The Joyous New Covenant

Good Morning!

Man, I don’t know about you guys, but this week was one for the record books.

Stress stacked upon stress.

Even in the midst of all the chaos, God gave me many opportunities to put His words for last week into action.

Literally, that afternoon I had to swap up my schedule in order to fulfill what God had for me.

While it was stressful, it was also really cool to see that God’s work was bigger than the obstacles that the enemy was putting in front of me.

Even when I was messing things up, God was still working and still accomplished what He wanted to do.

It was really neat to see that I, as hard as I might try, couldn’t mess up God’s purpose for the week.

In the text that we studied last week, we saw another warning from the author to keep our focus on what really matters.

We heard the challenge that we must make a decided effort to pursue peace and holiness.

Our obedience to God’s call on our lives, and letting Him work through us, is the avenue in which others get a glimpse of God.

Our pursuit of God, on a daily basis, prepares us for the work that God has for us each day.

It makes us sensitive to his prompting and prepares our hearts for the challenges that lay ahead.

We were also challenged to let God reveal the sin that exists in our lives and let Him deal with it.

We looked at the story of Esau and saw how his decision to give up his birthright for a single meal forever altered his life.

The author compared that to our tendency to trade the treasure of knowing God personally for momentary happiness.

Our pursuit of what we believe will bring us joy just separates us from the plans that God had for us.

Instead of experiencing the goodness that God had for us, we are left dealing with the consequences of our sin.

Our daily time with God sets us up to be able to successfully walk with God throughout the day because our hearts and minds are primed to see God’s activity around us.

I’ll be honest, there were some times this week where I was right in tune with God, and other times where I failed miserably and had to deal with those consequences.

The beauty we find in Jesus is that regardless of our performance, his forgiveness and love never falter.

When I messed up this week, Jesus was right there to help me get up and recover in a meaningful way.

I still felt the sting of my sin, but Jesus has never felt closer than He did this week.

This is the treasure that I want all of us to experience.

God loves us so much that when we mess up, there He is, helping us to stand back up.

He doesn’t ridicule or beat us down.

He corrects us, forgives us, and then continues to help as we deal with the consequences of our mistakes.

In spite of all my missteps, God did some amazing things this week.

I got to have some incredible conversations with a few different people and it was clear that God was and is working in their lives.

That gets me so excited!

One conversation that I had, and I didn’t know this in advance, is exactly what the author of Hebrews is going to address today.

I got to share with a friend something that many of us have experienced as we learned to abide.

There is a difference between religious activity for God and a relationship with God.

This is significant for us because it allows us to go from doing things for God to being able to experience and enjoy the presence of God.

As we are about to see, this is literally why Jesus came.

Look at this next section with me and look at the comparison that the author is making and we will see how this played out for these churches and how it plays out for us.

Hebrews 12:18–24 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.

In this passage, the author is drawing a direct comparison between two places and two completely different responses to what God was doing.

In this first part, we see the author recalling a story that would have been instantly recognized by the churches, Israel seeing God on Mt. Sinai.

Experiencing God on Mt. Sinai was a fearful event.

He is calling back to a significant moment in their history as a people.

While he doesn’t say the name of the place, it is obvious that he is talking about Mt. Sinai.

Look at a few passages with me so we can fully remember what he is pointing to.

Exodus 19:7–13 CSB

7 After Moses came back, he summoned the elders of the people and set before them all these words that the Lord had commanded him. 8 Then all the people responded together, “We will do all that the Lord has spoken.” So Moses brought the people’s words back to the Lord. 9 The Lord said to Moses, “I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear when I speak with you and will always believe you.” Moses reported the people’s words to the Lord, 10 and the Lord told Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. They must wash their clothes 11 and be prepared by the third day, for on the third day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. 12 Put boundaries for the people all around the mountain and say: Be careful that you don’t go up on the mountain or touch its base. Anyone who touches the mountain must be put to death. 13 No hand may touch him; instead he will be stoned or shot with arrows and not live, whether animal or human. When the ram’s horn sounds a long blast, they may go up the mountain.”

I want to draw your attention to God’s desire is for the people to see him and to hear him.

He says that He is coming in a dense cloud and that they will hear Him speak.

But before that can happen, the people must be consecrated and cleansed so that they can be near God.

I also need to point out that this is a significant moment in the history of Israel and all mankind.

