The Transformative Power of Reverential Fear of God

[00:00:00] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]
[00:00:00] Our sermon is entitled, What is Missing? What is Missing? We're going to read a familiar passage, Philippians 2, verses 1 through 16, but we're going to focus for our sermon particularly on verse 12. Let's now read the Word of God, Philippians chapter 2, verse 1.
[00:00:25] If there be, therefore, any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bows and mercies, fulfill ye my joy that ye be like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.
[00:00:40] Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
[00:00:49] Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
[00:00:53] Let this mind be in you which also was in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant,
[00:01:08] and was made in the likeness of men, and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
[00:01:18] Wherefore God hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name, that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth
[00:01:29] and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.
[00:01:37] Wherefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
[00:01:50] for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure do all things without murmurings and disputings that ye may be blameless and harmless the sons of God without rebuke
[00:02:06] in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation among whom ye shine as lights in the world holding forth the word of life that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain
[00:02:20] neither labored in vain.
[00:02:23] Let's pray.
[00:02:24] Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for your holy word.
[00:02:27] Help us now, Lord, to understand.
[00:02:29] Help us, Lord God, to draw nigh unto you that you might be pleased to draw nigh unto us by your spirit.
[00:02:35] Give us ears to hear and help these lips of clay to faithfully proclaim your word to your people for your work in our hearts and your glory and praise.
[00:02:46] In Jesus' name, amen.
[00:02:47] I've been preaching here in this location for above 15 years now.
[00:02:57] When I first came here from Michigan as a missionary to come and be the pastor here, if you look at the front of your bulletin, the vision of our church, the summary vision statement, is to see the revival of the American church so that we might once again be a guiding light to this great nation
[00:03:19] and bringing millions to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ here and around the world.
[00:03:23] That is essentially the same vision that we had 15 years ago.
[00:03:28] I would like to tell you that we have fulfilled it.
[00:03:32] But unfortunately, we have not.
[00:03:36] And I believe there is something missing.
[00:03:39] And I'm not talking about a big band, laser light show, smoke.
[00:03:47] Some people might say, well, actually, you have too much.
[00:03:50] You should shorten your sermon and you can get more people or whatever else.
[00:03:55] I'm not talking about these things.
[00:03:56] I'm talking about something key in the spiritual life of our church that I think is missing.
[00:04:03] Now, God sends revival supernaturally as he pleases, when he pleases.
[00:04:08] We can't make it happen.
[00:04:10] But we can certainly cultivate the conditions.
[00:04:13] And part of that is why we have these two banners in front of you that have the verse from 2 Chronicles 7.14, which says, If my people, which are called by my name, will, what?
[00:04:27] Humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked way, then will I hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.
[00:04:34] I've preached on this several times in the 15 years, but we still have not seen that revival.
[00:04:42] But I think there is something tied into the first step.
[00:04:45] I think we have trouble with the first step.
[00:04:47] How many of us here are so proud of how humble we really are?
[00:04:54] Humility is a problem.
[00:04:55] It's tough for us, isn't it?
[00:04:58] And I think that's tied into the passage in our text.
[00:05:01] Today's message is not an exposition of the entire text that we just had before us.
[00:05:06] That would be a series.
[00:05:07] But just one particular verse and its relation to the rest of the verses we read.
[00:05:11] And that is Philippians 2, verse 12.
[00:05:16] Wherefore, which refers back to what has just been spoken about Christ and his condescension and him humbling himself to the form of a servant obedient to death, the death of the cross.
[00:05:26] Wherefore, God hath highly exalted him and given him...
[00:05:28] All of wherefore, what's our response?
[00:05:32] And it says in verse 10 that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow of things in heaven, things on earth, things under the earth, even in hell, they're going to bow to Jesus.
[00:05:40] yes, and that every tongue, verse 11, should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord of the glory of God the Father, praise God. So what should be our response to this, Christians? Verse 12, wherefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in
[00:05:56] my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. I believe what we're missing is the fear of God. Now, here, obviously, the word fear is a good thing. He is commanding us to work out
[00:06:11] our salvation with fear and trembling. How many of you would characterize your Christian walk as a walk that's filled with fear? Now, some of you may be fear of bad things, phobias and things that
[00:06:25] we're not talking about that fear. We're talking about a different kind of fear. In order to understand this doctrine of the fear of God, we must first understand that the word fear in the Bible is used in different ways. In some places, it is used as a bad thing. Fear of destruction,
[00:06:45] fear of judgment, fear of the criminals that they're going to get caught, that type of thing.
[00:06:50] But more often, the word fear, and particularly in the Old Testament, in many, many places, hundreds of places, is talking about fearing God is a person who loves the Lord, a person who is growing in grace, a person who wants to do his commandments and wants to please him,
[00:07:09] and the fear of God is a very positive, a very central, and a very foundational part of our salvation as Christians. You need to understand that. That's something that I think we're very much confused on. I want to help us today to understand what the fear of God is,
[00:07:26] why it's so important, and why I believe that's something that's missing today.
[00:07:31] When you go out, I come usually in the dark.
[00:07:35] I don't get to see people playing soccer and washing their cars and everything on Sunday going to church.
[00:07:41] I'm glad I don't get to see that.
[00:07:43] But when you go out and around and you go out to the places to eat and everything else, do you see the fear of God everywhere?
[00:07:51] Maybe it's hard to find it anywhere.
[00:07:54] And what do we mean the fear of God?
[00:07:56] Well, let's talk about that for a moment.
[00:07:58] The fear of God.
[00:08:00] Let me give you an example.
[00:08:01] Psalm 118, of what I'm talking about, of this word that can be used in two vastly different ways, even in the same context.
[00:08:11] Psalm 118, look at verses 1 through 6 for an example.
[00:08:15] Oh, give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good, because his mercy endureth forever.
[00:08:19] Let Israel now say that his mercy endureth forever.
[00:08:22] Let the house of Aaron now say that his mercy endureth forever.
[00:08:26] let them now that look verse 4 let them now that fear the Lord say that his mercy endureth forever is fearing the Lord there a good thing absolutely now look verse 5 I called upon the Lord in
[00:08:42] distress the Lord answered me and set me in a large place now look at verse 6 the Lord is on my side I will not fear what can man do unto me wait a minute I thought just in verse 4 now let
[00:08:55] them now that fear the Lord, say that his mercy endureth forever. But now in verse 6, the Lord's on my side, I will not fear. Or should we fear or not fear? Yes. We are to fear God, a reverential
[00:09:09] fear that I'll explain a little bit more in just a moment. But we are not, we're not to fear others.
