Sermon #88¯ Hebrews Notes

Title: Heaven On Earth

Text: Hebrews 12:18-24

Readings: Lindsay Campbell & David Burge

Subject: The Believer’s Present

Enjoyment of His Eternal Inheritance

Date: Tuesday Evening—July 23, 2002

Tape # X-13b

Introduction:

Every heir of endless bliss,

Passing through this wilderness,

Finds his journey, to the end,

Vexed with trouble and with sin.

This is God’s all-wise decree.

May He give us grace to see—

Thus He weans us from the earth’s

Vanity and empty mirth.

Pains and sorrows, sin and woes,

Satan’s roars and countless foes,

Every day our way oppose. Still,

God’s grace sufficient proves!

He is strong, faithful and true.

He will guide us safely through!

All that now our souls distress,

Will increase our endless bliss!

· Some of you are carrying heavy burdens. Some of you are vexed with many cares.

· Some of you are enduring trials and temptations known only to yourselves and God.

· If that is not the case with you now, it soon will be. Soon, if you are God’s, you will be called upon to endure great afflictions.

We cannot enter the kingdom of heaven, except we do so through the path of much affliction. There is no way home for God’s pilgrims, but the way of the cross.

Life in this world is not easy. It is not easy to live by faith while we still carry in our nature an evil heart of unbelief. It is not easy to persevere in the faith when the world, the flesh, and the devil oppose us. It is not easy to live for and seek the glory of God when so many earthly cares and inward corruptions vex and torment our souls.

Knowing these things, knowing something of the struggles you must face day by day, the trials you must endure in the daily grind of life, I constantly seek from God the wisdom and grace that only he can give to feed your souls with knowledge and understanding and minister to your souls’ needs, to comfort, encourage and strengthen you in the way of faith, for the glory of Christ.”

· Some of you here do not know our God.

You are lost, dead, without life toward God or concern for your souls. You are utterly lost, without God, without life, without Christ, and without hope. You are constantly on my heart, too. I have sought a message from God that might minister life, grace, salvation, and peace to you.

God has given me the message! If He will enable me to deliver it by the power of His Spirit, I have a message from God that will meet your soul’s need.

The title of my message tonight is Heaven on Earth. We who believe live in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before the world began. We hope to go to heaven when we die. We hope to spend eternity with Christ in heaven. But sometimes that seems like a far distant hope, doesn’t it? It seems to be so far removed from the here and now.

Like Israel in the wilderness, we cannot see the glory, beauty, and fullness of the promised land for two reasons: enemies without and unbelief within. Until enemies are subdued and the unbelief is removed, we cannot enter into our rest. Tonight, if God will enable me, I want to both subdue those enemies and remove that unbelief by the gospel, so that you who hear my voice may know and enjoy heaven on earth.

Proposition: Heaven is our eternal inheritance, purchased and obtained for us by the blood of Christ (“In whom we have obtained an inheritance!”); but he has given the earnest of that inheritance by the Spirit of grace in the new birth (Eph. 1:11, 13-14)[1].

The Jews have a legend. They tell us that during the days of famine in Canaan, Joseph ordered his officers to throw cartloads of wheat and chaff into the Nile River, so that all the people who lived below the Nile might see that there was great abundance in the land of Egypt. I place no stock in Jewish legends, but I do know this—Christ, our great Joseph, throws the bountiful grace of heaven into the river of life, so that his people on earth might taste, and tasting it, desire more, and seek those things which are above.

(Hebrews 12:18-24) "For” (That is to say, Lift up those hands, strengthen those feeble knees, go on, go on my brother, ‘for’ the prize is near and it is sure!) “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: (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: (21) And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:) (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."

Divisions: If you belong to God, if you are one of those who come to God by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, here are nine heavenly blessings that belong to you now. Oh, you will never enter into the fullness of them until you have dropped this robe of flesh, but they are yours to enjoy right now as much as they shall be when you are seated before the throne of God and of the Lamb.

1. Complete freedom from the curse and terror of the law (vv. 18-21).

2. The enjoyment of free access to God (v. 22).

3. The privilege of heavenly citizenship (v. 22).

4. The companionship of the angels of God (v. 22).

5. The spiritual wealth of adoption into the family of God (v. 23).

6. The defense and protection of God’s holy throne (v. 23).

7. The company and fellowship of glorified saints (v. 23).

8. The personal care and mediation of the Lord Jesus Christ (v. 24).

9. Full, irrevocable salvation through Christ’s precious blood (v. 24).

I. Having come to the Lord Jesus Christ by faith, we now enjoy the blessed privilege of complete freedom from the curse and terror of God’s holy law (vv. 18-21).

(Hebrews 12:18-21) "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: (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: (21) And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:)"

Paul states it emphatically, “Ye are not come to Mt. Sinai.” Thank God, we now have nothing to do with the law. That horrible, black, fiery mountain issued demands we could not fulfill, threatened wrath we could not endure, and exposed sin we could not remove. But Christ fulfilled the law for us. And now we are free (Rom. 7:4; 10:4)[2].

NOTE: That mountain might be touched. But to touch it meant certain death!

