A Servant Son

John 13:4

He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.

John 13:12-16

12 So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? 13 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. 16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.

In John’s version of the night Jesus was betrayed, this scene is included where Jesus washes the feet of His disciples. Without doubt, He clothed Himself in servant hood. He removed His outer garment and girded Himself with a towel.

Gird— to bind tightly

Somehow He tied this towel tightly to Himself. Just as He had clothed Himself as a servant in human form (Phil) He

Philippians 2:7

But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

girds Himself in servant hood to teach His disciples truth about their service to the kingdom of God.

There is a lot of talk in the church nowadays about authority and sonship, but there isn’t a lot of talk about servanthood. The reality is that most people don’t even really serve God—they serve self. I’m not saying that you specifically don’t serve God. That’s between you and the Lord and that’s for you to figure out. I’m saying that most people aren’t serving the Lord. Instead, they’re serving themselves and what they do, they do to be seen by men.

We all have it—ego centric. It’s part of the Adamic nature, “Look at my good, look at my goods, look at me, ‘I am good!’”

It is important that we recognize this, so we can let the Lord kill it, because a servant isn’t working for himself, a servant is working for his Lord.

That’s the message today

A Servant Son

Servant—1. Literally, a slave either willingly or unwillingly 2. One who gives himself up to another's will

Jesus, the eternal Son served the Father with absolute devotion. He served not to gain sonship. He served because He is the Son, and the Son serves His Father’s will.

The Father is looking for sons that will serve. It’s not our kingdom. It’s His kingdom, but the problem that humans have is that we are all very aware of self and very consumed with the prospect of serving and preserving self. Self preservation is a very telling symptom that connects our fallen nature to the actions of the serpent.

We are serving Him and His Kingdom and that does not automatically equate to the local house of God, but at the same time, what about the local house of God?

Jesus was able to see these traits in the lives of certain humans. How offensive would it be if someone told you, “You are of your father the devil?”

I think that I would be offended by that. Yet, Jesus told that to the religious leaders. My point to this line of reasoning is that the message is a servant son, that was Jesus, and that’s supposed to be us. And a servant doesn’t live for himself or his own will—he lives for the will of his master. Therefore, if a believer is a servant son, like His Lord, he will desire to live the will of the Father and not his own will.

There is a direct contrast that takes place in the scripture between Jesus and the Pharisees. I keep thinking of the prodigal son and how I want so badly for that brother to get over himself and go seek and save his little brother, but then I’m constantly reminded that the older brother represents the religious leaders and they don’t love. They hate and when the elder brother sees his younger brother all he can think about is how he is about to lose part of his possessions and inheritance as he sees his father clothe his brother in the robe and put the ring on his finger [identity].

The brother

You know it’s really important that we start paying attention to the thoughts in our minds and the feelings in our hearts. It’s really important that we start coming clean with the Lord and stop ignoring those symptoms of envy and jealousy and anger and disgust that are in us, because those are signs that our heart is not like Jesus.

This is the difference about the servanthood of Jesus vs the superiority of the Pharisees. God said Israel was His firstborn too in Exodus 4, but Israel as a son is operating in superiority and Jesus as a Son is a servant. The Pharisees are all about protecting their lives and their position. Jesus is all about laying down His life to please His Father and further His Father’s kingdom.

One of the most profound passages of scripture that I have seen through the years showing this thought of self preservation is a passage out of John, but before we go there, let’s gain an insight into the motives of the religious mind.

Matthew 23:5-7 KJV

5 But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,

                        the place of honor at feasts ESV                            Preeminence

6 And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, 7 And greetings in the markets,  and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.

This is them—they/we want people to know what they/we did, and if you try to take this adulation away from them/us, they will want to hurt you. In the real world today, they may not try to nail you to a literal cross, but in their hearts, it’s brewing.

We

The further away you get, the easier it is to recognize when it’s abnormal.

Rehab toilet

John 11:46-53 ESV.                       KJV miracles

46 but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, “What are we to  do? For this man performs many signs. 48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” 49 But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all. 50 Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.” 51 He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, 52 and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. 53 So from that day on they made plans to put him to death.

JN 9:22

What amazing audacity! By this time people are recognizing that Jesus is messiah and He is performing miracles and instead of embracing Him as the long awaited Messiah, they plot His death so they can preserve their position.

How often do these symptoms show up in our own lives? On the job, in our businesses, in our friendships and family relationships? The preservation of self instead of trusting God and allowing the dying of self? How often do the thoughts of our heart plot and the words of our mouth speak malice and slander and harm onto people’s lives?

In the real life comparison/ contrast between Jesus and the Pharisees, we see the battle for us between the fallen nature received from Adam in the fall and the Divine nature received from Jesus in the new birth.

The Pharisees Father was the devil—they’re trying to protect their position. They don’t want Jesus to have His place, “what will happen to us?” They say.

The struggle of the Spirit and the flesh. His winnowing fan is in His hand. He will bring the wheat into the storage house and burn away the chaff with unquenchable fire.

Jesus reveals the paternity test is in the word.

John 8:28-47

28 Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. 29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him. 30 As he spake these words,  many believed on him. 31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

Mismo

Continue/Abide

32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

33 They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? 34 Jesus answered them,  Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.

Commiteth

Present tense active

Factory

to produce, construct, form, fashion, etc.to be the authors of, the cause

Abraham: father of faith. Abraham believed God and His word

Man: Jesus… how are you going to build a church like that?

Jesus: My definition of church building and your definition of church building are not the same

35 And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth  ever. 36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. 37 I know that ye are Abraham's seed; but ye seek to kill me,  because my word hath no place in you. 38 I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your  father. 39 They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, [IF] ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham. 40 But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham. 41 Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God. 42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. 43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. 44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his  own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. 45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not. 46 Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? 47 He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.

And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ,

the Son of the living God

Process

Galatians 4:1-7

1 Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; 2 But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father. 3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: 4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts,

crying, Abba, Father. 7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

Romans 6:16-18

16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? 17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. 18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

Romans 6:14

For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

No longer a slave but a son because you’re no longer under law but under grace. In this kingdom, it’s not you trying. In this kingdom, it’s you dying, in other words getting out of the way.

The Words of a King

Matthew 5:1-2

The Sermon on the Mount

1 Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.

In Adam, man was forced away from God. Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us is the presence of God coming to us to bring us near.

It is also interesting to note that Moses went up the mountain to hear the voice God for the people who would not come near, but in Jesus the voice of God welcomes the people to hear the King and learn His kingdom.

Matthew 7:28-29

The Authority of Jesus

28 And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, 29 for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.

The Beatitudes

2 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:

1. Matthew 5:3

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Poor- to crouch, to cringe, to be a pauper, beggarly

It doesn’t say poor in finances or poor in health or poor in society. But it explicitly says poor in spirit. Poor is the opposite of pride. He isn’t talking about how you face the world or how you face religion, but He is talking about how your spirit approaches God. How your spirit approaches His Spirit and how you approach His word.

Independence vs dependence. We learn from Jesus!

John 12:49-50

49 For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment—what to say and what to speak. 50 And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me.”

Philippians 2:6-8

6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

1 Peter 5:5-7

5 Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

Matthew 18:1-4

1 At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? 2 And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, 3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

A person who is poor in spirit understands that without God moving on his heart, he would still be lost in darkness. He understands that he is clay in the hands of the potter and that he is a child and God is His Father and that his Father is to be respected and honored. He understands that his Father’s word is to be respected and honored. He is poor in spirit towards his Father and this affects the way he handles human relationships also.

2. Matthew 5:4

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

Mourn- to grieve mourning over someone or their death.

If you do a word search every time this word is used in the New Testament, it speaks of mourning over death or tragedy. The word mourn is connected with death. The wages of sin is death. Let me tell you something saints. You may not like to be reminded about this, but I have to tell you that God is mourning. He mourns and weeps over the lost. He mourns that mankind is dying in sin, and He mourns that His people don’t take it seriously.

Jesus showed signs of mourning over the results of sin when He wept at Lazarus’ funeral.

I firmly believe that if we allow His word to speak to us and enter into His presence to the place where we touch His heart or His heart touches ours, then we, like Isaiah, will mourn over our own selves. We will mourn over when we hurt His heart and like He always is so ready to do, he will touch our lips, He will touch our hearts with the coal from the altar and then He will say are you ready to go for me now? Now, that you mourn for what I mourn for. Now, that you’re no longer consumed with your own will for your own life, but now, you’re more concerned about my will than your will. Let me send that heart into this broken world. Look at them their dying in their sin. Can’t you pray, can’t you fast, can’t you speak to them for me. I’m mourning over here. My heart is breaking over my creation. Where is someone that will mourn with me?

