Life’s Pitfalls and Discoveries
Knowing God and Praying
Hebrews chapter 12:18-12:29
Introduction-
We continue to look at the series Life’s Pitfalls and Discoveries;
Prayerfully you have sensed that God wants to work not only in our lives but also use our lives to speak and help others on their journey with God.
We have looked at the power of forgiveness, and the pitfall of not forgiving.
Seen the wisdom of God that is available if we want it and the many consequences of doing things in our own strength and our limited wisdom.
Last week, we talked about focusing on God, intentionally focusing on God and the pitfall of too many distractions that take us away from God. Good things and bad things can be distractions that will keep us from staying focused on God.
Today looking at prayer, speaking to God and having a conversation with Him and wanting to hear back. Taking time to see who we are praying too and giving Him the honor and glory that is deserved.
Making time to not forget that He is God and we are His followers and not the other way around.
To set up the text, we will be in Hebrews chapter 12, and Hebrew 12 speaks of God’s Holiness and the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made for each of us.
These verses are a pulling together of the Old Testament God that most feel is too harsh, mean, and out of touch and the New Testament God that gave us His Son Jesus Christ to be our sacrifice and has made known that He desires a relationship with us..
Make no mistake about it, God is still a holy God and He has not changed but He made a way that unholy people can come into His presence without being destroyed.
Hebrews chapter 12:18-12:29
You read that portion of Scripture and two feelings immediately flood your soul.
One is the awesome holiness of God and you think how could I ever come to Him. Why would a holy God want anything to do with me?
The other is the joy that we would even be invited to come to Him and if we are not careful, we could easily forget His holiness and treat Him like a pal instead of God.
Both are dangerous and both can affect our relationship with God.
You would think this is a sermon on the holiness of God, but it is on prayer. Before you can understand the great and Holy God that has offered salvation, you have to grasp His holiness.
To be this kind of holy, you have to be separate, in a class of your own, set apart.
To be this kind of holy, you have to be morally pure. Not just a good person.
To be this kind of holy, it is your character, your nature. You don’t act holy, it is who you are.
R.C. Sproul
The Bible says that God is holy, holy, holy. Not that He is merely holy, or even holy, holy. He is holy, holy, holy. The Bible never says that God is love, love, love, or mercy, mercy, mercy, or wrath, wrath, wrath, or justice, justice, justice. It does say that He is holy, holy, holy, the whole earth is full of His glory.
Do you understand this morning that God offers to us (good thing) to come into the presence of a God that is a consuming fire! A God that if He didn’t allow us His presence that we would burn up like dirty rags.
There are two great mountains of importance in the Bible. Mt Zion and Mt Sinai.
We like Mt. Zion, it represents Christ and His victory at Calvary.
Mt Sinai is where Moses received the 10 commandments, where he spent time with God and could not even look at the holiness of God without losing his life.
Here is how one person described the contrasts….
Mount Sinai was marked by fear and terror. Mount Zion is a place of love and forgiveness.
Mount Sinai is in the desert. Mount Zion is the city of the Living God.
Mount Sinai spoke of earthly things. Mount Zion speaks of heavenly things.
At Mount Sinai, only Moses was allowed to draw near to God. At Mount Zion, an innumerable company, a general assembly is invited to draw near.
Mount Sinai was characterized by guilty men in fear. Mount Zion features just men made perfect.
At Mount Sinai, Moses was the mediator. At Mount Zion, Jesus is the mediator.
Mount Sinai brings an Old Covenant, which was ratified by the blood of animals. Mount Zion brings a New Covenant, which is ratified by the blood of God's precious Son.
Mount Sinai was all about exclusion, keeping people away from the mountain. Mount Zion is all about invitation.
Mount Sinai is all about Law. Mount Zion is all about grace.
In the Old Testament people were required to bring animal sacrifices to the Tabernacle to pay for their sins. The priests did all the work and acted as mediator between the presence of God and the people – the people could only sit outside the Tabernacle and pray their sacrifice had been accepted.
• This is not where we are today. God changed mountains!
• Today you bring yourself to God in faith and repentance – BECAUSE OF THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST SHED AT CALVARY TO REDEEM YOU FROM SIN AND SAVE YOU FROM THE WRATH OF GOD.
• You need only to place your faith in Jesus Christ to receive salvation this very moment.
Now because of Christ – because we can now listen and obey God the writer warns us not to TURN A DEAF EAR TO THE WORDS OF GRACE GOD IS GIVING THEM IN THIS BOOK.
Don’t turn a deaf ear to the grace of God calling you to salvation
Don’t turn a deaf ear to the grace of God empowering you to be victorious
Now remember the people who are reading this book for the first time are being persecuted. They are being tempted to give up on Jesus and turn back to the OLD – LEGALISTIC system of religion and DISTANCE FROM GOD.
The writer speaks encouragement to them and says, “Hey, all this shaking you are experiencing – all this persecution – IT IS OF GOD!”
God has brought them to a place of decision
God is shaking up those who just want RELIGION. Those who just want to keep God in a box – distant –not personal. God is breaking up the boxes!!!
God is separating the religious junk from the real thing…He is shaking all the religious clutter from hearts and calling people by His grace to a real and personal relationship with Him.
When the shaking ends and all the sins and distractions, and all stuff are shaken off – ONE THING WILL REMAIN
THE UNSHAKEABLE KINGDOM OF GOD
Look at this text again in an attitude of prayer.
Going from a mountain (Sinai) that the Israelites felt was certain death coming to a God that was so unapproachable that they feared for their lives and did not want even begged (v19) that no further word be spoken to them.
They wanted to have Moses hear from God and Moses come back to tell them and not face God themselves.
The face of God that even if an animal, a creature that God created went to the mountain would have to be stoned to death.
That sight was so terrifying to Moses that even the great man of God Moses “was terrified.”
We would rather come to Mt. Zion, the city of the living God.
The city where the church of the first born reside. That is every person that has excepted Christ as Lord The mountain that represents Jesus Christ as the mediator and maker of the new covenant where his blood atones for and does not only cover up our sins.
The psalmist knew this, which is why he doesn’t leave us in a pit of despair. Instead, he describes a refuge so secure we can rest in spite of the war.
“Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” — Psalm 91:12
Closing,
That is the God that desires to communicate with each of us this morning.
That when we close our eyes, put our trust in Him, though we cannot see Him is a God that says He will not leave you nor forsake you.
When we put our trust in Him, He becomes our refuse and our strength.
(24)
“Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.”
Jesus Christ, the mediator between God and man wants to hear from us today. His shed blood that offers atonement for our sins is better (much better) than the shed blood of Abel, the killer of his brother and the selfish hiding of our sins to a God that sees all and knows all.
Let’s come to him this morning, renew, refresh, restart that relationship with Him this morning before we have a time of communion with Him.
Can we do that?
