Open The Word | Fungua Neno

⏱️ 5 minutes.

Hello brethren,

Today, let’s revisit the author of Hebrews and hear his commentary on what is considered to be an acceptable service to God:

“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe.”

Hebrews 12:28

In this section, the author speaks of a coming event that will shake the heavens and the earth. He quotes a passage from Haggai 2:6:

“For thus says Yahweh of hosts, ‘Once more—in a little while—I am going to shake the heavens and the earth, the sea also and the dry land.’”

Haggai 2:6

This passage is reminiscent of another passage that the prophet Isaiah writes regarding this same eschatological event:

“Therefore I will make the heavens tremble, And the earth will be shaken from its place At the fury of Yahweh of hosts In the day of His burning anger.”

Isaiah 13:13

In all these passages, we see how the author of Hebrews reasons that this shaking of the heavens and the earth will indeed shake off all that is temporary and bring to an end all that is not eternal. In the end, only that which is eternal will remain.

This picture is quite encouraging to those who have placed their faith in Christ since the author spends a significant amount of time expressing how Christ is the advocate and how His authority is higher than that of man and even that of the angels in heaven.

The author even goes as far as showing how Jesus Christ is indeed God Himself:

“But of the Son He says,’Your throne, O God, is forever and ever,And the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of Your kingdom.’”

Hebrews 1:8

The reason this passage of the end times, where all that is temporary will be shaken out of existence, is significant is because for those who have placed their faith in Christ, their reward is indeed eternal life. This is the reward that Jesus Himself states is one that is to come and that He Himself is the one that will make it so:

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish—ever; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.”

John 10:27-28

This is indeed wonderful news to those who have placed their faith in Christ. Regardless of how life looks in this temporary world, our lives are hidden in Christ, and even in the end times when all else will be shaken away, we will continue to persist into Christ’s eternal kingdom.

Here is the question that comes out of the verse we’re looking at today: How do we respond to such loving kindness?

This is why the passage begins with the word “therefore” meaning that in light of what is to come, our response should simply be gratitude.

This word for gratitude, “charis”, is actually the same word for “grace”. The word is grace when it’s being received and gratitude when it’s being given.

The author basically says there’s nothing else we can give to repay that which has been given to us. So the only thing to do is to be thankful.

Many times, we underestimate the importance of being thankful to God for what He has done for us. Many times, we look ahead at what we want God to do in our lives, forgetting and downplaying all that He has already done. This is what a heart of discontentment looks like—never appreciating all that God has already done and what He continues to do every day, instead always looking at those things which have not come to pass, and grumbling and complaining to God.

As Paul speaks to the Romans, he shares with them the severity of not being thankful to God, how judgment comes upon those who suppress the truth in unrighteousness because they weren’t thankful:

“For even though they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish heart was darkened.”

Romans 1:21

This brings into view the author’s mention of “showing gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe.”

This is the acceptable service to God. God, in the riches of His love and mercy, has shown us a great grace by “rescuing us from the kingdom of darkness and transferring us to the kingdom of His Son” (Colossians 1:13).

The kind of service that God will accept is simply us living lives that show appreciation for what He has done and continues to do in our lives.

Here are things to take note of:

• God has saved us from eternal judgment.
• Let’s show appreciation to God for saving us.
• Gratitude is the kind of service that God accepts.
• Let’s be careful not to grumble and complain to God, ignoring all that He has done for us.
• Let’s remember, He’s sovereign, and we’re subject to Him.

I pray this word reminds you to be thankful always (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

Your brother, Paul.