We come to a final message on worship for this go round of refreshers. Two weeks ago we re-examined that our time together on the Lord’s day builds on and leads to the gospel. From the call to worship to the final charge, the Triune God invites us to meet with Him in the forgiveness of Christ’s cross and transforms us through the sword of the Spirit for sake of communion with Him by faith. Not only the verses we read but the progression of the service itself communicates the need for and the goal of the good news.

Last week we considered the importance of where we meet God. No particular street, no heights of a high place, no presence of religious relics or history makes worship more spiritual. As Jesus told the woman at the well, worship depends on the spirit not a specific site; the truth matters more than a temple. The Father seeks those who worship in spirit and in truth (John 4:23). Those who gather in spirit and truth come to a place, but it is not a place defined by what can be seen or touched. That is how worship under the Old Covenant was for the Jews. They encountered sights and sounds that terrified them, especially represented at Mt. Sinai and at Horeb (Hebrews 12:18-21).

But now (Hebrews 12:22-24) we “have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem.” We encounter the presence of God in the heavenlies. We are not there physically but we are there by faith. There we meet “innumerable angels in festal gathering, the firstborns who are enrolled in heaven, God, the judge of all, the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant” through His blood. We do believe that we will worship face to face with God in the future, but the author of Hebrews asserts that we worship faith to face now.

Heavenly worship, meeting our people and our God, knowing the forgiveness He offers and our place with Him, keeps us from becoming Esaus (Hebrews 12:16-17). Week by week the taste of heaven grows stronger than a temporary supper. As we look around at the inheritance of the saints in light, how could we sell our birthrights for what the world offers? Where we worship matters for running with endurance the race that is set before us, pointing to Jesus who is seated at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:1-2).

If it is true that we worship spiritually in the heavenlies (indicative in verses 18-24), what should characterize that worship? How does God expect us to behave (imperative)? The next paragraph answers that question. Verses 25-29 admonish and argue for at least three attributes of acceptable worship.

1. Our worship ought to be attentive. (verses 25-27)

Even though there is no conjunction, the warning in verse 25 connects with the contrast in 18-21/22-24 and urges us to concentrate on Him who speaks.

See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven. At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of things that are shaken—that is, things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. (Hebrews 12:25–27, ESV)

The imperative is See that . We might say, “Pay attention” or “Watch out.” Though the seeing metaphor doesn’t fit with him who is speaking as well as “keep your ears open” might, the eyes-open readiness refers to being assiduously attentive, marked by great care and persistent effort.

Do not refuse him who is speaking . Who is him ? In verse 24 Jesus’ blood was speaking, as did Abel’s. But back in verse 19 the people pleaded not to have God speak to them directly. The argument for our attentiveness depends on God’s speaking. We must not refuse to listen or reject His commands.

The Jews often rejected the LORD’s voice. For example, Psalm 95:7-11 (the verses following our call to worship today, verses 1 through the first part of verse 7) is quoted and applied in Hebrews 3-4, and he repeats Israel’s failure to listen three times. “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts” (Hebrews 3:7-8, 15; 4:7). They weren’t listening.

The argument for our attentiveness also starts in verse 25. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth . They are the Israelites. The him who warned was God, sometimes through Moses but, again, sometimes directly. Even those worshippers could not escape , they couldn’t justify any disregard or disobedience.

If they couldn’t get away with it, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven , an argument from the lesser to the greater. This is God again, but this time He speaks from heaven . How so? How is His revelation different in location from the Old Covenant? Could it be related to where we are? How unacceptable to disregard His word when we’re in His presence.

Verses 26 and 27 support the argument for our attentiveness from Scripture. At that time his voice shook the earth referencing the event at Sinai in Exodus 19.

Now Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke because the LORD had descended on it in fire. The smoke of it went up like the smoke of a kiln, and the whole mountain trembled greatly. (Exodus 19:18, ESV)

The Psalms sing about the event.

the earth quaked, the heavens poured down rain,
before God, the One of Sinai,
before God, the God of Israel.
(Psalm 68:8, ESV)

Then a quote from Haggai 2:6: but now he has promised, ‘Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens . This is God’s promise to His cosmic, not merely global, reign.

The author of Hebrews expands. This phrase, ‘Yet once more,’ indicates the removal of things that are shaken—that is, things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain . God already shakes things up. He already shakes away buildings and bridges, 401ks and government programs, mountains and empires of men. Yet once more will be the final blow. Materialism and gods of flesh will be decisively defeated. At that time all that will remain are the things that cannot be shaken . What are those things? Love. Relationships. Righteousness.

