Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord! Amen.

The Word of the Lord for our special consideration this morning is Hebrews chapter twelve, verses twenty-six through twenty-nine:

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.

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our "God is a consuming fire."

This is God's Word.

Dear fellow Christians-- who are receiving God's unshakable kingdom, and so are worshiping God with thankful reverence:

We are now three weeks deep into the Advent Season of the Church Year. The word "Advent" means the "coming" of Christ-- and every year the Sundays before Christmas lead us to contemplate Christ's coming.

Often it is the three-fold coming of Christ that we focus upon. First of all, Christ came into this world two thousand years ago; Pastor Kell told us the significance of that two Sundays ago. Secondly, Christ comes into our hearts by way of his Word these days; Pastor Werner told us the significance of that last Sunday. And thirdly, Christ will come into this world one more time in the future; that's what God reminds us today.

To put it briefly, Christ's coming, Christ's coming into this world one more time in the future-- CHRIST'S COMING MEANS ... two things to us. First of all, it means that WE ARE RECEIVING GOD'S UNSHAKABLE KINGDOM. And secondly, it means that in response WE ARE WORSHIPING GOD WITH THANKFUL REVERENCE today.

Now, from Pastor Kell's sermon some two weeks ago, you might remember the background to the Bible's book of Hebrews....

It was some thirty-five years after Jesus' life, death, and resurrection. For a half a decade, Christ's message had filled Jerusalem. For another decade, his message had spread to all the area of the western Mediterranean. And for the past two decades, God's message of Christ spread to the entire Roman world-- even reaching Rome itself.

Now, the good news of Christ not only persuaded many hearts to trust in Jesus, it also led others to persecute his followers. And that was starting to happen among the Jewish Christians who lived in Rome. In fact, as nearly as we can tell, persecution under the Roman Emperor Nero had taken the Apostle Paul's life, it had taken the Apostle Peter's life, and now it was threatening the lives of the other Hebrew Christians in Rome.

And so, those Jewish Christians who lived in Rome started to think, "Our old Jewish religion is a legal religion in the Roman Empire. Jews aren't getting persecuted; only Christians are. Maybe we should go back to Judaism...." It was to counter those thoughts that the Holy Spirit inspired this letter to the Hebrews.

And as he did so, one of the things he said was this (and this is our sermon text): At one time God's voice shook the earth.

At one time God's voice shook the earth.... The writer is looking back fifteen hundred years and referring to his ancestors' experience at Mount Sinai. And this represented well what Judaism was all about.

The Bible reports that one time God's voice shook the earth with these words: There was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled. Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the LORD descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, the whole mountain trembled violently, and the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder. Then Moses spoke and the voice of God answered him.

Friends, imagine the terror that gripped the people who witnessed that sight! That's the terror of a sinful soul who has no protective shield between himself and the fury of God's holiness. And after the time of Jesus, that's all that Judaism had to offer! That's all that any other religion besides Christianity has to offer!

But there's more. God's Word to us today goes on: At that time God's voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, "Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens." It's true: through his prophet Haggai, some five hundred fifty years before this, God promised to shake not only the earth but also the heavens. In fact, Jesus himself said that at his second coming: The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.' At that time the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory.

Friends, imagine the terror that will grip non-Christians who witness that sight! It's the terror of a sinful soul who has no protective shield between himself and the fury of God's holiness. And since the time of Jesus, that's all that Judaism -- or any other religion besides Christianity! -- has to offer.

And the Lord himself draws the application here in his Word. He says that this account of the Final Day indicates the removing of what can be shaken -- that is, created things -- so that what cannot be shaken may remain. Possessions, pleasure, personal talents-- all of these props God will knock away at the Final Day.

But there is hope, because we do read that: We are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken....

Now, all of this leads me to wonder, my friend, to what earthly supports are you and I sinfully clinging to prop us up for the great Final Day?

• Are you relying on your good health? Are you saying to yourself, "I have some time before I need really to ready myself to meet my Maker-- because I'm in good shape right now"?

My friend, consider Christ's words: Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens! On that day, when Christ comes on the clouds of the sky, God will shake your good shape right from you! And you will be left helpless to meet your Maker.

• Or friend, are you relying on your money? Are you saying to yourself, "I earn enough, I've saved enough, that I'm prepared for every eventuality"?

My friend, consider Christ's words: Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens! On that day, when Christ comes in his omnipotent power and great glory, God will shake your dollars, your savings, right from you! And you will be left helpless to meet your Maker.

• Or are you relying on your good family? Are you saying to yourself, "No matter what happens, I'll always have the satisfaction of saying my family turned out well-- and so, I am well"?

My friend, consider Christ's words: Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens! On that day, when Christ comes with thousands upon thousands of his angel host, God will shake any proud satisfaction right from you! And you will be left helpless to meet your Maker.

• Or are you relying on your good looks? Are you one of those people who can say to themselves, "I've never had a problem catching my man or finding my woman-- and that means I must be worthwhile"?

My friend, consider Christ's words: Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens! On that day, when Christ's light blows away the light of the sun and the moon and the stars, God will shake your good looks right from you! And you will be left helpless to meet your Maker.

