Thy Kingdom Come | You,ve Been Warned | Hebrews 12:25-29 | Sunday,May 24, 2026 | Pastor Jonathan Evans

Thy Kingdom Come | You've Been Warned
Scripture: Hebrews 12:25-29

Pastor Jonathan Evans

Pastor Jonathan Evans emphasizes the warning from Hebrews 12:25-29, contrasting the judgment at Mount Sinai with the grace at Mount Zion. He explains that Mount Sinai represents the old covenant of law and judgment, while Mount Zion symbolizes grace, forgiveness, and the new covenant through Jesus Christ. Jonathan urges believers to avoid living by their own efforts, as only faith in Christ can secure eternal life. He warns that those who reject God's message will face severe judgment, and calls for genuine repentance and dedication to Christ, emphasizing the importance of living in reverence and gratitude for the unshakable kingdom of God.

Outline

Mount Sinai and Its Judgments

• Jonathan Evans discusses the shaking of the earth and the promise of God to shake both the earth and heaven.

• He explains that the expression "yet once more" denotes the removal of things that can be shaken to reveal things that cannot be shaken.

• Jonathan emphasizes the importance of showing gratitude and offering acceptable service to God with reverence and awe.

• He introduces the concept of Mount Sinai as a mountain of blazing fire, gloom, darkness, and judgment, where the people heard the law from God.

Disobedience and Judgment at Mount Sinai

• Pastor Jonathan recounts the disobedience of the people at Mount Sinai, including the building of golden calves and complaining against Moses.

• He explains that the people were judged because they refused the one who spoke to them, leading to their suffering and death in the wilderness.

• The writer of Hebrews contrasts the old covenant at Mount Sinai with the new covenant at Mount Zion, emphasizing grace over law.

• Pastor Jonathan expresses pity for those who still try to earn God's acceptance and love through their own efforts.

The New Covenant at Mount Zion

• Pastor Jonathan describes Mount Zion as representing the heavenly Jerusalem, the new covenant, grace, freedom, forgiveness, redemption, and the work of Jesus Christ.

• He explains that the new covenant is based on grace, not works of the law, and that Christ's work nullifies the need for the law.

• Pastor Jonathan warns against living a life of grace without acknowledging Christ's sacrifice and the new covenant.

• He emphasizes that the new covenant is a gift, not something to be earned through one's own efforts.

The Warning from Mount Zion

• Pastor Jonathan quotes Hebrews 12:25, urging believers not to refuse the one who speaks from Mount Zion.

• He explains that the Son of God speaks clearly through the new covenant, offering eternal life and forgiveness.

• Pastor Jonathan lists several statements from the Son, emphasizing that salvation comes through faith in Christ alone.

• He warns that those who refuse the message from Mount Zion will face severe judgment, as they did at Mount Sinai.

The Shaking of the Earth and Heaven

• Pastor Jonathan explains that the shaking of the earth and heaven will be more severe and universal in the future than it was at Mount Sinai.

• He describes the shaking as physical, spiritual, immaterial, and eternal, removing all that is temporal and sinful.

• Pastor Jonathan emphasizes that those who are not in Christ will be shaken out, while those who have received grace will remain.

• He warns against pimping grace and abusing the Son of God, as this will lead to severe punishment.

The Unshakable Kingdom

• Pastor Jonathan explains that believers have received an unshakable kingdom through grace, which cannot be shaken by any earthly trials.

• He emphasizes the importance of showing gratitude and offering acceptable service to God with reverence and awe.

• Pastor Jonathan describes the new life in Christ as a gift, freeing believers from the condemnation of the law.

• He warns that those who prioritize temporal things over eternal things will be shaken out when the kingdom comes.

The Call to Reverence and Awe

• Pastor Jonathan calls believers to live in reverence and awe of the grace they have received, recognizing that they were once on death row.

• He emphasizes that Christ's sacrifice on the cross demonstrates God's love and mercy, freeing believers from the penalty of sin.

