Trembling at God's Word, Part 2a

I've told you that this is the most significant sermon you'll ever hear. And I think that that is the case, not because I'm preaching it, but because I think that the word of God is very clear in terms of the kind of people God is looking for. The Bible says, in Isaiah 66, 1st number 2, to this man, I will look.

To him who is broken and of a contrite heart, and who trembled. at my word. That one verse is so powerful because it helps us understand what is the problem in modern day Christianity. What is the problem in our modern day churches? We don't have people trembling under the authority of God's Word. And so last week we tried to help you understand what that meant. And we would ask and answer a couple of questions. And the first question we asked was how do I know that I fear and tremble at God's word?

And we answered that by telling you, you know you tremble at God and His Word. When you tremble and fear nothing else. That's how you know. If something else causes you to tremble, if something else causes you to fear other than God and His Word, then there is a problem because that other issue, whatever it is, then becomes a more major issue than God in his word in your life. And God doesn't want that to happen. Let me illustrate for you this way if you've got your Bible turn to Matthew chapter 10.

Matthew chapter 10. And again, I just want to review a couple of things with you from last week because I don't want you to miss it. I want you to understand it. Jesus was sending his men out as sheep amidst the wolves. Now, you know, I don't know about you, but I'm not sure that's the best way to motivate people who want to work for you, but that's the way Jesus did it. He says, I'm studying you out as sheep amidst the wolves. And when they persecute you, don't worry, I'm going to give you the words to say, because my spirit will illuminate your mind and you'll be able to speak to things you need to speak.

And then he says in verse number 21 of Matthew 10, and brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father, his child, and children will rise up against his parents and cause them to be put to death. And you will be hated by all on account of my name. But it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved. Now, how is it that those who are persecuted, those who are hated by father and mother, those who are delivered up by their parents, are going to be able to endure to the end. The reason they're able to endure to the end is because they don't fear anything but God and His Word.

That's how. It says down in verse number 24, a disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master. It is enough for the disciple that he become as his teacher and the slave as his master, if they have called the head of the house And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Therefore, do not fear you are of more value than many sparrows. Everyone, therefore, who shall confess me before men, I will also confess him before my father who is in heaven.

But whoever shall deny me before me before me, I will also deny him before my father who is in heaven. Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth. not fear. God wants us to understand what it is he's about. And when we understand that and we follow him, then we learn to fear him and fear nothing else. And that's how I know that I, that I tremble under the authority of God's Holy Word. When push comes to shove, what will I do? I will obey God rather than man. Read the book of Acts. Read the apostles.

Read how they lived their lives. They counted a great privilege to be scourged for Christ. They thought that was a great honor, that they would be thrown in the prison, that they would be beaten for the name of Christ because they would not renege on the faith. They would not back away from preaching the gospel because that's what God had called them to do. The psalmist has said over in Psalm 119, these words, 119 verse number 157, many are my persecutors and my adversaries. Yet I do not turn aside from thy testimonies.

That is the one who trembles at the word of God. He realizes that there are many persecutors, there are many adversaries, there are many people against him, but he doesn't turn from the law of God. He doesn't turn from the word of God. He sticks to doing what God has said, no matter who's against him, no matter what the enemy says. That's the kind of people God's looking for because that's the kind of people he can use in the trenches. Those are the kind of people he can count on. That's why he says, if you confess me before men, I'll confess you before my father.

But if you deny me before men, you can be sure of this, I will deny you before my father. Meaning, look, your fear of me will cause you to confess me before men and not be a friend. great. And second of all, we asked an answer to question last week.

Why does the Lord have such special regard for those who have a trembling heart? Well, simply because he honors his word. And over in Isaiah 42, we read this last week, verse number 21, it says, the Lord was pleased for his righteousness sake to make the law great and honorable and glorious. Over in Acts 1348, Remember when the Gentiles heard the word of the Lord and realized that the gospel was for them, it says that they glorified the word of the Lord. They honored the word of the Lord. When the Gentiles were saved on Acts 13, it says that what they wanted to do was honor God's word because they realized it was for them.

They were able to be recipients of the grace and mercy of God, and they honored God's word. And God takes great delight in that. In fact, you know what? God takes greater delight in shaking a soul that he does in shaking all heaven and earth. Did you know that? There's something great about shaking a soul. And when God's word shakes a soul, it brings him great glory. We know the heavens declare the glory of God, but the Bible says that the heavens and the earth will pass away, but his words shall not pass away.

and when his word touches a soul and that soul begins to tremble and that soul begins to shake that brings great honor to God and that's what he delights in and so it's important for us to understand what the word of the Lord has said but I want to say before we get to the outline I want to answer one more question and that is this what about those people in the Bible who did tremble at the Word of God and God did not take the light in them. What makes them different than those in Isaiah 66 verse number two?