Those of you that have entered into intercession know what I’m talking about. When you start with a  heavy heart, and then you cry out in His presence and being led by His Spirit, you mourn with Him for what His heart mourns for and after the tears and after the cries, you get up on your feet again, and the comfort of His presence has flooded your soul.

And that’s just the beginning because if you mourn with Him now, you will surely be comforted then!

3. Matthew 5:5

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

Strong’s_ In the OT, the meek are those wholly relying on God rather than their own strength to defend them against injustice. Thus, meekness toward evil people means knowing God is permitting the injuries they inflict, that He is using them to purify His elect, and that He will deliver His elect in His time.

The opposite again would be the proud who take matters into their own hands and resolve their issues. To the American mind this is what sounds right— I have rights. I have a course of action to remedy this situation. I will take charge. Let me say that there is a time and place for everything, but in situations like these the problem is that the undiscerning heart doesn’t see that God is allowing the trial or situation for good purposes spiritually in the life of the believer. Instead, they view that they’ve been wronged and want it to be made right. They cannot see where God has been wronged and wants to make things right.

Greek origin, praus, which is translated as “strength under control.” In ancient Greece, war horses were trained to be meek — strong and powerful yet under control and willing to submit

John 18:4-8

4 Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” 5 They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am he.” Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. 6 When Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground. 7 So he asked them again, “Whom do you seek?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” 8 Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. So, if you seek me, let these men go.”

Matthew 26:53

-- Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?

4. Matthew 5:6

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

Proverbs 16:26 NASB

A worker’s appetite works for him, For his hunger urges him on.

Humans are hungry and thirsty for what satisfies themselves. Jesus was hungry for something different:

John 4:32

But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.”

John 4:34-35

34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. 35 Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest.

If we are honest with one another… do we really think that’s what most Christians are doing. It’s actually a great question for a Pastor to ask himself. Is that what you’re doing pastor, are you seeking after God’s kingdom and God’s righteousness?

Thirsty

Revelation 22:17

The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.

Have you ever realized that you may be on the verge of dehydration. In other words, you didn’t drink as much as you should’ve. You’ve been in the heat, and now all of the sudden your weak, and you’re not quite desperate yet, but you realize that you need to get hydrated quickly. What is on your mind at that point— Gatorade? Water?

When your thirsty like that or famished with hunger, it’s all you can think about at that moment. What do we think about most moments of the day? Don’t answer that too quickly. Take your time and be spiritually sober about it. Now, be honest within yourself, what are you hungering for? What are you thirsting for?

Anything else that gets in the way of God’s plan is vanity. There was a specific year I made more money than I had ever made, and I was planning to beat it the next year. I thank God that He intervened. It wasn’t enough. It was never going to be enough. He said, “A reporter asked old man Rockefeller a question, ‘When will it be enough?’ Rockerfeller’s response was, ‘I just need a little bit more!’”

In one of Jesus’ messages, The cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches are the thorns that choked the seed of the Kingdom.

5. Matthew 5:7

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

Matthew 9:10-13

10 And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. 11 And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 Go and learn what this means: I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

This passage is speaking to people with a religious spirit. Sick people know that they need help physically. There are people who know they need help spiritually and they seek it from God and mean business with God. There are others who don’t see where they need help; instead, they are the helper. Many times people will offer mercy when it’s convenient, but when a situation affects them spiritually or financially, something happens in their hearts: the opposite of mercy: vengeance, retaliation. The problem with the Pharisees in this story is that they cannot see. That is always the problem with religion, it’s a spirit that blinds. It partners with the flesh and pride of self that thinks highly of itself, and like, in the physical the phylacteries blinded their eyes, spiritually, the religious show mercy to whom they will and vengeance to whom they will, and the whole while justify their actions by making decisions on what they believe is right for them because in their mind they are right with God, but the essence of God’s word hasn’t penetrated, because the religious heart is prideful and calloused but doesn’t know it.

When mercy is lacking, then religious formalities are meaningless (cf. Hosea 6:6)

6. Matthew 5:8

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

Pure- purified by fire in a similitude, like a vine cleansed by pruning and so fitted to bear fruit

Psalms 24:3-4

3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? 4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.

Matthew 22:37

-- Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

1 Peter 3:4

But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.

James 1:26-27

26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. 27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

7. Matthew 5:9

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

We have to make peace with God before we can ever make peace with man.

Romans 5:1

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

With regards to making peace with man, we have to take into account what He said before: blessed are the poor in spirit, blessed are the meek, blessed are the merciful and blessed are the pure in heart. A prideful heart will not lower self in order to make peace.!

Jesus lowered Himself and became man (Hebrews 2:16) imagine what this did to these fallen angels, imagine what happened in Haman’s heart when Ahasuerus honored Mordecai and now imagine what has to happen in the heart of a person that is prideful and they will never lower themselves to make peace like Jesus did for them. Until that pride is broken, they will sit there with a thousand scenarios playing in their mind on why they are justified in their actions instead of lowering themselves to the word of God, and let’s be clear here that’s what we’re talking about. We’re talking about lowering ourselves under His authority and under His word not the other person!

“Yeah, but, it feels like that. It feels like I’m admitting that I’m wrong when it’s obvious that they’re wrong too and that they were even more wrong then me.”

Exactly, so make a choice, either yield to God’s word and allow your flesh and pride to be broken or cling to your own will. The rod of the Lord, what a beautiful instrument. At one moment, it looks insignificant and weak in the midst of a horrible circumstance and then you do with it what He says and the Sea is opened and you walk in new found freedom! But the way opened for you because you did it His way instead of your own.

8. Matthew 5:10 KJV

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Galatians 4:28-31

28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. 29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. 30 Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman. 31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.

To persecute means to pursue with hostility.

There is no purpose of love in this. It’s birthed in flesh and enacted in flesh. Certainly, it is likely that when a believer believes they are acting in the Spirit, they don’t think it’s flesh, but if it’s dissected according to the word, persecution is hostile towards God and the things of God.

The flesh will always persecute the Spirit. They are contrary to each other. The flesh serves its own purpose; whereas, the Spirit serves the purposes of God. People who lack understanding of the heart of God’s word, lack understanding of the tendencies of their own hearts, and don’t even realize the difference in that moment between their flesh and the Spirit and peace vs persecution. It is imperative that you and I understand the difference. Then, when persecution comes, we won’t be so surprised. We won’t be so offended. We will realize the attack, and be empowered to be a peacemaker in God’s eyes. As long as we are concerned about our own reputation and ready to take our own defense, it will be hard to be a real peace maker and suffer persecution in a godly way.

One last thing, make sure that when the persecution does come that you allow God to examine your own heart and learn what He wants you to learn. There is always something for you included in every trial— you have not arrived my friend.

I heard someone say the other day and it was good. There is a big difference between being a peacemaker and a peace keeper.

Matthew 5:11

“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.

Matthew 5:12

Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

A Body You Have Prepared for Me: Part 2

Isaiah 6:5-7

5 … “Woe is me! For I am lost…in the midst of a people of unclean lips…my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!” [John 12:41]

6 …one of the seraphim flew…a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar.

7 …he touched my mouth and said: “your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.”

God’s plan of purging man and giving man forgiveness is prophetically illustrated in this vision:

1. Man must recognize God’s holiness, His majesty, His supreme authority

2. Man must recognize his own sinfulness, the fact that he is lost, he is unworthy

3. Man must know God has made a way. The coal from the altar taken with tongs in the hand of the Seraphim was a foreshadowing of the cross.

The tone of Isaiah’s voice cries repentance. The content may not include the word sorry, but He is overwhelmed with the glory and splendor of the Lord, he sees his own desperate condition, and he wants to be right with God. This is Jesus by the way. Isaiah is seeing the Lord after His incarnation, after His sacrificial death, after His resurrection and ascension. He says, “I saw the King and the Lord of hosts”, and the angels cry you are holy, holy, holy. Heaven understands His holiness. The angels understand understand the great price the Father paid to redeem the human race. But the human race doesn’t understand. We so often think that we’re okay. No, brothers and sisters, we need to get a glimpse of glory and we need to understand what is going on here:

Revelation 19:10

Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God.” For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy >>>>>>Sweet smelling savor… ages

Repentance- a simple definition is someone changes their mind. When we repent towards God we admit to Him that we were wrong and He was right. We thought we knew, but now we see. Help me Lord, I’m undone! I’m lost without you!

Psalms 7:12-17

12 If a man does not repent, God will whet his sword; he has bent and readied his bow; 13 he has prepared for him his deadly weapons, making his arrows fiery shafts. 14 Behold, the wicked man conceives evil and is pregnant with mischief and gives birth to lies. 15 He makes a pit, digging it out, and falls into the hole that he has made. 16 His mischief returns upon his own head, and on his own skull his violence descends. 17 I will give to the LORD the thanks due to his righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of the LORD, the Most High.

