A Time of Shaking

 A TIME OF SHAKING Hebrews 12:25-29 “See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, 26 whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.” 27 Now this, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. 29 For our God is a consuming fire. 1. The great shaking yet to come A. There are many prophecies concerning a final great shaking. God is going to shake this world in judgment. - Revelation speaks of mountains and islands being removed and of men crying out for the rocks to fall on them. - Isaiah 24:19 gives us a picture of God’s judgment to come and speaks of the earth reeling to and fro like a drunkard. - Haggai 2:6-7 – “For thus says the Lord of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land;7 And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come….” - When God shakes things, every person will either call out for mercy and cling to Him or hate Him with greater intensity than before. B. Our nation is headed for a shaking Common-law living & divorce are the recommended way to deal with difficulties in marriage. - Society calls it freedom but God’s word calls it fornication and adultery. - We have legitimized greed in the name of capitalism and free enterprise. - Pervasive throughout our culture is the pursuit of wealth and possessions, and at some invisible tipping point, people cross into the realm of greed which is “idol worship”. - We need to be shaken. - We have legalized abortion in the name of free choice. - This has been one of the most grievous decisions our nation has ever made. - We have legalized same-sex marriages and if we call it sin it’s labeled as “hate speech”. - Don’t you think we need to be shaken? - We have legalized pornography in the name of free speech and artistic expression - We have legalized every kind of perversion and called it “alternative lifestyle”. - Sin has become a constitutional right! - The institution of the family is collapsing and laying the foundation of instability and chaos. - And now the coronavirus is sweeping over the world. - We need to be shaken---and we ARE being shaken! 2. Who will do the shaking? God is behind the shaking. - Heb.12:26 says- “whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I (will) shake not only the earth, but also heaven.” - If we build our houses on bad foundations, they would be dangerous to live in. - They should be torn down and rebuilt---otherwise one day the whole structure could come down on our heads and destroy us. - So it is spiritually and nationally. - If we build our spiritual lives on earthly, temporal things, we’re going to get hurt. - If we build our nation on godless laws and principles, we are going to collapse. - So God sometimes gets active in “tearing down”---but always in order to build up. - There are so many elements that are rotten at the core, God must shake us! 3. The purpose of the shaking The purpose of the shaking is the removal of those things that can be shaken. - We begin to take His blessings for granted. - We grow careless in the important things. - Our affection shifts from eternal things to the things of this world. - Houses and properties, bank accounts and possessions become all-consuming. - After a time of patient waiting, God shakes things up to draw us back to a life of faith---back to fellowship with Himself. - A time of shaking is a good time for personal evaluation. - Are my priorities messed up. Are there more important things to live for? - The shaking of our own personal little worlds reveals what is truly in our hearts. - Losing much, or going through much difficulty will do one of two things: - We’ll turn our attention back onto Jesus or get upset, depressed, angry and bitter at God. - God wants to remind us that everything we see and enjoy on earth is all temporary. - We have better and lasting possessions in heaven. - In Hebrews 10 we’re told that our forefathers “joyfully accepted the plundering of their goods, knowing that they had a better and an enduring possession for themselves in heaven.” God shakes our world to show us the true and real values - We won’t take our houses and bank accounts with us. - I’m happy to report that neither will we take our sicknesses and pain with us. - So whether these are added to our lives or subtracted from our lives, our primary focus should be on those things that are eternal. - 2 Corinthians 4:18-19 says – “We do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” - In Hebrews 11 we see that Moses gave up all the treasures and pleasures of Egypt, “choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26 esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward…for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.” 4. We are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken A. God has better things in mind for us God desires to build His eternal kingdom on earth. - A kingdom based on “joy, peace and righteousness”---and “love”. - The kingdom of God has already been planted in every believer’s heart, but will one day be established over the entire earth. - Before that happens all governments will be shaken. - The whole world economy will be shaken. - Many Christian prophetic voices have been warning of the coming shaking. - Many solid, biblical leaders all over have been warning of God’s judgment of our western civilization as we so comfortably know it. - But, the Bible gives us good news about this shaking. - Everything that is unshakeable will remain standing. B. That which is eternal cannot be shaken The purpose of God’s shaking is never for utter destruction but for permanent building. - Heb. 12:26-27 - “Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.” 27 Now this, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain.” I believe that we’re in the last days---the culmination of the ages. - I believe that we’re in the time of the great apostasy of the “last days”. - Many people are falling away from the faith. - Many folks have withdrawn from God’s church---in a huff or with lukewarm hearts. - False teachers abound and those who pull away from the church are most vulnerable to their teachings. Now…after everything is shaken, what will remain? - God’s word says, “That which is unshakeable! - God wants your faith unshakeable during these days of obsession with the corona virus and the stock market shake-up. - You can be shaken by fear or stand strong and unshakeable in faith. - You can be shaken by the news, and rumors and conspiracy theories, or rest in God. - Through all the shaking, will we be people of faith whose character is godly, and faith is strong, or will we be weak and be full of fear and doubt? - It’s really up to you! 5. What does God want of His children? A. Serve Him with reverence and godly fear Heb. 12:28-29 says – “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. 29 For our God is a consuming fire.” Let’s worship and serve Him with all our hearts---in response to His grace. - And since God is a consuming fire, we do best to come to Him on His terms. - These are the terms of unmerited approval in Jesus. - He will consume all that is outside of that sphere. - The person who will still be standing when all else has fallen will be the person of faith. - The one who abides in God’s grace through faith. - The one who abides in God’s love through faith. - And if we serve Him with reverence and godly fear our works will remain standing as well. 6. Conclusion - Prepare for the fire No one can escape the fire of God. - The question is: “What will it do to you?” - It all depends on what you are. - If you’re a child of God, the fire will transform you and purify you into something that is permanent. - If you’re not, it’s a consuming fire that will, one day, totally consume you. - Lay hold of His grace today. - Serve Him “with reverence and godly fear.” - Cling tightly to your faith in Jesus. - Remain in close fellowship with fellow believers. - And you will remain unshaken when all around you is shaken.