A Final Warning (Part A)

Verse 25 for if they did not escape use him spoke on earth, we have to stop midsentence right there if they did not escape the Jewish people. He's writing again to choose the Hebrews crystals Christian Hebrews and he saying to them, okay, words come to me some of you thinking about leaving the faith going back to Judaism. If you do that you will not escape judgment. You will be judged with the unbelievers.

This is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston. Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville. Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of Hebrews. Please stay with us after today's message here. More information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching, but for now let's join Pastor Rick in the book of Hebrews chapter 12 as he begins his message. A final warning. You have your Bibles please turn to Hebrews chapter 12 we are going to take verses 24 through 29. See that you do not refuse him who speaks for if they did not escape who refused him spoke on earth much more shall we not escape if we turn away from him who speaks from heaven's voice, then shook the earth, but now he has promised, saying, yet once more I shake not only the earth but also heaven. Of this, yet once more. It indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken as of things that are made that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear for our God is a consuming fire.

Well, this is the final warning in the Hebrew letter the intensified warning. There's been five of them and is going through this last section of Hebrews sees he's been pretty intense, is not been asked what we would say a touchy-feely time in a time of getting serious about the things of God.

Some of you may remember that childhood prayer.

Now I lay me down to sleep I pray the Lord my soul to keep if I should die before I wake I pray the Lord my soul to take. I still remember and although theologically have got some reserves about it it it gets to the point, even for a little child that the salvation of the soul is everything.

If anything happens to me in my sleep and gets me out of here to you, Lord Jesus, you, I will come and that is what this Hebrew document has been all about what happens to you after you die. This there is such a thing as salvation in this life from danger, and various other things. But there is the salvation of the soul. And that's what the Bible deals with from cover to cover and so in this last warning passage. The final warning is given attention to salvation. So we look now at the 25th verse in this disk quite a bit here and I we need this, we need intensification or intensified presentations of God's word are also will tend to go with the sections that will make us feel good without getting work done. We need the work done. Verse 25. See that you do not refuse him who speaks for if they did not escape who refused him will spoke on earth much more shall we not escape if we turn away from him who speaks from heaven well.

Regardless of what some might think or want or say or teach people can sour when it comes to Jesus Christ. They can be in love with the Lord and for a long period of their life. And then they can sour this is something that happens it should not terrify us, but it should certainly be a concern or something. We are aware of King Asa will be covering him again. He was a king that started out well.

Serving Yahweh and Israel. Towards the end of his life he soured he never he did not depart from the Lord, but he was not as passionate in his faith, and attentive to his responsibilities in the faith, as he once was. Then there is the prophet Balla Ballin was an apostate God spoke through Ballin God spoke to Ballin gave him miraculous signs and Ballin threw it all away because of his greed. Peter said he was insane mad prophet. Then there of course we all know Judas Iscariot, then this Dimas Paul wrote Dimas has forsaken me. You can hear Paul's heartbreak. Dimas forsook me, having loved this present world, so his warnings that come to us from Scripture there not to be passed over because there make us uncomfortable they are to be examined and braced so that we can benefit so that we do not soured, but remain strong in the faith, and so this intensification where he says see that you do not refuse him who speaks always talking about God speaking is linking it to their history as a people we know to be in the book of Exodus at the giving of the 10 Commandments at the giving of the law. This was a drawnout event when God gave the law to the Jews. It was not an instant thing on one day it was over a period of time. In fact, one segment of it. Moses is up on the mountain for 40 days and 40 nights. We read this in Exodus chapter 20 in verse 19. On the heels of the 10 Commandments, the people, then they said to Moses you speak with us and we will hear but let not God speak with us, lest we die and Moses said to the people do not fear for God has come to test you, and that is fear may be before use so that you may not sin.

Bible does not let that bloodlust doesn't slack off on this important issue. And so, where he says see that you do not refuse him who speaks.

Then he goes on to say, for they did not escape all that's going to be drawn out throughout the book of Exodus in all and through through the Old Testament Hebrews chapter 1, the writer began this letter by saying God speaks God talks to us. Jesus said my sheep know my voice they hear me they follow me.

Well, let's talk about that just for a moment, because how many times that I have gone to the Lord and said, Lord, did you hear that so-and-so is leaving the ministry a ministry in the church or leaving the church or so-and-so is getting involved in the church, Jesus could say to me as odd is saving me about that talk to him, lean not on your own understanding but all your ways acknowledge him acknowledging that context is not me, give him a nod means engage him find out what he wants. Make sure what you want is what he wants.

So many Christians again. They talk about the voice of the Lord they don't listen and he speaks so Hebrews 1 God, who at various times spoke to the fathers. He spoke to them. He spoke to the prophets, God would various times in various ways spoke in times past to the fathers by the prophets has in these last days spoken to us through his son.

