Participants: David Asscherick (Host)
Series Code: OTR
Program Code: OTR000542
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01:01 It's my privilege to introduce our speaker for the night,
01:04 evangelist and Brother David Asscherick and Dave, 01:08 come on out and God bless you for what you do again. 01:12 We've told you that last night, 01:13 but we want you to know that we love you. 01:15 How many will remembered to pray 01:16 for Brother David in what he is doing. 01:18 Amen. Look at all the hands, 01:20 so you've got people's gonna praying for you. 01:22 And we're looking forward tonight 01:23 to the message of God has given you to share with us. 01:25 Amen, thank you, Danny. 01:27 Good evening everyone. 01:28 Good evening. Have you been blessed 01:30 to be here at this camp meeting? Yes. 01:32 I can tell you this is an absolutely 01:35 wonderful camp meeting, amen. Amen. 01:37 I tell you most of the camp meetings 01:39 that we go to are a weekend and then a week 01:42 and then a weekend. 01:43 But I have received as much spiritual blessing 01:47 here in two and a half days, 01:50 that I normally get as much as I normally 01:52 get in those ten day camp meetings, amen, 01:55 I mean the testimonies have thrilled my soul. 01:58 The music has been absolutely exquisite 02:02 to the glory of the God, amen? Amen. 02:04 Oh, I tell you, our message tonight is an important message. 02:08 Last night we had a message of encouragement, 02:11 the message of inspiration. 02:12 And we learned that we must first reside in Christ 02:16 before we continue to abide in Christ, amen. 02:19 Amen. It is an exercise in futility 02:23 to seek to continue to abide in Christ, 02:26 if we don't have that living confidence 02:28 that we presently reside in Him. 02:30 Last night was a message of encouragement. 02:33 Last night was a message of inspiration. 02:35 Tonight's message will also be encouraging by the grace of God 02:39 it will also be inspiring. 02:41 But tonight's message will also be challenging. 02:44 We need to hear challenging 02:45 messages sometimes, don't we? 02:48 Our message this evening is entitled 02:50 "To be or not to be shaken". 02:55 "To be or not to be shaken." 02:59 Let us begin with prayer. 03:06 Father in Heaven, tonight we say with the Apostle Paul, 03:11 God forbid that I should glory in anything, 03:16 save the cross of Jesus Christ. 03:19 And Father it is that cross, 03:21 that cross alone that recommends us to you. 03:25 And Father tonight as we study this important topic 03:29 from the Book of Hebrews "To be or not to be shaken." 03:34 As the rain is beginning to fall, Lord 03:36 we've been singing that all weekend, 03:37 it's beginning to rain. 03:39 Help us to remember that it began to rain 03:43 in the days of Noah. 03:45 And that rain was good news for Noah and his family, 03:48 but very bad news for others. 03:52 And Father as shaking is coming. 03:54 The time of trouble and adversity of time of trouble 03:58 such as never was since there was a nation 04:01 says the Prophet Daniel. 04:03 And Father we want to be ready to stand in that time. 04:08 Father we want to be clinking 04:10 to the great cross of Christ to that anchor of the soul. 04:15 Be with us now, as we open your word, 04:19 may you open our hearts, for we ask it in Jesus name. 04:23 Let all the saints of the living God say, amen. 04:26 Amen. Let's open our Bible to the Book of Hebrews. 04:29 What book everyone? Hebrews. 04:30 Now is that in the Old Testament or the New Testament? 04:32 New. Good, Hebrews. 04:41 Now the author of Hebrews does not declare who he is. 04:48 Christian tradition has a sign the authorship of this book 04:52 to the Apostle Paul, as a general consensus. 04:56 Ellen White makes it very clear the Apostle Paul 04:59 was the author of Hebrews and that's good enough for me. 05:02 Independent of who the author of Hebrews was, 05:05 you can be sure of one thing 05:07 as you read the Book of Hebrews through, 05:09 it is one of the most well thought, 05:12 one of the most chronological, 05:14 linear and well articulated epistles 05:17 in the entire New Testament. 05:19 In fact many theologians consider the Book of Hebrews 05:22 to see to be the single most organized, 05:25 the single most systematic book in the entire New Testament, 05:29 if not the entire Bible. 05:30 It is a very, very well organized book. 05:34 Something else that will strike you as you read Hebrews 1, 05:37 all the way up to chapter 13 is that the author 05:40 of this epistle whoever it is, the author 05:43 of this epistle is deeply concerned. 05:47 He is deeply--what did I say everyone? 05:50 Deeply concern, we have this reverberating bottom-line 05:53 that saturates the entire Book of Hebrews, 05:56 there is a deep concern here. 06:00 And tonight we're going to discuss 06:01 what was the nature of that concern. 06:05 And what lessons can we draw from that concern. 06:08 What salient conclusions can we draw living 06:12 today in the year 2004 as the latter rain begins to fall? 06:17 Let's begin in Hebrews Chapter 1. 06:21 The author of Hebrews 06:22 begins with the most rudimentary truth 06:24 of all, the most basic truth and that is that God has spoken. 06:30 That God has--what did I say everyone? 06:32 God has spoken. 06:33 I'm in Hebrews 1:1 "God who had various times 06:36 and in various ways, spoke in time passed 06:39 of the fathers by the prophets, 06:41 has in these last days spoken to us by his what, everyone? 06:45 By his Son, whom He as appointed the heir of all things 06:48 through whom also He made the worlds. 06:50 Who being the brightness of His glory 06:52 and the express image of his person and upholding 06:55 all things by the word of His power, 06:58 when He had by himself perched our sins 07:01 sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high. 07:06 Can someone say, amen? Amen. 07:08 The first three verses here of Hebrews. 07:10 The author of Hebrews begins with the most basic, 07:12 the most rudimentary truth in the Christian religion 07:15 and that is that God has spoken, 07:19 God has revealed Himself 07:21 in the old dispensation if you will. 07:23 God spoke through His prophets, through his what everyone? 07:26 Through his prophets. 07:27 But in these last days, He has spoken to us by His Son, 07:31 whom he has appointed the heir of all things. 07:34 The author of Hebrews begins very simply. 07:36 He wants us to understand that God 07:39 has spoken and then he moves from there. 