Isaiah 6:8-9

8 …Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?”… “Here I am! Send me.” 9 The message ‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.10 Make the heart of this people dull, ears heavy, blind their eyes; 11 Then I said, “How long, O Lord?” And he said: “Until cities lie waste without inhabitant and houses without people, and the land is a desolate waste,

Isaiah 6:13

And though a tenth remain in it, it will be burned again, like a terebinth or an oak, whose stump remains when it is felled.”

The holy seed is its stump.

Isaiah 11:1 There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse…

Isaiah was commissioned to go and tell, to prophesy God’s truth! God’s truth always surrounded the coming King. Unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given: his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore.

The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this

And this was what Isaiah saw exalted in heaven. He saw the ascended King of Kings the Lord of Lords. He saw the eternal word who created the heavens and the earth, who willingly lowered Himself and was fashioned into a man so that He could serve the Father’s will and die and not just any death but the death of the cross. He suffered torture and shame. he was offended for our sakes because we had offended God, and…

Isaiah 53:10–if you want to know how much God loves you…

…it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin…

Isaiah said, “send me…” and Paul said, How beautiful are the feet of those who are sent…

Romans 10:14-17 who is they? All those who have not heard, all those who need to hear again…

14 How then shall THEY call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of  them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? 17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

And that’s where it all starts, to those who do believe, they receive a seed. It’s the whole plan of the harvest. A seed is sown (when an obedient mouth speaks) and a son is born:

And that is the beginning of the new life, and now we see the purposes of God in preparing a body for the Lord:

• Genesis 1:11

• Genesis 8:22

• Leviticus 23

• Ruth Gentile bride

• Parable of the sower

• Wheat in the store house

• It starts with a preacher

John 12:24

Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.

John 1:12

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

God sowed a Son seed into the earth and He will reap a harvest of sons.

Now, He prepares a body for us. I mean did we think that He would leave us the way that we were before? He has a plan for us, and it’s not just to bless you with more money, bigger houses and nicer cars. His plan and purpose for our lives is that we would be a body created in the image of Jesus and that we would be a light in a darkened world. Some of us He will use in various types of ministry and for some our ministries will be to our families, our children, our parents, our brothers and our sisters, but in order to use us, He has to form us, and yes, receive ye the promise of my Father, which is the baptism of the Holy Spirit, so that you will be endued or clothed upon with power from the Holy Spirit, so that you will be witnesses for me in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the outer most parts of the earth.

But I have seen a lot of people who have said they were filled with the Spirit and not looking like Jesus. I have been filled with the Spirit and at times not looking like Jesus. No! That’s not acceptable. God is in the business of creating us into the image of Jesus, so that we will have a valid witness, and that is how He is preparing a body for us.

Hebrews 1:3

Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

I remind you that Adam was created in the image and likeness of God, but the fall caused his offspring to be born into the image and likeness of fallen Adam:

Genesis 5:3 ESV

When Adam had lived 130 years, he fathered a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth.

God prepared a body for the last Adam, so that Adam’s fallen race could become recipient’s of the Father’s grace!

Colossians 3:10 KJV

And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

Romans 8:29 KJV

For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

2 Corinthians 3:17-18 KJV

17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

2 Corinthians 4:3-7 KJV

3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. 5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. 6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ 7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. 6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness. This creation talk right here. God does a creative miracle inside of people’s hearts.

Ephesians 4:17-24 ESV

17 Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. 19 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. 20 But that is not the way you learned Christ!— 21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

Romans 6:13-14

13 Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. 14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

A Body You Have Prepared for Me

God’s plan of love and restoration reveals Jesus, not a cool smiling Jesus with natural highlights from sun exposure, but the Jesus described by the prophet Isaiah. To the world we live in and the untrained ears of most modern day church attenders, the real Jesus is offensive. His words are offensive! Some of His words would exclude Him from the hospitality teams of most modern day churches.

No! God is the offended party! Humanity, God‘s creation has offended him, rejected His plan and rebelled against Him!

But he does have a plan and he has included man in that plan – – he has privileged us with the opportunity to work for him and work with him.

In a sense, He was offended and asked to leave the premises of his creation. But we as His people can welcome Him back one heart at a time, just stay with me as I work through this.

Genesis 1:26

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

Genesis 1:28

And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue (subjection)it, and have dominion (rule over it) over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

Through deception, the dominion and authority that was given to man, was lost it in Adam:

Luke 4:5-8

Wait- what? How offensive is that? We are either going to walk in the authority that we have received in Jesus and give Him His glory, or we’re not serving Him, the way He intends.

5 And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, 6 and said to him, “To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. 7 If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” 8 And Jesus answered him, “It is written,

“‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.’”

The whole physical creation is a test: the temporary is a test for eternity:

Matthew 25:14

The Parable of the Talents

“For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property.

Adam’s life was a test, our life is a test I have given you my image. I have given you my dominion and authority. What will you do with the opportunity that I have given you?

—Stewardship—

Now God is on the outside of his creation so to speak. Don’t misunderstand what I am saying… He positioned himself this way, because his purpose and plan includes us. He chose us. He purposefully limits Himself in to partner with us in the creation He has given us authority over (Earth). He could’ve started over completely:

Gen 12:7-8

Genesis 8:20-21 and Noah built an altar and offered every clean beast, and it was sweet smelling savor—What are you doing here God?

1.  Flood – he needed a Noah. In order for his plan to continue.

2. Abraham – I will give you a land, make a nation out of you, I will bless all the nations of the earth.

3. Moses – I will destroy them and make a nation out of you

Exodus 32:8-14

• 8 They have turned aside quickly out of the way that I commanded them. They have made for themselves a golden calf and have worshiped it and sacrificed to it and said, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!’” 9 And the LORD said to Moses, “I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked people. 10 Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them, in order that I may make a great nation of you.”

11 But Moses implored the LORD his God and said, “O LORD, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? 12 Why should the Egyptians say, ‘With evil intent did he bring them out, to kill them in the mountains and to consume them from the face of the earth’? Turn from your burning anger and relent from this disaster against your people. 13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore by your own self, and said to them, I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will give to your offspring, and they shall inherit it forever.’” 14 And the LORD relented from the disaster that he had spoken of bringing on his people.

A land, a nation— a people for a purpose.

• God positioned on the outside

• God choosing to use humanity

• God sticking to his plan

These truths are elucidated or clarified in this scripture

Leviticus 25:23

Redemption of Property

“The land shall not be sold in perpetuity, for the land is mine. For you are strangers and sojourners with me.

• don’t sell my land – I have a plan.

• don’t mess up my covenant I made with Noah.

• don’t mess up my covenant I made with Abraham.

• don’t mess up my agreement with Moses– I almost destroyed you.

Don’t sell my land—it belongs to me but right now, we are strangers in the land together.

And then right there, in the fullness of time, in that land he told them not to sell God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law (Galatians 4:4)

Hebrews 10:4-10 NASB

4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats  to take away sins. 5 Therefore, when He comes into the world, He says,

“SACRIFICE AND OFFERING YOU HAVE NOT DESIRED,

BUT A BODY YOU HAVE PREPARED FOR ME; 6 IN WHOLE BURNT OFFERINGS AND sacrifices FOR SIN YOU HAVE TAKEN NO’  PLEASURE. 7 “THEN I SAID, ‘BEHOLD, I HAVE COME (IN THE SCROLL OF THE BOOK IT IS WRITTEN OF ME) TO DO YOUR WILL, O GOD.’” 8 After saying above, “SACRIFICES AND OFFERINGS AND WHOLE BURNT OFFERINGS AND sacrifices FOR SIN YOU HAVE NOT DESIRED, NOR HAVE YOU TAKEN PLEASURE in them” (which are offered according to the Law), 9 then He said, “BEHOLD, I HAVE COME TO DO YOUR WILL.” He takes away the first in order to establish the second. 10 By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Sacrifices and offerings in a whole burnt offerings for sin you have not desired nor have you taken pleasure in them?

What about the Sweet smelling, what about your food Lord…?

Numbers 29

Annual

Monthly

Weekly

Daily

The bread

The incense

Isaiah 1:18

Can you see his glorious presence? His name is Jesus – he saves his people from their sins. His name is Emmanuel. He is God with us. He is holy and lifted up

Isaiah 6 I see the Lord high and lifted up. He is magnified. He is glorified. Heaven is giving him his glory. The angels are giving him his glory. They are crying to him right now Church. They are saying holy holy holy.

A Place of Rest

Hebrews 4:1-12 NASB

CHAPTER 4

God’s promise was that He was bringing them to a place of rest. A place where He would give them victory over their enemies, a place where His people would live for Him and bring glory to His name. He delivered them, but even once He got the next generation into Canaan [He is committed to His plan], they didn’t live for Him.