[00:09:14] We're not to fear man. We're not to fear the enemy. We're not to fear the devil. Do you understand?
[00:09:18] I think a lot of people have focused, if anything, on eliminating the bad fears, and that's good.
[00:09:23] But you cannot eliminate the bad fear.
[00:09:25] You can't overcome those fears that bind us in chains unless we embrace the reverential fear of our triune God.
[00:09:35] And I think the scripture tells us that over and over and over again.
[00:09:38] And I believe that is a key missing foundational element in the life of our own church, if not the whole church of America at large, and certainly our culture today.
[00:09:52] Well, you can go to all sorts of examples.
[00:09:56] One very simple one.
[00:09:57] How many of you are old enough to remember when everything was closed on Sunday?
[00:10:02] Was that because everybody was born again?
[00:10:04] No.
[00:10:05] But because enough people were Christian or said they were Christian to where they're going to close on Sunday because that is the day of the Lord.
[00:10:13] And we're going to honor the Lord.
[00:10:15] There's a fear of God.
[00:10:16] Now, not only is everything not closed, but it's one of the busiest days of the week.
[00:10:22] there is no fear of God.
[00:10:25] Now, let me give you another example so you understand how this can be used different ways.
[00:10:31] Because until you understand that, you'll not be able to embrace the teaching.
[00:10:34] Look at Paul.
[00:10:35] How many of you have heard the verse, God's not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of sound mind.
[00:10:41] So in that context, is fear good or bad?
[00:10:44] Bad.
[00:10:45] God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and a sound mind.
[00:10:50] We don't want a spirit of fear, do we?
[00:10:52] So that's bad.
[00:10:54] But then Paul tells us also in his teachings, look at Romans chapter 11, verse 20, and see how he uses fear here.
[00:11:03] Romans 11, verse 20.
[00:11:06] Well, because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith.
[00:11:11] Be not high-minded, but fear.
[00:11:16] Fear who?
[00:11:17] Fear God.
[00:11:17] Another example, probably a better one, is 2 Corinthians chapter 7.
[00:11:22] Look how Paul uses the word fear here concerning believers.
[00:11:27] 2 Corinthians chapter 7 verse 1, Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in what?
[00:11:38] The fear of God.
[00:11:40] You see how that's a positive thing?
[00:11:42] There are places where Paul talks about fear in the bad sense, and there are places where Paul talks about fear in the good sense and in those places he commands us to walk in the fear of God.
[00:11:53] I believe the fear of God is largely absent in America today, in the Christian community and unfortunately in our very own churches and I believe this is a key element that's missing and it's tied in with humility
[00:12:06] and without humility we cannot go down this road.
[00:12:10] In order to pray correctly and in order to seek his face correctly and in order to truly repent of our sin, we have to first humble ourselves.
[00:12:19] And we won't humble ourselves until there's a fear of God.
[00:12:21] As long as God's just our buddy who wants to hang out with you on the weekend and watch a basketball game, there is no fear of God.
[00:12:29] There is no humility.
[00:12:31] There is nothing there.
[00:12:32] Now, certainly, Jesus is our friend.
[00:12:34] He condescends.
[00:12:35] He bridges that gap.
[00:12:37] But we are still to have a reverential fear of God.
[00:12:40] And you might ask, well, Pastor Joseph, what is that?
[00:12:43] Well, the best description I found is on the back of your bulletin.
[00:12:47] If you want to take a look at that today, right now, I think it's very helpful.
[00:12:51] What is the good fear that we're talking about?
[00:12:54] This comes from Ralph Wardlaw from the 1800s commentary on Proverbs, where it talks a lot about the fear of the Lord.
[00:13:02] And he says this, It's not a slavish terror, but wholesome, serious caution.
[00:13:10] This fear is a self-distrust.
[00:13:13] It is the tenderness of conscience.
[00:13:16] It is vigilance against temptation.
[00:13:19] It is the fear which inspiration opposes to high-mindedness, that is pride, and the admonition, be not high-minded, but fear.
[00:13:28] We just read that, Romans 11, 20.
[00:13:30] It is taking heed lest we fall.
[00:13:33] It is a constant apprehension of the deceitfulness of the heart, Jeremiah 17, and the insidiousness and power of our inward corruption.
[00:13:42] It is the caution and circumspection which timidly shrinks from whatever would offend and dishonor God and the Savior.
[00:13:51] And these, the child of God, will fill and exercise the more he rises above the enfeebling, disheartening, distressing influence of the fear which hath torment.
[00:14:06] You see the contrast?
[00:14:09] Well, might Solomon say of such fear, happy is the man that feareth always.
[00:14:17] Wow, isn't that something?
[00:14:19] I think that's very helpful.
[00:14:20] So helpful, that's why I printed it out for you.
[00:14:23] Now, let me think just for a moment.
[00:14:24] The way God created man in the garden, was he supposed to be afraid of God?
[00:14:32] No.
[00:14:33] He was in perfect communion.
[00:14:34] But did man get afraid of God?
[00:14:38] Turn back to Genesis chapter 3, right?
[00:14:42] Adam and Eve, Eve is tempted, Eve succumbs to the temptation.
[00:14:48] By the way, when the devil tempts Eve and he asks her about the trees of the garden, she more or less, not perfect quotation of the word of God, says we're not supposed to eat of this tree and if we eat of it or touch it, we're going to die.
[00:15:02] Well, there's some kind of right fear there of God, but it doesn't seem very strong because Satan overcomes it with the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.
[00:15:12] We see it in Genesis chapter 3, verse 6.
[00:15:15] And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food and that it was pleasant to the eyes and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit the reverend did eat
[00:15:24] and gave also unto her husband with her, and he did eat.
[00:15:27] And the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked, and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves aprons.
[00:15:35] And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day.
[00:15:39] Remember, faith cometh by hearing, hearing by the word of God.
[00:15:44] Hear the people, hear the Lord God, and is faith the result?
[00:15:49] No, look, when they hear, what do they do?
[00:15:51] And Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden.
[00:15:56] This is a bad fear.
[00:15:57] This is why most people who don't believe don't enjoy coming here or don't want to come here, because they begin to hear about conviction.
[00:16:05] They begin to hear about judgment.
[00:16:07] They begin to hear about sooner or later you're going to have to deal with Christ and you're going to be found wanting if you are trying to be good enough in your own strength.
