Grace and Joy

Welcome brothers and sisters!

Praise and Glory to the Lord our God!  Thank you for joining us Saturday night for worship and fellowship, and we encourage you to watch and share these sermons too.  It only takes but once for someone to hear the Word of God, the very Gospel that saves...to be changed in that instant to a child of God all by His power!  Saturday night Pastor Scott continues through the book of Hebrews, and as we near the end of chapter 12 we want to post an overview and a call of heeding the Lord's Word.  Our verses for the night were in Chapter 12:18-28.

As a quick overview from where we have gone from thus far, let us remember who this letter is written to. We also need to remember, that while this wasn't written to us...it is still written for us. So let us hold tightly to the very great faith that the Lord Himself has gifted us with, and shown us where to place our faith.

The book of Hebrews is a letter written to Jewish Christians who were facing persecution and temptation to abandon their faith in Jesus. The author of Hebrews encourages them to hold fast to their confession and to look to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of their faith.

One of the main themes of Hebrews is the contrast between the old covenant and the new covenant. The old covenant was established at Mount Sinai, when God gave the law to Moses and the Israelites. The new covenant was inaugurated by the blood of Jesus, who is the mediator of a better covenant based on better promises.

In Hebrews 12:18-28, the author compares the two covenants by describing the different experiences of the people who approached God under each covenant. He uses vivid imagery from the Old Testament to portray the difference between the two.

The old covenant was where we saw a scene characterized by fear and awe at Mount Sinai. The people who came to Mount Sinai witnessed a terrifying scene: a blazing fire, darkness, gloom, a whirlwind, a trumpet blast, and a voice that shook the earth. They were so afraid that they begged Moses to speak to them instead of God, and they were warned not to touch the mountain or they would die.

The new covenant is where we see a scene characterized by grace and joy. The people who come to Mount Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem, experience a glorious scene: thousands of angels, the assembly of the firstborn, God the judge of all, the spirits of the righteous, Jesus the mediator, and the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. They are welcomed into the presence of God with love and acceptance, and they are cleansed from their sins by the blood of Jesus. Here we can remember that we can all say "such were some of us", for by His blood we have been saved and changed for His glory.

The author of Hebrews then draws a practical implication from this contrast. He urges His readers to be grateful for the privilege of receiving the new covenant and to worship God with reverence and awe. He also warns them not to refuse the voice of God who speaks to them through His Son, and not to ignore the warning of the coming judgment.

The author reminds them that God is a consuming fire, who will shake the heavens and the earth and remove everything that can be shaken, so that only what cannot be shaken will remain. The unshakable things are the things that belong to the kingdom of God, which is an eternal and indestructible kingdom.

The message of Hebrews 12:18-28 is relevant for us today as well. We live in a world that is full of sin, fear, uncertainty and instability. We face trials and temptations that challenge our faith and loyalty to Jesus. We need to remember that we have a better covenant and a better hope than the people of the old covenant. We need to appreciate to the utmost, the grace and glory of the new covenant and the heavenly city that awaits us. We need to worship God with gratitude and reverence in the way He has given us, and to listen to His voice (Being in His Word everyday) and obey His will. We need to hold on to the unshakable kingdom of God, which is our inheritance and our reward.

Let us share that message, a perfect message of the truth, hope and the glorious God that saved us for Himself. We encourage you to share the Gospel at every turn, let us conversations be that seasoned with salt...seeking to give honor and glory to Jesus Christ who paid the very penalty we all deserved.  Let us stand with God and be unshakeable together, and until we meet again...lets go serve our King!

FRF Team