This Sunday in Fellowship we are going to look at a two word statement the apostle Paul used that no one of his day grasped. He used it more than any other writer in the New Testament. Most who read the Bible today, read right through these two words and never blink. Few if any stop and see the power and value of what Paul is saying in these two words. They are strong identity words which effect everyone. What these two words? Let’s talk about it…
No matter where you go today or who or what you listen to you will hear those faithful words “it’s not your fault”. For more than two years I’ve heard those words on secular TV shows and movies and christian radio as well. It looks like the phase is not a respecter of person. Think about the power in those words. I was listening to a christian radio station a few years ago and heard that term used several times. I distinctly remember hearing the Father say to me “do you hear what he just said”? My reply was ” he said, hey, it’s not your fault”. The Father then said ” what does that mean to you?” I replied ” it sounds like if you didn’t know what he is talking about, you have an excuse”. We had had great time of fellowship on this issue. So, my question to you is this. Are we without fault because we don’t know? Is it really , “not your fault?” Let’s talk about it….
We will be discussing Nicodemus and his dialog with Jesus on being born from above. Many of us don’t say it that way but that’s exactly what both he and Jesus said. Jesus spoke to Nicodemus concerning the mystery. Nicodemus was a Pharisee and he believed in the resurrection. As did all the Pharisees follow that teaching. But this statement of being born again was not the same as believing in the resurrection. So, no wonder he said “can a man enter the second time into his mother’s womb and be born”. And don’t want to forget “except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God”. Well, let’s talk about it.
I went back this week and reviewed last week’s message. I really enjoyed that word on “is obedience optional” and not obsessional. If you haven’t had a chance to listen, please stop by the website and check it out for yourself. This in fellowship we are going to study and talk about the believer being “Sealed” by the Holy Spirit. I also read something this week from our dear brother Dr. Warren Litzman on this subject. One of the things he said was ” We don’t know much about being sealed by the Holy Spirit, because most of us under law religion never had much security in our salvation.” He also stated that ” We didn’t understand this business of being sealed. What does the Holy Spirit do?” He was teaching from Ephesians 4:30. So, we’ll go over this issue of being “Signed, Sealed and waiting for delivery” . All is carried out by the Godhead. Let’s talk about it….
As you can see the message this week is a question, “Is obedience optional”? Is it optional or not? What do you think about this idea? Does the believer or unbeliever have an option to be obedient? OK, maybe not the unbeliever but diffidently the born again believer. There is no option for the new creation believer. Right? Did you know there are three expressions of obedience? Only one obedience but three unique separate expressions for the one.
Let’s talk fellowship. Our subject is confusing and scary to so many of us. Remember, if we don’t start where Paul started with the revelation of Christ first with any verse, we cannot understand what the Spirit is saying. We might understand the words we’re reading but not know what He means without the revelation of Christ at work in us. I was thinking and talking to the Father recently about very few people including believers and non-believers alike really don’t want to hear or know the person of Christ. Some will settle for hearing about Jesus of Nazareth but the person of Christ is somewhat foreign. And becoming a new creation race believer and Son can be tolerated but literally receiving and believing you are another person by Christ in you, is hard to wrap the carnal mind around (it’s impossible much less logical). So, what does all that have to do the judgement of Christ? Let’s talk about it! If we can….
We trust this week you had opportunity to live as a new creation see-thru-er. Several comments came in on the message last week, “Living the Christ-Life or the Box-Life”. I enjoyed what the Father had to say on this issue. I know many prefer “Box-Life” living. Why? Either they don’t know or understand any better or they don’t want any more than they’ve always had and known. To live anyone other than “The Box” as themselves is somewhat frighting. Can you blame them? After all, who is willing or desires to give up the only thing making them secure in this world? Think about it. Many have thoughts and ideas racing through their minds, then filled and flooded with fear. The spirit of fear rushes in with his fearful illusions, deceptions, with captivity and delusion thinking. These thoughts and ideas seem so real! How can they not produce anything else but “Box-Life” living? But God! I like that don’t you? Has the answer. Apostle Paul tells us this word of truth.
