Join me in prayer, please. Father, as we come to you this morning, and as we open up your word, we just pray, Lord, that you would speak to us, that you'd continue to sanctify us, that we might continue to surrender our life to you. In Jesus' name, amen. We are still in Hebrews chapter 12, and we have been contrasting the Old versus the new. And that's where we are again this morning. And if you will, turn with me in your Bibles to Hebrews chapter 12. And we're going to start at 18, even though we've already studied 18 through 21, but it gives us the proper context this morning. So read along with me in Hebrews 12, starting in the 18th verse. For you have not come to that mountain that may be touched and that burned with fire into blackness. and darkness, and tempest, and the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words, so that those who heard it begged that the word should not be spoken to them anymore. For they could not endure what was commanded. And if so much a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned or shot with an arrow. And so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, I am exceedingly afraid and trembling." But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly in church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God, the judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant and the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel. We've already studied the significance of Mount Sinai and what Mount Sinai symbolizes in the law. And if you remember, while we said that Mount Sinai was a significant place of remembrance for those first generation Hebrews, it was also a terrifying place. And it symbolizes what the law does. The law leaves one terrified. The law leaves one feeling inadequate, that we come up short. The law also points out that there is a great divide between unrighteous man and a holy, omnipotent God. But that feeling of inadequacy, that idea that we are always going to fall short in our own righteousness, in our own life, in our own moral code, this has a purpose. The law does have a purpose, as I pointed out in Galatians 3, verse 24, which reads, therefore, the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ that we might be justified by faith, but after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. The law pointing out our inability to save ourselves points us to Jesus. And just as under the New Covenant, you and I look to Christ when the law is preached, when the holiness of God is preached, even in the Old Testament, the Old Testament saints longed for a Messiah where they might have life. This is where we find ourselves today that Christ gives us a remarkable contrast between the new covenant and Mount Sinai. And the writer of Hebrews is pointing out this contrast in verse 22, when he changes from the old to the new, and he says, but you have come to Mount Zion in the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. And before we get much further, I want to point out we're not talking about the Jerusalem of today here on earth where you and I can go and catch an airplane and go visit. We're not talking about that Jerusalem. We're talking about God's heavenly abode. That's what's referenced here, the heavenly Jerusalem, not the earthly Jerusalem. The heavenly Zion, not the earthly Zion. Psalm 132, verses 13 and 14, the psalmist wrote, For the Lord has chosen Zion. He has desired it for His dwelling place. This is my resting place forever. Here I dwell, for I have desired it. Well, this world's gonna get burned up, isn't it, at the end of time? And so he's not talking about an earthly dwelling place. He says, this is my resting place forever. This is heavenly Jerusalem and heavenly Zion. And this is where we come to when we come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. We come to the heavenly Jerusalem. Just as the Hebrews found themselves standing at the base of Mount Sinai, you and I stand and look and meet God in the heavenly Jerusalem. So what should be our attitude about this place? I think that's a very appropriate question since the writer of Hebrews pointed out the attitude of the Hebrews as they were at the base of Mount Sinai. They were scared to death, weren't they? They were trembling. It was a place of fear. So what's our attitude about the heavenly abode? Well, first of all, it should be pointed out that God's heavenly place is also a home for us. It's a home. Ephesians 2.19 says, now therefore you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God. It's our home. That's how we should look at heavenly Jerusalem and heavenly Mount Zion. While the Hebrews were afraid at Mount Sinai, you and I look at the heavenly abode as our home. John 14, starting in verse 1, Jesus said this, Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go, you know, in the way you know." You and I have a home. We have a home in the heavenly abode, and that's what we long for. That's what our hope is in. It's a wonderful place, and you and I as believers should long for heaven. should long for heaven. It is a place. But it's not just a place for where we spend eternity. It's where we meet God. You and I meet God in our home. Just as the Hebrews met God at Mount Sinai, you and I meet God as He is in the heavenly Jerusalem. Not only is it a home, but it also is a place of grace. And as I was working on my sermon this morning, I thought of another verse in regards to this idea that the heavenly abode is a place of grace. Turn with me to Romans chapter 8, and we're going to look at verse 15, Romans 8, 15. It reads, for you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, that you receive the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, Abba, Father. The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. And if children, then heirs, heirs of God, and join heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. It is a place of grace in the fact that we do not need to fear As believers of Jesus Christ, we do not need to fear. Now, as a brief aside, you may be sitting there saying, well, you just preached on the chastisement of God. And that is true. And I did preach on the chastisement of God as we've been going through Hebrews. And God does chastise us. And just as I never wanted to be chastised from my earthly father, I sure don't want to be chastised from my heavenly father. But we're talking about judgment here, aren't we? I can't be cast out as a believer and you can't be cast out of heaven. We're joint heirs. We're in Christ. I may have to suffer temporarily here on this earth through chastisement if I get off of God's path. But as a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, that doesn't change my final destination, does it? And so it's a place of grace. Heaven is a place