We turn back to Hebrews chapter
12. Friday night, we'll be having
a get together at Andy and Megan Davis's house at 7 o'clock. It's
not going to be at the Heartland Hills this time. They're going
to have it at their home. And Claire is going to be speaking
for us tonight. I've entitled this message, Things that cannot be shaken. Things that cannot be shaken. In verse 25, the writer to the
Hebrews says, see that you refuse not him that speaketh. And that word is also translated
excuse. They all with one consent began
to make excuse regarding what they heard. Don't beg off. Make
sure you hear what's being said. For if they escaped not, who
refused him that spake on earth, speaking when the Lord gave the
law, Much more shall not we escape if we turn away from him that
speaketh from heaven, whose voice then shook the earth. And there
was earthquakes and thunderings and lightnings going on in the
giving of the law. But now he hath promised, saying
yet once more, I shake not the earth only, but also the heaven.
And this word yet once more signifieth the removing of those things
that are shaken or may be shaken as of things that are made that
those things which cannot be shaken may remain. Anything that can be shaken will
be shaken. I repeat, anything that can be
shaken will be shaken and everything that is made. Did you notice
the language of verse 27? Verse 27, this word yet once
more signifying the removing of those things that are shaken
as a things that are made. Anything that is made can be
shaken. There is nothing stable under
the sun. You believe that? There is nothing stable under
the sun. Only those things that cannot
be shaken will remain. And the only things that cannot
be shaken are those things that were never made, but are eternal. That never had a beginning and
will never have an ending. Paul said, we look not at things
which are seen, but at things which are not seen. For the things
that are seen are temporal. They're temporary. Everything
you're looking at right now, the people, the material things,
temporal. But the things which are not
seen are eternal. Now, all that we see is temporary. All that we see is vanity. The
wise man said, vanity of vanity saith the preacher, vanity of
vanities, all is vanity. September 9th, 1959, I entered
this world. A world of time, sequence of
events, Seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, years, decades,
centuries, millenniums, time. Time. I entered the world of
time. And with regard to my time here,
I've had what I would call good times, happy times. I've had
bad times. I've had sad times. But with
regard to my time here, I say the precise same thing that Jacob
said regarding his days here upon the earth. Few and evil
have the days of my years been. Few and evil. You know, people think of leaving
a legacy. Well, let me tell you what kind
of legacy I'm going to leave and what kind of legacy you're going
to leave. Stick your thumb in the ocean, pull it back out.
You made a dent per second. It's over. That's our legacy. Man at his best state is what?
Altogether, vanity. And James said, what is your
life? It's a vapor that appeareth for a little while and then vanishes
away. And my time to die is coming,
it's already been set. And your time to die is coming.
And it's already been set. It's appointed to men once to
die, and after this, the judgment. Now here's the question I got
for you, and here's the question I got for me. On judgment day,
what will be of value to you? on Judgment Day. What will be
of true and genuine value to you? Now I know at that time
a lot of things that are seemingly important to me right now will
be of absolutely no value then. I guarantee you won't be thinking
about your stuff. You won't be thinking of material things.
What will be of value to you on Judgment Day? Will it be that
you've been a good person? That your good works outweigh
your bad? That you've been a good parent?
