Two Activities That Will Keep Us On-Track
Following Jesus: The Letter to the Hebrews • Sermon • Submitted
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· 20 viewsThe writer of Hebrew points us to two activities that will encourage us to keep following Christ.
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Text: Hebrews 12:18-29
18 You have not come to a physical mountain, to a place of flaming fire, darkness, gloom, and whirlwind, as the Israelites did at Mount Sinai.
19 For they heard an awesome trumpet blast and a voice so terrible that they begged God to stop speaking.
20 They staggered back under God’s command: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.”
21 Moses himself was so frightened at the sight that he said, “I am terrified and trembling.”
22 No, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to countless thousands of angels in a joyful gathering.
23 You have come to the assembly of God’s firstborn children, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God himself, who is the judge over all things. You have come to the spirits of the righteous ones in heaven who have now been made perfect.
24 You have come to Jesus, the one who mediates the new covenant between God and people, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks of forgiveness instead of crying out for vengeance like the blood of Abel.
25 Be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the One who is speaking. For if the people of Israel did not escape when they refused to listen to Moses, the earthly messenger, we will certainly not escape if we reject the One who speaks to us from heaven!
26 When God spoke from Mount Sinai his voice shook the earth, but now he makes another promise: “Once again I will shake not only the earth but the heavens also.”
27 This means that all of creation will be shaken and removed, so that only unshakable things will remain.
28 Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe.
29 For our God is a devouring fire.
18 Οὐ γὰρ προσεληλύθατε ψηλαφωμένῳ καὶ κεκαυμένῳ πυρὶ καὶ γνόφῳ καὶ ζόφῳ καὶ θυέλλῃ
19 καὶ σάλπιγγος ἤχῳ καὶ φωνῇ ῥημάτων, ἧς οἱ ἀκούσαντες παρῃτήσαντο μὴ προστεθῆναι αὐτοῖς λόγον·
20 οὐκ ἔφερον γὰρ τὸ διαστελλόμενον· Κἂν θηρίον θίγῃ τοῦ ὄρους, λιθοβοληθήσεται·
21 καί, οὕτω φοβερὸν ἦν τὸ φανταζόμενον, Μωϋσῆς εἶπεν· Ἔκφοβός εἰμι καὶ ἔντρομος.
22 ἀλλὰ προσεληλύθατε Σιὼν ὄρει καὶ πόλει θεοῦ ζῶντος, Ἰερουσαλὴμ ἐπουρανίῳ, καὶ μυριάσιν ἀγγέλων, πανηγύρει
23 καὶ ἐκκλησίᾳ πρωτοτόκων ἀπογεγραμμένων ἐν οὐρανοῖς, καὶ κριτῇ θεῷ πάντων, καὶ πνεύμασι δικαίων τετελειωμένων,
24 καὶ διαθήκης νέας μεσίτῃ Ἰησοῦ, καὶ αἵματι ῥαντισμοῦ κρεῖττον λαλοῦντι παρὰ τὸν Ἅβελ.
25 Βλέπετε μὴ παραιτήσησθε τὸν λαλοῦντα· εἰ γὰρ ἐκεῖνοι οὐκ ἐξέφυγον ἐπὶ γῆς παραιτησάμενοι τὸν χρηματίζοντα, πολὺ μᾶλλον ἡμεῖς οἱ τὸν ἀπʼ οὐρανῶν ἀποστρεφόμενοι·
26 οὗ ἡ φωνὴ τὴν γῆν ἐσάλευσεν τότε, νῦν δὲ ἐπήγγελται λέγων· Ἔτι ἅπαξ ἐγὼ σείσω οὐ μόνον τὴν γῆν ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸν οὐρανόν.
27 τὸ δὲ Ἔτι ἅπαξ δηλοῖ τῶν σαλευομένων μετάθεσιν ὡς πεποιημένων, ἵνα μείνῃ τὰ μὴ σαλευόμενα.
28 διὸ βασιλείαν ἀσάλευτον παραλαμβάνοντες ἔχωμεν χάριν, διʼ ἧς λατρεύωμεν εὐαρέστως τῷ θεῷ μετὰ εὐλαβείας καὶ δέους,
29 καὶ γὰρ ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶν πῦρ καταναλίσκον.
Introduction:
I- ENJOY HOLY COMPANY (Hebrews 12:22-24).
I- ENJOY HOLY COMPANY (Hebrews 12:22-24).
