Preparation for What Cannot Be Shaken
By Pastor Dan Kennedy
© March 20, 2016
Palm Sunday
Today we celebrate Palm Sunday. What a joyous occasion welcoming the Messiah!
This celebration was prophesied and fulfilled (Zech. 9:9), but soon faced reality for the real reason of the Messiah’s first coming – also prophesied. The Messiah had come this time to offer Himself and His Blood as the atoning sacrifice for the sin of the world (Is. 53), for those who would believe on Him and receive His gift of eternal life (John 3:16-18).
Only a few days following the “Triumphant Entry” this same Messiah, which the crowds had so enthusiastically welcomed into the City of Jerusalem with Palm branches and great joy would be cruelly silenced, and the more powerful voices of jealousy, distain, deceit and corruption would prevail. They would ambush the Savior Jesus in His garden of prayer, and bring Him, at daybreak, to a mock trial. They had Him beaten, spit on, taunted, lied about, crowned with thorns and finally crucified after deceptively whipping up the base emotions of their religious followers. Finally, they would seal His dead body in the borrowed tomb to assure His permanent demise. This was not the work of a religious creed, but of a group of evil men, who craved power and called themselves religious, but who were under the direct influence of Satan himself. Moses, Elijah and all of God’s prophets from the beginning of time were horrified at their actions!
What Can Follow a “Triumphant Entry”?
What may be seen as triumphant joy can sometimes be followed by complete despair. If one knows a horrific storm is brewing, even though there is a pause, for a moment of jubilant celebration, it would also be wise to prepare for the devastating storm.
Windstorms
If you know that a serious windstorm is coming and, given your experience, most likely your home will lose electricity, lights, heating, water and normal cooking potential, for an unknown or extended period of time, what should you do?
Blizzards
If you live where there are extreme winter blizzards causing a similar kind of power outage, what are the best plans of action that you should take for your family from the hazards of ice, cold and snow?
Tornados
What if you live in “tornado alley”, would it be wise for you to consider investing in a secure underground family storm shelter?
Floods
If you lived on generational farm land, which had provided a safe and prosperous livelihood to your parents and grandparents, but was prone to occasional minimal seasonal flooding by a large river, would you invest in some type of watercraft for an emergency family escape should a 100 year or 200 year flood take you by surprise, inundating your property, threatening your life and washing away your cherished homestead?
Relationships
What about relationships in life? Are there things, which should be built into your family or practical relationships should the storms of health, financial, or personal issues threaten the core of your world? What about your relationship with God? What about the storms of life that seek to prevail against your eternal soul?
What is “reasonable” preparation?
Is there anything in this life that cannot be shaken? If there is, then we should hold on to those things, because it is extremely rare to find anything permanent in this life!
The Problem of Pollution
There is a strong consciousness in this generation about global warming, water contamination, and inorganic foods tainted by pesticides, etc., etc.
According to statistics available on the Internet, issues resulting in death might be related to genetics, abusive substances, accidents, depression, and a host of other things including lack of healthy diet and proper exercise. The averages below seem to be at the top of the lists of things that take human lives every few seconds or minutes of every hour, in every day.
· Cancer (every 5 seconds a person dies),
· Traffic accidents (every 26 seconds),
· Heart disease (every 40 seconds), and
· Suicide (every 12.3 minutes).
In 2012 it was estimated that 56 million people died. Pollutants then, are not from a singular source, but involve various kinds of physical, emotional, spiritual, practical and uncontrolled dimensions inundating the lives of people living in this twenty-first century.
The Bible points out several pollutants detrimental to who we are as humans and subsequently affecting the very houses in which we live and the land we walk on.
It does not itemize the pollutants we commonly demonize, but instead the Scripture focuses on who we are, what we allow ourselves to become and in what we involve ourselves.
Pollution begins in the human heart
It is interesting that although the Scripture speaks of the earth’s creatures and ecosystem being under the thoughtful watch care of human beings, it is evident that God is much more concerned about the spiritual and moral character of those watching over the land, because who we are profoundly affects the earth’s creatures and ecosystem where we live. That stands to reason, doesn’t it? A person with a healthy and honorable character can be a considerably better and more thoughtful caretaker; but, dealing with our heart and relationship with God goes well beyond thoughtful and wise supervision…everything around us is affected by what kind of people we are.
Prevailing Justice and the Pollution of Blood in the Land
“Cities of Refuge”
In Numbers 35, the Israelites were told to commission 48 cities within the territories of the twelve tribes, to be Cities of Refuge. Why? To allow justice and the rule of law to prevail – both in rightly condemning the guilty and freeing the innocent, after an honorable trial is administered.
