Living in the Kingdom Pt. 32

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Sunday 05/08/16 

Series: Living in the Kingdom Pt. 32

Message – The Redemption of the Body III

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Living in the Kingdom

Last week we began looking at how the resurrection of Christ – effects our bodies as well as our spirits and souls. This is IMPORTANT because Paul places the redemption of our bodies ON PAR with the redemption of our spirit and souls when it comes to value. Also, as we will see today, if we do not maintain an awareness and joyful anticipation of our complete redemption (which includes our bodies) we will fail to maintain purity in our lives, which is ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY if we want to be united to God in Purpose as we live our lives in the Kingdom.

Rom 8:22-25,

“(22) For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.  (23)  Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.  (24)  For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees?  (25)  But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.”

Today we are covering 4 points:

#1. We need to believe God care for & redeemed our bodies.

#2. Life in the body is part of the work of the Kingdom.

#3. Healing is a benefit of the Kingdom.

#4. We’ve been given the Holy Spirit Who gives us life.

 

As I said last week…we have STRESSED in here the importance of:

  • The salvation of our spirits
    • 1 Cor. 5:17 – old things passed away – all new – all of God – reconciled
    • 1 Cor. 6:17 – ONE spirit with Him.

 

  • The salvation of our souls
    • 1:21 – Receive the engrafted word able to save soul
    • 1 Peter 1:9 – End of your faith = salvation of soul

 

But it is important for us to realize that our bodies were included in the redemptive plan of Christ.

 

* Remember 1 Cor. 6 told us that…

  • “the Lord is FOR the body
  • our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit
  • We were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body

Now there does seem to be an ORDER of importance –

3 John 1:2 –

“Beloved I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.”

 

This is NOT to imply that the body is less valuable than the soul. It is SO important that Paul made it a MAJOR part of his presentation before the Jewish Counsel and Felix!

 

In Acts 23:6, Paul said,

“\men and brethrenconcerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am being judged!”

 

In Acts 24:10-16,

“(10) Then Paul, after the governor had nodded to him to speak, answered: “ this I confess to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect, so I worship the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law and in the Prophets.  (15)  I have hope in God, which they themselves also accept, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust.  (16)  This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men.”

 

In Acts 26:6-8,

“(6) And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers.  (7)  To this promise our twelve tribes, earnestly serving God night and day, hope to attain. For this hope’s sake, King Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews.  (8)  Why should it be thought incredible by you that God raises the dead?”

So knowing that the resurrection of the body was a MAJOR part of the Gospel for which Paul was willing to testify AND die –  let’s place to one side all considerations that the body is NOT as important as the rest of us.

Now 2 weeks ago we ended with an example of healing, let’s turn there if you will. It’s found in Luke 5…

Remember that Jesus preached the Kingdom of God and Along with teaching about God’s kingdom what did Jesus DO as a MAJOR part of His ministry?

He HEALED bodies and even raised some of them from the dead! We have testimony of this in the gospels SO THAT YOU MIGHT BELIEVE!

Luke 5:12-13,

“And it happened when He was in a certain city, that behold, a man who was full of leprosy saw Jesus; and he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.”  (13)  Then He put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately the leprosy left him.”

 

What did this man do? He came and He asked.

What did Christ do? He answered and He healed.

 

John 20:30-31,

“(30) And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book;  (31)  but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.”

John 21:24-25,

“(24) This is the disciple who testifies of these things, and wrote these things; and we know that his testimony is true.  (25)  And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.”

 

The things which are written were hand picked by the Holy Spirit and it seems clear that His intent was that it might inspire faith. More specifically it might inspire us to COME TO HIM that we might Hear and Believe!

 

POINT #1We need to believe God care for & redeemed our bodies.

 

  • What did Christ say, “You search the scriptures for IN THEM YOU THINK you have life, but they are which testify of Me are you are UNWILLING to come to ME that you might have LIFE.”
  • The scriptures that are recorded therefore are hand-picked by the Holy Spirit to lead us to intimacy with Him!
  • Consider > What were the O.T. scriptures intended to lead us to?
  • Then what should be expect the N.T. Scriptures to lead us to?
  • This man was FULL of leprosy and Jesus was not only ABLE but WILLING to heal him.

