Authority and Power - Session 2

  The following is a summary of the Second session of a Seminar conducted by John Paul Jackson in Mumbai this year. Those of us who attended it have come back fired up to live and think above the line. We hope to capture the content ,and the spirit of what was communicated there. Be blessed.

Right at the outset of the conference John Paul emphasised that no matter what the gift Character is of utmost importance and we need to pay attention to it. Character gives the gift credibility and reliability. Many people are gifted but inconsistent. God wants to raise up a generation of prophetic people that will not succumb to temptation and not succumb to earthly treasures.

John Paul Jackson right at the outset wanted to emphasis the importance of Character and integrity in our christian walk and that no amount of spiritual experiences could be a substitute or a guarantee for ongoing holiness in our lives.Just because you have an angelic visitation, an experience, prophetic gifts that is no guarantee that you will not fall or that you will always be close to God.

The Israelites saw God doing powerful things and then they went out a built a golden calf. Experience will not change you – Its 5 years later are you still working on the same problem, that's a problem. There has got to be something more than that.

Luke 4:32 They were amazed at his teaching, because his words had authority.

His word was "with authority". We gloss over that word authority. We don’t talk about it much but everybody wants it. The Wimber ministry would pray “more power Lord, more power “for everything. But I learnt something a few years ago. There is no spirituality outside of God – only pseudo spirituality which is of a lower form.

We talk a lot but don’t have a lot – why? Why don’t demons manifest when we walk? Like it happened to Jesus?

What will it take to reach that purpose? How do you have the presence of God in you where demons flee?  We have confused power and authority. They are not one and the same. When was the last time you said “more authority Lord”? There is no shame in wanting more power, but more power with more authority is stunning.

Jesus carried authority. Greek_ exussia. It’s the highest judicial control. Authority has control /rule over both the visible and the invisible world. It has rule over demonic forces and fallen beings.

Power – Gk: dunamis, creative, super natural strength to noticeably change something. Power – ability to change things in the physical world but not in the spiritual world.

We see sporadic power. We are taught that healing took time and that miraculous was instant. But in scripture we see healing that are instant . Realize that healings are always the removal of something – germs, bacteria, demons.

Miracles – creation, regeneration of something.

Scriptures classifies removal of demons as healings.  Sometimes there is a combination. You remove a demonic hold over a kidney but it needs regeneration as well therefore there is healing and the miraculous at work.

Healings are related to authority

Miracles are related to power.

Kings rule with authority but conquer with power. Power to subdue and take dominion (authority)

Acts 1:8” You shall receive power..”Power shifts and changes reality. A leg that was crooked is now straight. It can also be as gentle as the Holy Spirit hovering over Mary at the time of Jesus conception. It’s the same hovering to the Holy Spirit over the earth at creation.

You can conquer without authority but you cannot have longevity without authority. The church can over throw but we have lost the understanding of a need for authority to rule.

Matt8:9 when the centurion came to Jesus he understood as a man under authority. Your authority will heal my servant he said. But we gloss over this. It was not power but authority. This may be the only time Jesus marvelled at faith. Why we are inconsistent in faith is because we have not understood authority. “Teach me your ways that I might know you”. There is a system an understanding of the ways of God and if we know it it will work. This goes back to Eden- eat/don’t eat. The ways of the Lord.

We need authority from heaven. Deliverance is about authority. It’s about relocating. Not having authority won’t help.

Luke 10:19”... I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. The KJV used the word “power” which is not right. It’s not dumanis  but exussia  i.e authority/. Authority is greater than power that is why satan does not want us to understand this.

 In Ezekiel, Gabriel invoked the Lords authority when he said “The Lord rebuke you” We will reach an impasse if we don’t understand this. When Satan fell he lost his authority but not power. Luke 4 satan tempted Jesus with the lust of the flesh, eye and the pride of life (the same temptations in Eden)

“See all these kingdom and authority..” Who gave satan authority? – Adam and Eve did. Jesus got it back on the cross and all power and authority has been given to Jesus.

A king who has not authority will have chaos. Matt9:6-8 the son of man has exussia – authority to forgive (not power). Jesus healed and forgive with authority and not power. In John 10:18 – the word should be “authority” and not “power”.

One sign of authority is the ability to rule over something – to get obedience. “Even the winds and the waves obey him” This is not power but authority. If we exercise the wrong thing, nothing happens. 

