Which Mountain Are You Running To?
Heb 12:1-29
June 23, 2019
I. A THREE PART calling. (12:1-3)
A. THROW off whatever HINDERS. (v.1)
1. MAKE conscious CHOICES. (v.14-17)
B. RUN with PERSEVERANCE. (v.1)
1. Reframe STRUGGLE and DIFFICULTY. (v.4-13)
C. FIXING our eyes on JESUS. (v.2-3)
1. SEEING the bigger PICTURE. (V.18-29)
The first three verses of chapter 12 really form an outline for the whole chapter. These are well known verses, and today we want to look at not only what they mean, but how we actually live out what they are calling us to.
1. Kid’s Question: What are some things you could do to help yourself run faster in a race?
2. If you had to describe your life as the “race” when have you run best and when has been the most difficult? Why?
3. Of the “three parts” of the calling, which do you find most challenging and why?
II. A TALE of two MOUNTAINS… (v.18-24)
A. The old one of CONDEMNATION and FEAR. (v.18-21)
B. The new one of FORGIVENESS and WELCOME. (v.22-24)
Because this is written to Jewish followers of Jesus it is only fitting that the closing image of the chapter compares the mountain where Moses received the law with what the writer calls “Mt. Zion…the city of the living God.” There are a lot of differences between the two mountains.
4. How present is condemnation and fear in your own spiritual life? Why is that? Is that helpful? Biblical?
5. How does the description on v.22-24 impact you? What might God be saying to you about your own race in those words?
III. RUNNING toward the right MOUNTAIN. (v.25-29)
A. LISTEN to One SPEAKING. (v.25; v.14-17)
B. He will SHAKE off what we don’t THROW off. (v.26-27; v.4-13)
C. A posture of THANKFUL WORSHIP. (v.28-29; v.2-3)
The whole point of this book is to reflect on what our lives are being built on. The Jewish converts were reverting back to trust in the old practices instead of faith in Jesus and the promises that He has made to all of us. We also need to examine the underpinnings of our own lives and make sure that we are building on what is truly solid.
6. Have you had an experience when you felt God”spoke” to you? What was the result of that experience?
7. What area of your life is “shaking” right now? How does this text speak to your own experience?
8. “For our God is a consuming fire”. Is that a scary phrase or a comforting phrase? Why do you see it that way?