That’s after they entered Canaan, but right now, let’s stay focused on this part of the journey. He delivered them out of Egyptian slavery, but they didn’t unite it with faith for victory over the giants, but there were a couple other problems that they had: 1) they really didn’t like the way that God was doing things (manna/Bible), they wanted what they wanted, and 2) they still had a love for the place they had left [Egypt] and they really wanted to go back. They didn’t love the chains and shackles and the gathering straw and making bricks, but it if they could have what they wanted: melons, onions, garlics and leeks they could maybe bear the burden of the chains. God’s plan was something altogether different: for them to hate where He saved them from and believe Him that what He had was really better for them. Because the whole time for them and the whole time for us, He is working on something bigger than we can see, and we’re so focused on our own plans and desires that if we’re not careful, we will neglect His plans and desires, which is to give birth to this man child named Jesus!!

John 12:25

He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.

Galatians 1:4

Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:

1 Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it. 2 For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard. 3 For we who have believed enter that rest, just as He has said,

“AS I SWORE IN MY WRATH, THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST,”

although His works were finished from the foundation of the world. 4 For He has said somewhere concerning the seventh day: “AND GOD RESTED ON THE SEVENTH DAY FROM ALL HIS WORKS”; 5 and again in this passage, “THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST.” 6 Therefore, since it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly had good news  preached to them failed to enter because of disobedience, 7 He again fixes a certain day, “Today,” saying through David [Psalm 95] after so long a time just as has been said before,

“TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS.”

8 For if Joshua had given them rest, He would not have spoken of another day after that. 9 So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. 10 For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His. 11 Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience. 12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

And this is the ongoing saga. Man’s will vs God’s will. What I want vs what He wants. His word vs what my natural mind perceives and what my opinions want to believe:

Quote/talk about it

1 Corinthians 2:12-14

12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. 13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

7 Sabbaths a repeated promise of a finished work. A horn that blows on the Day of Atonement, the very day that the blood of the Lamb was sprinkled on the mercy seat. I’m not trying to just give you a bunch of Bible info here. I’m trying to make you understand that God has provided a way of victory for you, so that you can have an opportunity to serve Him and bring Him glory. He did not do what He did, so that you could serve yourself and live for your own personal carnal desires. 8 ‘You are also to count off seven sabbaths of years for yourself, seven times seven years, so that you have the time of the seven sabbaths of years, namely, forty-nine years. 9 You shall then sound a ram’s horn abroad on the tenth day of the seventh month; on the day of atonement you shall sound a horn all through your land. 10 You shall thus consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim a release through the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you, and each of you shall return to his own property, and each of you shall return to his family. 11 You shall have the fiftieth year as a jubilee; you shall not sow, nor reap its aftergrowth, nor gather in from its untrimmed vines. 12 For it is a jubilee; it shall be holy to you. You shall eat its crops out of the field. 13 ‘On this year of jubilee each of you shall return to his own property.

In both the Sabbath, the Jubilee and tithing, there is not only faith and complete trust that God can provide, but there is a dying to self and self will, dying to what self wants, what’s best for self and a submission to God’s will.

Exodus 21:1-5 NASB

CHAPTER 21

Ordinances for the People

1 “Now these are the ordinances which you are to set before them: 2 “If you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve for six years; but on the seventh he shall go out as a free man without payment. 3 If he comes alone, he shall go out alone; if he is the husband of a wife, then his wife shall go out with him. 4 If his master gives him a wife, and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall belong to her master, and he shall go out alone. 5 But if the slave plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife and my children; I will not go out as a free man,’

Exodus 21:6

then his master shall bring him to God, then he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost. And his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him permanently.

True submission to God says that I will not live my life according to my own will and my own desires. My Master Jesus purchased me with His own blood. I am His property. What I have actually belongs to Him. My time, my money, my family, my desires, my plans…

Lord, you have been too good to me, I cannot leave. In the words of Peter:

John 6:67-69

67 So Jesus said to the twelve, “You do not want to go away also, do you?” 68 Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. 69 We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.”

1 Peter 2:1-12

A Living Stone and a Holy People

1 So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. 2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk [of the word] that by it you may grow up into salvation— 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For it stands in Scripture:

“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” 7 So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe,“The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” 8 and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.”

They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. 12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.

Jesus, Your Jubilee

Hebrews 4:1-12 NASB

CHAPTER 4

The Believer’s Rest

1 Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it. 2 For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard. 3 For we who have believed enter that rest, just as He has said,

“AS I SWORE IN MY WRATH,

THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST,”

although His works were finished from the foundation of the world.

God did the work of creation and then rested

Jesus, did the work of the new creation and then sat down

4 For He has said somewhere concerning the seventh day: “AND GOD RESTED ON THE SEVENTH DAY FROM ALL HIS WORKS”; 5 and again in this passage, “THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST.” 6 Therefore, since it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly had good news  preached to them failed to enter because of disobedience, 7 He again fixes a certain day, “Today,” saying through David [Psalm 95] after so long a time just as has been said before,

“TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE,

DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS.”

8 For if Joshua had given them rest, He would not have spoken of another day after that. 9 So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. 10 For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested  from his works, as God did from His. 11 Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience. 12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

There is a release in the rest of God, a liberty that comes from faith in the work of God!

Psalms 122:1

PSALM 122

Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem.

A SONG OF ASCENTS, OF DAVID.

I was glad when they said to me,

“Let us go to the house of the LORD.”

Leviticus 25:1-13

CHAPTER 25

The Sabbatic Year and Year of Jubilee

1 The LORD then spoke to Moses at Mount Sinai, saying, 2 “Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘When you come into the land which I shall give you, then the land shall have a sabbath to the LORD. 3 Six years you shall sow your field, and six years you shall prune your vineyard and gather in its crop, 4 but during the seventh year the land shall have a sabbath rest, a sabbath to the LORD; you shall not sow your field nor prune your vineyard. 5 Your harvest’s aftergrowth you shall not reap, and your grapes of untrimmed vines you shall not gather; the land shall have a sabbatical year. 6 All of you shall have the sabbath products of the land for food; yourself, and your male and female slaves, and your hired man and your foreign resident, those who live as aliens with you. 7 Even your cattle and the animals that are in your land shall have all its crops to eat. He is saying, “Trust Me! I will take care of you!”

8 ‘You are also to count off seven sabbaths of years for yourself, seven times seven years, so that you have the time of the seven sabbaths of years, namely, forty-nine years. 9 You shall then sound a ram’s horn abroad on the tenth day of the seventh month; on the day of atonement you shall sound a horn all through your land. 10 You shall thus consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim a release through the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you, and each of you shall return to his own property, and each of you shall return to his family. 11 You shall have the fiftieth year as a jubilee; you shall not sow, nor reap its aftergrowth, nor gather in from its untrimmed vines. 12 For it is a jubilee; it shall be holy to you. You shall eat its crops out of the field. 13 ‘On this year of jubilee each of you shall return to his own property.

A return home. Have you ever been on a long trip away from home, and you were just ready to get back home? Have you ever been away from the Lord spiritually for some length of time, during which you felt far away and couldn’t get back home, and then the Lord came for you and rescued you and brought you home? It was in those moments that we were excited to hear them say:

Psalms 122:1

I was glad when they said to me,

“Let us go to the house of the LORD.”

We should find rest in the house of the Lord because the presence of rest is in the house of the Lord! His name is Jesus. And He has come to give us rest. If church is a chore, something is wrong. Something is either wrong with your church, or something is wrong with your heart. If someone thinks it’s their church, they should find a place where church isn’t a chore, a place where they can worship and serve the Lord, because the people of God are supposed to want to be in the house of the Lord!

What happens many times is that people are in a condition of spiritual slavery and they bring that with them to church. They think it’s the church, but it’s really their spiritual condition. In this spiritual condition, they carry around with them a spirit of division. Division breeds confusion. God is not the author of confusion or chaos. God’s presence brings unity. God reconciles, brings unity and releases from spiritual bondage. You are supposed to be in the house of God. God’s people are not intended to live separate from one another. We are spiritual, lively stones being built up to be a house of praise. [brick illustration]. Some people will even say to themselves, “I just want to go to church somewhere where no one knows me and I can stay to myself.” That’s not how the body of Christ is supposed to function. Does it matter to us that it is God’s will for us to love one another?

1 John 2:9-11

9 The one who says he is in the Light and yet hates his brother is in the darkness until now. 10 The one who loves his brother abides in the Light and there is no cause for stumbling in him. 11 But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

25:8-13

Every seventh sabbatical year (i.e., every 49th year) was to be followed by a Year of Jubilee (yoveil, perhaps originally meaning “ram” or “ram’s horn,” taken from the horn blown to announce the year, but the LXX took it to mean “release”) which (though apparently begun on the first day of the seventh month) was officially announced by a trumpet blast on the 10th day (i.e., the Day of Atonement,

When you receive a spiritual jubilee, you get to go back home into the loving arms of the Father. You can feel again His presence and His love. Communion through the Day of Atonement— the blood of Jesus restores us into the presence of God.

