Let Us Receive the Kingdom I. Base Text: Hebrews 12:15-29 II. Context A. The Hebrews writer anonymous: Paul? Barnabas? Apollos? B. The letter called Hebrews because content indicates address to Jewish Christians, encouraging them to persevere in the faith (cf. Hebrews 10:19-39) 1. Jesus superior to the angels (Hebrews 1:1-2:18) 2. Jesus greater than Moses; the Christian hope greater than that which is given to Israel (Hebrews 3:1-4:13) 3. Jesus the great high priest in the order of Melchizedek, king and priest, inaugurating a new covenant in His blood, providing full atonement (Hebrews 4:14-10:18) C. Immediate Context: the hall of faith, indicating powerful importance of faith, conclusions drawn from it (Hebrews 11:1-12:14) 1. Hebrews author establishes importance of faith (Hebrews 11:1-2a, 6) 2. He demonstrates faith manifest by heroes of old: creation, Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Israelites of the Conquest, judges, etc. (Hebrews 11:2b-38) 3. Despite their greatness, they did not receive the promise; God has provided something better for Christians; apart from them the heroes of faith cannot be made perfect (Hebrews 11:39-40) 4. Christians must thus run the race set before them before this cloud of witnesses, laying aside every weight and sin (Hebrews 12:1) 5. This race to be run by setting one’s sight on Jesus, the author and perfecter of the faith: He established the path, first ran it, strengthens us to run it, suffering so as to obtain exaltation (Hebrews 12:2) 6. Christians must endure discipline which God establishes for their good (Hebrews 12:3-11) 7. Christians are to strengthen what is weak through exercise; strive for peace and holiness without which no one will see the Lord (Hebrews 12:12-14) D. We may now consider how the Hebrews author continues his exhortation III. Interpretation and Application A. Lest Any Fall From God’s Grace (Hebrews 12:15-17) 1. "See to it that no one fails to receive the grace of God..." a. Galatians 5:4: one can be severed from grace b. Hebrews 10:26-31: heavy consequences for having known the truth but then fallen away from it 2. The "root of bitterness" and its consequence a. A "root of bitterness" was any poisonous plant b. Metaphorically refers to anyone advocating or practicing any false thing c. Romans 16:17-18, 2 Peter 2:1, Revelation 2:20-23 speak to the same end d. The consequence of the "root of bitterness?" Defilement of others! e. Galatians 5:9: in reference to false teaching (and in reference to immoral living in 1 Corinthians 5:6), Paul asserts that "a little leaven leavens the whole lump" f. When the poisonous plant is not removed, it causes others to be poisoned! 2. “...that no one is sexually immoral...” a. Notice how the Hebrews author focuses on this one form of sin b. 1 Corinthians 5:1-13: an issue of sexual immorality! c. Sexual immorality is unfortunately a prevalent sin among brethren, far more common I fear than we would like to imagine! d. Those who are sexually immoral have failed to receive the grace of God, demonstrated in Galatians 5:19-21! 3. “...unholy like Esau...” a. The Hebrew author uses a curious metaphor for unholiness: Esau b. Genesis 25:29-34: Esau sells his birthright for stew c. The birthright that Esau sold was of great value i. Who received the promise of God from Abraham? ii. Who was the tribal patriarch of Israel? iii. Esau gave up his ability to be the head of the whole family and to inherit the greater blessing of God through Abraham for one meal of stew d. The Birthright as salvation and the stew as sin i. What does the birthright represent? Our salvation, bestowed upon us through the blood of Christ! ii. What does the stew represent? Sin: the momentary, fleeting pleasure that has eternal consequences e. The Hebrew author, therefore, uses the imagery of Esau and his folly to teach us to ourselves avoid the folly of sin f. May we not be rejected as Esau was! B. Not to Mount Sinai (Hebrews 12:18-21) 1. The beginning of a comparison between the old and the new 2. "You have not come to a mountain to be touched..." a. Exodus 19:12-13 b. The Israelites came to Mount Sinai, which is a real, physical place c. Christians have not come to a real, physical place 3. The Voice of God a. The Israelites heard the great and booming voice of God with fire and smoke, giving them the Law b. Exodus 19:19, 20:18-19: the people became afraid and did not want to hear c. Christians have not heard such a fearful voice 4. The Order of God About the Mountain a. Because of the presence of YHWH, the Israelites nor even their cattle were to touch the mountain in any way (Exodus 19:13) b. Christians have no such place or commandment 5. Moses' Trembling a. Even Moses, who had previously seen the manifestation of God in the bush (Exodus 3-4), trembled in fear! b. Christians have not seen such a manifestation, nor tremble in such fear C. But