07:42 He moves from this most rudimentary, 07:44 this most basic foundational, elementary truth 07:47 to a series of very strident, 07:51 to a series of very concerned exhortations. 07:56 Now I want to show you these exhortations, 07:57 we go right to Hebrews Chapter 2. 08:00 Hebrews Chapter 2 beginning in verse 1, what verse everyone? 08:04 Hebrews 2:1. The author of Hebrews says, 08:08 "Therefore we must give the more earnest heed 08:12 to the things we have heard, lest" be what? 08:16 "Lest we drift away." 08:18 Notice the next verse. 08:19 "For if the word spoken through angels proved stedfast, 08:23 and every transgression and disobedience 08:25 received a just reward. 08:27 How shall we escape, if we neglect so greater salvation, 08:31 which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, 08:33 and was confirmed to us by those who heard him. 08:37 Let's just spend a moment here. 08:39 Notice there in verse 1, the author of Hebrews says, 08:42 that we must give earnest heed 08:45 to the things that we've heard and it's concern 08:47 here is that if we're not paying earnest heed here, 08:49 if we're not paying diligent attention here, 08:52 we might drift away. 08:54 We might, what everyone? 08:56 Now I want you to notice the language there. 08:58 He doesn't say we might runaway. 09:01 He doesn't say that we might scurry away 09:03 or that we might choose to move away quickly. 09:05 He says that we might drift away. 09:08 Then he says something absolutely 09:09 remarkable in verse 3, notice that. 09:11 How shall we escape if we reject so great salvation? 09:19 Is that what the Bible says? 09:21 The Bible says, how then shall we escape 09:23 if we neglect our greatest salvation. 09:25 Now is there a difference between reject and neglect, 09:29 are those different words, yes or no? Yes. 09:31 Sure? The word reject is active. 09:35 The word reject means that you have made up your mind. 09:38 You have made the volitional decision 09:40 that you're going to go against something. 09:42 You're rejecting it. 09:44 You're taking an active position over 09:46 and against another position. 09:49 The author of Hebrews does not say, how shall we escape 09:52 if we reject so greater salvation. 09:55 He says, how shall we escape if we neglect. 10:01 Now tell me about the word neglect. 10:03 What does that word mean? 10:05 Oh that's good, to ignore. 10:07 To not pay proper attention to. 10:09 Now notice the use of these two phrases here. 10:12 In verse 1 he says, I'm concerned 10:14 that we might drift away, not run away, but drift away slowly. 10:20 In verse 3 he says, I'm concerned that we might neglect 10:23 this great salvation that has been preached to us. 10:27 This is the first of several exhortations 10:30 where the author of Hebrews is deadly concerned. 10:32 He is deeply concerned that something is transpiring 10:37 in the congregation to whom he is writing. 10:40 Notice this second exhortation verse--Chapter 3, Hebrews 3:7. 10:47 Hebrews 3:7. The author of Hebrews says, 10:54 therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, 10:56 "Today, if you will hear his voice, do not harden your what? 11:04 Do not harden your hearts 11:06 as in the rebellion in the day of trial in the wilderness". 11:10 Notice what he is saying, 11:11 today do not harden your hearts as the Israelites 11:15 did in the time of temptation and in the time of rebellion. 11:17 Notice now, skip down to verse 12 of the same chapter. 11:20 "Beware brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart 11:26 of unbelief, in departing from the living God." 11:31 In what everyone? 11:33 In departing from the living God, 11:35 that means to go away from the living God. 11:38 He says, beware, and the word beware is the contraction, 11:41 a conjunction of two words, 'be aware'. 11:46 Apparently there is a legitimate danger here, be careful. 11:52 Be careful that an evil heart 11:54 of unbelief does not cause you to depart from the living God. 11:59 Don't harden your hearts as in the rebellion, verse 13. 12:04 "But exhort one another daily, while it is called to day, 12:08 lest any of you be hardened," there it is again, 12:11 "through the deceitfulness" of what? "sin." 12:16 Verse 14, "For we have become partakers of Christ," 12:19 if we have become partakers of Christ 12:23 if we hold the beginning of our confidence 12:27 steadfast to what everyone? 12:30 "To the end." Now you're beginning to see 12:31 a pattern here if you're paying attention. 12:34 We've looked at just two of these exhortations 12:36 the first says, be careful that you don' t drift away, 12:39 be careful that you don't neglect so greater salvation, 12:42 be careful that you don't depart from the living God 12:44 and then he says, we need to hold 12:46 the beginning of our faith steadfast right to the very end. 12:50 The author of Hebrews is deeply concerned. 12:53 He is deadly concerned that people are drifting away 12:56 from what they once believed. 13:01 But let us note that the exhortations continue. 13:04 We're in Hebrew Chapter 4 now, Hebrews 4:14, 13:10 Hebrews 4:14, a familiar passage. 13:16 "Seeing then that we have a great high priest 13:18 who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, 13:21 the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession." 13:28 Let us hold what everyone? 13:30 Let us hold fast our confession. 13:32 What does He mean by that? 13:33 What he means is, let's stick to what we believe. 13:38 Let's hold fast to our confession. 13:42 Hebrews Chapter 6. Hebrews 6:4. 13:49 The language here is so strong in Hebrews Chapter 6, 13:53 so as to almost defy belief. 13:56 Notice the strength, the austerity of these words. 14:00 Hebrews 6:4. You can be confident 14:03 as you read this passage, that the author of Hebrews 14:06 is deeply concerned. 14:07 He is deadly serious about this issue. 14:10 Hebrews 6:4. "For it is impossible 14:14 for those who were once enlightened, 14:17 and have tasted the heavenly gift, 14:19 and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit. 14:22 And have tasted the good word of God, 14:24 and the powers of the age to come, 14:26 if they fall away. 14:29 If they what everyone? 14:31 "If they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, 14:35 since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, 14:38 and put him to an open shame." 14:42 Now friends, is that strong language, 14:44 yes or no? Yes. 14:45 Now listen, I've to two little boys, 14:47 and I love those little boys very much, very, very much. 14:49 I have little Landen, 14:51 he is three years old just a bundle of energy, 14:54 I don't where he gets it from, it's amazing. 