Interesting, bad decisions whether morally or financially resulted in the loss of property and family. Isn’t this true today in reference to moral decisions that we make towards sin. When we transgress God and His ways, it opens the door to the power of sin and allows the intrusion of Satan’s power into our lives?

I just need to say this right now—Satan has no power over you! If you are a true believer tonight, you have been purchased by the blood of Jesus. The “old man” you used to be, died with Jesus, was buried with Jesus, and a “new man” has been raised to a new life in Christ!

There has been a Jubilee proclaimed over your life. The Lord has announced a release!

The motto for the year was to proclaim liberty (i.e., release) throughout the land with the primary purpose of getting family property and the family back together again (vv. 10, 13). This meant that all property (except in walled cities, cf. vv. 29-30) was to be restored to its original owners (i.e., tenants, cf. v. 23), and all Hebrew slaves were to be released to return to their family property. Also, as during the preceding sabbatical year, the land was to enjoy a second straight year of rest (vv. 11-12; cf. vv. 4-7)

25:18-22.

God’s blessing in the land was promised for obedience to His laws, both freedom from want and freedom from war (v. 19; cf. 26:3-13; Deut. 28:1-14). This was particularly applied to the obvious fear an Israelite would have in the face of two successive years of neither planting nor harvesting his crops (Lev. 25:20). God promised an abundant harvest in the sixth year, sufficient to carry over until the harvest of the ninth year comes in

This would require faith…

Can we believe God by faith to take care of you? Or do we have to practice business like the world? Do we have to sue people?

Do we have to lie on our taxes to get ahead?

Do we have to get vengeance against people that have done us wrong?

Do we read the words of Jesus?

Jeremiah 29:10-14 NASB

10 “For thus says the LORD, ‘When seventy years have been completed for Babylon, I will visit you and fulfill My good word to you, to bring you back to this place. 11 For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you,’ declares the LORD, ‘and  I will restore your fortunes and will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven  you,’ declares the LORD, ‘and I will bring you back to the place from where I sent you into exile.’

There is a principle here that is alive and ongoing. God is a promise keeper. He has good plans and thoughts towards His people. He is a God of restoration. It’s His people that repeatedly, through the years venture outside of His will and go their own way in an attempt to fulfill the desires of their own hearts, but in so doing, they forget who is sovereign, they forget who is God and who is man. They attempt to take matters into their own hands, and when they do that, they take their matters out of the hands of God, and it’s these decisions that result in the loss of blessings that result in the times of bondage and lack of freedom.

2 Chronicles 36:20-21 NASB

20 Those who had escaped from the sword he carried away to Babylon; and they were servants to him and to his sons until the rule of the kingdom of Persia, 21 to fulfill the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed its sabbaths. All the days of its desolation it kept sabbath until seventy years were complete.

What we see here is the fact that the Babylonian captivity was more about God’s people not respecting His land than it was their spiritual adultery with false gods. Please don’t misunderstand what I’m saying… God is not okay with us living in the world and living like the world. God’s purpose for His people is that they would live a separated life towards Him. This exalts Him and allows the world around US to know that He is real. It brings glory to His name and gives the lost an opportunity to know the truth and also be saved.

Lying, lying on our taxes, not giving God His tithes and offerings. Cussing around others who cuss. Drinking around others who drink. When in Rome, do what the Romans do. What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. No, those are lies! Its just an overall disregard for the things of God and living life in such a way that God and His word is not preeminent or the most important thing.

We can agree to disagree that tithing in the New Testament is not biblical. Some people are convinced of that and that is their position. That is not my position and that is not what I believe the word of God says. Abraham paid the first tithe to Melchizedek before the nation of Israel ever existed, before there ever was a law, Abraham was given a problem that His seed, Jesus would be a blessing to all nations, and when Abraham was blessed by Melchizedek the king of peace, king of righteousness, he paid a tithe to him. Levi, the father of the Levitical priesthood paid tithes to Melchizedek when he was in the loins of his grandfather Abraham. Take some time with that and get back with me.

The reason that I took a little time with tithing is  because it’s similar to the Jubilee

We can disagree that it’s not New Testament, and if that’s your position, I will never convince you otherwise, but don’t tell me that it’s because you can’t afford it, because that’s like Israel not letting the land rest.

Going back to the cause of the captivity being a result of not resting the land.

Leviticus 25:23

The Law of Redemption

‘The land, moreover, shall not be sold permanently, for the land is Mine; for you are but aliens and sojourners with Me.

God had a reminder towards Israel that the land was not theirs, their belongings were not theirs, their lives were not theirs. All that they were and all that they had belonged to God. God reminded them that they were strangers with Him in the land. Isn’t that an amazing thought?

Q: What do you think that He meant by that? That He was an alien on the very earth that He had created? What does that mean?

A: humanity in Adam delivering his authority over this domain to Satan and that God works within the free will of man.

That is really what I wanted to focus on is the Jubilee and the freedom of the people and their “property”…

Exodus 21:1-5 NASB

CHAPTER 21

Ordinances for the People

1 “Now these are the ordinances which you are to set before them:

2 “If you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve for six years; but on the seventh he shall go out as a free man without payment. 3 If he comes alone, he shall go out alone; if he is the husband of a wife, then his wife shall go out with him. 4 If his master gives him a wife, and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall belong to her master, and he shall go out alone. 5 But if the slave plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife and my children; I will not go out as a free man,’

Exodus 21:6

then his master shall bring him to God, then he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost. And his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him permanently.

True submission to God says that I will not live my life according to my own will and my own desires. My Master Jesus purchased me with His own blood. I am His property. What I have actually belongs to Him. My time, my money, my family, my desires, my plans…

Lord, you have been too good to me, I cannot leave. In the words of Peter:

John 6:67-69

67 So Jesus said to the twelve, “You do not want to go away also, do you?” 68 Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. 69 We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.”

Righteousness Has a Name

Hebrews 12:11

Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

Many scholars and commentators agree that the gospel of Matthew is the gospel that relates Jesus to us as King. Matthew’s genealogy traces Jesus’ birth through his earthly father Joseph, who was a descendant of King David through the heir to David’s throne— Solomon. In the sermon on the mount, Jesus is addressing the citizens of His Kingdom. He declares to His people that this kingdom is different than the kingdom that they are currently living in.

• Blessed are those who mourn

• Blessed are the meek

Matthew 5:6

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

A couple concepts to think about here:

1. In order to be hungry for something, it has to feel like something is missing. In order to be hungry or thirsty for God’s righteousness, there has to be a revelation that you don’t have it and that it’s something you need. As long as your own righteousness will do, you won’t feel a need for His. The chastening of the Lord will bring a person to their knees in realization that they don’t have what God is looking for, and the Spirit of God places in them the desire to receive it. Without true conversion, this can never happen. It requires the presence of the Spirit of righteousness in the heart of the person contending with them to desire what God desires. The Spirit desires righteousness. The Spirit in the believer desires for righteousness to be present.

2. Once a citizen of the kingdom realizes that that they don’t have what God is looking for and that the chastening of God has had its way in their life and then through that, the goodness of God overtakes them and they taste and see that God is good, realizing the miserable wretch that they were, and now realizing that in spite of the wretchedness of themselves, the goodness of God has revealed itself to them, they are now overwhelmed by God’s love and their heart craves, hungers, even thirsts for what God desires.

3. Your name is like honey on my lips

1 Peter 2:7

Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,

He is the head of the corner, which means that He is the starting point of the whole foundation of God’s plan for man’s restoration. The foundation of what He did was a death that resulted in God’s life.

Have you ever watched a person die? Have you ever seen someone have fun while they were doing it?

1 Peter 2:8

And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.

People stumble at the word and become offended at the word bringing death shots at their flesh. Their flesh will sit there and come up with every excuse under the sun and attempt to preserve self. I can here someone in the crowd say, “but I thought the word was supposed to bring life?”

I’m glad you brought that up…

John 6:63

It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

Instead of getting offended at the word, we should get offended at self.

John

“The truth is, until one becomes offended at themselves, there is no hope.”

“The offense of self! Only that will lead to the death to self!”

Romans 1:16-17

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

The gospel means good news and the gospel of the Christ reveals God’s righteousness to the world.

Romans 3:21-22

21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

God reveals His righteousness through the good news. The good news is that Jesus is the righteousness of God. Not who you are! Not what you do! Not your intellect, your good looks, your money you control… None of that is any good to Him. All that has to die, then and only then can He use us. We don’t even realize it but we spend the majority of our Christian walk trying to build something for God, but God said, (Isaiah 66:2).