Power is a gift i.e “you shall receive power..”. Authority is not a gift. Gifts are irrevocable. ( Satan has power but no authority. Satan is not after power but after authority)

How do you get authority? One way it comes is through relationship. It’s more difficult to get. There is a protocol in heaven – also respect, awe and wonder by everyone of God. There are no “high fives” given to God and it’s not religiosity.

Relationship comes by closeness and proximity. With that proximity you begin to absorb authority. It is released through proximity. The closer you are the more authority you have.

Some people who talk about grace say “I don’t need to repent; I don’t have to have a deep relationship with God.” It’s got all twisted lately. Philosophy has replaced theology. We have to come back to a place of understanding the Word of God. In here we learn to handle everything. Authority is a result of being one with God. 1Cor 6:17.

Man lost authority in Eden because of disobedience. They gave it temporarily to Satan till he was defeated.

How do you give authority/rule to something when you do not obey your authority? Demons will not obey you. Sin separated us from God. It distances me from God .

God is the source of all life and light. Ezekiel  28. Satan fell on 3 levels. When he falls he gets darker because he is leaving the Light, He begins to decay because he is not close to the sustenance of life. Every day without  God, he decays. Only God can give light and life. So when people tamper with demonic forces, they have invited darkening and decaying  beings into them.

The more we obey God the more authority we will have.

Jesus had all authority when he ascended to the Father and while on earth he had authority because He obeyed the Father.

Phil2:4 “Became obedient...”v9-11 the result of that obedience. He was given the name above all other names. The more humbling , the more the exaltation. We are saved by grace but we cannot mis- appropriate grace. Lordship is a question of authority.

There is another level of obedience i.e submission. Submission has to do with attitude. Obedience has to do with action . Obedience is sitting down on the outside. Submission is sitting down on the inside. “Cheerful giver” – giver is obedience. Cheerful is attitude.

Submission is as close to God as you can get. Submission says if it’s important enough to God you will do whatever it takes,. Submission trusts in God’s soverenity. This is above the line thinking. You can’t have heavenly thinking without being submissive.

Heb5:8-9 “learned obedience through the things he suffered... to all who obeyed him”

Jesus obeyed the Father in totality. We need to change our thinking. We are almost guilty of teaching our people of how to walk on the edge of the kingdom. To the degree you walk on the edge the more darkness you will have. Increased righteousness leads to increased authority. Decreased righteousness leads to more darkness in our lives with diminished authority.

You need the authority in you to exercise heavenly authority. The closer you are to God the more authority you absorb. When you loose righteousness you loose authority. Matt 10 -The disciples has a measure of authority but they did not have the fullness of authority.

Do nothing that removes you from the presence of God or smears your integrity and character. Sacrifice what you need to. God can make it up to you.

To the degree you live right is the degree you know what s coming (Jn16:3)

Don’t walk on the edge of the kingdom but walk close to the throne. We need the authority of heaven for what’s coming in the next three years. Powers will shift, nation swill rise and fall, oil will be a war tool.

The goal is not authority but to get close to Jesus – the fruit is authority.

( This is a summary of a seminar conducted in Mumbai on the 27th of January 2012)

Vision 2012

The prophecy was shared at Word of Grace church on the  5th. of Feb

What would the Lord have us focus on this year? Last year it was drawing to His presence and I believe it is for a lifetime. However I feel the Lord want to turn our attention to several things this year.

1. A new thrust to PRAYER. Growth does not mean an increase in activity – rather it means an increase in prayer- drawing power and strength from the throne room of God. I feel this year we are to set aside specific times for prayer together as a church.

2. God spoke to me from Numbers 6. This is a season of devotion and dedication. Numbers 6 talks of the Nazarene vow – the willingness to be set apart for a season. This involves abstaining from certain things that maybe OK for others but not for you. It may even be ok for other Christians but not for you. You are deciding to sacrifice that for a season.

Its a season of doing – things you would not do before or otherwise. Its giving yourself in a specific way to the Lord and to the Church.

3 I believe this is a season for taking leaps of faith – its a time to exercise the spiritual muscle of faith – to make it stronger. Allow the Lord to challenge you into new steps of faith. Maybe its something you have never done before or only to a measure. Eg) you have never prayed out aloud, or read a scripture or prophesised in church or rarely done so. Set yourselves a faith target trusting God to use you.

