Hebrews (W. 14) - Hebrews 12:18-29

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Outline:
Sermon illustration - Darkroom.
Contrast - Here, God is bringing the final picture into focus. Considering all these believers have been through, God is bringing the picture into focus to say, “Jesus is better. He is enough. He is worthy to follow and worthy to endure with.”

Bottomline: Endurance finds its completion in an unshakeable kingdom.

jMain question/challenge - Keep seeking the kingdom that is unshakeable. Endure and run to that kingdom.
Why?
We endure because of…
A better Mediator
a. Jesus Work Gives Us Better Access
Enrolled sermon illustration. Someone had to pay my debt in order to be in the room.
b. Jesus’s Blood Speaks a Better Word
At what point would you have quit if you were Jesus?
Yet His blood is speaking a better word!
A Better Covenant
contrast Sinai and Zion)
A
A Better Kingdom
Kingdom is unshakeable.
This Should Produce Gratitude
This Should Produce Awe and Worship

The Kingdom and Covenant of Christ are unshakeable.

Recap from last week and this entire Sermon Letter.
Hebrews 12 tells us to:
Look to Jesus.
Look at His example
Look at His fulfillment.
Look at the result of His work!
God allows difficulties to discipline us.
Pat reminded us of this so well last week, that loving parents do the work of discipline. God is the same.
He is interested in your holiness.
Here, as we consider Jesus and understand that God is calling us to more, we need to also

We Endure Because of…

1. A Better Mediator

a. Person of Jesus

The writer of Hebrews says, “You have not come to what may be touched…”
This is a major indication of what we are to endure toward. The city and place we are called to pursue!
He, again, says, “You have not come to what may be touched…” In other words, you are not enduring to an earthly place. You are called to endure to reach a heavenly place, that through Jesus and His mediation is far better than anything else we’ve ever seen.
So, let’s set the context of this contrast.
The writer of Hebrews gives a reference in verse 18-22 to Exodus 19 when Israel went to Mount Sinai and Moses met with the Lord.
I want you to understand the magnitude of this moment for Israel.
Exodus 19 -
Verses 1-9 - The Lord called to Moses out of the Mountain. Mount Sinai. He gave Moses a message to speak to the people of Israel:
“You saw what I ddi to Egypt and how I brought you out of there under Eagles wings. I brought you to myself.
Now, if you obey my voice, keep my covenant, you will be my “treasured possession.”
“You will be a kingdom of priests.”
Then Moses delivered the message to the Israelites and they said, “That sounds good to us, we will keep the words of the Lord.”
Cool, cool, cool. Sounds like they got it, right?
Here, the Lord double downed. He wanted to make sure the people realized how powerful and good he really is.
God wanted to make sure the people heard HIM speak so that they would believe Moses forever.
Verses 10-1
God made Moses prepare the people to meet with God. So they had to consecrate themselves for 3 days. They had to wash their clothes and abstain from sexual relations during those 3 days, too.
He warned them to draw near to the mountain when they heard the trumpet blast.
They made sure everyone and every animal stayed away from the mountain while God was there.
Then God descended onto the mountain. There was thunder, lightning and a thick cloud of darkness.
A trumpet was sounded calling the nation to come to the mountain to meet with God.
Then there was more smoke, like a furnace billowing out of the moutain and earthquakes.
This isn’t some sort of easy-going,
Hebrews 12:24–25 ESV
24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. 25 See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven.
Endure by drawing near to the new kingdom and toward Jesus.
Hebrews 12:23 ESV
23 and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,
What is the assembly of the firstborn?
This is heaven!
This is everyone who calls on the name of Jesus as Lord. People that have experienced His resurrection power.
What’s so cool about this assembly is who’s there. You’ve got:
The woman at the well.
Paul
Lazarus, Mary, and Martha.
Go on a run.
Who else is there? King Jesus, man.
Those that are apart of the assembly of the firstborn are enrolled in heaven.
How can we be enrolled in heaven? Registered in heaven?
Someone has to pay the amount we owe.
My junior year in college
I owed money to the school so I was unable to register for classes. I had an outstanding balance.
How? Well I messed up and lost my scholarship. Ironically enjoy, it was called the Life Scholarship. I lost my life. I was under the impression that I could earn it back, so my sophomore year I worked hard and pulled my gps up to over a 3.0.
That day in Spanish class, trying to register for classes was the first time I understood that I needed someone to pay my debt.
You cannot enroll in the assembly of the firstborn without having your debt paid first!
“The blood of Abel cried, ‘justice must be satisfied, bring vengeance.’ The blood of Jesus cries, ‘justice has been satisfied, and brings mercy.’” - David Guzik

We Endure Because of…

2. A Better Covenant

Hebrews 12:24–25 ESV
24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. 25 See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven.
What makes this covenant better? Well he uses a contrast of Mount Sinai and Mount Zion.
Notice some of the differences:
Mountain Sinai
Place of Fear and terror
In the desert
spoke of earthly things
Only Moses could draw near to God
Characterized by guilty men in fear.
Moses was the Mediator
Mount Zion
Place of forgiveness and love
City of the living God
Speaks of Heavenly things
innumerable company
“The Law was in Sinai, but the cross was on Zion.” - David Guzik

A. Approachability

You can now approach the holy place of God through this covenant.
Compare the old covenantal approach to God in verses 18-20.
You have not come to a place of darkness, gloomy, tempest.
This place was incredibly terrifying.
But you have come to…

B. Acceptability

You are now accepted in.
Through Jesus’ mediation, you are now allowed access into this amazing city.
Ephesians 2:6–7 (ESV)
6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

C. Now it’s time to Accept this

Hebrews 12:25 ESV
25 See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven.
Don’t refuse His voice. Don’t run to something else. Jesus is better, therefore, we are able to endure with Him!

We Endure Because of…

3. A Better Kingdom

It’s unshakable. 3
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