Friday after the Last Sunday after Trinity Sunday
Posted on November 26, 2021 by under
Scripture: Hebrews 12:22-29 (NKJV)
12:22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, 23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24 to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.
25 See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, 26 whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.” 27 Now this, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain.
28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. 29 For our God is a consuming fire.
Devotion
Let us not forget that this epistle is addressed to the “Hebrews,” that is, the Jews. These are Jews who are willing to hear the words of this letter, so this warning is given to them. This reading is a comparison between Mount Sinai and the Christian Church. In the Old Testament we see the assembly of Israel and Moses leading them. Now the saints and holy ones assemble with Jesus leading. The Jews often cared deeply about the giving of the Law through Moses, so the warning to them is this: do not reject the voice of God now.
They were well aware of the wrath poured out on the faithless at Mount Sinai, and that covenant was mediated through a man, Moses. The new covenant is spoken through the second person of the Holy Trinity. What wrath awaits those who spurn the Son of God? The voice of God shook the whole mountain of Sinai, but this time the voice of God will shake heaven and earth. Do not be on the wrong side of that shaking. The Christian Church receives a kingdom that cannot be shaken. We shall be purified, not destroyed. Be counted in the company of Christ’s people.
Prayer: Absolve, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy people from their offenses; that from the bonds of our sins which, by reason of our frailty, we have brought upon us, we may be delivered by Thy bountiful goodness; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Collect for the End of the Church Year
We thank Thee, Lord God, Heavenly Father, that in the past church Year Thou hast preserved Thy Word among us in purity, and by it sensibly quickened our souls; and we beseech Thee, Thou wouldst graciously forgive us all our neglect, unbelief, and disobedience of Thy Word, and continue unto us this precious treasure with Thy blessing forevermore; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