[00:16:16] And so they're now afraid of God.
[00:16:19] This is a wrong fear.
[00:16:21] And they hide themselves.
[00:16:23] They are afraid.
[00:16:24] And actually they say as much when God asks Adam, what is he doing?
[00:16:32] Where are you?
[00:16:33] Verse 9.
[00:16:34] And he said, verse 10, And I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.
[00:16:42] And so here is this sinful fear that we are not to be in bondage to.
[00:16:48] As a matter of fact, if you turn to Romans 8.15, in one verse, I think we see this transition from the fear that all of us are in.
[00:16:56] I believe, by the way, as you turn to Romans 8.15, I believe every person on earth fears God.
[00:17:02] One way or another, to some degree or not.
[00:17:05] Even atheists, I believe, have a fear of God.
[00:17:08] That's why they're so adamant to be an atheist.
[00:17:12] Why do you keep arguing about a God you don't believe in?
[00:17:15] If he doesn't exist, don't you have anything better to do?
[00:17:19] There is something deep down that says, I have to prove this right, otherwise I'm going to be held accountable one day, and I don't want that to happen.
[00:17:26] There is a fear of God to some degree in some direction, I think, in every human on earth, and part of that is tied into the conscience.
[00:17:33] Here we have in Romans 8, chapter 8, verse 15, For ye, Christians, have not received the spirit of bondage, slavery, again to fear.
[00:17:43] That is the spirit that is on people that are not born again, and especially those who've heard the law and have learned of God's holiness and God's righteous demands, and know that they can never matriculate to that point.
[00:18:01] They can never achieve perfect righteousness on their own, there is fear there is bondage there is fear of ultimate judgment but you christian have not received that spirit of bondage again to fear but you've received the spirit of adoption whereby we
[00:18:15] cry abba father so instead of fearing god as as this cruel unjust judge that may be there or not and i hope he's not because i know i'm not going to do so good if he is but uh you know we're
[00:18:27] transformed not to no fear but now to a godly fear where we are adopted the spirit of fear torment of judgment is contrary to the spirit of adoption that transforms us not into a place of
[00:18:42] no fear but a right fear like we fear a father that we love and that we want to do what pleases him and we don't want to do what displeases him and that's the spirit of adoption and the spirit
[00:18:55] of a godly fear that God is calling us all into.
[00:19:00] What a transition.
[00:19:01] I hope everyone here has made that transition.
[00:19:05] Go do a study.
[00:19:07] Psalms is filled with the fear of God, the fear of God, the fear of God, You might call it a phobia, as a matter of fact.
[00:19:14] Actually, where does the word phobia come from?
[00:19:18] From the Greek.
[00:19:19] With fear in the Greek, phobia, essentially.
[00:19:22] That's one of the forms of it.
[00:19:25] It's all over the Old Testament, the fear of God.
[00:19:27] There's so many Psalms, so many Proverbs, it would take me almost my entire time to preach just to read each one to you.
[00:19:34] I just want to read some choice ones to you about what the Bible says about the fear of God and how important and central it must be to every believer.
[00:19:43] Let's take a look at Proverbs chapter 1 verse 7.
[00:19:46] We can start there.
[00:19:47] We've been teaching Proverbs in Sunday school.
[00:19:51] We've long since left chapter 1, but let's remind ourselves.
[00:19:54] chapter 1 verse 7 the fear of the lord is the beginning of knowledge bible saying you don't know anything until you fear god is that important how about proverbs chapter 9 verse 10 the fear of
[00:20:13] the lord's beginning of knowledge how about wisdom chapter 9 verse 10 the fear of the lord is the beginning of wisdom and the knowledge of the holy is understanding you want knowledge the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. You want wisdom? The fear of the Lord is the
[00:20:28] beginning of wisdom. Without it, it's saying you haven't even started in your exploration.
[00:20:34] There's many, many other wonderful passages. Here's just a couple that might be of blessing or use to you. Instruction, Proverbs 16, 6. By mercy and truth, iniquity is purged, and by the fear of the Lord, men depart from evil. Remember Joseph, when he was by himself
[00:20:54] with Potiphar's wife, and she kept inviting him, inviting him. You know what she was inviting him to do. Ultimately, he didn't do it. Why? Because he fears God. Later, he told his brethren, I fear
[00:21:08] God. Because there was nobody there who even knew the law of the Jews. But he was, he knew God was there. And that's a big part of the fear of God. Do you really believe that God is omnipresent?
[00:21:21] Do you really believe that he's omniscient?
[00:21:23] He knows everything you do, even the thoughts that you think.
[00:21:26] And if you really believe that, and do you believe that one day you'll be held accountable for that?
[00:21:32] Then there should be a right and godly fear.
[00:21:34] But if you are doing what he's asked you to do, and if you love him, and if you're praying and desirous to be made more and more conformed to his image, then you should have a clean heart.
[00:21:47] And though you know you'll fall short, There should be a wonderful filial fear.
[00:21:51] The fear of dad.
[00:21:52] I want to honor him.
[00:21:54] I want to bless him.
[00:21:55] I want him to be happy with me and pleased with me.
[00:21:58] And I can't wait until I run to his arms.
[00:22:01] God is waiting for us.
[00:22:03] That is a godly fear.
[00:22:04] Not, oh, I got to get out of here.
[00:22:07] I don't want to hear that.
[00:22:08] Oh, Lord have mercy.
[00:22:09] You know, it's well said in Ecclesiastes.
[00:22:15] One of my least favorite books in the Bible.
[00:22:17] They're all good.
[00:22:17] They're all inspired.
[00:22:19] But Ecclesiastes, you know, if you don't read the last part, you might end up rather depressed.
[00:22:24] But I do like the last two or three verses, because it sums up the whole thing very nicely, and it's quite important for us in understanding the importance of the fear of the Lord.
[00:22:36] After all of these chapters of vanity, vanity, everything under the sun is vanity, nothing is of any use, any new idea you think you had, somebody had it before, You ever heard of Aristotle or Socrates or whatever else?
[00:22:50] And then at the end, he says this, verse 13.
[00:22:54] Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter.
[00:22:58] It's about time.
[00:22:59] Fear God and keep his commandments.
[00:23:03] For this is the whole duty of man.
[00:23:06] Fear God and keep his commandments.
[00:23:09] But if you don't fear God, the implication is you will not keep his commandments.
[00:23:14] And there is someone reading the scripture for us on the computer.
[00:23:20] For God shall bring every work into judgment with every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil.