to Mount Zion (Hebrews 12:22-24) 1. The Hebrews author then brings the comparison home 2. We have come to Mount Zion: the heavenly Jerusalem (cf. Isaiah 2:1-4, Galatians 4:21-31) 3. We have come as a part of the assembly of the Firstborn who is enrolled in Heaven 4. We come in the presence of God, the sanctified saints, and Christ Himself, whose blood testifies better than that of Abel's a. Abel was murdered for no reason by Cain in Genesis 4:8 b. Yet that blood could not atone for others! c. Christ's blood was shed for all men as that sacrifice 5. The Significance of the Contrast a. As Israel came to a place of humiliation, fear, and terror, we come to a place of exaltation, love, and glory b. We are the inheritors of the better covenant with better promises and a brighter future! D. Do Not Refuse God (Hebrews 12:25-27) 1. "Do not refuse Him who is speaking..." a. Comparison is made between Moses and Christ b. Condemnation came in the Law when people violated it (Deuteronomy 4:2) c. How will people escape condemnation if they violate the message of Heaven (2 Thessalonians 1:6-9)? 2. The Great Shaking a. An allusion to Haggai 2:6 b. There a major socio-political change c. Is the Hebrews author looking forward to the destruction of Jerusalem? d. Is the Hebrews author looking forward to the day of Judgment (2 Peter 3:9-13)? e. Nevertheless, what will remain? The Kingdom of Heaven! E. Offering God Service (Hebrews 12:28-29) 1. The Hebrews author concludes with exhortation 2. "The Kingdom that cannot be shaken" a. The conclusion to the discussion of the great shaking is thankfulness for the unshakable Kingdom b. cf. Matthew 7:24-27, Philippians 3:20-21 3. How are we to express our thankfulness? Appropriate service in reverence! a. Isaiah 6:1-5, Ezekiel 1:28, and Matthew 17:6 show the reactions of men when confronted with the majesty of God! b. We must have the same attitude although God is unseen, since God is a consuming fire (cf. Deuteronomy 4:24)! c. To draw near to God is to get burned, to have one’s sin and difficulties destroyed as by fire so that we may be pure and made holy d. And so we serve God, drawing near to Him, obtaining purification IV. Conclusion A. We have learned many things from Hebrews 12:15-29 1. The need to keep the church pure and holy 2. We have received and enter into a better covenant 3. We need to hear the Lord for the world will be destroyed 4. We must give thanks for the Kingdom we have received with appropriate reverence B. Have you yet come to Mount Zion, the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem? 1. The only way to enter is to be a part of the Kingdom of God! 2. To enter the Kingdom you must believe in Christ, confess Him, repent of your sins and be immersed in water for the remission of those sins, and endure! 3. Were you at Mount Zion but became as Esau, rejecting the promise for fleeting sin? 4. Do you need strength to obtain the promise? Scripture, Meditation, and Application 1: Looking carefully lest there be any man that falleth short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby the many be defiled (Hebrews 12:15). In our pursuit of peace and holiness we must encourage one another. We must watch out lest any would attempt to divert us from Christ’s path. Many attempt to trouble Christians with false teaching or immoral practices. We must resist them, and keep pursuing the ways of God in Christ! 2: But ye are come unto mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable hosts of angels (Hebrews 12:22). The Hebrews author compares and contrasts Israel’s experience at Sinai with the heavenly Zion. Christians have a greater covenant enacted with better promises. We stand before God thanks to Christ without need of the fear that marked Israel. May we come before God in Christ on Zion and be saved! 3: See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not when they refused him that warned them on earth, much more shall not we escape who turn away from him that warneth from heaven (Hebrews 12:25). Christians must be careful lest they turn away from God’s voice as Israel did. We learn of how Israel was exiled and nearly destroyed for disobedience. The same warning and concern exists for Christians. May we not refuse to hear God’s voice, but seek to glorify Him in all things! 4: Wherefore, receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us have grace, whereby we may offer service well-pleasing to God with reverence and awe: for our God is a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:28-29). What is the expected result of our salvation? We are to serve God with reverence. God has done great things; we do well to obey Him. We have no ground or basis for pride; we are dependent on God. Above all things we must not play around with God, for He is mighty and fearful. God is a consuming fire; may we yet draw near so as to be purified and saved!