Sermon – “Some Things Can’t Be Shaken”

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.

I was at the doctor’s office recently I’ve kind of reached our point in life where I think I see the doctor more than I get to church. Some of you may understand what I’m saying and they were having a problem with my blood pressure and. They take it then they’d stop and wait a while made take it again and stop and wait a while and they got ready to take it a 3rd time and I told the nurse I said you know what I said Have you ever tried putting a cover on someone’s neck and she said one No I said if they’ve got a problem with high blood pressure put it around their neck pump it up in about 3 minutes I’ll never have high blood pressure Yeah. It’s a good to be with you. Today. When Sandy and I come here we feel like we’re home and. That doesn’t happen everywhere you go to church I’ve had churches that I served I didn’t feel like I was at home. But when God’s people worship when we actively intentionally left up the name of Jesus as we move into worship just as we have just now that opens the door for God to show up because God inhabits the praises of his people I’ve got to praise Him I have to worship Him shirted there are times at home we’re going to what we call the red room and just sit down and just start worshipping the Lord and before we know it an hour hour and a half is gone but God has shown up and when God shows up that makes all the difference reading this morning from Hebrews Chapter 12 versus 18 to 29. The translation I’m using is called the message here’s the word of the Lord unlike your ancestors you didn’t come to Mount Sinai. All that volcanic blaze and her shaking rumble to hear God speak the ear splitting words and a soul shaking message terrified them and they begged God to stop when they heard the words of an animal touches the mountain it’s as good as dead they were afraid to move even Moses risk terrified no that’s not your experience at all you’ve come to Mount Zion the city where the living God resides the invisible Jerusalem is populated by throngs of festive angels and Christian citizens it is the city where God is judge with judgments that make us just you have come to Jesus who presents us with a new covenant a fresh charter from God He is the mediator this covenant the murder of Jesus unlike Abel’s a homicide that cried out for vengeance became a proclamation of grace so don’t turn a deaf ear to these gracious words if those who ignored earthly warnings didn’t get away with it what will happen to us if we turn our backs on Heaven the warnings his voice that time shook the earth to its foundations This time he’s told us this quite plainly He’ll also rock the heavens one last shaking from top to bottom stem to stern the phrase one last shaking means a thorough house cleaning getting rid of all the historical and religious junk so that the unshakable essential stand clear and uncluttered do you see what we’ve got an unshakable Kingdom and you see how thankful we must be. Not only thankful but brimming with worship deeply reverent before God For God is not an indifferent bystander he’s actively cleaning house torching all the needs to burn and he won’t quit too it’s all cleanse God Himself is Fire Lord I ask for the power and presence of your Holy Spirit to speak to our hearts this day may we say even as David said that his word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against Him Lord we can do nothing without you move upon our hearts this day manifest your presence in a special way as we continue in a service in Jesus’ name amen history history affects all of us some of us are the point in life where they’re writing history that we experience putting it in the history books right wrong or indifferent and they tend to want to write what they want to today which I don’t understand history there’s that argument nature versus nurture when we watch in animals that we re Scottish deerhound many of you know. And we also rescued a pedantic 0 from the Canary Islands and the history that they have gone through these dogs especially the president though. That dog is crazy that’s a true story you don’t have to be a vet psychiatry’s Dunder stand it either that poor dog had been through so much in the Canary Islands they abuse them severely and Sandy had been watching and following a group that rescues them from the Canary Islands and from Spain. When they get done with these dogs if they don’t breed them by the time you’re 2 years old to kill them and they do not kill them in a u. Maine fashion their existence in or sociology has to do with understanding other dogs but not human beings they keep them in shelters that are not much more than a cement igloo Sandy Senator computer one day and you would think I would learn when she says Come and look at this and us to sub picture this beautiful black dog she said What do you think I saw I said desperate unified like she’s the deaths good we just bought it. Brought the dog home put it in a little crate in our bedroom for 2 months I didn’t know the dog could bark it never made a paper. Until my huge dog wondered in the bedroom one morning and all the sudden a little dog barked to get that dog out she would not come out of that great we had to put her in a crate that we could uns at the top so that we tried could try to reach in and put a leash as she cowered shook in a corner but the strangest thing when we would get that leash on that dog all the sudden was like oh what are we doing to get her out and we can let the deer hounds out with her near law bigger than she is they could not catch her she would run them and until they were ready to drop and then she would come to the door like you’ve got something else for me we’ve had her what 2 years now a little longer going on 3 right