John 10:17-18

17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. 18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

Luke 23:46

And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.

Romans 3:24-26

24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; 26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

It pleased the Father to accept the death of Jesus for the remission of the world’s sins. How do you think it makes the Lord feel when people refuse to see this and hold onto self and offer self righteousness to God and say here Lord take this instead. I wish I could actually preach. I wish I didn’t have to say Cain, because as soon as I do half of you will think, that’s right, get ‘em preacher, because I’m an Able and they’re all Cain’s.

Romans 4:1-2

1 What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? 2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.

Romans 4:3

For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.

Romans 5:17

For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)

Romans 5:20-21

20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: 21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

• So what is righteousness? Jesus!

• What does God accept as righteousness for people? Jesus’ sacrifice!

• What is the first step that must take place in order for Jesus’ righteousness to do its work in your life? Your self must die!

• Now that you have been gifted with Jesus’ righteousness, what can reign in your life? Grace!

Finally, now that we got you [us] out of the way, God’s righteousness… Jesus can be revealed in your life and through your life.

Romans 6:16

Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

Romans 6:19

I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.

Hebrews 12:14

Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

Jesus Hates Religion

Philippians 3:9-10.   Difference between acts of righteousness and the gift of righteousness

9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is

 Performance

of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith/:::/

10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

This verse says being made conformable to His death. The word means that something takes the same morphology or form as something else—to be made like something or someone else. In this case, Paul is saying, “I want to take on the form of His death.” We know that the Apostle died the martyr’s death, but he is speaking of something spiritual here.

He is speaking New covenant truth—faith in Jesus makes me one with Him. I die with Him. I resurrect with Him. I become a new creation in Him with a new source of life. My new life is the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is the one conforming, fashioning and molding me into the image of Jesus. In this way, I must be conformed to His death. As He died, I die in Him, not physically yet. Once born again, the Matt born in Adam slowly dies as he yields to the work of the cross through the Holy Spirit, as the new creation trusts in the work of the cross, it results in resurrection power. This power brings new life. This power is the miracle working power. It is the wonderful power of the Holy Spirit!

How different Jesus and His cousin look compared to religious tradition and complacency.

John the Baptist

Matthew 3:7-12

7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: 9 And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. 10 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: 12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

Talking about the root

Jesus is the vine and there are natural branches [Jews] and unnatural branches [Gentiles] that are grafted in, and the purpose of the branches are to bare fruit. The root is the foundation of the plan. The root is eternal life, eternal salvation for the lost creation. That root ultimately produces Jesus, which is the vine/ tree that the branches grow out of. . There are times where God’s work looks dead in a life or on the earth. In Isaiah, the word said:

Isaiah 11:1-2 And there shall come forth a rod (green growth) out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him…

That’s what religion does, it sits dry, dead and idle. It cannot produce life. This prophesy perfectly describes what things looked like when Jesus came to earth. The religious system was a dried stump. Many churches are a dried stump, if we’re not careful, a spirit of religion will try to make us a dry stump.

Jesse is King David’s father. The promise was that a King would be born of David. God stayed true to His promise. And a green sprout shot forth out of what looked like a dead, religious stump.

A green shoot would come forth and the Spirit of the Lord would be upon Him. That is how God works, the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:2).

But religion is the works of man’s hands and man’s plan. The Lord showed me an axe head and it was chopping in a downward motion.

Then this scripture came…the axe is laid to the root. As the days grow darker and God’s light shines brighter, we do not want to be caught under the influence of a religious spirit that prevents the Holy Spirit from having His way. Whether it’s corporately or individually, we want to allow God to have His way in our lives.

The spirit of religion manifests itself in many different ways/

1. It wants to be seen and get its recognition —Matt 23:5 They do all their deeds to be seen by others/::/— John 12:42-43 42 Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.

2. It wants its dignity and respect more than God’s will— Matt 23:6 they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues 7 and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others— /::/Matt 20:20-21 sons of Zebedee

3. It can’t see the value in someone else’s ministry—Matthew 26:8-9 8 But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste? 9 For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor.

4. It has malice in its heart towards others— 1 cor 13:4-5 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful

5. It is controlling and thinks that it’s the only one that can help you— Luke 9:49-50 49 And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us. 50 And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us—Numbers 11:27-29  27 And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said, Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp. 28 And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Moses, one of his young men, answered and said, My lord Moses, forbid them. 29 And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the LORD's people were prophets, and that the LORD would put his spirit upon them!—Philippians 1:15-18

6. If it feels threatened by you, it will try to make you ineffective, trying to kill you or your ministry—Luke 4:27-29 And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.” When they heard these things, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. And they rose up and drove him out of the town and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff

Matthew 23:1-12

Seven Woes to the Scribes and Pharisees

3 so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice. 4 They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. 5 They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, 6 and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues 7 and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others. 8 But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers. 9 And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. 10 Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ. 11 The greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

So when we are being made conformable to His death and knowing Him and the power of His resurrection, we are not only being set free from the bondages of sin like drugs, alcohol, fornication…, we are also being set free from the bondage of religion and becoming a vessel where His Spirit of truth can flow out of us in love. Rivers of living water bring life.

Jesus exhibited selfless actions long before the cross

Jesus had things heavy on His heart. His cousin just died:

Mark 6:27-29

27 And immediately the king sent an executioner, and commanded his head to be brought: and he went and beheaded him in the prison, 28 And brought his head in a charger, and gave it to the damsel: and the damsel gave it to her mother. 29 And when his disciples heard of it, they came and took up his corpse, and laid it in a tomb.

Mark 6:30-31

30 And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught. 31 And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.

Mark 6:33-34

33 And the people saw them departing, and many knew him, and ran afoot thither out of all cities, and outwent them, and came together unto him. 34 And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things.

Mark 6:35-36

35 And when the day was now far spent, his disciples came unto him, and said, This is a desert place, and now the time is far passed: 36 Send them away, that they may go into the country round about, and into the villages, and buy themselves bread: for they have nothing to eat. Do you ever feel that way, just tired and feel like go get your own bread?

Mark 6:37-38

37 He answered and said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give them to eat? 38 -- He saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? go and see. And when they knew, they say, Five, and two fishes.

The disciples had to be willing to work even though they were tired

If either one those things breaks down, the miracle does not take place.

In order for this miracle to take place, the disciples had to be willing—they were tired, they were hungry.  The people had to be willing to believe that God could meet their needs and to sit still and wait.

Jesus understood that the disciples were tired and hungry, it was His recommendation that they rest and eat; yet, when he saw the people’s needs, He was moved with compassion.

What happens here if the disciples are just too tired think that Jesus is insensitive and they decide to go home for a week or two?

After all, they were just on an amazing evangelistic crusade, they healed the sick, they casted out devils in the name of Jesus, can’t someone else organize this buffet and pick up the scraps? I’m tired.

He takes what we have

He uses it and

He multiplies it

Commitment vs compromise

Commitment- the state or quality of being dedicated to a cause

Compromise- the acceptance of standards that are lower than desirable

The Cross: The Ministry of Reconciliation

2 Corinthians 5:17-18

17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Faith in Jesus and His death: the old life passes away and God’s gift of new life is given.

18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

Financially reconciliation makes an adjustment that corrects the books. Man born in Adam, is born in sin and is in debt. Jesus’ death paid the debt and now the books can be reconciled (Romans 6:23).

1 Corinthians 6:17

But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.

When a person is born again, the Holy Spirit comes to live in the person. The human spirit is joined with God’s Spirit (John 4:24).

Genesis 3:24

So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

Sin separates man from God’s presence. God’s ministry of reconciliation begins after the fall with the skins of animals but finds fulfillment at the cross of Christ. Notice how God places Cherubims [angels] with swords to prevent entrance back into the presence of God.

Exodus 25:16-22

16 And thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give thee.

The ark was a box made of gold, and within the box, the “testimony,” which was the 10 commandments was placed into the ark. If the Law was not kept completely, it was considered broken.

17 And thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof.

18 And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat.

Just as there were 2 Cherubims preventing access to God’s presence, we will see that these 2 Cherubims are associated with allowing access to God’s presence.

19 And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end: even of the mercy seat shall ye make the cherubims on the two ends thereof.

20 And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims be.

The faces of the cherubim are looking towards the top of the mercy seat.

21 And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee.

“The testimony” is another way to say the 10 commandments. In order to live by the Law every aspect of the Law must be kept (James 2:10). If it’s not kept perfectly, it’s considered by God as broken.

22 And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.

It’s further explained in Leviticus 16 that on the Day of Atonement, once per year, blood is applied on top of the Mercy Seat, between the Cherubims. This would change this place from judgment (broken law) to a place of mercy. Now, the Cherubims don’t see broken law, they see the blood. Only the high priest was allowed into God’s presence once per year, but God is furthering the ministry of reconciliation.