That you've been successful in your career? That you've been good at whatever? Will that
hold any value at all to you on Judgment Day? Some, as I said, hope their good
works will outweigh their bad, but they'll find out when it's
too late that they didn't have any good works. None at all. Some think that their religious
experience will hold up, and it won't. I think that those
words of our Lord are chilling. Many will say unto me in that
day, Lord, Lord, have we not preached in your name? And in
your name have we not cast out devils? And in your name have
we not done many wonderful works? Notice the quantity of their
works, many. Notice the quality of their works
in their own mind, wonderful. And then will I say unto them,
depart from me, ye that work iniquity. I never knew you. Some believe God will be merciful
and they find out he will not be merciful toward them. With regard to everything you
and I have ever done, it can be shaken. And it can be shown to be rotten
and unstable. And the only thing that will
remain are the things that cannot be shaken. And the only things
that cannot be shaken are eternal. Things that never had a beginning
that have always been. and things that will never have
an end. Now, in light of that, all that
will be valuable to me on that day is what Christ has done for
me. That's it. I don't look at anything
else as valuable. Now, I believe that God himself
has called me to preach his gospel, and I preached his gospel. Do
you know how much value that has to me with regard to Judgment
Day? Zero. Nothing. Nothing. All that is of value to me on
that great day is what Christ has done for me, what he has
given me, not what I've done, but what he has given me. 2 Timothy 1.9 says he saved us
and he called us with a holy calling, not according to our
works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was
given us in Christ Jesus before the world began. All I want on
judgment day to show up is what He has done for me, what He has
given me. All I have that cannot be shaken
is eternal and that's all that cannot be moved or cannot be
shaken. God, what I'm talking about,
I realize, I amuse myself when I start talking about stuff like
this because it's so transcendent, so mysterious, so glorious, and
I really don't understand. How can somebody in time understand
eternity? It ain't possible. Just think about how God never
began to be. Just think about that for a moment.
He never began to be. He didn't have a starting point.
He's all, and to say he's always been is wrong. He's never, he
dwells outside of eternity. Eternity is in the palm of his
hand. And see, I'm saying that, I don't know what I'm talking
about, and you don't either. God is altogether glorious. The scripture says, He inhabiteth
eternity. There is no past, there is no
future with Him. All is in the eternal now. He's
not bound by space or time the way you are. And I am. He is eternal. and known unto God are all his
works from the beginning. Turn with me to Hebrews chapter
four. Now this is a verse that I don't
believe is emphasized enough. Verse three, for we which have
believed do enter into rest, as he said, as I've sworn in
my wrath, they shall not enter into my rest. Now look at this
next statement. Although the works were finished
from the foundation of the world. All of God's works were finished,
were completed, were done before time ever began. Now, once again,
we believe this, we don't understand it, but we believe it. God is eternal. And Christ is called in Revelation
chapter 13 verses 7 and 8, the Lamb slain from the foundation
of the world. Literally the Lamb having been
slain from the very foundation of the world. Now He came in time to be slain.
But it's because He was slain before time. Before there was
ever a sinner. there was a Savior. Before there
was a fall, there was salvation. And the only thing I'm hoping
in is that which is eternal. Now, for me to be accepted on
that great day, I'm going to have to have eternal life. How many times do we read that
phrase in the scripture? Eternal life. And that doesn't
mean life that began at a point and it continues forever. Eternal
life means a life that never had a beginning and will never
have an end. That's what eternal life is.
That means infinitely more than endless existence. A life God
is pleased with. A life that is good as God's. The life of Christ which is eternal,
and all that's associated with eternal life. Our Lord said,
this is eternal life, that they might know thee, the only true
and living God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. Eternal
life. John said in 1 John 5, 11, this
then is the record that God hath given us eternal life. When did he give us this gift?
God hath given us eternal life. Well, I was given this gift before
the foundation of the world, wasn't I? This then is the record
that God hath given us eternal life, and this life is in his
Son. He that hath the Son hath life. And he that hath not the Son
of God hath not life. Now all, I repeat, all that will
be valuable on judgment day will be to have Christ as my personal
life before God. Can you say in your heart amen
to that? Do you believe that? This is what is known in the
Bible as justification. The great justifying work of
my Redeemer. You see, when Christ died, I
was justified. You know what that means? Christ
died before the foundation of the world, and I was justified
before the foundation of the world. And you know what justification
means? It means I have the life of Christ.