of grace. Hebrews 4 Verse 14 says, seeing then that we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the son of God, let us hold fast our confession for we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. So as a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, as we live out our life here on this earth, as we walk with Christ, as we walk in Christ in our everyday task, you and I can approach God and meet God. We're at the throne of grace. Sometimes believers get this idea of God and it's really an idea of legalism and they live this life of fear. You don't have to be afraid of God. God loves us and He cares for us. And we meet Him at the throne of grace. That's what the heavenly Jerusalem and heavenly Zion is all about. So think about the contrast there as we think about all of the foreboding images that you saw earlier. This idea of Mount Sinai being black, being covered in smoke, the lightning, the thunder, the image of an awesome God that evoked the fear in the Hebrews. You may say, well, did God change His mind? No, God didn't change His mind. The difference is, is you and I have the blood covering of Jesus Christ. As we turn to Revelation and as we think about and we see those images of the unsaved standing before a holy, righteous God, they're still afraid, aren't they? They still see God and they're afraid because there's still a debt to be paid, isn't there? But you and I don't have that debt to be paid. We have a Savior, and that Savior is a Savior of grace. And upon the cross, He took all of the wrath that was meant for you and me, and He bore it upon Himself. And because Christ bore our sin debt, you and I do not have to fear God, but we can approach the throne boldly. That's what our verse says. We can approach it boldly. Not only is it a place of grace, but it also is a place of freedom. And I think this is very important as we think about what God and His heaven is all about. If you'll turn with me to Galatians 4, starting in verse 21. Paul wrote this. He said, tell me. You who desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondwoman, the other by a free woman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and he of the free woman through the promise, which things are symbolic. For there are the two covenants, the one from Mount Sinai, which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar. For this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to Jerusalem, which now is and is in the bondage with her children. But the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all. Now, what does this mean that heaven is a free place? And unfortunately, some people's idea of Christianity is that Jesus Christ paid their sin debt and now they're free to do whatever they want. And their view of God is this kind of a doting grandpa that just indulges us and understands that we can go and sin at will. That's not the idea of the God of Scripture. And we need to get that out of our heads because that's not what salvation's about. So what does it mean that God is a God of liberty or a God of freedom? Well, you got to look back at the original creation story. What did God create man for? Did God create man so that he could sin at will and do whatever he wanted? No, he was created in perfection, wasn't he? And as we serve our Creator, we serve a holy and righteous Creator. And so if Jerusalem above is free, what does that mean? We'll turn to 2 Corinthians 3, starting in verse 16. It says, nevertheless, when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the spirit and where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. There's liberty. So let's stop right there just for a moment. So what does that liberty mean? Does that liberty mean I can do what I want? Well, look at verse 18, it gives you the answer. But we all with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror, the glory of the Lord are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the spirit of the Lord. Liberty isn't doing what we wanna do when we wanna do it, Liberty is the freedom from sin. Liberty gives us the ability to live the holy life that God has designed us for through the power of God and through the indwelling of the Spirit. That's my liberty. That's your liberty. Before Christ, it was impossible for you and I to desire the things of God, to want the things of God, to live according to the rules and laws of God. Liberty allows us to do that. So when you and I meet God, when we meet God in heaven, as we approach God, as we approach His throne of grace with boldness, It's to interact with the holy and righteous God as He continues to transform our lives so we are sanctified as He moves us into His image, as He shapes us and molds us. He's the potter and we're the clay, right? The clay doesn't design itself. We're being molded and shaped according to the power of God. It's a place of freedom, and that freedom isn't the freedom to sin. That freedom is the freedom to live a holy and righteous life. See, that should be our aim. We seek to please the Lord, is that we live that holy and righteous life, that we start looking more and more like God. God didn't design us and save us just to indulge us in our own will. We should be asking God, what do you want me to do? At this stage in my life, what do you want me to do? What is your will for me in my life? Unfortunately, a lot of times people have God at the last of the list. When all else fails, then they'll approach God. After they see their life falling apart, then they ask God, God, what do you want me to do? But that should be the first thing. Have you ever had a well-meaning friend steer you wrong? We've all had that, haven't we? Where we ask somebody, what do you think I should do? And you get the worst possible advice. God doesn't do that, does He? We should rest and seek the will of God. We're free to do so. It has been bought and paid for by the blood of Jesus Christ. You and I are able to go before His throne with boldness, not because of our own self-righteousness, but because of the blood of Jesus. And just as the Hebrews stood at the base of Mount Sinai and said, I'm not going up there. Moses, you go for us. We don't have to do that. Because Jesus paid the debt. You and I have the freedom to go into the throne room of heaven at this very moment and ask God for His direction for our life. We have the ability to do that right now. We should be doing that every single day as we approach God. We are free to do so. Well, the heavenly abode also is a place of worship. If you will, turn with me to Revelation chapter 4 and look at verse 9. It says, Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, The 24 elders fall down, that's the church, the 24 elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worships Him who lives forever