How Will You Climb That Last Mountain To A City On A Hill?
Good Morning Friends,
The letter to the Hebrews reads a lot like a sermon series. And, in chapter 12, we see a message on the Old Testament narrative where Moses came down the mountain with the Ten Commandments. The early Hebrew tribes were so frightened by the events that they asked Moses to pray that God would not speak directly to them. They asked that God communicate with Moses as an intermediary. And such is the beginning of the role of prophecy that was reconciled in Christ in a new covenant. So, when we worship and witness today, we are not to come to a Mount Sinai in our minds separated from God but to assemble at a mountain top celebration to spread the Gospel of repentance and healing to others. We have another mountain to climb. And that brings us to a very practical question for the Saints must be equipped. How Will You Climb That Last Mountain To A City On A Hill?
Scripture: When David’s time to die drew near, he charged his son Solomon, saying: “I am about to go the way of all the earth. Be strong, be courageous, and keep the charge of the Lord your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his ordinances, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, so that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn. Then the Lord will establish his word that he spoke concerning me: ‘If your heirs take heed to their way, to walk before me in faithfulness with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail you a successor on the throne of Israel.’ “Moreover you know also what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me, how he dealt with the two commanders of the armies of Israel, Abner son of Ner, and Amasa son of Jether, whom he murdered, retaliating in time of peace for blood that had been shed in war, and putting the blood of war on the belt around his waist, and on the sandals on his feet. Act therefore according to your wisdom, but do not let his gray head go down to Sheol in peace. Deal loyally, however, with the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be among those who eat at your table; for with such loyalty they met me when I fled from your brother Absalom. There is also with you Shimei son of Gera, the Benjaminite from Bahurim, who cursed me with a terrible curse on the day when I went to Mahanaim; but when he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I swore to him by the Lord, ‘I will not put you to death with the sword.’ Therefore do not hold him guiltless, for you are a wise man; you will know what you ought to do to him, and you must bring his gray head down with blood to Sheol.” Then David slept with his ancestors, and was buried in the city of David. The time that David reigned over Israel was forty years; he reigned seven years in Hebron, and thirty-three years in Jerusalem. So Solomon sat on the throne of his father David; and his kingdom was firmly established.
1 Kings 2:1-12 (NRSV)
You have not come to something that can be touched, a blazing fire, and darkness, and gloom, and a tempest, and the sound of a trumpet, and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that not another word be spoken to them. (For they could not endure the order that was given, “If even an animal touches the mountain, it shall be stoned to death.” Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I tremble with fear.”) But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
Hebrews 12:18-24 (NRSV)
He called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. He ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belts; but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics. He said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place. If any place will not welcome you and they refuse to hear you, as you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.” So they went out and proclaimed that all should repent. They cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.
Mark 6:7-13 (NRSV)
You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid.
Matthew 5:14 (NRSV)
Message: We all have mountains that we face in our lives. Some mountains are small and take very little effort to overcome, but then life throws us those mountains that we cannot even see the top of them let alone conquer them. We cannot do it alone. For some of us effective witnessing can be such a mountain. And part of the problem might just be that we are climbing the wrong mountain. The book of Hebrews gives us some profound images of mountains echoed from the Book of Exodus and the image of a shining City on a hill as a place of perfect worship in the heavenly Jerusalem. Interestingly, today’s Gospel selection points us in the direction of a mission of evangelism with Jesus and that is a mountain we cannot go around. Here we must stop playing at being the church and get serious about our assignments. The choice… it is either the blood of Abel, which demands vengeance, or the blood of Christ, which provides forgiveness. The rule of God’s grace and judgment cannot be deterred. The power and promises of the Word of God is assured, for we have been promised that the children of God shall dwell in eternal inheritance in that city atop mount Zion whose architect and builder is God. We are not alone in this search. Many seek this place so holy that it multiplies God’s glory in a brand-new dimension of love. Perhaps you have experienced this kind of worship. Perhaps you are ready to go to the mountain where the saints and angels gather. Perhaps you want to witness to Jesus on the throne. But are we approaching God boldly? Maybe the bold step God is leading us is to accept Christ. Maybe the step is submitting to God’s will. Maybe it is sharing our faith. Friends, there are some mountains God can guide us around but then there are some mountains we cannot ignore. Even the mountain of our own mortality.
And So, I guess that when my time comes, I will go much like how Jesus described the journey of the disciples with no bread, no bag, no money and limited clothing. However, before the final moments, it might be nice to share with family some last thoughts about the importance of love and wisdom and the Kingdom to come. In today’s text we see that David, on his death bed, offers some pretty practical advice to his son. But even though it is spiritual, for David did say to be courageous and obedient to God, it does not seem to have the tone of the David we might expect. It is a little too revengeful at first impression and less forgiving than we might have thought appropriate. Yet there is an urgency in its topics that makes it clear that David was concerned about his legacy and who would hinder its continuation. David was concerned about what would happen when he was no longer around for there were some people that David thought might destroy the future for his family. Still the message is for us today and not just Solomon or even our nation. You see embedded in David’s words is the guidance of the fifth commandment for it calls us to value those who have gone before us and to attach importance to their legacy. It is about our earthly family but also the family of God. Friends when each of our times come, I trust we will each find comfort in the hope of being in a place more beautiful than here on earth and the reality that we will be set free from sorrow and live in the presence of God. But up until that time I trust we will continue to be used to carry out what needs to be done to establish the Kingdom of God so that evil does not prevail while we await the return of the King of Creation. On the journey we are to follow the Good Shepherd with a flock of believers that leave a collective legacy of passing on our spiritual DNA.
Pray we set an example of climbing the right mountains. Pray we discern the mountains to walk around and there embrace God’s plan of deliverance. Pray we turn our mountains over to God. Pray we realize that God has already conquered the mountains we will be called to climb. Pray we do not let the mountains of life separate us from God. Pray we realize that God is with us to guide us. Pray we take bold steps of sharing the Gospel. Pray we have character, perspective, courage and God’s favor. Pray we realize that though the Gospel is a gift it is also a priceless one. Pray for a City on a hill where redemption rules. Pray we are called out for a purpose. Pray for a solution that is a living vibrant relationship with God…an outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Pray that we finish the work God has given us to do. Pray as we go, we have the right words to share. Pray in our ultimate healing we stay true to the Lord, still proclaiming our need for what Jesus has offered. Pray that when we enter heaven a little more of heaven also comes to earth. Pray in the Spirit of the love of a Father for his Son that all the children of God would become wiser than Solomon.
Blessings,
John Lawson
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