Thursday: Let Us Be Grateful
Hebrews concludes this section by pointing out that the appropriate response to God for all the wonderful things He has done for us is to show gratitude by offering Him an appropriate type of worship.
Compare Hebrews 12:28 and Hebrews 13:15-16. How do we offer God acceptable worship?
In the old covenant system, the sacrifice of animals was the way people showed repentance and gratitude, but these sacrifices were to be but a token of the gratitude and repentance in the heart of the worshiper. Thus, God made clear in the Psalms and through the prophets that what really pleased Him was not the blood of animals but the gratitude, good deeds, and righteousness of the worshipers (Psalm 50:7-23, Isaiah 1:11-17).
Image © Steve Creitz at Goodsalt.com
Thus, Paul invites us to worship God in the heavenly sanctuary by offering sacrifices of praise, confession, thanksgiving, and good works, which is the true worship that delights Him. We offer these sacrifices on earth, but they are accepted as pleasing to God in heaven. This exhortation embraces all the calls that the author has made throughout the letter for the confession of Jesus’ name (Hebrews 3:1, Hebrews 4:14, Hebrews 10:23) and His exhortations that we continue to do good works (Hebrews 6:10-12; Hebrews 13:1-2, , Hebrews 13:16).
The invitation of Paul to the audience to “offer to God acceptable worship” (Hebrews 12:28, ESV) implies that believers are truly now a priestly nation that has been perfected and sanctified through the sacrifice of Jesus (Hebrews 10:10-14, Hebrews 10:19-23). This fulfills God’s original purpose for Israel, that they would be a priestly nation through which He would be able to announce the good news of salvation to the world (Exodus 19:4-6; 1 Peter 2:9-10; Revelation 1:6; Revelation 5:10).
Hebrews 13:1-6 describes in practical terms what it means to do good and share what we have. It means to show brotherly love, just as Jesus showed brotherly love to us (Hebrews 2:11-12). It means to be hospitable, to visit those who are in prison or have been mistreated (Hebrews 13:3), and to reject adultery and covetousness.
| Why is it important to consider good works and sharing what we have as part of our worship to God? At the same time, what are the very real ways that our spiritual sacrifices to God may be corrupted (Isaiah 1:11-17)? |
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I wrote a study on the tithing system back in 2018 https://ssnet.org/blog/tithe-in-israel-a-summary/ and one of the things that I learned was just how much of Israel's tithe system was there to help the poor and needy. In some respects it was an ancient version of our modern welfare systems. It is also interesting to note that when God ticked off the Kingdoms of Israel and Judah and warned them about broken covenants, one of his main points was that they had neglected the poor and needy and were in fact abusing them.
So, when it comes to "acceptable worship" God is not talking about liturgy, being quiet and respectful in church, and attending mid-week prayer meetings.
We can argue about the nature of Christ, the timing on the investigative judgement, the importance of the Sabbath, and so on. But there is one argument that is the most convincing: that we follow in Christ's footsteps and love, even the "least of these" with unselfish love. Even atheists cannot argue with that one.
Worship -
Nothing in my hands I bring ....
What can we offer a timeless God ?
Except, what the Father already gave us in Christ, his divine nature in Sonship!
Jesus is our offering
Ephesians 5:2
Micah 6:8 He has shown thee oh man what is good, and what the Lord requires of thee. To do justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God.
For me, this says it perfectly. This is right after Israel was told that God didn’t want thousands of sacrifices and rivers of oil, which they thought was a form of worship.
"Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil, Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow."
That's basically the same as "love God with all your heart, and your neighbor as yourself."
Both are also definitions of the true religion. Are we seeking them? Works have to be the result of a deep-soul attitude, a heart attitude, an all-strenght mind attitude. May God bless everyone of us to be prepared to receive the portion of the Holy Spirit that is necessary, for each one to be efficient instruments in demonstrating who God really is and Jesus' soon return to this ending world!
Right on JC this is where true religion is found. Romans 12:1-5,10-13,21. James 1:27.
I thought Shirley nailed it too in her post yesterday. Revelation 3:10-12.
I also like verse 20 and 21. Christ is knocking at our door and if we let Him in and overcome He will not only dine with us we will take turns sitting with Him and our Father by Him on His throne. However that my be, I humbly accept the invitation.