22 No, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to countless thousands of angels in a joyful gathering.
23 You have come to the assembly of God’s firstborn children, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God himself, who is the judge over all things. You have come to the spirits of the righteous ones in heaven who have now been made perfect.
24 You have come to Jesus, the one who mediates the new covenant between God and people, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks of forgiveness instead of crying out for vengeance like the blood of Abel.
A- Angelic company. (Hebrews 12:22).
A- Angelic company. (Hebrews 12:22).
22 No, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to countless thousands of angels in a joyful gathering.
22 ἀλλὰ προσεληλύθατε Σιὼν ὄρει καὶ πόλει θεοῦ ζῶντος, Ἰερουσαλὴμ ἐπουρανίῳ, καὶ μυριάσιν ἀγγέλων, πανηγύρει
1- The setting of that company:
a- Mount Zion
1.) The place of God’s presence.
2.) The place where God speaks.
b- Heavenly Jerusalem
1.) The place of our citizenship. (Philippians 3:20-21)
20 But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior.
21 He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control.
2.) The place of which we are ambassadors. (2 Corinthians 5:19-20)
19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation.
20 So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”
2- The surety of that company:
a- The number in the company (countless thousands)
1.) μυριάσιν = an innumerable multitude, an unlimited number
b- The name of the company (angels)
1.) Angels have been charged with watching over believers. (Hebrews 1:14)
14 Therefore, angels are only servants—spirits sent to care for people who will inherit salvation.
2.) Angels are always present with us.
B- Saintly company. (Hebrews 12:23).
B- Saintly company. (Hebrews 12:23).
You have come to the assembly of God’s firstborn children, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God himself, who is the judge over all things. You have come to the spirits of the righteous ones in heaven who have now been made perfect.
23 καὶ ἐκκλησίᾳ πρωτοτόκων ἀπογεγραμμένων ἐν οὐρανοῖς, καὶ κριτῇ θεῷ πάντων, καὶ πνεύμασι δικαίων τετελειωμένων,
1- Those who are the called out assembly
a. ἐκκλησίᾳ = an assembly of Christians gathered for worship in a religious meeting. (Vs. 23)
b. πανηγύρει = a festal gathering of the whole people to celebrate (vs. 22)
2- The church of the Firstborn (Jesus)
a. πρωτοτόκων = of Christ, the first born of all creation
b. The church belongs to Jesus! (Matthew 16:18)
18 Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.
3- Those whose names are recorded in heaven
a. A believer’s name is written in heaven when he believes.
1.) Hymn: “There’s a new name in glory”
1 I was once a sinner, but I came
Pardon to receive from my Lord.
This was freely given, and I found
That He always kept His word.
2 I was humbly kneeling at the cross,
Fearing naught but God's angry frown,
When the heavens opened and I saw
That my name was written down. [Chorus]
3 In the Book 'tis written, "Saved by grace."
Oh, the joy that came to my soul!
Now I am forgiven, and I know
By the blood I am made whole. [Chorus]
Chorus:
There's a new name Written down in glory,
And it's mine, (And it's mine,)
oh yes, it's mine! (yes, it's mine!)
And the white-robed Angels sing the story,
"A sinner has come home." (home, has come home."
For there's a new name written down in glory,
And it's mine, (And it's mine,)
oh yes, it's mine! (yes, it's mine!)
With my sins forgiven I am bound for heaven,
Nevermore to roam.
2.) This is reason to rejoice.
C- The Ultimate company. (Hebrews 12:24).
C- The Ultimate company. (Hebrews 12:24).
You have come to Jesus, the one who mediates the new covenant between God and people, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks of forgiveness instead of crying out for vengeance like the blood of Abel.
24 καὶ διαθήκης νέας μεσίτῃ Ἰησοῦ, καὶ αἵματι ῥαντισμοῦ κρεῖττον λαλοῦντι παρὰ τὸν Ἅβελ.
1- God the Judge of all (κριτῇ πάντων)
2- Jesus the mediator (μεσίτῃ = lit., “a go-between” (from mesos, “middle,” and eimi, “to go”), “one who mediates” between two parties with a view to producing peace. [1]
(Hebrews 8:6)
6 But now Jesus, our High Priest, has been given a ministry that is far superior to the old priesthood, for he is the one who mediates for us a far better covenant with God, based on better promises.
(1 Timothy 2:5)
5 For, There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus.
II- ENGAGE WHAT GOD SAYS TO US (Hebrews 12:25-29).
II- ENGAGE WHAT GOD SAYS TO US (Hebrews 12:25-29).
