A MORE FEARFUL RESPONSIBILITY
Heb 12:18-29   
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Illustration: Seal training “explain the only easy day was yesterday” If you think THIS is hard…wait til tomorrow.
Correlate the earthly sanctuary with the heavenly how much greater our responsibility to follow Christ under the new, better plan.

18-21 The fearfulness of Mt. Sinai
22-24 The seriousness of Mt. Zion
25-29 The Conclusion: DO not refuse Jesus.

18-21 The fearfulness of Mt. Sinai

Not a contrast of fear and blessing here, contrast of seriousness.  The writer is trying to sow them how serious a matter it is to reject Christ.

The “for” in verse 18 refers back to the warning seen against apostasy. We will see in verse 25 the conclusion is a warning to not turn aside, to not apostatize and that it is clearly a more fearful responsibility.  Verse 26 will show that not only Earth, but Heaven will be shaken.

So this warning on chapter 12  is like the warnings in chapters two and ten. Look at verses 18 and 19 (  Heb 12:18  For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest,  19  And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard entreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more:
 You aren’t simply come to a mountain like Sinai, a mountain that might physically be touched and that was robed in fire.
Look back with me to Exodus 19: 16  And 20: 18  

This mountain was so charged with the holiness of God that manifested himself there that for a man or an animal to touch it meant certain death. That’s not the tolerant cuddly God you have created in your mind si it? That is a God of holiness and justice. Listen: That is why it is so serious to reject him. He cannot tolerate un-holiness. THAT’S what the cross is all about, not pretty lilies on finely carved crossbeams.

Back to Hebrews. Heb 12:20  (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart:
 /Even Moses was thought to have quaked. Verse 21 is probably Jewish Oral tradition showing just how really fearful this time was. Even Moshe who had spoken wit God face to face was terrified.

Are we lax about this? I am I fear. Even Moses, top Jewish leader a man fit to speak with God face to face, trembled. He had a proper perspective of who God is.

Point of Grace wrote and sang these words and we   need to take them to heart ( The more I know your power, Lord The more I’m mindful How casually we speak and sing your name How often we have come to you With no fear or wonder And called upon you only for what we stand to gain

God forbid, that I find you so familiar That I think of you as less than who you are God forbid, that I should speak of you at all
Without a humble reverence in my heart God forbid

Lord, I often talk about your love and mercy How it seems to me your goodness has no end It frightens me to think that I could take you for granted
Though you’re closer than a brother You’re more than just a friend
 
You are father, God almighty Lord of lords, you're King of kings
Beyond my understanding No less than everything
God forbid God forbid

On that  day   those people understood the holy presence of almighty God. We need to see how majestic and fearful that was. But then our writer moves on to say “, you think that was serious? look at the seriousness of Mt. Zion.” (  :22  But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, 23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24  And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
 
Note the terms “Heavenly Jerusalem and General assembly. He has explained these earlier in this book. There are 8 items here about which commentators spout a pile of interpretations.

Mt Zion is referring to  Jerusalem, note here “heavenly Jerusalem” and General assembly is a joyous occasion. The firstborn is the church and that is us. We are written in Heaven (registered, Better than Marriot even) and you come to the Judge who is over all. You are joined with the spirits of just men made perfect.

In ch 11 we saw the OT saints not having received the promise because they were waiting for us. Jesus’ sacrifice completed them.
 
Jesus sacrifice gave their faith substance. And we are come to THAT mountain, Mt Zion and most of all, to Jesus the mediator of a new and better covenant and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than the blood of Abel. Abel’s blood of Genesis 4:10, cried out to God for vengeance, but Jesus blood ? Jesus’ blood cries out for pardon. And that My dear friends, is a far better thing.

Now recall that chapter 2 said if the Old Testament word spoken by angels was sure and brought swift penalty for sin, how much greater will be the penalty for turning down the word spoken by the Son, Jesus Christ. It is not about being bad or good, being nice or nasty, it is about surrendering to Jesus and accepting ONLY him as sacrifice for your sins. Don’t make it about how good you are,  because you aren’t.
Do not refuse him, Jesus, Emmanuel, God in flesh.

Chapter 10 used the same kind of argument, from the lesser to the greater (Apriori) saying “If you despised Moses law, you died without mercy, how much more will you be punished if you tread Christ under foot. And here in chapter 12, he uses the same format in verses 25-29 drawing us to the conclusion “Refuse Him Not”

V25: See to it that you do not refuse Christ!! This warning has been flying it’s banner through the whole book. Please, please, please do not refuse. “Him who speaks,” here is Christ, the one who spoke better things than Abel (v.24)
Back in v 19 the one they refused to listen to who spoke, the one who instructed and they rebelled against was God. So under the law they turned away and punishment was bad; how much more shall on not escape if we turn away from he who speaks from heaven.

Much of the argument of this book is : The law is earthly, grace is heavenly. Christ has superseded the law, he is far better than the law because it is earthly and grace is heavenly.

V26: His voice then shook earth (v19) Physical death. But refusing Christ who so freely offers us salvation brings an eternal punishment that is far beyond earth shaking. It is heaven shaking.

This is an Old Testament quote form Haggai 2:6 and seems to point to the second coming when Jesus straightens out all the mess.

V27: Explains about the things that are shaken. Perhaps shaken up here to prepare the way for a new heaven and earth.

There are some unshakeable things permanent things. A new heaven and a new earth which will never pass away. The second law of thermodynamics will be gone, no more entropy, decay. All preserved forever and all good forever.

It speaks of a final shaking, “Only once more” But some things will definitely be shaken and destroyed. DO NOT forget context here, those who refuse Christ will be shaken and destroyed eternally.

But notice V28: The conclusion of the matter is this:  “wherefore”
If you know Jesus as your Lord and Savior this will rock your socks.
We receive a Kingdom which cannot be moved (same word as shaken in verse 27) So instead of law we will take grace and accept Jesus Christ and his word and his way because we get a Kingdom which is forever. And grace, note this, makes us to serve God reverently and with Godly fear because God is a consuming fire.

Here he shows the seriousness of rejecting that grace. Let us hold fast, let us cling to or have God’s grace for salvation because there is a reckoning ahead. Payday is coming. When GOD will shake heaven and earth and the only things which will stand are those things grounded in eternity.

If you want to stand in that day come to Jesus by faith and get your feet planted in eternity.

It Is always difficult for me to remind you of the alternative, John Piper says the only fit retribution for rejecting The Holy Son of God, Jesus, God in the flesh, is eternal separation from God. Hell.

But today you have a choice. If you have never surrendered to Jesus and his Lordship, never said “Lord be merciful to me a sinner,” Never grabbed  hold with all your heart the forgiveness of God bought by the bloody death of Jesus,  then, if he is drawing you, tugging at your heart, today… just bow and ask him in. Say you believe he and he alone is the way, truth and life and no one comes to the Father except by him. Ask him to forgive your sins and help you to follow him. And he is waiting for you, wanting to have a relationship with you.

If you have done that and are a follower of Jesus, verse 28 says to serve him with reverence and godly fear. That means to trust him and follow him sell out to him. And it is your serve.

Amen