Think about that for a moment. Think about those individuals like Belchazar in Daniel chapter 5 when the handwriting on the wall, he was in great fear at the word of the Lord. How about Pharaoh? In Exodus chapter 6 and 7 and following, we'll read about Pharaoh and how he trembled at what he heard God say, but God didn't take delight in him. Oh, what about Felix in Acts chapter, 24 verse number 25 he trembled at the preaching of Paul but God didn't take the light in him simple reason it really is a very obvious answer to that and that is very clearly that they tremble at the judgment of God upon them but they do not tremble because they have violated the holy standard of God and recognize that they are sinful people.

That's the difference. I mean, to this man, will I look to him who is broken and of a contrite heart and who trembles at my word? You see, if there's no brokenness over your sin, if there's no contrition in the heart because of your sinfulness, you won't tremble the right way under the authority of the word of God. Do you see the difference there? It's illustrated clearly in the book of Ezra. If you have your Bible, turn there with me, if you would, please. Ezra chapter 10. Remember, Ezra was concerned about the sins of the people.

And in verse number six of chapter 9, Ezra said, my God, I am ashamed and embarrassed to lift up my face to thee, my God, for our iniquities have risen above our heads, and our guilt has grown even to the heavens. We are such sinners, Asra says. And then over in chapter 10, verse number one, it says, now while Ezra was praying and making confession, weeping and prostrating himself before the house of God, a very large assembly men, women, and children, gathered to him from Israel, for the people wept bitterly.

And Shekinaya, the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered and said to Ezra, we have been unfaithful to our God and have married foreign women from the peoples of the land. Yet now there is hope for Israel in spite of this. So now let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives and their children according to the counsel of my Lord and of those who what tremble at the commandment. of our God and let it be done according to the law. You see, they trembled at the commandment of the law of God.

They realized they had violated the holy standard of the holy God. And they realized that they had sinned against their God. And it was their fault. They were guilty. And they would weep bitterly over their sin. They would mourn over their sin. A true godly sorrow that worketh repentance. And that's the difference between those who are unbelievers and those who are believers. The unbeliever, when confronted on a sin, might tremble at the judgment of God because of a sin, but doesn't tremble because he has violated the standard of a holy God and recognized his sin.

In fact, over in the book of Jeremiah, the fifth chapter, it says this, Jeremiah chapter 5 verse number 1 when God speaks of Jerusalem's godlessness and their sinfulness Rome to and four through the streets of Jerusalem and look now and take note and seek in her open squares if you can find a man if there is one who does justice who seeks truth then I will pardon Jerusalem and although they say as the Lord lives surely they swear falsely O Lord do not thine eyes look for truth thou hast smitten them but they did not weaken thou hast consumed them but they refuse to take correction they have made their faces harder than rot they have refused to repent God comes in judgment against his people.

And instead of repenting of their sins, their hearts become hard, their hearts become calloused, and will not turn from their sin. Oh, they might tremble because they're being judged by Almighty God, but they don't tremble under the authority of his word because of a broken and contrite heart. It says over in verse number 20, declare this in the house of Jacob and proclaim it in Judah, saying, hear this, oh foolish and senseless people, who have eyes but see not, who have ears, but hear not. Do you not fear?

me declares the Lord, do you not tremble in my presence? For I have placed the sand as a boundary for the sea and eternal decree so it cannot cross over it. Though the waves tossed, yet they cannot prevail, though they roar, yet they cannot cross over it. But this people has a stubborn and rebellious heart. They have turned aside and departed. They do not say in their heart, let us now fear the Lord our God, who gives rain in its season, both the autumn rain and the spring rain, who keeps for us the appointed weeks of.

the harvest. They do not fear God. You see, the believer has a fear for God because Psalm 1 30 tells us that there is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared. So the reason we the believer fears is because God has forgiven us of our sins. Romans 3 is very clear. The unbeliever has no fear of God before his eyes. Oh, they might fear the judgment of God, but they don't fear the person of God. And that's evident by reading the book of Revelation. And seeing that all these people under judgment tremble under the judgments that are coming upon them, but they don't repent of their sin.

They don't have a broken and contrite heart for what they have done. So that's why it's so important for us to see this, because if you go to someone and you talk to people about their lives, and they're living in sin, and they have no remorse over their sin, they desire not to repent of their sin, but they only harden their heart against the truth, and harden the heart against God. They put themselves in deeper judgment with God. In the weeks to come, we're going to look at Pharaoh in the book of Exodus and look at the conditions of what causes the heart to harden and become callous to the things of Christ.