Maybe its hospitality – you have never had people in your home (singles- you have never taken anyone out for a meal) stretch yourselves – socially, spiritually, financially.

Giving – you have always been cautious and safe. For some you have never tithed or done it inconsistently. Test God and see if you will not see a flood of blessing.

Gifts of the Spirit – you have never stepped out. Ask God to give you words of knowledge, prophecy, faith for the sick. Use this to bless the church, in your Life groups and in prophetic evangelism.

All this can be done as we seek the face of God, His presence, His power, His ways, His glory. Our prayer should be that He might increase and “I” decrease. Our prayer should be that we become more and more like Him – in His ways, His thoughts, His attitude. For this meditate on Philippians 2- lets align ourselves, our thoughts, attitudes, mind to being like that of Christ.

The Interaction of Heaven with Earth - John Paul Jackson.

 The following is a summary of the first session of a Seminar conducted by John Paul Jackson in Mumbai this year. Those of us who attended it have come back fired up to live and think above the line. We hope to capture the content ,and the spirit of what was communicated there. Be blessed.

Right at the outset of the conference John Paul emphasised that no matter what the gift Character is of utmost importance and we need to pay attention to it. Character gives the gift credibility and reliability. Many people are gifted but inconsistent. God wants to raise up a generation of prophetic people that will not succumb to temptation and not succumb to earthly treasures.

Gifts are not a value statement but a function statement. It’s a team in the Kingdom of God doing their part. Prophetic people should not think too highly of themselves – it’s a function like any other gift. We have a choice of how we use this gift – responsibly or not. We need to conquer our character- the need for glory, gold, guy/gals. You have to chop off goliath’s head. We need to cut off the head of many things in our lives. God is stronger and there is nothing that he does not know.

Acts 12:5- Peter is in prison and an angel comes to him and sets him free. Heaven interacts with us daily- we just don’t recognize it or are aware. There are so many keys to understanding the King of God- vision, dreams, words of knowledge etc.

There are 4 simple sayings that we know:

1`” Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth, as it is in heaven i.e earth is “us” and we are saying whatever you want to do God, do it with me. We don’t understand the ramifications of this prayer. We don’t understand that the Kingdom of God is within us.

2Col 1:15 God created us for a purpose. We tend to think we’re here and we better make the best of it. God has placed us here for a specific purpose.

3. Col 3:2 – Set your minds on things above. We need to think with God’s perspective. God orchestrates our lives. Think above the line – in heavenly terms in everything.

4. Exodus 33:13 Moses wanted God to show him his ways, his presence and His glory. How many of us pray “Teach me your ways?”Most of us want to only see God’s glory. Moses did a lot of amazing things: parting the Red Sea, water from a rock, etc and yet he was saying “God I don’t know who you are – show me your ways “. Many people in ministry don’t really know God. We are in danger, globally, of Matt 7 coming to pass where Jesus will say to those who healed the sick and cast out demons in His name “I never knew you”. These are people who did great things but never knew God. We have to know God personally. We need to learn how to get to know Him. – To get acquainted with Him. We have made him way too small. If you want a life that is full of the supernatural on a day to day basis is possible and you can have it- its way easier than you think. You are the light of the world! If this is true people should be able to tell that. There should be a visible tangible difference between me and those who don’t know God. We are born of the seed of God. Born Again – procreated again. Re conceived I am a being of Light from above. God’s seed in me- creates me brand new. I want to ooze God! Like when the women touched Jesus, power went out. We should want that. Ask God that every day! Creation cannot encounter the creator and not be changed. Ask God to make this a reality in your spirit.

Give God an opportunity to live up to His name (prophetic evangelism).

3 KEYS TO WALK THIS LIFE

We need to understand:

1The Eternal nature of God

2 We need to be familiar with the coexisting spiritual arena

3 We need to think above the line – why and how.

1  God's Eternal nature

Is 57:15 For this is what the high and exalted One says— he who lives forever, whose name is holy: 

Ex 3:14- God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”

God defines his eternal nature. There are many interpretations to this passage. We need to understand the difference between god and everything else he created. God alone is eternal. Everlasting – some moment in time you will live for ever. Eternal – has always been therefore we are everlasting but not eternal. God alone is uncreated and self sustaining. And we should not to the slightest degree blur the lines between God and us or anything in creation.

What are some of the definitions of a diety?

