Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost

August 5, 2004

What do you think of when you hear “Zion”? One of the things that came to mind right away for me was the town outside Decatur, Illinois named Mount Zion. Maybe many of you have heard of towns named Zion or Mount Zion. Many of the founders had high hopes for these towns and their futures. Or maybe you think of the many hymns that mention Zion, usually in reference to the church militant or heaven. Or maybe, if you love studying your Bible, you are thinking of the place on which Jerusalem is built, the physical place in Israel called Mount Zion. Or maybe you have heard the term used in literature or other forms of media as a metaphor for hope. It was even made popular in the “Matrix” movies as the safe place for humans to hide from the machines.

The common thread in all of these uses of Zion is the idea of hope. Hope in a new town, hope in looking to heaven or the victory we have in Christ. Even as a metaphor in stories. Hope. Zion represents hope. Today, as we explore the passage from Hebrews 12 I would like for us to see the image of Zion and to not narrow it down to one idea, but see it as a many faceted jewel, and that each idea of Zion ultimately can point us to hope, hope in our Lord’s grace and mercy.

But, before we jump into the hope we have in Jesus we should begin where this passage begins, with the Law. Verses 18 through 21 paint the picture of a different Mount – Sinai. This is the mountain on which Moses received the Law, the Ten Commandment, from God. And this was an awesome sight. The people of Israel had left their captivity in Egypt and were on their way to the Promised Land. God now establishes His Law with them, a Law demanding perfection. The event was so holy and awesome that God even declares that no living thing should even touch the mountain on which He gives His Law. Hebrews sums up the mood with these words, “Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, ‘I tremble with fear.’” (Hebrews 12:21 ESV)

And we should tremble with fear when we are faced with the holy and perfect Law of God. We are not perfect, we are sinful, and the Law does terrify us. It demands that we follow all of it, no mess-ups, ever. The Law, in its fullest, shows us how far we have fallen from God’s perfect creation. The Law shows us our sin! And we should be terrified, for the punishment for sin is death.

Thanks be to God that we are not left on Mount Sinai. “But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God…and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant.” (Hebrews 12:22a, 24a ESV) We have One who was perfect for us. Who took on our sin in our place and faced the terrifying wrath of God. And who died for us, in our place, so that we could receive forgiveness and new life. Jesus paid the price of sin for us and rose again to be our mediator. The Law and the Gospel. The Law terrifies - the Gospel comforts. The Law put us in our place – the Gospel places us with God.

The image of Zion was an important one in the Old Testament. It was an image of God’s presence and strength and comfort. It was also recognized as Jerusalem, the place in which God made His presence, His power and authority, know to the world. It was an image of hope for the people of Israel. Isaiah speaks often of Zion and one of the strongest places is in Chapter 51. This chapter comes just before the famous passage of Jesus as the suffering servant. The heading for chapter 51, though not inspired, does convey the meaning of this chapter, “The Lord’s Comfort to Zion.” What we also see in this chapter is a couple of ways for us to view Zion.

“For the Lord comforts Zion; he comforts all her waste places and makes her wilderness like Eden, her desert like the garden of the Lord; joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the voice of song.” (Isaiah 51:3, ESV) This verse refers to the transformation of Zion through God’s mercy. The image of Zion here is not of just a place, but a people. The people of Israel, those who returned to the Lord, are Zion. You are Zion! Yes you are Zion. We are not just Mount Olive Lutheran Church but we are also Zion, God’s people saved by His grace. We are a people of hope because of the mercy of the Lord. We have a hope and a future and need not be terrified anymore because of Jesus. We are Zion.

“And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.” (Isaiah 51:11, ESV) Now Zion is a place, a place of singing and rejoicing. An image of heaven. As our Hebrews passage called Zion a “heavenly Jerusalem” so to Isaiah paints a picture of Zion as heaven, a place we hope and long for. And a place, which is ours in Christ Jesus. Zion is a people and Zion is a place.

“And I have put my words in your mouth and covered you in the shadow of my hand, establishing the heavens and laying the foundations of the earth, and saying to Zion, ‘You are my people.’” (Isaiah 51:16, ESV) Back to the image of Zion as a people. Not just any people but the Lord’s people. We are His, what hope that is for us. We are not left in the Law, seeing our sinful selves and wondering how we will ever make it. We are promised to be God’s own people, won by the blood of Jesus.

Zion is a place, it is a people, and it is a concept of hope. It is heaven, it is the church militant, and it is a term we hear that is fills us with joy and wonder. But the final image I would like to leave you with returns back to the physical place, the mount on which Jerusalem was built, the very place Jesus paid the price for us. You see just outside the city walls of “Zion” Jesus was crucified for us. He hung on a tree, took all our sin and brokenness that the Law showed us so clearly, and died in our place. He bore the wrath of God for our not being holy and perfect according to the Law. He faced the terror of Mount Sinai for us. And now we can come to Mount Zion, the heavenly city through Jesus. His life for us. He mediates for us. He is our Lord and Savior. And we await too, the true Zion, our real and final heavenly home. Zion – a wonderful word filled with so much meaning. Zion, the hope we have in Jesus. Journey to Zion.

Amen.