• Or are you relying on your talents? Are you one of those gifted people for whom the sky seems the limit for grades in school, or for music, or for athletics-- and is this where you get your sense of well-being?

If so, my friend, consider Christ's words: Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens! On that day, when Christ judges every soul once and for all, God will shake your talents right from you! And you will be left helpless to meet your Maker.

And yet-- and yet, you won't be helpless (will you?): because, as it says here, we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken.

° Whether healthy or sick, my friend, you are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken. It's the kingdom into which Christ is bringing you: with a perfectly healthy holiness in the eyes of God. The Bible promises: By his wounds, you are healed from your sins.

° Whether wealthy or poor, my friend, you are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken. It's the kingdom into which Christ is bringing you: with the wealth of a spiritual treasure of greatest worth in God's eyes. The Bible says: You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ: that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich-- eternally wealthy.

° Whether your own family is upstanding in efficiency or upside-down in confusion, you are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken. It's the kingdom into which Christ is bringing you: where the King of Kings is your heavenly Father, where the Crown Prince is your brother Jesus, and where you will live and reign as royalty. The Bible has Jesus saying: Whoever does the will of my Father in heaven -- whoever relies on me! -- is my brother and sister and mother forever.

° Whether you are good-looking or flawed, you are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken. It's a kingdom into which Christ is bringing you: where you will experience nary a flaw, in body or soul. The Bible says: Christ made his Church holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the Word, and presenting her to himself as a radiant Church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.

° And whether you are talented or average, you are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken. It's a kingdom into which Christ is bringing you: where you have become a part of his very body. The Bible says: You are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it-- not only now, but especially hereafter.

So then, my friend, the Advent Season reminds us of Christ's coming. And Christ's coming means that we are receiving an unshakable kingdom. Now, what does that mean this Advent Season? Well, Christ's coming means that we are worshiping God with thankful reverence this Advent Season.

That's what the Lord suggests in the rest of his Word to us this morning. He says: Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our "God is a consuming fire."

I want to suggest to you that those words give us four directives in responding to the eternal kingdom that we are receiving through Christ....

• The first of these is that we now worship God. It says: Since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us ... worship God.

My friends, our relationship to our God is important! That means it's important for us to read his Word. And you've probably noticed that we encourage that in our bulletins with suggestions for daily readings. Through these, day by day, God will be working on your heart to make it like his. It's also important for us to study God's Word. You'll notice that this morning our list of Bible Class offerings for the first quarter of the new year is available. Through these, week by week, God will be working on your heart, while others help you and you help others to understand the implications for your lives.

And as important as reading and studying God's Word is, so important is worshiping according to it. It means that right here right now is where you want to be. And right here next weekend it's probably the same. And it'll be the same after that, because you want (week by week!) to direct your attention powerfully, publicly upon the Lord.

• The next directive Scripture gives is that we worship God thankfully. It says: Since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God.

My friends, you want to come here with gratitude in your hearts. It's not a matter of having to go to church; it's never a matter of having to go to church. You're thankful God created this world for you. You're thankful Jesus is bringing you to an even better one. You're thankful the Spirit is feeding you with his Word. You're thankful for this magnificent building. You're thankful for our nearly century and a half of history. You're thankful for all the people here. And it shows as you greet one another. And it shows as you sing. And it shows as you speak.

• Next Scripture says that we worship God in a way pleasing to him. Its says: Since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us ... worship God acceptably-- literally: "let us worship, pleasing to God."

Now, isn't that a different attitude? When we make an entertainment choice -- whether to watch a ball game, or to go to a movie, or to go bowling, or whatever -- we do it to please ourselves, or maybe to please others. But when we worship God, we try to please him. Now, how do we accomplish that? Well, the Bible makes it clear that we can please God with silence or with song. The Bible makes it clear that we can please God with listening or with speaking. The Bible makes it clear that we can please God with formal language or less formal.

But in any case, we have to pay attention in worship. And it's worth our time removing whatever distracts us from paying attention. If our sleepiness distracts us, maybe we'd better get more sleep-- or maybe we'd better attend a less convenient service when we're more awake. If our hurried life keeps us from paying attention, maybe we need to plan to get to church early enough to settle down. If the place we choose to sit keeps us from paying attention, maybe we need to move to where we can pay better attention. If the watch on our wrist keeps us from paying attention, maybe we ought to leave it at home.

• Finally, Scripture says that we worship God reverently. Its says: Since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us ... worship God with reverence and awe.

My friends, you want to approach the Lord with awe. That God handmade you, and your family with you, and the world for you-- this is awesome, not commonplace. That God invaded this world to live your perfect life, to die your hellish death, to rise to declare you innocent-- this is awesome, not commonplace. That God entered your heart, drawing it to confidence in Christ, and producing there power and wisdom and love-- this is awesome, not commonplace.

You see, my friend, Christ's coming means that we are receiving an unshakable kingdom. And so, Christ's coming means that we are worshiping God with thankful reverence. And how much more isn't that so as we approach Christ's coming this Christmas-- and at the final one? Amen.

The Lord urges: Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another-- and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Amen.