news I can give you is Jesus is victorious over the darkness. He's a 100 victorious. Jesus came. He lived. He died a sacrificial death. He rose again, and he took back their authority. He took back their authority. When you see the word Satan in scripture, in both Hebrew and Greek, there's always the before it. So it's the Satan, the devil.”

42s

#AgreeWithJesus

“Faith is agreeing with Jesus over who he says he is, that he's the savior of the world and he's the the lord of all. But it's also agreeing with him and who he says you are. You are his special image bearer and that he loved you so much he was willing to go through what he went through so that we could have relationship with the father and the spirit and him. Trust him this morning. When we take the bread and when we take the cup, we're agreeing by faith of what Jesus did for us.”

45s

#JesusIsSufficient

“The first century church was fixated on angels, fixated on even like angel worship. It's this old old heresy called Gnosticism. You may have heard of that word. Gnosticism was a mixture of Greek philosophy and Jewish mysticism, which basically denied the sufficiency of Jesus Christ. So it was Jesus plus in their understanding. And I think in the Western church again, we're a little ignorant when it comes to understanding God's heavenly family or when it comes to the word angels.”

47s

#ListenToJesus

“We have a great God. We have a great God who is full of goodness and mercy and who is his very essence is love. So another challenge would be, don't listen to those false prophets that tell you you're worthless. You don't amount to much. Try to get you to question God and yourself, Tell the false prophets to just shut up. Listen to Jesus. Father said, listen to him. What does Jesus say to you and I about who he is and who we are? That's so important.”

46s

#ScripturePointsToJesus

“These Hebrew Christians would have been well versed in the law and the prophets. They would have been well versed in the history of Israel, the law of Moses, in the the prophecies from Isaiah and Ezekiel and so forth. it's important the writer of Hebrews is stressing to these Christians who were turning away from the fulfillment in Jesus and turning back to the old way. He's stressing to them that Jesus is the fulfillment, that everything pointed to him. And so for you and I and to the Hebrew believers was we have to interpret everything we read in scripture through the lens of Jesus.”

Ask a question about this sermon

Novation Church This sermon · AI assistant

What is Jesus' supremacy over angels and law?

What are the different classes of heavenly beings?

What does willful sin after knowing truth mean?