God's Unshakeable Kingdom (Hebrews 12:18–29)

Introduction

We are nearing the end of Hebrews. Today, we’ll be in Hebrews 12:18-29, talking about God’s unshakable kingdom.

Have you noticed that the world has been in quite a bit of turmoil? Just a few weeks ago, a war that broke out between Israel and Iran shook up the whole world.

My entire adult life, I’d heard of the possibility of a war breaking out with Iran, but it was something to watch it happen. Israel struck military sites and targets in Iran. Iran responded by sending ballistic missiles and drones against Israeli cities.

Eventually, America bombed nuclear sites in Iran, and then, after twelve days, a ceasefire went into effect. I reached out to a friend of mine who has family in Iran, and since the government shut down communication in the country, he hadn’t heard from them. We pray for peace in that region, for the people of Israel and Iran.

It’s a reminder of how quickly the world can get shaken up. There is still a war in Ukraine and Russia and threats in other places. The news of wars and rumors of wars can be overwhelming.

But as the world shakes, the Bible reminds us that if we belong to Jesus, we are part of a kingdom that cannot be shaken, no matter what happens around us. When everything around us feels like it’s shaking, how can we stand secure? Hebrews 12:18-29 will address that for us today.

Scripture Reading

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.

Pray

Leading up to our text today, at the beginning of Hebrews 12, the writer of Hebrews reminds us to run the race of faith with endurance. God has put each one of us on a faith journey, and to be successful in the Christian life, the Christian must always keep his mind and heart fixed and focused on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. Jesus focused on the eternal joy set before him, and we can endure the Christian life by remembering the eternal joy we have in Jesus Christ.

Furthermore, we are to resist sin and accept God’s loving discipline because he is raising us as his children. So pursue peace and holiness, and do not let bitterness take root in your lives and among us in our church. The writer of Hebrews has covered all of this in Hebrews 12, and he is now coming to the point where he summarizes everything he has shared in this letter (or sermon).

The writer of Hebrews does four things in Hebrews 12:18-29: a contrast, a celebration, a warning, and a call.

The Contrast: He begins Hebrews 12:18 with “For you have not come...,” providing a contrast between the fear of Sinai and our present situation in Jesus.

The Celebration: He says in Hebrews 12:22, “Instead, you have come to Mount Zion,” celebrating the heavenly privilege we have as children of God through Jesus Christ.

The Warning: He says in Hebrews 12:25, “See to it that you do not reject the one who speaks,” warning us not to ignore God’s voice in our lives.

The Call: In Hebrews 12:28, “28 Therefore… be thankful... serve God... with reverence and awe,” speaking about our worship before the Lord.

There are three things that we are to do today as Christians, as outlined in Hebrews 12:18-29: Remember, Recognize, and Respond.

Remember that you have not come to know God in a place of fear.

Recognize that you have come to know God in a place of joy. (And, therefore,)

Respond to God’s voice today with reverent worship.

The first thing the writer of Hebrews will tell us today is to,

I. Remember That You Have Not Come to Know God in a Place of Fear

In the first six verses, the writer of Hebrews compares one mountain, Mount Sinai, with another mountain, Mount Zion. These two mountains have great biblical significance.

Mount Sinai is the mountain where God gave the law to Moses and made his presence known to Israel through a fearful display of his power. You read about in Exodus 19:16-19, where it says,

Exodus 19:16–19 CSB

16 On the third day, when morning came, there was thunder and lightning, a thick cloud on the mountain, and a very loud blast from a trumpet, so that all the people in the camp shuddered. 17 Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. 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. 19 As the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and God answered him in the thunder.

The people of Israel came to know God in a place of fear and trembling.

Imagine standing at the foot of a mountain as a dark storm cloud rolls in, lighting splitting open the sky and thunder shaking the ground beneath you.

The air is thick with smoke like a furnace, as God sends a holy fire to the mountain. The entire mountain is trembling like it will split apart at any moment.

A supernatural trumpet blast is growing louder and louder, hitting your eardrums and echoing throughout your body. What would you do?

This storm is not natural. This event represents the powerful presence of God among sinful people. We know what the people of Israel did. Exodus 20:18-19:

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.”

Why did they beg Moses, “Don’t let God speak to us!” It was the terror of sinful people realizing that no one, in their sin, can survive in the presence of the perfect, pure, righteous, and holy God.

