Ephesians Pt 4: Unique Individuals United In Christ / One Call, Many Gifts

God’s Word about HIS Church

This letter is essential to the biblical church of Jesus Christ!

Recap of Chapters 1, 2 & 3

This letter written to believers / the church / holy people / faithful followers of Christ. Christ chose His people before creation, predestined adoption… purchased by Christ. The revelation that Christ will be given all authority when He returns is central. Christ gives us a share of His inheritance (both Jews & Gentiles). In saving us God seals us with His Indwelling Spirit, a guarantee of eternity. Paul prays believers grow in spiritual wisdom & understanding of their call & power. We were all dead in sin, God made us alive in Christ, united in His resurrection. We are saved by God’s unmerited favor, to be His masterpiece He planed long ago. Christ’s work on the cross unites all believers no matter the background. This creates The Church: all spirit filled believers, based on the foundation of God’s messengers. We are all called to be bondservants of Christ if He has called us. The church is how God will display His wisdom to the forces of evil. Paul prays for believers to be spiritually strengthened by understanding Christ’s love. The church glorifies God by Him working in unity with a balance of love and truth.

Ephesians 4:1-16

1 Therefore, as a bondservant of our Lord, I beg you to live a life worthy of the privilege you have been summoned to. 2 A life of total humility marked by kindness and patience as you endure with one another in (generous) love, 3 continuously striving to protect the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

  • As one who has accepted the eternal privileged, I urge you to do as I have
  • Salvation has incredible privileges & responsibilities (opposite of Cheap Grace)
  • We live in harmony with what we have been given by being totally humble!
  • We are to kindly and patiently endure with other Biblical Christians
  • Christ’s bondservants are called to make the unity of HIS Body a big priority
  • The unity of the Spirit is essential to the privilege we’re given, we must protect it 

4 There is one body of believers, united by One Spirit—you were called to this singular hope. 5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 One God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. 

  • There is only one group that makes up Christ’s Church (He knows the roster)
  • The Holy Spirit is a unique and one of a kind ‘Divine Person’ (As Christ is)
  • The ‘Singular Hope’ is that there is but ONE way for people to be saved
  • The Biblical Gospel of Jesus Christ is a specific message / specific truth
  • There is only One worthy to be the Lord of our souls (Jesus Christ)
  • There is only one proper Church, it is based on Scripture (ONE Divine Destiny)
  • There is only one ‘State of Identification’ (multifaceted meaning of ‘baptism’)
  • Indwelling Holy Spirit ‘Marks You’ / Obedient Self-Identification: Biblical Baptism
  • There is but ONE United Deity who in Three Persons encompasses Everything!

‘In Christ’ is a shared identity, a shared metaphysical reality, a shared calling, a shared hope, a shared revelation of who God IS!! All of these together unite us in the sacred and awe-inspiring privilege of being Jesus Christ’s Body! For each member of the body of Christ, these Privileges / Gifts are the same (universal / normative)

7 On the other hand, to each one separately grace was appointed according to the specific gift of Christ. 8 Therefore it says, “When he ascended to the heavenly realm, He led His captive multitude, supplying them with spiritual gifts”

  • God has a corporate relationship with each of us and and individual one as well
  • He specifically & uniquely gives us grace in the form of different spiritual gifting
  • When God’s Spirit indwells you (Christ takes you captive) you get ‘spiritual gifts’
  • God quotes Himself: reference to part of Psalm 68:18 

He ascends into the heavenly heights, taking his many captured ones with him, leading them in triumphal procession. And gifts were given to men, even the once rebellious, so that they may dwell with Yahweh. Psalm 68:18 TPT

  • The indwelling of God’s Spirit unites us with God for eternity (dwell with Him)

9 In saying, “He ascended,” it means He had previously descended to a lower place: Earth. 10 The One who descended is the Very One who also ascended far above all the realms of the universe, that He might encompass all things.

  • Psalm 68 is a ‘Messianic Psalm’ written by David 
  • This foretells the Incarnation and the ultimate ascension of Christ
  • As we saw last week, He condescended to human level in order to be above all
  • Christ ‘came down’ and sacrificed Himself making us His ‘Bondservants’

11 He alone appointed those He would send, those who would speak for Him, those who would proclaim His message, those who would steward His body and who would teach His will and ways.

  • To all of Christ’s captives, to the ones who are forever HIS… 
  • He gave individuals different spiritual gifts (everyone get something)
  • Apostles: Those gifted to go to different places to grow His Body
  • Prophets: Those gifted to speak from God’s point of view: (General & Specific)
  • Preachers: Those gifted to proclaim the Biblical Gospel Of Jesus Christ
  • Pastors: Those gifted to lead & care for His Church: Spirit Indwelt Believers
  • Teachers: Those gifted to act as an experienced guide to the Scriptures

Why did God in all of His wisdom endow His ‘Captives’ with spiritual gifts like this?

12 His purpose is to specifically prepare those He made holy for duty serving the Gospel, providing spiritual structure for the body of Christ, 13 until we all arrive to oneness of conviction and insight regarding the revealed Son of God, making us fully mature based on all that Christ is. 

  • Christ doesn’t call the equipped, He equips the called
  • Each one He puts His Spirit in He then prepares to spirituall serve ‘His Body’
  • These gifting areas are there to provide the spiritual foundation of ‘His Church’
  • These gifts will be given & used by Jesus Christ’s Church until…
  • All of Christ’s Captives completely understand Him in perfect, united maturity
  • This is known as ‘Heaven’
  • The work of being discipled so that you can disciple goes on until Jesus returns

14 We are not meant to remain immature; our thinking unsettled, moved by every wind of shifting information, influenced by human lust and deceptive schemes.

  • God has set up His Body (The ‘WE’ here) to grow, gifted people to assist in that
  • If you have been given God’s Spirit it is incumbent upon you to become mature
  • When you remain immature you can be pulled this way and that
  • When you remain immature you jump on every new ‘progressive teaching’
  • God is a big subject, you can’t google it or watch a few YouTubes and have it
  • It takes years of study and application under the superintending of God’s Spirit 
  • People spend years studying for their career, how about for your eternity?
  • We should focus on our discipleship more than anything else: Why?
  • Immaturity is destructive! It gives Satan ways to fracture our unity
  • It’s opposite of what God desires; those not pursuing maturity are in rebellion
  • Maturity is born of consistently walking with God and His People by His Spirit 
  • There are no shortcuts!

15 Instead let us establish our lives on the truth of generous love, growing in every way according to our head; Christ; 16 He fits his whole body together in unity, each part supporting the whole in a unique way so that the whole body develops spiritually from generous love. 

