SUBJ: The greater consequence of
refusing to hear Christ and the blood that speaketh better things than
that of Abel.
AIM: That we might grow in our
consciousness of the awful power of God so that we might better know and
cling to His grace.
INTR: While the absolutes of the
Old Testament were evident, those concerning Christ are infinitely more
so. God has not departed from His holiness. 1. Remember that the
blood of Christ speaks better things than that of Abel. 2. While many
have trodden under foot the Son of God it is not without consequence.
See Hebrews 10:29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be
thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath
counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an
unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? 3. We
may truly delight in knowing and experiencing the fear of God in that we
know that we are delivered from the wrath to come.
THESIS: The message of the Gospel is
all about Christ Jesus our Lord. To refuse Him that speaketh is to fly
in the face of all that God holds dear.
I. That ye refuse not…
(vv. 25-26) 1. A most powerful warning is forthcoming and we must
bear witness to it. 2. We are given a reminder of what took place at
Sinai and the things that followed (Acts 7:39 To whom our fathers would
not obey, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back
again into Egypt,) 3. The message of Christ is more emphatic as
witnessed by what we see. 1) What was required by God was shown in
the life of Christ – He showed us what to do! 2) In what He did to
Christ – (There was no mercy shown) Jesus neither asked nor received
mercy
4. The voice from Heaven 1) The acknowledgment of His
Son and the attention that is to be drawn to Him – “…hear ye Him…” From
the Mount of Transfiguration. 2) The divine confirmation and approval
seen in His Word and His works. 5. The earth was then shaken
(especially in the immediate area) 6. But Heaven is now included. See
Haggai 2:6 For thus saith the LORD of hosts; Yet once, it is a little
while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the
dry land; 1) With the coming of Christ all human institution and
heaven itself was shaken. 2) There seems to be a certain looking to
the future and the conflagration to come
II. The significance of
things being shaken (vv. 27-28) 1. There are things to be shaken and
moved: 4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty
through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5 Casting down
imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the
knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the
obedience of Christ; 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 1) The whole system of
offerings in the Old Testament and we note the ultimate destruction that
came in 70 A.D. 2) The human elements of pride, self righteousness,
human invention 2. Consider here 1 Corinthians 3:13 Every man's work
shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall
be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what
sort it is. 3. Grace, faith, justification and sanctification are
among those things which remain 4. In fact we have an unmovable
Kingdom (note various references and applications of Kingdom in the
present. 5. The thought then is that we should be “having grace” and
holding fast to it (see marg.) 6. It is then by grace that we serve:
1) With reverence or shamefacedness toward God. 2) With Godly fear in
that we move with caution in that we know Who He is.
III. A
consuming fire (v. 29) 1. This quote is from Deuteronomy 4:24 For the
LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God. 2. We connect
this thought with Hebrews 10:31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the
hands of the living God. 3. The same thought that will horrify the
world is precious to those who trust in Christ our Lord. 1) Because
we see that we are saved because He consumed Christ 2) And, He
consumes undesirable things in us and for this we pray 3)
Furthermore, He consumes all those things that oppose and we see the
witness of this in such examples as Nadab and Abihu.
1. We must
come – And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. John 5:40
and compare John 6:37 and 7:37. 2. To a heavenly citizenship and a
relationship to those therein. 1) The heavenly dwelling place of the
King. 2) The city of the Living God (which Abraham sought) 3) The
heavenly Jerusalem (Consider that two mounts were there. The Temple
Mount and Mount Zion to the south. 4) And to innumerable Angels in
association and mutual delight in the King. 3. To an association with
the redeemed 1) To a union with the elect of God – “Written in
Heaven” – past, present and future. 2) To God as the judge of all –
He is the righteous judge to whom we are reconciled and may approach.
3) The spirits of just men made perfect – We are identified with those
who have been made perfect and sanctified in Christ. 4. To Jesus and
His blood 1) The mediator of the New Covenant is “Jesus,” his given
name i. Since He mediated as a man His personal name is used ii.
The New Covenant is of grace and meets the needs that Old Covenant could
not. 2) The blood of sprinkling i. His blood is shed in saving us
ii. It is sprinkled in application for us in application of all its
virtues and benefits to us. AWP 3) Better than that of Abel i.
Abel’s blood cried for vengeance, Christ’s for reconciliation ii.
Abel was a martyr and his blood cried out for that which was good in him
– Christ’s was better because of His perfect innocence. AWP iii.
Abel’s blood cried from the ground. The blood of Christ still speaks in
heaven. AWP
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