now when we get back to the house that dog will be hiding somewhere but waiting to see her that’s her dog and when that dogs sees me if she’s not near by that dog will run down the hall and hide I had no idea one night we were having terrible time getting or in the house and being black. That deep black coat get her out in the darkness we could not see her with actually but a special color for her that lights up. Well we don’t have a color just one night and Sandy said account fine or I’m in sunlight I like the lights that you have here I think Ellie delights to thank God you put him in you do I’m going to have to worry about replace that one before I die they last forever but I’ve collected some lights and I said I’ll get my lights out the finder not knowing she was scared to death of a flashlight. And here I am I took this big light rechargeable had it out in the lane turn nothing on bright there was a helicopter come over one no one have permission to land but you see the history of this dog has affected this dog forever for some of us we have a history that affects us forever for some of us we needed to be healed from the history that we came from dear friend God is still in the healing this God is still a god of the miraculous children of Israel this generation the director’s talking to he told him he said you didn’t experience what happened at Sinai and he goes on to say how terrifying it was with the smoke and fire and God speaking in the time that was involved at one point after the 1st 6 or 7 days where Moses went to the mountain waiting to hear from God suddenly God spoke and then another time when he went back up on the mountain up there for 40 days and 40 nights waiting to hear from God That’s quite a history. And in the history of Mount Sinai we have the record of the earthquakes and and the things that were happening when God shows up God is all holy God. The minute we enter into God’s presence and the minute we experience the manifested presence of God It’s a humbling experience because of the awesomeness of all the God and we’re declares that on the other side of the cross no man had ever looked on God and lived and the children of his wronged or stood when God spoke that they couldn’t even allow cattle to get close to the barriers that were set up for fear that they would have to die what a history. Where we be today if x. Ray God showed up on Sunday morning on Saturday mornings and Wednesday night where would we be if suddenly there was a thick cloud and we would hear a voice come out of the cloud and speak to us where would we be you’ve got it you’ve got it so we see this history we’ve studied it haven’t we. The children of Israel had just been set free from Egypt bondage they watched the miracles that God sent to try to soften Pharaoh’s heart they saw what took place till finally God told Moses go tell him he’s not going to tolerate He won’t be able to deal with this last curse and that’s when the children of Israel were told to apply the blood to the doorpost in the lentil so that the Angel of Death would pass over them the Passover was instituted and isn’t it interesting that after all that happened favor his heart storm heard and he chased the people of God. Listen to what I’m saying today because it has to do dear friends where we live right now we know how God brought the children of Israel. Across that huge body of water and to save them how God caused that water to close up on Pharaoh’s army you know it’s only been about 5 years ago they actually for have found remnants of ancient carriages that had come across that body of water I think it’s interesting how science will confirm what the book says. Now I warn shirty already I said you’re part of what I’m going to be preaching about today she said really really. We have a history she and I do the Higgs and have a history that we were involved with together I remember Bob so well remembers funeral. Maybe sometimes people don’t understand how much a pastor loves the flock them a tell you what I don’t know that that man ever eat a bite in my home or even had a cup of coffee but he worked his way into my heart I came back for the funeral homes and way Betty several We got to the funeral she said are we going to go up and pay our respects I said what’s what we always do at all I always go up just before the service starts sometimes things think up once I walked up to that casket and I lost it for pastors not supposed to lose it I can’t help it. I stood there and I saw Ronnie came to me afterwards he said Pastor He said I thought we were all in trouble he said I watched and he said I thought he saw him be able to do the service we have a history don’t we surely I remember one day Ronnie called me you still had that white Cadillac. He said I need your help I said What do you need he said sure he called and she said the antenna being a power antenna fancy stuff I haven’t seen a car like that in ages fancy stuff where when you turn the key off the antenna goes back down turned on back up why it won and went in one direction and a little motor that drove it would not turn off he said could you go over numb plug that I’m sure but I think you brought the car over. Well I’m at a point in life I remember the past a lot better than I remember yesterday we have a history all of us now for the children of Israel they knew what happened at Sinai because in the Jewish homes they are taught to talk about what you’ve seen mean to. Take it to the table tell your children at the table repeat the story over and over again they knew the history even though they weren’t there. And the writers telling God’s people here what I talked to you about was not your history but you have a copy of the hip in your heart and he goes on to talk about it I want to read that part again no that’s not your