• Pastor Jonathan warns against living for temporary things, as these will be shaken out when the kingdom comes.

• He encourages believers to fix their eyes on Mount Zion and to live for the eternal things that will remain.

The Final Warning and Call to Action

• Pastor Jonathan warns that those who do not accept Christ and live for themselves will face severe judgment.

• He calls believers to rededicate their lives to responding to God's grace and living for Christ.

• Pastor Jonathan emphasizes the importance of not refusing the message from Mount Zion and living in reverence and awe of God.

• He concludes by urging those who have not accepted Christ to come forward for prayer and those who need to rededicate their lives to do so.

Sermon Notes and Discussion

Summary

Hebrews 12:18–24 contrasts two encounters with God. Verses 18–21 recall Mount Sinai — a terrifying, law‑giving encounter characterized by fire, darkness, storm, and judgment that produced fear and trembling. Verses 22–24 shift to Mount Zion — the heavenly reality: the city of the living God, innumerable angels, the assembly of the firstborn, God the Judge, spirits of the righteous made perfect, Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and the blood of Jesus that speaks a better word than Abel’s. The passage emphasizes the superiority of the heavenly, gracious covenant over the terrifying, law‑based revelation at Sinai.

Interpretation / Key Points

• Contrast of Covenant Contexts: Sinai represents the old covenant’s external law and fearful judgment; Zion represents the new covenant’s access to God, spiritual community, and perfected righteousness through Christ.

• Access and Presence: Instead of approach through fear and distance (Sinai), believers are invited into intimate, corporate presence before God — the “city” and assembly — signaling relationship rather than mere obligation.

• Mediator and Atonement: Jesus is presented as the mediator of the new covenant. His blood “speaks better than Abel” — meaning his sacrificial work provides definitive cleansing, vindication, and pleading for believers, whereas Abel’s blood cried out for justice. Christ’s sacrifice inaugurates forgiveness and reconciliation.

• Assurance and Warning: The passage gives comfort (believers belong to the perfected community, their spirits are made perfect) but also warns — because God is judge, rejection of this grace carries serious consequences. The awe and reverence appropriate to worship are stressed.

• Practical/Ethical Implications: Respond with gratitude, reverent worship, and faithful obedience rooted in grace (not fear-driven legalism). Recognize the transformation from being condemned by the law to being purified and included in God’s family through Christ.

Short Devotional Takeaway

God’s dealings have moved from an awe‑inspiring, fear‑filled ordinance to a gracious, accessible reality in Christ. Enter worship with reverent gratitude, hold fast to the mediator Jesus, and take seriously the warning that God’s holiness and judgment remain real.

Summary | John 5:24: Jesus says that anyone who hears his word, believes in God who sent him, has eternal life, will not be judged but has passed from death to life.
Interpretation

• Hearing + believing: The verse links attentive reception of Jesus’ message (hearing) with trusting response (believing). True faith is not merely intellectual assent but trust that unites the believer to the Father through the Son.

• Present possession of eternal life: Eternal life is described as a present reality for the believer (“has eternal life”), not only a future hope. Believers already share in the life of God now.

• Transfer from death to life: Jesus teaches a real, decisive transition: those who believe have “passed” from spiritual death (separation from God) into spiritual life (reconciliation and union with God).

• Assurance and finality: Because of this present possession and transfer, believers are assured they “will not come into judgment.” The language affirms security grounded in Christ’s words and God’s saving action.

• Christ’s authority and role: The verse underscores Jesus’ authority to grant life and the necessity of believing in the one who sent him (the Father). Salvation is Christ‑centered and relational (believing in the Sender through the Sent).

Practical Application:

• Trust Jesus’ word as the basis for assurance of salvation.

• Cultivate hearing (engagement with Scripture and Christ’s teaching) paired with trusting response.

• Live in the confidence and ethical fruit of being counted alive in Christ—seeking holiness and love as evidence of the life you now have.

