Service, or Our God Is a Consuming Fire

(The video is in Russian.)

Bible verses from the sermon

[Heb.12:28-29]
Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace [G5485 charis], by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire.

Let us have [G2192 echō] – to have, to hold

[1 Cor.3:10-15]
According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

Gold – faith
that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire [1 Pet.1:7]

Silver – redemption
Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us [Gal.3:13]

Precious stones – the manifold grace

[Isa.54:9-12] For this is like the waters of Noah to Me; for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah would no longer cover the earth, so have I sworn that I would not be angry with you, nor rebuke you. For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed, but My kindness [H2617 chesed] shall not depart from you, nor shall My covenant of peace be removed, says the LORD, who has mercy on you.
O you afflicted one, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay your stones with colorful gems, and lay your foundations with sapphires. I will make your pinnacles of rubies, your gates of crystal, and all your walls of precious stones.

[1 Pet.4:10] As each one has received a gift [G5486 charisma], minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

Wood – what is human
But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. [2 Tim.2:20]

Hay – the flesh
All flesh is as grass (hay), and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls away [1 Pet.1:24]

Straw – human pride
For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, and all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble. And the day which is coming shall burn them up, says the LORD of hosts [Mal.4:1]

[Heb.12:25-27] See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.” Now this, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain.