Lives That Can’t Be Shaken

INTRODUCTION:

We live in a broken and chaotic world. People are coming and going facing different kinds of circumstances, trying to survive this thing we call life.

While the type of challenges we face today look different than those that came before. The reality of suffering and chaos has not.

We live in a broken and chaotic world and deep down we know things aren’t what they’re supposed to be.

G.K. Chesterton said, “Original Sin is the one Christian doctrine that doesn’t need an argument. You see evidence for it’s truth everyday in the newspaper.”

We may disagree on how to fix what is wrong with our world, but we all agree something has indeed gone wrong.

The Bible doesn’t shy away from the reality of suffering and the brokenness of this world. Nor does it discourage our desire for something better.

But instead of putting our hope in minor changes to what IS, the Scripture points us to something better that’s to come.

That “better thing” was inaugurated when Jesus first came down from heaven. And that “better thing” will be consummated when Jesus comes again.

That “better thing” through Jesus is the main message of Hebrews and the main warning is for those who are drifting back towards something else. .

Each warning compares Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, with that what came before under the Old Covenant through Moses.

In each case, Jesus is greater. This morning we come to chapter 12 which functions as a conclusion to this written sermon.

Like most conclusions - the preacher is tying together all of his ideas under one big umbrella.

He’s driving home his main point with one final appeal.

Jesus is a greater prophet who speaks a better word.

Jesus is a greater priest who makes a greater offering for sin.

Finally, today, we see Jesus as the greater king, who builds a greater kingdom.

This warning is rooted in the greater kingdom that Jesus builds.

Set the Table

Every warning passage has an action to pursue, a warning to heed and a punishment for those who don’t.

The warnings are generally against stagnant faith and the challenge is generally to keep believing in Jesus.

Each warning passage has also used an illustration from the Old Testament. Specially they’ve focused on the story of the Exodus.

The illustration this week is a contrast between two mountains: Mount Sinai of the Exodus and Mount Zion in the Heavenly Jerusalem.

Let’s pick it up in Hebrews 12:18.

Hebrews 12:18–29 CSB

18 For you have not come to what could be touched, to a blazing fire, to darkness, gloom, and storm, 19 to the blast of a trumpet, and the sound of words. Those who heard it begged that not another word be spoken to them, 20 for they could not bear what was commanded: If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned. 21 The appearance was so terrifying that Moses said, I am trembling with fear. 22 Instead, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God (the heavenly Jerusalem), to myriads of angels, a festive gathering, 23 to the assembly of the firstborn whose names have been written in heaven, to a Judge, who is God of all, to the spirits of righteous people made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which says better things than the blood of Abel. 25 See to it that you do not reject the one who speaks. For if they did not escape when they rejected him who warned them on earth, even less will we if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven. 26 His voice shook the earth at that time, but now he has promised, Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens. 27 This expression, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what is not shaken might remain. 28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful. By it, we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and awe, 29 for our God is a consuming fire.

The original audience for the book of Hebrews was living in an unstable world.

Their suffering was a large part of why they started drifting.

The warning from Hebrews is that drifting won’t make things better.

It’s actually going to take your unstable world and make it even worse!

But if you’ll just keep believing, through the endurance of your faith, Jesus can build in you a life that can’t be shaken.

Through Jesus we can live an unshakable life in an unstable world.

Like the better word that Jesus speaks and the greater rest Jesus provides, the greater life Jesus builds is inherited by faith.

That’s the whole point of the book of Hebrews. Don’t stop believing in Jesus.

By faith, a greater atonement for sin is applied.

By faith, God’s greater promises are received.

By faith, Jesus’ greater kingdom is established.

That’s the promise of God for those who keep believing. A promise that is spoken even in suffering.

MOUNT SINAI:

That’s the idea behind this warning but it’s wrapped in the imagery of two mountains from the Old Testament.

These two mountains would’ve been immediately familiar to his original audience.

It’s harder for us, if you’re unfamiliar with the Old Testament, so let me try and paint us a fuller picture.

Verse 18 describes Mt. Sinai as “that which cannot be touched.”

The reason people (or even animals!) weren’t allowed to touch the mountain is because God chose it for the giving of the 10 Commandments.

God made that mountain holy - sanctified - set apart for his presence. For that reason, nothing unholy was allowed to come near it.

That’s why God told Moses to set a boundary around the mountain and execute a death penalty on anyone who failed to heed it.

Exodus 19:12–13 CSB

12 Put boundaries for the people all around the mountain and say: Be careful that you don’t go up on the mountain or touch its base. Anyone who touches the mountain must be put to death. 13 No hand may touch him; instead he will be stoned or shot with arrows and not live, whether animal or human. When the trumpet sounds a long blast, they may go up the mountain.”