He still speaks to us never and never in contradiction to the Scripture. I that is he is a critical point is no private interpretation. We all have the word of God when someone claims to speak on God's behalf. And it contradicts Scripture. Then, speaking on God's behalf continues, through whom he made the world the one who made the world the one, the creator of the universe he speaks to his people in the Scripture. There are over 783,000 words. I would say God speaks we often hear in Scripture thus says the Lord. So when he says see that you do not refuse him who speaks is very serious business. God can be known. It is all they are to know if you will come to the text and then act upon it. Not cherry picking your favorite passages feel good versus that is a recipe for destruction.

If you are a Christian and you're only interested in those passages that allow you to walk away feeling good about yourself. You are in trouble is the whole word that makes the Christian whole.

Paul wrote to the Corinthians. He says for sins and the wisdom of God the world through wisdom, did not know God it please God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe not through the preaching of foolishness, but the world's perception of a foolish message is says for since in the wisdom of God the world through wisdom. You see the contrast God's wisdom, the world was the world, by definition, is mankind apart from God doing their thing apart from the true God. They will never discover Jesus Christ through human wisdom. Man cannot stumble into salvation. It is divine revelation.

It is an act of God, Jesus, that I will not leave you offers I will send the comforter.

He said the cover that was the Holy Spirit.

He first comes beside a person, any ministers to that person when that person receives him. He enters the heart of that person as that person serves the Lord. He comes upon that person giving them at energizing them from ministry because you can't serve in your own strength not right not properly we are dependent upon God. God who interacts with us and speaks with us. Usually when God is not speaking to you.

He's already spoken and so often times, he was ordained a situation you sent to go through it when you come out the clouds. He'll get back to it.

You're in the path of obedience. David said I want to the valley of the shadow of death I shall fear no evil for you are with me.

He makes that statement based upon the foundation that God is with him.

That was something spoken and communicated before he started going to the Valley. Now that he's in the valley is walking by faith.

Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. It is built upon something. What is that it is built upon contact with God and we we wrestle not to lose sight of these things when someone speaks on a critical matter. We we consider the source of you to pull up to the church and someone walks up and says you know you car sounds funny. I think we should put 3 quarts of oil in it right now. Well, if you don't know this person is auto mechanic and knows what they're talking about you beautiful to listen to them all real auto mechanic would probably say something like this sounds a little funny there. Pop the hood and then he turned into a dipstick commando and he goes in and he checks to see it.

And so you consider the source. If you don't consider the source. You will have problems. The writer is saying.

See that you do not refuse him who speaks is talking about God Almighty, Jesus Christ, Charles Spurgeon, great, great pastor of a century ago over a century ago.

He writes this about the speaker about our message. He makes it clear that what we speak does not come from us.

That's not what gives it power. It's the one who is the author and finisher of not only our faith but the word that allows us to have faith.

Spurgeon says although it comes to you through a feeble tongue.

This is the message you say talking about the message of God's God's word. Although it comes to you through a feeble tongue. Yet the truth itself is not feeble nor is it any less divine then if Christ himself should speak it with his own lips see that you do not refuse him speaks.

This works right out of the mouth of God. To this very day.

At this very moment now feature about Scripture that we cannot ever lose sight of is that the Bible in this sense is much like Adam was at creation just sculpture out of the clay just out of something out of creation shaped but lifeless.

That is Adam that God had put his hands on the clay, the earth and fashioned the shape of a man, but it was still just sculpture nothing more. Even though God had touched him. It was not until God breathed his life into him put his breath into him that Adam become a living being. Scripture is like, you can take this and put in the hands of an unbeliever and is no benefit to them. In fact, becomes condemnation to them. So many of them have read it and said I don't care for it. They were not careful to heed him who speaks the Holy Spirit has to come upon the reader breathing life into them so that they can embrace and cherish and act upon the things that they they read in the Bible and not refuse him who speaks in with us. We call it the word of God continues here in verse 25 for if they did not escape who refuse him who spoke on earth, we have to stop midsentence right there if they did not escape. That's the Jewish people. He's writing again to juice the Hebrews Christians. Christian Hebrews and he saying to them, okay, words come to me some of you thinking about leaving the faith going back to Judaism. If you do that you will not escape judgment.

You will be judged with the unbelievers. You might say my theology doesn't like that Walt is not your theology that counts is what the Scripture says we cannot tailor our doctrine to suit our theology. We get out theology what we think about God from his word and it's been clear throughout this letter. What he is been saying is been clear to me on this particular subject of their salvation, and so he says listen if they didn't escape when the law was given those who rejected it. What makes you think you're different. What makes you think you're going to escape God does not change you get to that next chapter God with the same yesterday, forever Jesus Christ the same yesterday today and forever. He changes not so. This contrast between heeding God and refusing to heed him wealth we go again to Exodus so the laws the 10 Commandments has been given. God has brought the elders up on the mountain. They have witnessed the presence of God. They saw God, not in his full essence of costs, Moses and the elders and then they go back off the mountain and the Joshua and Moses go up some in the Josh was left back a little bit and Moses goes into the presence of God and then God gives him more of the law and then after 40 days. Again the people set us to this Moses. We don't know what in God sends him back to the to the So we pick it up. Annexes 32 verse 25 when Moses saw that the people were unrestrained for Aaron had not restrained them to their shame among their enemies.

