God Will Equip Us To Do His Will

“Now may the God of peace who by the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead the great shepherd of the sheep, our Lord Jesus, equip you with every good thing to do his will, working in us what is pleasing before him through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever. Amen. Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, bear with my message of exhortation, for in fact I have written to you briefly. You should know that our brother Timothy has been released. If he comes soon, he will be with me when I see you. Greetings to all your leaders and all the saints. Those from Italy send you greetings. Grace be with you all.” Hebrews 13:20-25 NET

The closing benediction of the book of Hebrews powerfully encapsulates the core message presented throughout the book in just a few sentences. It boldly declares that our God is the God of Peace, reinforcing the profound truth that “every kind of blessing and good” flows from God who loves us wholeheartedly. This assertion shatters the misguided belief that God exists solely to impose punitive judgment, a narrative rooted in human control that ultimately fails to recognize the true purpose of divine grace: to liberate us from the bondage of sin.

Our God operates through the powerful blood of the eternal covenant. Jesus willingly gave His life and shed His blood to establish this covenant from the very foundation of the earth. While we may perceive it as a singular moment in time, the eternal covenant has always existed from God’s perspective, for He transcends the limitations of time and space that constrain us.

This everlasting covenant is an extraordinary promise made by God between Himself and humanity. It defines His divine plan and purpose for us, revealing that we were created in His image and tasked as His precious sons and daughters to reflect His character of love in the world. Embracing this truth empowers us to fulfill our role in reflecting His character of love in the world.

Jesus is powerfully depicted as the great shepherd of the sheep, which is a metaphor for the fact that He physically rose from the dead to become or embody our salvation. Through His triumph over sin and death, Jesus ushered in a transformative new and better way of living that invites us into a deeper relationship with God. While the physical effects of death may bind us to the constraints of time, Jesus transcended these limitations by revealing Himself as eternal—an extraordinary being who embodies both God and man. This profound truth may be difficult to fully comprehend, yet it reminds us that we are His beloved children, redeemed at an unimaginable cost.

Yet one more thing is mentioned in these last verses of benediction: “that He may equip us to do every good thing according to His will”. We tend to think that it is always up to us to utilize our time, energy, and money to please God, but that is not what it is saying. We are equipped by God with His resources in every good thing. Jesus clarified it when He spoke to the rich young ruler in Matthew 19:16-26.

Merely doing good deeds for God isn’t enough; what truly matters is the condition of our hearts and our understanding of our real treasure. Are we pouring our passion into our possessions or placing our trust in the One who holds us in His hands? Take a moment to reflect on the rich young ruler: he meticulously adhered to the scriptures and followed the laws, yet his actions were driven by a cold sense of obligation rather than a heartfelt connection with God.

We must actively challenge ourselves to recognize how God is powerfully at work through others and commit to being vessels of His blessings. By fully embodying His love, we can elevate those in need from their struggles and become transformative agents of change in their lives. This journey is not solely about our individual efforts; it’s about the incredible impact God can achieve through us, stirring a profound heart of compassion within each of us. Let us rise as instruments of His grace—a dynamic force for transformation that uplifts us and leaves a lasting mark on the world around us.

We are called to be Jesus’s hands and feet in ways that profoundly transform not only those we serve but ourselves as well. This is what truly pleases God: engaging in acts of service with genuine purpose that result in visibly changed hearts and lives.

The writer adopts a humble yet earnest tone, appealing to readers to bear with his message as a show of respect for their time. He passionately implores his audience to listen closely, accept his words, and take them to heart. This heartfelt appeal underscores his commitment to profoundly impacting Hebrew listeners with vital insights about their faith and relationship with God. Furthermore, he highlights the letter’s brevity, reminding us that while it carries the weight of a theological treatise, his goal was to deliver a concise yet powerful exhortation that resonates deeply with its audience.

While often labeled an “epistle” or “letter,” the Book of Hebrews serves far more compellingly as a sermon or homily—a profound theological treatise rather than a mere historical or biographical account. Scholars widely recognize its distinctive structure and powerful message, emphasizing Christ’s unparalleled superiority and the fulfillment of Old Testament practices. The book’s primary goal is to instruct and inspire its readers to deepen their faith, understand the nature of Jesus, and appreciate the transformative superiority of the New Covenant over the Old. Hebrews itself powerfully describes its mission as “paraklēsis,” encompassing consolation, an exhortation, a sermon, advocacy, and even intercession, making it a vital source of encouragement for believers.

Stephen Barnett