  • Instead of neglecting doing what it takes to become mature, let’s do this:
  • Make the truth of the biblical Christ the foundation of everything we do
  • Get to know Jesus so well you constantly grow to be more like Him
  • Cooperate with Him & His Bondservants to become part of this ‘Holy Organism’
  • Support other members in abundant love, growing the whole church spiritually

SUMMARY:

Just like Paul, we are all called to be bondservants of Christ. And because it is such an eternal blessing we should do our best to honor the One who gave us these blessings by living in the ways this Scripture lists, united by His Spirit. 

Through the indwelling of God’s Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ’s Body is united in ONE; calling, reality, identity, fellowship, Lord, and eternal hope. For each individual Christ has made His captive, it is the same.

The Body of Christ, HIS Church, is defined by specific truths stated in God’s Word that are singular and unchanging, they do not evolve, they don’t change with the times. These truths are defined by God’s Word and have been followed by His people for almost 2000 years. 

Jesus Christ possesses His Followers, they are His ‘captives’. The Biblical church is made of such people and exists to disciple and deploy them. Having indwelt them with His Spirit they become willing bondservants and vehicles of HIS grace.

Each captive Christ takes shares in the same eternal privileges, but each is also gifted individually with measures of specific gifts to provide spiritual structure for Christ’s Body, The Church. These structural gifts represent God’s foundational business, the core competency of Jesus Christ’s Church. 

God places people into the spiritual leadership structure of His local church by equipping them with measures and combinations of the gifts listed:

Woody: Pastor / Pastor / Prophet 

Greg: Pastor / Teacher / Prophet 

Todd: Apostle / Pastor / Teacher 

Spiritual Maturity (defined by Scripture) is not a option, it is essential to each person who is biblically converted to Christ Following. Immaturity in the Body of Christ opens it up to spiritual attack because evil influences can ‘move’ the immature. (5)

Four Musts for Maturity: To become mature God says YOU MUST:

#1. Establish your life on the truth of time tested interpretations of the Scriptures.

#2. Grow in ‘Generous Love’ based on the biblical person of Christ Jesus.

#3. Allow God to integrate you into His local family business, His Spirit Indwelt Body.

#4. Biblically support YOUR church and the God-established leadership of it. (6)

APPLICATION: 

Have you spent as much time, energy and resources living up to the privilege of being Christ’s bondservant as you have spent on your education, career, family, sports, travel, entertainment?

If God’s Word declares the singular unchanging truth about so many aspects of what we know as Christianity, how can there be new interpretations of what a Christian is and what Jesus’ Church is?

How much have you focused on discovering your spiritual gifts and developing them? Can you expect to become spiritually mature without operating in your spiritual gifting?

Rate yourself from 1 to 5 as to your consistent obedience to the 4 musts of maturity. 

#1. Establish your life on the truth of time tested interpretations of the Scriptures.

#2. Grow in ‘Generous Love’ based on the biblical person of Christ Jesus.

#3. Allow God to integrate you into His local family business, His Spirit Indwelt Body.

#4. Biblically support YOUR church and the God-established leadership of it

/by

The Ultimate Act Of Humility Creates The Ultimate Community!

The community of Spirit in-dwelt followers of Christ!

True community is elusive to mankind! Our default as human beings is not to unity, it is to self and pride which leads to sin. Community has been desired and idealized throughout history and we know deep down in our souls that real community is essential.

Community (‘Common-Unity’) is defined as a specific and commonly shared way of life that unites people. To achieve common-unity people must share a specific communal mentality and attitude. Common-unity requires group ownership of common purposes, shared values and goals. 

It is hard for humans to agree on these things, has been for all history. In Scripture and any other account we have of the history of humanity, common-unity is a fleeting condition for people. Warfare is the result of disunity and we certainly have more war than unity on this planet. Why is it so hard for people to live in common–unity?

The Biblical Jesus Christ came to unite us with our creator which enables us to unite with our brother and sisters. As we follow him we too can be a part of God reconciling all creation to Himself. In Him we are given common unity with God and in this we can form the ultimate community: Jesus Christ’s Church

What is the basis on which we have this common-unity? How do we envision it? 

Is there an essential element we can grab on to to always be our guide and foundation? 

What creates this ultimate community for those who follow Christ? It is the ultimate act of humility that was His death on the cross. That humility is our example, it is our empowering and it is our lifestyle to grow in.

Philippians 2:1-11

1 Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? 2 Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.

  • These are rhetorical questions if you follow the Biblical Christ
  • What could be more encouraging? More comforting? 
  • I can testify to supernatural connection with other Spirit-filled Believers
  • My heart has been tenderized…but it needs more
  • So then based on these amazing privileges Christ has given us…
  • Be united with the rest of the Body of Christ, all the way!
  • Agree wholeheartedly, love each other, work together (all W/ 1 mind & purpose)
  • No Problem! Right?

3 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

  • Here is how you do it: get over yourself! There is no ME in community
  • Learn true humility and practice it…the hardest thing any of us will do
  • We have to let God make us selfless because sin makes us the exact opposite
  • Care for others! Don’t ignore yourself, just care for others too
  • Consideration…. Practicing being considerate of others (Philippines)
  • The more you care for others the less you think you are better 
  • The more you care for others the more truly humble & selfless you get

5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. 6 Though he was God, He did not think of equality with God as something to cling to.

  • To pull this off you need to look at everything the way Christ does
  • For Christ humility is a ‘Be-Attitude’ (mindset leading to action)
  • Whatever you are or have, place it under God & be willing to give it up
  • Christ was willing to come down to our level, that’s a big drop
  • What could be harder to give up than Godhood? 
  • Are we willing to ‘condescend’ in any way God would have us based on Christ?

7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges, He took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When He came in human form, 8 He humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

  • So rather than leverage His position, Christ became the least of us
  • It was an amazing act humility to become human! (when You are God)
  • But the ultimate act of humility was allowing His creation to execute Him!
  • This is our example of humility & selflessness (The highest of standards)
  • Total Condescension… Perfect Condescension
  • God’s will is enacted by Christ’s humility and obedience
  • In the same way, God’s will is enacted by OUR humility and obedience

9 Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

  • Because of Christ’s perfect humility & obedience He is the apex of everthing 
  • The last will be first and the first will be last…
  • It glorifies God to come and die for you and me (Sacrificial Love)
  • What God / Christ did makes Him worthy of all glory from everything!
  • This act of ultimate humility creates His church; the ultimate community!

TO THOSE WHO CALL HIM LORD…HE IS EVERYTHING!

As His followers we should spend our lives developing HIS attitude!

How do we doit? 

12 Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. 13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.

