Setting – We need to live a holy life and have the proper perspective of who God is.
Content – Now that we have been instructed that God disciplines those He loves we need to (v. 12 NLT) “take a new grip with your tired hands and stand firm on your shaky legs”, an analogy of strengthen our Christian walk. We need to pursue having our life free from sin because (v. 14b NLT) “those who are not holy will not see the Lord.” We need to (v. 16a NLT) “Make sure that no one is immoral or godless like Esau.”
Because of Christ, we can approach God with humble confidence. Unlike (v. 18b NLT) “Israelites did at Mount Sinai when God gave them his laws”. The voice of God was (v. 19b NLT) “so terrible that they begged God to stop speaking.” Instead we come (v. 22b-23 NLT) “to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to thousands of angels in joyful assembly. You have come to the assembly of God's firstborn children, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God himself, who is the judge of all people. And you have come to the spirits of the redeemed in heaven who have now been made perfect.” We come clothed in Christ’s blood (v. 24b NLT) “which graciously forgives instead of crying out for vengeance as the blood of Abel did”
God (v. 26b NLT) “will shake not only the earth but the heavens also.” instead as before where His voice (v. 26a NLT) “from Mount Sinai his voice shook the earth” But (v. 28a NLT) “we are receiving a Kingdom that cannot be destroyed”. Even though we can worship and approach God with humble confidence we still need to (v. 28b NLT) “worshiping him with holy fear and awe.” Because (v. 29 NLT) “our God is a consuming fire”
Application – Our God is “a consuming fire”. The Israelites experienced God and shook with fear. Even though we have access to God through Christ, God is still who He is, He is still to be worshiped “with holy fear and awe”
Our culture takes God too lightly. We have taken shade from the heat of His wrath and forgotten that His wrath still exists. I love it when God evaporated Elijah’s alter with fire in the contest between Baal and God. This same God can evaporate humans as well. This is the same God who flooded the earth wipping out all but a few people, the same God who separated the Red Sea, the same God who had 10,000 swallowed up by the desert sand. God is not mocked and God is not to be trifled with. We are protected by His immeasurable power, the One who will “shake not only the earth but the heavens also” because of Christ’s sacrifice, we live in the shade of grace. So on the one hand we approach God with great awe knowing who He is and yet, we are able to approach with confidence that His great power won’t be exercised on us.
Similar to the surgeon, who has the ability to heal or kill the person with the knife he holds. Similar to the father who’s hug could kill the baby that he holds, but provides a gracious, loving embrace.
Content – Now that we have been instructed that God disciplines those He loves we need to (v. 12 NLT) “take a new grip with your tired hands and stand firm on your shaky legs”, an analogy of strengthen our Christian walk. We need to pursue having our life free from sin because (v. 14b NLT) “those who are not holy will not see the Lord.” We need to (v. 16a NLT) “Make sure that no one is immoral or godless like Esau.”
Because of Christ, we can approach God with humble confidence. Unlike (v. 18b NLT) “Israelites did at Mount Sinai when God gave them his laws”. The voice of God was (v. 19b NLT) “so terrible that they begged God to stop speaking.” Instead we come (v. 22b-23 NLT) “to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to thousands of angels in joyful assembly. You have come to the assembly of God's firstborn children, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God himself, who is the judge of all people. And you have come to the spirits of the redeemed in heaven who have now been made perfect.” We come clothed in Christ’s blood (v. 24b NLT) “which graciously forgives instead of crying out for vengeance as the blood of Abel did”
God (v. 26b NLT) “will shake not only the earth but the heavens also.” instead as before where His voice (v. 26a NLT) “from Mount Sinai his voice shook the earth” But (v. 28a NLT) “we are receiving a Kingdom that cannot be destroyed”. Even though we can worship and approach God with humble confidence we still need to (v. 28b NLT) “worshiping him with holy fear and awe.” Because (v. 29 NLT) “our God is a consuming fire”
Application – Our God is “a consuming fire”. The Israelites experienced God and shook with fear. Even though we have access to God through Christ, God is still who He is, He is still to be worshiped “with holy fear and awe”
Our culture takes God too lightly. We have taken shade from the heat of His wrath and forgotten that His wrath still exists. I love it when God evaporated Elijah’s alter with fire in the contest between Baal and God. This same God can evaporate humans as well. This is the same God who flooded the earth wipping out all but a few people, the same God who separated the Red Sea, the same God who had 10,000 swallowed up by the desert sand. God is not mocked and God is not to be trifled with. We are protected by His immeasurable power, the One who will “shake not only the earth but the heavens also” because of Christ’s sacrifice, we live in the shade of grace. So on the one hand we approach God with great awe knowing who He is and yet, we are able to approach with confidence that His great power won’t be exercised on us.
Similar to the surgeon, who has the ability to heal or kill the person with the knife he holds. Similar to the father who’s hug could kill the baby that he holds, but provides a gracious, loving embrace.
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