It means Christ's personal obedience is my personal obedience before
the Father. The gospel is called in Revelation
chapter 14, verse 6, the eternal gospel. And indeed being the
gospel of God, it's eternal. It never had a beginning and
it will never have an end. And we read in Hebrews chapter
13, verse 20 of the blood of the everlasting or eternal. It's the exact same word in the
original, the eternal covenant. I want you to think about that
phrase and that concept and that thought, the blood of the eternal
covenant. It's a covenant that never had
a beginning and it will never cease to be. This is a reference
to the covenant God made with Christ before the foundation
of the world. He is called in Hebrews chapter
7 verse 22, the surety, the surety, the guarantor of the better covenant. It's better because it saves. You see the covenant of works.
Doesn't save. Anything that has my thumbprint
on it, anything that has me or you in the equation is doomed
for failure. You believe that? If your hand's
on it anywhere, it's doomed for failure. It will not work. That's
the covenant of work. Salvation depended upon what
you do in any way, to any degree. If that's in there, it will not
work. I don't want that to stand before
God on judgment day. Why? Todd and I would preach the truth.
Do you think I want that on judgment day? No, no. All I want is to
be found in Christ so that all God sees when he looks at me
is Jesus Christ, nothing else. That's the only thing that cannot
be shaken. Anything that has my thumbprint
on it, it can be shaken and exposed as rotten. And the same thing
is true of you, but Christ is the surety of a better covenant,
better than works, better than works. a surety of a better covenant. This is most clearly illustrated
when Judah said with regard to Benjamin to Jacob being responsible
for getting him back, Judah said, I will be surety for him of my
hand. Shalt thou require of him? If
I bring him not unto thee and set him before thee, let me bear
the blame forever. And that's what Jesus Christ
said of me before time began. He said to his father, I will
be surety for him. Of my hand, shalt thou require
of him? If I set him not before thee,
and bring him before thee, let me bear the blame forever. Now
this is what the eternal covenant is. Christ Jesus the Lord taking
full responsibility for my salvation. And that is seen in the shedding
of his blood. The blood of the eternal covenant. Now in this covenant of grace,
this blood of the everlasting covenant, every aspect of my
salvation was dependent, was predicated on, was conditioned upon the Lord
Jesus Christ. He did what he did for all those
in this covenant. And on judgment day, God will
accept what he did for me. I love it when the Lord said
to John the Baptist, thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness. Do you know what he said thus
it becometh us? He was including old Todd Norbert in that. Thus
it becometh me and Todd Norbert and every one of all of God's
elect. It's the same us as we read of in Romans 8 31. If God
be for us, who can be against us? That's all. that cannot be shaken is what
Jesus Christ the Lord did. I understand so clearly why King
David said in 2 Samuel 23, 5, it's been so interesting going
through the life of David in Bible study. He was a man after
God's own heart. He was also a man who had a lot
of issues. He was a man who had a lot of problems. And I love
his dying words. Although my house be not so with
God. And his house was a mess, it
was a royal mess. And I have no doubt that he was
talking about this house too. Although my house be not so with
God, yet hath he made with me an everlasting covenant. One that
never had a beginning and one that'll never have an end. Where
Christ stood to be my surety. That's what he's talking about.
