Thanking God for Who He Is

In our Sunday night Bible study, called “Digging Deeper”, we are studying Matthew’s gospel. Matthew’s gospel is all about the arrival of the King, and the coming of the kingdom. Christ’s kingdom is not like any kingdom on earth. It is eternal, it is powerful, it is unshakable.

This kingdom, Christ’s kingdom is already here, and also not yet here. There is more of Christ’s kingdom to come. When we think about life, there are so many, wonderful, amazing, beautiful things. But there are also many things that are not like that. Things that shake us up.

To understand God’s teaching in Hebrews 13:26-29, we need to study the context, beginning at verse 18. There, we see a reference to Israel’s history. We go way back to the time in the wilderness, and God’s giving of the law. At that time, Moses went up the mountain and was there for 40 days and nights. The people of Israel were camped around the mountain, and they were very, very afraid.

Darkness covered the mountain. A cloud hid the peak from view. There was sound like thunder. Being there would have been like standing at the base of an erupting volcano. The ground shook. Anything that approached the mountain shall be killed. It was fearsome, powerful, awesome.

The people were commanded to draw near, and to hear the Lord’s voice. But they were so, so terrified, that they fainted with fear. Even Moses trembled with fear. The people couldn’t stand to be so close to God’s presence. They couldn’t bear to hear his voice, they were so afraid! They asked Moses to be their mediator. “Moses, you go and talk to God. We’re too afraid to listen. We can’t bear it. If we stay in his presence any longer, we’ll die. Good luck.”

So what did the people of Israel do while the mountain was rumbling, with lightning and thundering? They made a god out of gold. Something they could manipulate and control. And when it took so long for Moses to return, they figured he was dead.

But we do not come to mount Horeb. We come to mount Zion! We do not come in the ignorant fear the Israelites had. They didn’t understand God as we do. We have come to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. Assembled is the whole host of heaven, the firstborn, the saints who have gone before us. Present is God, the judge of all, and Jesus himself, the mediator of a new covenant.

Moses is not the mediator. Jesus is. His own blood is the blood that removes sin. It speaks of a new covenant. It speaks of forgiveness, the washing away of sins. The dying to sin, and being raised to new life. It speaks of being born again, of being alive in Christ, of being adopted by His blood, into a new family.

Those who were present with Moses, rejected him. They rejected his teaching.

Those who have heard Jesus, must take care not to reject his teaching. Jesus warns us from heaven, and there is no escape.

The voice of the Lord shook the earth. When Jesus cried out from the cross, “It is finished” the earth shook, the temple curtain was torn in two, and darkness came over the earth for three hours.

There will come another shaking. When Christ returns, with trumpet, with his full power and majesty, heaven and earth will be shaken. The only thing that will remain after is God’s perfect kingdom. The things that were shaken, the things that have been made, will be removed, and the unshaken will be in its place.

This is truth. This is what will happen. We think so much of ourselves, we think so much of the events of our world—the presidential debates, the elections, the economy, the plagues and pandemics. But what are they compared to God? What are they compared to the one who has all the power and authority in heaven and on earth? All these things are nothing compared to him!

So, who are you worshipping today? Is it the one, true, living God? Is it the God of the thundering mountain who is so fearsome that you won’t approach? Is it the god of your own making, so that you can control him, demand things, being entitled toward?

Worship instead God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit! Worship instead Christ the King! Come to the perfect mediator! Approach, not in fear, but in eager anticipation! Come to the Saviour, the Father whose arms are wide open, ready to wrap you in His perfect, safe, secure, warm embrace! Come to the one who cannot be shaken!

Bringing with you all your cares, all your worries, all your fears. Jesus says, “Come to me all who are weary and heavily burdened and you will find rest for your souls.” Not merely rest for tired feet. Not merely rest for an aching body. Rest for your soul. The burden the devil places on you, his accusations, his blame, his shame, you don’t have to carry. Jesus instead declares you are worthy of salvation, you are a son, you are redeemed. You need not carry more, bear more, worry more, fear more.

Jesus simply says to you, “come. I have carried all your burdens, all your sin, all your shame. I carried it with me to the cross. I bore it there. It died with me. It is gone.

Receive me. I am light, my burden is easy, for I am the one doing all the work in you. Trust me. Come into my kingdom. The door is open for you.”

Brothers and sisters, come in gratitude, in thanksgiving for what God has done. Receive the kingdom of Christ, a kingdom that cannot be shaken! Bring acceptable worship: a humble and thankful heart. Come with reverence. The creator, the one by whom all creation, all the universe with its billions and trillions of stars, stars smaller, and stars far larger than our own sun, larger even than our solar system, that creator, took on his creation. He took on humanity. Flesh and blood, just like you, just like me, but without sin. Think of that! That’s why we come with reverence, with awe. Who would do such a thing?

We come to the consuming fire of God. He is a consuming fire. For those who don’t believe, he will consume. But for those who believe, he will refine, as gold, pure gold. He will place his anointing fire, the Holy Spirit upon you. And he will fill you.

Dear Heavenly Father, awesome and terrible, compassionate and loving, we are frail children of dust, and feeble as frail, in you do we trust, nor find you to fail. Your mercies, how tender, how firm to the end, our Maker, Defender, Redeemer, and Friend! O measureless Might, unchangeable Love, whom angels delight to worship above! Your ransomed creation, with glory ablaze, in true adoration shall sing to your praise! Thank you, this thanksgiving, of all thanksgivings, we simply thank you for who you are. We thankfully give ourselves, our circumstances, our frailty, our weakness to you, and trust your perfect love. In Jesus name, Amen.