In other words, God is holy. Man is sinful. And you better mind the gap or else you’ll suffer the consequence.

A Blazing Fire

Fundamentally, Sinai was a mountain of God’s LAW.

When God descended on the mountain to give his Law, His presence was marked by fire.

This time it wasn’t just a burning bush, the entire mountain was lit like a match!

Exodus 19:18 CSB

18 Mount Sinai was completely enveloped in smoke because the Lord came down on it in fire. Its smoke went up like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain shook violently.

Deut 4:12 says they didn’t see a body but they did hear a voice. God wasn’t just speaking through the fire, he was IN the fire as well.

Alongside the fire, the mountain was shrouded in a thick, dark cloud. Think of a violent West Texas thunderstorm. The voice of God thundered from the cloud with penetrating volume.

Exodus 19:19 “As the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and God answered him in the thunder.”

That picture is what the author appeals to in Hebrews 12:18-21.

God revealed himself in that way to communicate his power, his authority, his holiness and his justice.

It obviously made a big impression because the people could barely take it.

It wasn’t just Moses hearing those 10 commandments. God spoke in such a way that EVERYBODY knew what he said.

Eventually, they cry out for mercy because it was just too much for them to handle.

Exodus 20:18–19 CSB

18 All the people witnessed the thunder and lightning, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain surrounded by smoke. When the people saw it they trembled and stood at a distance. 19 “You speak to us, and we will listen,” they said to Moses, “but don’t let God speak to us, or we will die.”

This was the dynamic of God’s presence in the Old Testament. God is holy and man is sinful. God’s manifest presence induces fear and holy dread.

Unbearable Presence

God’s presence and God’s Law reveal the glory of his righteousness. It’s an unattainable standard for any living person.

That’s why the people at Sinai begged for God to stop talking to them directly.

They needed Moses to be a mediator and relay what God had said.

But it’s not like Moses was any different. Even HE trembled at what he heard. (Hebrews 12:21)

For unholy people, God’s presence is unbearable.

Even the seven-fold imagery in verses 18-19 paint that kind of picture.

Hebrews 12:18–19 “18 For you have not come to what could be touched, to a blazing fire, to darkness, gloom, and storm, 19 to the blast of a trumpet, and the sound of words. Those who heard it begged that not another word be spoken to them,”

It’s untouchable/unattainable.

It’s too hot, I can’t bear it.

It’s dark, like the throws of depression.

It’s gloomy, with no hope of a future.

It’s stormy and unpredictable.

Like a trumpet blast it rips right though me.

The words spoken over me, unravel and destroy.

God’s people knew they were unworthy to be in the presence of such glory. (just like you and I - to a lesser degree - feel uncomfortable when we’re in the presence of someone much greater than we are)

A Life Under Law

Anytime God manifested his presence in the Old Testament it was a terrifying and dangerous ordeal.

Tim Keller says the dynamic on Mount Zion represents an orientation towards God that breeds an unstable life.

If you build your life on that foundation, eventually you’re life is going to fall apart.

The only thing that needs to happen is for what’s shakeable to get shaken.

For example, imagine a straight A student who always gets straight A’s. They graduate valedictorian and get into the best college. But then they’re surrounded by other “straight A students.”

Even worse, some of them are smarter than they are. And instead of getting A’s they get a B or a C.

What was previously unshakeable finally got shaken. Why? Because the standard got raised.

Their identity was rooted in being smarter than everybody else - when that ground got shook their life fell apart.

That’s what a life under Law produces. It produces striving and effort and deceptive self-reliance.

A life under law eventually falls apart.

Everything is fine so long as the standard can be maintained. But it’s not sustainable!

As soon as standard changes, or worse you just fail to meet it - the thing you used to build your life is now tearing it apart.

You’re too small. You’re too ignorant. You’re too poor.

You’re sinful. You’re disqualified. You’re unholy.

You’re unwanted. You’re unlovable. You’re irredeemable.

A life under law eventually falls apart.

The only proper response when you’re living under the law is “depart from me, Lord! For I am a sinful man.” (Isaiah 6:5; Luke 5:8; Exo 3:6; Judges 6:22-23; Luke 7:6-7)

God’s presence is unbearable for unholy people.

MOUNT ZION:

But the author of Hebrews says we haven’t come to that mountain. We’ve come to a different mountain.

Which means we’ve been invited to take a totally different orientation towards God.

Jesus is the mediator of NEW and BETTER covenant.

The New Covenant in Jesus isn’t a covenant of law. The covenant in Jesus is a covenant of grace.

That is what Mount Zion represents. Zion is a mountain of God’s grace.

Hebrews 12:22–24 CSB

22 Instead, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God (the heavenly Jerusalem), to myriads of angels, a festive gathering, 23 to the assembly of the firstborn whose names have been written in heaven, to a Judge, who is God of all, to the spirits of righteous people made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which says better things than the blood of Abel.

