Sermons

Someone once challenged my approach to evangelism. He said consider that “it does no good introducing someone to Christ unless you first introduce God’s Law.” Winning someone with Christ’s beauty–winning someone with the gift of grace –before recognizing someone’s need for grace is futile.

There is truth to this. Grace without repentance labeled by Bonhoeffer as “cheap grace.” Meaningless grace. Saving grace falls from heaven when someone first understands they are in violation of God’s Law.       

First grasp you are lost then you will be found. A child walking aimlessly in woods will not stop to turn around until he or she recognizes they are traveling the wrong direction. Someone with failing vision will not ask for glasses without first being diagnosed as going blind. You need to know something is wrong before you will make it right. 

This all seems harsh if you have an unclear picture of God. The lower your view of God the harsher this approach seems. Offending a personal friend who knows your weaknesses is one thing. Offending a police officer, recklessly cutting him off is quite another. Offending a judge, being rude, will land you in contempt. Offending the President of the United States, in the oval office–saying something smacking of treason–would bring the severest of consequences. The higher the authority the greater the offense.

What about offending a holy, eternal, Creator God? How grave are your circumstances now?

In the past quarter century, preachers have preached a small God. A palatable, non-threatening, God obliged to bless you. When life feels easy this smaller God is very marketable. Non-threatening circumstances make a smaller God is preferable. Zero accountability now or and zero for the future. The “cheapest grace,” God, reduced to genie-size; someone you summon, time to time, according to whims.

Suddenly, life in this world feels very fragile.  A world scale virus, people you know are now getting sick. Threatening circumstances make a bigger God seem better. Your job security. Our economy.  Our supplies at home come to mind. “When will I restart my job?” “When do things go back to normal?” The world is nervous.

This makes a smaller God impotent to answer our problems. We a need a big God not a small God. God is big. It is our vision of God that needs to grow. 

God gets bigger when we come to grips with his holiness. This sets God apart from you and me. He is wholly other, essentially different from everything else.

God’s Law is the ultimate expression of God’s holiness, an extension of this attribute, God’s holiness written down. His Law is absolute, leaving no margin for error, a standard with no grey area.

It is the opposite of post-modern thought. It does not bend around culture. Not fluid like mercury.

Looking into the Law is like looking into a mirror. Being face-to-face God’s Law reflects our sin back to us. God’s Law cuts us down to size. Seeing ourselves for who we really are and God for who he really is.

“Does this sound cruel?” Yes, if you do not want to engage a Big God! No, if you know you need a God this big! Getting to God’s grace demands we first be cut down. Law comes before Grace.

This pandemic has revealed how risky and fragile our world really is. However, something will bring your life to an exponentially higher risk and vulnerability. Coming face to face with God in Heaven. God’s holiness is not survivable apart from grace.

By what standard will you be judged? Either by Law or by Grace. If by Law, you fall short. If by Grace, you find acceptance. The difference between these two outcomes could not be anymore stark. Paralyzing terror verses extraordinary joy.

Heaven has two sets of books–names of those judged by Law and names of those judged by grace.

And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. (Revelation 20:12).

And all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain (Revelation 13:8).

Eventually, everyone is judged either by Law or Grace. Our text this morning is an encouragement to be sure you are judged by grace!     

Hebrews 12:18 is the call not to compromise. Do not be Esau! Do not fall into hardhearted unrepentance, in this case, “immorality” (v. 16). Do not allow unresolved guilt to take you away from God altogether.

Verse 18 picks right back up with someone facing this spiritual crisis. They want God! They need God!  And, they need a big God.  Struggling not to be Esau. Fleeing compromise means facing God’s holiness again. The way back to grace!

Judged by Law (vv. 18-21)

Verse 18 throws back to when the first generation wilderness children received the Law at Mt. Sanai. “Mt. Sanai” unnamed is applied. When God came to meet Moses and the Jews to give them the 10 Commandments.

Verse 18 begins building the difference between approaching God at Mount Sanai compared to approaching God at Mount Zion. The point is that the for the 1st generation Jews, God was unapproachable! Verse 18 says New Covenant Believers, come to God by way of a different mountain. God has made himself approachable. We have gained access.

Sanai is a physical mountain. No one knows it location. The Bible’s account was early in their 40-year wanderings. The Jews could “touch” this physical mountain, however, touching it would mean instant death, either by stoning or being shot with an arrow. God’s majestic holiness was terrifying–“fire,” “darkness,” “gloom,? and “a tempest.”

Additionally, verse 19 brings up the increasingly loud “trumpet” blasts, I take as supernatural ones. God’s voice accompanied with thunder and angels. Deuteronomy 33:2 mentions “the ten thousand of holy ones, with flaming fire”! The Law of Mount Sanai was a physical display of God who his Holy!

Exodus 19:1-9 sets the stage for God’s arrival!

Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine (Exodus 19:5).

Notice, there is grace in the Law! Zero in on the LORD’s condition for grace: “If you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant.” Grace is God’s voice. Grace is the Word of God. God is speaking and faith comes by hearing! 

The people’s respond in verse 8:

All the people answered together and said, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do.” And Moses reported the words of the people to the LORD. (Exodus 19:8).

In the next verse, the LORD inserts the key element for their obedience: “faith.”

And the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I am coming to you in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you, and may also believe you forever.” When Moses told the words of the people to the LORD, (Exodus 19:9).

Still, what they heard they needed to heed. The call was for consecration.

The LORD said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their garments and be ready for the third day. For on the third day the LORD will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. And you shall set limits for the people all around, saying, ‘Take care not to go up into the mountain or touch the edge of it. Whoever touches the mountain shall be put to death. No hand shall touch him, but he shall be stoned or shot; whether beast or man, he shall not live.’ When the trumpet sounds a long blast, they shall come up to the mountain.” So Moses went down from the mountain to the people and consecrated the people; and they washed their garments (Exodus 19:10-14).

Verses 16-19 describes, three days later, the physical assault of God’s holiness!

On the morning of the third day there were thunders and lightnings and a thick cloud on the mountain and a very loud trumpet blast, so that all the people in the camp trembled. Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they took their stand at the foot of the mountain. Now Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke because the LORD had descended on it in fire. The smoke of it went up like the smoke of a kiln, and the whole mountain trembled greatly. And as the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him in thunder (Exodus 19:16-19).

Verse 21 again points to God’s grace in the midst of his tempest! God warns them with becoming fascinated with God’s holiness. Being drawn like a moth to the flame. If they touched the mountain both they and/or their animals would die.

And the LORD said to Moses, “Go down and warn the people, lest they break through to the LORD to look and many of them perish (Exodus 19:21).

And you came near and stood at the foot of the mountain, while the mountain burned with fire to the heart of heaven, wrapped in darkness, cloud, and gloom (Deuteronomy 4:11).

Hebrews 12:19 highlights “a voice” (v. 19). This was God’s voice to check them on the temptation to draw near. God’s voice was God’s grace. God’s voice at the same time overwhelmed them!

And as soon as you heard the voice out of the midst of the darkness, while the mountain was burning with fire, you came near to me, all the heads of your tribes, and your elders. And you said, ‘Behold, the LORD our God has shown us his glory and greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire. This day we have seen God speak with man, and man still live. Now therefore why should we die? For this great fire will consume us. If we hear the voice of the LORD our God any more, we shall die. For who is there of all flesh, that has heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of fire as we have, and has still lived? Go near and hear all that the LORD our God will say and speak to us all that the LORD our God will speak to you, and we will hear and do it’ (Deuteronomy 5:23-27).

God’s “voice” represented God’s presence.  “What was this like?” Perpetual seismic tremors. Sky black with deep darkness. Lightening and fire rising from the top of Sinai “to the heart of heaven” (Deut 4:11). Celestial shofars blaring! Moses speaks and God answers him with thunder!

The people trembled at the LORD’s presence. God’s presence caused “trembling” (cf. Exod 19:16) but according to Hebrews 12:19-21 they trembled at the Law’s standard! Implications of disobeying it! One false move meant death!

Verse 19 says, “the hearers [begged] that no further messages be spoken to them.” The reason in the next verse says, “they could not endure the order that was given…” (v. 20). The point was how severe and precise this law was! “If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned” (v. 20). 

Taken from Exodus 19:12-13, if someone comes too close, too curious, to see God, too far up the mountain or even touches the edge, they shall be put to death…and if someone goes up to grab him away (“touches him) they are to be stoned or shot (through with an arrow). Same with your animal. If your animal goes up and touches the mountain and you touch your animal you likewise will be executed! The point is that God’s Law was strict and inviolable!  This is God’s “terrifying” nature!

“Moses said, ‘I tremble with fear.’” (v. 21). “When was Moses afraid?” Undoubtedly, here, but also later when this generation rebelled and Moses found them worshipping the golden calf. In Deuteronomy 9:19, Moses testified he was “afraid of the anger and hot displeasure of the LORD.” God’s Law creates insecurity! Guilt creates fear.

The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion (Proverbs 28:1).

God’s Law leaves no margin for error!

Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses’ face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end (2 Corinthians 3:7).

For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them” (Galatians 3:10).

The Apostle Paul’s testimony was one who was a master of the Law. Paul’s Damascus experience was his version of Sinai where the Law crushed him.

I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin came alive and I died. The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me. For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me (Romans 7:9-11).

The force of God’s Law is the way it makes God bigger to us! Big enough to crush our pride. God’s Law should break us to lead us to grace.

 Verse 22 transitions from Mt. Sanai to Mt. Zion. From meeting God in terms of his Law to meeting God in terms of his Son. From meeting God in terms of judgement to meeting God in terms of grace found in heaven!

Judged by Grace (vv. 22-24)

The author’s perspective is that these believers “have come to” (v. 22) a different Mountain. Coming to “Mount Zion”, they have come to God by grace.

Mount Sinai pictures the Law and Mount Zion pictures grace! In the Old Testament we learn that Zion was a Jebusite cioty. King David conquered it. Zion was where David brought the ark, representing God’s Holy habitation!

For the LORD has chosen Zion; he has desired it for his dwelling place: “This is my resting place forever; here I will dwell, for I have desired it. (Psalm 132:13-14).

Solomon would move the ark to the Temple built nearby on Moriah extending the name “Zion.” Ultimately, Zion became synonymous with Jerusalem! Prophecies ensured salvation would come through Zion!

Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines forth (Psalm 50:2).

I bring near my righteousness; it is not far off, and my salvation will not delay; I will put salvation in Zion, for Israel my glory” (Isaiah 46:13).

Salvation came through the Son who met the terms of the Law with perfection through his life and death. Sinai represents our unapproachability to God and Mt. Zion represents our complete approachability! Sinai stands for judgement and death while Zion stands for forgiveness and life. Coming to Zion is coming to Christ, becoming a Christian.

It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the LORD has commanded the blessing, life forevermore (Psalm 133:3).

Zion is more than a physical place, by coming to Mount Zion we are taken “to the city of the living God, heavenly Jerusalem” (v. 22). This is the city of heaven that we anticipate. Grace flows from what happened in physical Jerusalem but grace is flowing from the throne of heaven mediated to us by Christ our Advocate! Heaven is sure, so we should learn more about heaven!

“What is heaven like?” Heaven is described as a “city” where God is central. With everything else that could be said about heaven, it is important to recognize that heaven’s focus is God.

It has been very conspicuous with the past 20 year trend of people having visions or encounters in heaven how much God is missing in what people “saw.” Certainly, there are references to God but not the God described from these last few verses not to mention Exodus 19.

When you come to heaven by grace, you encounter the God who is as big and awful as described at Mt. Sinai but without being a threat! Big God, No Threat! God is “living” and you are “alive” in heaven. He is dynamic. “The heavenly Jerusalem” filled with “innumerable angels in festal gathering” (v. 22). In Revelation, “angels” are “myriads” upon “myriads” meaning 10,000 times 10,000. This is an overwhelming number, galaxies upon galaxies of stars. Angels on a lesser scale can be threatening. Not to Christians. Innumerable Angels, No Threat! The opposite is true. They are celebrating. The angels in heaven rejoicing over new birth!

Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:10).

Verse 23 makes sure we are not left out: “to the assembly [ekklnsia] of the firstborn.” This is the church or believers from every age. The identity of the church is under the title of “the firstborn” (v. 23). The “firstborn” is title of privilege, typically given to the oldest son or inheritor of family wealth.

Christ is given this title in Colossians 1:15.

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. (Colossians 1:15).

Christ owns heaven and earth because he created it all. All of it worships him! Here Hebrews is saying we are under Christ as co-heirs, inheritors in heaven. We are “enrolled in heaven” on the registry. This means you are supposed to be there. Like a little boy inquiring whether you made the team.  Yes, your name is there! 

And if children, then heirs–heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him (Romans 8:17).

Many fabricate being accepted by God by dumbing God down. Your acceptance by God becomes based on how you feel about yourself more than what God thinks about you. Acceptance in heaven is based on one source, “God”. What he thinks about you is all that matters. He is the standard and as “the judge of all” he has made the way for believers, “the spirits” to be “righteous” by being “made perfect.”

“How are you made perfect?”  One way!  “Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant” (v. 24). Christ’s death. Christ’s “sprinkled blood” on our behalf. Christ’s blood “speaks a better word than the blood of Abel” (v. 24).

Both deaths speak. Abel’s blood speaks “vengeance” against the sin of Cain. You might even say, Abel’s blood reverberates Cain’s guilt. A bloodstain that would not wash out!

I remember sitting with a couple who were living in sin.  The woman was visibly distressed and I asked her what the problem was and suddenly through tears she cried out, “Guilt!” Christ’s blood speaks a different word. The word, “GRACE!” Mercy – Justice – Peace – Acceptance – Hope!

Conclusion

Heaven boasts of a BIG GOD. But, in heaven we are not judged by this BIG GOD so we have no need to shrink back in fear or terror. Christians, not judged by Law but by grace. We need this Bigger God, real God of Scripture because we need his Big GRACE! When the world is nervous. When the world is fearful. A lesser, smaller, casual God will not solve life anymore.

Sinai’s God is the Christian’s God, our God. With one difference, we are not anymore under God’s Law! We are under GRACE.

Our Father truly can beat up all of his enemies! And he will. If you are still under the Law’s judgement, God’s judgment. If you have not yet allowed the Law to cut you down. Believe. Receive God’s mercy and grace.

Abel’s blood speaks guilt. Christ’s blood speaks grace. Come to grace. Our Father truly is the God you can rest secure in!  Rest in God now! Our Father views believers through grace. He is for us, for you!  Rely on this Big God, which is your God. He will see us through our trial and meet us now and save and keep us through eternity!