See to it that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if the people did not escape when they refused Him who warned them on earth, how much less will we escape if we reject Him who warns us from heaven?See that you don’t refuse him who speaks. For if they didn’t escape when they refused him who warned on the earth, how much more will we not escape who turn away from him who warns from heaven,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:See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not when they refused him that warned them on earth, much more shall not we escape who turn away from him that warneth from heaven:
4 sermons cite this verse
so often we can just rush into prayer without recognizing who we are approaching so often we can rush into his word without realizing who is speaking and that's why this passage is so sobering I mean earlier in Hebrews he explains that we do have access to God and we can come before his throne with confidence because of what Jesus has done and that's an amazing, amazing privilege but he here in chapter 12 is reminding us again of who is speaking when we read the Bible and who we are speaking to when we pray. And that's why it would do us well if we really focus on passages like this and remind ourselves rather than casually jumping into prayer and casually jumping into his word. He reminds us, he says, You have not come, verse 18 again, You have not come to what may be touched. we're coming before an invisible God an invisible kingdom and you get that so we interact with what we can see and touch all day long and he's saying now you've got to understand we're coming before something that you can't just go out and grab but then he uses these words think of these words he goes a blazing fire After That God. He's not just someone you can touch. You're talking about a blazing fire, darkness, gloom, and a tempest. This is the kingdom that we're a part of. He says the sound is like a trumpet. …
that is a mouthful he says do you know who you're about to talk to do you get this you're we're not i'm not about to pray right now to someone i can touch that's what he says you're you're coming for someone that you can't touch so we're talking about a blazing fire you can't touch a blazing fire He says, and yet darkness and gloom and a tempest and the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg, stop talking, I can't handle this. That's who we're coming before. We're coming before innumerable angels. we're coming before a God who says, look, I'll shake the heavens, I'll shake the earth, but my kingdom will not be shaken. I'll destroy everything else, but you are a part of an unshakable kingdom, and you get to come before the judge of everyone, he says, and before Jesus Christ, and that's an honor to me, and I believe it's about to happen right now as I enter into prayer. …
"See that you refuse not Him who speaks. For if they escaped not who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from Him who speaks from Heaven." Hebrews 12:25. WE are not a cowering multitude gathered in trembling fear around the smoking mount of Horeb—we have come where the great central figure is the mercy of God in Christ Jesus. We have gathered virtually in the outer circle of which the saints above and holy angels make the inner ring. And now, tonight, Jesus speaks to us in the Gospel. So far as His Gospel shall be preached by us, here, it shall not be the word of man, but the Word of God. And although it comes to you through a feeble tongue, yet the Truth of God, itself, is not feeble, nor is it any less Divine than if Christ, Himself, should speak it with His own lips! "See that you refuse not Him who speaks." The text contains— I. AN EXHORTATION OF A VERY SOLEMN, EARNEST KIND. …
There is a further argument which ought to have thrilling force among full many of you, my Hearers. With what zest should we, who profess to be His disciples, hear Him. Years ago some of us took His easy yoke upon our shoulders and we bless His name it has never galled us—neither are we weary of the load. He is our Master and our Lord, and if He is so, surely our proper place is at His feet. It is an ill thing of us, and untruthful, if we call Him Master, and yet will not believe what He teaches! If we say to Him, "Rabboni," and yet turn aside to hail some fellow creature—be he a noted saint long since dead, or a party leader who still survives among us, as our captain and commander-in-chief. If Peter is our master, let us call him so! If Calvin is our master, let us call him so! And if Wesley is our master, let us call him so—but if we are disciples of Jesus, then let us follow Jesus—and follow Him with other men only so far as we perceive they followed Christ! Hear you Him, O you disciples, if you are His disciples. Will you enlist as His soldiers and shrink from His lead? Will you engage to be His servants and yet violate His orders? Will you who declare that He is your Chief and wear His uniform, cede your homage to other masters? No, by all that is honest and just, pure and comely, and of good report, the shame would fester in every Believer's conscience! You call Him, "Master and Lord," and you say well, for so He is— but prove yourselves to be truly His disciples by listening to Him! …