October 13, 2013
A Kingdom That Cannot Be Shaken
We live in a time of social, political, and economic upheaval. Despite all this, God is sovereign.
Scripture: Hebrews 12:18-29
Sermon Notes:
- We live in a time of social, political, and economic upheaval. Despite all this, God is sovereign.
- The kingdom of Jesus is established by the authority of God from heaven, attested to by Christ’s resurrection.
- The gospel is good news about the reign of Jesus Christ.
- Messiah’s reign and the supremacy of Christ is mediated to the whole world by His people (Luke 22:29; Rom. 15:12; Isaiah 49:6).
- By the death and resurrection of Jesus we may become subject to His reign as citizens.
- Outline: Two mountains, two blood types, two kingdoms.
- Recognizing the holy God of Sinai and His wrath against sin is necessary to for us to receive God’s grace at Zion.
- Salvation is the unmerited gift of God; the giving of the law to Israel at Sinai was an act of grace.
- We are equally unworthy of God’s grace and salvation.
- Our natural condition is to hide our guilt with a façade of self righteousness.
- We are to come to the mountain of God’s city: mount Zion, where we’re brought before a joyful assembly before God.
- The blood sacrifices were brought to an end in Christ’s final atonement, when He bore our sentence of death.
- Abel’s blood type speaks death and vengeance to us.
- Christ’s blood speaks mercy, grace, forgiveness, new life.
- True meaning and purpose is found in serving the eternal plan of God.
- The Israelites, by their life and actions, rejected God’s will.
- If we reject the Word of God spoken by Christ, we will face more severe consequences.
- Now Christ’s voice, which shook the earth, shall shake not only the earth but heaven. This speaks of Christ’s sovereignty over all of history.
- Problems and difficulties in the world are evidence of this shaking. Only that which cannot be shaken, that which is built on God’s Word, on Christ, will remain (Matt. 7:24-27).
- While the shaking is happening, hold onto grace, for we are receiving a kingdom, a gift from God.
- Our response is to cling onto the grace of God, serve Him with godly fear, and no equivocation with the world.
- Our God is a consuming fire, the Judge over history.
- God is utterly opposed to evil, just as He is utterly devoted to mercy and grace in the Gospel.
- Left to ourselves, we are prone to sin just as Israel was.
- We are to be most thankful for being brought into Zion.
- In resurrection glory, Christ now wears the crown of cosmic kingship.
- Christ is Lord of every circumstance in our lives and so we are assured of safety in His hands.
Application Questions:
- What are the sure foundations of the kingdom of God?
- How is the power and authority of Christ manifest in the world?
- What is symbolized by the mountains, Sinai and Zion?
- Contrast the significance of Abel’s blood and Christ’s.
- In what ways are the kingdoms of the world undergoing cosmic shaking today? How should we respond?
- In what areas are we prone to reject God’s will?
- How is the Lordship of Christ comforting to us?
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