Prophet, Priest, and King

Introduction

One of the most joyful times in my Christian journey was my sophomore year of college. I fell in love with Jesus and the gospel like never before. The Lord especially used Hebrews to help me see Jesus in a radically new light. I was so happy as I learned and as I saw more of Jesus’ glory. It changed me, and I’ve never been the same.
Maybe you missed it, but Christmas is this week. You’re busy with parties, presents, travel, and everything else. There’s also a lot going on in the biblical story of Jesus’ birth. It’s filled with fascinating characters, surprising twists, and great joy.
But ultimately, Christmas is about one person—Jesus. Christmas begins and ends with the Christ. Frankly, the same is true for all of life. The most important issue in your life is seeing Jesus as he truly is and responding to him.
So, I want you to put aside all the other stuff, and I want us to focus on Jesus. To help us do that, I want to consider a passage which explains the significance of the Christmas story (read). This passage is packed with more truth than we can cover this morning.
For today, I simply want you to behold Jesus because the most important question of your life is this, what will you do with Jesus. I pray God uses his Word to drive you to worship him, love him, trust him, and serve him. You should do so because this text declares that Jesus is the perfect prophet, the perfect priest, and the perfect king. First, Jesus is…

I.  The Perfect Prophet

The Complete Revelation: Hebrews begins with a bang. It immediately calls us to behold Christ. It does so by urging us to see that we have something far better than any OT saint.
I love that because sometimes we are jealous of OT saints. We think, “If only I could see God part the Red Sea or have a vision of God like Isaiah, I would have strong faith.” But none of that made Israel godly. And our text says it wasn’t nearly as awesome as we may think.
You’re holding the entire OT in your hands, but no OT saint had it so easy. Rather, God revealed himself in “many portions.” The OT revelation was spread out over roughly 4,000 years. That’s a long time! And God revealed himself in “many ways.” Sometimes God spoke, and sometimes, he gave dreams. Sometimes God appeared, and other times he performed miracles. He gave Scripture, and he sent prophets.
That sounds exciting, but it’s a lot to put together especially when your soul is at stake. It’s fun to solve a mystery when you are playing a game. But imagine if your life depended on solving an escape room and you had to piece together a bunch of seemingly random clues. It wouldn’t be so fun. You’d really prefer clear, concise directions.
And one of the great glories of Jesus’s birth is that God has done exactly that. Instead of giving us a puzzle piece here and another over there, “In these last days (God) has spoken to us in His Son.” “The Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).
The baby Jesus really is amazing. On the one hand, Jesus was small and helpless, he needed to be burped, and he smelled like any other baby. But he was also infinite, eternal God made flesh. Through his nature, his miracles, his teaching, his perfect obedience, and especially through the cross and the resurrection, God spoke definitively, completely, and finally “in His Son.”
Yes, it’d be amazing to see God part the Red Sea, or Isaiah’s vision of God, but God says you can know him in a way that Isaiah could only dream about. You don’t have to piece together a puzzle. You can look at Jesus in the NT.
Do that this week. Sure, enjoy all the fun details of the Christmas story. But pay special attention to Gabriel’s description of Jesus, how the heavenly host praised Jesus, Simeon’s prophecy about Jesus, and other statements about his person. Jesus is the climax of the story. So, take it all in, meditate, give thanks, talk about him to others, and worship him.
Then our text explains why the Son is such a great revelation. First, Jesus is the king. Verse 2 says, the Father “appointed him heir of all things.” God the Father says to Jesus in Psalm 2:8–9, “Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance, and the very ends of the earth as Your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron, You shall shatter them like earthenware.’”
