Hebrews 12.5 overview

Grace and Life - What a name!

Life (Zoe) without Grace (Charis) would not, in my opinion, be worth living.  Jesus came to give us life- abundant life. He poured this Life of Spirit into His own so we can pour out His person to a dying and lost world. 

Tomorrow evening (Monday) I conclude my teaching from Hebrews in the Psalm 19 Institute of Biblical Studies (www.psalm19ministries.org).  We are beginning the night half way through chapter 12, starting at verse 18.

(18) "For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and the darkness, and tempest, (19) and the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words.....(22) But ye are come unto mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels." (KJV)

This is the final comparison/contrast that the writer is using to provide the 'finale' to this awesome book describing how much better the New Covenant is than the Old one was. This is not just another statement telling us that we are no longer under the Law of Moses, it is that and more. The chapter ends with these two verses:

(28) "Wherefore we receiving a Kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: (29) for our God is a consuming fire."  (KJV)

There is a warning here for those of us seeking this heavenly Kingdom that echoes the warning from chapter 4: don't miss this! Don't be like those that come only so far and then fall short. Complete the race!!  

How sad it is to me that we, believers, settle for a covenantally confused Gospel. We mouth Grace and live Law. We are trying so hard to be acceptable to God, that we miss the fact that our Lord has MADE US that way. (Ephesians 1:4)  Our serving is out of obligation- a trying to make Daddy God happy with us and therefore He may give me something better than what I have.

The warnings in Hebrews are not to scare us into a relationship with Jesus- this is a book written to believers. These warnings are to motivate and encourage us to continue beyond the basics (Hebrews 6) into the fullness of what we have been given. Our inheritance is rich, full and BETTER than anything ever seen before.

It is out of the BETTER we then can serve acceptably. It is not by rote, obligatory or reluctant obedience that Jesus is seen. Rather, it is a joy expressed, grace filled, power flowing LIFE submerged in His Word and Presence that expresses the New Covenant- the New Jerusalem- the New, the Better....

O Lord, I crave more of You flowing out of me. As I study, converse with You (pray), and hang out with You, I trust that I will continue to be transformed from glory to glory as Your Word has promised. Thank you for your mercy and patience with me- thank You for Your Grace that continues to train me. You are awesome!! Amen.

Grace and Life in Jesus!