Finishing Strong: Staying Focused on Jesus in the Race of Faith Part II

Introduction

We have been soaring through the skies of deep theological insight in the book of Hebrews. We’ve seen the absolute supremacy of Christ over all things—systems, beings, and every created entity. The writer of Hebrews is urgently persuading his readers not to give up, not to turn back, because the only way to eternal life is forward. Everything in the past—the rituals, the symbols, and the shadows—pointed to and found their fulfillment in Christ Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.

Last week, we began our walk through chapter 12, and we said that it felt like the writer was beginning to land the plane. We were reminded that the life of faith is not a sprint but a marathon. This type of race requires endurance, not just enthusiasm. It demands that we embrace discipline—not as punishment, but as God’s training in holiness. One of our brothers here reminded me that the word disciple comes from the same root as discipline. It’s about training, conditioning, and learning as the Lord draws holiness out of us.

We were told to strengthen what is weak and to pursue peace and holiness—not just for ourselves but for those running beside us.

Now, in addition to giving us coaching tips for the race, the writer lifts our eyes and says, “Look where you’re running. Look where you’re headed. Remember where you stand.”

In the final section of this chapter, we’re brought to a staggering contrast between two mountains—Sinai and Zion. One is about law, terror, and death for even approaching. The other is about forgiveness, joy, and grace. But make no mistake—this new mountain of grace is no less holy. In fact, this grace ought to deepen our awe and fuel our worship.

So today, we continue this sermon by turning our focus upward—to the mountain of God in heaven and to the unshakable kingdom that awaits us. And we’ll be reminded of three powerful imperatives:

I. Remember Where You Stand (vv. 18–24)

II. Don’t Ignore His Voice—Even Now (vv. 25–27)

III. Worship with Reverence—Our God Is Still a Consuming Fire (vv. 28–29)

I. Remember Where You Stand (vv. 18-24)

The author, provides a striking visual contrast between two mountains representing two covenants, two approaches to God and two very different outcomes.

Hebrews 12:18 LSB

18 For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched and to a blazing fire, and to darkness and gloom and whirlwind,

Here he is talking about the experiences of Moses and the generation of Israelites that were brought out from Egypt. Specifically, their meeting with Yahweh on Mount Sinai where God gave the Law to Moses. This episode, described for us in Exodus 19, was a terrifying display of fire, smoke, thunder, the sound of an outer worldly trumpet that got louder and louder. God told Moses to set up boundaries around the mountain so that no one, not even a stray animal would come close lest they die.

Exodus 19:16–25 LSB

16 So it happened on the third day, when it was morning, that there were thunder and lightning flashes and a thick cloud upon the mountain and a very loud trumpet sound, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled. 17 And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. 18 Now Mount Sinai was all in smoke because Yahweh descended upon it in fire; and its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain trembled violently. 19 And the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder; then Moses spoke and God answered him with thunder. 20 And Yahweh came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain; and Yahweh called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up. 21 Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, “Go down, warn the people, lest they break through to Yahweh to see, and many of them perish. 22 “Also let the priests who come near to Yahweh set themselves apart as holy, lest Yahweh break out against them.” 23 And Moses said to Yahweh, “The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai, for You warned us, saying, ‘Set bounds about the mountain, and set it apart as holy.’” 24 Then Yahweh said to him, “Go down and come up again, you and Aaron with you; but do not let the priests and the people break through to come up to Yahweh, lest He break out against them.” 25 So Moses went down to the people and told them.

This is how holy, how unapproachable, God was under the Law with unredeemed humanity. Even God’s friend, Moses who stood in His presence, who had face to face so to speak conversations with God trembled in fear.

That experience at Mt Sinai was overwhelmingly terrifying and it communicated a single truth with absolute unequivocal clarity:

GOD IS HOLY, AND YOU ARE NOT

But the point here is not that the Law was bad or imperfect. The point was that

The Law was never the final destination

This is the definitive contrast between the old and the new which permeates this epistle. The Law could convict, but it could not cleanse. It could testify as to what is wrong, but could not make it right. It could terrify y, make you back away, but it could not draw near.

