Let family love thrive: a sermon on Hebrews 12:14-13:25
Two “Contradictory” truths.
· We have arrived in God’s city
But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. 12:22
· We have not yet arrived in the city
For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come. 13:14
These two truths are both expressed to support the same point. Our behaviour should be the behaviour of a citizen of the city of God.
How is the heavenly Jerusalem described?
By a contrast
1) Mt Sinai.
a. Hebrews 12:18-21
The allusions probably come from the first time that Moses went up the mountain to receive the commandments and the second time after the people had built and worshipped the golden calf. In both cases God’s presence terrified the people. God’s immediate manifestation was seen as a threat not a comfort. But, none the less, this was a gathering of all of God’s people in the presence of God and he spoke to them.
2) Heavenly Mount Zion
a. Hebrews 2:22-24
This is not described in terms of infrastructure but in terms of inhabitants
· Thousands and thousands of angels
· Church of the first born – ie the assembly of Jesus’s siblings (cf 1:6; 2:10-17)
· Still there is God the judge – he who establishes justice
· The spirits of the righteous made perfect – ie humans (spirit is one way of describing the whole of a human being – it’s about their relating to God – and now made perfect by God through Jesus who is present AND IS
· The mediator of a new covenant.
So, it’s a community with everybody in the right place – an awe-inspiring God who is now known intimately through his Son by those assembled around him.
What is going to happen to our earthly existence?
It’s going to be shaken
· At Sinai God’s voice shook the earth (12:26)
· There will be a final shaking of all that’s created (12:26)
· What is left is the unshakeable. (12:27)
And that will not be any city that we are citizens of currently. It sounds like we are in no-person’s -land. We have come to the heavenly Jerusalem. We do not have an enduring city here. But it is this situation that the writer uses to explain how we should then live.
ONE – we should not fall short of the grace of God.
See Hebrews 12:25
TWO – we should adopt the values of citizens of God’s city
COMMUNITY OF GOD’S CITY
Chapter 12
14) make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy.
15) that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. (ie something that contaminates the community) eg
16) See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, (ie rejecting his inheritance.)
Also, Chapter 13:1-3
A CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY AND ITS LEADERS
Chapter 13:7;17,18
· Community – leaders of the old and new covenant witness to the same Jesus
· In the community leaders are supported – no bitter root
· Pray for the writer who is exhorting them and those with him
DON’T PUT A LESSER GOD AT THE CENTRE OF THE CITY
Chapter 13:4;5
· Marriage – God is still judge and he judges adultery
· Money – loving money denies God’s goodness
Chapter 13:9
· Don’t look to “spice up” being a Christian. Citizenship is by grace and continues by grace. Don’t try adding to God’s gifts for knowing him.
SIGNS THAT WE BELONG TO GOD’S HEAVENLY CITY
Chapter 12:28
· Proper worship – thankfulness and awe
Chapter 13:15-16
Daily life is “tabernacle” life
· Sacrifices not of animals and crops but of praise and doing good
Note subversion of temple terms – no longer confined to the earthy tabernacle
THREE – We should see the values of our earthly city for what they are.
The Christian way has a cost and a hope Hebrews 13:12-13
And so, Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood. 13 Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore.
A Final Blessing Hebrews 13:20-21