Did you pick up on the contrast between these two mountains?

Mount Sinai was physical, Zion is spiritual.

Mount Sinai was earthly, Zion is heavenly.

Mount Sinai was deserted, Zion is a populous city.

Mount Sinai was a place of fear and holy dread.

Zion is a place of encouragement and joy.

If you just compare this mountain with Sinai you’ll see similarities and important differences.

Like Sinai, this mountain was surrounded by myriads of angels.

At Sinai, the angels established a dreadful scene. (Deut 33:2)

At Zion, the angles gather in celebration.

Like Sinai, this covenant community is identified by their first born status.

Israel was named God’s firstborn through his sovereign choice. (Exo 4:22)

Their firstborn status is through union with God the Son. (Col 1:15; Rom 8:17)

Their names are written in heaven, because they’re clothed in Jesus’ righteousness. (Rev 21:27)

Like Sinai, this community is accountable to God as judge.

When God judged Israel they were condemned because of their sin.

When God judges Zion they stand complete in Jesus’ righteousness.

Moreover this salvation is for everyone, people from every tribe, people and language. (Rev 7:9)

Moreover, the phrase “you have come” is perfect tense which means it’s something they arrived at in the past and continue to stand before today.

Better Covenant

Like Sinai, Zion is also a sphere for God’s Presence. Except the presence of God on this mountain results in something different.

There’s a different response on this mountain because it represents a better covenant.

God’s New Covenant through Jesus is better in EVERY WAY.

When you hear “covenant” think “terms of a relationship” and the things that will happen when they are or are not met.

There are all kinds of covenants mentioned in the Bible but only two are in focus here.

You have the Mosaic Covenant with the 10 Commandments and the New Covenant prophesied by Jeremiah.

Mount Sinai represents the Old Covenant and Mount Sinai represents the New Covenant.

Moses mediated (act as a go between) the Old Covenant, Jesus mediates the New.

Why is the New Covenant greater than the Old?

There are many reasons but there are two in focus here.

One reason, we’ve already seen and that’s WHAT the covenant is.

The second reason is because of WHO mediates the covenant.

The last reason, we’ll see is because of HOW the covenant works.

Better Mediator

First let’s look at WHO mediates this covenant.

he Mosaic covenant was mediated by Moses, God’s Servant.

The new covenant is mediated by Jesus, God’s only Son.

Jesus serves as a better covenant mediator.

In the Old Covenant, Levitical priests would act as covenant mediators. One act of mediation was making atonement for the sin.

This was especially done by the high priest on the day of atonement (Yom Kippur).

He would offer a bull for his own sins and a goat for the people. (Lev 16:6, 15-16) Lev 16:15

Leviticus 16:15 CSB

15 “When he slaughters the male goat for the people’s sin offering and brings its blood inside the curtain, he will do the same with its blood as he did with the bull’s blood: He is to sprinkle it against the mercy seat and in front of it.

So when the author of Hebrews talks about the “sprinkled blood” that’s what he’s referencing.

The sprinkled blood represented a temporary covering for sins because God was accepting the life of the substitute instead of taking the life of sinners. (Lev 17:11)

Leviticus 17:11 CSB

11 For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have appointed it to you to make atonement on the altar for your lives, since it is the lifeblood that makes atonement.

Jesus is a better mediator for at least two reasons.

First, because the blood he sprinkles isn’t from a bull or goat.

Secondly, the offering he makes isn’t done to atone for his own sin.

Sinless Priest | Eternal Offering

Jesus serves as a eternal and sinless priest who makes an offering of the same.

Unlike the OT priests, Jesus lived a sinless life of love and obedience to God’s Law.

He perfectly fulfilled through HIS LIFE what we COULD NOT DO though the Law.

The Law was given to reveal God’s righteousness. But, in doing so, it exposed all our sin.

God’s Law did not have that effect on Jesus. It couldn’t expose his sin because he HAD NO SIN.

Instead of exposing Jesus’ sin, Jesus displayed God’s perfect righteousness!

In laying down his perfect sinless life of love on the cross, God the Father was pleased to accept his life in the place of ours.

The Gospel is that Jesus died in our place, for our sin and through his life we obtain the righteousness of God.

Paul said it this way in 2 Cor 5:21

2 Corinthians 5:21 CSB

21 He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Jesus took on human flesh so that he could do as a human what no other human achieved.

Jesus didn’t just come so he could die on the cross. He also came to fulfill the Law’s demand.

We don’t just need forgiveness and a second chance. We’ll just end up failing again down the road.

We needed someone who could accomplish FOR US what we are incapable of doing in our flesh. That’s what Jesus did.

A Better Word

But it’s not just because Jesus serves as a greater covenant mediator.