“But you have come to Zion…” (v. 22)

“You have come” this verb is in the perfect tense. This is not a future event–this is a present reality for the believer of the supremacy, the sufficiency, the primacy of Jesus Christ:

You do not stand at Sinai anymore–you stand at Zion, the heavenly, holy city of God. Do you realize what this means:

It means the Judgement has been satisfied

It means the distance has been removed

It means the invitation is now open

One commentator of this very passage had this to say,

How different are the circumstances of Zion, the mount of God’s grace, where, thanks to the perfect law-keeping and the all-sufficient sacrifice of himself offered by the incarnate Son in our stead, we are invited to draw near with boldness into the heavenly holy of holies

Philip Edgcumbe Hughes

Look at how beautiful and inviting this mountain is, you have come :

“to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem…to myriads of angels, to the festal gathering and assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven…to God, the Judge of all…to the spirits of the righteous made perfect… to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant…” (vv. 22-24)

You are not standing at a mountain that creates distance:

Ephesians 2:13 LSB

13 But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

You are right now standing at a place where angels rejoice and where the saints, the universal Church of the living God are perfected. You are enrolled in heaven’s register. (The old saints would sing it this way: When the roll is called up yonder, when the roll is called up yonder, when the roll is called up yonder, when the roll is called up yonder I’ll be there.)

You are surrounded by celebration. And right at the center of it all is Jesus, the Mediator–not of Law but of grace. Not condemnation, but of cleansing.

Romans 8:1 LSB

1 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

To drive this point home even further, the author finishes this section by comparing two voices–two kinds of blood that speak to the nature of the two mountains:

“…and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Able” (v. 24)

What is he talking about here? He is referring to the first murder ever committed on planet earth, when Cain slew his brother. Because the law required that:

Genesis 9:6 LSB

6 “Whoever sheds man’s blood, By man his blood shall be shed, For in the image of God He made man.

So upon the murder of Abel, God says to Cain:

Genesis 4:10 LSB

10 And He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying out to Me from the ground.

Abel’s blood said, “punish” but Jesus’ blood says, “Pardon”

Application

This is where you now stand oh Christian. Not trembling at Sinai, but worshiping at Zion, not cut off by your sin but welcomed in grace through His sacrifice

You are not under the Law. You are not trying to climb your way to God, you are already there with Him and you stand there because of Christ;’s finished work on the the cross. Why would you even consider going back? To fear? To distance? To guilt? That mountain has nothing left to offer. You’ve come to Zion—stay there and worship.

II. Don’t Ignore His Voice–Even Now (vv. 25-27)

So, this is a glorious joyful reality, that we are no longer at Sinai but have come to Zion. But there is a sober warning which the author now utters. It was one thing to be punish for sin under the Law. But the dismissal, the cavalier treatment of grace, the most gruesomely expensive commodity ever purchased, that carries a much heavier consequence. Lets read:

Hebrews 12:25 LSB

25 See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. For if those did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape who turn away from Him who warns from heaven.

This is very serious. This warning is not for the unbeliever who was never called to believe, God-hating world out there. This is for those who have heard the gospel, who have seen the glory of Christ proclaimed, who have tasted the sweetness of grace.

He says, “do not refuse him” which is the same conduct of the Israelites even after the terrifying sight of Sinai. The consequences for apostates is dire indeed. The judgement to be experienced and the expected terror is far in excess of that on Mt. Sinai.

So the author is warining: Do not tune Him out. Do not harden your heart. Do not drift away from the voice of the One who is speaking now.

If those under the old covenant—who heard the warning from Moses and trembled at Sinai—did not escape judgment when they turned away, what makes us think we will?When it is God himself speaking. Not through thunder, smoke, or eve prophets, but through His son according to Heb 1:1-2. And he is not speaking from a natural mountain but from heaven itself. We cannot afford to ignore Him.

