What makes Jesus more trustworthy than any alternative? According to Hebrews 1, the answer to this question has a lot to do with his status as Son of God, and with the fact that he reigns forever.

Hebrews opens with a dramatic claim that gives focus and meaning to everything that comes later. God had spoken in many ways before; but in his Son, the ultimate medium, he speaks in such a way that everything becomes clearer and comes together once and for all. But what does the fact that God has spoken in his Son tell us about his message and how we should receive it?

For all the mystery surrounding its origin, context, and style, Hebrews makes a case that is perfectly clear: Jesus is greater than any alternative hope for salvation, so we must hold fast to him.

In Luke?s narrative, the angels? celebration of Jesus?s birth hinges on the promise that his coming means peace on earth. But what did they mean by ?peace?? And where is it?

Micah promised that a ruler to come, Israel?s Messiah, would emerge from Bethlehem, and a basic piece of the Christmas story is Jesus?s fulfillment of Micah?s prophecy. But why is Bethlehem so important? Bethlehem?s significance has everything to do with the kingdom of God, and with the goal of that kingdom, the glory of God.

Luke begins his story of Jesus?s life not with Jesus but with the announcement and birth of another character, John the Baptist. Why was he so important? The answer has everything to do with an ancient story, a story left off by the Minor Prophets and picked up here by Luke.

?I have loved you??so begins God?s communication with his people in this final book of the Old Testament. It?s a fitting summary of the story of God?s dealings with Israel to that point. But Malachi is essentially a disputation between God and unbelieving Israel over whether and how he had loved them. If the prophets dramatize the character of God for us, this prophet illustrates what God?s love is like, and it isn?t what Israel or we would expect. God?s love is free, it?s steadfast, it?s inviting, and it?s self-centered?all of which makes for wonderfully good news.

Though cloaked in often mysterious prophetic imagery, Zechariah?s message offers a beautiful elaboration on the coming kingdom, of God?s promise to deliver his people from threats on the outside?their enemies?and on the inside?their sin. And in a couple key passages, Zechariah suggests this deliverance will be accomplished by an unprecedented divine ruler, a priest-king.

When the people of Israel first returned to Jerusalem after the exile, what they found was a far cry from what they had hoped for. Haggai confronted their disillusionment, recasting their expectations and calling for trust in the faithfulness of God. His message gives us insight into how Jesus fulfills the hope of the prophets, and what it looks like for us to live as if God?s promises are true.

this point, illustrates how God?s roles as Judge and Redeemer are both guided by a single goal: to vindicate his name as the one true Lord. He will reveal his true identity once and for all by exposing those who proudly believe they can do better elsewhere, and by perfectly meeting the needs of those humble enough to rest everything on him.