Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Scripture

Outline

Hebrews 1-2 - Jesus is Greater Than the Angels

Hebrews 1:1-4 - God has Spoken

Hebrews 1:5-14 - The Son is Superior to the Angels

Hebrews 2:1-4 - A Warning

Hebrews 2:5-9 - Lowliness to Crowning Glory

Hebrews 2:10-18 - Jesus has Delivered His Brothers

Hebrews 3:1-4:13 - Jesus is a Greater Rest

Hebrews 3:1-6 - Jesus is Worthy of More Glory Than Moses

Hebrews 3:7-19 - Disobedience After the Exodus

Hebrews 4:1-13 - A Sabbath Rest for God’s People

Hebrews 4:14-7:26 - Jesus is Greater than Melchizedek

Hebrews 4:14-16 - Jesus is the Great High Priest

Hebrews 5:1-10 - Jesus is the High Priest After the Order of Melchizedek

Hebrews 5:11-6:20 - Warning and Exhortation

Hebrews 5:11-14 - Failure to Mature

Hebrews 6:1-8 - Pursue Maturity

Hebrews 6:9-12 - Loving Motivation

Hebrews 6:13-20 - The Promise of God’s Word and God’s Oath

Hebrews 7:1-10 - The Greatness of Melchizedek

Hebrews 7:11-19 - Jesus’ Priesthood is Needed

Hebrews 7:20-28 - Jesus Guarantees a Better Covenant

Hebrews 8:1-10:18 - Jesus is the Greater Covenant

Hebrews 8:1-6 - Jesus Mediates a Better Covenant

Hebrews 8:7-13 - The Promise of the New Covenant

Hebrews 9:1-10 - The Earthly Tabernacle Points to What Would Come

Hebrews 9:11-14 - Christ is The Mercy Seat

Hebrews 9:15-22 - Blood is Necessary for Forgiveness

Hebrews 9:23-28 - Christ’s Sacrifice Permanently Removes Sin

Hebrews 10:1-10 - Christ’s Sacrifice Replaces the Law

Hebrews 10:11-18 - Christ's Sacrifice Fully Forgives Sin

Hebrews 10:19-12:29 - Assurance of Faith

Hebrews 10:19-25 - Because of Christ's Sacrifice Let us...

Hebrews 10:26-31 - A Warning Against Apostasy

Hebrews 10:32-39 - A Warm Encouragement

Hebrews 11:1-11:40 - Faith

Hebrews 11:1-7 - Faith Before the Patriarchs

Hebrews 11:8-22 - The Faith of the Patriarchs

Hebrews 11:23-31 - Faith in the Midst of Danger

Hebrews 11:32-40 - The Faith of the Future Hope

Hebrews 12:1-3 - Jesus our Great Example

Hebrews 12:4-11 - The Discipline of the Lord

Hebrews 12:12-17 - Run the Race and Be Wary of Counterfeits

Hebrews 12:18-29 - God’s Unshakable Kingdom

Hebrews 12:18-24 - Mount Sinai vs. Mount Zion

Hebrews 12:25-29 - A Prized Kingdom

Purpose of Book

Christ, who has accomplished salvation through His atoning sacrifice, is greater than all things; therefore, persevere in true faith and encourage others to do likewise

Main Point

Access to God on Mount Zion is available because of the blood of Christ and our response to this wonderful kingdom is gratitude

Hebrews 12:18-24 - Mount Sinai vs. Mount Zion

For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest and the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them.

For

Communal care for one another as we grow weary from the race

Also, rebuffing those who may infect the church and lead us away from Jesus

Live differently than Esau!

You have not come to what may be touched

Mount Sinai

A blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest and the sound of a trumpet

Awesome judgment/terror

A voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them

For they could not endure the order that was given, “If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.”

The people were unable to approach God

Christ makes it possible for us to approach the throne!

Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I tremble with fear.”

After the golden calf idolatry

But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem

The contrast is made between Sinai and Zion

Already, but not yet - they already have come to Zion, but not the fullness of Zion

The new Jerusalem is the city that Abraham looked to, it is the city where persecution is banished, it is the city where God CAN be approached and full of those who are His unlike Sinai

Christ-followers are already citizens of this great city and yet anticipate the fullness of the city at the same time

To innumerable angels in festal gathering

Festal gatherings were festivals where Israel worshiped Yahweh

To the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven

Firstborn is plural

Those in Christ, the church, are God’s children

To God, the judge of all

God is the ultimate judge who determines the destiny of all people

As the ultimate judge, God will deliver those who do not shrink back

To the spirits of the righteous made perfect

All, OT and NT, who have been made righteous by the sacrifice of Christ

These individuals have passed already and have not yet received their glorified bodies

To Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant

Jesus brings His people to Mount Zion

Not only a new covenant, but a better covenant!

To the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel

Abel’s blood testifies to his faith as we saw in Hebrews 11

Jesus’s blood purifies the inner conscience of a person

Hebrews 12:25-29 - A Prized Kingdom

See that you do not refuse him who is speaking.

See = command

Watch out!

Do not refuse him who is speaking

Refuse = “beg” vs 19

This is a warning not to be like the wilderness generation who eventually died in the wilderness and did not enter the promised land

For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven.

Lesser than to greater than argument