Next the author quotes from Haggai 2:6 and says:

Hebrews 12:26 LSB

26 And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heaven.”

This points to a future event in which instead of just shaking a mountain of even the earth, He will shake everything:

2 Peter 3:10 LSB

10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be found out.

So these words from the author and from Haggai are not poetic exaggerations, they are an eschatological certainty. God’s voice shook the ground at Sinai, but He will shake the very foundations of all creation at the end of the age. The author continues,

Hebrews 12:27 LSB

27 Now this expression, “Yet once more,” indicates the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.

The shaking indicates the removal of all things, He will shake the entire universe and everything built on human effort, false religion, or wordly security will be gone.

Everything that belongs to the old world order is temporary. Everything not rooted and grounded in Christ shall be shaken and removed.

Acts 4:11 LSB

11 “He is the stone which was rejected by you, the builders, but which became the chief corner stone.

Matthew 7:26–27 LSB

26 “And everyone hearing these words of Mine and not doing them, may be compared to a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 “And the rain descended, and the rivers came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.”

So what remains after the Great Shaking? the unshakable Kingdom of God which we have already begun to receive.

Application:

This is not the time to grow casual with the gospel. This is not the time to drift, to yawn at truth, or to assume grace means passivity. Or to hold on to temporary passing things, or to shadows which have no substance. He says, I paid for grace, grab hold of it. The voice that spoke the world into existence is speaking still calling you to listen, respond, and remain faithful.

III. Worship with Reverence–Our God is a Consuming Fire (vv. 28-29)

After the striking contrast between Zion and Sinai, and after the sobering warning not to ignore God’s voice, the author calls us to one final response, the only appropriate response–worship. Let’s read:

Hebrews 12:28 LSB

28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe;

This is not a kingdom that is built. In fact we have no part in its construction, governance, or permanence—we are recipients of the unshakable Kingdom of God.

That means this kingdom doesn’t depend on cultural favor, economic strength, or political stability. It can’t be voted away, canceled, burned down, shaken, or destroyed. It stands, because God made it so.

And in view of the magnificence, magnanimous, mighty, majesty and miraculous grace of receiving such a kingdom. The only proper response to is worship. We are to show immense gratitude through “latreuō” translated as servitude and/or worship.

And not just any kind of worship or service but

“acceptable service [worship] with reverence and awe…” (vv. 28)

This is not a casual flippant whatever gives type of activity. This is not entertainment disguised as praise. This is not come as you are and stay as you please. This is Holy ground.

Moses was told to take off his sandals in His presence, Israel was told wash your clothes and prepare yourselves, James tells us

“Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purity your hearts, you double-minded.” (James 4:8)

Worship is not about getting a feeling, I do not know where that foolishness came from. Worship is not about how you feel, it is about your response who God is and what He has done in showing unthinkable mercy through his Son.

There is a decorum–a reverence–that should mark our worship. We do not approach God like a buddy–we approach His as Your Majesty, the King of Zion. And the more we understand grace, the more reverent we become why? The author makes it clear,

Hebrews 12:29 LSB

29 for our God is a consuming fire.

This is a direct quote from Deut 4:24, where Moses warns Israel not to treat the covenant lightly. This same verbiage is repeated here at Zion, not at Sinai. This is intentional, it is to remind us that grace is not a replacement for holiness. God has not changed God is still Holy, Holy, Holy.

He is still the same God who burned with holiness at Sinai. He is still the God who consumes idols, pride, rebellion, and false worship.

Only now, we come through the blood of Christ—and that blood does not make God less holy. It just makes us finally able to stand before Him.

Application:

Christian, you are standing in Zion. You are part of an unshakable kingdom. So let your worship reflect where you stand. Let your life display that you’ve heard His voice.And let your heart remain full of reverence and gratitude—because the God who saved you is still holy, still sovereign, and still a consuming fire. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God. Hebrews 10:31