More than a spectator

You Don't Need a Middleman: Why God Is Calling You Directly to Mount Zion

Have you ever felt like God was someone you could only access through the right person, the right song, or the right moment? Like faith was something that happened to you rather than something you actively participated in? What if I told you that was never God's original design?

The Original Design

We've been in a series about getting back to a Biblical worldview — back to what God actually designed, not what we think works best, not what feels comfortable, but what God desires. And here's the thing: the designer of the original is always the guy to go to to figure out how it actually works.

Today, I want to talk about the church because, just as the family is under attack, the church family is as well. And we must understand that in these days, as things get darker, the attack is coming against us.

The Mount Sinai Moment

To understand where we're going, we have to understand where we've been. In Exodus 19, God calls the children of Israel to the mountain. He says, "Consecrate yourselves, prepare yourselves — I'm going to come down on the mountain and minister to you. We're going to commune together."

God's original design was personal. He wanted to come to each person individually and say, "I want to talk to you. I want to spend time with you."

But when the presence of God came down — the lightning, the thunder, the smoke, the fire — the children of Israel got scared. They looked at Moses and said, "You go. You go talk to him, and whatever he says, bring it back." They were afraid of God. Not a reverent, awe-filled fear — they were afraid. And so they asked for a middleman.

God relented, but I want you to know that that was not God's original design.

From Sinai to Zion

The book of Hebrews, chapter 12, written to Jewish Christians, brings this moment front and center. In Hebrews 12:18-21, the author describes the terror of Mount Sinai — the blazing fire, the darkness, the gloom, the voice that made the hearers beg for it to stop. Even Moses said, "I tremble with fear."

But then, in Hebrews 12:22-24, everything shifts: "But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to the innumerable angels in festal gathering... to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant."

Moses was the mediator at Sinai. But Jesus came and said, "I am now the mediator" — and then He sent the Holy Spirit so that God could be with you at every moment. You no longer need a pass-through. The veil was torn. There is no separation any longer.

Stop Waiting for a Middleman

Here's what breaks my heart about the church world today: we've turned pastors and ministers into the new mediators. We've made church a professional experience — something that happens to you rather than something you participate in.

But God gave us pastors and preachers to do what? To equip the saints to do the work of the ministry, not to tell the saints what God is saying to them. God desires to talk to you. He's calling you to the mountain. He's calling you to Zion and saying, "Just come commune with me. Stop waiting for a man. Stop waiting for a woman. Come to me directly."

Spectators vs. Participants

At Mount Sinai, there were many spectators. But at Mount Zion, we're supposed to be participants.

The early church was created so that people would participate in worship, in the Word, and in serving one another. They had all things in common. They were in one accord. They knew each other. And they added to their number daily those who were being saved; miracles, signs, and wonders were done, and nobody had any need, because everybody was doing their part.

Too often today, we come to church and think, "If the worship is good enough, if it's the right song, if the Word touches me in the right moment — I had good church." Like we watched a good television show.

That is not what God designed.

At Sinai, Fear Was the Motivation. At Zion, Love Is.

At Mount Sinai, fear was the motivation for obedience. They obeyed because they were afraid. But at Mount Zion, love should be our obedience. Jesus said, "If you love me, you will obey me" (John 14:15). Not because we're afraid someone will see us. Not because we're afraid we won't be blessed. But because of God, I love you so much that I will do what you say.

And here's something else: at Sinai, there were boundaries — you can go this far and no farther. But you've been called to Mount Zion. There are no boundaries except the ones you set for yourself.

One of the weaknesses in our Christian world is that we don't believe God can do all that He said He can. Can he still part the seas? Can he heal today? Can he set the captive free? Can he set at liberty your kids who are battling with issues you don't know how to deal with? The answer is yes. But do we believe it? Because if we believed it, we would see it.

Putting It Into Practice

So what does this actually look like? Here's where I want to land:

Come prepared. Before you walk through the doors on Sunday, prepare yourself. Listen to worship music. Pray. Read your Word. The people of Israel had Psalms of Ascent — songs they sang on the way to the temple to prepare their hearts. We should be doing the same.

Come to meet God. Ask yourself: Why do I come to church? If the answer is anything less than "to meet God," it's time to recalibrate. Come and say, "God, I'm at Mount Zion today, and I'm not moving until I hear your word."

Come to serve others. Walk in with your head on a swivel. Who can I encourage today? Who can I get to know today? Who needs a smile, a hug, a word of encouragement? Ask yourself: Where do I function in the body?

Participate, don't spectate. When the pastor is preaching, and it's not hitting your heart that day, look around. Maybe it's hitting someone else. Pray for them. During altar time, don't just sit — participate. Point toward those who are praying and say, "God, touch them."

Know the people around you. There are people on one side of this room who don't know the names of the people on the other side. And yet we say we want to be of one accord. That has to change.

God has something more for us. The Spirit is already here. The love of the people is already here. We just need to get back to the original design — to come together at Mount Zion and say, "God, we're here. Speak to us."

Let's stop being children of Sinai and start being the church we were always called to be.