Injustices, bribery, blackmail, and graft is seen by God as that which pollutes the land, bringing God’s Judgment on the people and destruction on the land.
Numbers 35:33–34
33 “ ‘Do not pollute the land where you are. Bloodshed pollutes the land, and atonement cannot be made for the land on which blood has been shed, except by the blood of the one who shed it. 34 Do not defile the land where you live and where I dwell, for I, the Lord, dwell among the Israelites.’ ”
Immorality and compliance with spiritual entities inducing immoral practices
Idolatrous worship for the ancients was also coupled with temple prostitution. This kind of worship flew in the face of God who is Holy and want us to worship Him in spirit and truth! (John 4:23-24)
Jeremiah 3:2
2 “Look up to the barren heights and see.
Is there any place where you have not been ravished?
By the roadside you sat waiting for lovers,
sat like a nomad in the desert.
You have defiled (polluted) the land
with your prostitution and wickedness.
Leviticus 18:24–25
24 “ ‘Do not defile yourselves in any of these ways, because this is how the nations that I am going to drive out before you became defiled. 25 Even the land was defiled; so I punished it for its sin, and the land vomited out its inhabitants.
Psalm 106:38
38 They shed innocent blood,
the blood of their sons and daughters,
whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan,
and the land was desecrated by their blood.
Pollution through Injustice, Violence, Corruption and Immorality (Gen. 6:5-7) – does it affect our world today?
God’s Goal is to Be with us and Us to be with Him
How should we prepare for trials, which face us from time to time, but more importantly how should we prepare for eternity, which supersede the trials.
Jesus tried to prepare His disciples to be aware of His coming crucifixion, but they could not perceive it. Christ told us that the world would hate us, and seek to destroy our influence and even our life at times. Can we perceive this stark truth? How do we prepare for this potential storm of persecution?
We must realize that God’s desire is for us to know Him. If we truly know Him, He will help our spirits to endure through the most devastating storms.
God has evidenced His Desire to be with those He Created throughout our history:
God’s Desire is to dwell among His people:
· God’s Desire at the Beginning, in the Garden of Eden
Genesis 3:8
8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden.
· God’s Desire in the Tabernacle in the wilderness, and in His Temple
Exodus 25:8
8 “Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them.
Exodus 29:45–46
45 Then I will dwell among the Israelites and be their God. 46 They will know that I am the Lord their God, who brought them out of Egypt so that I might dwell among them. I am the Lord their God.
Leviticus 26:12
12 I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be my people.
Zechariah 2:10
10 “Shout and be glad, O Daughter of Zion. For I am coming, and I will live among you,” declares the Lord.
Jesus, God’s Son did come and did live among the people, and to those who receive Him, He gives eternal life! (John 1:12)
· God’s Desire in the Church Age, to be within His Children who are born into His family by the power of the Holy Spirit.
John 3:3
3 In reply Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.”
2 Corinthians 5:17
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
2 Corinthians 6:16
16 What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.”
Ephesians 2:22
22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
1 Corinthians 3:16
16 Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?
Colossians 1:27
27 To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
· In the New Jerusalem after the End of this Age
Revelation 21:1–3
The New Jerusalem
21 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.”
God Does Not Live in a Land Polluted by its People
The problem that faced both God and man, for God to live among them, was the pollution that mankind had allowed both within them and around them. That is why the Believer in Christ confesses his or her sin and seeks repentance from it.
(1 John 1:9)
There Will Come a Day of Judgment of God on the Earth
· Wait for it and Prepare for it.
Habakkuk 2:3 ESV
3 For still the vision awaits its appointed time;
it hastens to the end—it will not lie.
If it seems slow, wait for it;
it will surely come; it will not delay.
God is never late. He is patient, but never late.
Earth renovated by fire
2 Peter 3:5–14
5 But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water. 6 By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. 7 By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.
11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 12 as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. 13 But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. 14 So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.
Due Justice for the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ, God, the Son, and the Persecution of His Children
Jesus Seized and Sent to Crucifixion
Luke 22:54; 63–23:25
54 Then seizing him (Jesus), they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest. Peter followed at a distance….
The Guards Mock Jesus
63 The men who were guarding Jesus began mocking and beating him. 64 They blindfolded him and demanded, “Prophesy! Who hit you?” 65 And they said many other insulting things to him.
Jesus Before Pilate and Herod
66 At daybreak the council of the elders of the people, both the chief priests and teachers of the law, met together, and Jesus was led before them. 67 “If you are the Christ,” they said, “tell us.”
