“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.”
– Hebrews 1:1–4
What a powerful summary of who Jesus is, of what Jesus came to do, of God’s final word in Jesus, the one to whom all the prophets throughout the Old Testament were looking forward to what we celebrate at Christmas is that he has come and we praise him in his coming for who he is and for what he’s done.
I just want to read through this again in prayer and just invite us to praise Jesus, to exalt Jesus, to thank Jesus for who he is and what he’s done based directly on this word, especially as we prepare to celebrate Christmas.
Looking Forward to the Return of Christ
We celebrate all that Christ accomplished in His first coming and look forward to the day when the One who is seated at the right hand of the Father comes again to bring His church into the presence of God for all eternity.
Oh God, we praise you for speaking over centuries through the prophets and ultimately, taking all their words pointing forward and bringing fulfillment through your word to us in your son, in Jesus. Jesus, we praise you as the appointed heir of all things, the one through whom the world was created. You spoke and the world came into being. Jesus, we praise you as the radiance of the glory of God in the flesh. You radiated the glory of God, the exact imprint of his nature.
Hebrews 1:1–4 Praises Jesus for His Authority Over the Earth
Jesus, we praise you. You are God. You are divine. Jesus are not merely human, although you are fully human. You are fully human and fully divine, the glory of God, the exact imprint of his nature and you uphold the universe by the word of your power. What an amazing thought. Jesus, right now you are upholding the universe by the word of your power. All glory be to your name, the upholder of the universe. And we praise you that though you have all power, all authority in all the earth, you made purification for our sins, you paid the price for my sin, for those who are listening, who trusted in you for the sins of the world and all who will trust in you. Thank you, Jesus, for dying on the cross for our sins, my sins, my rebellion, our rebellion against the father.
Hebrews 1:1–4 Thanks Jesus for Purifying Our Sins
We praise you for making purification for our sins, making it possible for us to be forgiven of all our sins and then for rising from the grave and ascending into heaven. We praise you for being seated right now at the right hand of the majesty on high. All glory be to your name, Jesus. You have become as a much superior to angels as the name you have inherited is more excellent than theirs. There is no name more excellent than yours. Jesus, we praise you. Jesus, we glorify you. Yes, Jesus, we love you. Jesus, we honor you. Jesus, we surrender to you. So we worship you with our lives and our families, with our churches. We worship you with everything we have. We want your worship remained known in all the world among all the peoples.
May all the peoples praise you, Jesus. May the Gulf Bedouin in the UAE, 800,000 of them gone, Jesus may they worship you, your name. Above all, may they see your name as more excellent than any other name. May people around us, even as we gather together for Christmas, worship gatherings. May more and more and more people see the beauty and the excellency and the wonder and the supremacy of the name of Jesus. Exalt yourself in us, we pray. We glorify your name and we pray all of this in your name. Amen.
David Platt serves as a Lead Pastor for McLean Bible Church. He is also the Founder and Chairman of Radical, an organization that helps people follow Jesus and make him known in their neighborhood and all nations.
David received his B.A. from the University of Georgia and M.Div., Th.M., and Ph.D. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Some of his published works include Radical, Radical Together, Follow Me, Counter Culture, Something Needs to Change, and Don’t Hold Back.
He lives in the Washington, D.C. metro area with his wife and children.