[00:23:27] And that should help us to fear him.
[00:23:29] Amen?
[00:23:30] Now, we find many other wonderful passages.
[00:23:34] Go study in Psalms.
[00:23:35] I mean, there must be a hundred times where fear is mentioned in a good way.
[00:23:40] And in Proverbs many.
[00:23:41] But let's take a look at the law, the Pentateuch.
[00:23:44] It says a lot about fearing God.
[00:23:46] Deuteronomy chapter 6, you'll find it there.
[00:23:49] Hear, O Israel, the Lord your God is one.
[00:23:51] You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.
[00:23:54] You shall observe to fear the Lord your God.
[00:23:56] You'll find it several times in Deuteronomy 6.
[00:23:59] Also, Deuteronomy 10, if you want to turn there now with me, to verses 12 and following.
[00:24:05] Deuteronomy chapter 10, verse 12.
[00:24:10] And now, Israel, what does the Lord thy God require to thee?
[00:24:14] This kind of sounds like, let's hear the conclusion of the whole matter.
[00:24:18] So what do you want?
[00:24:19] What does the Lord want of you?
[00:24:22] It says it here in verse 12.
[00:24:24] And now Israel, what does the Lord thy God require of thee?
[00:24:27] But to fear the Lord, the very first thing.
[00:24:29] To fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all of his ways, and to love him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul.
[00:24:38] That kind of sounds like Jesus' words some 1400 years later, right?
[00:24:42] Notice, it starts with fearing God, then you're able to walk in His ways and love Him and serve Him with all of your heart and all of your soul.
[00:24:52] This is a godly, reverential fear.
[00:24:55] Verse 13, To keep the commandments of the Lord and His statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good.
[00:25:00] Behold, the heavens and the heaven of heavens is the Lord's, thy God, the earth also, with all that is therein.
[00:25:06] Only the Lord has a delight in thy fathers to love them, and He chose their seed after them, even you above all people as it is this day. Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart
[00:25:17] and don't be any more stiff necked. For the Lord your God is a God of gods, the Lord of lords a great God, a mighty and a terrible which regardeth not persons nor taketh reward. He doth
[00:25:29] execute the judgment of the fatherless and the widow and loveth the stranger in giving him food and raiment.
[00:25:35] Love ye therefore the stranger for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.
[00:25:39] thou shalt fear the Lord thy God.
[00:25:42] There it is.
[00:25:43] Him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave and swear by his name.
[00:25:49] Notice, to him shalt thou cleave.
[00:25:52] That word cleave, the King James has used another place earlier in the Pentateuch.
[00:25:58] For this call shall a man leave his father and mother and cleave unto his.
[00:26:03] And so to the picture of those who are the people of God, we are married to God.
[00:26:08] We have a love relationship.
[00:26:10] And just as a godly wife should have a reverence or respect for her husband, and husbands love your wives, so too we should have a reverential respect unto God, but since he is God himself, also a godly fear.
[00:26:26] And it continues, verse 21, He is thy praise, he is thy God, that hath done for thee great and terrible things which thine eyes hath seen.
[00:26:34] Thy fathers went down into Egypt with three score and ten persons, and now the Lord thy God hath made thee as the stars of heaven for multitude.
[00:26:43] We are to fear God because of who he is, because of what is done, because of his majesty.
[00:26:48] You know, we think of people that are bad, being afraid of God.
[00:26:52] But what about good and godly people when the Lord shows up?
[00:26:55] When he shows up in his majesty, what generally happens?
[00:26:59] Boom! They hit the dirt.
[00:27:00] But God in his love and mercy does what?
[00:27:05] Don't be afraid.
[00:27:06] Get up.
[00:27:07] And you see, that's the thing.
[00:27:08] We're so afraid of being afraid that we never allow ourselves to have a healthy fear in which we find exaltation.
[00:27:18] For he who exalts himself, I will abase.
[00:27:22] But he who will humble himself, I will exalt.
[00:27:26] And that applies to the fear of God.
[00:27:30] Proverbs 29, 25 tells us the fear that we must avoid.
[00:27:35] The fear of man bringeth a snare, but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.
[00:27:44] You see?
[00:27:45] The fear of man brings a snare, brings problems.
[00:27:49] But whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.
[00:27:52] And you could say, whoso fears the Lord shall be safe.
[00:27:55] And the scripture tells us as much.
[00:27:58] Remember the apostles after Pentecost when they're threatened by the authorities.
[00:28:03] You can't preach anymore in the name of Jesus.
[00:28:07] What do they say?
[00:28:08] You can judge whether it's all right to listen to you or God, but we can only do what God told us.
[00:28:13] In other words, we're going to keep doing it.
[00:28:15] And then later they threaten them and they're going to beat them and everything else.
[00:28:19] And if you don't stop preaching in the name of Jesus, who knows what we'll do to you.
[00:28:24] They're not quite sure what they're going to do anyway, but they're threatening them.
[00:28:27] And they say, we ought to obey God rather than man.
[00:28:30] They fear God more than they fear man.
[00:28:32] How about you?
[00:28:34] How important is the fear of God?
[00:28:36] Our entire salvation, our very salvation is tied up in the fear of God.
[00:28:42] How do we see that?
[00:28:43] Turn to Genesis chapter 22.
[00:28:45] Remember, Abraham was asked to do something, a very difficult thing.
[00:28:51] He had waited for a child for a long time.
[00:28:54] As a matter of fact, he and Hagar tried to have an heir a different way.
[00:28:59] He and Sarah, they had Hagar, the handmaid, and then they had Ishmael.
[00:29:03] But Ishmael was not the child of promise.
[00:29:05] Sarah was going to supernaturally conceive, though barren, and they're going to have a son.
[00:29:10] His name is Isaac.
[00:29:11] Here, the promise of God to all of the nations for salvation is zeroed down to just one human.
[00:29:18] And then God says, I want you to take that child and sacrifice him to me.
[00:29:25] How does this make sense?
[00:29:27] Well, at first it doesn't seem to.
[00:29:31] And Abraham goes and he takes Isaac and the wood and the offering.
[00:29:37] There's lots of pictures of foreshadowing of Jesus Christ.
[00:29:40] You know, Isaac bearing the wood.
[00:29:42] You think of Jesus bearing the cross.
[00:29:44] There's many pictures here.
[00:29:47] But is he going to sacrifice his son?
[00:29:49] Absolutely.
[00:29:50] You find it here in Genesis chapter 22.