1 Omnipotent  2 omniscient.3 Omnipresent 4. Immutability – unchanging – never changes therefore you can trust him completely.5 Eternality.

We tend to think that God exists inside of time. That would make something else precede God. If something precedes God then he is not eternal. If God is not contained by time, then time exists in Him. He is beyond time. His word contains things that are not time related. He is simultaneously existing pre beginning and at the end of time.

Our human logic says that anything we don’t understand is illogical. God may appear illogical but as High as the heaven are so are my ways above your s declares the Lord. Therefore nothing perplexes him or is too hard for him. God has never made a defensive move. It’s always an offensive move because God is never surprised by anything.

Your enemy is not a deity because he does not have the 5 attributes of God. If we are not careful we could treat him like that. God does not have to fight Satan. It’s Satan who is fighting God.

Without knowing we are de deifying God and defying Satan.

Matt 22:32³² ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’?  He is not the God of the dead but of the living.”

Ps 139:16 You saw my unformed body.. all the days pre ordained for me. God fashioned and designed David and his gifts before time. Gods knowledge therefore does not make us do things but He knows what we are going to do.

When you know Your God like this you know that there is no demonic force that can whip Him. Have faith therefore that He will work on your behalf. He will back you up when He ask you to do something.

2 Co-existences with the Spiritual world.

2 Kings 6:15. The kings want to take Elisha out. The servant sees the Assyrian army on the hills. Elisha prays “open his eyes that he may see”. The servant saw the Chariots of fire. This is interaction between heaven and earth.Were those armies there before the servant saw them? YES. What do we learn Whether we see them or not they are there. They are holding the devil back who is a killer.

Why did God send the chariots of fire- because he did not want Elisha to die! The spiritual realm is superior to the earthly realm. How do we know? Man has never killed an angel. But one angel killed 185.000 in one day. Who struck the army with blindness> probably the armies of heaven. Angels don’t get injured in a battle.

We want this realm to come to us. We want angels to fight for us. Humans can’t harm angels.

We need to have a spiritual response when things go  wrong- not a physical response. The invisible is more real than the visible.

We must be in a place where God is justified and acting in our place. God cannot condone our sin.

God can only act to a degree of our cleanness.

Righteousness requires repentance. We need to seek righteousness.  Today in some circles Righteousness is thought of as legalism. Some feel we don’t nee to repent from sin. We can’t make ourselves holy – the close you get to Him who is Holy you absorb it. Is is a fruit of a relationship with God. Its a being, not a doing.

3.  Thinking above the line:

 God has given us the whole realm of visions, dreams, trances, angels etc. There are 16 types of angelic beings. Ps 103:20. They excel in strength, they arrange for things to happen, they only harkens to the voice of God, they come with a Word, they don’t listen to us but they tell us.

Heavenly Hosts – have different names and responsibilities. They wait and serve on God. They seek to please God. Ps 103:21, Dan4. They observe, judge and make unchangeable decrees. They are the Serepham, Cherabum.1 Sam 4:4. Ezk 1:6. They are innumerable in number.

Then we have spiritual gifts (9of them) given to help us. The enemy wants to destroy us. When we pray we destroy the works of the evil one. God does not want evil to destroy us.

Dreams and visions are given to help us that we will not get hurt. We have to think on a higher plain. We have to think differently from the man on the street. If you want to be one of the crowds you are doomed to mediocrity. Be above the crowd and you will be a leader.

Acts 17:26-28. He determines the time and places where we should live.

You will fulfil your purpose you will not fail if you walk with Him. No one in your blood line can do what you are to do. The only thing that can stop you is lack of faith. The Kingdom of God is about faith. You were born for such a time as this. You are not an accident. Satan cannot stop you. What goes on in your life is not by man’s devising but by God. God will help you in every way- he will help you reach your purpose. He will move heaven and earth if you have faith. If your life is the same as 5 years ago something needs to change. We have to think in terms of heaven. God is a deity we have to trust that he is all those things, we have to be renewed in the spirit of your mind i.e we have to be renewed in heavenly terms and not earthly. We have to think about our responsibility etc. Anything that does not agree with what God thinks  exalts itself above god, You have to believe it.

2 Cor 10:5 We need to cast down every argument that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. Do your thoughts exalt themselves above the knowledge of God?  i.e  you are not thinking about yourself the away God think of you . You feel discouraged and you don’t believe God had designed your life and he has a perfect plan for you. You have to believe that he has or else you will not achieve it.