14:58 And then my younger son is 18 months, 15:00 they're just 18 months apart 15:02 and I tell you that did not go very well 15:03 in the Asscherick home. 15:06 Well, my wife learned she was pregnant 15:08 and that our children are only going to be 18 months apart, 15:10 I was like amen and she cried all day. 15:15 Now these two little boys are bundles of energy 15:18 and they're always running here and running 15:19 there and just utterly exhausting my wife. 15:22 Now as a general rule when I speak to my children 15:25 I speak very kindly to them and very sweetly 15:28 to them and I rough house with them 15:29 and I play with them etcetera, etcetera. 15:31 But there are times when it is appropriate for me to speak 15:35 very strongly to my children. 15:38 Is that true, yes or no? 15:39 Even at the age of three, I'll give you a very good example. 15:41 A couple of days ago my son thought it would be a good idea 15:44 to see if his tongue would fit into an electrical socket. 15:49 I say, let's not see if it fits. 15:53 That's a good time where, you know, it's not probably 15:55 the best time to say, you know, Landen, 15:59 sweetie come here, no, no, no, no. 16:03 That's the time when, you know, all--its chaos, 16:07 I say, what do you think you're doing, boy? 16:10 Get over here, you know, I have to talk 16:11 strongly to him and he just the fear of God in size. 16:18 Friends, you read these verses here in Hebrews Chapter 6, 16:21 the author of Hebrews is saying, 16:22 what do you think you're doing? 16:26 It's impossible he says. 16:30 If you've tasted of the goodness of God, 16:31 even enlighten by the Holy Spirit. 16:33 If you fall away he says, 16:35 how are we going to renew you to repentance, 16:37 you're crucifying the Son of God, afresh. 16:44 Very concerned. 16:47 The epistle of Hebrews is not a casual epistle. 16:51 It's not a nice letter. 16:54 It is a very well calculated, a very well thought, 16:59 a very well articulated letter 17:01 that is saturated with deep even desperate concern. 17:06 Let us continue to unfold this. 17:08 Hebrews Chapter 6:11. "And we desire that each one of you show 17:13 the same diligence to the full assurance of hope 17:17 until the" what everyone? End. 17:19 "Till the end." Hang in there is what he is saying. Verse 12. 17:22 "That you do not become, my version says, sluggish." 17:27 What does your version say? Sluggish. 17:29 Sluggish, slothful, lazy. 17:33 I'm concerned he says, that you're becoming sluggish, 17:36 that you're becoming slothful, 17:37 that you're becoming lackadaisical. 17:40 That you do not become sluggish but imitate 17:43 those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. 17:48 Are you beginning to see a pattern here, yes or no? 17:52 You cannot miss the pattern. 17:53 He says, do not drift away. 17:54 Do not neglect the salvation. 17:56 Do not harden your hearts. 17:57 Do not become rebellious. 17:59 Do not depart from the living God. 18:00 Hold fast to the end. Hold fast our confession. 18:03 Don't fall away. Hold with diligence. 18:05 Hope to the end. Do not become sluggish. 18:06 He is saying, hang in there. Amen. 18:12 And now our final exhortation, 18:14 Hebrews Chapter 10:23. Hebrews Chapter 10:23. 18:18 By the way others could be sited. 18:21 This is just a sampling 18:23 of the many exhortations found in Hebrews. 18:25 Hebrews Chapter 10:23, what verse everyone? 18:29 23, "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope. 18:34 That language has come up three times now. 18:36 Let us hold fast, let us hold fast, 18:39 let us hold fast, verse 23, 18:40 "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope 18:43 without what is the next word? 18:45 Without wavering. 18:47 Now you tell me what is the root word of waver? 18:51 Its wave, that exactly right. It's a wave. 18:55 Now friends, think about waves, waves have no stability. 18:59 One day the wind blows to the south and another day 19:02 the wind blows to the north, 19:03 one day it blows to the east, another to the west. 19:05 He says, you're going to be wavering. 19:08 His concern was about wavering, departing, neglecting, etcetera. 19:13 Let us hold fast the confession of our faith 19:16 without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. 19:21 Can you say, amen? Amen. 19:23 Now why are all these exhortations? 19:25 Why all of the concern? 19:26 What's doing on here? 19:29 I think we have establish beyond any reasonable doubt 19:32 that the author of Hebrews sat down to write this epistle, 19:36 because he was deeply concerned 19:38 that the people to whom he was writing Jewish Christians 19:41 were beginning to slide back and to slide away 19:45 from what they formally had believed. 19:46 Are you comfortable with that, yes or no? 19:48 Is that a safe conclusion, yes or no? Yes. 19:51 Okay, now why? 19:53 What's the concern? 19:56 These warnings, these rebukes 20:00 and exhortations were calculated to halt 20:03 and obvious back sliding among God's people. 20:09 Something was happening. 20:11 Something dangerous amongst the Jewish Christians 20:14 of the first century, what was it? 20:19 Now in order to answer this question 20:21 we have to understand the thrust of the Book of Hebrews, okay. 20:25 The Book of Hebrews is an exercise in comparisons. 20:30 And what did I say everyone? 20:32 In comparisons, that's the entire Book of Hebrews. 20:36 It's a study in comparisons and that comparison is two-tiered. 20:43 This comparison divides everything into two categories. 20:47 How many categories, everyone? 20:49 Two categories. 20:50 On this side we have the old and on this side 20:54 we have the--guess what? 20:55 The new. And as you read the Book of Hebrews 20:57 you find the author of the Hebrews 21:00 saying in the old dispensation, they had a covenant. 21:03 In the new dispensation we have a better covenant. 21:08 In the old dispensation they had prophets. 21:11 In the new dispensation 21:13 we have the Son of God, the true prophet. 21:16 In the old dispensation, they had a priesthood. 21:19 In the new dispensation, we have a better priesthood. 21:22 In the old dispensation they had a sacrifice, 21:25 we have a better sacrifice. 21:26 They had a sanctuary, we have a better sanctuary. 21:28 They had a rest, we had a better rest, they had a sacrifice, 21:31 we have a better sacrifice etcetera, etcetera. 