Faith for Discouraging Times | Hebrews 12:18-29

Faith for Discouraging Times with Pastor Mike Taylor

Hebrews 12:18-29

Sunday, July 24th

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1.) Approach God with Boldness!

• Mt. Sinai is a picture of God’s holiness and might.
• Mt. Zion is a picture of God’s mercy and grace.

Hebrews 4:16  ^“So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.”

The benefits of Mt. Zion

1. We are in a relationship with God.
2. A picture of worship .
3. We have eternal salvation.
4. We are accepted by God.
5. Our loved ones are in heaven.
6. Jesus has defeated sin, death and the devil.
7. We are forgiven of all our sins.

Four viewpoints of End Times:

1. Amillenialism – No Millenium
2. Postmillennialism – World will improve
3. Premillennialism – Traditional Christian view
4. Dispensationalism – Church raptured before the Tribulation 

Revelation 20:4 “Then I saw thrones, and the people sitting on them had been given the authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony about Jesus and for proclaiming the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his statue, nor accepted his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They all came to life again, and they reigned with Christ for a thousand years.”

2.) Listen to God

Hebrews 12:25 “Be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the One who is speaking. For if the people of Israel did not escape when they refused to listen to Moses, the earthly messenger, we will certainly not escape if we reject the One who speaks to us from heaven!”

Word meanings:

1. Be careful – this is a warning and it means to pay close attention, to discern mentally, observe, perceive, discover, understand.
2. Do not refuse – means don’t choose to ignore or reject any of God’s Words to you …
3. Who is speaking – Notice that God is presently speaking.

John 10:27 “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.”

3.) Hold on to Jesus

Hebrews 12:26-27 “When God spoke from Mount Sinai his voice shook the earth, but now he makes another promise: “Once again I will shake not only the earth but the heavens also.”^[a] 27 This means that all of creation will be shaken and removed, so that only unshakable things will remain.”

Haggai 2:6-7 “For this is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: In just a little while I will again shake the heavens and the earth, the oceans and the dry land. ⁷ I will shake all the nations, and the treasures of all the nations will be brought to this Temple. I will fill this place with glory, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.”

Isaiah 13:13 “For I will shake the heavens. The earth will move from its place when the Lord of Heaven’s Armies displays his wrath in the day of his fierce anger.”

Hebrews 12:1-2 “…let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.  We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.”

4.) Serve the Lord

Hebrews 12:28-29 “Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe. For our God is a devouring fire.”

Application:

1. Cast your burdens upon the Lord
2. Be bold in your faith
3. Trust God for His way to deal with injustices
4. Believe the Gospel
5. Serve