  • A life of imitating Christ by yielding to His Spirit within us takes practice
  • We all have to grow out from under direct supervision and fly solo
  • It takes hard work, focus, and persistence to get results: 
  • The results of our salvation show up in relationships and sacrifice
  • We must practice reverence & awe or we will become complacent
  • WE HAVE to do it because God has invested eternity in us!
  • He is working in YOU!! SO, how can you cooperate with Him more?
  • How do we get the attitude of Christ? 
  • Hard work and reverent obedience grows humility & consideration of others
  • And this kind of biblical discipleship creates biblical community!

SUMMARY:

What we have ‘In Christ’; comfort, belonging, fellowship and compassion, is given to us to form the basis of our united thought and purpose. (His Church)

The way we live out this unity is by being considerate of others and acting from a position of humility and self-awareness.

Our example is Christ; The Incarnation of God all-everything, who laid all of His deity aside to be considerate of our eternal souls need for salvation.

In the ultimate act of humility, Christ in human form subordinated himself to the welfare of all humanity as He allowed His own creation to execute Him.

By choosing to be lowest Christ Jesus becomes the Highest! One day HE will be worshiped by all creation, we have been given grace to do it now!

We have been given grace to follow Christ’s perfect example of obedience; reverently relying on God to conform us to His will. To that we add our hard work: honoring God and worship HIM.

APPLICATION:

(V 1 & 2) )How well do you take stock of and appreciate all of the privileges you have been given in Christ Jesus? Would sharing those things make you more aware and thankful?

(V 3 & 4) What are YOU selflessly doing for others to build Common Unity here at Midtown? Is there something new you can do? Is there something you are doing that you can do more of?

(V 6, 7 & 8) What things are you willing to give up in order to be considerate of others? Things can include time, emotion, expertise, money and possessions.

(V 12 & 13) How do you balance hard work and reverent reliance on God as a disciple of Jesus Christ? Do you need new practices or more consistency with established practices?

Application for V 9, 10 & 11 is:  Have you fulled surrendered your life to Christ’s Lordship? The assumption Paul is making is that the recipients of this letter all have come to salvation in Jesus Christ. But God knew others would read this letter .

If you have NOT fully surrendered your life to God; today is the day!

If you have surrounded you life to Christ I encourage you to rely on God’s power to help you commit more hard work to your discipleship!

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Ephesians Pt 3: The Truth & Love Of Christ

Jesus lived the perfect balance of Truth and Love. The Biblical Gospel is a message of truth and love combined in a person. 

This is the 3rd chapter of Paul’s letter to the church in the city of Ephesus. In the previous chapters Paul has outlined the Biblical Gospel. Unity In The Biblical Gospel Of Christ’s Death, Resurrection and 2nd Coming. Unity In The Biblical Indwelling Of God’s Spirit giving eternal life. Unity In The Biblical View of God’s Authority based on His Word.

This chapter focuses on God’s uniting all peoples through the work of Christ. Being included in the gospel was critical for the Ephesians because they had been victims of exclusion by Jews. We need this message today, the truth of Christ and the Love of Christ bringing all people together 

EPHESIANS 3

1 For this reason, I Paul, am a bondservant of Christ Jesus for you gentiles. 2 I expect that you have heard about the stewardship of God’s grace that was entrusted to me for your benefit.

3 This mystery was made known to me by God’s revelation, as I have already written briefly to you about. 4 Accordingly when you read this you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ. 

5 It was not made known to humanity in other generations as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets by operation of The Spirit. 6 Specifically that the gentiles are joint heirs, fellow members of the body and partakers together in the promise of Christ Jesus through the gospel.

7 Of this gospel I became a servant according to the gift of God’s grace which was given to me by the exercise of His power. 8 To me, the very least of all saints, grace was given to preach to the gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ. 9 Fully illuminating the plan of this mystery, which was concealed until this age in God who created all.

10 So now, through His church, God’s infinite wisdom shall be declared to the rulers and authorities who occupy spiritual realms, 11 according to the eternal purposes He accomplishes through Christ Jesus our Lord. 

12 In Him we have confidence that we are truly connected to God by faith. 13 On this account, you should not let my afflictions on your behalf trouble you, they are your future glory.

14 For this exact reason I bow my knees unto the Father 15 who is the source of everything in heaven and on earth. May the abundance of His glory create strength and power in the depths of your soul by means of the One Spirit. 

17 That Christ may dwell in your heart based on truth, firmly fixed and established in love. 18 That you will be empowered to understand in unity with all the saints what is the breadth, length, height and depth of Christ’s love. 19 That you may experience it in a way that surpasses knowledge; making you complete in the fullness of God!

20 We pray to the One who is able to provide so much more than we can ask or imagine according to His power that is working within us. 21 To Him be honor in His church because of Christ Jesus for all generations forever and ever! Amen.

SUMMARY:

God breathed these words through Paul for all of us; God works through Spirit-led leadership to guide Spirit-led followship.

The Biblical Gospel of Jesus Christ is meant to unite all ethnicities, groups, sects and factions.

Paul was chosen to declare the unsearchable riches of Christ. Jesus’s Church is to continue declaring the riches of Christ’s to the forces of evil

As His Church we are confident in eternity, and we depend on God to strengthen and empower us by His Spirit. 

Balancing truth and love, unified as His people we can know the fullness of Christ’s love.

We honor Christ’s love for us by entrusting our lives to Him , empowered by His Spirit. (Biblical Discipleship) 

APPLICATION:

How & why do you fully place yourself under the authority of God’s Word?

What attitudes and actions are the result of good Followship / Discipleship?

How can Midtown do a better job of declaring the riches of Christ to the forces of evil?

What are some ways you might grow in the experience of Christ’s love and unite with other believers?

/by

Jesus Christ Our Advocate

Pt. 2 of The Heart Of Christ
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EPHESIANS Pt 2: Once Far, Now You Are Home!

The Book of Ephesians is a Theological Treasure Trove!

(Note: The message is in two parts around our sharing the Lord’s Table)

Two weeks ago in Chapter 1 we saw: Four Uniting Foundations OF MIDTOWN CHURCH

Unity In God’s Word as understood and applied consistently for 2000 years.

Unity In The Biblical Gospel Of Jesus Christ

Unity In The Biblical Indwelling Of God’s Spirit

Unity In The Biblical View of God’s Sovereignty / Authority

Our text today gives us critical truth regarding the Biblical Gospel of Jesus Christ and how that creates The New Testament Church / Christ’s Body.

Elements of The Biblical Gospel contained in Ephesians 2: 

We all are born in a condition deserving God’s wrath for our rebellion and disobedience. We all need to be converted, BY GOD and only by God into His spiritual family. Christ’s death on the cross and resurrection are central and essential. On the cross Christ takes the wrath we deserve. In His resurrection we are united by His grace, making us alive with Him eternally. 

He does it all from His unfathomable grace and love. We are the recipients of the faith to believe He has made peace for us and with us. 