1Co 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God [is] faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear [it].
But how will this take place? Well, as the great Star Wars teacher Yoda would say; “ it’s only in your mind, you must unlearn what you have learned”. So, what is it that we must unlearn? Three powerful things:
1. we are not the box, it’s only where we live!
2. the box is our worst enemy!
3. We have a new identity and don’t need the box to be who we are in-Christ.
I know it is hard to receive and believe you are another person. And most of us are truly fearful to think anything like that! Well let’s talk about it!
This Sunday in fellowship we are going to take a look at the “challenge” of weather we’ve living the Christ-Life or the Box-Life? Let me say up front this message is “Not” for everybody. If you decide to join us you might or could be offended with what will be said. Your identity will be “challenged”. Your knowledge of who you in Christ, will be questioned. The thoughts, beliefs, and ideas many of us have hung on to for years have desensitized us to the person of Christ. You know those things you over the years. You know those special miracles that God blessed you with at just the right time. Those special times in Church that you felt the Spirit move. The praise & worship that let you know Jesus is real to you. All those things in your past and present that confirm to you what I believe is the truth! Maybe for some it’s the sermon, or the choir and for others it’s speaking in tongues, or the raising of hands or the praise & worship team. Maybe for some it’s their denomination and it’s the doctrine (teaching) from the whole of the Bible idea. This list could go on and on and on! So, what is living the Christ-Life? More importantly what is living the Box-Life? They both have power and strength to give us an identity. Lastly, just think about this for a second. How many live the Box-Life and call it the Christ-Life?
As we said in last week’s message, far too many in the body of Christ have co-mingled Israel and the Church. We’ve stolen their clothes and shoes and are walking around as though they belong to us. They don’t fit! They will never fit! These clothes are for an earthly people with an earthly fit in mind! They only fit one group of if humanity, Israel. But the tailor shop which made and sold that line of clothing went out of business at the cross. At the resurrection of Jesus Christ a new tailor shop was opened with the purpose and ability to provide a whole new type and line of clothing. These new clothes are to fit all of humanity and not just one people group. So, no one has to steal and wear old clothes, which don’t fit, out of style and done away with by the tailor! This brings us to message for this Sunday’s Fellowship! Today we’re going to look at desensitization to the person of Christ, the Gospel of Matthew and the words of Jesus. We are trusting our Father to open the eyes, ears, and hearts of many who are still, stealing, wearing, and covering themselves with these old clothing will stop. Maybe some who truly believe with all all their hearts and mind these garments will be acceptable will see they really need to “cast out” the old and put on the new! Clean-out the closet and be free to live in the light of the new. We will start by reviewing who these beautiful old garments belong to and who came to tell them the old tailor shop was closing soon! Let’s talk about it!
This week in Sunday Fellowship we will conclude our discussion about the resurrection of the saints. We covered the Old Testament view of the resurrection. As we discussed last fellowship The Sadducees didn’t believe in the resurrection because they didn’t see anything specific in the Torah to support the belief in resurrection. The Pharisees believed in resurrection because they saw five passages in the Torah which they believed supported this idea. We reviewed how those Jews who believed in the resurrection saw it as nationalistic rather than individualistic. And this resurrection of the dead would occur in the messianic age of the Olam Ha-Ba, the last days! How is this resurrection different from the new creation believer? (the name new creation should be self explanatory). There still seems to be quite a bit of confusion surrounding this topic because far too many co-mingle Israel and the Body of Christ, the Church. I am not surprised that our theology concerning this subject and almost all of our doctrine in the Church is derived from the Old Testament and God dealing with His people Israel. Sadly, far too many in the body of Christ are desensitized to the person of Christ. So, we steal! Many do it ignorantly, While others do it knowingly. Whether ignorantly or knowingly, it belongs to another people. These words are specific and directed not to everyone who come to read and learn them. This would also encompass our understanding of the resurrection of the dead! Let’s talk about it!