21:36 In fact if you wanted to distill the entire Book of Hebrews 21:39 down to a single word, you know what that word would be? 21:43 Better. The whole Book of Hebrews can be distilled 21:47 down to a single word and that word is better. 21:50 They have a covenant, we have a better covenant. 21:52 They had a prophet, we have better prophets. 21:53 They had a priesthood, we have a better priesthood. 21:55 They had a sanctuary, we have a better sanctuary. 21:57 They had a rest, we have a better rest. 21:58 They had a sacrifice, we have a better sacrifice. 22:02 Now why they're concerned? 22:06 Friends, listen very carefully. 22:07 Go with me to Hebrews Chapter 12. 22:10 Hebrews, what chapter? Twelve. 22:13 Now remember, how did the Book of Hebrews begin? 22:15 What was that very basic rudimentary 22:18 beginning, what was it? 22:20 God has what? 22:22 God has spoken. 22:25 Now remarkably Hebrews ends 22:29 with this very same theme that God has spoken. 22:34 The theological content of Hebrews really ends, 22:37 that really wraps up in Hebrews Chapter 12 22:40 and I want you to notice this. 22:41 Hebrews 12:25. Hebrews Chapter 12 beginning in verse 25. 22:47 Now Hebrews of course has 13 Chapters, 22:49 we recognize that but Chapter 13 22:52 is largely exhortations, greetings, etcetera, okay. 22:56 The real thrust of the theological content of Hebrews 22:58 wraps up here in Hebrews Chapter 12. 23:00 Now notice with me verse 25, 23:03 "See that you do not refuse him who, what? 23:08 Speaks, "So notice. Hebrews begins, God has spoken, 23:11 Hebrews is ending, God has spoken. 23:14 See that you do not refuse him who speaks. 23:18 For if they did not escape who refused him who spoke on earth," 23:23 this is the reference to the Mount Sinai, 23:25 "Much more shall we not escape if we turn away 23:28 from him who speaks from" where everyone? 23:30 You see the contrast he is drawing. 23:33 If they didn't escape when that voice came thundering 23:37 from Sinai, how shall we escape if we neglect the voice 23:40 that is coming to us from the very pressings 23:43 of the celestial kingdom itself from heaven. 23:47 He goes on verse 26, "Whose voice then shook the earth, 23:51 but now he has promised, saying, 23:53 Yet once more I shake not only the earth, 23:57 but also," what everyone? Heaven. "Heaven. 23:59 Now this, yet once more, indicates 24:02 the removal of those things that are being shaken, 24:05 as of things that are made, that the things 24:07 which cannot be shaken may remain. 24:13 Therefore, since we are receiving 24:14 a kingdom which cannot be shaken, 24:16 let us have grace by which we may serve God 24:18 acceptably with reverence and godly fear." 24:24 As the author of Hebrews draws to a close. 24:28 He says the time is coming when everything 24:34 that can be shaken will be shaken. 24:39 So that only the things that cannot be shaken will remain. 24:45 Now listen very carefully. 24:48 Why is the author of Hebrews so concerned? 24:52 Why these constant reverberating, 24:56 constant repetitious exhortations, don't fall away, 25:01 don't drift away, don't neglect, hold fast, 25:04 hold fast, why, why the concern? 25:08 Friends, listen very carefully. 25:12 The Book of Hebrews was written 25:16 the general scholarly consensus 25:20 is that the Book of Hebrews 25:21 was written between 63 and 67 A.D. 25:29 I want to let that sink in. 25:34 The Book of Hebrews was written 25:38 between 63 and 67 A.D. 25:43 Now why is that so important? 25:47 Tell me why that might be important. 25:50 Friends, what seminal event is going to transpire in 70 A.D.? 25:56 What is it everyone? 25:59 The destruction of Jerusalem. 26:03 Now the epistle of Hebrews, who is this written to? 26:07 This is written to Jewish Christians, friends. 26:11 More than likely this was written specifically 26:13 to Jewish Christians who were living in the immediate vicinity 26:17 or within the actual confines of Jerusalem itself. 26:21 And now the whole thing is coming together. 26:25 The author of Hebrews knows God 26:27 has revealed to the author of Hebrews 26:29 that something terrible, 26:31 something catastrophic and cataclysmic, 26:33 something so horrendous, so as to be unimaginable 26:37 is going to take place very shortly. 26:40 Now as if that wasn't bad enough the author of Hebrews 26:43 can see that the very Jewish Christians 26:45 to whom he is writing are beginning to slide back 26:49 into some of the old forms, the old sacrifices, 26:51 the old covenant, the old priesthood, the old sanctuary, 26:54 etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. 26:57 They were loosing confidence in Christ in heaven. 27:00 Loosing confidence in the heavenly sanctuary, 27:02 loosing confidence in the heavenly sacrifice, 27:05 loosing confidence in the new covenant and their confidence 27:08 was increasingly being placed in the earthly temple, 27:11 in the earthly covenant, in the earthly sacrifice, 27:15 and in the earthly priesthood. 27:19 Now, friends, the danger here is precisely this. 27:22 As the author of Hebrews 27:23 is seeing all of this in panoramic sweep, 27:26 he knows that the very place 27:28 were all of these people are putting 27:30 an increasing amount of faith, 27:32 the temple the city Jerusalem is going to be destroyed. 27:37 Now, friends, put two and two together 27:39 and you can understand the urgency here. 27:44 If your faith is in a building, 27:47 what happens to your faith when the building is destroyed? 27:51 Where is your faith, friends? 27:53 If your faith is in a man, 27:55 what happens when that man is murdered? 27:59 If your faith is in a sanctuary system 28:01 that is here on earth, what happens when that whole building 28:05 and that whole forum in which that sacrifice takes place, 28:10 what happens when that's gone? 28:14 Now we can begin to see. 28:18 The author of Hebrews is deeply concerned, 28:20 that's why he is saying we have something better. 28:23 He knew that he needed to get those Jewish Christians 28:25 taking their eyes off of the earthly sacrifice, 28:27 off of the earthly priesthood, the earthly sanctuary, 28:29 the earthly covenant and getting their eyes on Christ in heaven. 28:34 Because when that whole thing went down 28:39 and Josephus tells us that more than a million people 28:42 lost their lives in that one conflagration. 28:48 The author of Hebrews can see it when that thing goes down, 28:52 unless their confidence is firmly rooted 28:56 and anchored in heaven, 29:00 they are going to so shaken, so as to utterly castaway 29:06 their confidence and their faith. 29:11 Notice again, Hebrews Chapter 12, let's read it. 29:14 Verse 25, "See that you do not refuse him who speaks. 