Studies in Hebrews
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The Mountain of God
Heb. 12:17-29
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April 6, 2014
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Cornerstone Baptist Church
315 Shoup Ave. West Twin Falls Id 83301
208.733.5312 cbctwinfalls.com
Pastor Bruce Carlson
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Introduction:
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Heb 10:38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back,
my soul shall have no pleasure in him. Heb 10:39 But we are not of
them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the
saving of the soul.
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Hebrews 11 gives the example that though the nation of Israel did draw back
there are many who did not draw back and through faith and surrender
went on to victory. They are people from all different backgrounds and
cultures. They found victory! God records them as living testimonies of
Himself in this world.
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Hebrews 12 now challenges them to lay aside the weights and sin that easily
besets them (unbelief) and move forward in victory. The command is to
look to Jesus in verse 2 “the author and finisher of our faith.” We are then
reminded of the chastening of the Lord and his desire to purify us through
opportunities to walk in faith and surrender to the Lord’s will for our lives.
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Hebrews 12:15 commands us to “Look diligently” to maintain dependence
upon the grace of God protecting us from a false perception of the God’s
allowances in our life. Allowances designed to exercise our faith to
produce the peaceable fruit of righteousness yet if not perceived through
the eyes of grace make us prone to bitterness and serious destruction.
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Hebrews 12:16 now lists the example of Esau who seems to be more honest
than Jacob yet a man who despises the blessing of God. His birthright
would have allowed him: 1) Spiritual headship of the family. 2) The
covenant blessing of Abraham. 3) A double portion of the family
inheritance. Esau sold these for a temporal relief of a momentary problem
of hunger. He desired physical comfort more than the blessing of God.
He rejected God’s promise for a bowl of lentils. He exchanged the
permanent for the temporary. The spiritual for the physical and became a
recorded example of the fruit of bitterness. When he sought the change of
mind of his father there was no change he had forfeited the opportunity.
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The connecting point is now that those whom the Book of Hebrews is written
to are considering drawing back to Judaism (the law) rejecting the blessing
and privileges of God and the Lord wants them to understand how foolish
and futile that really would be. We live in a day where it seems many
draw back (kadesh barnea) then try and jump start the empty life and find
it incredibly difficult if not impossible (Esau) and die in the wilderness.
Pastor Burnout by the Numbers
According to the New York Times (August 1, 2010)
"Members of the clergy now suffer from obesity, hypertension and depression at rates
higher than most Americans. In the last decade, their use of antidepressants has risen, while
their life expectancy has fallen. Many would change jobs if they could."
• 13% of active pastors are divorced.
• 23% have been fired or pressured to resign at least once in their careers.
• 25% don't know where to turn when they have a family or personal conflict or issue.
• 25% of pastors' wives see their husband's work schedule as a source of conflict.
• 33% felt burned out within their first five years of ministry.
• 33% say that being in ministry is an outright hazard to their family.
• 40% of pastors and 47% of spouses are suffering from burnout, frantic schedules,
and/or unrealistic expectations.
• 45% of pastors' wives say the greatest danger to them and their family is physical,
emotional, mental, and spiritual burnout.
• Though I can find no specific statistics (I'm sure they are out there), the pastorate is
seeing a significant rise in the number of female pastors.
• 45% of pastors say that they've experienced depression or burnout to the extent that
they needed to take a leave of absence from ministry.
• 50% feel unable to meet the needs of the job.
• 52% of pastors say they and their spouses believe that being in pastoral ministry is
hazardous to their family's well-being and health.
• 56% of pastors' wives say that they have no close friends.
• 57% would leave the pastorate if they had somewhere else to go or some other
vocation they could do.
• 70% don't have any close friends.
• 75% report severe stress causing anguish, worry, bewilderment, anger, depression,
fear, and alienation.
• 80% of pastors say they have insufficient time with their spouse.
• 80% believe that pastoral ministry affects their families negatively.
• 90% feel unqualified or poorly prepared for ministry.
• 90% work more than 50 hours a week.
• 94% feel under pressure to have a perfect family.
• 1,500 pastors leave their ministries each month due to burnout, conflict, or moral
failure.
• Doctors, lawyers and clergy have the most problems with drug abuse, alcoholism and
suicide.
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For example:
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1. Contrast of Mountains. Exodus 19:10-25
Exo 20:18 And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and
the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people
saw it, they removed, and stood afar off. Exo 20:19 And they said unto
Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with
us, lest we die. Exo 20:20 And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for
God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that
ye sin not. Exo 20:21 And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near
unto the thick darkness where God was.
a. An untouchable mountain.
i. Described
1. untouchable mountain.
2.A fiery mountain.
3.A dark mountain.
a. Darkness: darkness 1a) of night darkness;
1b) of darkened eyesight or blindness
4.A stormy mountain.
ii.Heard
1.A trumpet.
2.A fearful voice.
a. Noise
b.Words
iii.Caused trembling
1.No beast could touch.
2.No man could touch.
3.Moses feared and quaked.
a. Burning bush.
b.Before Pharaoh
c. Red sea.
d.This mediator feared and trembled.
b.Mount Sion
i. Described
1.City of the living God.
2.The heavenly Jerusalem.
3.The innumerable company of angels.
4.The General assembly.
5.The church of the first born.
a. Written in heaven
6.God the Judge.
7.Spirits of just men made perfect.
8.Jesus the Mediator of the covenant.
a. This mediator operated in power and
authority.
9.The blood of sprinkling.
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2.Command of the Master.
a. Do not refuse his word.
b.No escape.
i. From chastening.
1.Heb 12:10 For they verily for a few days
chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for
our profit, that we might be partakers of his
holiness.
ii.From Hell.
1.Pro 27:20 Hell and destruction are never full; so
the eyes of man are never satisfied.
c. Only the eternal will last. Vs. 27
d.Grace is the answer
i. Reverence: faith
ii.Godly fear: surrender
Conclusion:
It is a fearful thing to refuse to hear God. We seem to think it nothing
in the age of grace to resist exercising grace to accomplish the will of
God. We live for our ease and comfort like Esau and exchange the
promise of God for lentils and expect God to continue blessing and
rewarding us. Our God is a consuming fire. If we neglect Mount Sion
is it not even a greater sin than rejecting the untouchable mountain. We
have been invited near unto God dare we reject Him.