THE SEVEN-FOLD BEAUTY OF JESUS
I. FOUNDATION: THE REVELATION OF BEAUTY OF CHRIST
13 When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say
that I, the Son of Man, am?” 14 So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah
or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered and
said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you,
Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 And
I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not
prevail against it. 19 And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth
will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Matthew 16:13-19
11 But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man.
12 For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ. Galatians 1:
11-12
A. The central issue that is before the church in this hour is the knowledge of God found in the revelation of Christ.
The revelation of Christ is the very foundation upon which the Church is built, bringing stability to individual and corporate
life.
B. The revelation of Christ is the key to apostolic authority, protection against the onslaught of the evil one and the understanding of
the apostolic gospel.
II. THE FATHER’S PASSION TO REVEAL HIS SON
“The I was beside Him as a master craftsman; and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him, rejoicing
in His inhabited world.” Proverbs 8:30-31
A. Before the foundations of the earth the Holy community of the Godhead existed. Oh the intensity of fellowship that
was taking place in the Godhead long before the foundation of the earth.
1 “Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One (Jesus) in whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit
upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles.” Isaiah 42:1
B. There are holy emotions in the heart of the Father towards His Son, the second person of the Trinity. Jesus is the
very delight of the heart of the Father. Jesus desires to reveal the Father to His Bride and see our hearts infused with that
same measure of love. The revelation of the Father comes in and through the revelation of the Son of God. Jesus is the
very heart of God.
18 No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has
declared Him. John 1:18
26 “And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may
be in them, and I in them.” John 17:26
III. THE SEVENFOLD BEAUTY OF GOD REVEALED IN CHRIST
A. The basic idea of the letter is that Jesus Christ alone brings to men the full revelation of God and that He alone
enables them to enter into His very presence. The writer begins by contrasting Jesus with the prophets who had gone
before. He talks about him coming in the end of these days...
B. God speaks in various and many ways indicating His longing to make God known to humanity.
C. God speaks of the first time in Genesis 1 declaring, “Let there be Light.” The light is the revelation of His glory
in the face of Christ (II Corinthians 4:6). I refer to Genesis 1 as the vision statement of the Father’s desire to see all of
created order filled with the knowledge of His glory.
D. The revelation of God through the prophets was fragmented and partial. They were more like whispers compared
the thunder of revelation that came through the Son of God.
E. God spoke His final and decisive decree through Christ. All that God has to say about Himself is proclaimed in
and through the Person of Christ. In Christ God’s revelation of Himself is complete in that Christ is God’s decisive word to
humanity.
F. God appointed Him heir over all things (Kingship of Christ). Christ is God’s chosen King to rule and reign over the
kingdoms of this world. Jesus will establish God’s theocratic government on the earth. In the end, the kingdoms of this
world will become the kingdoms of the Lord and His Christ (Isaiah 42:1-4; 1 Corinthians 15:25-28; Revelation 5:1-10;
Revelation 11:15-19).
“I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, coming with the clouds of
heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought Him near before Him. Then to Him was given
dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion
is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom the one which shall not be
destroyed.” Daniel 7:13-14
G. The exaltation of Christ glorifies the Father. There are many things revealed about the character of God in the
exaltation of Christ.
“And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
Philippians 2:11
H. It was through him that God made the universe. Everything that was created was created through the Father’s
creative decree. Jesus is the decree of the Father. He is the Word (Logos) of God. Jesus is called the Word that was
with God and that is God. Jesus, the “living intercessory oracle,” manifested His power in Gen. 1. He revealed the
Father’s desire in declaring the Father’s decrees by both creating, and then sustaining (governing) everything under
the Father.
I. Everything that is created was created for and through the Son of God (Proverbs 8:22-31, Revelation 4:11).
J. He is the effulgence or the radiance of God’s glory. Christ is the glory of God meaning that the very character
and nature of God’s personality is revealed in Him and through Him.
1. Revelation of God is revealed in the face of Christ. The radiance is the revelation of God. Jesus is God revealing
God to humanity (II Cor 4:6). Jesus is the light of the world (John 8:12) and He is also the source of revelation inside of us
(Col 1:27).
K. He is the very image of the essence of God. “Jesus is the shining of God’s glory among men. He says that he was
the charactēr of God’s very essence. In Greek, charactēr means two things: first, a seal, and, second, the impression that
the seal leaves on the wax. The impression has the exact form of the seal. So, when the writer to the Hebrews said that
Jesus was the charactēr of the being of God, He meant that he was the exact image of God. Just as when you look at the impression,
you see exactly what the seal which made it is like, so when you look at Jesus you see exactly what God is like.”
1. The very nature of the character of God is stamped upon the nature and essence of Christ. Just as the Glory of
God is reflected, so the being of God is truly in Christ. It pleased the Father that the fullness should dwell in Him
(Col 1:19, Col 2:9).
L. He upholds all things by the word of His power.
1. Jesus is the very oracle of God by which all that is created is sustained. It is God’s same creative power that
He possesses that now sustains all things.
2. All things hold together in Him… (Col 1:17). Christ is God’s sustaining force of all the created order.
3. Job 38-41 shows us the beauty of God’s sustaining power over all creation.
M. He has made purification for our sins.
N. The first four realities connect us with the eternity and transcendence of God. However, now we see that the
transcendent God became an eminent and intimate reality when He became a Man and pursued us even unto death.
The transcendent God came into the world and dwelt among us to function as a High Priest and offer Himself as the
sacrifice for our sins.
1. He offered Himself…. Transcendent majesty became the sacrifice for our sins that we might enter into His eternal
dwellings – New Jerusalem. I believe this reality is the central theme of the book of Hebrews.
2. This produces two basic forms of impact on the human spirit. The transcendence of Christ produces wonder and
fascination in our spirit, while the eminence produces a sense of intimacy, fulfillment and gratitude.
O. He sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high.
1. Ascension of Christ filling all in all (Psalm 110)
2. Exaltation, supremacy, and preeminence
3. “… ascended far above all the heavens that he might fill all things.” (Ephesians 4:10)
IV. CHRIST THE GOD-MAN AND THE THREE-FOLD OFFICE OF JESUS
A. Hebrews 1:1-5 emphasizes the deity of Jesus.
B. Hebrews 1:6-7 emphasizes the humanity of Jesus.
C. The Prophet
D. The priest
1. The purging and the intercession of Christ
E. The King
1. He is seated with the Majesty on High