29:21 For if they did not escape who refused him who spoke on earth, 29:24 how much more shall we not escape 29:26 if we turn away for him who speaks from heaven. 29:30 Whose voice then shook the earth, 29:31 but now he has promised, saying, 29:33 Yet once more I shake 29:34 not only the earth, but heaven also. 29:35 Now this once more indicates 29:37 the removal of those things that are being shaken as of things 29:40 that are being made that the things 29:41 which can not shaken may remain. 29:44 Therefore since we're receiving a kingdom 29:45 which cannot shaken, let us have grace 29:48 by which we may serve God acceptively 29:50 which reverence and godly fear 29:52 for our God is a consuming fire." Amen. 29:59 Friends, is this coming together for you now. 30:01 The whole Book of Hebrews, 30:03 I've often maintained that the Book of Hebrews 30:04 is the easiest book in the New Testament to understand. 30:08 Are there elements in there that are complex, 30:10 are there elements in there that are deep absolutely, 30:13 but the Book of Hebrews 30:14 is a piece of cake to wrap your fingers around. 30:18 You can distill it down into these two major themes 30:21 that we've discussed this evening. 30:22 Number one you have this persistent, reverberating, 30:26 reechoing exhortations, hang in there, don't fall back, 30:29 don't slide back, don't drift away, 30:31 hold fast at what you believe. 30:34 And number two, you have this consistent theme 30:36 that they had a covenant, we have a better covenant, 30:38 they had sacrifice, a better, a better, a better, a better, 30:41 because the author of Hebrews knows that if the confidence 30:44 of those people to whom he is writing is in an earthly system. 30:48 In anything that is earthly, everything that can be shaken 30:52 will be shaken and his concern is, is that those people 30:56 themselves will be utterly shaken. 31:02 Have you ever been in an earthquake? Yes. 31:07 How many people here have been in an earthquake? 31:09 Oh, these things are a joy aren't they? 31:16 At the beginning of the year in February, 31:19 my wife and I conducted a three week 31:21 evangelistic meeting on the campus of Loma Linda, 31:23 California and that was an absolute joy, 31:25 let me tell you, it was just glorious to be there. 31:28 We preached in the afternoon to about 400 to 500 students 31:32 they would come, we fed them a free meal, 31:34 so of course they were going to come. 31:37 And they sit there and while they ate 31:38 I preached my heart out for 40 minutes 31:40 and then they had to scurry off the class 31:41 and then I had preached again in the evening 31:42 to another 300 or 400 people. 31:44 It was wonderful being there, I absolutely loved it to be there, 31:48 in the new--not the new Jerusalem 31:50 but the contemporary Jerusalem of Loma Linda. 31:55 I fell like I had made my pilgrimage, 31:57 you know, now I really am a Seventh-day Adventist. 32:02 One night, oh I suppose we've been there about two weeks. 32:08 One evening I'm just sitting there and reading my Bible, 32:12 it's late in the evening, my wife has already gone to sleep, 32:15 the boys were asleep, in the quite of the evening 32:17 I, I was in my underwear just sitting there reading my Bible, 32:22 oh just having a sweet devotional time with the Lord 32:25 when all of a sudden I heard this sound, 32:28 that sounded like an explosion. 32:30 I'll tell you exactly what it sounded like. 32:32 It sounded like someone walked up to the front door 32:34 of the house, opened up the front door 32:37 and then with literally super human strength 32:39 slam that front door, it was like an explosion 32:43 but the house shook. 32:45 Now I tell you that interrupted my devotion, 32:47 I tell you that. Just boomed, just out of nowhere, 32:51 totally unannounced and I had no idea 32:53 it was coming and I thought somebody 32:56 was trying to get in the house. 32:58 That's what it sounded like to me, it sounded like somebody 33:00 was trying to break into the house and so I, I stood up, 33:03 you know, and my first thought was where is my knife. 33:12 I've a little pocket knife that a good friend of mine send me. 33:18 I normally keep it in my pants right here, 33:20 but I had my underwear on, I don't wear with my underwear. 33:25 It's a true story, I stood up and my first thought 33:27 was where is my knife and then I thought a knife, 33:33 did you hear the sound of that explosion. 33:38 Probably what I do is--It's a nice knife, 33:40 a good friend of mine name Jabel, 33:41 the young man who we named our son after, 33:43 he is the one who send it to me as, 33:44 you know, nice knife maybe I'd taken and say, 33:46 you know, here's my knife don't hurt me. 33:49 Take it as a gift you're gonna have anything you want. 33:53 So I stand up and after just a moment 33:55 I thought somebody is trying to get into this house, 33:56 I've got to find my knife, and then I thought where's my wife. 34:04 So I ran into my room and sure enough my wife 34:08 is sleeping through this and I turned the lights on 34:12 and I noticed she was kind of rousing 34:14 and she said sweetie what are you doing? 34:16 I said, I said, honey, somebody is trying 34:18 to get into the house, where is my knife. 34:23 This is a true story I'm telling you exactly like it happened. 34:27 And she said, she said, oh you mean that noise? 34:32 I said, yeah that noise. 34:33 She said, oh it was just thunder. 34:38 I looked at her and I said now you listen to me sis. 34:44 I've been alive for 30 years 34:48 and I've been through many of thunderstorm, 34:50 now that was not thunder. 34:51 Now where is my knife? 34:54 I said, I think somebody is trying to break in the house. 34:58 And now she is panicking too, right. 35:01 And so sure enough we locate the knife 35:03 and then we shut the door. 35:07 And, you know, we're just standing 35:08 there, waiting to be slain I guess, I don't know. 35:14 By the way, man, let me say something here. 35:18 I know you, man, you entertain these romantic notions 35:25 that if some rapscallions, some burglar 35:27 ever came to your house late at night that you would step up 35:32 to the plate and take care of business. 35:38 You would rush out of your room 35:39 and you go find these infiltrators. 35:41 Let me tell you it is not like that. 35:46 It is nothing like that, I just stood in that room, 35:49 I didn't even had the sense to put my pants on, 35:51 I just stood in the room. 35:54 Knife in hand, wife under my arm, just waiting. 