And you know what he said about that covenant? I love what he
said because I can identify with this so much. He said, it's ordered
in all things and it's sure. There's nothing doubtful about
this at all. Nothing I can do to mess it up. It's sure. And
this is all my salvation. And it's all my desire. Though
He make it not to grow. And really, David, me too. Me
too. This is all my salvation. Every
bit of it. And this is all my desire. I
do not want anything else. All I want is to be found in
Him. Nothing else. That's the only
thing that cannot be shaken. Anything about me or you, it's
so easy to shake it. It's so easy to prove it to be
rotten. Like taking a rotten stick and shaking it, everything
falls off, falls apart. The only thing that remains is
that which cannot be shaken. We read in Hebrews chapter five,
verse nine of an eternal inheritance or eternal salvation, a salvation
that had no beginning and will never end, an eternal salvation. I love the scripture. You're
all familiar with it. Whom he did foreknow. Romans 8 29. Whom he did foreknow. Now was there a time when he
didn't foreknow you? Was there ever a time when he
didn't foreknow you? He said to Jeremiah before I
formed thee in the belly. I knew thee. Whom he did foreknow, them he
also did predestinate, to be conformed to the image of his
son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover,
whom he did predestinate, them he also called. And this is so important. When
we're talking about the absolute predestination of God, we're
not talking about fatalism. And you just wait and see if
you end up in heaven. You just got to wait and see. No, if you've
been predestinated, you've been called to him. And you know what
happens when you call to him? When you're called to Him, you
call on Him. You come to Him. This is not about fatalism. This
is about God being the God of absolute predestination and sovereignty. Moreover, whom He did predestinate,
them He also called. Whom He called, them He also
justified. Whom He justified, them He also
glorified. Now that's an eternal work, isn't
it? The glorification has already taken place. Somebody says, I
can't see it. I can't either, but I believe it. I believe salvation
is by faith. That hope we have is not something
we can see. It's what we don't see, what we can't see. That's
the only thing that remains. That's the only thing. If you
can see it, it's no good. It's absolutely no good. I can
assure you if you're looking to something in yourself or your
hope, it's going to be exposed to be rotten. The only thing
that God will accept is that which is eternal and that which
had no beginning and will have no ending. Turn with me to Hebrews
chapter 9. Verse 11. But Christ, being coming high priest of good
things to come by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not
made with hands, that is to say, not of this building, neither
by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood, he entered
in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption
for us. This is the same redemption spoken
of as the lamb slain from the foundation of the world. He obtained
eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and
of goats and the hashes of a heifer sprinkling the unclean sanctifies
to the purifying in the flesh, how much more shall the blood
of Christ, who through the eternal spirit offered himself without
spot to God. Oh, purge your conscience from
dead works. Forget works altogether in this
thing of, unless it's his works, that's the only works that count,
his works. Does somebody say this is high
doctrine? You're dealing with things that are impossible to
understand. This is high doctrine. Well,
I would agree that it's high in the sense that it highly glorifies
God. And it highly puts man in the dust. I agree with that.
But if by that you mean we should keep this in theology books and
it should not be preached, you are so wrong. When the six basic truths of
the gospel are mentioned in Hebrews chapter six, turn with me there. Therefore, leaving the principles
of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on into perfection, not
laying again the foundation. You know, if you're always laying
again a foundation, what happens? Superstructure never comes up.
If we're always messing up the foundation and have to lay it
again, we're not going to make any progress, are we? Now he
says, not laying again the foundation of, and here it is, repentance
from dead works and a faith toward God of the doctrine of baptisms,
which represents union with Christ, the laying of on of hands, the
transmission of sins, of the resurrection of the dead and
of, what's that next word? Eternal judgment. Judgment that
never had a beginning and judgment that will never cease. This is
part of the ABCs of the gospel. And everything else will be burnt
up and will not last. We read in Hebrews chapter 9
verse 15 of receiving an eternal inheritance. An eternal inheritance. Now I think this is glorious
to think about. First of all, inheritance. If you get an inheritance, the
only reason you get it because somebody willed you to have it. That's the only reason you have
an inheritance. Somebody willed you to have it. You don't get
an inheritance because of something you did or achieved but it's
wholly in the will of somebody else. Now my dear friends, when I get to glory and experience
this eternal inheritance, being a joint heir with Jesus Christ,
I'm gonna find out I've already always been there, and I've always
