Two Mountains

Hebrews 12:18-29

Four people—a pilot, a professor, a pastor, and a hiker—were flying in a small plane when

the engines died. The pilot said, “There are only three parachutes. Since this is my plane, I’m taking one of them.” He put it on and jumped out. The professor said, “I’m brilliant and the world needs me, so I’m taking a parachute,” and he jumped out.

Then the pastor told the hiker, “I don’t want to be selfish, so you take the last parachute.” The hiker replied, “There are still two left, so we can each have one. The professor jumped out with my backpack instead of the parachute!” Though the professor thought he would land safely, his assurance was based on faulty thinking.

I. The Terror of the Law vv. 18-21

In these verses, the author is coming into the home stretch of his statement and is going to show us a powerful contrast between the Law and the Gospel and give us good reasons to remain faithful to Christ, not fading back into the Law

He begins with a description of Mt. Sinai, where Moses received the Law of God

We are not approaching that mountain and we would be terrified if we were

In the Law, we see God’s holiness

In the Law, we begin to understand our sinfulness

These two things cannot work together, by the Law

What did the Law give the people?

It brought nothing but fear and trembling

This was even true of Moses, the man who went to the mountain top

This is important and something that we need to remember:

If we try to retreat to the Law, we will never find justification there

We will be reminded of nothing more than our inability to obey the Law

We will find condemnation in the Law of God rather than confidence

“A hypocritical businessman, whose fortune had been the misfortune of many others, told Mark Twain piously, “Before I die I intend to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. I want to climb to the top of Mount Sinai and read the Ten Commandments aloud.” “I have a better idea,” suggested Twain. “Why don’t you stay right at home in Boston and keep them?”

II. The Joy of the Gospel vv. 22-24

We see a huge contrast in the next verses, as we consider a very different mountain: Zion

Sinai was a place where the holiness of God was revealed

Zion is a place where the grace of God was revealed

What happened at Zion?

It’s the Moriah where Abraham’s son Isaac was spared

It’s the Temple Mount of David where the temple was built

It’s the city where Christ was crucified and raised to new life

Think about the power of what took place at Zion:

It is the place where mercy met justice

It is the place where we were justified, not condemned!

What are we approaching when we come to Zion?

A party! A festal gathering

An assembly of those enrolled in heaven

To God who is the judge of all, but in a place where our spirts are made perfect

To Jesus who is our mediator of the new covenant

To the blood of Jesus:

The blood of Abel condemned Cain

The blood of Jesus justifies us!

We find confidence when we look to Jesus and never condemnation!

Romans 8:1–4

[1] There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. [2] For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. [3] For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, [4] in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. (ESV)

III. The Confidence of the Kingdom vv. 25-29

The God of grace has an unshakable Kingdom

Nothing about the character of God revealed at Sinai has ceased to be true.

God is holy and He judges sin completely

He is going to shake the whole world!

Everything else on earth is passing away

If we refuse the Lord’s Word and trust in what He will shake, what is passing away, it is a recipe for disaster

However, when we are trusting in the King of an unshakable kingdom, we have nothing to fear in life or death

How do we respond to the promise of an unshakable kingdom?

Gratitude- be thankful for what lies ahead

Worship- glorify God for all that He has done

Reverence- remember who God is!

We find our confidence in the struggle when we look to Him!

Matthew 14:28–31

[28] And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” [29] He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. [30] But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” [31] Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” (ESV)