Sermon Central
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The Truth About Trembling Series
Contributed by David Scudder on Dec 13, 2009 (message contributor)
Summary: Christmas provides an illustration of how people react to idea of God. During the Christmas season many will admire the baby Jesus who was born in a stable. The problem is that very few lives are changed by this celebration.
Purpose: To establish the awesome holiness of Christ.
Aim: I want the listener to submit wholeheartedly to Christ.
INTRODUCTION: How can we be sure that we will have the help and the blessing of God on our lives and on our church? Isaiah answers that question for us in today’s text. The answer is found in how we react to God Himself.
Christmas provides an illustration of how people react to idea of God. During the Christmas season many will admire the baby Jesus who was born in a stable. The problem is that very few lives are changed by this celebration.
"Many people set a great deal more stress on religious rituals, than upon practical obedience. They will be faithful in attendance upon church services, devout and reverent in worship--and yet in their daily life, they will disregard the plain commandments of God! They fill the week with selfishness, pride, bitterness, and evil-speaking, and then go to church on Sunday, with great show of devotion, to engage in the worship of God!" J.R. Miller
The difference between someone whose life is changed by worshiping Jesus and the one whose life stays the same depends on whether they tremble before God.
A man had just completed his first major mountain climb. As he reached the summit of the high and dangerous mountain he leaped to his feet with a loud shout of victory. But, his guide pulled him down and warned him, "Don’t do that! The wind will blow you off. We stand on this mountain only on our knees!"
Do you remember how the shepherds reacted to announcement of Christ’s birth? Luke 2:9 And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. (NAU)
How did the wise men react when they saw Jesus as a young child? Matthew 2:11 After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh....
How did the women react when they went to Christ’s tomb? Mark 16:5,8 Entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting at the right, wearing a white robe; and they were amazed. 8 They went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had gripped them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid. (NAU)
How did John react when he saw a vision of Jesus Christ? Revelation 1:17 When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. ... (NAU)
I. Why Should We Tremble Before God?
Out text gives us 6 reasons why we should tremble before God.
Vs.1 A. We should tremble before God because He is unlimited
God is using a figure of speech to picture how immense He is. The Jews were very proud of the great Temple that they had built to worship God in. God is saying that at best earth (let alone the Temple) is nothing more than a resting place for His feet.
"But first and foremost, God is a Spirit, not a physical creature. Logically, then, He sees the physical universe as a showcase for His glory and the physical temple as a means to spiritual worship." [1]
Men tend to take more pride in what they do than in who God is.
Jesus told the woman at the well how God is worshipped. John 4:23--24 "But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. "God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." (NAU)
Psalm 99:1 The LORD reigns, let the peoples tremble; He is enthroned above the cherubim, let the earth shake! (NAU)
God does not need our worship or our help in any way at all. He is unlimited.
Vs2a B. We should tremble before God because He made everything
Jeremiah 5:22 ’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, An eternal decree, so it cannot cross over it. Though the waves toss, yet they cannot prevail; Though they roar, yet they cannot cross over it. (NAU)
Isaiah 40:26 Lift up your eyes on high And see who has created these stars, The One who leads forth their host by number, He calls them all by name; Because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power, Not one of them is missing. (NAU)
Imagine that you are at a Christmas party. You meet someone you don’t know and strike up a conversation. He seems like a really nice person. You laugh and joke with him for awhile, then the conversation turns to the New Year and subject turns to income taxes. You call him aside from the group and ask him if he’d like some tips on how to avoid paying income taxes. He says, "Sure" so you proceed to share some questionable tax tips with him. Later you happen to ask him what he does for a living so he shares that he is an investigator for the IRS.