A. Mount Sinai represents the fear, judgment, and distance that our sin brings before God.

The fear at Mount Sinai shows us what happens when there is no perfect and pure mediator between us and God. When sin is between us and God, we are in a terrible and fearful place where there is nothing left to expect from God but judgment.

Hebrews 12:20-21 illustrates the magnitude of the fear of judgment when we stand before a holy God, alone in our sin. The people of Israel couldn’t bear the things that God commanded of them. In the presence of God, if even an animal touched the mountain, it must be stoned.

What did the animal do? If even an animal [who also lives as a creature affected under the curse of sin because all creation was affected by the curse of sin (Romans 8:20-22)] must need to be stoned to death because it has wandered into the presence of the holy God, how much more can we expect only death because of our sin?

Hebrews 12:21 says that even Moses was “trembling with fear.”

Moses, the one who spoke to God face to face (Ex. 33:11).

Moses, the one who lead Israel out of Egypt with God’s mighty power (Ex. 14:30-31).

Moses, the one who received the Law on the mountain (Ex. 31:18).

Moses, the one who saw God’s glory pass by (Ex. 33:18-23).

Even Moses trembled before the holy presence of God. The problem with the world today is not a lack of knowledge about God’s love. It is a lack of the fear of God’s presence.

But in Christ, Jesus has not left you at the foot of a fearful mountain. If Mount Sinai shows us the fear of approaching God in our sin, Mount Zion shows us the joy of approaching God through Jesus Christ. We haven’t just escaped fear. God has welcomed us into joyful fellowship with him.

That’s the second point,

II. Recognize That You Have Come to Know God in a Place of Joy

Here is where the contrast becomes apparent. At Mount Sinai, God confronted sinful people. We get a picture in the Old Testament at Mount Sinai of what it means to be without a Savior. When the judgment is not on Jesus Christ on the cross, the judgment is on you.

But that’s not how you came to know Jesus. Hebrews 12:22 says, “Instead, you have come to Mount Zion...”

A. Mount Zion represents joy, grace, and nearness.

What is Mount Zion? Mount Zion is first a physical place in the Old Testament. It was initially a fortress that David captured and made the center of his kingdom (2 Samuel 5:6-7). Eventually, Zion became a symbol for Jerusalem itself, the place God chose as his dwelling place. You see that in Psalm 132:13,

Psalm 132:13 CSB

13 For the Lord has chosen Zion; he has desired it for his home:

Zion is also the place where the Messiah will reign. In a Psalm about the Messiah, Psalm 110:2 says,

Psalm 110:2 CSB

2 The Lord will extend your mighty scepter from Zion. Rule over your surrounding enemies.

And the prophet Zechariah called for the city of Zion to rejoice when the Messiah, the King, came riding into Jerusalem (Zechariah 9:9), a prophecy fulfilled when Jesus entered Jerusalem in his triumphal entry (Matt 21:1–7; Mark 11:1–7; Luke 19:29–35; John 12:14).

Not only is Mount Zion a physical place in Jerusalem. It is also a future holy place. Isaiah 2:2-3 says that in the last days, “all nations will stream to... the mountain of the Lord” and that “instruction will go out of Zion.” Revelation 21:2 speaks of a future “holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,” the eternal home of God’s people, a place of unending joy, perfect peace, and face-to-face fellowship with the Lord.

That’s why the writer of Hebrews says in Hebrews 12:22

Hebrews 12:22 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,

He says, “you have come to Mount Zion.” Being a citizen of the kingdom of God is about the present and the future. As a follower of Jesus Christ, today, you belong to the kingdom. You are a citizen of the kingdom of God, looking forward to the day you go home.

When there is someone new to the kingdom, there is joy! The Lord says in Luke 15:10,

Luke 15:10 CSB

10 I tell you, in the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels over one sinner who repents.”

You have come to "myriads of angels, a festive gathering," rejoicing in the presence of God. The Father rejoices over you when you enter into his kingdom. Think about that. When you came to Christ, heaven itself rejoiced.

I have had the incredible honor of being the father to two wonderful boys, and I remember exactly what it was like to see both of them born. There was a fantastic amount of joy for my wife and me to see each one of our baby boys for the first time.