Thinking  too high or low is exalting itself above God. We must think with truth and clarity about ourselves. Here’s why – you have to think about yourself the way god thinks about you. No more, no less. We need to live our lives exactly the way God made us, He has made me perfect to do His perfect will in my life and  with a 100 fold return.

( This is a summary of a seminar conducted in Mumbai on the 27th of January 2012)

Two Kinds of Calamity

This message was preached by Colin D Cruz at Word Of Grace church, Pune on the 29th of Jan2012.  This is a summary of the message. If you would like to lsiten to the AUDIO version please click here.
http://vimeo.com/35939982
Last week we read in the newspaper of how a State Transport driver went rouge and drove his bus into people killing 8, injuring 20 and damaging 40 vehicles.


People were going about their normal routine of going to work, dropping their kids off to school etc. They were not expecting to be rammed down by this run away bus. It was such a tragedy, such a calamity. Our hearts go out to these people. May the God of all comfort,  comfort them in their time of loss. Let’s take a moment to pray for them right now. If it is possible try and visit some of them who are in the hospital- express the love of Jesus by offering to pray for them.

Many questions come to our mind when these things happen – it’s a senseless tragedy. And many of us ask the question “why”? Some say maybe it’s their sin, their karma- they are paying for their sins. Is this true? Let’s go to the final supreme authority – The Bible and see what it has to say about calamities like this. What did Jesus say? What should our response be? Let’s turn to our text for today.

TEXT Luke 13:1-5 ¹ Now,  there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. ² Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? ³ I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. ⁴ Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem?⁵ I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”

Jesus is addressing large crowds here – He is teaching and preaching to them calling them to repent; and he spoke about Judgement. In Luke 12,  they asked Jesus about some Galileans who died in a calamity. They had come to the temple to pray. They may have done some thing against the Romans and Pilate ordered that they be slaughtered in the temple. Maybe they thought that they would be saved hiding in the temple. But Pilate orders that they be killed there itself.  Not only that, their blood was mixed with the temple sacrifices. Can you imagine the horror of it? Imagine – we have the communion table here and someone comes in here, kills someone and then mixes their blood with the Communion juice. Horrific!!!. The temple was very, very holy for the Jews and this happens there. It must have hit their headlines.

Why do bad things happen?

The Jews believed that they were the blessed people and that they would be kept from calamity. So when such a thing happened, they concluded it must have been because of sin.

John 9:1-3As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. ² His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”  ³ “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.

People were of the opinion that the child was blind because of somebody’s sin. But Jesus corrects them and says “neither” .The questions they asked is why did the  Galileans die? Jesus asked them “do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners?” Jesus answers in the negative and warns people to repent or they would perish. Jesus talks about another calamity in Jerusalem – the tower of Siloam falling and killing people. We hear of tragedies like this everyday – it’s just that one is in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Did they die because of sin? Jesus said “No”.

What can we learn from this? It’s not that those people were worse sinners. We need to understand something. That we are alive is the grace of God. It’s because of His mercy we can enjoy life. People say “Where is God?” “This is not fair”. Let us see what is fair.

Illustration: A Professor has asked his students to hand in all assignments on the 1^st of every month. Some do it and some don’t. The ones who are late pleading for more time get it. The next month it’s the same people who are late again and the professor gives them an extension. The third month these people are late again! Now the Professor decided to give them a zero for that months assignments, at which the students protest saying “It’s not fair!”. The Professor responds saying “You want me to be fair? Okay. According to what I said earlier you should be getting a zero for all the late submissions, so you will be getting a zero for the last two months assignments as well. That’s fair!” Get the point? The professor extended grace and mercy in the first two months – not giving them what they deserve and giving them what they don’t deserve.

We are like that. We deserve death but we have received grace and mercy. We should be thankful for our lives being spared.

Jesus says this in verse 3and 5:Unless you repent.. The real calamity is not this physical calamity. Its lack of repentance .What is he talking about? Is he talking about death? No. He is talking about Eternal Judgement. Just because you are alive today does not meant you have escaped judgement – true calamity is that you will die and experience the judgement of God.

What is “perish” ?– it is to be destroyed after facing the judgement of God. These people did not expect to die. In the same way you may not be expecting judgement but it is going to happen. What’s the solution?  It’s repentance. God wants each one to repent. We need to open our eyes.