[00:29:51] You come into the story in verse 10.
[00:29:54] and Abraham stretched forth his hand and took the knife to slay his son.
[00:30:01] Can you imagine those of you who have children?
[00:30:04] And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven saying, Abraham, Abraham.
[00:30:09] He said, here am I.
[00:30:10] He said, lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou anything unto him.
[00:30:16] Why?
[00:30:17] For now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son for me.
[00:30:27] There is a fear of God.
[00:30:29] Did Abraham go around, oh, God's going to get me, God's going to get me.
[00:30:32] That's not the fear.
[00:30:33] What was the fear?
[00:30:35] He so trusted God, he had such respect for God's word that even that which makes no sense, even that which is very hard for me, even that which sounds terrifying, he is willing to do
[00:30:48] because of his faith and because of his love and because of his right fear of God.
[00:30:54] And God actually says, this is evidence, not of your faith, although it is, not of your obedience, although it is, but God himself says, this is evidence that you fear me.
[00:31:09] And because of that, because of the fear of God, what does God do for Abraham?
[00:31:15] Notice a wonderful picture here.
[00:31:19] He says, and he said, lay not thine hand upon the lad, verse 12, Neither do thou anything unto him.
[00:31:25] For now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.
[00:31:30] And so too God has not withheld his son from being offered on the cross for you and for me and all who would believe.
[00:31:37] And notice as we continue, verse 13, Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, there was a ram caught in the thicket by his horns.
[00:31:44] Abraham went and took the ram.
[00:31:46] He offered him up as a burnt offering instead of his son.
[00:31:49] There's a picture of Christ being offered in place of us.
[00:31:53] And then we continue on, and notice Abraham calls the place Jehovah-Jireh, as it's said to this day, verse 14, and the mount of the Lord it shall be seen.
[00:32:01] Now look what God does, verse 15, And the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, and said, By myself have I sworn.
[00:32:11] God is swearing.
[00:32:13] Does God need to swear?
[00:32:16] Whatever he says is right.
[00:32:19] So then why does he swear?
[00:32:20] And by the way, who does he swear to?
[00:32:22] Only by himself.
[00:32:23] There is no higher.
[00:32:25] You know, as little kids, I should have never done it.
[00:32:27] God, I was just ignorant.
[00:32:28] I swear to God.
[00:32:29] Well, if you're telling the truth, you wouldn't have to say that.
[00:32:31] But God says, I am going to swear.
[00:32:36] Why?
[00:32:37] Because he wants you to know how serious he is about your salvation.
[00:32:42] Your salvation?
[00:32:43] I thought he was talking about Abraham.
[00:32:44] Listen, God takes this extra step.
[00:32:47] He has no obligation to take a step.
[00:32:49] Whatever he says is absolutely true the moment he says it, even before he says it.
[00:32:52] But here he takes this extra step to ensure us to take away a fear that hath torment and to engender in us a fear that hath worship and thanksgiving unto our triune God.
[00:33:04] He says in verse 16, By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, that in blessing I will bless thee
[00:33:15] and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven and as the sand which is upon the seashore and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies.
[00:33:25] That passage right there, if you're born again, that's talking about you.
[00:33:29] You're one of those specks of sand.
[00:33:30] You're one of those stars in heaven because it is through the seed of Abraham that the blessing of salvation to all the world comes by faith.
[00:33:39] And who is the seed of Abraham?
[00:33:40] In Galatians 3, verse 16, Paul says, it's not a blessing unto seeds, as many, but as to seed, singular one, and that seed is Jesus Christ and whoever's in Christ.
[00:33:52] You are here in this passage.
[00:33:53] You didn't know you were in Genesis.
[00:33:55] Yes, you are.
[00:33:56] If you're born again, if you're not, you're not.
[00:33:58] But you could be today.
[00:33:59] Come see us after the service and we'll see what the Lord will do that the fear of God might be transformed to a tormenting fear into a wonderful reverential fear of the spirit of adoption.
[00:34:12] He says, in blessing I'll bless you and multiply and I'll multiply you as the stars of the sky, as the sand on the seashore.
[00:34:19] And verse 18, And in thy seed shall all of more as well.
[00:34:24] Now all the nations of the earth be blessed, including America, yes, everywhere there's believers, because thou hast obeyed my voice.
[00:34:31] Praise God.
[00:34:32] And it's all based on him fearing God.
[00:34:35] And so our salvation is tied up in the fear of God.
[00:34:41] Is that right?
[00:34:41] Is that what it says?
[00:34:43] Why am I going to swear?
[00:34:44] Because now I know that you fear God.
[00:34:47] And therefore, I'm going to swear to you, is this salvation?
[00:34:50] Well, Pastor Joseph, that's the Old Testament.
[00:34:53] I don't know.
[00:34:54] Does that really apply to us?
[00:34:55] Well, if you come to Hebrews class, you would know.
[00:34:58] If you're not coming on Tuesday night, here it is.
[00:35:02] Hebrews chapter 6.
[00:35:04] I think we actually went here in Sunday school.
[00:35:06] In Hebrews chapter 6, it talks about this incident.
[00:35:09] And it talks about God swearing to Abraham.
[00:35:13] In verse 13.
[00:35:15] For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he swore by himself, saying, Surely, blessing, I will bless thee, and multiply, and I will multiply thee.
[00:35:25] And so after he had patiently endured, Abraham, he obtained the promise.
[00:35:28] And he was the father of many nations.
[00:35:30] Verse 16, For men verily swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife, wherein God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise.
[00:35:39] Who are the heirs of promise?
[00:35:41] Raise your hand.
[00:35:42] If you're a believer, you're an heir of promise.
[00:35:45] He's talking about us.
[00:35:47] God willing to show to the heirs of promise when?
[00:35:50] 2,000 years before Christ in Abraham.
[00:35:52] He's willing to show to us.
[00:35:54] He took the extra step of swearing.
[00:35:56] Why does God need to swear?
[00:35:57] So that you would have absolutely no doubt.
[00:36:00] Yes, and so he swears.
[00:36:02] He swears an oath.
[00:36:04] And he says, it says in verse 17, when God willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability, the unchangeableness of his counsel.
[00:36:12] Now it's been 3,500 years.
[00:36:15] Is it still there?
[00:36:16] It's immutable.
[00:36:17] It's unchangeable.
[00:36:18] Praise God.
[00:36:19] Confirmed it by an oath that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie, that we, Christians, we, heirs of the covenant, we who fear God, verse 18, might have a strong consolation,
[00:36:31] who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope that is set before us.