Then Moses stood in the entrance of the camp and said whoever is on the Lord's side.

Come to me and all the sons of Levi, gathered themselves together to him, so the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses and about 3000 men of the people fell that day they were killed.

So when the writer says, were they did not escape who refused him who spoke what makes you think you going to be different. Are you willing to take this chance knowing the history and the ways of God are you willing to jeopardize your soul.

Now you gotta understand his audiences hearing this their business as we would say sweating bullets or their dead in their soul and they could care less about what God and his servants have to say I believe that they responded to this I believe that's why the letter is preserved because it was a victory. He continues in verse 25 uses much more shall we not escape if we turn away from him who speaks from heaven. He is relentless with this. He's been hitting it all the way through.

I made chapter 6. All you easy slams it and he comes back again and again until then again, the final warning when pastors hopefully make points sometimes unsure of the passes can overdo it. The tendency is that all he's on his hobbyhorse. Why is that Hannity would even get the hobby horse. Why is he on because it's something he's after that God is put on his heart. Hopefully, ideally speaking is a critical point that is not been registering and he's trying to drive it in.

That's what the writer to Hebrews is doing with them.

That's why he is hit this five times with again critical warnings.

Since those who refuse the Old Testament message did not escape those in the New Testament cannot expect special treatment. This is good for us to hear refuse Jesus Christ and you reject the highest possible authority there is to reject Matthew's gospel. Therefore I say to you, Jesus speaking every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the spirit will not be forgiven. I mentioned earlier that the Holy Spirit comes beside you and he even comes beside a lost soul and he begins to share Christ.

If that soul should say I don't want to hear it get away don't come back, that soul parishes in that state. There is no forgiveness for sins in this message that I've been thinking about with again. I can't share with that list. The Lord opens it up for me but it's been concerning the rapture. I don't think Christians should let it get out of hand warning the rapture and here's why I'm missing we should shut down two of course nodded we should have this expectation and excitement for it. Jesus left that with us. But at the same time, it has to be balance. It has to be balanced with we have work to do and were not looking to get out of work were looking to save lost souls. We know who they are. Many of them we know, family members, loved ones at a loss that we want time to teach them that balances out. You have to have a purpose in life you have to have a meaning even in Christ to be just gotta you know wandering along. That's a tough way to live. There's a better way. Purpose, focus on something.

Understanding that what you are doing is leading to something that is worth doing. Who wants to do something that's not worthwhile is one of the reasons why get so irritated when people expect Pastor to just check a box but they really don't need them wanting that but just check the box. I don't like sometimes you have to because the image immature state of the believer is not worth irritating, but other times you want to say listen, this is not real stuff this is not real ministry.

This not waste our time with this and let's move forward because of things that we handle a very serious we understand the judgment of God.

Again, another Spurgeon quote, you may close your ears to the invitation of the gospel, but at last. You will not be able to close your ear to the denunciation of wrath. You will not come to hear of Christ on the cross, you must one day see for yourselves. Christ on his throne.

When a user verse two to tell you where he got that from. And you know when Spurgeon preached these things many people coming to Christ. They were coming to the Metropolitan pulpit of the Metropolitan Tabernacle they are in London just to have a good time.

They were hungry for God. You can go to the bookstore and you can find the book that the journey is a journal, actually, that the documents with the people were going through. And when they were exposed to the ministry of Charles Spurgeon which was the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Hebrews 2, he says, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation which was at the first began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed to us by those who heard him. How will we escape again is talking to the brother he calls them. That is, his brethren, if you walk away from the faith. How are you going to escape. So when Spurgeon makes a comment when he says if you will not come near the cross of Christ. You will come to the throne of Christ talking about the great white throne. Revelation 6 shows this was happening with, you know, we hear this nowadays the Masters of the universe. All the big money in the big decision-makers of the world getting together and sort of a steering humanity. Whatever the course and direction they want to steer them in these making an effort to do that what Jesus addresses that Revelation 6 and the kings of the earth. Great men rich men commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains and said to the mountains and rocks, fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne from the wrath of the Lamb of the great day of his wrath is coming who is able to stand. No one stern warning from Scripture final warning Revelation 20. Then I saw a great white throne and him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. See, we need this, we have to be jarred back into this a way that's right what I preach has everything to do with the salvation of the soul versus the production of a soul. I need to be spared from time to time, to be reminded that when I preach Jesus. I'm preaching to souls will loss.

I'm not just sharing my faith move you've been listening to cross reference radio the daily radio ministry of Pastor Rick asked Calvary Chapel in Mechanicsville, Virginia. As we mentioned at the beginning of today's broadcast. Today's teaching is available free of charge at our website. Simply log on to cross reference radio.com that's cross reference radio.com would also like to encourage you to subscribe to the cross reference radio podcast subscribing ensures that you stay current with all the latest teachings from Pastor Rick, you can subscribe cross reference radio.com or simply search for cross reference radio your favorite podcast to the next time as Pastor Rick continues teaching through the book of Hebrews right here on cross reference radio