The Lord Jesus Christ fulfilled the righteousness of the law for us by his obedience to God as our representative (Rom. 3:19)[3]. And Christ satisfied the penalty of the law by his death as our Substitute, redeeming us from its curse (Gal. 3:13-14)[4], and now the righteousness of the law if fulfilled in us by faith in Christ (Rom. 8:4; 3:28)[5].

We are right now as completely free from the law of God as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob!

II. In Christ Jesus, we now have the enjoyment of free access to God (v. 22).

(Hebrews 12:22) "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."

Mt. Zion was the hill on which the temple was built. There alone God was seen, heard, revealed, and known. There alone could men approach God on the mercy-seat, through a priest, by the blood of an animal sacrifice.

But now, we are the temple of God (1 Cor. 3:16; Matt. 18-20). Christ is our Priest, our Mercy-Seat, and our Sacrifice. And we are as free to approach God in Christ as the saints in heaven (Heb. 10:19-22)[6].

A. Right now we have free access to God (Heb. 4:16).

B. We enjoy the perpetual presence of God (John 14:23).

C. We are perfectly accepted by God (Eph. 1:6).

III. You and I, believing on the Lord Jesus Christ, possess the privilege of heavenly citizenship.

(Hebrews 12:22) "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."

“Ye are come unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem.” Our citizenship is in heaven, from whence we look for the Savior.

I am like an American traveling through Europe. I stop along the way, enjoy the sights, eat the food, smell the flowers, and learn from the history. But my purpose is to return home soon.

· I want to behave so that I bring no reproach upon my homeland.

· But I do not, must not, set my heart upon anything along the way.

· And I do not, must not, let the affairs of the strange land disturb my greatly.

IV. Are you a child of God? Do you trust Christ? If so, you have come into the companionship of the angels of God (v. 22).

(Hebrews 12:22) "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."

I don’t pretend to know much about the angels of God, but I do know some things.

A. There’s a whole bunch of them – “innumerable.”

B. They are all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister to them who are the heirs of salvation.

C. The Lord has given his angels charge over you to protect you.

D. “The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him.— Some are here tonight!

E. The angels of God attend the saints in death and carry them home to glory.—(Elijah).

F. The angels of God will gather his elect from the four corners of the earth in the last day.

V. In Christ every believer possesses all the spiritual wealth of adoption into the family of God (v. 23).

· In God’s family all the sons are firstborn sons.

· Our names were written in heaven before the world began (1 John 3:1-2).

(Hebrews 12:23) "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."

(1 John 3:1-2) "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. (2) Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is."

Illustration: Johnny’s #60

VI. Every believer is safe and secure, because we have come under the defense and protection of God’s holy throne (v. 23). “To God the Judge of all.”

(Hebrews 12:23) "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."

· God has judged our sins in Christ, and declares now that we are not subject to condemnation (Rom. 8:1; 33-34).

(Romans 8:1) "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."

(Romans 8:33-34) "Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. (34) Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us."

· And God is our Judge in all things.

· He will “plead my cause.”

· He will “undertake for me.”

VII. Being united to Christ by faith, we are brought into the company of glorified saints (v. 23).

(Hebrews 12:23) "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."

I can’t say much about our glorified brethren. But this much we know—

· They are our brethren in the body of Christ.

· They worship before the throne just like we do, only perfectly.

· They rejoice before God every time one of God’s elect are saved (Lk. 16:6, 7, 10).

· They are very interested in those of us who are not yet made perfect (Heb. 12:1).

VIII. You and I who believe are the objects of the personal care and mediation of the Lord Jesus Christ (v. 24).

(Hebrews 12:24) "And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel."

“Ye are come to…Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant.”

· “Jesus” – Savior (Matt. 1:21).

· “Mediator” – Daysman, Advocate, Surety (1 Tim. 2:5).

· “New Covenant” – Ordered in all things and sure (Heb. 8, 10).

IX. And, believing on the Lord Jesus Christ, we have right now, as surely as the saints in heaven, full, irrevocable salvation through Christ’s precious blood (v. 24).

(Hebrews 12:24) "And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel."

“Ye are come to…the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than that of Abel.”

For what does the blood of Christ speak? Does it speak for:

· Forgiveness? Then we are forgiven.

· Justification? Then we are justified.

· Sanctification? Then we are sanctified.

· Glorification? Then we have promise of that too.

· Life? Then we have life!

Application: Let these things comfort, strengthen, and sustain you in the midst of your heartache and toil (vv. 12-14).

(Hebrews 12:12-14) "Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; (13) And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. (14) Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:"

“See that you refuse not him that speaketh” (v. 25).

[1] (Ephesians 1:11) "In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:"

(Ephesians 1:13-14) "In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, (14) Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory."

[2] (Romans 7:4) "Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God."

(Romans 10:4) "For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth."

[3] (Romans 3:19) "Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God."

[4] (Galatians 3:13-14) "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: (14) That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith."

[5] (Romans 8:4) "That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."

(Romans 3:28) "Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law."

[6] (Hebrews 10:19-22) "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, (20) By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; (21) And having an high priest over the house of God; (22) Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water."