“Now the God of peace…equip you in every good thing to do His will”

Hebrews 13 (NASB) from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

Let love of the brethren continue. ² Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it. ³ Remember the prisoners, as though in prison with them, and those who are ill-treated, since you yourselves also are in the body. ⁴ Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge. ⁵ Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,” ⁶ so that we confidently say, “The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?”

⁷ Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith. ⁸ Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. ⁹ Do not be carried away by varied and strange teachings… ¹⁵ Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name. ¹⁶ And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. ¹⁷ Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you…

Benediction

²⁰ Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, ²¹ equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

“Now the God of peace…equip you in every good thing to do His will” In John 14:26, Jesus speaks of the equipping we receive through the Holy Spirit. If we look at that verse in the Amplified version it gives us an even more complete description of the ways the Holy Spirit equips and enables us to do God’s will.  But the Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will help you remember everything that I have told you.           We need to understand that the Holy Spirit is not some spirit we conjure up, nor is the Holy Spirit merely a quiet voice within us that guides our conscience. The Holy Spirit is God. The Holy Spirit was the active force of power who moved according to the voice of God and created the heavens and the earth.

Many people try to model the life that Jesus lived while He was here on earth. They speculate as to how Jesus would respond to current cultural situations. They ask the question, what would Jesus do? (WWJD) Then they answer it in the way that suits their own doctrine or ideology.  The Holy Spirit is the one who is here now to “represent” Jesus and “act on His behalf” Regarding the Holy Spirit’s role in equipping the disciples to do the will of God, Jesus says in Luke 24:46-49: “Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, ⁴⁷ and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. ⁴⁸ You are witnesses of these things. ⁴⁹ And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”     Verse 49 in the Amplified says:  Listen carefully: I am sending the Promise of My Father [the Holy Spirit] upon you; but you are to remain in the city [of Jerusalem] until you are clothed (fully equipped) with power from on high.” The Holy Spirit, full equips us to do God’s will.

I would venture to say that for most believers, they would acknowledge that if they were to see the physical, manifest presence of God the Father or Jesus himself they would be awestruck and fall to the face in reverence, worship and obedience. Why then is it that we do not give the same reverence, respect, worship and obedience to the Holy Spirit. Jesus Himself says: "Truly I say to you, all sins shall be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they utter; 29but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin "(Mark 3:28-29) When we are disobedient to the Holy Spirit it is sin, no less of a sin than to look into the face of God the Father or Jesus Himself and say no to their will.

We are fully equipped with and by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is according to Jesus responsible to;  convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: ⁹ of sin, because they do not believe in Me; ¹⁰ of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; ¹¹ of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. (John 16:8-11) So if we want to know, WWJD, if we want to model our lives after Jesus, we should live righteously. We should not judge, convict or condemn with our words but through our lives and our actions the Holy Spirit should bring conviction to the world.

God does not change. Malachi 3:6 says: "For I, the LORD, do not change…”  Jesus does not change.  Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. (Hebrews 13:8) The word of God does not change.   For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. ¹⁹ Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:18-19) Why would we think that the Holy Spirit, the present and active power of God here on earth, would change to accommodate the changing whims of our culture?

WWJD?  Certainly, He would as today’s text encourages: Let love of the brethren continue.  Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.  Remember the prisoners, as though in prison with them, and those who are ill-treated, since you yourselves also are in the body.  If Jesus were here today I am sure that He might offend some religious folks because He would, as He did associate with and interact with sinners. But do not be fooled, Jesus would certainly also offend those in our culture and society who are so easily offended by God’s word and by God’s righteousness. Jesus never “winked at”, tolerated or condoned sin. He associated with sinners because: Jesus answered and said to them, "It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick. 32"I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance." (Luke 5:31-32)  

Both believers and unbelievers alike need to understand one thing about Jesus. While He never changes, He died on the cross once for all. When He comes back it will not be as the meek humble servant, the sacrificial lamb. Revelation 19:11-16, describes Jesus when He returns.

 And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. ¹² His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. ¹³ He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. ¹⁴ And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. ¹⁵ From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. ¹⁶ And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”   

Thank You Father, Son and Holy Spirit, God. You never change. You have equipped us, actually filled us with Your power and Your presence. Forgive me for not always giving You, the Holy Spirit, the reverence, respect and obedience You are worthy of. Forgive me and empower me, equip me to do the things that Jesus did. May the benediction in today’s text be true of my life.  Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.