Serving The Lord In A Perilous World

Temple Baptist Church - 10-7-2020

Hebrews 12:25-29

 

Introduction:

 

A.  We saw the contrasts of several things in the preceding verses:

 

1.  Mount Sinai vs. Mount Sion

2.  The Old Covenant (Law) vs. The New Covenant (Grace)

3.  Israel vs. The Church

4.  Abel’s Blood vs. Christ’s Blood

5.  Moses’ Mediation vs. Christ our Mediator

6.  A World that is Shaking vs. The Unshaken

 

B.  Thank the Lord for allowing us to live in such a time as this with a blessed faith in God’s promises which cannot be shaken.  We know Who holds tomorrow and that He also holds our hand!

 

C.  While the world shakes, we are to have stability and that stability is in Christ.

The Kingdom of God cannot be moved because what He has determined will come to pass.  God knows where this world is spiritually and has given to the believer all that is needed to withstand and having done all, to stand.

 

2 Peter 1:1-4  Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:  (2)  Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,  (3)  According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:  (4)  Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

 

D.  In verse 28, we who serve the living God are instructed to:

 

1.  Have Grace.  The confidence that what God has promised, He is able to deliver on.  Knowing that our sin is covered, our race is set, our future secure.  Everything will be alright!  Have grace, not with grace.  We need to have grace to serve God and have grace to serve others.  Our day takes a lot of grace but God’s grace is abundant and sufficient.

 

a.  Grace to Live

 

b.  Grace to Serve

 

c.  Grace to Endure

 

d.  Grace to Others

 

2.  Serve the Lord Acceptably.

 

a.  Not Acceptable to Self – We are not to serve as we Desire.

 

b.  But serve Acceptable unto God – We are to serve as He Demands.

 

3.  Serve the Lord with Reverence.  Shamefacedness, downcast eyes, bashfulness, modesty.

 

First Mention - Leviticus 19:30  Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD.

 

a.  Reverence in knowing who we are.

 

b.  Reverence in know who He is.

 

John 3:30  He must increase, but I must decrease.

 

4.  Serve the Lord with Fear.  One of the characteristics of these las days is a TOTAL lack of the fear of the Lord.

 

Luke 23:39-41  And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.  (40)  But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?  (41)  And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.

 

Psalms 36:1  The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes.

 

a.  The Fear of the Lord is the difference between Heaven and Hell.

 

b.  The Fear of the Lord is the difference between Reward and Recompense.

 

Conclusion:  Hebrews 12:29  For our God is a consuming fire.  (God is not to be “trifled with!”)