Beginning 2009 with the Glories of Jesus

A new year begins, but the focus of this year--as well as of our entire lives--ought to be the magnificence of Jesus Christ. I read Hebrews 1 this morning, and there in the first four verses the author gives us nine beautiful glories that make God's revealing himself to us in Jesus so amazing.

1. Jesus is the Son of God. No one else can claim this exalted role, nor has the love of the Father poured out upon him as Jesus does. Our Savior reconciles us not to a stranger, but to his Father.
2. Jesus is God's appointed heir of all things. There is nothing in his universe that is not given to Jesus to save or to judge. It is all his, and for his joy.
3. Jesus is the creator of the world. He made everything and holds it together according to the Father's plan (Col. 1:15-17). He owns all, including us, by virtue of creation.
4. Jesus is the radiance of the glory of God. If we ever want to understand how glorious the God is, we simply must look upon and meditate on Jesus as he is revealed in the Bible.
5. Jesus is the exact imprint of God's nature. The invisible God is fully manifested to us in the visible, incarnate Son.
6. Jesus upholds the universe by the word of his power. Not only does he make us and everything else, he sustains it with all that is necessary to continue to exist, to know, to love, to relate--everything.
7. Jesus is the one who made purification for sins. My sins and yours do not await purification. By faith the purifying sacrifice of Jesus is applied to us. And it is done--our past is truly past.
8. Jesus is enthroned in Heaven. We long for his coming to reign on earth, but he reigns now. He has completed the central work of history in his redeeming death and resurrection, and now he is enthroned next to the Father. He is not a coming, future King, but a King who is rules now from Heaven and will rule fully on earth.
9. Jesus is superior to all angelic beings due to his identity. His name, given to signify his work, identifies him as greater than beings so great that even apostles can't keep from wanting to worship them (see Rev. 22:8-9).

Such a Savior can and will have all people and angels worship him--even those who are compelled at the end of the age to do so against their rebellious wills (Phil. 2:9-11, Heb. 1:6). How amazing that he invites us to worship him freely and to experience the joys that come from belonging to him! No better start to a year exists than to choose to glory, to revel, to marvel in Jesus.