from Gary Hamrick
... Senior Pastor of Cornerstone Chapel
for Sun 09/13/2026

... Draw near to Him today. Stand firmly in His grace, worship Him with awe, and live like someone whose future is secure in Christ.

Two mountains stand before us in Hebrews 12, and the difference between them could not be greater.

Mount Sinai shook with thunder, fire, smoke, and the terrifying voice of God. Boundaries were established, and the people were warned not to draw near. Even Moses trembled. Sinai displayed the holiness of God and the demands of His law, leaving sinful man with no doubt that God is righteous and sin is serious.

But fear produced by outward circumstances could not transform the human heart. Before long, the same people who trembled at Sinai were worshiping idols. And therein lies an important truth: external fear cannot accomplish what only an internally transformed heart can do.

Then the writer of Hebrews turns our attention to another mountain - Mount Zion. Here we see Jesus, the Mediator of a new covenant, and His blood speaking “better things.” Abel’s blood cried out for justice after Cain murdered him. But the blood of Jesus announces something far greater for the sinner who believes: mercy, forgiveness, and grace.

This is the wonder of the Gospel. God did not ignore His justice in order to forgive you. Jesus satisfied that justice at the cross. The judgment our sins deserved fell upon Christ, and everyone who places their faith in Him receives a righteousness they could never earn.

Does that mean grace gives us permission to live carelessly? Absolutely not! Hebrews immediately reminds us that “our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:29 (NKJV) ⓘ ↗). Grace does not make God less holy. Rather, understanding what Jesus endured for us should produce deep gratitude, reverence, and a desire to obey Him.

You have not been invited to stand trembling at a distance, hoping your efforts will somehow make you acceptable to God. In Christ, you are invited to draw near. Your confidence is not in your goodness but in His finished work.

Believer, never treat grace casually. Worship the Lord with reverence and gratitude. Let the mercy you have received transform how you live today. And when your failures tempt you to retreat from God, remember where you have come—to Jesus and to a kingdom that cannot be shaken.

Father, thank You that through Jesus, we no longer have to stand at a distance, but can draw near to You with confidence. Thank You for the blood of Christ that speaks forgiveness and grace on our behalf. Help us never take that grace for granted, but respond with grateful hearts, reverence, and obedience. Keep our eyes fixed on Jesus and the unshakable kingdom You have given us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

• Exodus 19:16-20 ↗ - Mount Sinai reveals God’s holiness and the fearfulness of approaching Him under the Law.
• Jeremiah 31:31-34 ↗ - God promises a new covenant that brings forgiveness and a transformed relationship with Him.
• Romans 5:1-2 ↗ - Through Christ, we are justified and have access to God by faith.
• Hebrews 4:14-16 ↗ - Because of Jesus our High Priest, we can draw near to God with confidence and receive grace.
• Hebrews 10:19-22 ↗ - Christ’s sacrifice opens the way for believers to draw near to God with confidence.
• Hebrews 12:28-29 ↗ - Receive God’s unshakable kingdom with gratitude, reverence, and godly fear.