And so we as the people of God go to those that claim to be followers of God and talk to them about their relationship with the living God and say, look, this is what the Word of the Lord says. And trust that God would cause them to, like as Jeremiah 23, says that God's word is like a hammer and it shatters the hard heart. And that's why we give the word of God to people to help them understand what God has said in his word. And so we need to come to grips with the truth that there is a difference between what the demons do and what the unbeliever does when it comes to trembling at the word of God.

The unbeliever when he hears God's God's word just hardens his heart all the more and turns away from God. But the believer, his heart is broken. It's crushed. It's shattered. And begins to tremble under the authority of the Word of God. So, having answered just a couple of questions, we might want to ask, why is it? Why is it? We tremble at God's word. and for that we began with point number one of your outline all right why is it we tremble at God's Word now listen before I start you need to understand that what we're going to talk about tonight and next time you need to You need to take notes and listen to and soak it in because these things are very important.

They might seem on the surface very obvious, but when you begin to study them, you realize that they're not nearly as obvious as you thought they were. For example, point number one, the reason we tremble at the Word of God is because it reveals his identity.

It's number one. It reveals his identity. Tell me, John chapter 12 for a moment. John chapter 12. It says in verse number 29, there were certain Greeks among those who were going up to the worship at the feast. These therefore came to Philip, who was from Besseda of Galilee, and began to ask him saying, Sir, we wish to see Jesus. I'm sorry, verse number 20. in verse number 21. Sir, we wish to see Jesus. Now, they ask a question. Very obvious question. We want to see Jesus. And you see, the reason we have the Word of God is so we can see Jesus.

We see Him in the Word of God. Now I want you to know something. It says in verse number 22, Philip came and told Andrew. Andrew and Philip came and they told Jesus, and Jesus answered them saying, the hour has come for the son of man to be glorified. The order is concerned about three things. Number one, that he be glorified.

Number two, that he be crucified. And number three, that he be multiplied. He says, the hours come, that the son of man may be glorified. Verse 24, truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of weed falls into the earth and dies, it remains by itself alone. But if it dies, it bears much fruit. He who loves his life loses it And he who hates his life In this world shall keep it to eternal life If anyone serves me, let him follow me And where I am, there shall my servant also be If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him Now here are some people eagerly seeking Jesus We want to see Jesus Lord, hey, we got a couple of guys here Who want to see you Evidently they haven't seen you before evidently they want to get to know you so Lord tell him a little bit about yourself so what does Jesus say the hours come for the son of man to be glorified that hours of course is death he says that of course the less you know a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies it doesn't spring forth and bear any fruit so meaning that he himself is going to have to die in order to bear the fruit of salvation in the lives of many people.

And then he goes on and it talks about, you know, if you love your life, you're going to lose it. And then he says, and he who hates his life in this world, shall keep it to eternal life. You see, he wants the men to really truly see him for who he really is. So he pulls no punches. This is who I am. I'm the son of man who has come to die. And if you see me for who I am, you will follow me, and you too will give your life away. That's so important. And that's why in John 5, he was so upset with the religious leaders.

He said, you search the scriptures for in them, you think that you have eternal life. But they are what testify of me. They're about me. You missed me. Sir, we wish to see Jesus. Do you really want to see me? If you really want to see me, you can only see me here. Right here. In the pages of the Word of God. And unfortunately, most of us miss what Jesus is all about. That's why in Luke chapter 24 on the road to Emmaus, he would tell those two men about how foolish they were and how such an unbelieving generation they were.

Because the Old Testament prophets spoke clearly about the coming of a Messiah who would suffer and die and rise again. It was all about him because they missed him. And so the reason, listen, the reason people don't tremble under the authority of the Word of God is because then when they read the Bible, they don't see Jesus. It was Junius, who, before his conversion, claimed to be an atheist. He said, on a rainy day, I came home to my house and saw a New Testament lying before me. I took it up, and there I met with that first chapter in John.

And I took the book and fell a reading. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And indeed, if you read the chapter, you shall find. That chapter goes on with an abundance of magic. Upon reading this, he said, my body trembled. My soul presently was amazed. And for all the day I did not know where I was. I was struck with such horror and amazement that it shook every joint of me and my heart trembled within me. And I knew not where I was all the day long because of the power and the authority of God's holy majestic word.

It radiates his majesty. and its glory because it reveals his identity. And that's why we tremble under the authority of the Word of God. Thank you.