Observation: The preacher comes to his concluding arguments of his sermon. He offers that the community of faith is rejecting the grace God so freely offers through Jesus. "Be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the One who is speaking. For if the people of Israel did not escape when they refused to listen to Moses, the earthly messenger, we will certainly not escape if we reject the One who speaks to us from heaven!"
All of this will shake out, just like God shook the earth when he spoke at mount Sinai. “Once again I will shake not only the earth but the heavens also.” This means that all of creation will be shaken and removed, so that only unshakable things will remain.
Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe.
The shaking out of faith is a difficult to be sure. Like a prophetic and loving parent, the preacher offers the choice of continuous rejection of grace or a mere accepting of that grace.
Application: There have been times when the shaking of faith is necessary. It has happened to me a time or two. It can come to mean a new revelation - like discovering that the 24 hour day wasn't created until the fourth day of creation (so how can creation have happened in 6 days), or it can be a shaking out of new disciplines for digging in God's word or new healthy habits. In teaching the heptagon (the 7 signs of health) I am reminded of excretion being a sign of health. The preacher tries to teach the excretion or removal of unhealthy toxins as part of the healthy system. Today I sit in reflection of the 7 signs of life and the shaking of faith, and the mere acceptance of God's grace.
Prayer: Lord thank you for the prophets among us that point us to your grace, help us hear your word as it shakes out what we need to hear....Let us be thankful and please God by worshipping him with holy fear and awe.