Hebrews 12:18-24 – What is
Heritage Reformed Presbyterian Church? – Sermon Outline
Intro: What
do you think the church is? Sunday worship, just God’s people, or a building
with a steeple?
Need: Heritage Church must love
God/one another as Christ’s redeemed people so we grow together.
B/C:
M.P.: The Church is Christ’s redeemed body that
lives in God’s city & worships in His presence.
Hebrews
summarized in a sentence: Through Christ, we are cleansed & can now draw
near to God.
For
our text (12:18-24) the “you” in 12:18 is key.
The book of Hebrews is written to “you”/Jewish Christians, and is a “word of
exhortation” (13:22),
a sermon, encouraging them to press on in faith and not return to Judaism/the
shadowy OT/old covenant rituals under the law and Mt. Sinai, but to hold fast
to Christ and the gospel/new covenant blessings found in Him/His heavenly Mt.
Zion. This exhortation applies to us as God’s people as well, for Jew/Hebrew
and Gentile are one in Christ.
I.
What the
Church has passed through (v. 18-21): Mt. Sinai’s law and judgment
A.
Ex. 19:17ff describes Moses & the Israelites at
Mt. Sinai “meeting with God”/receiving decalogue.
1.
Ex. 20:18-19 depicts the church in fear of God,
begging Moses approach God for them.
2.
God was
unapproachable because of their sins; Christ had not yet died to pay for them.
B.
12:18 shows this Mt. Sinai
is NOT what NT Christians come to when they worship.
1.
We do not see God’s
presence as frightening fire, black smoke, dark clouds, lightning, thunder,
tempest storms and earthquakes, only to then hear the long sound of an ominous
trumpet summon us to draw near to such fury, symbolizing God’s wrath for our
wickedness.
2.
The Israelites heard
God’s voice at the foot of Mt. Sinai, and trembled. It was too much.
3.
They knew if they
drew near, they would be slain by God for their sin/law breaking, and Moses too
was greatly afraid (12:20-21),
for he had to go to God in the cloud/storm!
C.
Moses going up to God
on the Mt. Sinai typified/fore-shadowed Christ, but Moses’ glory fades after
coming down the mount, giving way to the superior/unfading glory of Christ (2 Cor. 3:7-18).
1.
Moses going up Mt.
Sinai into God’s wrathful presence fore-shadowed Christ going up to Calvary on
the cross, into His Father’s wrathful judgment to atone/pay for sin.
2.
While Christ hung on
the cross, darkness fell over the land from 6th to 9th
hour (Mt. 27:45).
3.
OT animal sacrifices
were offered only on the earthly temple/the holy of holies made with hands,
which were copies/shadows God gave Moses while on Mt. Sinai (Heb. 8:1-6) of the real holy of
holies in heaven where the Father dwells.
4.
But Christ, as the
Great High Priest, offered up Himself, entered heaven itself by His own blood,
the true holy of holies, to secure our redemption & grant us access to
heaven now!
5.
So by Jesus’ blood we
boldly/without fear draw near to God (Heb. 4:16) to worship, for through His atoning death the
Father’s wrath against us for our sin has been quenched!
D.
OT
Israel’s history is OUR history too, for OT/OC Israel
worshiped God as His church in the scary shadows of the OT law/under
Moses, while we worship God as His church by the Spirit under
Christ, who is the embodiment/fulfillment/reality of the shadows.
1.
Stephen in Acts 7:38 refers
to the Israelites in the wilderness with Moses as a “congregation” (GK. ekklesia,
“church”), & Heb. 3:16-4:2
connects wilderness Israel to us.
2.
Moses was the earthly
leader/servant of the OT church/house under the Father, while Christ is the
head over the NT church/house as the Father’s Son (Heb. 3:1-6). Note, the OT and NT church
are the same church/house, whose builder/maker is God!
E.
Consider: Galatians 3:8 says that the gospel
was announced to Abraham, even before Moses.
1.
Gal. 3:16 makes clear that ultimately the promises
to Abraham and his seed to be father of many nations and inherit the world was
fulfilled in Christ.
2.
If you are Christ’s
you are Abraham’s offspring/true Israel, passed through judgment in Christ,
& have become heirs according to the promise (Gal. 3:29) with Israel (Eph. 2:11ff.).
F.
This all indicates
that the OT system under Moses/Israelite nation was a passing shadow, yet it was Christ’s shadow that was cast in the
OT.
1.
Indeed, Hebrews 10
tells us the law on Mt. Sinai contained only shadows (Heb. 10:1-4).
2.
Christ kept the law
for us in His perfect life and teaching on earth; He came under the
condemnation of the law and suffered as a lawbreaker on our behalf.
3.
Therefore, through/in
Christ we have passed through judgment, been spiritually resurrected, and have
come into the heavenly city, Mt. Zion, where Christ reigns at the right hand of
the Father!
4.
It is
wrong to say that the OT saints did not have Christ, they did, but in
shadows/symbols/signs (I Cor. 10:1-4), whereas we
in the NT have the substance/fullness of Christ and His Spirit! The
OC and NC are the same in essence.
5.
Is the law of God/10
commandments abolished? No, rather fulfilled by Christ (Mt. 5:17-20) so that we, by His
Holy Spirit, may obey/keep the law, not to earn salvation but as faithful,
saved citizens of Mt. Zion, created in Christ to walk in good works/His law (Eph. 2:10).
II.
What the
Church has come to (v.22-24): Mt. Zion’s holy city of the living God.
A.
V.
22 “Mt. Zion”
was the hill where the highest/oldest part of the city of Jerusalem was built.
1.
Since the OT temple
was in Jerusalem, Zion = the exalted dwelling place of God.
2.
Behold, we in
Christ gather to “meet with God”/worship, not in earthly Jerusalem, but the heavenly
Jerusalem, upon God’s real abode, Mt. Zion, and not the earthly copy, Mt. Sinai!
B.
The “city of the
living God” is the heavenly Jerusalem, heaven
itself, proven by:
1.
Angels gathered as
“innumerable company” in “general assembly”/festive celebration with the “firstborn
registered” in heaven = all true believers/Israel (Ex. 4:22/firstborn)
2.
By God's presence as
judge (v. 23)
and the spirits of the “just”/judged made perfect, cleansed by Christ and
perfected so that nothing wicked comes before God in heaven.
3.
Finally, by coming to
“Jesus the Mediator” who stands between us and the Father’s judgment with His “blood
of sprinkling”, which speaks of “better things”/glory to come (v. 24) because His blood,
and we through His blood, have entered heaven/the more perfect tabernacle not
made with hands (Heb. 9:11-12),
which Moses as mediator could not do.
C.
While Abel's blood
cried out for vengeance, Christ's speaks forgiveness (v. 24); As Mt. Sinai pictured wrath/judgment,
Christ has brought us through judgment/death unto resurrection/life (Rm. 6) upon Mt. Zion, God’s city of peace/righteousness/forgiveness/throne
of grace (Heb. 4:16)
III.
APPLICATION: How is the church
to live in Mt. Zion? How must members of Heritage Church live?
A.
Ekklesia,
the NT word for church,
has idea of "those called out." Sproul:
"the church is viewed as an assembly or gathering of the elect, those whom
God calls out of the world, [called] away from sin and into a state of
grace." The following are characteristics
of Mt. Zion’s citizens:
1.
We ascend to the
heavenly Jerusalem particularly in
corporate worship, gathered together as God’s people, away from unbelievers and
this fallen world, just as the Israelites drew near in temple worship & at
the tent of meeting (2 Cor. 6:14-16 READ).
2.
We do not forsake
assembling together (Heb 10:24-25)
and we worship in reverence and awe, knowing our God is still a consuming fire
(Heb. 12:28-29).
3.
We grow together into a holy
temple of God and His dwelling place (Eph. 2:19-22).
4.
Each member as
Christ’s body, works together/strengthens itself in love (Eph. 4:15-16)
5.
As a holy priesthood
we offer spiritual sacrifices (righteous living, prayer, praise, service, teaching,
hospitality, etc.) made acceptable to God by Christ (1 Pet. 2:5).
6.
1 Tim. 3:15 says
we as the church are the household of God and pillars of the truth, and so we
worship God by the Spirit of Christ in the Truth of His Word (Jn. 4:23-24)
B. Going to worship on Sundays is
our New Testament “tent of meeting” with the LORD.
1.
