"Living as His Body, Directed by His Mind’’
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Introduction
In many of my sermons, I’ve shared how deeply fascinated I am by the lives of the early Christians. When I look into the life of Paul, the disciples, and the many people God has used throughout history—and even in the present—I find myself in awe.
Last year, I had the privilege of travelling to Turkey and meeting more than 180 believers from over 120 countries. Hearing the incredible stories of what God is doing in places like India, Africa, Finland, Mexico, and Brazil was both inspiring and convicting. These are people who have left everything behind—not just to include Jesus as part of their life, but because Jesus has become everything in their life.
It stirred something in me, a question I’ve carried in my heart ever since: What is it, Lord? What drives them? What makes their devotion so unwavering? While we might sing, "Ante be hiwete ale tilik sifra" (You are a big part of my life), they sing, "Ante be hiwete kulu sifra" (You are my whole life).
As Habesha believers, we often talk about the moment we got saved. But for them, salvation is just the beginning of a life wholly surrendered to Christ—a life where every decision, every thought, every plan revolves around Him.
Today, I want us to reflect on this difference, to ask ourselves: What does it truly mean to live as though Jesus is our everything?
that depends on how we see Jesus?
what we think of who Jesus is, (Yeah Jesus is God)
it depends on what we think where Jesus is? position?
It depend of what we think Jesus authority is?
It depends on what Jesus power and rule is?
most of us accept Jesus died and risen and through him that we are saved. but that is all there is. we spend little time and effort asking and learning and else.
some teachers say that for a believer it is equally important to know the role and authority of Jesus as what he has done on the cross.
Understanding His Work on the Cross brings salvation and peace with God.
Understanding His Authority equips us to live victoriously, carrying out His mission in the world.
some of us, when we hear the name of Jesus is the Jesus that walked on earth and crucified and rose again. but very few people have the picture of a victorious Jesus. the Jesus with the name above all names, the Jesus who have an authority above all authority. the Jesus who have everything under his fit. a Jesus with power and dominion above all right now.
or some might know Jesus is a king of kings and lord of lord but that;s all. they don’t know what it means for them.
This is important because we are in Him.
Main Idea
that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
Point 1: Jesus is seated at the right hand of God. (Jesus at the right hand is mentioned about 16 times in the bible, mostly in the new testament).
If we see in Mathew 26:64 (the high priest said are you the messiah- yes from now on you will see the son of man seated at the right hand of the mighty one. (they charged him with blasphemy). Because they understand what it means to be at the right hand of an authority.
what does it mean to sit at the right hand of God. Paul knew what exactly the people who hear him would have understood when he says this.
Right hand is a place of honour- when a king Appoint someone to sit at his right hand, meaning he has given him an authority. to represent the king. to make decisions. It’s a place of Honour- Place of Authority- Place of Command. in the Ancient culture the person who sits at the right hand have the highest position in the kingdom that king rules after the king. The only one who can erase the command or decision of the person seated at the right hand is the king himself.
- His kingdom is not just this world but the world to come
- His authority is far above all authority there is. not just the authority we know- but the authority that have ever excisted- that is now and that will ever excise in teh future.
he is above all the powerful leaders in the world, above the kings we see in the world, above all religious leaders and prophets, above all countries, spiritual things, false Gods. his above all yesterday, today and tomorrow.
His name is above all creation - Col 1:16
For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.
He is above all kings and rulers - Revelation 19:16
On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.
above all powers and principalities Col 2:10
and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.
Above all names - Phil 2:9
Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,
Above all sin 2 Cor 5:21
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
above all religion and philosophy John 14:6
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Above all circumstance Romans 8:28
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
Above all Glory Rev 5:13
And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying,
“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honour and glory and might forever and ever!”.
the person who is seated on the right hand of the King have all the authority the king has.
Its a positional- where refers to a place of Honour- Favour- closeness - its a place of trust.
even in our culture we use it. he was my right hand. he was trusted, my strength, close.
Jesus has all the authority, all the authority we can think of. what ever Jesus command shall happen. the only person who can overrule Jesus is the father.
But Jesus said that I only do the will of my father.
- John 6:38
“For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.”