[00:36:35] The manslayer is coming.
[00:36:37] The picture is the Old Testament, the cities of refuge that we run from when we have accidentally or not intentionally killed someone or whatever, the revenger of blood is after us.
[00:36:47] Satan roameth about seeking whom he may devour.
[00:36:50] He seeks a precious life.
[00:36:51] He's trying to destroy you.
[00:36:53] He's trying to destroy your marriage.
[00:36:54] He's trying to take away your sanity.
[00:36:56] He's trying to take away your peace.
[00:36:58] He's trying to take away your joy.
[00:36:59] And he's coming after you.
[00:37:01] And if it was not for Christ, and if it was not for the fear of God, we would be undone.
[00:37:06] But when we see him coming, praise God, we run for the refuge.
[00:37:10] of Christ himself and he hides us in the secret place of the Most High.
[00:37:15] And there we have refuge in Christ.
[00:37:18] And where is that place of refuge that we who are believers have been given in Christ?
[00:37:24] Oh, it's a beautiful picture.
[00:37:26] It says that we find that refuge in verse 19, verse 18, that we might have a strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us.
[00:37:40] When's the last time you took a hold on a big thing of hope?
[00:37:44] Show me where it is, pastor, so I can grab hold on it.
[00:37:48] Take hold upon the hope set before us.
[00:37:51] What hope?
[00:37:53] Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, which entereth into that within the veil, the very presence of God in heaven.
[00:38:04] An anchor.
[00:38:05] How many of you have a perfect life, smooth sailing, and always getting better and better and better and better until the Lord comes.
[00:38:15] Isn't that how our lives are, most of us?
[00:38:18] Not any of us.
[00:38:20] Like this, right?
[00:38:21] But here's the thing.
[00:38:23] For the believer, he can only go so low.
[00:38:26] Why?
[00:38:27] Because he has an anchor.
[00:38:28] Well, I thought the anchor pulled you down.
[00:38:30] Yeah, but this anchor's in heaven.
[00:38:32] And this anchor is a long chain and you can only go so low.
[00:38:35] You can only go so low because there's an anchor.
[00:38:38] But for the unbeliever, there is no limit of how low he can go, you see.
[00:38:47] Therefore, we should fear our Lord and seek to run to find refuge in him and trust in him alone, for he himself is our forerunner.
[00:38:57] Verse 20, into the end, Jesus made a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.
[00:39:04] We see throughout the Old Testament these promises to those who fear the Lord of salvation.
[00:39:10] And I want to just point out one more before we return to our text in Philippians.
[00:39:16] Jeremiah chapter 32.
[00:39:18] In Jeremiah 31, we have these promises of salvation, of the new birth, of the new covenant, of God writing his word in our hearts.
[00:39:25] But look in Jeremiah chapter 32, verses 37 through 41.
[00:39:29] And look what God says he's going to do for us and whoever believes in him.
[00:39:34] Jeremiah chapter 32, beginning in verse 37.
[00:39:37] Behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whether I have driven them in mine anger and in my fury and in great wrath, and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely.
[00:39:48] And they shall be my people, and I will be their God.
[00:39:51] Verse 39.
[00:39:53] And I will give them one heart, that should be us, one way, his name is Jesus, that they may, what?
[00:40:01] Fear me, how long?
[00:40:03] Forever.
[00:40:04] That's a good fear.
[00:40:05] That's a righteous and a holy fear.
[00:40:08] For the good of them.
[00:40:09] You mean fear is good for me?
[00:40:11] A fear of God is.
[00:40:13] And of their children after them.
[00:40:15] And I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn away from them to do them good.
[00:40:20] But I will put my fear in their hearts.
[00:40:24] God has a fear?
[00:40:25] Yeah.
[00:40:26] Reverential that you are to have of him that they shall not depart from me.
[00:40:31] You see that?
[00:40:32] That's what chains us to him.
[00:40:34] That's what cleaves us to him.
[00:40:38] The fear of God, a righteous, a godly fear.
[00:40:42] Let's return to our passage.
[00:40:43] Now remember, I never claimed that we were going to explain this whole passage.
[00:40:47] We've preached on it often, but the purpose of starting Philippians 2 is that this tremendous passage, this singular passage, that better than any other, shows the condescension of God, the second person of the Trinity, who was always God for all eternity past,
[00:41:01] who takes on human flesh, who humbles himself to the form of a servant, even allows himself to be rejected and to be killed on the cross.
[00:41:11] And then there's this idea of God exalting him therefore and giving him a name above every name at the name of which every knee shall bow and tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.
[00:41:22] And here's this strange passage that seems to come in right after.
[00:41:26] And I want us to take a little bit of the time that's left to understand the connection.
[00:41:31] I guess many of you heard before I preach this in verse 12, wherefore, what's the wherefore therefore?
[00:41:37] Because of all of that, because of what God has done for us in Christ's condescension, wherefore, I want you, Paul is saying, wherefore, my beloved, as you've always obeyed, not as in my presence only,
[00:41:50] but now much more in my absence, here's a command.
[00:41:52] Work out your salvation with fear and trembling.
[00:41:55] How much trembling have you done this week?
[00:41:58] How much fear of God have you experienced this week?
[00:42:02] If not, then we're being disobedient, aren't we?
[00:42:05] Doesn't the Bible say, work for your salvation?
[00:42:09] You can't work for your salvation.
[00:42:11] He's finished it.
[00:42:12] It is finished, he said.
[00:42:13] The work that needs to be done for your salvation was finished on the cross 2,000 years ago.
[00:42:18] We have to receive it.
[00:42:19] For by grace you are saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves, not of works, lest any man should boast, right?
[00:42:24] For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works, where God has before ordained that we should walk in them.
[00:42:37] And that is where we are to fear and tremble.
[00:42:39] Why?
[00:42:40] We are to work out your salvation with fear and trembling.
[00:42:43] Why?
[00:42:44] Do you not understand what has been said in the previous passage?
[00:42:47] Just very quickly, here in Philippians chapter 2, God is, by his spirit, to the apostle Paul, telling the church at Philippi, and telling us, you need to be like Jesus.
[00:42:57] Well, that's simple enough.
[00:42:58] Simple to understand how easy it is to do.
[00:43:01] You need to be like Jesus.
[00:43:03] How?
[00:43:03] Look at these verses.
[00:43:05] Verse 2.