36:01 And you know, praise the Lord for my wife, it was probably, 36:06 it's probably five minutes later, five minutes later 36:12 that my wife said, 36:14 may be it was an earthquake. 36:20 And I tell you just like a, just like a light bulb 36:23 came on I thought we're in California. 36:29 I put my knife down, put my pants on, went walked though out 36:35 the house and sure enough there were no infiltrators. 36:39 Woke up the next morning went and checked the paper 36:41 and there had been an earthquake that night. 36:43 Now let me tell you something I praised Jesus 36:46 that I don't live in California. 36:51 These earthquakes are scary business, amen. Amen. 36:54 Now let me tell you why they're so scary. 36:58 Because the things that you put confidence in, in times 37:01 of disaster or adversity or natural disaster. 37:04 The things that you put confidence in the things 37:06 like buildings or shelters or basements 37:09 etcetera, etcetera, structures. 37:13 If a hurricane comes, or a tornado comes 37:16 you know they'll tell you get in the basement. 37:18 Hide under a car, get into some structure. 37:20 Well, this doesn't work in an earthquake. 37:24 Because, friends, when you're counting on that structure, 37:26 when you're counting on that structure to be strong 37:29 what you're really saying is the steel 37:31 what ever the, the matrix of this building 37:34 is it goes into the earth and the earth 37:36 is strong and so it will be strong. 37:39 The building will be strong but, friends, 37:40 what happens when the thing, the matrix of the building 37:44 the architecture of the building 37:45 is put into something that is itself now moving. 37:52 These earthquakes don't play by the rules, 37:54 I mean everything is influx in an earthquake. 38:02 The reason they're so scary, 38:04 is that because every thing is shaking. 38:07 Every thing is moving, there is no place to go for safety. 38:13 There is no place to get your bearings. 38:16 There is nothing that you can cling to. 38:19 You're at the whim and whimsy of nature. 38:25 This is the image 38:27 that the author of Hebrews is trying to convey. 38:31 The author of Hebrew says, listen to me Jewish Christians, 38:36 you're reverting back to the earthly sanctuary. 38:41 You're reverting back to an earthly priesthood. 38:45 You're reverting back to an earthly sacrifice, 38:48 all of those things will be destroyed 38:50 and if your faith is in those things 38:52 you will be totally shaken. 39:00 The Book of Hebrews could have just as easily 39:03 been written to Seventh-day Adventist in the year 2004. 39:10 Amen. Friends, everything 39:11 that can shake is going to shake. 39:17 I want to say that again. 39:19 Everything that can shake is going to shake. 39:25 Even ministers will shake. 39:29 You had better not have your confidence in Kenneth Cox, 39:32 or David Asscherick, or Mark Finley, or Doug Batchelor, 39:36 or Danny Shelton because ministers shake my friends. 39:42 Now you can appreciate their message, 39:44 you can appreciate their style, 39:45 you can appreciate their own inimitable way 39:47 of communicating the gospel, but your confidence 39:50 had better not be in a man. Amen. 39:54 If your confidence is in a man and that man 39:56 is shaking, your faith is shaking. 40:01 Ministers shake. 40:04 Churches will shake. 40:09 There will be entire churches friends, 40:12 that will leave the great message 40:14 that has been commuted to us as a people. 40:19 Don't put too much confidence in your pastor. 40:22 You follow your pastor 40:24 in as much as what he says is consistent 40:26 with what the Bible says and don't follow him 40:28 any further than that. Amen. That's right. 40:32 You say you're a third generation Adventist, 40:33 the fourth generation Adventist, 40:35 the fifth generation Adventist. 40:36 You can't go back much further than that. 40:39 Friends, even denominations 40:41 can shake to their very foundations. 40:45 Do not be so naive as to think that our special denomination 40:49 and I love this church, amen. Amen. 40:51 Do not be so naive as to think that even this church 40:54 is not going to be shaken to its very core. Amen. 41:02 Amen. Friends, even ministries will shake. 41:06 Now I love it is written as much as the next guy, 41:08 but ministries will shake. 41:12 I'm fan of Doug Batchelor and Amazing Facts as well, 41:14 but ministries will shake. 41:18 Everything that can be shaken 41:21 will be shaken. 41:27 Governments will shake. 41:32 Now we're somewhat inoculated 41:34 from this, because we live in the superpower, 41:38 the evil munch of modernity, 41:40 we live in the United States of America. 41:44 I got news for you. 41:45 The United States of America can shake. 41:51 Now I believe as the Apostle Paul says, 41:53 that we need to pray for our kings, 41:54 we need to pray for our presidents, 41:56 we need to pray for our leaders, 41:57 but don't put too much confidence 41:59 in any of these politicians or leaders, 42:01 this government will shake to its very foundations. 42:06 Our military superpower will not deliver us 42:10 from the coming conflagration, 42:11 settle that in your mind right now. 42:14 Our superior military strength 42:16 will not get us through the time of trouble that is coming. 42:19 Even the governments are going to shake to their very core. 42:25 That's right. I believe again we should pray for these men. 42:27 We should not ridicule them by the way. 42:29 I find it to be an absolute turn off. 42:33 I find it to be antithetical to the principles of Christianity 42:36 when I hear people mocking 42:38 the President of the United States of America. 42:41 Friends, we should pray for this man. 42:43 I've heard minister stand up in the pulpit 42:45 and use defamatory language 42:47 about the President of the United States of America. 42:49 Friends, we need to pray for this man. Amen. 42:56 But even this government is going to shake. 43:00 Even this country and I am proud to be an American, 43:03 I say that with no equivocation, 43:06 this government will shake to its very foundations. 43:10 The principles of truth and liberty, liberty of conscience, 43:14 the great freedoms that we hold dear 43:16 are going to be totally erased, It will shake. 43:22 The economy is going to shake. 43:27 Right now they talk about an economic downturn. 43:30 The Bible foretells an economic downturn friends, 43:33 that is going to be far more dire and serious 43:38 than anything we have yet seen. 43:39 You see this worth nothing, that is worth nothing, friends. 