Romans 3:25

Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

The Greek word for propitiation means mercy seat. Jesus is our mercy seat. Because of His sacrifice. We are allowed back into the presence of God. When He dies, the veil that separated the holy of holies was torn from top to bottom signifying that access into the presence of God was now granted to those who come through faith in the blood of Jesus (Matthew 28:5; Hebrews 10:19, 20).

Genesis 3:10

And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.

Because of sin, Adam’s covering of glory was removed and the exposure of his sin produced a separation between him and God’s presence. The forces of darkness are connected to sin and sin and darkness are not comfortable in the presence of God.

Genesis 3:7

And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.

Since the fall, mankind has tried to find a way to escape the guilt of His sin, but there is only one thing that is accepted by God the Father as reconciliation for the sin debt and that is the blood of Jesus, meaning His death pays the wage of sin. It’s important for Christians to understand that if they have accepted Jesus, then they can call upon God, they can enter God’s presence without fear or reservation! The word of God says that Jesus’ sacrifice paid the penalty of your sin. You can trust God’s word.

Genesis 3:21

Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.

It must be believed that these skins represent the first sacrifice. If you read back in chapter 1 of Genesis, you will realize that man and animal were herbivores, meaning that they did not eat meat. Moving forward in Leviticus, it becomes clear that animal sacrifices were a temporary answer for forgiveness of sin—the innocent animal dying in place of guilty man, until finally Jesus came to die as the sinless man, who made right what the first sinless creation [Adam] made wrong because the blood of bulls and goats cannot remove sin (Hebrews 10:4).

Galatians 3:27

For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

When a person puts faith in Jesus, the old man is buried and a new man is resurrected, and the new man is clothed in Jesus in God’s eyes.

1 Corinthians 15:49

And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.

Ultimately, we will receive a glorified body and our reconciliation in God’s presence will be complete.

Ezekiel 36:26-27

26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

In the Old Testament, God promised that He would provide a new covenant where He would change the inside of people and give them a new spirit and a new heart. It was mentioned earlier that when we’re born again, we are joined together with God in our spirit.

27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

The ministry of reconciliation makes it possible that the blood of Jesus takes away our sin and allows the Spirit of God to come and live within us.

Colossians 2:13

And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;

In Adam [our first birth], we were born dead. In Jesus [born again], we are made alive through the power of His resurrection.

Ephesians 1:13

In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

It’s already been said, but God keeps saying it, so I will also. When a person responds by faith to the gospel, the Spirit of God seals them and comes to live in them and their life will never be the same again.

Luke 9:59-60

59 And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.

60 -- Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.

Genesis 1:26

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

When God created Adam, mankind was created in the image and likeness of God.

Genesis 5:3

And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth:

After Adam sinned, mankind was born in the image and likeness of Adam [with a sinful nature]

Ephesians 4:22-24

22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation [conduct or behavior] the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;

The “old man,” who we were before we were born again, used to live his life a certain way, but new creations are supposed to look differently, talk differently and act differently.

23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

Our spirit is joined with God’s Spirit. The word says that we are new creations in Christ. The word says that we are not who we used to be. The word says that the old man that we were originally born as in Adam, died with Jesus on the cross, was buried with Jesus in the tomb and was resurrected with Jesus to newness of life (Romans 6:3,4)

24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

It’s just that simple. Through faith, the old died and the new was resurrected and now, like an old pair of shoes you take off the old and put on the new. The only thing holding you back is:

1. You don’t know it so you can’t believe it and that’s why we need a renewed mind

2. You’re not ready to give up sin and keep walking the same path In the same shoes

Hebrews 1:3

Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

Jesus, the last Adam, came in the image of God and died to make right what Adam made wrong

Romans 8:29

For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Now, being born again, the Holy Spirit lives in me, and as I yield to His will, my old man and his old ways are crucified, and through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, I am being molded into the image of Jesus.

John 3:3

Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

The ministry of reconciliation cannot happen unless a man is truly born again.

Romans 6:5-6

5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:

In God’s mind our old man that was sinful, naked and offensive has died and a new man has been resurrected. The new man is clothed in Christ, and he is being molded into the image of Jesus. Jesus is the image of God; therefore, when the Father looks at a Christian, He sees Himself, like He did when He looked at Adam before the fall.

6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

The renewed mind understands that the old man is crucified with Jesus, he also understands that the power of sin is broken through this spiritual death, burial and resurrection with Jesus, and lastly he understands that he does not have to be a slave to sin.

Romans 8:11

But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

The ministry of reconciliation takes people that are born dead in the first birth in Adam, kills them and buries them in Jesus and resurrects them through the power of the Holy Spirit, the same Holy Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives in the believer now, and He is there to continuously make changes as the believer cooperates with Him.

#15 Jesus Gives Gifts to His Body, Part 2

Jesus Gives Gifts to His Body: Part 2

Evangelist
 
Paul was an evangelist can you see him and Silas in the prison. Right after Lydia the seller of purple, the first European convert gets saved, they're in the streets preaching the gospel. And Paul casts the devil out of that young girl who was filled with the spirit of Python, a spirit of divination or fortune telling. And because of that they get thrown into jail because with the demon gone, she could no longer tell people their fortune, so her masters who made money off of her lost their finances.
 
But even in the jail Paul and Silas said, "We've come to lift Jesus up. We've come to praise His name. We're going to sing unto Him, and the chains break and the earth quakes and more people get saved. We should learn a valuable lesson from these men: when we are working for the Lord, there will be times that we will come against opposition. It’s in these times that we must hold onto Jesus more than ever before. We must be willing to sing His praise in both the good and bad times, and I have learned from personal experience that when I face circumstances I can’t control, if I will turn it over to Him, He will carry it, He will resolve it.
 
What about Phillip in Acts 8:26-38. He was led by the Holy Spirit to go down from Jerusalem into Gaza where he found the eunuch reading Isaiah, the spot where it foretold 600 years before our Jesus was born that He was a lamb led to slaughter, and He didn't open his mouth.
 
Candace's eunuch had to know, "Who does this speak of? Tell me does the prophet speak about himself or someone else?" And from that point forward Philip preached Jesus to him. "What prevents me from being baptized in water?" The eunuch inquires.
 
"Nothing, you just have to believe with all your heart."
 
The modern church has all but kicked the evangelist out. They have said, "We don't want the people stirred. We want to work our programs the way we have them set up, and don't you say that we're asleep, preacher, because we're doing stuff. We're moving and shaking."
 
But the people perish in the pew because the preacher refuses to boldly proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ. And because you kicked out the evangelist the gospel is being preached without evangelical zeal and the people in the pew have no desire to see the lost saved.
 
Pastor- Teacher
 
The word pastor is closely connected to our English word pasture, and the thought is literally a shepherd. We won't take the time to separately discuss the concept of a teacher. Most Greek scholars explain that these two words are connected to one another according to a certain Greek language rule. Nevertheless, we should point out that certainly there can be teachers who aren't pastors; however, it's unlikely to be God's will for a person who isn't a teacher to be a pastor.
 
By nature a pastor's job is to provide food for the sheep. The food the sheep need in a Christian sense is the covenant God has provided where man can have relationship with Him, which is Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
 
As long as I'm teaching you Jesus and how to hear His voice, you're in the right place, a safe place where like the Psalmist said the Lord is the shepherd. He will lead you to a place where there is provision in your time of want. He will lead you to green pastures. If you really want to know Him, He will send you to a place where you can be fed right.
 
He will also lead you beside still waters. There is chaos abounding in this world. But if the under- shepherd can feed you Jesus, if He can teach you to hear Jesus, then there can be peace in your environment even though chaos abounds.
 
There are also some good concepts regarding shepherds for us to learn in John 10.
 
1st scenario: (John 10:1-8). The shepherd is Jesus. The sheep are His people, the others are imposters of false doctrine, and the scenario is that the porter is in charge of allowing entree' of the true shepherds.
 
In ancient times, there were fenced areas in pastures where multiple flocks could be kept for safe keeping. The sheep were trained to know their shepherd's voice; therefore, when the shepherd would come for His sheep, He would follow the proper protocol, going through the gate with permission from the porter, and calling His sheep by name, the sheep, in turn, would follow Him because they were used to His voice. Satan is always trying to get God’s people to go in an opposite direction of God’s plan. Jesus entered through the doorway, meaning He was obedient to the Father’s will. While Satan wanted Jesus to go another way a crown without a cross, He didn’t succumb to his deceptive devices.

Parable: story para- side ballo- throw-- (a parabolic teaching throws two things alongside each other for the purposes of comparison and contrast).
 