[00:43:08] Fulfill ye my joy that you be like-minded.
[00:43:10] Like-minded to who?
[00:43:13] Having the same love.
[00:43:14] The same love is who?
[00:43:17] Being of one accord and of one mind with.
[00:43:21] That's not easy, is it?
[00:43:22] But this is what we're being called to do.
[00:43:24] This is serious stuff.
[00:43:25] and then notice that nothing be done through strife or vainglory, verse 3, but in lowliness of mind, that each esteem others better than themselves.
[00:43:35] Look at verse 5.
[00:43:36] Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.
[00:43:42] Why should we work out our salvation with fear and trembling?
[00:43:44] This is serious stuff.
[00:43:46] You're not called just to be some scrub Christian and fill a seat and make us happy to see you here.
[00:43:51] You're called to emulate and to follow the very steps of the divine Son of God who came and lived a perfect life who overcomes sin, sickness, death, the grave, Satan, the curse and all that comes with it
[00:44:05] and took and spoiled principalities and powers and made a show of them openly who ascended up into heaven to the right hand of God where he reigns forever and ever waiting for his enemies to be made his footstool
[00:44:17] where he ever liveth to make intercession for us this is the calling that God has given to you therefore you should be afraid and tremble that you mess up.
[00:44:27] Why?
[00:44:27] Not that if we mess up, he's going to kill us, but that this is the highest calling.
[00:44:33] If you're going to go to some place you respect, you want to go to the White House or wherever you want to go.
[00:44:39] Go see the King of England.
[00:44:41] I don't know.
[00:44:41] It's harder and harder to find people that you might respect or places.
[00:44:45] But wherever it is that you really respect, are you going to go with your dirty clothes and just hang out and say, oh yeah, hey, I'm on my phone.
[00:44:53] I'll get to you in a minute.
[00:44:54] No.
[00:44:55] No, especially if they've got something to give you, money or advancement or whatever else, things that you really want.
[00:45:02] You go, you dress nice and proper, you want this job, whatever else.
[00:45:06] You go in, you're very circumstantial, you don't want to say things that would displease this guy or not give you a job or whatever else, right?
[00:45:12] Am I wrong?
[00:45:13] But what about God?
[00:45:15] Not only do we want to please Him, but you need to understand the joy and the privilege that He's not just called you to be His slaves or His servants.
[00:45:22] That's a spirit that engendereth bondage and fear.
[00:45:25] And that's God brought us out of Egypt for that.
[00:45:27] It is from a spirit of bondage and fear into a spirit of adoption.
[00:45:32] The joy and privilege of being heirs of the inheritance of God in Christ Jesus, co-heirs with Christ, of being the very sons of God, of being the very body of Christ, of the ones who have been called to continue and carry on the very ministry of Jesus upon the earth.
[00:45:46] Where do we find the body of Christ on earth?
[00:45:48] In the church.
[00:45:49] And so therefore we must work out our salvation with reverence, with fear.
[00:45:54] We need to understand who we serve.
[00:45:56] Not some sorry old God that's dead in Medina, a bunch of bones called Mohammed, or bones in a golden bowl in wherever, China or Tibet, Buddha.
[00:46:07] No, no.
[00:46:07] Our God is alive and His name is Jesus.
[00:46:10] And He's at the right hand of the King.
[00:46:12] He is the King of Kings.
[00:46:13] At the right hand of the Father.
[00:46:15] And He is the one in whom our life is hid and tied up with.
[00:46:19] And this is a wonderful calling.
[00:46:20] A calling that we should embrace.
[00:46:22] a calling that should enrapture our hearts it is a calling that is higher than any other calling that you can possibly hope, ask or think or even imagine or postulate on this earth to be sons and daughters of the creator of the heavens and the earth
[00:46:36] and the one who is going to judge us himself is the one who has loved us and gave himself for us and called us his brothers and his sisters and the sons and daughters of the most high God
[00:46:47] and called you into this ministry called you into this service called you into this highest calling imaginable for a lump of dust and flesh.
[00:46:57] Therefore, we should do this seriously with awe and reverence and fear and trembling, but also in joy and peace and hope and faith and expectation of that glorious time where our faith and our fear will become sight.
[00:47:19] And as we see the wonderful Savior who loved us and gave himself for us, that the Bible says we'll be like him.
[00:47:29] This is why it says.
[00:47:32] Do you understand what calling you have?
[00:47:35] Therefore, take this extremely seriously.
[00:47:38] And at the end of my text, working out 13 through 16, for it is God which works in us both to will and do of his good pleasure.
[00:47:52] Therefore, do all things without murmuring and disputing.
[00:47:56] God is listening.
[00:47:58] That you may be what?
[00:48:01] God wants you to be blameless.
[00:48:03] He wants you to be harmless.
[00:48:05] He wants you to be what?
[00:48:06] The sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation.
[00:48:11] As our nation, as much as I love it, come become to some degree crooked and perverse.
[00:48:16] And look at the high calling you have.
[00:48:18] You're a light on the hill.
[00:48:19] You're called to be the ones that are going to help bring this nation out of this.
[00:48:23] You're called to be the salt, the preservative of the spoiling meat that is beginning to stink.
[00:48:28] You're called to be the light that's calling people out of the rough storms of life because they don't have that anchor that you have that goes within the veil.
[00:48:36] And the storms are becoming more and more tempestuous by the day of sin and lawlessness and a hatred of God.
[00:48:44] And yet you are the ones who God has called in the midst of all of this to shine as lights in the world.
[00:48:54] That's a high calling.
[00:48:56] Therefore, let us work out this salvation with fear and trembling.
[00:49:01] How?
[00:49:03] Finally, verse 16.
[00:49:05] Holding forth the word of life that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain neither labored in vain.
[00:49:17] Holding forth the word of life the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God.
[00:49:22] Amen.
[00:49:25] We have two more minutes so therefore I have to keep preaching.
[00:49:27] Actually, I only have one passage left and we're done.
[00:49:32] Hebrews chapter 12.
[00:49:35] This is where we end.
[00:49:38] Hebrews chapter 12.
[00:49:46] We'll pick up in verse 18, which I think is continuing the very thought that we just carried in Philippians 2.
[00:49:55] Verse 18 of Hebrews chapter 12.
[00:50:00] For you are not come unto the mount that might be touched.
[00:50:04] That is Mount Sinai.
[00:50:05] that might be touched, that burned with fire and blackness and darkness of tempest, and the sound of a trumpet.
