Let’s continue to worship our Lord Jesus Christ by learning from the Letter to the Hebrews. Today we finish Chapter 12 as we prepare our hearts for Communion.
We read from Hebrews 11, men and women who were faithful to God in spite of hardships and we will note this again in our passage today. God loved people and so He chose and called the Hebrews to be His people; but the full grace of God did not happen till Jesus Christ died on the Cross. Before Jesus Christ, people were called to be godly by obeying His instructions. Today, after the Cross of Christ, people are called to be holy through Jesus Christ!
And so, we noted in Hebrews 12, that Christians are to fix their eyes on Jesus (to be Christ focused on everything) and Christians are disciplined by love so that we they pursue God who is Holy! Through Jesus Christ, God has given everything for life and godliness! The responsibility of the Christian is to pursue God who is Holy by living through Jesus Christ!
Before reading our passage this morning, let’s remind ourselves of that first calling of the Hebrews at the Mountain of God; turn briefly with me to Exodus 19….. As we read Exodus 19:3-19, picture yourself with those Hebrews on God’s mountain ….
What can we note? God desired a relationship with His people but because they were sinners and God is Holy, there were restrictions back then! God is a consuming fire! God will destroy anything unholy because He is pure holiness!
Let us now turn to our passage in Hebrews 12….. Read along with me Hebrews 12:18-29…….. Again remember that the Letter was written to Christians who were Hebrews…..
What can we note from these verses?
v18-21: Hebrew Christians were reminded of the holiness of God and sin can not touch Him! The reality of a Holy God is revealed calling sinful people back to Him!
But because God loves, God provided access to Him once and for all through Jesus Christ!
v22-24: Through Jesus Christ, the Mediator (a go-between), Christians have come:
- to heaven (Mount Zion, Jerusalem, where God lives)
- to the gathering of multitudes of angels
- to the church of the firstborn (names written in heaven)
- to God, who judges all people
- to the spirits of righteous people made perfect
- to the sprinkled blood (speaks of Christ death which provides justice for all)
v25-27: Christians are not to be like people in the Old Testament who refused God’s Word! God doesn’t change and His Word is forever truth!
God’s Word is eternal and will remove all other things with those words!
Therefore, always listen and follow God’s Word!
v28: Christians belong to an eternal Kingdom!
- be thankful
- worship God with reverence and awe (true of heart and amazement)
And finally, yes God is love but god is also Holy! and so we note…..
v29: God is a consuming fire! – Only by God’s Grace through Jesus Christ are we saved from God’s judgment!
The application to everyone today is simple:
1. If you have not truly accepted God’s Grace of Jesus Christ, you do not have any of the blessings listed in Hebrews 12:22-24 (If a person is not a Believer of Jesus Christ, he/she will not go to heaven, not be with angels, name not written in heaven, not go to God, not be with righteous perfect people, not cleansed of sins; or the other way of saying it is, if a person is not a Believer of Jesus Christ he/she will end up with the devil and all the demons in hell forever and their sins will separate them forever from the Holy Perfect Righteous God!
I trust that all of you here have accepted Jesus Christ with all your heart and mind as your Only Savior and God! If not, please consider God’s Word today and be blessed instead of having the wrath of God, who is a consuming fire! God will destroy everything unholy; only through Jesus Christ can we be made holy and acceptable to God!
2. If we are Believers of Jesus Christ:
a. How is our listening to and following of God’s Word? We are to always listen to God.
b. How thankful are we to God? (know your blessings from God!)
c. Is our worship of God truly of heart and amazement of Him? Let us be hungry for our Holy Loving Good God everyday!
Take a moment to quietly pray to God about these things! If you have never said to Jesus Christ that He is your Only Savior and God, do it today, and make today the day for the angels in heaven to celebrate with you!
