It is not a message about soul-winning, or Christian stewardship, or prayer, or Bible study. You may be asking just now: “If the message is of primary importance; and if it is not about soul-winning, Christian stewardship, the Holy Spirit or the Word of God…what then is the message about?” Turn in your scriptures to Hebrews 12:28,29. I am going to speak on the subject of reverence and godly fear.
I am fully persuaded that, to our shame, God’s people do not have much reverence and Godly fear today. Generally speaking, it is just not common amongst Christian people. What is reverence? Webster defines it as a “feeling of profound respect often mingled with awe and affection; veneration.” If believers in old times placed too much emphasis on the fear of God to the neglect of His love, then believers today just may be guilty of placing too much emphasis on His love, to the neglect of reverence and Godly fear.
In our Hebrews text, believers are exhorted to serve God acceptably, with reverence and Godly fear. There is a crying need that we do just that in this present hour. Consider the motive, the means, and the manner of the reverence of God.
- The Motive for reverence, v. 28: our present hope, and our future home. The world is passing away, but we have a future permanent kingdom. Like Abraham, we look for a city whose builder and maker is God. Thus, we have an enduring hope. (v.22) The question then is: “And now, O Israel, what doth the Lord require of thee but to fear the Lord thy God; to walk in all His ways and to love Him and serve Him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.” (Deut. 10:12)
- The Means of reverence, Hebs. 12:28b: We must accept God’s grace—“let us have grace.” How do you have grace? Well, how does one have that which is unmerited? You receive it, accept it. You were saved by grace; now, as a disciple, you serve by grace. So, accept grace for service and appropriate it: “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world.” (Titus 2:11,12) Soberly, righteously, and godly is tantamount to reverently. “Reverence”—that mingled fear and love which, combined, constitute the piety of man toward God. “Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.” (I Peter 2:17) God’s grace teaches us to love Him as well as to fear Him!
- The Manner of reverence and Godly fear: First, we ought to exercise caution with reference to His person, Ps. 111:9: “He sent redemption to His people: he hath commanded his covenant forever: holy and reverend is his name.” “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” (Matt. 18:20) Second, we should exercise reverence with reference to His place: “God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of all them that are about him.” (Ps.89:7) How do 21st century saints behave when they assemble for worship? Take a look around you sometime; it might surprise you. This is not to encourage a judgmental attitude; no doubt, if there is a problem, the problem begins with me! But, taking inventory of what and why we are doing something as foundational as worship is always in order if we have the right attitude. One question to ask might be, “Am I worshipping the Lord in the beauty of holiness?” (Ps. 29:2; 96:9)
How, then, do we serve God with fear? Answer: keep your heart right with God: “Happy is the man that feareth always: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief.” (Provs. 2:14). Then, too, be obedient to God and His Word. Jesus, the God man, was obedient to His Father. (Hebs. 5:7,8) Jesus, though He was a son, yet he feared, learned obedience, and was reverent in offering up prayers and supplications (worship). Should we worship in a spirit of everyday casualness? How casual we have become in the assembly today—in offering up our prayers and supplications? Casual in dress, in demeanor, and in deportment. (Author’s note: remember, this message was delivered 46 years ago!)
A couple of concluding thoughts. Hebrews 12:29 says that God is a consuming fire. Harry Ironside, one-time pastor of Moody Memorial Church and author of many commentaries on the Bible, had this to say about that consuming fire of which the author of Hebrews spoke: “Consuming fire is holiness manifested in judgment. And God, who is light and love, must consume everything contrary to His will.”
And, finally, I don’t know who said this, but creatively it offers us some food for thought: “Earth’s crammed with heaven, every common bush afire with God; but only he who sees takes off his shoes—the rest sit round and pluck blackberries.” Selah!
“But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.” (I Tim.3:15)