Hebrews 12:18-24

hey hey good morning good morning welcome to coffee and devotions this morning we're at Hebrews chap 12: 18- 24 we're going to be talking about the old Covenant versus the New Covenant and I got to tell you there's quite a wonderful contrast let's have some coffee we'll pray and we'll get into God's word let's pray father we thank you so much for this day what an amazing blessing it is to get to read your word the truths and the joys that are contained in it are unspeakable for you are an amazing God father we pray that you would please help us to understand your word Lord we pray that as we read it your Holy Spirit would take it apply it in our hearts Lord we pray that we would Lord that we would have joy and confidence because of what your word says and because of how your word applies it to us in Jesus's name amen right here we go Hebrews 12: 18- 24 for you have not come to the mountain and that may be touched and that burned with fire and Blackness and darkness and Tempest and the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words so that those who heard it begged that they should that the word should not be spoken to them anymore for they could not endure what was commanded and if so much as a beast touches the mountain it shall be stoned or shot with an arrow and so terrifying was the sight that Moses said I am exceeding e inly afraid and trembling but you have come to the Mount or but you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the Living God the heavenly Jerusalem to an innumerable company of angels to the great general assembly of the Church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven to God the judge of all to the spirits of just men made perfect to Jesus the mediator of the New Covenant and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel well we need to ask ourselves a what is this about B what's the best verse to summarize us and see what are we called to do in response to these words so a what is this about there's an old Covenant Sinai a New Covenant Jerusalem Mount Zion right this this is very similar to what Paul does in Galatians chapter 4 and here it's specifically saying there there are seven different things in the old Covenant that it was like John Owen lines them out here and he says there's a mountain that cannot be touched a fire that burned Darkness Gloom storm trumpet blasts and a terrible voice Owen will go on as he talks about this passage by the way John Owen has a wonderful commentary Crossway has done a good job republishing this in a very helpful uh Edition and he says that the outward manifestations are of God's infinite holiness Justice and severity right I mean the mountain shakes there's all sorts of problems there's there's fear there's trembling so much so that even the mediator of that Covenant Moses himself even though these words aren't actually in the scriptures the holy spirit is speaking them through Moses or through through the author of Hebrews that Moses said this I am exceedingly afraid and trembling we definitely get that since in Exodus 1919 but Moses the mediator is trembling because God is there God is there and Moses is allowed to draw near and yet he's absolutely terrified again John Owen says that this is the superior superiority of gospel State over the old Covenant because in heaven it's very different in the Heavenly Jerusalem Mount Zion where we go to it's not just God's infinite severity and Holiness it's not fear and trembling though we still have reverence for the Lord because of Jesus our mediator we get to come with joy and confidence did you notice the difference here right there's a mountain that shakes burned with fire before them it's as if in in in in Exodus chapter 19 that this means certain death for them but but not so now not the letter of the law that kills not to Mount Si and the tablets that pronounce judgment and death and a future hope possibly in Jesus Christ all of that PP and all of that circumstance without faith was absolutely nothing more than a judgment decree but not for you if you're in Christ there's something better than all of that but you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the Living God the heavenly Jerusalem to an innumerable company of angels you get to join the Myriad and myriads of angels who are worshiping the lamb who is slain you don't stand before them trembling as if the Lord was going to send his Angel to surround you and even kill you no no to the general assembly of the Church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven we know that our names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life we know that we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses by those people who have been made perfect by the blood of Jesus have been given his righteousness to God the judge of all notice that we come to the Heavenly Jerusalem to Mount Zion to a God who who judges all to the spirits of just men made perfect just men made perfect righteous men brought to their end not fearing the Judgment seat of God see they they were brought before the Judgment seat of God in Exodus chapter 19 as the Conquering King as their as their Sovereign Lord and they feared with trembling don't don't let God speak to us anymore or we're going to die but not so now we boldly enter into his throne room before his judgment seat knowing that Christ makes us righteous and perfect to Jesus the mediator right why do we not fear before coming before God the judge of all because we also come to Jesus verse 24 Jesus the mediator of the New Covenant and the sprinkling that's speaks better things than that of Abel we have such a blessing that the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all our sins and if we sin we know that we have an advocate with the father one who's made propitiation for us with a perfect sacrifice better than that of blood and of the blood of bulls and goats it's Jesus it's unlike Esau who didn't care about his Birthright sold it for for a bowl of Stew Jesus Jesus was the perfect inheritor of that promise he was that seed he was the promised one to come and because we are in him we also get our names written in the Lamb's Book of Life what a great blessing it is what a joy it is so we don't need to go back I had such a fun time with you and with the kids going through Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers and Deuteronomy but I have no desire to go back to the law there's no need for the bells and the smells there's no need for the fancy hats and the garments there's no need to try to have our citizenship in some type of Earthly Kingdom we don't need to go back to Mount Si we go to the Heavenly Jerusalem we don't need to turn back we've tasted the good things and we Savor them we trust in Christ that's what this is about I was the best first to summarize this why I've got most of 22 23 and 24 underlined but especially verse 24 what are we called to do don't go back Rest In Christ look to the one who can make you perfect look to the one who can have you stand before the Judgment seat of God and not fear look to the one who's worshiped by the myriads of angels there's a universal church by that I mean a church for everyone who believes and calls upon the name of the Lord no matter what nation what tongue what people group what What ethnicity what nationality they might be if they are a believer in Jesus Christ if they are trusting in Him alone for salvation their names are written and they worship with the angels in heaven and so do you you're not alone so don't turn back don't despise the birthright trust in Christ the firstborn of all creation let's pray father we thank you we thank you for Jesus Christ we thank you for the hope of our salvation father we pray that you would please help us Lord help us to walk in your paths and follow in your ways please Lord care for each one of us as we may be tempted to go back to the old things but Lord we know that the letter of the law kills it's incapable of bringing of life so father we pray that we would truly trust in you and follow in your ways in Jesus's name amen may the Lord bless you as you trust in Jesus Christ and rest in him alone for salvation I'll see you next time bye