The parable being offered here is that the shepherd (Jesus) operates  according to the Father's will. There is no hidden agenda. However, the thief and the robber are going another way, a way of deception.
 
2nd scenario: (John 10:8, 9).
 
Once the shepherd's flock was gathered, they were then brought to a safe place where a smaller enclosure was provided for their safety. In this enclosure, the shepherd allows access in and out of the gate, for he becomes the gate. And the sheep can come in and out safely as needed. Walvoord says that the concept is that it's only through Jesus that the sheep are able to enter into the true provision and safety of God; for He (Jesus) alone is the gate for the sheep.
 
3rd scenario: (John 10:9-10). In this scenario there is still the thought of thievery, but also added is death and destruction. It should be noted that there is no doubt there is reference to our enemy Satan here; however, the reader should also be made aware that the immediate context is that Jesus is directly addressing the blinded and deceived Pharisees (John 9:39-41).
 
So a more specific interpretation would be that Jesus as the only real door to the sheep, which allows entrance into life is being contrasted with the false doctrines of those that have come before Him, who's purpose was to bring destruction to the sheep of God.
 
Lastly, as part of the contrast between Jesus' ministry and the Pharisees, which also applies to ministers today, Jesus, the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep; a hireling, on the other hand, is only concerned about a paycheck, and he won't do what's best for the sheep if it interferes what he thinks is best for him.
 
One obvious thing that strikes me in this regard is people's unwillingness to call out false doctrine or ministries that are presenting the gospel in such a way that it will harm the sheep.

Ephesians 4:12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
 
The purpose of the five fold ministry is: perfecting the saints for ministry work for the purpose of edification of the body of Christ.
 
There are three action words in this verse that drive the thought God is communicating:
 
(1) perfecting- kartismos. The thought of this word is to bring something to perfection or completion. This word was used in varied ways during New Testament times: re-fitting a ship, setting a broken bone, and mending fishing nets. Undoubtedly, the idea is that all of creation finds themselves in the same predicament; we are fallen in Adam; however, God wants His people’s nets mended, He wants to bring us to a place of completion, so that we can minister Him to a lost and dying world.
 
The root of this word is also used in this verse here:
 
Matthew 4:21 And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.
 
The word mending is kartizo. The overall thought that I'm trying to communicate is that the purpose of these gifts are to help bring God's people into a place of mending and maturity. The effects of the fall have left holes in our nets, we need mending, so we can properly function in the kingdom of God.
 
Work- is ergon, and the work is ministry, which is diakonos, and is where we get our word for deacon. While the word deacon isn't specifically used to describe people in Acts 6, this is the first reference we have to the idea of a deacon and it's related to the word service:
 
Acts 6:2 Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.
 
...is from the same root diakonos. So a deacon is a servant. If you go back and review the criteria of a deacon, you will see that they must be full of the Holy Spirit. When a person is full of the Holy Spirit, their heart beats for what Jesus' heart beats for. Jesus’ heart beats for the souls of men. We should never be deluded into thinking that busy work like feeding people, clothing them, or even working on this building is the essence of what is spoken here. Our focal point must always be to minister Jesus to others.
 
The overall essence of service in the New Testament surrounds spiritual service where others are learning Jesus, so the idea is that God will use some as a Pastor- teacher, making me a vessel to minister Jesus to you, and as you are perfected and equipped, others are ministered to out there. In some cases, those people will come to church with us, in some cases they won't. That isn't what matters to me. Don't misunderstand me, I want people to come to our church, but my immediate concern is that you be built up, and that you minister (diakonos) to the people that you encounter on a daily basis and help them find Jesus. There is an eternal reward in that. If I'm so consumed with a desire to increase the numbers in this building, that I can't get excited when you tell me that you talked to someone long distance and ministered Jesus to them, then God help me, because I'm in error!
 
(3) edifying- oikodomos. This word comes from the root oikoos, meaning house. In this sense, the word has connected to it architecture or structural integrity.
 
To be truthful, the local church is only as effective as the believer's within its walls allow themselves to be submitted to Jesus; furthermore, their ability to submit their lives to Christ is directly related to their understanding of the gospel, which allows the Holy Spirit freedom to work in their lives.
 
As the individuals in local churches grow in Christ, the church is strengthened, but as we will soon see, the danger of false doctrine looms in the air. Satan and his false ministers will attempt at every moment to change the gospel ever so slightly to prevent the people from being perfected and edified so that they could do their part in the work of the ministry:
 
2 Corinthians 11:14-15 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
 
Ephesians 4:13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure (metronome: measurement) of the stature (adult maturity) of the fulness of Christ:
 
So the gifts given by Jesus to the body are for the purpose of perfecting and building in preparation for ministry, and all this is to take place until we all come in the unity...
 
We must take a moment and ponder what's being communicated here. The word unity describes oneness, but notice the place unity is supposed to occur. In other words, the idea isn't unity just for the sake of getting along with everyone. Instead, the idea is that the unity is centered upon "the faith" and "the knowledge" of the Son of God, which results in a "perfect" or completed man who is being measured against Jesus.
 
I've said it before, and I will say it again, "Jesus is the plumb line. He is the standard of righteousness by which we measure our growth in Christ."
 
We have discussed this before, but the terminology, "the faith" isn't speaking of faith as an action word; instead, it's speaking of faith in the sense of a noun. In essence it's describing the covenant of God, which is where we are to keep our verb faith placed. What is the New Covenant of God:
 
1 Corinthians 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
 
1 Corinthians 1:23-24 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
 
1 Corinthians 2:2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
 
Galatians 6:14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.
 
In addition, the word knowledge used here is epignosis, which is a Greek compound word with a prepositional prefix: epi= upon and gnosis= knowledge. The idea is upon knowledge or above just information. The word has an experiential aspect to it. When we walk with the Lord and are taught the scriptures from their right perspective, we travel the pilgrimage of Christianity. As we travel this path, learning of Jesus, we encounter trials and tribulations. When we have a right understanding of the scriptures, understanding that it's faith in Him and His work on the cross that gives access to grace, we are empowered for victory in the trial. Once we start seeing the hand of God move in our lives, we begin to gain epignosis about the way God's plan works.
 
Ex: a welder can be taught is trade school how to perform certain welds and how hot certain ones have to burn, but until he holds the rod in his hand and begins to weld, there is no experience.
 
Other ex of how added experience increases knowledge and understanding about a situation as opposed to just knowing something intellectually: suturing, sweating a copper pipe, filling a cavity.
 
So the New Covenant is Jesus and His sacrifice. Therefore, when the scripture says that we are to come into unity or oneness in "the faith," it's speaking of the fact that we are to be in agreement or unity in our understanding of Christ.
 
As already stated, the knowledge we are speaking of here is not just something superficial that we heard about once; instead, it describes knowledge that has become part of who we are. It has an experiential aspect to it. It's becoming part of who we are, and our daily walk is being changed by it. We're learning what works and what doesn't work in our Christian lives as we allow the Holy Spirit to operate in us.
 
2 Peter 1:3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
 
Here is another great scripture with this Greek word epignosis. In this verse, we're told that God has given us everything we need to live godly in this life. Access to this power in some way is connected to knowledge. Once again, the knowledge spoken of here is experiential or a more full understanding. We all know that it's faith rather than knowledge that allows the believer to gain the benefits of God. However, if the believer doesn't know what to properly believe, or if his faith is superficial, then he will have difficulty believing God for victory because he doesn't really know where to keep his faith placed.
 
So Jesus has gifted the body of Christ with the five- fold ministry for the purpose of bringing believers into a right understanding of faith so that growth can take place. And the standard by which our growth is measured is Jesus:
 
Ephesians 4:13  ....unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
 
In other words, as the five- fold ministry operates properly according to its function, the body of Christ is taught proper faith which gives access to grace (Romans 5:2) and as grace is flowing in the life of the believer, we are conformed or molded into the image of Christ:
 
Romans 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
 
This passage is focused on two things:
 
(1) there is a process taking place in the life of the believer called sanctification, which means that they (believers) are being made to become holy like their savior through grace working in their lives (2) this process will continue until glorification. He was the firstborn (resurrected), and one day we will be like Him [glorified].
 
Titus 3:5-6 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
 
And this is that ongoing process that takes place. It's started at salvation and completed through the lifespan of the believer's walk. Regeneration is made up of two words: palin= anew and genesis= beginnings.
 
In Christ, we receive a new birth and a new beginning. At conversion, you could say that we are given a "receiver," the Holy Spirit comes to live in us, and we now can receive from God. We can hear his voice.
 
The words: and renewing of the Holy Ghost;...describes an ongoing renovation. One scholar explained the process like this: "When the believer is born again, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in his heart, and it's as though a building permit has been received, allowing construction to begin; whereas, the renewal of the Holy Spirit is the ongoing process.