John 4:34
even when they asked him if he has eaten, he said my food is to do the will of my father who has sent me to finish the work.
Main Idea
At the same passage tells us that Jesus is appointed as the head of the church which is his body.
obviously, we can’t say that the body can be elsewhere to the head. our head is in the body.
that’s why Ephesians 2:6 says that we are seated with him in heavenly places.
Is that because we are good, no but because he is good.
is that because we are Righteous, no because he is then yes we are.
we are saved right, is it because we are good. no because of Jesus did. then we are seated at the position of honour because what Christ did.
we have sat in the position of authority because Jesus has an authority.
If my head has an authority, do i say my head has an authority or i have an authority.
For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.
for instance, we sat down now, can we all stand up. who gave the command to your legs to stand up. the head, right.
Don’t you know that your bodies are a part of Christ’s body? So should I take a part of Christ’s body and make it part of a prostitute? Absolutely not!
the head in the body is the one who gives command.
the command unit/Government in our body is the head. if the head is good then the body is good.
each and every single of us make the body of Christ.
so means we need to focus on the head- because as long as the head is good, then the body is good. but here is the problem for many believers.
I think this is where most believers get it wrong.
Let me ask you a question?
raise your hand if you agree.
do you agree the scripture tells us that Jesus has the authority above all authority?
do we agree that the scripture tells us that Jesus has power above all power/ rule?
do we agree that the scripture tells us that Jesus has the name above all names?
do we agree that Jesus is above all principalities and that all is subjected under his feet?
do we agree that Jesus is the head of the Church?
who is the Church?
- Then the question is how the head
exercises the power, will and authority it has.
It is through the body.
who is the body? us
so the question, when are we going to allow him express his authority through us?
I was talking with blessed about this. people say, one day. (are you saying that one day Jesus will have the authority/ power or are you saying you will allow him one day).
Jesus is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.
let me tell you this about how our body function and i believe that will help us understand on why we see a the authority of Jesus expressed through some body and not others.
let us see the structure and how our body works.
BIOLOGY
In biology, the body and the head (specifically the brain) cannot have fundamentally different wills because the brain controls the body. The brain, housed in the head, is the command centre of the body and governs voluntary and involuntary actions through the nervous system which is a vital in sending signals.
Voluntary Actions:
For movements like walking or writing, the brain sends signals through the spinal cord and nerves to the muscles. These actions reflect the "will" of the brain.
the brain wants to move then all it does is sends a signal- then the body moves. voluntarily.
Involuntary Actions:
Vital functions like heartbeat, digestion, and breathing are controlled by the brain stem and autonomic nervous system, operating without conscious input.
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knowing that the head is the ruler of the Body - makes us beg the question what is the head. because what the head has is what the body has- what the head think is what the body should think, what the will of the head is what the action of the body.
a continuously knowing of the will of the head- should make us walk- talk and behave different.
Introduction - Later on to be added after sharing we are the body 1 Cor 6:15
facts about the right hand of God
Right hand is a symbolic of blessing - Jacob-
Right hand is a symbolic of power -
a Right hand is a symbolic of majestic -
to put someone at your Right hand or give them your right hand symbolise that you are giving a green light.
that what Jesus said that unless you are willing to follow me that you are not worthy to be my disciple.
a disciple is a learner, who watches what the master does and learn from him. it’s the master that gives you permission, it’s the master authority that you abide with. the Master said that you go and bring that you do it. that is what Jesus did. a disciple is a person who does what he seen his master do.
Conclusion
a story of the person who carries his mind in his hand. when they ask him what do you think, he says hold on a second I have my brain just there , let me see what i think. he then he opens his bible and i think I’m healed, I think a child of God, i think I overcome all things through him, I think I’m seated at the right hand of God. I think what the word of God says. (scripture to be found- have the mind of Christ).
get the bucket for people to come and surrender-this is to say that I no longer live lord- it’s you. I have limited you for so long, I have prevented you for long time. flow through me, here I declare i no longer live but you. I accept your possession today, I accept your power today, I accept your rule today. by doing so I accept my possession in you. I accept my authority in You. I accept my power because of You. I accept I as a body, that you are the head. I as a body only do what is your will, I as a body will walk in obedience for your power to be manifested through me.
