Title: Refusing Him
Purpose: To motivate Christians to accept God
Intro: 1. Text: Heb 12:25-28
a. Context: We have come to blood of Jesus bloos speaks better
b. Goes on to say to “see to it” (be watchful) that you do not refuse him who
speaks
c. Similar to other admonitions:
- 2:1-3 Therefore we must pay closer attention ... how shall we escape
- *10:26-31 - Go on sinning willfully, no more mercy
2. We must not refuse Him who speaks to us through the Bible. Why? Reasons:
I. Without God, there is no escape from his wrath
A. v.25 - This is side of God people nowdays don’t like to talk about. But warning is clear
B. Explanation:
1. But wait, wasn’t Israel delivered from Egypt?
a. That is where prince of Egypt leaves off
b. We think of deliverance of Passover
c. Fact: ONLY 2 of that generation made it
2. Why? Look at Israels experience
a. God hears their cry and God delivers them
b. Red Sea - God can do anything right?
c. Exodus 16:27-28 - Refusal to obey about Manna
d. Ex. 17:3 - Poeple accused Moses of leading them out to die by thirst
e. Ex 19:8 - They say “All that the Lord says we will do”
f. Ex. 32:7-14 - Shortly after, they are worshipping a Golden Calf
g. Num 15:32 - Man gathers stick on Sabbath in disobedience
h. Num 14:1-4 - The people wanted to return to Egypt!
-Num 14:22-23, 29-32 - They would not enter
3. Problem: No sooner than God’s voice was silent, they forgot
C. The Lord gets our attention in so many ways
1. Sometimes it may be like a fearful voice - a tragedy
2. Other times it could be an answer to a prayer
3. I visited with a lady who had fallen away, she was in hospital
a. She kept having problems
b. I asked her if she considered that the Lord was trying to get her attention
c. She promised to get right with God
d. No sooner than she was out of hospital, she turned away again
D. Cannot continually refuse God.
1. Time will come when he will say “enough is enough” as with Israel
2. But wait that is Old Test, we are under grace that is greater than our sin!!
a. Read verse 26 again, (a how much more so argument used here)
b. Rom 6:1 - Shall we continue in sin so grace might increase? NEVER!
3. Do not continue to purposefully sin (fall short)
4. The only way to run from God is to run to God
II. Without God there’s no escape from the coming destruction
A. v.26-27 - God is going to shake the earth and it will go to pieces
B. Explanation
1. God’s voice shook the earth at Sinai
2. Once more, God will shake the earth - Remove what can be shaken
a. Kings want a permanent kingdom (Nebuchadnezzars golden statue)
b. No Kingdom has lasted forever (not even Rome in 600 yrs)
c. USA will not last forever (just one in many world nations)
3. What does it mean by shake the earth AND the heavens?
a. Who cares, it hasn’t happened in last 2000 years right?
b. I Thess 4:16 - 5:3
-It will come suddenly
-None shall escape (once it comes, can’t stop it)
c. 2 Peter 3:7-10
-Not only like birth pangs, but like a theif in the night
-Heavens and earth pass away with a roar (shake the earth)
-All burned up (like a volcanic earthquake)
C. Point? This world and all in it is temporary
1. It is as if people are trapped in a burning buildingg on the top floor
(and can’t use stairs)
2. Only way to be saved is to leap to a net held by firemen below
3. Imagine NOT jumping. You yell below: “I will not jump until you
satisfactorily answer these questions for me!”
a. How did Fire start
b. What has it spread so quickly
c. Why isn’t there a sprinkler system?
d. How do I know for sure that the net will hold me
e. I’m staying right here in room 708 until you can answer those!
D. We would think -- what an idiot!
1. Earth will be shaken, it will be burned up
2. May not know all the answers
3. Not knowing them doesn’t prevent us from taking that leap of faith
4. Do not refuse him who speaks. Jump when he says “trust me, jump!"
5. The only way to run from God is to run to God
III. Without God, we have no eternal security
A. v. 27b - 28a -
1. When shakable is shaken away, what is unshakable will remain....
2. We are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken
B. Explanation
1. Kingdom and church are used interchangeably in the New Testament
2. Dan 2:44 - An everlasting Kingdom prophesied
3. John 3:5 - Born of water and spirit to enter it
4. I Cor 15:22-24 - Only those in the Kingdom will be saved
5. Rev 1:6-8 - Light of the World will come and every eye will see him
-This is a light that will never go out
-Speaking of bulbs...
C. Do you know who invented the light bulb? Thomas Edison in 1879
1. 1901 A hand blown bulb was hung in Livermore, CA Fire Dept.
2. It hardly ever turned off
3. Still has not burned out (as of 1973)
4. By today’s standards should have burned out 852 times
5. The bulb was made by Shelby Electric Co., never a great company
-They built things to last
-Bulbs didn’t burn out, so people never re-ordered
D. In Contrast, everything today falls apart and burns out
1. He is the light of the world and will never burn out
2. Rev. 21:23-27 - Description of Heaven, light forever
3. We are receiving this kingdom that cannot be shaken,
4. The only way to run from God, is to run to God
Concl:
1. Because without God
a. We can’t escape from his wrath (do not refuse him who speaks)
b. We can’t escapt the coming destruction (do not refust him who speaks)
c. We have no eternal security
2. So don’t refuse him who speaks
3. What does this mean practically?
4. How are you living your faith at this time? BE HONEST
a. Text said in 12:12-13 - Support one another (if you don’t your refuse him who speaks)
b Text said in 12:1 - Lay aside every encumberance, strip down and run the race
-Whatever keeps you from doing right
-Whatever keeps you from study or praying
-Whatever keeps you from encouraging the faith of brethren, spouse, kids
-Strip it away
c Text said in 10:26 - No to go on sinning willfully
d Text said in 10:25 - Not forsake assembling of yourselves together
e. Text said 10:23 - Hold fast the confession of our hope without waivering
5. See to it, that you do not refuse him who is speaking
THE ONLY SECURITY IS IN JESUS. IF YOU NEED TO TURN TO HIM TODAY, DO IT