and ever and casts their crowns before the throne saying, you are worthy, oh Lord, to receive glory and honor and power for you created all things and by your will they exist and were created. I think that this idea of worship is being greatly diminished in the modern day church. See, we should be about worship on Sunday mornings as we come together. Because when you look here in Revelations, that's what's going on in heaven, right? Revelation is worship. That's what's going to be going on for eternity is worship. Contrast that with a lot of modern churches, which is basically to paraphrase, God, what are you going to give me? God, I want health. God, I want wealth. I want this. I want that. Feed me. That's not what heaven's about. Think about this. Jesus Christ, right now, after He ascended into heaven, He ascended to the right hand of the Father and He sat down. He's on His throne. So think about this. When you pray to the Lord, your prayer doesn't stop here at the ceiling, does it? It goes into the throne room of heaven. Your prayers right now go into the throne room of heaven and are heard not only by God Himself, but the Holy Spirit is interceding for you. And praise God, He's praying for the things that you should be praying for and the things that I should be praying for. Our interaction with God, and that's why it's important to have this idea of a heavenly Jerusalem, our interaction with God takes place in heaven. And heaven is about worship. We should be a worshipful people. We see in Revelation where worship continues. It's not about us, it's about God. The quicker we realize that we have been saved for the praise of His glory, you and I will reorder our life and say, God, how do you want me to glorify you? How do you want me to glorify you? That's worship, isn't it? When we reorder our life and say, I want to worship God through my life. I want to exalt Him through my life. I want to make sure that I'm glorifying God because He redeemed me. Heaven's about worship. We meet Him. We should approach Him in a worshipful attitude. I said before that sometimes I think that we've become way too familiar and have this misconception of who God is. You cannot read those verses in Revelation without recognizing that we approach Him in Revelation in a worshipful attitude. It says the 24 elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him. I've told this story before. I remember when I was a kid, I was running through church. Me and a couple of boys were horsing around. And this lady that knew me, she reached out and grabbed my ear. You know, nothing will stop you quicker than somebody grabbing your ear. She looked at me and she goes, quit running in the sanctuary. To which I replied, yes, ma'am. And I quit running in the sanctuary. We've had a huge change in attitude in churches in this country over the last 20, 30, 40 years. Now, while this is a building, yes, and people say, oh, the church is just like any other building, I disagree with that. Because what this building represents is we come together and we worship God on Sunday. It's not equivalent to the local convenience store or a shopping mall. There's something different about this place. And you and I should come with a worshipful attitude. There should be a reverence. There should be a reverence about this place. And it should just reflect our heart. You know, everything that we do externally just reflects our heart, doesn't it? And we should be about worshiping the Lord and having a worshipful attitude because that's what heaven's about. Lastly, the heavenly Jerusalem in Zion, it is a homeland. Hebrews 11 verse 13, when talking about all of those who were in the hall of faith chapter, it says, these all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, were assured of them, embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers in pilgrims on the earth. Those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. And truly, if they had called to mine that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return, but now they desire a better. That is a heavenly country. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them. As we approach God and as we look at heaven as our ultimate destination and the place where we are currently meeting God when we pray and when we worship Him, you and I should, as the song say, long for a country. It's a homeland. Now, what I mean by that is it is a country apart from itself. And I long for that. We should recognize that right now, we should look at our lives as pilgrims and sojourners. If you've ever traveled to a foreign country, you recognize real quick that the culture's different. Culture's different, language's different, money's different, everything's different. Different attitudes, different social norms. You and I should feel like we're in a different country. that as we live in a culture that does not respect the things of God, does not honor the things of God, and quite frankly hates the things of God, you and I should feel like a fish out of water. That's normal. If you and I feel at home in this society, I'm going to tell you right now, something's wrong. We are sojourners. We are pilgrims. We are different people. As believers, we should think different. It's a homeland, and the wonderful great thing about that homeland is when we all get there, guess what? We're all believers. We're all believers. We're all redeemed. We will all be glorified in our perfected state. We will surround the throne of God. Everything will be right. There's no more tears, there's no more crying, there's no more sickness. We should long for that. And as we petition God and as we serve Him in this life, we know that this is our final destination in place. I love what Owen said regarding these particular verses. He said, whilst men are under the law, they are at Sinai. in a wilderness where is none of these things. The souls of sinners can find no place of rest or safety under the law, but we have all these things by the gospel. Rest in Christ, peace with God, order in the communion of faith, safety in divine protection, and honor in our relation to God in Christ. Heaven for us has been bought and paid for by the blood of Jesus Christ. We should always recognize that for what it is and give Him the glory and honor in all things. Will you join me in prayer? Father, we just thank You this morning that we can approach Your throne of grace boldly, that we can worship You without fear, that we can approach You. And I just pray, Lord, that we would recognize what a wonderful privilege that is. I pray, Lord, that we might all seek You daily, not just on Sundays, that we'd seek Your guidance, we'd search for Your will and Your Word. that we would reorder our lives to truly be followers of Christ. In Jesus' name, amen.