You’ll never appreciate the miracle of Christmas or know the security of the gospel until you see that the helpless babe is also the conquering king. Someday, he’s going to return, shatter every evil power, and reign over all.
That’s because Jesus is the creator. Verse 2 adds, “Through whom also He made the world.” The same one who came as a helpless baby, submitted to a cursed world, and died a humiliating death, also spoke the universe into existence. It’s awesome that the baby is also the Creator.
Next Jesus is truly God. Verse 3 adds, “He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature.” Many religions and even people who call themselves Christians believe Jesus is awesome, but he is less than the Father. But the Bible won’t have it. Jesus is “the radiance of His glory.” He shines with the glory of God because Jesus possesses the same glory.
We just sang, “Veiled in flesh the Godhead see.” Jesus unveiled part of his glory on the Mt. of Transfiguration. But he showed us God’s glory in many other ways. God’s love shined when Jesus became one of us. It shined when he loved prostitutes and tax collectors. Jesus shined with divine glory when he confronted sin, drove out demons, and healed the sick. He especially displayed God’s glory in the cross. Through it all, he showed us more of God’s glory than Isaiah or Moses ever saw. Jesus is awesome.
And when you see his glory, you’re getting “the exact representation of His nature.” The Greek word is charakter. It pictures the imprint left by a seal or a stamp. The imprint and the stamp are identical. So, Jesus’ glory and person are an exact reflection of the Father. When you see Jesus, you see God.
So, do you want to know God, and see his glory? Then behold Jesus this week. Read the Gospels, listen to what they say about him, listen to Jesus’ words, and watch him work. You can know God better than Moses.
Finally, Jesus rules his creation. He “upholds all things by the word of His power.” An atheist can’t explain where the laws of nature came from or why they continue, but we know Jesus “upholds all things by the word of His power.” And the primary idea is probably that Jesus is not just keeping creation going; he is providentially moving it toward his perfect ends.
Again, that’s incredible to ponder. Even as Jesus’ glory was veiled through his humble birth, he continued to “uphold all things.” Later during the Passion, even as the mob bound Jesus and led him to the cross like a lamb to the slaughter, Jesus’ authoritative command ultimately moved God’s sovereign will forward.
And Jesus continues to uphold all things in this moment. He didn’t ascend to heaven and forget about us. He is involved in every detail of his creation right now. Nothing in your life is an accident, and nothing is out of control. Jesus upholds all things by the word of his power.
So, when Jesus was born, the world received the perfect prophet because God didn’t just send a prophet; God himself came to earth.
I hope you believe what the Bible says about Jesus because your soul depends on it. If you just believe that Jesus was a great man or some kind of lesser god, the Bible says you have denied the gospel, and you do not have eternal life. But if you believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, you can have life in his name.
See Jesus in all his glory. He is eternal God. He made you, he rules over you, and he loved you enough to become a man and reveal the glory of God. I said in the beginning that the most important question of your life is what will you do with Jesus. Please believe that he is the Son of God.
Then behold his glory. God didn’t make you and ditch you. He hasn’t left us in the dark about who he is. Christ showed us his glory. When you behold Jesus through the Word, you see the glory of God. And 2 Corinthians 3:18 says that when you behold the glory of Jesus, you are transformed into his image. So, come and behold him…Christ the Lord. Jesus is the perfect prophet. But he’s more than that. Jesus is also…