experience at all you come to Mount Zion the city where the living God resides the invisible Jerusalem is populated by throngs of festive angels and Christian citizens it is the city where God is judge with judgments that make us just you come to Jesus who presents us with a new covenant a fresh charter from God He Jesus is the mediator this covenant the murder of Jesus unlike Abel’s became a proclamation of grace unlike Abel’s a homicide to cry it out for vengeance now where we are. Right now at this juncture in time we gather together and where we are become Zion we sing that old hymn we’re marking to Zion beauty full beautiful Zion we’re marching upward to Zion that beautiful city of God The writer in Revelation talks about the new Jerusalem coming down from God out of have been my friends we are experiencing that even now this is a critical time in the life for the church and you need to know number of people never has bothered me the 1st church I served there were services but there was only me and a piano player I preached my heart out she told me one Sunday she said Pastor Burchill I love your preaching but she said Young have to understand when a farmer goes out to feed the cattle he done unload the whole barn at one time some things have been hard for me to learn the invisible Jerusalem is populated by throngs of angels and Christian citizens we have to be careful today to not get drawn into 1st of all the lie because the devil is still a liar he is the father of lies he is the future of the Christian part of this says Jesus is the judge I know if you’ve ever been in a courtroom I’m going to tell you what I’ve come to meet a friend of mine he asked me he said I got to go before a judge would you go with me I’ll go with you it’s intimidating also down the honorable Bob was then entered the courtroom well Elvis had left the building site but it’s intimidating the way that the court rooms are even designed but you see that’s human beings judgement and you realise that even in human beings judgment it’s. You can go in to litigate a problem and the judge gives his opinion on it and cast his judgment what might be bad for one of the other people but somebody is going to benefit by judgment we cannot lose this case because Jesus is the judge I may be a resident I may be a citizen of the United States of America I may be a part of a political party but the kingdom of God is where my allegiance in this because everything that can be shaken is all ready been shake and your friends the kingdom of God will remain when everything else is gone the kingdom will remain and you see the beautiful thing about serving escaping we’re justified when we’re judged because of Jesus God sees us through the blood of Christ and is able to embrace us you see the struggle at Sinai was a people could not approach the power of God they sought and is an amazing they talked about how God brought them out of Egypt’s bondage and in fact on the other side when they assembled and whenever they knew they were liberated and protected by the power of God They stopped and took time to go out and dance oh holy dance to praise the Lord you cannot go wrong praising the Lord you cannot go wrong worshipping him because he and factors are king at home even when we just asked to bless and maybe over a bag or peanut butter and jelly or a steak doesn’t matter what it is. You know God says remind me. Remind me he doesn’t have a bad memory like I do 2 things happen when we remind God we are honoring God we are worshipping God even at the table when we ask the Bless you know what I remind him God You are our king we are your servants call us into the throne room and tell us what to do God will do it sometimes people might look at you like you’re crazy because well God will do things out in public if we listen. We were at a restaurant some of you probably are familiar with the chat and chew your McColl went in there but I’m on tell you what I’ve been vague and for a long time but I had one outstanding omelet. With him in it. And we’re setting there and we love to be together we enjoy being together even with the fact that 6 and a half years ago when we were married I signed a document that said I would be responsible and I’m responsible because she’s always right. The young couple walked into the restaurant and we were pretty well done with our meal and they passed us and sat down at a booth and they did what I see a lot of people do today I watch couples come and arrest we have a lot we don’t cook very much you know you all regard your Betty was a cook Oh my goodness that woman could cook at talian food I had to go clear to Greens bird to pick up a special cheese for lasagna she like to make I don’t cook but you know what I’ve learned since Sandy not been married I can cook eggs 7 different ways. But I don’t know what there are 2 I’ve done and put it on a plate. Discover command and set down and the Holy Spirit quickened me this is not easy but a part of our victory and a part of seeing God’s miracle working power is moving beyond our comfort zone this young couple sat down and they sat down with their phones soon as I sat down beside his table they’re playing with their phones and a large to go talk to them Well you see I’m a kind of person I will say why. And what do you want me to do when I get there and the see a part of moving in the spirit is being willing to do what he tells you to do because he’s our king and we are his servants and being willing to go and know that when we get there if we need to know more he’ll tell us now in spite of what I saw I walked up to the table and the Lord quick of me said Tell him that you’ve noticed their close relationship and I’m Center thing in your dissing right. But I did I obeyed him I said I want to tell you I said I appreciate this the