43:46 Fortunately for the time being you can actually purchase 43:49 some Great Controversies with this. 43:50 You can purchase some books with this. 43:51 You can fund in some programs with this. 43:53 You can send some missionaries to India or build the church. 43:56 But friends, a time is coming 43:58 where this will be worth absolutely totally nothing. 44:01 Don't put your confidence in this piece of paper, friends. 44:05 Don't put your confidence in your bank account, 44:07 whether it has three zeros, four zeroes, 44:09 or eight zeroes or no zeroes. 44:11 Friends, you do not put your confidence 44:13 even in the economy the economy is going to shake 44:16 and this will be worth nothing. 44:21 That's right. I was recently in South Africa. 44:25 I leave next week to go there again. 44:29 And a man with, you know, these men. 44:32 These men will come up and shake you hands 44:34 and they have hands that they could catch a baseball with. 44:37 I mean, these things are mitts, 44:39 great big sausages for fingers. 44:42 Just whom just swallow your hand up. 44:48 You know, as a pastor I'm keen on these things 44:50 because I shake peoples hands at the door 44:52 and you could always tell those men 44:53 that have the office jobs, right, yeah, yeah, yeah, 44:56 there's the farmer, there's the brick layer, 44:58 there's the painter, there's the computer analyst right, 45:00 you know, just like shaking a glass of warm water. 45:06 Oh, this fellow man, I'm telling you South Africa 45:08 this guy was huge. 45:12 He came up to me and shook my hand, 45:14 he shook my whole arm, his hands were so big. 45:19 He said to me, I've seen you on 3ABN. 45:23 He said I've something I want to give you. 45:25 I said what is it? 45:27 And he reached up to one of those great big fingers 45:30 and he pulled off a ring. 45:32 Now the ring is nothing to look at. 45:35 He pulled off this ring 45:37 and I tell you took some energy too and gave it to me. 45:42 He said I'm a new Adventist and I've been watching 3ABN 45:47 and the spirit of God has convicted 45:49 me that I need to get rid of this thing. 45:51 Now I'm thinking this thing is, what is this, 45:55 did you get this in quarter machine? 45:59 He said, this is a two carat diamond. 46:01 Now South Africa as you know its like big diamond country. 46:04 He said, this here this a two carat diamond, 46:06 he said it's worth a lot of money and he said the next time 46:09 you're at 3ABN I want you to give this to you, 46:11 pulled it right off of his finger and gave it to me. 46:13 Well, there happened to be somebody standing right 46:15 there who just approached me after this man walked away. 46:18 He said, I'm a gemologist, that's what I do. 46:21 I look at these stones and I evaluate them, 46:23 he said if you like I'll take a look 46:25 at that stone, I said sure take it. 46:26 So I gave him the ring, he came back the next day 46:28 he said, that man was not telling you an untruth. 46:30 He said, this is an absolutely beautiful stone 46:32 nearly a two carat diamond. 46:34 I said, what's that thing worth. 46:35 He said, well, it depends on what the diamond market, 46:36 where it's at? If it's higher, if it's lower, if it's upper, 46:39 if it's down, he said, well, probably 46:40 just four or five thousand dollars. 46:44 Then I got nervous about it. 46:50 Friends, this man had his priorities straight. Yes. 46:54 This man understood that soon and very soon this little rock 46:58 is not going to be worth anything, he slipped 47:00 that thing off his finger as quick as he could, 47:02 he said, quick use this in the work of the Lord 47:04 while there is still time. 47:08 And, friends, so to with us. 47:10 Don't put your confidence in money. 47:14 Ministers will shake. 47:16 Ministries will shake. 47:18 Churches will shake. Governments will shake. 47:21 Economies will shake 47:23 and even families will shake. 47:30 I had firsthand knowledge 47:31 of this as I come from a divorced family. 47:34 And let me say you something here, 47:36 God hates divorce. Amen. 47:39 But he loves divorcees. 47:41 Amen. Do you hear the distinction here, yes or no? 47:45 Yes. I don't know 47:48 what's going on in your marriage. 47:49 But let me tell you something. 47:52 however bad it is, however tough it is you might not 47:56 even be able to look at your spouse, 47:58 you're so frustrated, he has wronged you, 48:00 she has wronged you, he has embarrassed you, 48:03 she has embarrassed you, whatever it is, 48:05 you need to get on your knees and work 48:07 this thing out for the sake of Jesus. Amen. 48:11 Friends, even the most solid and secure marriages, 48:14 even those marriages that you look out 48:16 and you think no way never gonna break up, 48:18 not gonna happen, those two are rock solid together 48:21 even those kinds of marriages shake. 48:26 Everything that can be shaken 48:28 will be shaken. 48:36 So that those things which cannot be shaken will remain. 48:42 Your health can be shaken. 48:48 I'm 30 years young so I feel practically invincible, 48:52 but you know what's interesting. 48:54 Thirty year olds die too, did you know that? 48:57 They have done studies and have actually 48:59 demonstrated that 30 years old can die too. 49:07 Now you're sitting there and you might be 49:09 in reasonably good health. 49:13 Let me tell you something, 49:14 don't put your confidence in your health. 49:17 You health can be taken away from you in a moment. 49:19 Health is like freedom, you don't miss it till it's gone. 49:25 Friends, everything that can be shaken will be shaken, 49:27 that was the author of Hebrews concern 49:29 and tonight that is my concern. 49:32 A time of trouble such as never was since 49:35 there was a nation is coming and everything will be influx. 49:38 Everything will be shaking, churches will be shaking, 49:41 denominations shaking, government shaking, 49:43 everything that can be shaken will be shaken, 49:46 so that only those things which cannot be shaken will remain. 49:53 As we prepare to close, go with me 49:54 to Hebrews Chapter 6, what is it? 49:56 What is it alone that will not be shaken, 50:00 Hebrews Chapter 6. 50:05 Hebrews Chapter 6, and I'm beginning in verse 16, 50:07 what verse everyone? 50:09 Sixteen. Hebrews 6:16. 50:11 "For men indeed swear by the greater and an oath 50:14 for confirmation is for them an end of all dispute." 50:18 When somebody gives an oath, that settles the matter. 