II.  The Perfect Priest

The angel told Joseph, “She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins” (Matt 1:21). Jesus didn’t come to earth because he was bored or curious. He came to save us from our sin.
Verse 3 of our text says, “He made purification of sins.” That’s a great way to put it because it implies that your sin is a poison. Everyone likes to think “I’m a good person. “Sure, I’ve made some mistakes, but that’s not the real me. I have a good heart. I’m not that bad.
But Romans 3:10 says, “There is none righteous, not even one,” and Romans 6:23 says “The wages of sin is death.” You are a sinner, and your sin demands God’s judgment. I know that’s not the feel-good message you want to hear, but you will never be saved until you admit that you have sinned against a holy God, and your sin is a stain you cannot wash. You need a Savior. Thankfully, Jesus came to make “purification of sins.” How did he do that?
Jesus died. Down deep, we all know we are sinners, but we want to fix it our own way. So, people try to purify their sins by performing religious rituals, doing good works, or giving money to the poor. But Hebrews 9:22 says, “Without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” Human works will never do. God’s justice demands a blood sacrifice.
So, Jesus became our sacrifice. He took our sin in his body, and he shed his own blood. In so doing, he made purification for sins. He made it possible for you to be forgiven of all your sin, past, present, and future. Then, v. 3 says…
Jesus sat down. Specifically, Jesus rose from the dead. Then he ascended to heaven and sat down at the Father’s right hand. Sitting is normally not a big deal for you, but it is massively symbolic in the context of Jesus’ priestly ministry (10:11–14).
Israel’s tabernacle had a lot of furniture but no chairs. Why? Because the priest’s work was never done. They offered “time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.” But Jesus made a far better sacrifice. He offered himself. Once and for all made purification for sins. Then he sat down because no more work was necessary. “It is finished.”
Therefore, Jesus is the perfect priest. A priest is a mediator. He brings a holy God together with sinners. That’s exactly what Jesus did. He solved the sin debt that stood between you and God. He made a way for you to be made right with God and to be with him in heaven for all eternity.  
That purification will be yours if you will simply admit that your sin is real and that you cannot purify it yourself. Then believe that Jesus paid your debt on the cross. So many people are running around like an OT priest. They’re trying this thing and that to pay their sin debt. But all their good works and religious rituals can never take away sin. Stop running around, see the Savior seated at the Father’s right hand and rest in him. I’d love to speak with you afterwards about how you can know that your work is done.
And Christian, give thanks this week that Jesus is the perfect priest. He was born to die. He saved you from your sins. Then be sure to rest in him. Bring your guilt to your seated Savior and leave it at his feet. It is finished. Finally, Jesus is…

III.  The Perfect King (vv. 3b–4)

Notice that Jesus did not sit down to relax. Rather, he is at “the right hand…” The Father is “the Majesty on high.” He is the Lord of all. And Jesus is in a position of glory beside him. “He has inherited…”
In context, this name is “Son.” Jesus is not just a great angel or a great man. He is the one and only Son of God. To be clear, Jesus did not become the Son or get this name for the first time when he ascended to heaven. Jesus has always been the Son of God.
But chapter 2:9 says he “was made for a little while lower than the angels.” However, when Jesus finished the work and was exalted to the Father’s right hand, God reaffirmed his standing. Jesus is exalted. He’s not a poor Jew without a home or a criminal on a cross any longer. He sits in glory at the Father’s right hand.
And the clear implication is that he sits in glory as a future king. I say that because the author is drawing language from one of the most important OT prophecies about Jesus. “The Lord (the Father) says to my Lord (Jesus): ‘Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet’” (Ps 110:1). David prophesied that a time would come when Messiah would sit at the Father’s right hand waiting to receive his kingdom.
So, when our text says that Jesus sits at the Father’s right, it’s implying that he is sitting there as a king awaiting his inheritance. Someday, he will come again, and just as David prophesied, he will put every enemy under his feet. He will humiliate and crush them. “In His name all oppression shall cease.” He will truly bring “Peace on earth, good will toward men.”
There are so many things in our world to get you frustrated. Evil men are getting worse and worse. Some of the agendas that people push are pure evil and wicked rebellion against God. The world is violent and cruel. But someday Jesus will put every enemy under his feet. His kingdom will come, and his will shall be done on earth even as it is done in heaven. It’s a great hope, a wonderful encouragement.
So, as you consider the helpless babe this week, don’t just look back. Remember that he is right now sitting at the Father’s right hand awaiting the day when he will bring justice to the earth. Therefore, do not lose heart. Do not despair in the many faces of evil. Look forward to the day when Christ “will make his blessings known far as the curse is found.” Jesus is the perfect king.

Conclusion

I began today by saying that no issue is more crucial to your life than what will you do with Jesus. What do believe about him? Do you believe the Christmas story is just a cute fable with a few elements of truth, or do you believe Jesus is the perfect prophet, the perfect priest, and the perfect king?
If you would say yes, are you trusting in his perfect sacrifice to save you from your sin? Don’t leave without receiving the purification, the forgiveness of sin that Jesus offers. Please be saved.
And Christian, behold Jesus this week. He is your perfect prophet. He’s all the revelation of God you will ever need. Look full in his wonderful face. Continue to rest in his sufficient sacrifice. Give thanks that he came to die, and your sins are washed away. Then, bow before your king. Worship him, obey everything he says, and anticipate the day when he will reign over the earth. See Jesus. Respond to Jesus.