A- Don't be guilty of rejecting what God says. (Hebrews 12:18-21,25).
A- Don't be guilty of rejecting what God says. (Hebrews 12:18-21,25).
18 You have not come to a physical mountain, to a place of flaming fire, darkness, gloom, and whirlwind, as the Israelites did at Mount Sinai.
19 For they heard an awesome trumpet blast and a voice so terrible that they begged God to stop speaking.
20 They staggered back under God’s command: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.”
21 Moses himself was so frightened at the sight that he said, “I am terrified and trembling.”
25 Be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the One who is speaking. For if the people of Israel did not escape when they refused to listen to Moses, the earthly messenger, we will certainly not escape if we reject the One who speaks to us from heaven!
1- Those who rejected what God said at Sinai suffered the consequences. (Hebrews 12:18-21) (see also, Exodus 19)
18 You have not come to a physical mountain, to a place of flaming fire, darkness, gloom, and whirlwind, as the Israelites did at Mount Sinai.
19 For they heard an awesome trumpet blast and a voice so terrible that they begged God to stop speaking.
20 They staggered back under God’s command: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.”
21 Moses himself was so frightened at the sight that he said, “I am terrified and trembling.”
a- The Israelites had physical manifestations of God’s presence.
b- The Israelites heard the angelic trumpet and the voice of God speaking.
c- Rather than choosing to listen, they asked God to quit speaking to them.
d- Their actions demonstrated their rejection of God’s words. (Exodus 32:1-6)
1 When the people saw how long it was taking Moses to come back down the mountain, they gathered around Aaron. “Come on,” they said, “make us some gods who can lead us. We don’t know what happened to this fellow Moses, who brought us here from the land of Egypt.”
2 So Aaron said, “Take the gold rings from the ears of your wives and sons and daughters, and bring them to me.”
3 All the people took the gold rings from their ears and brought them to Aaron.
4 Then Aaron took the gold, melted it down, and molded it into the shape of a calf. When the people saw it, they exclaimed, “O Israel, these are the gods who brought you out of the land of Egypt!”
5 Aaron saw how excited the people were, so he built an altar in front of the calf. Then he announced, “Tomorrow will be a festival to the Lord!”
6 The people got up early the next morning to sacrifice burnt offerings and peace offerings. After this, they celebrated with feasting and drinking, and they indulged in pagan revelry.
e- The Israelites were judged for their rejection. (Exodus 32: 7-29)
2- Those who reject the Word of God now will suffer severe consequences. (Hebrews 12:25)
25 Be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the One who is speaking. For if the people of Israel did not escape when they refused to listen to Moses, the earthly messenger, we will certainly not escape if we reject the One who speaks to us from heaven!
a- The writer warns the Hebrews not to reject the Good News .
b- Those who reject the Word of God will be judged.
B- Serve God acceptably through grace. (Hebrews 12:28-29).
B- Serve God acceptably through grace. (Hebrews 12:28-29).
28 Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe.
29 For our God is a devouring fire.
27 τὸ δὲ Ἔτι ἅπαξ δηλοῖ τῶν σαλευομένων μετάθεσιν ὡς πεποιημένων, ἵνα μείνῃ τὰ μὴ σαλευόμενα.
28 διὸ βασιλείαν ἀσάλευτον παραλαμβάνοντες ἔχωμεν χάριν, διʼ ἧς λατρεύωμεν εὐαρέστως τῷ θεῷ μετὰ εὐλαβείας καὶ δέους,
29 καὶ γὰρ ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶν πῦρ καταναλίσκον.
1- We have received a kingdom which can not be shaken (μὴ σαλευόμενα= Immovable, unshakable).
2- We are to serve in thankfulness.
3- We are to serve with reverence and awe. (διʼ ἧς λατρεύωμεν εὐαρέστως τῷ θεῷ μετὰ εὐλαβείας καὶ δέους,)
εὐλαβείας = “reverence, godly fear,”
δέους = a sense of shame, modesty, rooted in the understanding of who we are and who God is.
4- All of the above are made possible by grace.
Our salvation is grounded in God’s grace. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.
9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.
Our ability to serve Christ is enabled by Grace, empowered by the Holy Spirit.
(1 Corinthians 12:4)
4 There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all.
χαρισμάτων= A grace-gift, an ability involving grace empowered by the giver.
CONCLUSION:
[1] W. E. Vine, Merrill F. Unger, and William White Jr., Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words (Nashville, TN: T. Nelson, 1996), 400.