There is nothing like hearing that first cry. The doctor hands the baby boy to you, and you say, "My son!" The family is happy. Grandma and Grandpa see their new grandson, and they are in love. You post pictures, and people are excited.

We know what it's like when there's a new baby in the family. How much more joy is there in heaven when someone comes to God in faith through the Son of God, Jesus Christ? How much more does God rejoice over people who repent in faith and become children of God because of Jesus Christ?

You are now a citizen of Zion, where the Messiah reigns, and the whole city rejoices over you. That's the reason why,

B. The blood of Jesus speaks better than Abel.

It says in Hebrews 12:24,

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.

Why does the writer of Hebrews bring up Abel? Abel is the first martyr recorded in Scripture. In Genesis 4, Cain (Abel's brother) kills Abel in a fit of jealous rage. If you remember, in Genesis 4:10, God said to Cain, "Your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground!" The blood of Abel cried out, figuratively speaking, for God to punish sin. The blood of Abel says sin demands judgment.

This is the difference:

Where Abel’s blood demands judgment, Jesus’ blood declares forgiveness.

Where Abel’s blood exposes sin, Jesus’ blood erases sin.

Where Abel’s blood brings fear, Jesus’ blood brings peace.

Jesus’ blood is the reason why you can come to the holy Jerusalem and live forever in a place of peace and joy.

When you recognize that you know God from a place of joy in Jesus Christ, that demands a reverent response in your soul and your spirit every day of your life as a citizen of the kingdom of God.

God does not change. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He is still holy, he still speaks, and he still calls us to respond to him. That’s why the writer says we should,

III. Respond to God's Voice Today with Reverent Worship

We have the contrast: Sinai’s fear versus Zion’s joy. We have the celebration: through Christ, we are citizens of a kingdom that rejoices over us through the blood of Jesus Christ.

We live in a kingdom and a time of grace. Here’s an important point: God’s grace was never meant to lead us into a casual faith.

What is casual faith? It’s when spiritual laziness sets in, and we treat God, his Word, and his commands with a lukewarm commitment. There is no urgency to trust God or to pray, no urgency to obey God’s commands.

Casual faith views God as an option in our day and His grace as something like popcorn at the movies that never ends, rather than seeing it for what it truly is: the incredible treasure that we have in Jesus.

Here is what the writer of Hebrews says: because we have come to know God in a place of joy, how much more should we respond to him in reverence, gratitude, and worship?

A. God is still speaking, and we must listen.

Look at what it says in Hebrews 12:25,

Hebrews 12:25 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.

Is the writer here speaking to believers or nonbelievers? If it is nonbelievers, then we are the people on the inside looking at those on the outside saying, “They should have believed in Jesus.”

The warning in Hebrews 12:25 is in the plural first person. It is “we,” which includes the writer. It’s a similar warning to what he has been giving us in Hebrews 3:12-14, 6:4-6, 10:26-27. If you are genuinely in Christ, you will endure.

That’s the testimony of faith we have in Hebrews 11. Time and again, whether in victory or struggle, God’s people will endure. Why do they endure? You endure as a child of God because, as it says in the book of Revelation, you have ears to hear what the Spirit says to the church (Rev. 2:7).

Endurance in Christ doesn’t save us, but it is clear evidence of a genuinely converted heart in Jesus. The promises of eternal life in Christ are so good that there will always be people who want the moment but not the lifestyle. They’ll say, “Give me the outcome you’re offering, but I don’t want the life that goes with it.”

Listening to God, hearing his command, and obeying his Word is the life God has called us to. The minute you trust in Jesus Christ by faith, your life is no longer your own. It’s his.

The writer of Hebrews reminds us to get our eyes off of the temporary issues and live for the eternal kingdom. He reminds us of the temporary nature of things and that,

B. God will shake everything that is temporary.

He says this in Hebrews 12:26,

Hebrews 12:26 CSB

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.

At Mount Sinai, God’s voice and power shook the foundations, including the mountain, which exposed people and woke them up to the judgment their sins deserved before him.

But now, in these last days, God has promised to shake not only the earth but everything around us. The prophet said in Haggai 2:6,

Haggai 2:6 CSB

6 For the Lord of Armies says this: “Once more, in a little while, I am going to shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land.

Here in California, we are sensitive to things shaking.