50:22 Verse 17, "Thus God determining to show more abundantly 50:27 to the heirs of promise, the immutability that means 50:31 the changelessness of his council, 50:33 he confirmed it by an oath. 50:36 God took an oath. 50:39 He said, I swear on this one. 50:43 Verse 18, "That by two changeless immutable 50:47 things in which it is impossible for God to lie, 50:51 we might have strong consolation who have fled for refuge 50:55 to lay hold of the hope set before us. 50:59 This hope, we have as an anchor of the soul, 51:04 both sure and steadfast, 51:06 and which enters the presence behind, the veil. 51:11 Friends, this is sanctuary language. 51:13 What kind of language? Sanctuary language. 51:14 This is saying behind the veil. 51:17 Now the theologians are gonna debate 51:19 is that the first veil or the second veil, it doesn't matter. 51:21 What Hebrew is saying is into the very presence of God. Amen. 51:25 This hope that we have, the name 51:27 of that hope by the way is Jesus. 51:29 This Jesus, He goes into the veil. 51:33 This hope of Jesus, our Savior, our Friend, our Redeemer, 51:37 our Crucified and living Savior, 51:39 this is our hope that anchors our soul. Amen. 51:44 He's gone into the veil. Verse 20, 51:47 "Where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, 51:51 having become a High Priest 51:53 forever according to the order of Melchizedek." 51:56 Friends, the only thing that cannot be shaken, 51:59 when everything that can be shaken will be shaken is Christ 52:02 and Him crucified and His living word 'the Bible.' Amen. 52:09 Settle this in your minds right now. 52:12 If we are anchored, if we are riveted to Christ 52:16 when everything that can be shaken is shaken, 52:18 we will not be shaken, because we are clinging to Christ, 52:22 we are reverted to His word, we are reverted to His Son, 52:25 we are reverted to Jesus who is behind the veil, 52:28 for He's in most only place of the heavenly sanctuary. 52:30 That alone will get us through 52:32 the coming crisis. Amen. 52:39 It is beginning to rain, 52:43 but I remind you that it began 52:47 to rain in the days of Noah. 52:51 That was good news by the way for Noah. 52:57 But it was bad news for those who did not heed the message. 53:03 The same flood that sealed Noah into the Ark sealed the rest 53:11 of the unbelieving world outside of the Ark. 53:15 Friends, it is beginning to rain, 53:17 we are beginning even now to feel 53:18 the drops of the latter rain 53:20 all around us, but is that rain accumulates us, 53:23 that rain continues, it's going to become a Holy Spirit flood. 53:27 And everybody that Christ 53:29 can shake in is going to come rushing into this fold, 53:32 but friends I'm saddened to tell you that there will be hundreds 53:35 and even thousands who will be carried out 53:38 by the same flood that carries others in. 53:43 Let us settle it in our minds 53:45 right now that it is not the title, 53:47 it is not the moniker Seventh-day Adventist 53:50 that does anything for us, it is Christ and Him alone. Amen. 53:55 God has His people in the Baptist church, 53:57 God has His people in Nazarene church, 53:59 God has His people even in the Catholic Church, 54:01 do you believe that, yes or no? Yes. 54:03 God has His people everywhere. 54:06 Amen. Let's not pretend that we have a monopoly 54:08 on the kingdom of heaven here, friends. 54:09 It is beginning to rain and some of us folk 54:12 are going to get uncomfortable. 54:14 We like church just to be a place where we can go sit 54:17 and be casual, be complacent, be content. 54:19 And we're going to be shaken out 54:23 while multitudes will be shaking in. Amen. 54:27 Everything that can be shaken will be shaking. 54:32 It is beginning to rain. 54:36 I plead with you tonight on behalf of Christ 54:41 I plead with you tonight on behalf of Christ 54:46 that as these early drops begin to fall, 54:50 be sure that for you its good news. 54:56 Be sure that you are anchored 54:59 and reverted to Christ and Him alone. 55:05 Be sure that you are not trusting 55:07 to anything or anyone earthly. 55:12 Put your confidence, put your trust, 55:16 put your hope only in Jesus. Amen. 55:22 You need to know this word. 55:24 It's not going to do you any good that I know the word. 55:27 It doesn't do you any good that Kenneth Cox knows the word. 55:29 You need to know the word. 55:32 You need to love this word. 55:33 You need to cherish this word. 55:34 We need to live this word. 55:39 Friends, the time is coming. 55:42 Your government swept away, 55:43 your church shaking to its very foundation, 55:46 your money not worth anything, 55:47 your job gone, your health gone. 55:49 You are going to need something that cannot be shaken. 55:52 You need an anchor for the soul. Amen. 55:59 Friends, my question for you tonight 56:00 is will your anchor hold? 56:04 In the time of storm, will your anchor hold? 56:10 Have you been trusting to something other than Jesus? 56:15 In a subtle way, have you taken your eyes of the Christ? 56:21 Like the Hebrew Christians, 56:22 have you began to put too much confidence 56:24 in an earthly ministry and earthly man, 56:27 you could even put too much confidence in 3ABN, friends. 56:32 Tonight the message is spoken to your hearts 56:36 and you see that 100 percent of your confidence, 56:38 your full confidence must be in Christ and Him alone. Amen. 56:43 Tonight, you want to say I need that anchor. 56:47 I want to have the anchor of Christ, 56:49 because it's beginning to rain 56:50 and everything that can be shaken will be shaken. 56:54 Lord Jesus, give me this anchor, an anchor of the soul. 56:59 How many of you say, Lord Jesus, help me to get my eyes on You? 57:03 Help me to get my eyes off anything 57:05 and everything that can be shaken. 57:06 Help me to be rooted and grounded and riveted in Christ 57:10 and Him crucified only, is that your desire? Amen. 57:14 Let us pray, Father in heaven. 57:18 We need an anchor. 57:21 We need an anchor that goes right into the veil. 57:25 An anchor that cannot be shaken. 57:28 An anchor that cannot be moved. 57:33 Father, that anchor is Christ and Him crucified. 57:36 That anchor is the Bible, the Holy word. 57:41 So Father, my prayer for each of these attendees 57:43 here at this inaugural fall of 3ABN 57:46 camp meeting is that each of them would place 57:48 their total complete and entire confidence in Christ. 57:56 May they cling to Him 57:58 as their only hope, their only anchor. 58:04 And in the mighty powerful loving glorious 58:07 majestic name of Jesus, we pray. 58:09 Let all the saints of the living God, say amen. |
Revised 2014-12-17