Portraits of The Cross Into Gethsemane 21st May 06
Portraits of The Cross Into Gethsemane 21st May 06
1 Co 11:29-32----For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.
The church is weak, sick and many are dying or dead – not just physically but spiritually! It is a truth that cannot be denied – and in our sickness we are unable to judge ourselves and therefore unable to receive the Lord’s correction – I truly believe many of those who think they are safe and saved will be condemned with the world. We must discern the Lord’s Body. I am deeply troubled by this and cannot escape it – the Holy Spirit compelling me – ( why I am shut away, distracted) –
Mt 25:31-46----“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’ “Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
This is the reality of discerning or not discerning the Lord’s Body – they all called Him Lord, all knew who He was, all thought they were righteous and following – and they were all in together until the time Jesus divided them – they were all part of the church, worshipping and singing and attending – do you know they all looked after their families and taught them to follow what they believed was right! In their own eyes they saw themselves safe, holy and not of the world!
This is the W.O.G. – the very words of Jesus – they didn’t know until it was too late – “When Lord? When did I feed You?” -- asked the righteous – because it was not a performance or an act it was a life of faith in Him – crucified with Christ – it was not done for notice or good works or recognition – it was LOVE for God and neighbours – “But I never saw You hungry or thirsty Lord” cried those as they plummeted into everlasting punishment. We must discern the Lord’s Body.
We have believed this whole venture we are on is God leading us, and we have often stated we just don’t want to do what we have always done – we are all dissatisfied with the powerlessness and hopelessness of the church as we have allowed it to become – we are all desperate for something that glorifies God – that restores glory to the Name of Our Lord – that brings Reverence and Holy Fear --- we have called that revival – and of course it is ----
But I have found myself thinking -- Everything necessary for us to know God and the Fear of God was done at the Cross – it was complete and needs nothing added to it. I am not sure we have ever really comprehended the Cross in all it’s fullness and therefore have never been able to fully apprehend it either – we seek a revival – but with our theology of easy believism have we ever had that vival/Life to be revived too? Surely revival is a return to something we once had!!
But has the church in our age really had what we KNOW is missing? We have had gifts and the Charismatic awakening and Pentecostalism – we have had the most amazing Grace of God in the outpouring from 94-2000 – but can you see that all of this has been given to us by God, Grace upon Grace that we might come to this point of desperation for God Himself – for Christ – O I think so – I see everything as the outworking of the Providence of our Holy God ---
Please don’t give in now when we need to persevere and support one another and allow the testing and trials of God to produce in us!
Jas 1:2-3----My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
These testings and trials PRODUCE – and maybe they will lead us into Godly sorrow – for ourselves, the church, the nation ---
2 Co 7:10-11----For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter.
So I ask you to enter in with me to this time of seeking to Discern the Lord’s Body – I am going to share with you as much as I am able the things the Holy Spirit is teaching me – they are not great revelation and super-spiritual things – but they are deeply affecting me – just simple things about the Cross – I want to give a few Portraits of the Cross – and my request of you is that you truly take your part of the responsibility to listen, hear, receive and pray these things in.
Firstly though I think most of us see the crucifixion as an historical event – long past. We believe it of course, it is the basis of our very faith and Christian belief – but it’s like we stand a long way off and see it from a distance – as an established finished and complete work. And it is – but I want to invite you to try and go right up close with me and try and see it a little differently perhaps – to try and identify how it applies to us now ----
Ga 4:4-5----But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
Ro 15:4----For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.
1 Co 10:11----Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.
God who is from everlasting to everlasting Eternal God, unrestrained by time or anything from out of His own creation knows the beginning from the end – there is nothing hidden from Him – and He is perfect in everything He does – God doesn’t make mistakes – it is impossible for Him to fail or change His mind – we might not understand – but He alone is the pre-existent One – the only wise God and Creator – and in His Divine wisdom and plan He chose for Jesus –
His Son to come to earth at exactly the right moment – although it was 2000 years ago it was still the best possible time for God, for those alive then, and for us now! It was the perfect time to fulfill God’s perfectly unfolding plan. It was the fullness of time! --- Also at this time the scriptures were closed up – complete and finished the Holy Spirit using those men who were alive and witnesses to record what He desired. They were sealed never to be added to.
So everything that is written there is sufficient for us to know all things concerning God and Christ and all the things written were written for OUR LEARNING – they are examples to us –
If you like when we read the NT accounts we can place ourselves in the place of those who were actually there as our examples as if we were there ourselves. We can, in prayer and by the Holy Ghost allow the scriptures to become to us the living Word of God : ----
Heb 4:11-13----Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience. For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
2 Ti 3:16-17----All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
PRAY : ----
Mt 26:20-25----When evening had come, He sat down with the twelve. Now as they were eating, He said, “Assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me.” And they were exceedingly sorrowful, and each of them began to say to Him, “Lord, is it I?” He answered and said, “He who dipped his hand with Me in the dish will betray Me. The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born.” Then Judas, who was betraying Him, answered and said, “Rabbi, is it I?” He said to him, “You have said it.”
We have looked at this upstairs room and the breaking of bread – but this is the beginning of the most important 3 days of all history so let’s look at the people in that room.
Jesus had walked with these 12 men for nearly 3 years – they had received directly from God the revelation that Jesus was the Son of God, the Messiah and Peter had voiced it for them all – just the day before Jesus had told them He was going to be delivered up to be crucified ----
They had all been there when Mary anointed Him with the oil of spikenard – had reacted because of the extravagance – but that scent would have still lingered – it was strong and heady and she had poured a pound of it on Him – enough for the ritual of burial.
Peter and John had been a part of the supernatural event that prepared the Passover meal – but the 12 were now confident and there was an intimacy among them all – they could relate easily.
Judas was just as devout a follower as the others but he had a weakness for money – not that God didn’t know that when He chose Him – Judas had gone out with a partner when Jesus sent them out in pairs to minister healing and deliverance and preach the Kingdom – there was nothing in his behavior that caused any of the others to complain about him – and they would have in those early days of competition and ambition – they all wanted a place of prominence.
He never thought Jesus would be put to death when he went to the chief priests and said “What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him to you?”