had this inheritance. Now, that boggles my mind. It
does yours too. But doesn't the scripture say,
we're bound to thank God always for you, brethren, beloved of
the Lord, because God hath from thee beginning, chosen you to
salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the
truth. Paul spoke in 2 Thessalonians
2.16 of everlasting consolation, eternal consolation or eternal
comfort. Now, I love the comfort of the
gospel, don't you? It comforts my soul. to know that everything
that God requires of me he looks to his son Jesus Christ for that
comforts my soul and feel it comforts me to know that salvation
is by his eternal grace. It comforts me to know of that
everlasting covenant ordered in all things and sure an everlasting
consolation. Now let me say this as clearly
as I know how to say it. If your comfort has anything
to do with something you've done, it's a rotten comfort. It won't hold up on judgment
day. I guarantee you that. It won't hold up on judgment
day. If you're comforted because of You doing this, or you doing
that, or you believing this, or you not believing that, or
you starting to do this and refraining from doing that, if your comfort
has anything to do with something that you have done, it's not
an everlasting comfort, and it's not a good comfort in the first
place. The only good comfort is that which is everlasting
and eternal. If it's something done here in
time that you did, it's not legitimate. It won't do you any good. We even read where Paul spoke
of an eternal weight of glory. Glory. You know, it's, what is glory? Christ Jesus. I don't even know,
glory is a hard word to define, isn't it? The glory of God. He
is the glory of God. But we read of an eternal weight
of glory. Paul said in 2 Corinthians chapter
4, for our light affliction, which is but for a moment, that's
time, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight
of glory. I don't even know what to say
about that. I think probably I'd mess it
up if I tried to explain it. I mean, there it is, a weight
of glory, eternal. while we look not at things which are seen,
but things which are not seen. For the things which are seen
are temporary. Things which are not seen are
eternal. And let's go back to our text
in Hebrews chapter 12. Verse 26, his voice Then shook the earth, but
now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the
earth only, but also heaven. And this word yet once more signifyeth
the removing of those things that are shaken as of things
that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken, those
eternal things may remain. Wherefore, we receiving a kingdom
which cannot be moved. Can't be shaken. Can't be moved. I love what he says next. Let
us have grace. And that is literally, let us
hold to grace. Let us hold to grace or anything
else to hold on to. You can't you can't grab anything
else. Let us hold to grace. Noah found grace in the eyes
of the Lord. But God, who is rich in mercy
for his great love, wherewith he loved us even when we were
dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ by grace.
Are you saved? Let us hold to grace. How come? Whereby we may serve God acceptably. And the only way me and you can
serve God acceptably is by holding on to grace. And in doing that, we can serve
God acceptably in a way that he accepts with reverence. and godly fear. Now, this is
the only way to serve God. First of all, with reverence.
You know what that means? That same word is translated with
shame-facedness. How else can you serve God? with
shamefacedness. I mean even the cherubims as
they flew around the throne. You know what they did? They
covered their face with one set of wings. They covered their
feet with another set. Now with the other set they flew
around the throne crying holy. But what's shamefacedness? These
cherubims, they covered their face. They were ashamed of themselves.
They were ashamed of their feet. They were ashamed of their walk.
The only way you can serve God acceptably is with shamefacedness,
and with godly fear, the fear of God that's the beginning of
wisdom. Now, the only way you prove you
really fear God is you hold on to grace. You fear God when you
know that the only thing that He can accept is what He has
done, that which is eternal. You fear God when you're afraid
to look anywhere but Christ alone. It's the fear of God that makes
me so afraid of sin. God's against sin. God hates
sin. That's what makes a believer fear. Fear because it's fear
of the Lord. Now look what he says about our
God in verse 29. For our God, the living God,
the God of the Bible. I love the living God, the living
and true God. what he is? He is a consuming
fire. He will consume everything and
all that will be left is what he has done. You remember that fire coming
down on Elijah's sacrifice. I know you remember that. The
Scripture says it came down on the sacrifice after it had been
doused with water, and the fire came down, and the sacrifice
was consumed, and the altar was consumed, and the dust was consumed,
and the stones were consumed. The water was consumed, licked
up, and after that fire came down, everything was consumed. But when the fire of God's wrath
fell upon Christ, He consumed the fire. All that cannot be consumed is
what Christ has done. May God give me and you the grace
to rely right now, right now, as you're sitting listening to
this message, May God give you the grace to rely only on what
Jesus Christ has done and to look nowhere else. Let's pray.