Savage Street Church of Christ

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10222017TremblingBeforeGodPart1DonRuhl

Trembling Before God 

Don Ruhl • Savage Street, Grants Pass, Oregon • October 22, In the year of our Lord, 2017

Scripture Reader and Reading: Dan Calvert – Daniel 10.15–17

Prelude: 

1. If God was looking upon you:
   1. Would you not tremble?
   2. Would you not tremble if you saw him looking at you?
   3. Ps. 104:32
      
      He looks on the earth, and it trembles;
      He touches the hills, and they smoke.
      (Psa 104.32)
      
2. If you were looking upon God:
   1. Would you not tremble?
   2. Do you know who He is?
   3. Hab. 3:10, 11
      
      10 The mountains saw You and trembled;
      The overflowing of the water passed by.
      The deep uttered its voice,
      And lifted its hands on high.
      11 The sun and moon stood still in their habitation;
      At the light of Your arrows they went,
      At the shining of Your glittering spear.
      (Hab 3.10–11)
      

Persuasion: 

1. Men in the Bible trembled before God.
   1. Moses
      1. Hebrews 12:21
         
         And so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I am exceedingly afraid and trembling.”) (Heb 12.21).
         
      2. Acts 7:32
         
         “saying, ‘I am the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ And Moses trembled and dared not look” (Acts 7.32).
         
   2. Israel trembled at the same sight.
      1. Exo 19:16
         
         Then it came to pass on the third day, in the morning, that there were thunderings and lightnings, and a thick cloud on the mountain; and the sound of the trumpet was very loud, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled (Exo 19.16).
         
      2. Exo 20:18
         
         Now all the people witnessed the thunderings, the lightning flashes, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood afar off (Exo 20.18).
         
   3. Isaiah
      1. Isa. 6:5
         
         So I said:
         “Woe is me, for I am undone!
         Because I am a man of unclean lips,
         And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips;
         For my eyes have seen the King,
         The LORD of hosts.”
         (Isa 6.5)
         
   4. Jeremiah
      1. Jer. 23:9
         
         My heart within me is broken
         Because of the prophets;
         All my bones shake.
         I am like a drunken man,
         And like a man whom wine has overcome,
         Because of the LORD,
         And because of His holy words.
         (Jer 23.9)
         
   5. Ezekiel
      1. Ezekiel 1:28
         
         Like the appearance of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the brightness all around it. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. So when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard a voice of One speaking (Eze 1.28)
         
      2. 3:23
         
         So I arose and went out into the plain, and behold, the glory of the LORD stood there, like the glory which I saw by the River Chebar; and I fell on my face (Eze 3.23).
         
      3. 43:3
         
         It was like the appearance of the vision which I saw—like the vision which I saw when I came to destroy the city. The visions were like the vision which I saw by the River Chebar; and I fell on my face (Eze 43.3).
         
      4. 44:4
         
         Also He brought me by way of the north gate to the front of the temple; so I looked, and behold, the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD; and I fell on my face (Eze 44.4).
         
   6. Daniel 10.4–19
2. New Testament Is the Same as the Old Testament 
   1. He is the same God.
   2. Acts 9:6
      
      So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?”   Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do” (Acts 9.6).
      
   3. Revelation 1.9-17
3. The Bible is clear that we are to tremble before God.
   1. We should tremble at the thought of sinning against God.
   2. 1 Chronicles 16:30
      
      Tremble before Him, all the earth.
      The world also is firmly established,
      It shall not be moved.
      (1Ch 16.30)
      
   3. Because of His words.
      1. Ezra 9:4
         
         Then everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel assembled to me, because of the transgression of those who had been carried away captive, and I sat astonished until the evening sacrifice (Ezra 9.4).
         
      2. Isa. 66:2
         
         “For all those things My hand has made,
         And all those things exist,”
         Says the LORD.
         “But on this one will I look:
         On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit,
         And who trembles at My word.”
         (Isa 66.2)
         
   4. According to Psalm 2:11 trembling can accompany rejoicing.
      
      Serve the LORD with fear,
      And rejoice with trembling.
      (Psa 2.11)
      
   5. What is worship?
      1. Ps. 96:9
         
         Oh, worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness!
         Tremble before Him, all the earth.
         (Psa 96.9)
         
4. Why Tremble before God 
   1. Trembling happens when we understand the nature of God and know Him.
   2. Jer. 5:22
      
      “Do you not fear Me?” says the LORD.
      “Will you not tremble at My presence,
      Who have placed the sand as the bound of the sea,
      By a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass beyond it?
      And though its waves toss to and fro,
      Yet they cannot prevail;
      Though they roar, yet they cannot pass over it.”
      (Jer 5.22)
      
   3. Contemplating His goodness toward us causes trembling.
      1. Jer. 33:9
         
         “…they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and all the prosperity that I provide for it” (Jer 33.9)
         
      2. Mark 5:33
         
         But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth (Mark 5.33).
         

Exhortation: 

1. Jam. 2:19

   You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! (James 2.19).
   

   1. Are you better than a demon?
   2. If so, then believe and obey (which they do not do) and tremble.
2. Phil. 2:12, 13

   12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure (Phi 2.12–13)
   

   1. Salvation is not a light matter.
   2. Do you know who it is that is working in your life?