 

It is UNREASONABLE in the extreme to assume that Jesus was willing to DO something which worked against the work of the Kingdom.

 

John 9:1-7,

“(1) Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth.  (2)  And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”  (3)  Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned. 

But so that the works of God should be revealed in him, I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; for the night is coming when no one can work. 

(5)  As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” 

 

(6)  When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay.  (7)  And He said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing.”

THAT was the work of the KINGDOM!!! –

One more – can we look at one more before we continue this morning?

Luke 7:19-23,

“(19) And John, calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to Jesus, saying, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?”  (20)  When the men had come to Him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to You, saying, ‘Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?’ ”  (21)  And that very hour He cured many of infirmities, afflictions, and evil spirits; and to many blind He gave sight.  (22)  Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things you have seen and heard: that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel preached to them.  (23)  And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.”

 

POINT #2Life in the body is part of the work of the Kingdom.

 

Say this with me – Jesus is FOR my body!

 

Our bodies are NOT peripheral to the Gospel but very much included in it!

Blessings! 

 

The video is pending….

I hope this teaching will challenge you and encourage you to place your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

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Blessings!

 

Hi my name is Mark and though I am opposed to titles, I am currently the only Pastor (shepherd/elder) serving our assembly right now.

I have been Pastoring in one capacity or another for nearly 30 years now, though never quite like I am today.

Early in 2009 the Lord revealed to me that the way we had structured our assembly (church) was not scriptural in that it was out of sync with what Paul modeled for us in the New Testament. In truth, I (like many pastors I am sure) never even gave this fundamental issue of church structure the first thought. I had always assumed that church structure was largely the same everywhere and had been so from the beginning. While I knew Paul had some very stringent things to say about the local assembly of believers, the point of our gatherings together and who may or may not lead, I never even considered studying these issues but assumed we were all pretty much doing it right...safety in numbers right?! Boy, I couldn't have been more wrong!

So needless to say, my discovery that we had been doing it wrong for nearly two decades was a bit of a shock to me! Now, this "revelation" did not come about all at once but over the course of a few weeks. We were a traditional single pastor led congregation. It was a top-bottom model of ministry which is in part biblical, but not in the form of a monarchy.

The needed change did not come into focus until following 9 very intense months of study and discussions with those who were leaders in our church at the time.

We now understand and believe that the Bible teaches co-leadership with equal authority in each local assembly. Having multiple shepherds with God's heart and equal authority protects both Shepherds and sheep. Equal accountability keeps authority and doctrine in check. Multiple shepherds also provide teaching with various styles and giftings with leadership skills which are both different and complementary.

For a while we had two co-pastors (elders) (myself and one other man) who led the church with equal authority, but different giftings. We both taught in our own ways and styles, and our leadership skills were quite different, but complimentary. We were in complete submission to each other and worked side-by-side in the labor of shepherding the flock.

Our other Pastor has since moved on to other ministry which has left us with just myself. While we currently only have one Pastor/Elder, it is our desire that God, in His faithfulness and timing, may bring us more as we grow in maturity and even in numbers.

As to my home, I have been married since 1995 to my wonderful wife Terissa Woodson who is my closest friend and most trusted ally.

As far as my education goes, I grew up in a Christian home, but questioned everything I was ever taught.

I graduated from Bible college in 1990 and continued to question everything I was ever taught (I do not mention my college in order to avoid being labeled).

Perhaps my greatest preparation for ministry has been life and ministry itself. To quote an author I have come to enjoy namely Fredrick Buechner in his writing entitled, Now and Then, "If God speaks to us at all other than through such official channels as the Bible and the church, then I think that He speaks to us largely through what happens to us...if we keep our hearts open as well as our ears, if we listen with patience and hope, if we remember at all deeply and honestly, then I think we come to recognize beyond all doubt, that, however faintly we may hear Him, He is indeed speaking to us, and that, however little we may understand of it, His word to each of us is both recoverable and precious beyond telling." ~ Fredrick Buechner

Well that is about all there is of interest to tell you about me.

I hope our ministry here is a blessing to you and your family. I also hope that it is only a supplement to a local church where you are committed to other believers in a community of grace.

~God Bless!