Hebrews 1:1-14

    

    The word central means to be located at, in or near the center. A figure is the bodily shape of a person. The word figure also means an appearance made or an impression made. A figure is a prominent personality or personage. From these verses we see that Christ is the central figure of all things. 

    When I was a youngster women would put a vase of flowers or a colorful object in the middle of the dinning table which they called a center piece. As a growing boy I never noticed anything on the table but the food. Thus I missed the most beautiful object on the table.

    Is that not what we do many times with Christ. We see all the good things that He has provided for us but we ignore the person of Christ who is the greatest being of time and eternity. Allow me to call your attention to Jesus! First of all He is:

I. THE CENTRAL FIGURE OF ETERNITY PAST Revelation 13:8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. All of God’s future plans were centered around Jesus who was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. Even from the very beginning to the very end it was all about Jesus! It all started with Jesus in the counsel halls of eternity past!

II. THE CENTRAL FIGURE OF THE GODHEAD  God is a trinity. He is three persons unified in one person. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit make up the Trinity. We always say God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. This is the position that the Bible places Jesus. Matthew 28:19 “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:” At the baptism of Jesus all three persons of the Godhead were present. The Father said, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” The Holy Spirit descended on Him in the form of a dove thus placing His approval on Jesus. All three persons of the Trinity were present but the emphasis was placed on Jesus. Thus making Him the central figure of the Trinity. Of course all three are of equal importance but Jesus was the center of attention.

    The entire Godhead was housed, centralized, manifested, materialized, and unified in the person of Christ. Colossians 2:9 “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily” The fulness of the Godhead did not dwell in the Father; neither did The fulness of the Godhead dwell in the Holy Spirit. Therefore the Godhead is three persons in one and that One is Jesus Christ. The Godhead is three persons in Christ. He is the manifestation of the triune God in the flesh. I Timothy 3:16 “God was manifest in the flesh...” The Godhead revolves in and around Christ thus making Him the nucleus, the center, and the very core of the Godhead.

III. THE CENTRAL FIGURE OF CREATION “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. In the beginning God (the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit) created the heaven and the earth.” 

    Of course all three persons of the Godhead were involved in the creation of the universe. But Hebrews 1:2 tells us that Christ was the one that was the most active in creation. “...by whom also he made the worlds...” Hebrews 1:10

    Colossians 1:16 gives Christ the credit for creation. “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:” The Big Bang theory says that the universe came from a central point. Creation was not an uncontrolled explosion like the Big Bang theory says; but creation did come from a central point and that point was Christ.

     Christ is still active in creation for He is still “...upholding all things by the word of his power.” He holds the world up and keeps everything in its proper place. He not only holds things up but Jesus also holds everything together. Colossians 1:17 “...by him all things consist.” Jesus is the stabilizer of the universe. He determines the consistency of all material substance. He determines the valence of all chemical compounds. He determines the hardness, the tensile strength, the softness, the density, the weight, the compaction, the pliability, the elasticity, the conductivity, and the temper of all material substances.

IV. THE CENTRAL FIGURE OF THE WRITTEN WORD 

    Jesus is not only the theme of the book of Hebrews but He is the theme of the entire Bible. In the Old Testament He is the animals that were slain to provide garments for Adam and Eve. He is the Seed of the Woman, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He is the offering at Cain’s door. He is the Ram, the Ark, Jacob’s Ladder, the Shepherd of the Twenty third Psalm, the Brazen Serpent, the Passover Lamb, the Rock, the Water from the Rock, the Manna from Heaven, and the Star of Jacob. He is the Burnt, the Meat, the Peace, the Sin, the Trespass, and the Atonement offerings. He’s the Scape Goat, the I AM, the City of Refuge, the Lily of the Valley, the Rose of Sharon, and the Fairest of Ten Thousand to my Soul. 

    In the New Testament He is the Door, the Way, the Truth, the Life, the Great High Priest, the Advocate, the Intercessor, the Mediator, the Lawyer, the Healer, the Emancipator, the Liberator, the Light of the World, the Consolation of Israel, the Lover of My Soul, the Mystery of Godliness, the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End, the Root and Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star, the LORD of LORDS and the KING of KINGS.

V. THE CENTRAL FIGURE OF REVELATION 

    The Written Word reveals much about God. But Christ is the very person of God. A figure is the bodily shape, form, or image of a person. “the express image of his person,” The word “express” means to press out or push out. God pushed Himself into the person of Jesus. God projected Himself into Christ. John 14:9 “Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?” Christ is the extrusion, the express image, and projection of God in the flesh. He is the visible image of the invisible God. He is very God manifest in the flesh.

VI. THE CENTAL FIGURE OF REDEMPTION 

     All three persons of the Godhead were involved in the plan of redemption. The Father planed it and the Holy Spirit is the administrator of salvation. But the entire scheme of redemption revolves around the second person of the Godhead Hebrews 1:3 “...when he had by himself purged our sins...” When it came down to it Jesus died alone on the cross. The Father and the Spirit turned their backs on Him and He died alone. He cried out, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” He was suspended between heaven and earth; for neither would have Him. He didn’t have any help and He still doesn’t need any help when it comes to the salvation of a lost soul. 

VII. THE CENTRAL FIGURE OF THE CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE. 

    Today much emphasis is placed on the Holy Spirit. A few place all of the emphasis on the Father. If the Father or the Spirit is the central figure of your experience it is not a Christian experience. If it is a Christian experience Christ will be the central figure of that experience. John 16:13 “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. 14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.” When one has a genuine Christian experience the Holy Spirit will always call attention to Christ. Christ personally is the central figure of all Christian experiences. 

VIII. THE CENTRAL FIGURE OF ETERNITY FUTURE “Thy throne O God is for ever & ever “ 

    Christ Jesus was the central figure of eternity past. For He was “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” Absolutely everything from before the beginning of creation revolved around Jesus. It all started with Him. In eternity future everything in heaven will revolve around Him. Ephesians. 1:10 “That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:” In eternity past He was the distribution center of the Godhead. Everything went out from Him and through Him. In eternity future He will be the collection center of the Godhead. Everything will be gathered together in Him. Everything that God has done, is doing, and will ever do; has been, is being, and will continued to be centered in and around Christ. A great crowd will gather around Him in eternity future. Revelation 5:11-13 “And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.” 

CONCLUSION: The Lord Jesus Christ is the central figure of eternity past, of the Godhead, of creation, of the Written Word, of revelation, of redemption, of the Christian experience, and of eternity future. IS HE THE CENTRAL FIGURE OF YOUR LIFE?????????