Your Daily Devotional for the Sermon

Here is a five‑day devotional based on Pastor Jonathan’s sermon (Hebrews 12:18–29 theme). Each day includes a Scripture focus, short reflection, a practical application, and a brief prayer.

Day 1

From Sinai to Zion (Hebrews 12:18–24)
Scripture: Heb. 12:18–24

Reflection: God first came to his people at Sinai in terrifying power and law. That encounter revealed God’s holiness and our inability to meet his standard by effort alone. But now, by Christ, we are invited to Mount Zion—the heavenly city—where grace, access, and transformation are found in the Mediator, Jesus. This is not a downgrade of God’s holiness but the fulfillment of his mercy: we are welcomed into relationship, not merely regulated by rules.

Application: Today, examine whether you still try to earn God’s favor by performance. Practice receiving: spend 10–15 minutes thanking Jesus for his finished work rather than listing what you’ll do for God.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for bringing me to Mount Zion by your blood. Help me rest in your grace and cease striving to earn what you have freely given.

Day 2

Don’t Refuse Him Who Speaks (Hebrews 12:25)
Scripture: Heb. 12:25; John 5:24

Reflection: The warning is solemn: those who refused God’s voice at Sinai were judged. Now God speaks definitively in his Son. Refusing him today—by unbelief, persistent sin, or hardening the heart—is a rejection of the very provision for life. Hearing must become trusting and obeying.

Application: Listen to one clear word God is giving you (through Scripture, sermon, or conviction). Respond immediately: if it calls for repentance, confess; if it calls for action, take one concrete step today.

Prayer: Father, give me ears to hear and a heart to obey. Remove any hardness; help me answer your voice in faith now.

Day 3 

The Shaking and the Unshakable (Hebrews 12:26–28)
Scripture: Heb. 12:26–28; Matt. 6:19–21

Reflection: God promises a cosmic shaking that removes what is temporary so that only the unshakable remains. This is both a warning and comfort. It calls us to invest in what endures—Christ, holiness, love, and kingdom work—rather than clinging to transient securities.

Application: Audit one area of life (finances, schedule, relationships). Reallocate time or resources toward something eternal: give to kingdom work, start a habit of Scripture reading, or commit to one act of service this week.

Prayer: Sovereign God, help me invest in what will last. Show me any idols and give me courage to turn away from them and toward you.

Day 4

Refined by Fire (Hebrews 12:29; 1 Cor. 3:11–15)
Scripture: Heb. 12:29; 1 Cor. 3:11–15

Reflection: God is a consuming fire—not out of cruelty, but out of holy zeal to purge what defiles. For believers, this refining can reveal what is of lasting worth and what will be consumed. The goal is not shame but purification so we may stand blameless before him.

Application: Identify one recurring sin or weakness. Ask the Spirit to reveal practical steps to be freed (accountability partner, counseling, habit change). Take the first step today—send a message to someone who will walk with you or remove a temptation.

Prayer: Holy God, refine me. Burn away what is unholy and leave what honors you. Help me to welcome your refining work with humility and repentance.

Day 5

Gratitude, Awe, and Response (Hebrews 12:28)
Scripture: Heb. 12:28–29; John 3:16

Reflection: We have received an unshakable kingdom by grace. The fitting response is gratitude expressed in reverent service. Our lives should be marked by awe, obedience, sacrifice, and generous love—because we were once condemned and now are rescued by Christ’s love.

Application: Decide on one tangible way to express gratitude this week: serve someone sacrificially, commit to regular giving, lead a small act of worship with family, or share the gospel with someone who needs hope.

Prayer: Gracious Father, thank you for the unshakable kingdom. Fill me with awe and gratitude. Let my life be a living offering—acceptable and pleasing to you.

Closing Encouragement

Keep returning to Hebrews 12 and the gospel truths taught here. Let the tension of God’s holiness and his saving grace shape your worship, your choices, and your mission. Fix your eyes on Jesus—what he has done endures; let that secure reality reorder everything else.