He saves those far from Him and near to Him, bringing us tog dies’ / ‘Local Churches’ that are built on the foundation of those He chose to reveal Himself through with Christ being the cornerstone. For 2000 years, followers of Christ have read this book and applied it the same way. God is the basis, power, determiner and enactor of our being placed into membership in the body of Christ (this body). Committed Membership is an essential environment in which we apply this Scripture.

EPHESIANS CHAPTER 2

1 Once you were dead in your condition of disobedience and sin. 2 You lived based on the order of this world, obeying the ruler of an unseen world, the spiritual force that actively empowers unbelief.

  • Pointed directly at each individual in audience: ‘The Truly-Yielded In Christ’
  • In order to be ‘In Christ’ you must recognize that you were once ‘Not In Christ’
  • Whether overt sin or unseen attitudes, Scripture says we all obeyed Satan!

3 All of us once lived this way, serving the passionate desires and inclinations of our flesh. We were born in this condition and subject to God’s wrath, as is all humanity.

  • Commonality of our condition makes us all the same degree guilty of rebellion
  • Scripture states we don’t have to learn how to sin, it is our base condition
  • Scripture declares every human is deserving of God’s wrath / punishment 

If we accept this as The Truth about our condition BEFORE God rescues us, then we shall also recognize that we have no remedy for this situation…

4 But God in His unparalleled mercy and unending love, made us alive together with Christ, 5 even though we were spiritually dead because of our sins! It is only by God’s grace that we have been saved! 

  • But God! 
  • May all those God has bought with His blood & placed His Spirit into rejoice! 
  • Incomprehensible Mercy! Love that is Eternal and Omni-Everything! 
  • Grace: Unearned Favor! That is what saves you and I, God in His GRACE!

6 He raised us from the dead in Christ and gave us eternal life because we are united with Christ Jesus. 7 For all eternity God will demonstrate the incredible wealth of His grace and kindness, as shown in all He has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.

  • God’s eternal animation of our Souls comes from our being made one W/ Christ
  • Those God redeems are the eternal legacy of His favor based on His goodness

8 You are saved by God’s grace through faith. This is not your doing; it is the gift of God. 9 This salvation is not the result of anything we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, fashioned in Christ Jesus, to do the virtuous things He foreordained. 

  • What saves each of us is one thing and one thing only: Grace (redundant)
  • This grace is understood, experienced and lived out based on faith
  • We don’t do the grace part & we don’t do the faith part. Both are gifts of God!!
  • If you think you made it happen…then you don’t have it! 
  • ‘We’ refers to those Christ has made to be His church, to continue His legacy

11 Remember you Gentiles were called uncircumcised by those who were circumcised in man made ways.12 Remember you were without the intervention of Christ. You were excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, strangers to the covenant promises God made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope.

  • Don’t ever forget how far you have come! (‘Unchurched’ is today’s equivalent)
  • However you were raised you can be the recipient of God’s grace
  • Until God makes us His we are truly without hope!

13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 Christ himself is our peace. He united Jews and Gentiles when, in his own body on the cross, He broke down the wall of hostility that separated us from God.

  • Being far from God can be overcome, In Christ!
  • How does it happen ‘By The Blood’??? God sheds His own ‘Life Force’ for U!
  • The person of Jesus Christ is stressed, our faith is not in doctrine, it’s in Christ!
  • The surrender of Jesus’ body removed the barrier (Sin) between us & God

15 This abolished the law of commandments and statutes so He could create in Himself one new people from the two groups. 16 Together, Christ reconciles both groups to God and to each other, by means of his death on the cross.

  • Christ’s death on the cross rendered the Mosaic Law unnecessary
  • The law divided ethnic groups, Christ’s death make one new group
  • Christ’s death on the cross makes reconciliation with God and others happen

17 Christ came to announced this Good News of peace to those alien to God, and peace to those near to God. 18 Now all people can have access furnished by the One Spirit to the Father. 19 You are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people.

  • The message of the Biblical Gospel of Jesus Christ is for all people
  • The indwelling of The One Spirit connects us to God, He unites with us
  • All who biblically convert to Christ’s Lordship belong equally to a community
  • This is Jesus’ church, it’s a big deal

20 Together we are members of God’s spiritual family, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. 21 We are purposefully joined together in Him, becoming a holy temple in Christ The Lord. 22 Together were are becoming the dwelling place of God’s Spirit.

  • We each ‘convert’ to God’s family as an individual; surrendering to His call
  • That call and our surrender is informed by those God revealed Himself through
  • Christ is the apex of God’s revelation, the cross & resurrection are crucial
  • True salvation only come from a biblical response to the biblical message
  • This unity of being makes us God’s Temple, we each house His Spirit
  • As Christ’s Church our unity is based on Scripture (not feelings or social norms)

SUMMARY

We all are born in rebellion against God, living under the rule of Satan, deserving ‘God’s Justice’.

God came to our world, His death & resurrection unites us in eternal life with Christ.

Those God saves by grace, are an eternal demonstration of His mercy, love and kindness.

Christ’s Biblical Church are His ‘humbled handiwork’, living in grace by faith, doing God’s will.

All spirit filled believers are united to each other and to God through Christ’s death & resurrection forming God’s Spiritual Family / Christ’s Body / The New Testament Church.

Each local group of believers exists based on Scripture and in unity worship & honor their Lord.

APPLICATION:

Based on this passage what is your role in becoming saved from God’s wrath by Christ’s death & resurrection?

How do you consistently express the gratitude you have for Christ uniting you to God?

What are some examples of how you lived differently before and after surrendering your life to Jesus Christ? Have you begun the good work God has appointed you to?

If you are a member of this church, how well are you living up to the commitment you made in signing the member covenant?

    /by

    Comfort For The Troubled Heart

    John 14:1-6

    “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to Myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

    We must trust in the care and wisdom of God when tempted to be anxious.

    How do we trust God when our hearts are troubled?

    #1: We believe in the character of God

    • V. 1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in Me”

    # 2: We look beyond our current trouble

    • V.2-3 “In My Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to Myself, that where I am you may be also.”

    # 3: We embrace our all-sufficient JESUS 

    • V. 5-6 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
    /by

    EPHESIANS Pt 1: Uniting Foundations

    Midtown church is here today because of the word of God, nothing more, nothing less! The only way we will continue to be God’s church is by keeping the word of God in it’s proper place. You notice I said ‘Keeping’, we are upholding the Apostolic Foundations of Christ’s Church, the church founded buy HIS disciples.

    We have not and we will not be jumping on the bandwagon of the current day’s thinking; the latest new way to be a Christian, a redefining of Jesus message and all of Scripture. There’s been plenty of new ways to be a Christian throughout the last 2000 years, at some point these groups have all committed heresy . Why does it get deemed heresy? Because it contradicts the word of God. 

    The Biblical Understanding that Jesus built His church upon has not changed in 2000 years. The Apostles formed their beliefs from Jesus Christ, the Church formed it’s beliefs from The Apostles, we continue to believe what they believed 2000 years ago. 

    Midtown church is not goin g to buy into some ‘new understanding’ of scripture, deciding that you and some others in the past 30 or 40 years have now figured out what God was ‘really’ saying is a lie. At that point your belief falls into only one of two possible categories. Either all the Biblical / Apostolic Church of Jesus Christ has been wrong for 2000 years, or YOU are wrong… 

    Building Biblical Culture is how we stay clear of starting down the road of redefining Scripture to fit our need to ‘feel’ one way or another. Looking clearly at the Scriptures, in their intended context, is how we see what God’s standards are, upon which HE built the foundations of HIS Church. But we must not give lip service to these foundations we must apply them to our lives and live out a biblical culture of honoring God.

    Since the founding of Midtown Church eleven years ago, we have always affirmed four crucial beliefs, taken directly from Scripture, that are key foundations of the New Testament Church. These four doctrines guide our culture. They put us on the same page as we join God in His redemptive work. They create the basis on which we honor Him, this is how we are united with His will.

    Four Uniting Foundations: 3 We see directly in the todays text, 1 guides us to the text. Unity In God’s Word as understood and applied consistently for 2000 years. Unity In The Biblical Gospel Of Jesus Chris. Unity In The Biblical Indwelling Of God’s Spirit. Unity In The Biblical View of God’s Sovereignty / Authority

    Ephesians 1

    1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the saints who are in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

    • Paul’s humble understanding of himself: ‘I am who I am because of God’s will.’
    • This is written to an established & mature body of Christ
    • He recognizes the gift of grace & peace they have from God (Indwelling Spirit)

    3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in Christ. 4 Even before He made the world, God chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes. 

    • He has given us everything (He is everything) SO He gets all praise
    • He blessed us in His perfect plan, pre-creation, choosing to forgive us ‘In Christ’
    • This is the biblical gospel of Jesus Christ: God choosing to forgive His followers

    5 In love He predestined to adopt us as His own, bringing us to Himself through Christ Jesus. This is what He wanted to do, and it gave Him great pleasure. 6 So we praise God for the glorious grace He has freely given those who belong to Christ. 

    • What does predestined mean? The greek word is ‘proorizo’ ; Used 6 times N.T.
    • It means: to limit or mark out beforehand; to design definitely beforehand, ordain beforehand, predestine
    • Adopted ‘through’ Christ…He planned it, He did it, He liked it!
    • As recipients of this glorious grace of eternal adoption we respond with praise!!

    7 According to the abundance of His grace, He purchased us with the blood of His Son and forgave our sins. 8 He has showered grace on us, from His all encompassing wisdom and insight.

    • His unchanging character is to extend grace in ways we can’t quite fathom
    • He bought us by blood sacrifice: His way since the beginning
    • Story of workers being paid: Matthew 20:1-16 ‘Last will be first, first will be last’

    9 God has now revealed to us his mysterious will regarding Christ, intentionally enacting His purpose. 10 And this is the plan: At the right time he will unite everything under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth. 

    • The mystery revealed in the life, death and resurrection of Christ (& return)
    • It all points to the future when Christ will return; crucial aspect of biblical gospel

    11 Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, having been predestined according to the purpose of the One who works all things according to his plan.

    • Paul and the Ephesian church are already united with Christ as we can be
    • Being united with Christ means being a ‘heir’ as Christ is
    • Redundancy of the term ‘predestined’ is used with intention 
    • Those of us God has chosen to unite with Christ are united in God’s will

    12 God’s purpose was that we Jews who were the first to trust in Christ would bring praise and glory to God. 13 And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, you were marked with His seal, the promised Holy Spirit.

    • Constantly scripture teaches that all things happen by God’s will and purposes
    • This is telling us God is in total control of all events everywhere
    • Trusting the truth: God being so authoritative & yet so forgiving
    • The Good News that unites us is that while we deserve wrath God gives mercy
    • At the moment your belief is given to you by God, He also gives you His Spirit
    • It is an eternal change of your person at every level: “mind, soul & strength’
    • It is a mark given by God that is irrevocable, fulfilling numerous prophecies!

    14 The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance He promised and that He has purchased us to be His own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify Him.

    • When God gives us salvation He wants us to be sure about it
    • God indwelling those He has predestined for salvation is an amazing gift
    • An foretaste of eternal life, God places us ‘In Christ’ by placing Christ ‘In Us’
    • Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine! Oh what a foretaste of glory divine! Heir of salvation, purchase of God. Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood!
    • We are united by God’s Spirit living in us, it is a foundation of His church!

    15 Ever since I first heard of your strong faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for God’s people everywhere, 16 I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, 17 asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God.

    • The Spirit of God in His purchased saints unites them in love for God’s people 
    • It gives us an appreciation of God’s work in others and gratitude to God for it
    • It gives us the desire to pray for other believers to grow in maturity
    • It motivates the Great Commission

    18 I pray that the eyes your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope He has given to those He called—His holy people who are His rich and glorious inheritance.

    • What are the ‘Eyes of Your Heart’?
    • Light stands for illuminated understanding of what God has done for you!
    • The Spirit of God living in us lets us know we have hope for eternity with God
    • It is not a physical / mental understanding…it is a spiritual understanding 

    19 I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe Him. This is the same mighty power 20 that raised Christ from the dead and seated Him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms.

    • Paul is praying for all ‘spirit indwelt’ believers to ‘make it real’
    • The Spirit of God is the bringer of new life, eternal life… that is what we have!
    • If we have been given eternal life we are to live based on that, not this world.

    21 Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come. 22 God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. 23 And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself.

    • Christ is God’s expression of love and forgiveness AND His authority
    • You can be compassionate and be uncompromising regarding the truth
    • Being under the authority of Christ is the best possible thing for us
    • Christ’s authority has not changed over time, this is what Midtown believes
    • There is no ‘new revelation’ or new understanding

    SUMMARY:

    The Biblical Gospel states that before creation God chose the objects of His grace and forgiveness. He purchases them with Christ’s blood and gives them an inheritance of eternal life. He does everything!

    All those God predestines for eternal life He indwells with His Spirit as a downpayment on eternity. Through God’s Spirit living in us; we are assured of our salvation as well as given spiritual power, wisdom and insight.

    All this was done exactly as God promised and planned under His complete authority. As Christ’s church we are exceedingly blessed to be under that authority, we were meant to be His body with Him at the center of everything.

    Jesus’ church is united under Christ’s authority by the Biblical Gospel, the indwelling Holy Spirit, and the unchanging truth of Scripture, that we would give Him praise and glory!

    The message of Scripture is unchanging. Midtown Church will read and apply all of Scripture exactly as it has been read and applied by Jesus Christ’s Church for two thousand years, not based on current trends and thought.

    APPLICATION:

    How much time have you put into understanding what the people who have followed Jesus Christ for two thousand years have believed about the Old & New Testament Scriptures?

    Why is it important for us to be united as a church around the Biblical Gospel?

    What are the benefits you experience from being indwelt with God Spirit? Does your experience match up with Scripture?

    How does the authority of Christ in your life affect how you function as you are meant to in HIS body?

    /by

    Three Days That Changed EVERYTHING! Pt. 4

    The Road to Emmaus and The Ascension

    We’re still on Easter Sunday at this point. Jesus does not come out and show who He is right away. One of the questions we’ll try to answer is why does Jesus beat around the bush? We’ll see how Jesus reveals what has happened, but only after giving it the context it deserves to be fully understood. Jesus coming back to life is incredible, but we’ll read how it is made even more impressive and transformational when weaved into God’s big picture. 

    Luke 24:13-53

    13 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16 but they were kept from recognizing him. 

    • Some weird stuff is going to happen. The flesh of Jesus has died and resurrected, and a lot of physical limitations aren’t a thing anymore. 
    • People are kept from recognizing him, He appears and disappears from places. 
    • These people here knew Jesus, maybe not well, but they were in the entourage. Clearly supernatural that they do not recognize him. 
    • Luke probably got this account first hand from one of these disciples.

    17 He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?” They stood still, their faces downcast. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” 19 “What things?” he asked. “About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 20 The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 

    • Jesus is a funny guy. Knows exactly what has been going on, but wants them to tell him. 
    • Reminds me a little of the first sin in the garden. God asks them where they are and what happened.
    • Luke is name dropping who this is, so that people reading this will connect more to it. 

    21 but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. 22 In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning 23 but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24 Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.” 

    • Todd spoke of “hope” last week. The women at the tomb maintained their hope, but these men seem to have lost it. vs 21 “had hoped”
    • BUT, their hope in Jesus was not based in scripture, it was their own desires.
    • The greek word for “redeem” here means to liberate from ransom, from roman rule.
    • They wanted a political revolution, Jesus to become a physical earthly king. 
    • V. 23 They did not believe the testimony of others. the women saw the angels, but they still don’t believe.

    25 He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. 

    • God told Abraham his lineage would bless the world, specifically Isaac and Judah
    • God told David the throne of his ancestor would be eternal
    • “When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever” (2 Samuel 7:12–13).
    • The prophet Isaiah clearly stated how the messiah would be born
    • “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14). (God with us)
    • Isaiah 53:5-6 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”
    • Jesus explains what scripture says the messiah will look like, what he came to do. Jesus had to do this; it was the plan from the beginning. 
    • Jesus uses scripture, vs 27 “expounded” (Dier-men-euo) implies sticking close to the text. When Jesus explained things concerning Himself in the Old Testament, He didn’t use fancy allegories or speculative ideas.
    • He is using the actual words of God to explain it. Do we believe that it is sufficient? Jesus considers this an authoritative text, do you?

    28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. 29 But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them. 30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”

    • V. 29 Some translations say “constrained him”. they might have been pulling at his clothes, holding him close. Another word would be prevailed upon, to impose your will. Why would they do this? They didn’t know he was the Christ, but the truth He spoke was so magnetic, they needed to be around him. 
    • V. 31 “eyes were opened”, is a passive verb, God is the one doing the opening. 
    • These men didn’t know about the last supper, they weren’t there. Somehow that act opened their eyes to who Jesus was.
    • Maybe the pierced hands that gave the bread. Maybe the blessing. Whatever it was, God used it to open their eyes.
    • It says their hearts were burning, and their minds were opened. You can know scripture, but unless Jesus opens your mind you won’t understand. 

    33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34 and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” 35 Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread. 

    • While this has been going on, it appears that Jesus also appeared to Peter. 
    • This is now multiple witnesses confirming the resurrection.

    36 While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 37 They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. 38 He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? 39 Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.” 40 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet.

    • Jesus makes it abundantly clear that he has a physical body. He has actually come back to life. Examples of spirits coming back like Samuel.
    • This is the same body that was beaten and hung on the cross. 
    • The marks on his body remain as trophies of His great work on the cross.

    41 And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate it in their presence. 44 He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” 45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.

    • The scene is unreal. The man you saw die on a cross is standing in front of you, eating, talking, teaching
    • V. 41 “they still did not believe BECAUSE of joy and amazement”. How??
    • God wants from us a faith that is reasoned and thought-out, not a giddy belief.
    • In both cases, seeing the miracles themselves did not produce belief. It needed to be seen within the context provided by the scripture. 
    • “I am not excusing, the unbelief of the disciples, but I claim that their witness has all the more weight in it, because it was the result of such cool investigation.” (Spurgeon)
    • To get all the way there, it can’t just be all emotion. It must be combined with reason and understanding as well. 
    • We can be excited about it, but without the scriptures, it will not manifest into belief. We need the scriptures. 
    • But do not forget! These men knew the scriptures well, but needed Jesus to “open their minds” so they could perceive clearly the scriptures.

    46 He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

    • This is as clear Jesus has been to this point. Tells us why he died, and for who. 
    • The cross is not an obstacle that needed to be overcome, it was a needed part of God’s plan of redemption.
    • The gospel message includes repentance and remission of sin only by the virtue of His name.
    • He also gives a command to stay in Jerusalem until the spirit is imparted. 

    50 When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. 52 Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. 53 And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.

    • We know from other gospels and Luke’s second volume called Acts, that Jesus continued to appear to people for 40 days, so no longer on easter here. 
    • The blessings of Jesus aren’t a “hope it works out!” thing. There is power in it!
    • There is a finality in this goodbye. Unlike when he would disappear other times. Beginning of a new chapter in history.
    • They were obedient, and (V. 52) “with great joy” means they really believed. 

    SUMMARY

    Jesus died but did not stay in the grave!

    Jesus wanted the men on the road to understand God’s big picture before they saw Him for who He was.

    The word of God has pointed to Jesus from the very beginning, laying out specifically what needed to be done. 

    The body of Jesus was physically resurrected, and maintained the proof of the work He had accomplished. He died for our sins!

    Jesus tells us we need the word of God, to ignore it is short sighted, prideful, and foolish.

    You can read the bible a hundred times but unless Jesus opens the eyes of your heart, you won’t understand. It isn’t something we grasp on our own. 

    This event fundamentally changed the relationship between mankind and God, and will result in a dramatic change in the actions of the lives of his followers. 

    APPLICATION

    Is your hope in Jesus the Messiah based on scripture, or your own desires? What can we do to truly know Jesus more?

    Do you consider the texts authoritative, the way Jesus did? 

    How well do you know the old testament? Do you think it’s important toward your relationship with Jesus?

    If the events surrounding the death and resurrection hasn’t changed your actions, what does that say about your belief in it? 

    The way we see Jesus is by spending time in the scriptures, and practicing and remembering his sacrifice. Is this a reality in your life?

    /by

    Three Days That Changed EVERYTHING! Pt. 3

    Christ’s Death, Burial & Resurrection Gives us Grace, Purpose, Hope & Trust

    What do you need this morning? Really, what do you think and believe you need? If you need grace and forgiveness, Christ offers you grace without shame! If you need purpose & meaning in life, Christ offer you an eternal legacy of love! If you need hope, Christ offers you hope you can live on! If you need to trust & believe in something beyond yourself, Christ offers you Himself

    If you need a car, a job, an apartment or various ‘things’, you’re in the wrong place!

    LAST WEEK: We ended with the second thief owning up to his sin and asking Jesus to be included in His kingdom

    42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

    • Christ made this promised to a repentant sinner who believed He was God
    • He makes that promise to YOU AND I today if WE repent and believe.
    • Here is the grace we can all have, no shame only forgiveness!

    Luke 23:44-56 & 24:1-12

    44 It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, 45 for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 46 Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last.

    • It doesn’t say it got real cloudy, it literally says ‘The Sun Failed’
    • THE Curtain…torn in two means down the middle, top to bottom
    • The barrier to God’s mercy was removed from the top (Only God could do it)
    • It was finished! And He made the final surrender as the incarnated Christ
    • In all His humanity, staring death in the face, He entrusts it all to The Father
    • And in all His humanity He died. A physical death just like each of us will face

    47 The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, “Surely this was a righteous man.”48 When all the people who had gathered for the spectacle saw what took place, they beat their breasts and went away. 49 But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.

    • Why does the centurion say this? To show that God can make anyone believe
    • The Jews gathered for nothing more than the spectacle that it was
    • They did what they were supposed to do, outward show of remorse
    • This show how the Jews could be unconvinced while a Roman soldier was
    • Then there are Christ’s followers, all the way from Galilee to The Cross
    • The followers heard the heartfelt declaration of the soldier
    • The followers saw the jews ‘go thru the motions’ of religion
    • How are you responding to the reality of Christ’s sacrifice today?

    50 Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Sanhedrin, a good and upright man, 51 who had not consented to their decision and action. He came from the Judean town of Arimathea, and he was waiting expectantly for the kingdom of God.

    • Joseph of Arimathea was not complicit in the evil actions of The Sanhedrin
    • From the birthplace of Samuel, near Bethlehem, most likely an Ephraimite
    • Waiting expectantly for the kingdom of God = On the lookout for the Messiah
    • By going ‘All in’ with Jesus, Joseph left an eternal legacy: talk about meaning!
    • He didn’t have all the answers but he acted, sacrificed and risked for Christ

    52 Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body. 53 Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock, one in which no one had yet been laid. 54 It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin.

    • Because of his faith, Joseph took great risk and sacrificed much
    • He used his status to do what he could for the kingdom
    • Joseph had purpose and meaning serving Christ as best he knew how
    • Provided an honorable grave to compensate for such a dishonorable death
    • It is widely believed it was to be his own personal tomb, in upscale cemetery
    • God said: “Go to Pilate, get the body, put it in your tomb.” And Joseph did it!
    • I went in that tomb! (I believe it was) 
    • Normally the work of getting the body ready for burial would happen

    55 The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. 56 Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.

    • The women kept following Jesus from the Cross to the Tomb
    • They kept putting their hope in Jesus even though total uncertainty 
    • They had to do nothing for 36 hours…

    Sundown Friday the Sabbath begins, the sabbath during Passover. Nothing happens for 36 hours or so it seems…God was content to wait for it all be revealed. Did God have His own Sabbath?Did God want to demonstrate Jesus was Fully Dead. Maybe He was building the hope in His followers.

    1 On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.

    • It’s Sunday morning, they endured the Sabbath of inaction, waiting & hoping
    • Can you imagine how they felt when they see the empty tomb?
    • When your hope is being fulfilled your heart skips a beat

    4 While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. 5 In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here; He has risen! 

    • How is the stone moved? Where is Jesus’ Body? What’s happening… BOOM!
    • Two big guys dressed in ‘lightning’… that is the literal translation
    • They’re a little freaked out seeing the tomb empty, imagine seeing these guys!
    • They don’t know what to do besides fall prostrate before the Angels
    • The Angels are like: “Of course He is alive, why would He not conquer death?”
    • They basically say: He is God, He is more powerful than death!

    Remember how He told you, while He was still with you in Galilee: 7 ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’” 8 Then they remembered his words.

    • Holy Spirit Flash Back! 
    • The gift of seeing God do what He says: Trust and believe it when God speaks!
    • The story of Easter was foretold by Christ Himself 
    • He is bigger than these events, He is the Author of these events!
    • Jesus is worthy to trust in and believe on because He is God!

    9 Returning from the tomb they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. 11 But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense.

    • They were not ready to believe, we have all been there…
    • They would put it all together soon. 

    12 Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, reverently contemplating what had happened.

    • Peter, just like you and me, wanted grace, purpose and hope he could trust in
    • He found an empty tomb and he looked to God to explain it

    SUMMARY:

    God graceful promise of forgiveness and eternal life is for all who repent and believe: it’s never too late, no one is too sinful!

    Jesus of Nazareth, The Christ, The Messiah actually died a physical death as each person must.

    How you react to Christ’s death is what matters, not what motions you go through.

    There is eternal meaning and purpose to be found in serving God, it’s not about getting some master plan, it’s about doing what He asks when He asks it.

    In the middle of the most amazing story in all human History, God has everyone honor the Sabbath, showing not the abolishment of the Law, but it’s fulfillment! 

    Hope in Christ is rewarded with God’s faithfulness and in that we learn how to trust and be part of something transcendent: Christ’s Kingdom!

    If you can’t quite make sense of what God has done, run to the empty tomb and see for yourself!

    APPLICATION:

    How aware are you of your soul’s need for forgiveness?

    What specifically gives your life meaning and purpose? 

    How would you rate your capacity to hope? 

    Do you completely trust God that God has provided grace, meaning and hope for eternity in your heart and soul?

    IF NOT, RUN TO THE EMPTY TOMB!

    /by

    Three Days That Changed EVERYTHING! Pt. 2

    What Christ did for each of us changes everything. 

    In today’s passage I see three people who I am because of Jesus Christ. I am going to testify to this scripture, I hope you can and will too!

    I Am Barabbas, I Am Simon, & I Am The Second Criminal!

    In Luke’s Gospel we see God’s sovereign plan to bring full and permanent redemption to the human race. In the midst of Christ laying down His life He interacts with three men. All of these men are examples of how we are to be with Christ.

    Last Week:

    23:11&12: Then Herod and his soldiers began mocking and ridiculing Jesus. Finally, they put a royal robe on him and sent him back to Pilate. (Herod and Pilate, who had been enemies before, became friends that day.)

    Luke 23:13-43

    13 Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers and the people, 14 and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges against him. 15 Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us; as you can see, he has done nothing to deserve death. 

    • It can be assumed that when they brought Jesus back he and Pilate talked
    • When Pilate was done talking to Jesus he told the Chief Priests

    16 Therefore, I will punish him and then release him.” 17 Every year at the Passover Feast, Pilate had to release one prisoner to the people. 18 But the whole crowd shouted, “Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!” 19 (Barabbas had been thrown into prison for an insurrection in the city, and for murder.) 

    • Pilate says: I will do my passover ceremony release thing and call it a day
    • The crowd, led by the Sanhedrin will not take NO for an answer
    • The ‘whole crowd’ was willing to put a killer back on the street, why?
    • The work of sin, in the chief priests and the sinful crowd (any crowd)
    • Sin in the leaders and the crowd condemn The Christ to die (God’s Plan)

    20 Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate appealed to them again. 21 But they kept shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” 22 For the third time he spoke to them: “Why? What crime has this man committed? I have found in him no grounds for the death penalty. Therefore I will have him punished and then release him.” 

    • It has kind of blown up on Pilate, he had no idea this was going to cause unrest
    • The city was packed to the gills full of Israelites who came for Passover
    • Pilate’s #1 job as a Roman Governor: KEEP THE PEACE!
    • Three times pilate has tried to release Jesus

    23 But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their shouts prevailed. 24 So Pilate decided to grant their demand. 25 He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will. 

    • Pilate’s 3rd & final attempt to release Jesus is met with: ”Crucify Him’!
    • The crowd had been won over by the Jewish religious leaders
    • The threat of a riot was real so Pilate pronounced judgement
    • Barabbas was to be put to death for Rebellion.
    • Jesus was put to death in place of Barabbas, though totally innocent
    • Barabbas was set free even though he was clearly guilty
    • I AM BARABBAS! If Jesus Christ died in your place then so are you!
    • God laid out a perfect illustration of what salvation would look like
    • He would die in the place of those who were guilty of sin and deserved it.
    • Barabbas was the 1st of many Jesus The Christ would die in place of.
    • Christ doesn’t’ die to save You from earthy death… 
    • Christ dies to save you from eternal death!
    • I wonder what became of Barabbas…

    26 As the soldiers led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. 

    • There is this guy, on his way in from the country… minding his own business…
    • Jesus must have been unable to carry it, the soldiers need to get to the ‘Skull’
    • Very harsh & super random being called to serve like this (life changing)
    • He is mentioned by name most likely because the readers of this know of him
    • His son’s are mentioned in Mark’s Gospel (Mark usually has less detail)
    • God uses Simeon to paint the picture of discipleship as Jesus had described it
    • Luke 9:23, where Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me”

    John Piper says: “Carrying the cross behind Jesus is a beautiful and painful picture of our calling as disciples… The call to suffer for Jesus is often sudden and costly and seemingly random.”

    27 A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him. 28 Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 For the time will come when you will say, ‘Blessed are the childless women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’

    • The walk is an event, and it was recorded, it was know, it is historical fact! 
    • Via Dolorosa: The Way of the Cross
    • Jesus addresses the crowd of Jews as ‘Daughters of Jerusalem’
    • It will be so bad for Israel that people will be better if they didn’t have kids
    • Children were such a blessing; it had to be brutal conditions to not want them

    30 Then “‘they will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” and to the hills, “Cover us!”’ (Hosea 10:8b) 31 For if people do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”

    • Asking the mountains & hills to cover you means, what is coming is worse than being buried by an avalanche! Doom is coming! The Wrath of God!
    • The nation of Israel has lived in God’s favor & under His Judgement: 2nd Exile
    • Another translation renders this: If these things are done to me, the living tree, what will happen to you, the dry tree?
    • Without belief in the Messiah the nation of Israel becomes a dry tree

    32 Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. 33 When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. 34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” 

    • These guys were slated to die today with Barabbas…
    • The skull was just outside the ‘Old City’, I stayed close to it (Damascus Gate)
    • Jesus was the focal point, and when all three were up there The Christ Says:
    • The roman soldiers who were doing the deed had no idea

    And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. 35 The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.” 36 The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar 37 and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.” 38 There was a written notice above him, which read: this is the king of the jews. 

    • Very unusual for someone to get to Crucification with anything of worth on them
    • The soldiers commit this thievery because the crowd was so against Jesus
    • The chief priests took the chance of becoming ‘ceremonially unclean’ to mock!
    • The religious leaders mock Jesus just like occupying soldiers do!
    • The sign really disproves those who say Jesus never declared Himself God
    • God put that sign there. He is my king…I am a Jew (Spiritual Israel)

    39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”

    • This guy who is dying on a cross gets in on the mockery!! (Sin loves company)
    • The other criminal is like: ‘Really?” While you are dying you are gonna mock?
    • He reminds his partner in crime that they got caught ‘red handed’ 
    • He gets revelation of who Jesus actually is! The Christ.
    • He speaks God’s words (scripture) “This One is blameless”

    42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

    • Remember my knowing you as God…remember me knowing you are King!
    • Jesus Christ gives the promise to all who make Him Lord: Eternal Life!

    SUMMARY:

    The Sanhedrin getting the crowd to insist on having Jesus killed was no accident, it was God allowed, it was God’s will and it was God’s justice.

    God orchestrated Pilate releasing Barnabas to demonstrate how One who was truly blameless took the place of another who deserved to die. I am Barabbas!

    Awhile following Jesus Christ, you may have your life unexpectedly invaded as God sees fit. If you surrender to it, your obedience will change your lifestyle. I am Simon!

    The fate of the nation of Israel is proclaimed by Christ and it has truly come to pass.

    Religious rulers, soldiers and even a criminal mocked Jesus. If you don’t mock Christ, yet never convert like the 2ndcriminal, you still have the same eternity as the mockers. I am the 2nd criminal!

    As Christ followers we are directed by scripture to live out the identity of Barabbas, Simon and the 2nd Criminal. That is the identity of a Disciple of Jesus The Christ!

    APPLICATION:

    Do you believe in a fully sovereign or partially sovereign God? What is He not fully in charge of?

    If you were facing death and someone else took your place how would you react?

    How have you carried Christ’s Cross and how has it transformed you?

    Have you fully believed on Christ’s divinity, sovereignty and ability to grant eternal life like the 2nd criminal did?

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