I’m speaking to those who have never repented. These are Jesus’ words, not mine. Repentance is falling on our knees asking for forgiveness through Jesus. It’s saying Jesus please forgive me my sins, you  are my Saviour, you died for me.

Jesus speaks of repentance several times. Luke 10:13-15¹³ “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. ¹⁴ But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. ¹⁵ And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades.

So to those who have never put their faith in Jesus – repent. I urge you not to walk out of this room without turning to Jesus.

What about the rest of us who have put our faith in Jesus and know we are going to heaven? What should our response be? Two things:

1. Repentance is not a onetime thing. ( not referring to Repentance that is done at the time of receiving salvation)It’s lifelong. What do you need to repent of this morning? Is the Holy Spirit convicting you so something? What does God want you to do that you are not doing and what does God want you to stop doing that you are doing now? 

Some Christians like to walk on the edge of the kingdom flirting with darkness. “How much can I get way with?” “What is the least I need to do to go to heaven?” “How far can I go and get away with it?” We want to live dangerously. What is the minimum I need to serve, give to get by? The Lord would say “Repent”. If you are not seeing your sin everyday it is a problem. God is light – as we spend time with him he will show you your sin. Let his light shine on your darkness. Let’s grow in repentance.

2. We are all in touch with people in the world who do not know Jesus. They will perish if they do not repent. Our responsibility is to share the gospel with them. They may not welcome your message but our responsibility is to share. It’s not your responsibility to make them believe. You are like the Courier boy – you only delver the bills, it’s the recipients responsibility to pay up. In the same way, you deliver the message. Responding to it is their responsibility. But we are also ambassadors representing the Kings authority.  When they respond we need to tell them more.It’s like speaking to the P.A of the Prime Minister. If he tells you something, it’s as good as the Prime Minister telling you. It carries the same authority.

The same way God’s authority is upon you when you proclaim the gospel. My prayer is that each one of us will proclaim the gospel.

If you have not received the Lord Jesus as your saviour I plead with you come and see me. If you don’t the warning is clear – you will die in your sin if you reject this message. If you respond, you will die to your sin.

If you know Jesus, let’s live for Him- don’t live on the edge, jump right into the kingdom of God.

Last week we spoke about your purpose, serving etc – that is secondary to this. This is primary – to take the gospel to you family, neighbours, friends. You have been placed there and seek God how you can share because they will perish if you don’t.

I would like to pray for those of who want boldness to share the gospel. Amen!

Colin D Cruz 

Jan 2012

Growing Strong 3 - In servant hood

Growing Strong - Part 3 ( Servant hood)

Below is the link to the audio of Part 3 of  the sermon series on Growing Strong preached by Colin D Cruz at Word of Grace Church.

http://vimeo.com/35499980

This morning we have been singing these amazing songs about what God has done for us, how he poured out his love on us, he died for us. The question we should ask is, what should our response be to this amazing love? Should we be saying,’ Thank you for dying for me, I’ll see you in heaven”. What is the adequate response? What does God expect from us now that we are believers? 

Imagine a lady who is waiting to get married. She has found the right person? She is looking forward to getting married. She is looking forward to her wedding day and they hope for a fairy tale end of “they lived happily ever after”. They get married and the husband goes to work, the wife spends her time watching TV, shopping etc. He comes back and finds the house in a mess, the clothes unwashed, no food cooked, the credit card used on shopping. And he asks her, “What’s going on and why there is no food cooked?” And she turns around and says “what? Do you expect me to cook for you?” What kind of a marriage would that be? The husband asked her how about starting a family? And she turns around and says, “I don’t want any kids!” What kind of a marriage would that be? Is this wife a good wife?

Now when we come to Jesus -he is the bridegroom. He saved us and had given his life for us. He has some expectations from us and what HE wants us to do.  And we should fulfil them. What should our response be? Here is one area of response

Let’s look at Ephesians chapter 2 which is a wonderful chapter on the grace of God. Those 10 verses we start with us being dead in our transgressions, to being saved by grace and then our response. We are dead and hell bound. But God made us alive – he came in his grace saved us and seated us in the heavenly realms.  So what should our response be?

