The War Within
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
There is a lot of symbolism here in the book of Genesis.
You could likely spend your entire life dissecting all the ways that God has foreshadowed His Son and His Church in the Old Testament.
The Church of the Lord Jesus Christ was His plan all along, but it was hidden from everyone, even the angels.
For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles—
if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you,
how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already,
by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ),
which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets:
that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel,
of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power.
God hid these things from the angels themselves, but they are now revealed.
What we find in this interlude between two great narratives is another picture of the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ.
I. We are the Bride
I. We are the Bride
Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah as wife.
Just like Isaac took a bride, the Lord Jesus Christ will take a bride, that is, the Church.
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,
that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,
that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.
A. There is a Union that We Share
A. There is a Union that We Share
Union means that we are joined together with the Lord Jesus Christ, much like a husband and wife are to be joined in marriage.
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
When we accepted Christ, we abandoned everything else, and said, “I am going to make a new life with Christ.”
This is the call of every wedding ceremony: that two become one and form a new life together that God has designed.
We do this in union with Christ.
As God’s people, we are to live as people set apart for the truth in dedication and in honor to the Lord Jesus Christ.
B. There is a Covenant We have Entered
B. There is a Covenant We have Entered
A covenant is a promise.
Some promises are conditional.
This means that we see promises in the Bible that depend on the behavior of the person.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
If we refuse to confess, cleansing cannot be made.
Other promises we see are unconditional.
This means that they will take place because God said that they will.
I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you.
Abraham was going to become a mighty nation, regardless, because God was the only One that the promise depended on.
1. The Covenant we Enter into with Christ is unconditional
1. The Covenant we Enter into with Christ is unconditional
When we accepted Christ, we entered into the New Covenant.
It is a covenant of grace.
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
not of works, lest anyone should boast.
It is unconditional for us, because it hinges solely on the grace of God.
Where sin abounded, grace abounded much more,
Once we entered into that covenant with the Lord Jesus Christ, there is nothing that will overcome His grace.
2. This is because grace is the product of His love.
2. This is because grace is the product of His love.
The reason grace always abounds more than sin, is because God promises to love us despite our sin.
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
We love Him because He first loved us.
C. There is the Reception We Are Waiting For
C. There is the Reception We Are Waiting For
And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!
Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.”
And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
1. This is called the “Marriage Supper of the Lamb”
1. This is called the “Marriage Supper of the Lamb”
In that world, wedding customs came in three parts.
Part 1 is the engagement:
A contract was signed by the parents of the bride and bridegroom.
The bridegroom (man) would pay a dowry.
A dowry is a fee or a transfer of assets to the bride to protect her incase something happened like death or abandonment.
Part 2 is the Wedding Procession (parade):
The groom and his friends would go to the bride’s home.
If he came at night, the other men would have torches that lined the street so the procession would walk through.
The bride would be prepared with her maidens.
When the groom arrived, they would all join in the wedding party as the groom took his bride home.
This is the purpose of the parable of the Ten Virgins
“Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them,
but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.
“And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’
Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.
And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’
But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’
And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.
“Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’
But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’
“Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.
The purpose of this parable was to remind us that we should be absolutely prepared for the arrival of the Lord Jesus Christ
Part 3 is the marriage supper:
This was always held in the groom’s house.
The bride would appear in her full ceremonial dress, completely ready for her groom.
And they would all celebrate together the marriage that had taken place.
2. This is exactly how the Lord Jesus will take His bride.
2. This is exactly how the Lord Jesus will take His bride.
Part 1 was the engagement:
When we accepted the Lord Jesus as savior, we were engaged to Him.
The dowry (payment made to protect us) was His blood, which was provided by His Father.
The signal of engagement (the ring) is the Holy Spirit
In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,
who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.
The Lord asked us to marry Him, we trusted and accepted that,
He paid the dowry,
and He gave us His Holy Spirit as His Promise, much like an engagement ring.
Part 2 will be the rapture:
We are awaiting the arrival of our groom, just like a bride would be sitting in her home awaiting her husband.
And we do not know the day or time, but Scripture commands that we be ready and watchful.