[00:50:15] It says the trumpet got louder and louder and louder.
[00:50:19] You know, when they turn up the volume, they say, well, at least that's as loud as it can go.
[00:50:22] Not this one.
[00:50:23] Louder and louder and louder.
[00:50:25] Oh my.
[00:50:26] The trumpet, the sound of a trumpet, blackness, darkness, tempest.
[00:50:31] Verse 19, the voice of words, which voice they heard, they entreated that they should be spoken to them no more because they could not endure that which was commanded and if so much as a beast touched the mountain
[00:50:42] it shall be stoned or thrust through with a dart and so terrible was the sight that the man who spoke with God face to face in this particular instance Moses himself said I exceedingly fear and quake or tremble
[00:50:55] because that is a fear that brings torment why?
[00:51:00] because the law condemns us but if you're a believer you've not come to that mouth verse 22 But ye, Christians, are come unto Mount Zion, and to the city of the living God, and to the heavenly Jerusalem,
[00:51:16] to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant,
[00:51:29] and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
[00:51:33] What did the blood of Abel cry out to God in the ground?
[00:51:37] God says to Cain, where is your brother?
[00:51:42] His blood crieth out to me.
[00:51:44] For what?
[00:51:45] Probably vengeance.
[00:51:47] But the blood of Christ speaks better things than the blood of Abel.
[00:51:51] Mercy for all who will believe.
[00:51:53] Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord, and it comes upon his son so that it will not come upon us.
[00:51:59] And that judgment is placed upon him and not upon us.
[00:52:02] So that we are freed from that slavish fear into this glorious liberty of the sons of God.
[00:52:09] verse 25. So because of what God has done for us, because we are not under the law, because we are not to be browbeat with a fear that hath torment.
[00:52:19] And that's the fear that we're so focused on getting rid of. And I understand.
[00:52:22] But the great error of the church is to try to get rid of the bad fear and not recognize or embrace the solution, which is the godly, right and true fear of our Triune God.
[00:52:37] And that's what it says here.
[00:52:39] See that you refuse not him that speaketh.
[00:52:43] For if they escape not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven, whose voice then shook the earth, but now he hath promised,
[00:52:55] saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.
[00:52:59] And this word, yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, but those things which cannot be shaken may remain.
[00:53:08] Here it is, brothers and sisters, 28 and 29.
[00:53:11] Wherefore we, receiving a kingdom, where we are rule and reign, which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God, how?
[00:53:22] Acceptably, with reverence and godly fear.
[00:53:28] Why?
[00:53:29] For our God is a consuming fire.
[00:53:34] This is where I end.
[00:53:38] Every one of us will have to deal with Jesus sooner or later.
[00:53:42] And we will have to face the very fire of God.
[00:53:47] And it will consume us.
[00:53:50] For Nadab and Abihu, who disobeyed and did not fear God, they were burnt up with the fire and immediately died.
[00:53:58] For Korah and his 250, who did not fear God, they immediately were burnt up with the fire of God and died.
[00:54:06] And so many others that we could point to that God destroyed with a consuming fire and killed.
[00:54:13] Why?
[00:54:13] Because they did not fear God.
[00:54:16] But those who fear God, what about them?
[00:54:19] Joseph, how do they give fire?
[00:54:21] Have you ever heard of Pentecost?
[00:54:23] As they're praying, as they're of one heart and one mind with Jesus, as they're seeking him, as they fear and really believe in his words, that he's coming back, they're waiting for him to come back any moment.
[00:54:34] And guess what he does?
[00:54:35] And he comes down in cloven tongues as of fire, and that fire fills them.
[00:54:40] And they speak with other tongues as the Spirit enables them.
[00:54:43] And just like Jeremiah who says, I've got a fire in my bones.
[00:54:46] Every time I speak about the Lord, I get in trouble and I've tried to hold it in, but I can't hold it anymore, that fire in my bones.
[00:54:52] I've got to speak the words of the Lord.
[00:54:54] And that's the fire that should consume us.
[00:54:56] We should be filled with the Spirit of God.
[00:54:58] We should be consumed with a zeal for the Lord of hosts.
[00:55:01] We should be consumed with a righteous fear of God and empowered by His Spirit to go forth and that that fire in us would get hotter and hotter and brighter and brighter so that we can be
[00:55:14] the light of the world that God has called us to be.
[00:55:20] Which one are you?
[00:55:22] God sends fire to consume the sacrifice that is pleasing to Him.
[00:55:27] God sends fire to destroy those who do not please Him and do not fear Him.
[00:55:33] In which category are you?
[00:55:36] The way to fear God is to believe His Word, to bow the knee to His claims, that He alone is holy and righteous, that He loved you so much that He sent His Son, Jesus,
[00:55:47] the only perfect human, the sinless Lamb of God slain before the foundation of the earth to live a perfect, holy life in your place, that if you would completely trust in Him, that you might receive salvation.
[00:56:03] Repent of your sins.
[00:56:04] Fear the Word of God.
[00:56:06] Be born again.
[00:56:08] Be taken out of a spirit of bondage to fear into a spirit of liberty of the sons of God wherein is a righteous, a reverential, a pleasing, a preserving, and a Christ-honoring fear that God has placed in our hearts
[00:56:24] which endears us to Him and draws us ever closer to His very throne where He awaits each and every one of you who are born again right now.
[00:56:35] Maybe there's someone here who's not born again.
[00:56:38] Maybe He's waiting on you to come forward after we sing or as we sing to see Pastor Andy or myself and to bow the knee to Christ Jesus and understand what I'm up here sweating about.
[00:56:53] May God be the glory, honor, and praise.
[00:56:56] Amen?
[00:56:57] Hallelujah.
[00:56:58] Let's pray.
[00:57:00] Dear Heavenly Father, thank you so much for your Holy Word.
[00:57:04] Thank you, Lord, for the fear of you that you have placed in our hearts.
[00:57:09] Help us, Lord, for we know that if we're far from you, it's easy to not be fearful and reverential but draw us ever nearer to you may we see more and more of your glory and may we
[00:57:19] Lord be lower and lower in the dust before you praising you worshiping you seeking to honor you we but dust and may you be pleased even as you did your son Christ Jesus even as
[00:57:31] you called us to follow and emulate his very ministry on earth as we humble ourselves Lord may you be pleased to lift us up for your service for your glory for lights among the nation for the salvation of many and
[00:57:48] for your glorious reviving work please here we desperately need and in this nation in Christ's name we are amen and I'm