Whose Words Shall Define Us?

Rev. Delwyn and Sis. Lenita Campbell
a New Day  •  Sermon  •  Submitted
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CHAP. VI.—THE RELATION OF CHRISTIANS TO THE WORLD.

To sum up all in one word—what the soul is in the body, that are Christians in the world. The soul is dispersed through all the members of the body, and Christians are scattered through all the cities of the world. The soul dwells in the body, yet is not of the body; and Christians dwell in the world, yet are not of the world. The invisible soul is guarded by the visible body, and Christians are known indeed to be in the world, but their godliness remains invisible. The flesh hates the soul, and wars against it,8 though itself suffering no injury, because it is prevented from enjoying pleasures; the world also hates the Christians, though in nowise injured, because they abjure pleasures. The soul loves the flesh that hates it, and [loves also] the members; Christians likewise love those that hate them. The soul is imprisoned in the body, yet preserves that very body; and Christians are confined in the world as in a prison, and yet they are the preservers10 of the world. The immortal soul dwells in a mortal tabernacle; and Christians dwell as sojourners in corruptible [bodies], looking for an incorruptible dwelling in the heavens. The soul, when but ill-provided with food and drink, becomes better; in like manner, the Christians, though subjected day by day to punishment, increase the more in number.12 God has assigned them this illustrious position, which it were unlawful for them to forsake.

Lord God, bless Your Word wherever it is proclaimed. Make it a Word of power and peace to convert those not yet Your own and to confirm those who have come to saving faith. May Your Word pass from the ear to the heart, from the heart to the lip, and from the lip to the life that, as You have promised, Your Word may achieve the purpose for which You send it, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
1. Lord God, bless Your Word wherever it is proclaimed. Make it a Word of power and peace to convert those not yet Your own and to confirm those who have come to saving faith. May Your Word pass from the ear to the heart, from the heart to the lip, and from the lip to the life that, as You have promised, Your Word may achieve the purpose for which You send it, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen

When Jesus Prays For You-

After speaking encouragement to the 11 (end of ), Jesus turns from talking to them about the Father, and now talks to the Father about them. The wonderful record of Scripture reveals that Jesus has never spoken evil about the children of Adam to the Father. Even at the cross, as He absorbed all of the hatred, hostility and horror that his enemies could hurl upon Him, He still asked the Father to forgiven them. It is the measure of the Father’s willingness to hear and acknowledge the Son’s petitions that the audience of those who heard Peter’s first sermon acknowledged their complicity in Christ’s condemnation, and sought a remedy, which Peter gave them in the waters of Holy Baptism:
Acts 2:36–39 ESV
Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”
On that day, as recorded in , about 3000 souls were added to the Church on that day. The Father truly forgave them, as Christ requested.
In this prayer, which today we explore from the midst of it, we can see how Jesus cares for His Apostolic witnesses.
John 17:11–13 ESV
And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves.
Jesus kept them safe, these men whom He had chosen and received from the hand of His Father. He preserved them from fear and doubt, from the weakness of their own flesh, and from the murderous designs of His enemies. Now, as He prepares to return to the Father, He prays that the Father would continue to guard them, to protect them for the work to which He has called them and through which the Church shall grow and fulfill Her purpose as His Bride.

We’ll NEVER be all that to the World

John 17:14 ESV
I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
Many times the world attacks us and charges us with failure. If we aren’t careful, we will internalize those charges when we have no business doing so.
Romans 8:1–2 ESV
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.
The world accuses the church, but they do so on the basis of the Lawn. When the world says that the Church isn’t doing enough to solve the world’s problems., they are using the Law as a hammer against us. And because you love the Law, you are tempted to receive that accusation.
Now, I’m not talking about the proper proclamation of the Law by those whom God has entrusted to you as a Called and ordained Servant of the Word. No, when he speaks, he speaks as God’s oracle.
1 Peter 4:11 ESV
whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
1 Peter 4:10–11 ESV
As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
When the World speaks about us, however, it isn’t as one who has received a gift, but as one who has rejected the gift of eternal life in Jesus Christ! Why do we accept those false accusations? Why do we try harder to please a world that hates us because we love Jesus?
We do so because our flesh - our Old Adam - loves the world. When we forget our identity which we have in Christ’s Holy Baptism, and try to get an identity through the praise of the world, it is a reflection of the old man trying to justify himself all over again.
So Jesus prays, not because we deserve it, but because we need it:
John 17:15–19 ESV
I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.
You have to know that you know that you know - not just in your head, but in your heart, not just in terms of phrases that you can repeat from memory, but in the surety of knowing that God does not lie, and whatever He says about you is so!
It is so!
God said so!
God made me - not man. God claimed me, not the world!
Christ directs my steps, not Twitter, FaceBook or TMZ!
So let the peace of God that passes all understanding, guard your hearts and minds, through Christ Jesus our Lord, Amen.
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