Ehp 2:1-10

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

1. Verse 10: You were saved to serve. We are not just saved so that we can go to heaven. We are God’s workmanship -each one of us in intricately designed. We are different from each other. The word ‘poem’ comes from the word ‘workmanship”. There are things that only you can do and these things were planned in eternity. Doesn’t that blow your mind?

God had planned for Moses who he ran away from home and he was looking after sheep – but God’s plan was for him to bring deliverance to the Jews. David – was a shepherd boy. God said he would not shepherd sheep but the nation of Israel and He made him King. Esther came from nowhere to become the queen who would one day bring deliverance to the Jews.

Today we have different people who have been used by God – William Carey, Mother Theresa etc.

My question is what God has called you to do? It is unique to you. Are you involved in that or have you buried it in the ground? Are you like the bride who is watching TV and says to the husband I have no time for you? Some of us may be called to a public ministry and some to private. God has a plan for you. Each one’s plan is different. You have a chandelier in your house and a zero watt bulb. Both are useful. The zero watt will help you from stubbing your toe against the bed in the night. Don’t look at someone else’s plan. Ps 139 – We are fearfully and wonderfully made. Even the desires you have are unique to you. The experiences you face are unique to you- even the bad patches you go through. God uses it for good. Find out Lord what you would have me do. In two weeks time we will be having a “SHAPE” workshop to find out what our shape us – what are the gifts God has given you, what is your personality etc so you can serve in your unique way.

2. You are never greater than when you serve. John 13:1-12.  This is a familiar passage where Jesus washes his disciple’s feet. Here is Jesus, secure in his identity.  He knew he was equal with God but he took on the robes of the lowest slave. He shows them the full extent of His love. In those days the job of cleaning the feet was relegated to the lowest slaves yet Jesus did it.

V12. Jesus set an example and we have to follow. He did not just preach but he practised. He did not just explain but was the example. Today I want us as a church to grasp this importance of this  truth We are all called to be servants. How many have heard the word “Minister”? We have many ministers in our country. In today’s world a Minister is one who drives in a special car with a red light on top with police in front of him. In Bible times the word minister means servant. The meaning of words, change over time. 

In Mark 10:43, Jesus explains how to serve and how to minister. ⁴² Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. ⁴³ Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, ⁴⁴and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. ⁴⁵ For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

You’ve seen the corporate chart with the CEO at the top and then the mangers and then the rest below. Jesus is saying that chart has to be turned upside down. The one who has to be great must serve. In the world we measure greatness differently – by how many bodyguards accompany the man. But Jesus says it’s the one who serves the most is the leader and the greatest. So we need to get this into our spirit because it’s so against the grain of our culture and thinking. Jesus was confident of his identity- he didn’t think he was God and  that he didn’t need to do this. We need to be secure in our identity in God – laying out the chairs; carrying stuff on the serving team will nto affect your identity.

 Ask yourself – Am I a person who serves? There are different kinds of servers. Some only serve when asked. Am I a person who serves only when asked? A good servant does not need to be told. We should see the need and step in. Jesus was like that – he saw the need and didn’t say “John , you do it” He stepped up and did it. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you how you can help.

3. You will be rewarded as you serve.

Matt 25:31-36.  ³¹ “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. ³² All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ³³ He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

   ³⁴ “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. ³⁵ For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶ I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

 The world is coming to an end and all the sheep with be separated from the goats.  There is a great reward in store for us. We are saved by faith and grace alone not by works. But we are saved FOR works. All these are action words – feeding, clothing, visiting etc.

Verse 34- Its mind boggling what Jesus has in store for us. The rewards are totally out of proportion to what we do.  Paul said No eye has seen what God has prepared for those who love Him. Let’s keep our eyes on the goal. Our reward is in heaven which cannot rust, spoil or fade.  We will have something we cannot imagine. For what “For giving a cold cup of water, for visiting the sick, for cooking for someone. We get kingdoms for that!!We are looking forward to an eternal reward.  Jesus is keeping a track of all we do. We may not get rewarded here but in heaven we will. It’s mysterious but it’s something great. Our time on earth is an opportunity to earn an eternal reward in heaven.

The reward is totally disproportionate to what we do. V 40

Here is the challenge – ask yourself what you can do?  You can do many, many things. Here we want to get everybody involved .Why? Because we are getting married to Jesus, he has saved us and we want to serve Him. Pray and ask God to put a desire in our hearts to serve.

Colin D Cruz 

Jan 2012