We wouldn’t want the groom to come and be unprepared!
And when He comes, He is going to bring us to His Father’s house!
Just like a groom prepares a place for his wife, the Lord has gone to prepare a place for us!
“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.
In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
And where I go you know, and the way you know.”
Right here, Thomas asks an important question:
Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?”
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
Just like those other men light the way for the wedding procession, the Lord has shown us the way, for He is the way.
Part 3 will be the Marriage Supper:
We believe that we will be raptured before the tribulation period.
For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
That means, once the anti-Christ takes control, we will be raptured and at the home of the groom.
The tribulation period will be 7 years.
The marriage supper, the celebration, will take place during those seven years before the Lord comes back to judge the World.
This is typified and pictured by the Wedding in Cana, where the Lord Jesus performed His first miracle.
We know that Jesus turns the water in wine here.
The water that was in those jugs was ceremonial water that people used to cleanse themselves before entering into the presence of God.
He did this to show that only His blood gives us the cleansing we need to have fellowship with God.
Finally, it was Jewish custom that a wedding feast would last seven days.
To represent the seven years of tribulation.
While the seven years of tribulation are happening here on earth, we will be feasting with our Lord!
II. We Are the Branches
II. We Are the Branches
The Lord Jesus says that He is the vine, and we are the branches, without Him, we can do nothing - John 15:5
Now Isaac pleaded with the Lord for his wife, because she was barren; and the Lord granted his plea, and Rebekah his wife conceived.
Rebekkah, representing the church, could not produce.
Isaac, representative of the Son, calls out to God the Father.
And then she is fruitful.
A. Our Relationship to the Lord is Spiritual
A. Our Relationship to the Lord is Spiritual
The spiritual world is an unseen world.
And everything that we can see is fading away, even our own bodies.
Heaven and earth will pass away.
The Lord is not interested in the physical, he is interested in the spiritual.
Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.
When we are connected to the vine, we are being renewed.
Moses was about to die.
He had lived a long, stressful life.
Moses was one hundred and twenty years old when he died. His eyes were not dim nor his natural vigor diminished.
This had nothing to do wearing eye protection or a skin care routine.
This had everything to do with how closely he walked with the Lord.
He died! And yet his inner spirit was alive and well because he was connected to God.
B. Our Relationship to the Lord is Purposeful
B. Our Relationship to the Lord is Purposeful
Now Isaac pleaded with the Lord for his wife, because she was barren; and the Lord granted his plea, and Rebekah his wife conceived.
This was not for selfish reasons, there was a purpose.
The purpose is that the plans of God needed to be accomplished, and Isaac was the promised son.
1. God Does Not Produce Wasted Fruit
1. God Does Not Produce Wasted Fruit
The book of James speaks of prayer:
You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.
I want to quote Billy Graham on this:
The Holy Spirit: Activating God's Power in Your Life Power for a Holy Life
God supplies His power for a purpose; it is to be used. Although His limitless resources are available to us, He will permit us to have only as much power as He knows we will use or need. Unfortunately, many Christians are disobedient and, having prayed for power, have no intention of using it, or else neglect to follow through in active obedience. I think it is a waste of time for us Christians to look for power we do not intend to use: for might in prayer, unless we pray; for strength to testify, without witnessing; for power unto holiness, without attempting to live a holy life; for grace to suffer, unless we take up the cross; for power in service, unless we serve.
Very simply, God does not produce wasted fruit!
III. We Are the Battle Field
III. We Are the Battle Field
But the children struggled together within her; and she said, “If all is well, why am I like this?” So she went to inquire of the Lord.
A. There is a Struggle Taking Place Within Us
A. There is a Struggle Taking Place Within Us
The Hebrew word for struggle is literally to crush or to oppress.
Rebekkah would find out from the Lord that there are two opposing in interests inside of her, that are working to crush one another.
And the Lord said to her: “Two nations are in your womb, Two peoples shall be separated from your body; One people shall be stronger than the other, And the older shall serve the younger.”
These two nations are the offspring of those two boys, Jacob and Esau.