Jesus answered, “If I tell you, you will not believe me, 68 and if I asked you, you would not answer. 69 But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God.”
70 They all asked, “Are you then the Son of God?”
He replied, “You are right in saying I am.”
71 Then they said, “Why do we need any more testimony? We have heard it from his own lips.”
23 Then the whole assembly rose and led him off to Pilate. 2 And they began to accuse him, saying, “We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Christ, a king.”
3 So Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
“Yes, it is as you say,” Jesus replied.
4 Then Pilate announced to the chief priests and the crowd, “I find no basis for a charge against this man.”
5 But they insisted, “He stirs up the people all over Judea by his teaching. He started in Galilee and has come all the way here.”
6 On hearing this, Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean. 7 When he learned that Jesus was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time.
8 When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased, because for a long time he had been wanting to see him. From what he had heard about him, he hoped to see him perform some miracle. 9 He plied him with many questions, but Jesus gave him no answer. 10 The chief priests and the teachers of the law were standing there, vehemently accusing him. 11 Then Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked him. Dressing him in an elegant robe, they sent him back to Pilate. 12 That day Herod and Pilate became friends—before this they had been enemies.
13 Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers and the people, 14 and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges against him. 15 Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us; as you can see, he has done nothing to deserve death. 16 Therefore, I will punish him and then release him.”
18 With one voice they cried out, “Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!” 19 (Barabbas had been thrown into prison for an insurrection in the city, and for murder.)
20 Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate appealed to them again. 21 But they kept shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”
22 For the third time he spoke to them: “Why? What crime has this man committed? I have found in him no grounds for the death penalty. Therefore I will have him punished and then release him.”
23 But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their shouts prevailed. 24 So Pilate decided to grant their demand. 25 He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will.
What do you think will happen to those outwardly pious and religious people who deliberately sent Jesus Christ to His death?
Fearful Expectations should still be there when people who know about God and maybe even call themselves Christians, keep on Sinning Deliberately
Hebrews 10:26–27
26 If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 27 but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.
Receiving a Kingdom that Cannot be Shaken
Hebrews 12:26–29
26 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.” 27 The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.
28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, 29 for our “God is a consuming fire.”
2 Thessalonians 1:4–10
4 Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring.
5 All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. 6 God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you 7 and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. 8 He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power 10 on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you.
Isaiah 34:4
4 All the stars of the heavens will be dissolved
and the sky rolled up like a scroll;
all the starry host will fall
like withered leaves from the vine,
like shriveled figs from the fig tree.
Gain the whole world but lose one’s own soul? The Parable of the Godless Rich Man’s Musings
Luke 12:16–21
16 And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. 17 He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’
18 “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.” ’
20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’
21 “This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God.”
Matthew 16:26–27
26 What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.
The Final Preparation
It may be that these days, for some of us, are like the joyous day that Christ humbly entered Jerusalem on the back of a little donkey as prophesied in Zechariah 9:9. We spread out our coats before Him; we wave our palm branches into the air with enthusiastic praise. But, somewhere there is a distant rumbling. Storms have come and gone through the years, but maybe this storm seems to have intensity different from the other storms…maybe it is a tragic storm that will consume our life; or, maybe it is a storm of apocalyptic proportions that will consume the whole earth.
How do I prepare for an event that will shake everything that I hold dear; or, that the whole world holds dear?
How does one hold on to that which can never be shaken?
· Assessment and re-ordering of our spirit and soul.
· Assessment and strengthening of our relationship with God, through His Son Jesus Christ, and the transformation and empowerment of His Holy Spirit.
· Assessment of our relationship with our family and with each other, inside and outside of the church.
· An assessment, and if need be, a re-ordering of ourselves before God.
Hebrews 12:26–29
26 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.” 27 The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.
28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, 29 for our “God is a consuming fire.”
End Notes
Zephaniah 1:14–18
The Great Day of the Lord
14 “The great day of the Lord is near—
near and coming quickly.
Listen! The cry on the day of the Lord will be bitter,
the shouting of the warrior there.
15 That day will be a day of wrath,
a day of distress and anguish,
a day of trouble and ruin,
a day of darkness and gloom,
a day of clouds and blackness,
16 a day of trumpet and battle cry
against the fortified cities
and against the corner towers.
17 I will bring distress on the people
and they will walk like blind men,
because they have sinned against the Lord.
Their blood will be poured out like dust
and their entrails like filth.
18 Neither their silver nor their gold
will be able to save them
on the day of the Lord’s wrath.
In the fire of his jealousy
the whole world will be consumed,
for he will make a sudden end
of all who live in the earth.”