This doesn’t mean that we will be ghosts, it means that the shakeable things won’t ever be wickedly put in God’s place again. We will not be idolators of the body but we will live in glorified bodies.

The point is that we ought to attend His Word. His Word shakes the world. When does He speak in worship? Through His Word read, preached, prayed, and sung.

2. Our worship ought to be grateful. (verse 28a)

In light of what’s coming in our future based on His Word, we are urged to thank Him.

Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, (Hebrews 12:28a, ESV)

Therefore (διό), because of the impending shakedown, let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken . A few things.

First, receiving a kingdom is more than checking into your room in heaven and streaming (clean) movies for free. A kingdom has a king, it has glory, it has rules, it has business, it has community. There is no kingdom like this one and, if we are praying like the Lord taught us, we are seeking something greater than our own personal peace. We are part of something big.

Second, “receiving” (present tense) means that we are getting some of it now, getting more as time goes by, and not waiting for everything until later. That also means that we shouldn’t be surprised when other things are shaken around us. It can’t touch the kingdom He’s giving us. Cannot be shaken translates one word, ἀσάλευτος, used in Acts 27:41 of a ship run aground and immovable. This kingdom we’re receiving isn’t going away.

And third, the required response is thankfulness; “let us have thanks.” We will be thankful in heaven, but we are to be thankful on our way, too. Gratitude belongs during receiving, not just having received. Gratitude also operates while watching the shakeable shaken, the ways of this world defeated, the rulers of this present age humbled with their pants pulled down.

Not everything is right on Sunday morning. You have unfinished work, unpaid bills, uncertainty about decisions. How ought you to worship? Full of thanks, not only for God’s protection and provision, but for God’s promises. Don’t stop thanking about tomorrow. We are getting glimpses of the unshakeable kingdom when we gather to worship and we ought to be grateful. We ought to have thanks.

3. Our worship ought to be reverent. (verses 28b-29)

Building off attentiveness to God’s speaking and giving us an unmovable kingdom, we are urged to please Him in worship.

and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire. (Hebrews 12:28b–29, ESV)

Worship is from λατρεύω, “to serve” and usually serving in a cultus, a worship setting. Our worship should be acceptable to God . Acceptable means more than that He tolerates our worship, but that He is pleased by it. We want heavenly acceptance. What pleases Him?

Reverence and awe , or reverent awe, cautious wonderment. Reverence includes a sense of weight and awe includes a sense of being stunned. He is not pleased by casual, breezy disrespect. It doesn’t mean that we can’t laugh but it does mean that we take laughter deadly serious. Whatever the element from our order of service, it ought to be practiced with an appropriate attitude because we are before His throne.

And because our God is a consuming fire . This is cited from Deuteronomy 4:24 as Moses urged God’s people to avoid idolatry as they looked ahead to the promised land. He told them to “Take care” not to “forget the covenant of the LORD” (verse 23). “The LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.” He will not endure rivals or the bored.

When we meet we ought to have a care about our affections. We come before the Maker of heaven and earth, the almighty, the holy one, the God of gods and Lord of lords. His kingdom is forever, and we are worshipping as His kingdom comes.

Conclusion

I know Spurgeon said that illustrations are like windows that let light into the understanding. I also know that windows are easy to throw bricks through. So I know; we’ll see how this illustration goes.

Especially in our day you can be a sports fan and never leave the comforts of your house. Cable TV pipes in more games than you have eyes, or screen estate, to watch. The Internet informs you about the scores and stats for all the other action. Amazon will package any replica jersey you desire and deliver it to your front door. You can watch, yell, dress up, cry, enjoy a roller coaster of emotions parked on your seat.

You cannot affect the game from home. You cannot frustrate the opposing team’s coaches or players through your fearsome armchair quarterbacking. Alone, you can have strong feelings for the hometown favorite but you will make no one nervous. They won’t give you a good nickname or fly flags honoring your work.

For that matter, showing up at the stadium the day after the game, or showing up and hanging out in the walkways gets you closer to the action. But still, you won’t cause the rival to prepare for your distracting concession prowess.

Your rival may need to prepare for the volume of your coordinated cheering. Place and participation matter, even though there are only 11 players on the field for your team. Home field advantage is a thing. We even want our kids in on it. We don’t send them to a room under the stadium because they don’t understand every nuance of play. We teach them as we go. We show them our loyalties even as they learn to cheer for the right side.

We are not God’s fans but we make a different level of disruption to the enemy when we stand together in worship. It isn’t the same effect, nor the same joy, when we sit it out. There is a worship advantage around heaven’s throne, and we ought to be attentive, grateful, and reverent.