close relationship you have where she just started beaming. And he had a hood up over his head and he would look would look at me and I said you know what I said is so wonderful because what you’re experiencing in your relationship is multiplied when Jesus is involved and when I said that that young man pulled his hood back and he looked me in the eye he spent he said you’re right on and then I was quick and to tell him you’ve got to get ready no you know the Lord but you’ve got to get ready for what’s coming on the face of the earth that’s part of the message here today listen that’s Sunday that was the title Sundays message in her churches listen where they’d been up on the mountain top the Mount of Transfiguration listen. When God’s voice spoke and said This is my beloved son told the disciples listen to him. Wow some sermons are great to the point and she brings it right to the point hey you know what I’m her husband she told me we got married she said hey listen she said I don’t expect you to go to both services on Sunday morning you can pick out which church because she has 2 churches and I said but I want to go to both she said but it’s going to be the same sermon I said Not I said the Holy Ghost makes it different you may deliver the same information but the quickening power of the Holy Ghost makes a difference and I’ve watched it because you know what for 6 and a half years I’ve gone to both services early in a week she might mention might mention her some scriptures and words laying a mark for Sunday I never know what her sermon is until I’m sitting in a church with the rest of the people listen that’s part of this message today listen don’t turn a deaf ears to these gracious words of those who ignored earthly warnings didn’t get away with it at Sinai remember Moses would come down say here’s what the Lord says and response from the congregation from the children of Israel will do what he said. Moses would go back and come back down with another message here’s what God says We’ll do what he said. And while they were still camped below Sinai they decided to do what they wanted to do you remember the story the golden calf one of the leaders right under Moses help the people of God Just obey what God said to do is frightening to me today how their people were daring to make a lie out of God’s word it’s frightening to me. As a child of God 1st of all and as one who has preached the gospel to see people who were look and pick and choose what they want to say were this other thing I don’t believe that that was really what God wanted to say if you don’t get your truth from the one who is the Truth the Life and away where are you going to get your truth but some people because they have ignored some doctrine. God has delivered a lie to them and they will not make heaven their home my heart is breaking as I see leaders in churches in denominations who are telling a lie to the people of God and the people who are accepting the lie but you know what’s great God is merciful or I wouldn’t be here today God is merciful a man approached me for some counseling. And. I knew he was backing away from some of the things he was doing at church and he came in you privately and he said he said I just I need to back away can do these things right now I said nothing has no one has done anything to me you came he said I need to talk with you and he told me he said I’ve been living in sin and still coming to church I’ve been living in sin for 2 years and once again because God is my King and I am his servant and God said Tell him that when he asked me to forgive him I forgot it it’s cast away so I told him I said you need to understand I said God bless you for humbling yourself and I said you’ve asked God to forgive you he said Yeah but he said it’s just horrible I said Yeah it is horrible but I said you need to know that the minute you ask God to forgive you it was gone that’s the mercy and the grace of God Your friends. Now this side of the cross God is still speaking the Scripture declares that at Sinai God took the Earth God created signs God showed up in a dense cloud God was there God is here now but now God is not just shaking the earth god shaken everything I hear people say with this mess that we’ve gone through with coda I just pray we get back to normal number one don’t. Don’t pray to get back to normal and you don’t need to participate in this thing it says this is the new normal because your friends a new normal is not even here yet and what we’re seeing is things that we have held sacred in our heart our Constitution is being ignored by the very leaders who take an oath to support and I’m not going to get into a political discussion here I’m talking about the symptoms of what is taking place Satan knows his days are numbered no 1 may know the moment when Jesus is going to return but Satan knows the book better than most of us ever could begin to understand and he know this that because of prophecies that are being fulfilled all around us his time is limited praise the Lord but as a shaking is taking place Mark my words hear the word of the Lord today there are denominations that will crumble church denominations before our eyes will Kwame’s all because of their false foundation their denominations set up what’s called a creed all belief and in their credo believe they say all right we believe this this and this and if you don’t believe every one of them you cannot be a part of us well I don’t see that in the book anywhere. I believe we should fall of the truth of the gospel John Wesley put it destroyed he said if you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that he died and rose the 3rd day and is sending a direct hand of the father shake my hand you are my brother John Wesley never stirred up to start a denomination that wasn’t his