DON'T REFUSE GOD'S OFFER

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In Christ, Mark

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

See to it that you do not refuse Him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from Him who warns us from heaven? At that time His voice shook the earth, but now He has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.

Hebrews 12:25-27

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

God’s grace and mercy are sure for those who place their belief and trust in Jesus.

This is an absolute truth and here’s another one:

God’s wrath and judgment is sure for anyone who refuses His offer of salvation through His Son.

No one should want to experience the latter for only a sheer fool would willingly put themselves in a place where the full brunt of God’s power is brought to bear upon them, a power that we about in our passage today as we finish our study of Hebrews, chapter 12. Look again at what the author shares with the Jewish Christians he is writing to:

See to it that you do not refuse Him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from Him who warns us from heaven? At that time His voice shook the earth, but now He has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain. Vv. 25-27

Here we read clearly of the incredible, unsurpassed power of God’s might, a might that not only was capable of shaking the earth but the heavens above as well. It was a might displayed on many occasions in the Bible, particularly in Old Testament times when God judged the Israelite people, the people He called His own.

Why did He punish His people using His wrath-driven power?

Simply put, it was because the people of Israel chose to refuse Him.

They refused to respect Him.

They refused to honor Him.

They refused to worship Him and Him alone as the only true God.

And they refused to obey Him, choosing to chase after their own desires.

When this happened, God would give His chosen people a chance to repent and turn from their sinfulness. He selected and empowered men within the Israelite nation to serve as His messengers and spoke to His people through them, but unfortunately the messages fell on deaf ears, evidenced by the continuation of transgressive behavior despite God’s warnings.

And so God sent the judgment He promised in such a way that the Israelites couldn’t escape it which always led to them crying out, admitting their wrongs, and petitioning the Lord for His forgiveness, removal of punishment, and restoration.

Today, more than 2,000 years later, the message is still the same:

Don’t refuse God.

Don’t refuse to respect Him.

Don’t refuse to honor Him.

Never refuse to worship Him alone as the One true God.

Never refuse to place His will over your own.

And don’t refuse His offer of His salvation that leads to eternal life, a salvation that can only be gained by believing in Jesus, His Son.

Going back to yesterday’s message, God has set forth two destinies and every single person will end up in one or the other.

Those who refused to believe in Jesus as Savior will not escape the wrath of God that will condemn them to everlasting damnation, torment, and suffering in Hell. They will be removed from the earth easily because through their disrespect of God, they put themselves in a place where they could be shaken.

Conversely, those who humbly accept God’s offer of salvation through His Son will not be shaken because they will be washed white as snow by the redeeming blood of Jesus, a redeeming blood that cleanses them from their sins. These Christian believers will take up residence in the blessed Kingdom of God (aka Heaven) and will live there with God and Jesus for all eternity.

As we approach Passion Week and once again follow Jesus through His final week on earth - a week that would find Him arrested, wrongly conflicted, brutally beaten and abused, and then crucified before rising from the dead on the third day - let us give thanks for how God loved us so much that He didn’t wish for us to perish but to have eternal life simply by not refusing Him and believing in His Son Jesus. For through faith and trust in Jesus, we have a hope that no one can ever take away.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Feel free to leave a comment and please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it. Send any prayer requests to TheChristianWalkPrayers@gmail.com.