As mediator, Jesus speaks a better Word.

Let’s look at Heb 12:24 again.

Hebrews 12:24 CSB

24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which says better things than the blood of Abel.

Even if you don’t read the Bible you’ve probably heard of Cain and Abel. It’s the original murder mystery recorded in Genesis 4.

Both Cain and Abel were children of Adam and Eve. Both men made an offering to God but Cain’s offering displeased the Lord.

Abel had given from the first fruits of his flock. He gave to God his first and his best.

As a result of God’s favor, Cain became angry. God pleads with him to do what’s right lest his sinful desire consume him.

Instead of heeding that warning, Cain killed his brother and lied about it when asked by the Lord.

God’s response to Cain is what the author quotes in Hebrews 10:24. It’s an allusion to Genesis 4:10

Genesis 4:10 CSB

10 Then he said, “What have you done? Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground!

Not only did Abel’s blood cry out from the ground, Cain’s murderous anger put him under God’s curse. He became a “restless wanderer” on the earth. (Gen 4:12)

The blood of Abel speaks a word of condemnation and shame.

Through it, God says, “See what you’ve done?”

We cannot answer that question and not be condemned.

Under this blood we become restless and lost. Always striving to cover up our shame and never able to get rid of the curse.

The blood of Jesus speaks a better Word. The blood of Jesus doesn’t speak a word of condemnation or shame.

The blood of Jesus speaks a better Word of forgiveness and grace.

Though the blood of Jesus God proclaims, “See what I’VE DONE.”

Look to the cross and see my great love!

Look to the blood and listen to that Word. It speaks a word of mercy and grace.

You are forgiven and accepted because your curse has been lifted. Not because of what you’ve done for me but only because of what I’ve done for YOU.

THE CHALLENGE:

That’s what informs this final appeal to NOT NEGLECT the one who speaks.

Hebrews 12:25–27 CSB

25 See to it that you do not reject the one who speaks. For if they did not escape when they rejected him who warned them on earth, even less will we if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven. 26 His voice shook the earth at that time, but now he has promised, Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens. 27 This expression, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what is not shaken might remain.

Mount Sinai is a mountain of God’s Law. Mount Zion is a mountain of God’s grace. God is speaking from either mountain.

Those who rejected the warning of Moses were stoned to death on the spot. Those who reject this warning from heaven incur a greater judgment.

Whatever that judgment is, it’s eternal, severe and comes on those who are not prepared.

Our world is so fragile. It will not survive the earthquake of God’s judgment.

That doesn’t even include the mini earthquakes you experience in your life in the here and now.

Are you living an unshakeable life? Or would you say you’re world is too fragile?

Stagnant Faith

If you’ve got a fragile life it’s the result of stagnant faith.

Stagnant faith builds a fragile life that cannot survive God’s coming judgment.

Jesus bore God’s judgment on the cross but he’ll bring it at his second coming.

Anyone who does not believe in Jesus stands outside the umbrella of his protection.

So don’t be left unprepared. His invitation still stands.

Repent and believe the Gospel. Jesus was shaken on the cross so that you could have an unshakeable life.

If you’ve put your faith in Jesus, then don’t stop believing. The only way through is living by faith.

Anything in your life outside of that umbrella will not survive the earthquake of God’s judgment.

Not your money, not your success, not your reputation, not your family. Nothing survives that isn’t hidden in Christ.

Saving Faith

The opposite of stagnant faith is saving faith in Jesus. Saving faith produces that stagnant faith can’t.

It keeps you from a fragile live but it also builds a better future..

Saving faith builds a forever life that cannot be shaken.

Hebrews 12:28–29 CSB

28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful. By it, we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and awe, 29 for our God is a consuming fire.

How does our faith go about building this life that can’t be shaken? There are at least two practical examples.

First, it a life of gratitude that gives thanks to God for his grace in Jesus.

God is not so much concerned about what you do as WHY you do it. When your striving and efforts come from a place of gratitude and faith then they become pleasing to the Lord.

Just like a young child working for his Father. It’s rarely because he needed the help but he always enjoys the fellowship.

The second practical thing to do is let God’s fire consume what’s needs to go.

You don’t have to fear the fire of God’s wrath. Jesus has absorbed that fire for you. But God’s fire can also be a grace in your life if you allow him to cleanse you of sin.

Those who live under Law are afraid of God’s fire because they’re still under the weight of their sin.

But those living under God’s grace in Jesus, embrace God’s fire as a gift. It’s a fire of discipline from a Father of love who wants to build in us an unshakable life.

But that life can’t grow when we tolerate things that undermine and stagnate our faith.

So open yourself up this morning to the conviction of the Holy Spirit. As we enter into a time of response and the Lord’s Supper - don’t hold back what God brings.