intent that he died and Agatha can priest praying for a revival in the Church of England God is going to take us out the door to meet people on the street there’s a man I know in Cumberland right now we’re a man I know in Cumberland right now spent 20 years in prison for a crime he did not do and he told me he said hey I’ve done things I should have gone to prison for but he said what they sent me to prison for I did not do but he said I’ll tell you what happened he said the King of Glory put me away because he wanted to become acquainted with me and he said I remember the battles that I had in prison he said because I went in there demanding respect and he said I remember one day a prisoner come by and he’s that he elbowed shouldered me as he walked by almost knocked me down and he said all of a sudden he called a lock lock down he says something else are gone another part of the prison and he said I was locked in a cell long enough I was able to make myself a knife because he said when he left us out I was going to pay him a visit and I was going to put him down but here here is this just God who makes us just he says he can run said you get ready get out to eat he said had my knife already in my pocket. And he said I waited he said there’s a sequential doors that open one of the time in this big circle is that ice and in there just before my door opener that man appeared discipline my hand and in my pocket and I thought it’s going to be it I’ll show him what respect is and he said God showed up and said You’re not going to do it he said that man walked up to my jail cell as I stood there were you paying and he said God was getting ready to change my life this man went to St Patrick’s church downtown they had this great big old building used to be a convent and he went to the priest and he said I want to operate a ministry out of that building how much you want to run it to me the priest smiled and he said if you’re going to use it for the work of God He said You go in and do it here’s the key never even ask him you Baptist you about this you Catholic God opens doors in the middle of the shake in the middle of what they’re calling a global reset in the middle of what will end up in a global jurisdiction in a middle of a time where we have benefited by their freedom that God gave this great nation we’re being controlled by our government and I don’t get me wrong this coverts nothing to mess with I have a down the I’ve had a choice 1st time I had that I went to the doctor several time I finally got to see my family doctor and I said I believe I have covered no one here that’s Ok. Well just to make sure that it was to hit me a 2nd time but I praise God because I’m able to stand here today I praise God because we can intervene for those who have suffered so badly this is for real and as fulfilling scripture now I got to wrap this up God’s given us an unshakable Kingdom and what that means is this. That no matter what changes tomorrow Jesus Christ is still the same yesterday today and forever in the Old Testament God spoke to the prophet and said I am God and I change not now you and I may end up not liking some things that happen you and I you and I may end up carrying burdens that we never imagined we would carry an a slice of that dear friends I promise you because we are part of the Kingdom of God will keep us God will shield us God will protect us God will provide for whatever needs we have because God is faithful God is good. And all the time. And as your pastor touches that’s God’s nature I was here the Sunday talked about it now the Scripture declares where sent abounds their grace much more abounds and one of the things you can expect and I have always I already talked to your pastor about it miracles in this church you’ve already experienced some of them I know you have I’ve heard you see that there will be a move of the spirit in this church where miracles will happen spontaneously as you worship the King of Kings and Lord of Lords I was enter revive one West Coast I was playing for a friend of mine we’d crossed a country going from one revival to another we got to little. Place Called Dell. And the. Whole scene from when we got your nothing seemed like it was working out the pastor was in trouble with the people and there was a nasty note on a pulpit and the pastor said you’re not scheduled for a revival with us well he better have because we didn’t have another cent to put any more gas in the tank that’s as far as we were gone 1st night of the revival just a handful of people come out but in a very back of the church there was a young mother with a baby in her arms. And this was hot weather but she had to screw shade had on the baby’s head man’s name I was working with was Randy and as he finished preaching that night the Holy Ghost spoke to him about that little baby so he stopped left the platform and he pointed to take that hat off that baby little mother said you know absent a piano a piano I like this one and he said you know why you won’t take that hat off that baby he said you don’t want people to see that big indentation in a baby’s skull you see God knows this is part of the kingdom the son capable and he said if you have to get baby’s head off God’s going to give that baby a miracle right where you’re sitting she grabbed that hat and yanked it off and I heard a pop I heard you could see it it was about the size of a tennis ball where that baby’s head was caved in and I heard a pop from clear up a piano that little mama lost because a miracle took place the next night standing room only prepare God has been here from the beginning Ronnie and his wife have been faithful God honors faithfulness to the kingdom and gone is going to bless this church because of you who are here this and you be blessed now in Jesus’ name amen.