Hebrews 12:28 (NKJV) 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.
In our last post, we began looking at this verse in light of the rest of Hebrews chapter 12. This chapter is about bringing the believer to a place where they are unshakable, walking close to Jesus in the natural world. Salvation makes this available to us. In light of that fact, there are some things Paul says we should do.
First, we are to have grace. Grace is the unmerited favor of God. It is the basis for salvation in Christ. Grace is God doing what we cannot do in our own strength. When we have accessed to the grace of God by which we were saved, we understand that we do not need to do work to obtain acceptance by God. We are already accepted and loved. We are now free to do the works that build our Christian life because God loves us and because we love him.
Once established in grace we add actions to our faith in grace. The next action listed is that we, by grace, serve God acceptably. If we are going to be unshakable, supernatural people, we need to serve God acceptably. What does that mean to us?
Acceptable means adequate approved of or welcome. Most of us want a life that is adequate to meet our needs. We want a life filled with things we approve of or that are desirable. We want things that are welcome to come to us not things that are unwelcome. We want this in our jobs, in our relationships and in our possessions. Most important we want this in the living of our lives. That is absolutely normal.
However, in this verse it is not talking about what is acceptable to us. It is talking about a life that is lived acceptably to God. I believe many of us, particularly those of us who live in places like the United States, are so caught up in living a life that is acceptable to what we want that we forget that there is someone more important to please than ourselves.
God made us. He knows why he made us. He knows the life that will bring us the most joy and fulfillment. God is our loving Heavenly father. Just like all good fathers, God wants the best for us. He will provide us with all we need and the desires of our hearts if we trust in him. When we are consumed with our own ideas of what is acceptable, we usually miss God’s best. Remember that the point of this verse is that we become unshakable Christians. We begin with grace and love, but we must proceed to serving God in a way that is acceptable to him. How do we do that?
First, we need to understand what kind of service is acceptable to him. I believe the answer falls in a couple of categories. We need to serve God according to his principles and commandments. We cannot serve God thinking the end justifies the means. God is very much concerned about the means. Look at this verse.
Matthew 7:22-23 (NKJV) 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
In this scripture, Jesus says that even people who do miracles can be rejected if their means are not correct. We find the same thought in the beginning of the great love chapter, 1 Corinthians 13.
1 Corinthians 13:1-3 (NKJV) 1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.
All these wonderful works mean nothing to Jesus if they are not done by the proper means including the right motivation. I teach leaders all over the world. Many want to know how to build churches, preach the Word or heal the sick. Practical teaching on ministry is a good thing. It is not what I teach.
I teach leaders that we must walk with integrity. I teach that we must develop good character. If we are going to lead according to the will of God, we must be honest. We must love the people that God gives us, and we must desire the will of God and the good of his people above our own success.
I believe that financial blessing is part of covenant with God. However, to serve God acceptably means money can never be our motivation and we cannot compromise honesty and integrity for wealth.
Luke 16:13 (NKJV) 13 No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”
If we are going to serve God acceptably, we must first have a lifestyle that is acceptable to him. Secondly, we must desire his will above our own. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed so hard to avoid the Cross, that he sweat drops of blood. It was not Jesus’ will at that moment to die for our sins. However, in the end his prayer was, “Not my will but yours be done.” If Jesus had to pray that prayer, I think you and I may have to pray it as well.
Sometimes we get the idea that if things are difficult, they cannot be God. That is not true. It is more likely that when things get difficult, we are probably on the right path. Satan has taken notice! We all want a good life and good things in life. If we are going to be unshakable, we must trust that to God. We must focus on living according to his will, his standards, and his principles. We must walk upright before him and seek his will.
We must understand that if he asks us to do something that is difficult or even unpleasant, it is for a purpose that is greater than our understanding. Imagine if Jesus had decided the cross was too difficult. Imagine if the apostle Paul had decided to stay at home because he refused to endure the many trials that he went through to preach the gospel (2 Corinthians 12.)
I am sure that the cross was not acceptable to the man Jesus. I am sure that the lists of troubles in 2 Corinthians 12 or Romans 8 did not represent the life that Paul thought he would live. They chose to serve God acceptably. I am very glad they did.
When I walk according to the will of God, I make myself unshakable. When I live my life by God’s standards, I make myself unshakable. When I deviate from the purpose of God or from the principles of God, I open up vulnerabilities in my life that the devil can exploit. When trials come, the devil will use those vulnerabilities to shake my faith, to delay the answers to my prayers and to make me compromise my destiny.
Let us make serving God in a way that is acceptable to him a priority in life. You will see in the end that there is no life you can live that will ultimately be more acceptable to you as well.
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