1. Esau was the Oldest
1. Esau was the Oldest
The name Esau means “hairy”.
His nickname was Edom and it means “red.”
So, this child was covered in red hair!
So when her days were fulfilled for her to give birth, indeed there were twins in her womb.
And the first came out red. He was like a hairy garment all over; so they called his name Esau.
Aren’t you glad your parents didn’t name you that way!
“Frog” or “cone”!
He was a big, strong, burly man that loved the outdoors!
So the boys grew. And Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field.
And his daddy loved him for it!
And Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game.
2. Jacob was the Youngest
2. Jacob was the Youngest
There is debate on the name, “Jacob”.
The root of his name means “deceiver” but the purpose of his name was “May God protect Him.”
Rebekkah heard from God that he was the chosen child to advance God’s plan, so it’d make sense that Jacob would mean “God protect him.”
But, based on his character moving forward, it’s also easy to see why he is called “deceiver!”
So, Jacob wasn’t a big burly man like his brother…
Scripture says that he was a mild mannered momma’s boy!
Jacob was a mild man, dwelling in tents.
And Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.
B. In the Bible, These two represent the Flesh and the Spirit
B. In the Bible, These two represent the Flesh and the Spirit
Jacob represents the Spirit, Esau represents the flesh!
Just as there was a war inside of Rebekkah, there is a war inside of us!
The war is between the flesh and the Spirit
1. Within us, the flesh still lives.
1. Within us, the flesh still lives.
For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.
For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.
Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.
Like Jacob and Esau, the flesh is actively trying to crush or oppress the nature of God within us.
Even though we have been engaged to the Lord, and His Spirit given to us as a engagement ring, we can still find ourselves unfaithful.
2. Within us, there is a law of Sin
2. Within us, there is a law of Sin
I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good.
As long as we live in what Paul calls this body of death, sin will be at war with our spiritual nature.
In Genesis 4, Cain offers a sacrifice to God, and Abel does as well.
Cain’s is rejected, and Abel’s is accepted.
There inside the heart of Cain, sin begins to well up, and he begins to hate, Abel.
So, God tells Cain this,
Sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.”
There is within us, a law that pushes us to do evil.
3. Not only are we sinful, we are also Spirit-Filled
3. Not only are we sinful, we are also Spirit-Filled
If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
Which means that we can be spirit-filled, but not walk by the spirit.
I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.
But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
So, it is a matter of submission
Two babies in the womb, wrestling with one another.
Two natures in our spirit, wrestling with one another.
Whichever nature we allow victory, is the nature that we are in submission to.
Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?
C. How do you win the battle within?
C. How do you win the battle within?
1. Recognize what Christ has already accomplished
1. Recognize what Christ has already accomplished
a. He has redeemed us
a. He has redeemed us
This means that He has paid for sin.
It also means that he cancelled our debt and nailed it to the cross.
Finally, it means that He has freed us from the bondage of sin.
Within us, by the Holy Spirit, we can subdue sin.
Not by our strength, but His.
b. He has reconciled us
b. He has reconciled us
This is a relational term.
He made it so we have an all-access pass to the riches of Heaven.
That means, that we have a God Who is ever-present, and will fight the battle for us if we cry out to Him.
c. He has rescued us
c. He has rescued us
The resurrection completed His work.
The Lord Jesus ascended to Heaven
presented His sacrifice to the Father, and sat down at the Father’s right hand and advocates for us.
All these things mean that Christ has put the flesh to death through His crucifixion.
When we belong to Christ, our flesh is also crucified.
When we live by that truth in faith, then we have victory.
2. Second, we discipline ourselves to walk in the Spirit
2. Second, we discipline ourselves to walk in the Spirit
a. This means we yield to the Holy Spirit
a. This means we yield to the Holy Spirit
Yielding means we align our purpose with His.
We say, “I am going to slow down and let you get in front, and I am going to follow You!”
b. When we yield to the Holy Spirit, He produces Victory in us.
b. When we yield to the Holy Spirit, He produces Victory in us.
Where we were formerly anxiety-ridden, worry some, angry, or lustful
The Holy Spirit makes us to be filled with His fruit.
The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
