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Introduction
Culture Shock from West to East Coast
As many of you may know, the family and I just got back from some time back home in California.
I was thinking about some of the differences between the cultural mindsets of the West Coast and the Northeast and why certain business strategies and church strategies work in one but not the other.
The west coast in general values Newer and Bigger.
So newer buildings, newer stores, newer music, newer vehicles.
Bigger houses, bigger churches, bigger stores, bigger networks of friends.
So older or smaller institution are seen as out of touch or irrelevant.
The Northeast in general values Older/Traditional and Smaller.
So older buildings, tried and true methods, traditional ways of doing things.
Smaller churches and businesses, more emphasis on Mom and Pop stores, a closer and smaller group of friends.
Newer and Bigger institutions are viewed with skepticism.
Now these are just generalities.
There are many exceptions to the rule.
And neither is right or wrong.
They are just different.
Biblically speaking, though, there is a similar competition between the Old and the New.
Unlike our cultural preferences, which are neutral, there is a clear superiority to one of them.
Which does the Bible say is superior?
That which is Old or that which is New?
Context
The author of Hebrews has called upon his readers to survey those who have followed God by faith before them and to follow their example.
He has encouraged them to lay aside sin and to receive the discipline of the Lord gladly.
They were to strive for peace and holiness together and to continue to fight against sin in their midst.
Our text today is the silver bullet, so to speak, in the gun of every follower of Jesus which will provide adequate motivation to strive for such holiness in their worship for God.
So let’s turn now to our text.
We have not come to Sinai
Hebrews 12.18-
The inferiority of the Old Covenant
When the author of Hebrews speaks of “what may be touched” he means Mount Sinai where the old covenant was given to the Israelites.
He sums up Israel’s experience in Exodus and Deuteronomy with terrifying imagery: fire, darkness, gloom, storm.
Trumpets sounded as God spoke.
Most importantly to note here though is the response of the people to the word of the Lord.
They begged God to speak no more to them for they were terrified of him and did not understand him.
There was a clear separation between God and his people.
If any man or creature were to approach the mountain they would be killed.
Even Moses, the mediator of that covenant was terrified.
Particularly, when he saw Israel continue to rebel and worship the golden calf.
He was terrified that God would destroy them all.
Under the old covenant a massive barrier remained between a most holy God and a deeply sinful people.
But good news!
The author says that this is NOT the covenant that we have come to God under as followers of Jesus.
We have come to Zion
Hebrews 12.22
The Superiority of the New Covenant
Mount Zion, the city of God, the heavenly Jerusalem, is all language that points us to the promised new covenant, a covenant where God would now live with his people.
Look at the contrast in language used of the new versus the old:
We have come to innumerable angels in festal gathering.
Let me rephrase that.
We have come to an angelic party!
No gloom or darkness here.
We have come to the assembly, the congregation of the firstborn enrolled in heaven.
We are a part of all the assembling of the saints.
We are the church of the firstborn.
Our names are written down in the book of life.
We are secure.
We are beloved.
We are heirs of everything (as firstborn children).
We have come to God, the judge of all.
God still holds all accountable.
So it is not as though we can strut into the kingdom of God.
There is a certain sense of sobriety here.
What will the Judge find when he looks upon us?
We have come to the spirits (or souls) of the righteous made perfect.
Our assembly is made up of perfectly righteous people.
For the audience of the original letter, the author believes that they are righteous.
How is it that God the Judge can look upon us and see us as righteous in his sight?
Only because we have come to JESUS the MEDIATOR OF A NEW COVENANT.
It is Jesus and his mediation on our behalf that makes us righteous.
We will be made perfectly righteous as disciples of Jesus because Jesus is the one responsible for us.
He will ensure our entrance into his Kingdom.
How?
We have come through his sprinkled blood.
His blood speaks a better word than Abel’s blood.
Able was murdered by his brother Cain and God said Abel’s blood cried out to God.
Abel’s blood cried out for vengeance against him who murdered him.
Christ’s blood cries out “Mercy!” to those who’s sins held him to the cross.
Jesus’ death secures for us the benefits of the New Covenant.
There no longer remains a separation between God and man for those who come through the blood of Jesus.
There no longer remains doom and storm and darkness and death.
We are now members of a heavenly party and heirs of all creation.
The New Covenant is vastly superior to the Old.
Do not reject the God who will shake the world
Hebrews 12.
Do not reject God’s word
Do not refuse God when he speaks.
Obey his word.
Hold fast to the gospel of Christ.
The penalty for rejecting God under the Old Covenant (when he spoke to them from the mountain on earth) was severe.
How much more severe will the penalty be for rejecting God under the New Covenant (the warning from heaven).
Rejecting God is worse on this side of the cross, for you are spurning the blood of the Son of God.
God will shake the world
Under the Old Covenant the prophets warned of a time when God would shake the entire universe.
There is a coming day when Jesus Christ will return to this world and will lay waste to everything and bring about a New Heavens and Earth, a new universe.
All that will remain after the great shake will be those who are a part of his Kingdom.
All that will remain after the great shake will be those who are a part of his Kingdom.
The point the author is making here is that currently, though we are a part of this heavenly party, that shaking has already begun.
There is so much loss and pain in the world.
That is because this world is already anticipating the return of King Jesus.
The birth pains have begun.
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