[18] For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest,
[19] And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more:
[20] (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart:
[21] And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:)
[22] But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
[23] To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
[24] And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
[25] See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:
[26] Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.
[27] And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.
[28] Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:
[
29] For our God is a consuming fire.
Looking especially at verse 25, "See that ye refuse not him that speaketh", we look at the ways that people refuse God.
First, to refuse life is to refuse God. As Christians, we love life and desire the fulness of life for everybody. We love the ways of life, the blessings of life, the goodness of life, and the Creator of life. Consequently we hate death, the ways of death, and things that bring death. We are especially thankful that Christ overcomes death with life.
Secondly, to refuse law is to refuse God. We speak not here to the law given through Moses to the Israelites, but the law of God written on our hearts - the law of grace and of a good conscience. Christians should be an orderly people, desiring law, order, and decency in our family, our church, our community, and our life. We should hate and avoid disorder, rebellion, strife, chaos, and disobedience wherever they are found.
Lastly, to refuse love is to refuse God. Love is of God, God is love. We have refused God if we love not our neighbor, regardless of salvation, age, political beliefs, sex, race, financial status, habits, etc. If our love is of God it will prevent revenge, bitterness, coldness, and arrogance.
It is for us, then, who choose not to refuse our God who speaks to us through Jesus Christ, to refuse not life, law, or love.
Recorded on Sunday morning, July 7, 2019 at Oakdale Bible Baptist Church in Oakdale, Louisiana