This is the first time that God is calling a large mass of people to Himself and revealing himself.

If you think back through the old testament, most of God’s interactions are with one person at a time, and certainly this is the first time that He was going to not only reveal himself but also speak to the nation as a whole.

Every other time we see God giving instructions to the nation, it was through Moses.

God would speak to Moses and Moses would relay the message to the people.

God revealing himself and speaking is a major step in the process of God redeeming his people.

However, look what happens next.

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 ram’s horn, 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 ram’s horn grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and God answered him in the thunder.

God did exactly what He said He was going to do.

He came down on the mountain in a thick cloud, there was thunder and lightning, and a loud blast from a ram’s horn.

Imagine for a moment what that must have been like!

Smoke billowing up from the mountain, the rams horn growing louder and louder, and the whole mountain is shaking!

What do you think God’s purpose was in revealing Himself to Israel?

He wanted to show that he was not like any other Gods that they had ever been told about.

God revealed His Glory and Might so that there could be no doubt in their minds that He was the one, true, living God.

And how did they respond to God’s glory?

Exodus 20:18–21 CSB

18 All the people witnessed the thunder and lightning, the sound of the ram’s horn, 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.” 20 Moses responded to the people, “Don’t be afraid, for God has come to test you, so that you will fear him and will not sin.” 21 And the people remained standing at a distance as Moses approached the total darkness where God was.

Don’t forget that these are the same people who had just recently experienced God do some amazing things.

Protection from the plagues

Their release from slavery

The crossing of the Red Sea

The drowning of Pharaoh's army

God’s provision in the wilderness, etc.

On top of all of that, which by the way is God showing them how much he loves them, God reveals more of who He is and the people reject Him because they are afraid.

It is during this revelation on Mt. Sinai when God gives the Law to the people.

And what was God trying to do?

Exodus 19:3–6 CSB

3 Moses went up the mountain to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain: “This is what you must say to the house of Jacob and explain to the Israelites: 4 ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. 5 Now if you will carefully listen to me and keep my covenant, you will be my own possession out of all the peoples, although the whole earth is mine, 6 and you will be my kingdom of priests and my holy nation.’ These are the words that you are to say to the Israelites.”

God was setting the nation of Israel apart from the rest of the world.

He was doing something special in the lives of these people.

He was creating a covenant with them and drawing them to Himself just like he said he was going to do.

God was making them “His People”.

But rather than joining God in what He was doing, Israel rejected God and settled for mediators.

They told God, no, we don’t want to hear from you, we want you to tell someone else and let them tell us.

God was drawing them in and they were pushing Him away.

The author of Hebrews is reminding these churches of what it was like for their ancestors who saw God on Mt. Sinai and the results of that experience in their lives.

Now he contrasts that with what they have personally experienced when they met God.

Experiencing God on Mt. Zion is a joyful event.

Look at his description of their meeting with God.

Hebrews 12:22–24 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, 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.

Do you notice how different the descriptions of these two places are?

Wilderness - City

Thunder, lightning, and clouds - Angels

Fear and trembling - A festive gathering

Rejection of God - Assembly of the Firstborn

When these believers began to experience God working in their lives, it was a completely different experience than it was for those at Mt. Sinai.

Jesus had come and revealed to the world the true heart of God.

While God’s glory is awe-inspiring, it is also loving, kind, and gentle.

Jesus has revealed to the world that because of what He has done, a way has been made for our relationship with God to be restored.

He has made us His co-heirs and our names have been written in Heaven as such.

God is still our judge, but when He sees us, He sees the righteousness and perfection of Jesus.

God has made a new covenant with his people through his son Jesus so that we can enjoy the relationship that God intended for us to have when he created us.

Do you see how incredibly different these two experiences are?

The first covenant gave the law, which enslaved people because it had no power to save them, only to condemn them.

This new covenant brings freedom because Jesus has completely fulfilled the law on our behalf.

We can join in the celebration of this new covenant as the sons and daughters of a loving God that has brought redemption.

We see at the end of verse 24 a reference to Jesus’ blood, which is better than Abel’s.

It’s better because Abel’s blood cried out for justice after he had been murdered, whereas Jesus’ blood brought justice as he was murdered.

Jesus did for us what we could not do, he fixed the problem of sin that all of us deal with every day.

He offers forgiveness rather than condemnation.