Earlier this year, on a Monday in April, I was sitting in my living room, probably staring at my laptop, when the ground started shaking slightly. It got stronger, and I was waiting for it to stop. I didn’t grow up with earthquake drills in school, so I didn’t know what to do. Are you supposed to crawl under a table? As things were shaking, my cell phone went off with “Earthquake!” and I said, “I know!”

Afterward, I texted my wife to see how she was, and she was okay. She worked in a building that was moving with the quake, but everyone was okay. It was the strongest earthquake I had felt since moving here in 2011. Many of us remember that day in April.

There will come a day when crawling under the table will no longer be enough. The Lord describes that day in Matthew 24:29-31,

Matthew 24:29–31 CSB

29 “Immediately after the distress of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not shed its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the peoples of the earth will mourn; and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 He will send out his angels with a loud trumpet, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.

My friends, since God will shake every temporary thing, let’s not build our lives on things that will not last. The house you’re paying too much for in San Diego will not last. The car that you’re so proud of will not last. The career you’re sacrificing everything for will not last. The retirement fund you’re investing in will not last.

Everything in this moment will not last. But what will last? Everything built on Jesus Christ will last. God’s unshakeable kingdom will last. Your soul will last for eternity, and that’s why it’s so essential that you build your life on Jesus Christ.

The Son of Man is coming on the clouds of heaven, and he will gather his elect from the whole earth. Who are the elect in Jesus Christ? It is those that when they focus their minds and hearts on Jesus Christ, they,

C. Worship with gratitude and awe.

The writer of Hebrews says in Hebrews 12:28-29,

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.

We are approaching a concluding statement for this chapter and also for the book of Hebrews. There is one more chapter, but all of the arguments in Hebrews are leading us to this fact: We, those in Jesus Christ, are receiving an unshakeable kingdom. Even when everything around us falls apart, a life in Jesus Christ is eternal, secure, and heading to a future, heavenly kingdom in eternal fellowship with the Lord.

He says, “let us be thankful.” The words “thank you” are the expression of a spiritual reality within you. Gratitude is spiritual. It overflows from a life transformed by Jesus Christ, fueling our joy, humility, obedience, and worship.

Earlier in Hebrews 12:15, the writer warned against bitterness springing up and poisoning our hearts. Gratitude is the opposite of bitterness. Where bitterness destroys, gratitude to God heals, rejuvenates, and fuels our worship.

Why should we worship God with gratitude and awe? The Bible answers this by quoting Deuteronomy 4:24,

Deuteronomy 4:24 CSB

24 For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.

God is a consuming fire because he is perfectly holy. His presence purifies what is clean and destroys what is unclean. God's holiness means we don't approach him lightly. We approach God in reverence and awe.

God's jealousy speaks to his holy, righteous commitment to his glory and his people. God will not share worship with idols or let you stray away without bringing you back. God is the same holy God today that he was at Sinai and is at Zion.

Conclusion

Just like at Mount Sinai, sin keeps people distant from God and leaves them with only fear and judgment. But God invites you to the celebration in Zion through his Son, Jesus Christ. If you haven’t trusted in Christ yet, don’t wait. There is eternal joy in Jesus. Trust him today.

For believers, there is a call on your life to live in gratitude, worship, and reverence before God because he is holy. God has not called us to settle for a casual faith.

Remember that you have not come to a place of fear but to a place of joy in Jesus. Recognize that you are a citizen of God’s kingdom. The world may shake, but God’s kingdom is unshakeable.

Since we belong to an unshakeable kingdom, respond to God’s voice today with reverent worship and enduring faith.

Prayer

Last Song

Doxology

Numbers 6:24–26 CSB

24 “May the Lord bless you and protect you; 25 may the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 may the Lord look with favor on you and give you peace.” ’

Jude 24–25 CSB

24 Now to him who is able to protect you from stumbling and to make you stand in the presence of his glory, without blemish and with great joy, 25 to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority before all time, now and forever. Amen.

You are dismissed. Have a great week in the Lord!

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Sermon Reflection Questions

What two mountains are contrasted in Hebrews 12:18-29, and what do they symbolize?

How does the sermon distinguish between the fears associated with Mount Sinai and the joy found at Mount Zion?

What is the joyful significance of being part of Mount Zion?

What actions are believers encouraged to take in response to God’s voice?

How are gratitude and worship connected to God’s holiness?