God promises to be
with His gathered, covenant people in a special way (Ex. 29:42-45 READ). Israel gathers under
the ministers/priests, Aaron and his sons, whom God has appointed/consecrated.
a.
Worship on Sundays is
for believers, not unbelievers. A church may have many programs, studies, fun
activities, etc., but if it does not have corporate worship on Sunday’s/the
Lord’s day, whatever it is, it is not a true church. Worship is essential.
b.
While unbelievers may
attend Church, only those covenanted to Christ meet with the Lord in worship truly. This is why
turning worship into evangelism is bad, it robs God of the worship He
demands/desires of His people “called out of” the world!
c.
God
has appointed pastors/elders to lead/form churches, &
only elders may ordain a man as a pastor/elder (Eph. 4:11-12; Titus 1:5-9; II Tim. 1:6; I Pet. 5:1-5 READ; Acts
20:17, 28 READ).
d.
Small group
gatherings, even of members of the same local church, are good/helpful, but are
not the same thing as worship in God’s holy/heavenly presence. They cannot
replace the Church and corporate worship.
e.
Only in a Church
formed under biblically ordained elders do you have the proper formation of the
“body of Christ” using the Spiritual Gifts God has given each individual to
form and build up that body in the Lord (I Cor. 12; Rom. 12).
2.
Sunday worship is
akin to going to the top of Mt. Zion, but all of life is lived in the heavenly
Jerusalem, on the side of Mt. Zion; but on Sundays we ascend to the summit.
a.
Don’t lose sight of
God Monday-Saturday like the Israelites did, crafting idols while waiting for
Moses to come down from atop Mt. Sinai with the 10 commandments.
b.
As Christians, all
work, all we do is to be done for the glory of God (I Cor. 10:31) and will be received gladly by Him
through Christ. So fill the earth and subdue it!
c.
The earth is the
Lord’s and the fullness thereof, and Christ already, at the right hand of the
Father in heavenly Zion, has all authority in heaven and in earth given to Him
(Mt. 28:18).
The Promised Land is now all the earth/creation, and all we do is to be done as
service/acceptable worship to our Father in heaven!
3.
Must believe
corporate worship is special by faith, not sight.
a.
Because we live
spiritually in God’s kingdom now, physically only at Christ’s return.
b.
Only then will we
reap the full benefits of God’s presence by being fully nourished spiritually
and rightly ascribing reverence and awe in our worship.
4.
We must remember that
Sunday is the Sabbath day, changed from Saturday b/c Christ entered His rest
(and we rest in Him) on Easter Sunday when He rose from the dead.
a.
The Sabbath is not
made obsolete by Christ; Heb. 4:9
says there remains a Sabbath rest (“rest” = “sabbatismos” in Greek), and the
Sabbath was not instituted at Mt. Sinai, but in creation, with God resting the
7th day.
b.
We must still obey
the command to remember the Sabbath day/keep it holy by revering it as the day
we go worship God and draw near to Him in a special way.
c.
This is why churches
that have such casual/flippant “worship”, or that simply gather for
entertainment, TED talks, or cater to so-called “seekers” rather than the holy
God whose presence they enter, fail to produce lasting fruit and many
strong/faithful Christians. They do not worship God by Spirit/Truth by their
own fleshly desires.
C. How can Heritage Reformed be a faithful Church/Christ’s “called out
ones?”
1.
By being active in
the church. Come to Sunday morning and evening worship if available.
2.
By coming to Sunday
school and remembering the specialness of Sundays as Sabbath.
3.
By modeling the early
church and meeting together often to pray and meditate on God and His Word,
which is true Christian fellowship (Acts 2:42,
46-47).
4.
Consider various Bible/book
studies for individual/group study.
5.
Evangelize with
fellow believers or serve the widows and needy in the church.
6.
Build/work together
(a fence, a book, etc.) and play/eat together (sports, games, etc.), help meet
one another’s needs, be hospitable, kind, encouraging, patient, persevering.
IV.
Conc: As Christ’s “called out
ones”/ here at Heritage Church, let us live for the heavenly Mt. Zion, the city
of our living God, bearing the fruit of the Spirit, so that God’s will may
indeed be done here on earth as it is in heaven/Mt. Zion, and so that we may be
salt and light in the midst of this dark and wicked world.
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