There is a significant difference between the Old and New Covenant.

The Old Covenant ended up producing generations of people that were focused on the law rather than on God.

Because the people choose to turn away from God’s voice, they missed the relationship that God was trying to establish with them.

This is the very same thing that the author of Hebrews is warning the church about.

What is so cool about this is that this is exactly what I was talking to my friend about.

Because of how crazy my week had been and preparing for a funeral, I had not yet had time to study for today.

We met on Friday and then Friday night I sat down to get ready for today and boom!

We had spent over an hour talking about what it looks like to have a relationship with God.

How He speaks and His desire to not only show Himself, but to actively participate in our every day lives!

I contrasted from my own life the differences I experienced in growing up in a works based faith versus living in an abiding relationship with Jesus.

My friend said something, and I can’t remember his exact wording, but something like, “you talk about your relationship with God in a way that is different from other people. It seems so grounded.”

What I explained to him is that the difference I’ve experienced in my life was moving from thinking I knew what God wanted and acting accordingly, to God revealing himself, and me joining God in what He was doing.

This is the same exact experience that these churches in Rome were having.

They had left their religious activity and exchanged it for a relationship with God, through Jesus.

After having experienced the truth, that Jesus was the son of God, and receiving the Holy Spirit, there was a temptation to leave all that behind.

To turn away from God, and back to their religious activity.

Church, we face the same temptation.

When life gets busy or we get lazy, we find it so easy to just revert back to our previous religious activity rather than pursuing God.

This is what we talked about last week.

Every day, we have to decide how we are going to live that day.

Are we going to join God in what He is doing or are we going to ignore God and do what we want?

Are we going to push God away for the sake of convenience?

Upon recounting this famous event and getting them emotionally involved in the story, he follows up with this final warning.

Hebrews 12:25–29 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. 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.

The warning is clear.

We get to make the choice of whether to live in fear or in joy.

We can either respond to God’s activity in our lives like Israel did or we can respond the way the followers of Christ did.

If we reject Jesus we are rejecting the forgiveness of our sins and we will be held accountable to the law.

If we accept Jesus and receive his forgiveness, He fulfills the law on our behalf and when we are judged, His righteousness is our own.

This is the point of this whole study of Hebrews.

We have seen and experienced living in an abiding relationship with Jesus.

We know what it is like to hear the Holy Spirit speaking.

We have experienced God working in our lives and doing things that we thought were impossible.

We have felt the peace that comes with being absolutely certain that we are doing what God wants with our lives.

The vast majority of the people in our lives have not had the Joy that comes from knowing God in this way.

This is why God has been working in us for the last year, to help us understand who He is and how to share that with others.

I don’t know if you have realized it or not, but we have spent a year learning theology.

Theology is the study of the nature of God so that you can explain it.

God has used this study to help us understand our redemptive history.

He had us study this book so we could not only be encouraged but also to give us confidence as we share our stories.

When I was sharing with my friend this week, God was drawing on all that we have learned through this study.

This is our story, God loves us, redeems us, and lives in us.

In this last passage, the author is reminding the church that Jesus said that he would return and when he did, the whole earth would be shaken.

Shaken to the point that the only thing that will be left are the things that cannot be shaken.

Jesus has ushered in a new way of living and relating to God.

He has offered all men, women, and children the opportunity to be brought back into that relationship with God.

We have been given the tools and the opportunities to share these truths with the people in our lives.

God has prepared you to share your story so that others can know Him.

The joy you have found in knowing God by experience shouldn’t be hidden from the people that you love.

I’ll end with one final thought.

Last year I was talking with another friend.

This friend knows how to abide and understands the kind of relationship that we have all come to know and love.

This friend was in a pretty significant relationship, you know, the kind where marriage is in your mind.

As we were talking about some things that God had been speaking into this person’s life, I asked if they had shared this with their significant other.

They said no, that they never really had much conversations about God.

This took me by surprise because I know how much God has done in this person’s life.

As we were talking, God spoke this.

God showed me that this person was hiding the very best part of themselves from the person that they claimed to love enough to marry.

What I want all of us to think about this week is who are we sharing with the world.

Are we hiding the very best part of ourselves from the people that we love?

God has shown us the joy of relationships, please don’t leave your family and friends wallowing in dead religious activity.

Share your story.

Let’s pray.