Who Did You Expect... In the Patriarchs!

Introduction

Last week we took our time looking at Jesus’ appearances in the Creation story.

This was our time to see the preincarnate Christ active and alive in the very foundations of our universe.

Here are some of the Bible verses that we dealt with

Genesis 1:26 (ESV)

26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.

Principle of “first-hearers”

The plural adverbs here probably do not indicate interacting with the Trinity of God but more likely a “Kingly” us and our.

But God has clearly sent His Son Jesus to be His voice and His form.

John 5:37 (ESV)

37 And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me. His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen,

Those places where we “hear” God and we see Him moving around the earth we HAVE NOT seen God The Father but His representative in a Theophany… Jesus Christ.

Genesis 3:8–10 (ESV)

8 And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden...

9 But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?”

10 And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.”

Jesus made numerous “appearances” in the Old Testament and specifically in Creation.

In his letter to the Colossians to Paul makes the statement as clear it can be

Colossians 1:15–17 ESV

15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 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. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

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This IS NOT to convince you of anything… Knowledge and acceptance only comes through faith.

But This next passage may help. From 1 Samuel the Prophet of God.

1 Samuel 2:2–3 (ESV)

2 “There is none holy like the Lord: for there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God.

3 Talk no more so very proudly, let not arrogance come from your mouth; for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.

I hope that this short summary has provided you a clear and present indication that Jesus is God’s mouthpiece, His legs, His arms and most of all he is God’s hands and feet.

Let’s get to this week...

Jesus is alive and active in the Patriarchs and Prophets.

What happened???

Well… We, mankind don’t have very good hearing and listening skills. And if we do hear and listen correctly we FAIL in the application part.

I want to say this clearly....

But you do understand that God is Sovereign

Deuteronomy 10:17 ESV

17 For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who is not partial and takes no bribe.

and to close the loop from the Book of Revelation

Rev 17.14

Revelation 17:14 (ESV)

14 They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.”

POINT #1 - “ARE YOU CHOSEN AND FAITHFUL?”

IF you claim the name of Jesus for your forgiveness, for salvation, for freedom from your past and for a guarantee of your future, Congratulations you are Chosen!!! Once and for all you are Chosen!!

Isaiah 49:7a (ESV)

7 “Kings shall see and arise; princes, and they shall prostrate themselves; because of the Lord, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.”

Faithful… What is the condition of faith. At any point from this instant on if Jesus returns how will he find you?

Are you hanging by a thread? Is your faith so encumbered by sin, shame, guilt that you cannot see the forest for the trees?

Are you still exploring, are you still active and engaged in a relationship with Jesus? Are you being discipled and you discipling someone else?

Are hurt, angry, confused by God’s Sovereignty in your life.

Don’t lose heart, keep asking, keep talking to him who loves you the most. Pray for clarity, pray for the fog to clear and watch God do some miraculous things.

Jesus at his death destroyed the curtain AND covered all the sin of the world that makes it COMPLICATED.

Hebrews 10.20

Hebrews 10:20 ESV

20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh,

Worship, pleasing God and dealing with our sin nature is a matter of coming DIRECTLY TO GOD THE FATHER OF THE UNIVERSE. Do it… and he will forgive you sin.

1 John 5:4 ESV

4 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.

Your safety is with God, It is guaranteed by… Faith.

THE PATRIARCHS AND PROPHETS

The P & P did lot’s of very heavy lifting in their times in their journeys. They need a great measure of the Lord’s grace..

If you recall last week we talked about the “Angel of the Lord.” This is of course a established name of “Jesus” in the Old Testament. 137 times in the Old Testament this language is being used. 137 times it points to Jesus as the active person.

In the life of Abraham it is no different.

Genesis 22:6–11 ESV

6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. 7 And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” 8 Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together. 9 When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. 11 But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”

Let’s look at V.11

Genesis 22:11 ESV

11 But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”

POINT #2 - GOD CARES ABOUT THE LITTLE STUFF AS MUCH AS THE BIG STUFF IN OUR LIVES.

Acts 20.28

Acts 20:28 ESV

28 Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.

This was a HUGE big test for first century people. It certainly is and was a faith-builder for this new faith.

You see the world at the time was focusing on a multitude of small small issues that would expand into major issues. … Jesus 1 satan 0

As we talked about before, EVERYTHING is SPIRITUAL.

Of course God was present there… He said he was. But what about several times a day when we are making very basic decisions about ourselves our lives and the lives of our families.

Hebrews 13.5

Hebrews 13:5 ESV

5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Jesus is not going anywhere… if the Patriarchs are any indications He is not going to leave us either in the big stuff and the small stuff.

Let’s look at one other example

POINT #3 - THE PROPHETS MESSAGE WAS PERSONAL AND WORLD CHANGING

Mt 10.41

Matthew 10:41 ESV

41 The one who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and the one who receives a righteous person because he is a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward.

Isaiah 26:19 ESV

19 Your dead shall live; their bodies shall rise. You who dwell in the dust, awake and sing for joy! For your dew is a dew of light, and the earth will give birth to the dead.

There is a Resurrection Day coming! Are you ready? Is your bag packed? Are your accounts short with God and with others?

YES!! You are READY!!!

Jesus has the wheel, he not only has the wheel he has the whole bus and everyone that’s in it.

Judgement is coming… For everyone. I’ll ask again. Are You ready?

Here is the biggest of Big. This is what I want to do… This is what I want for you.

Rev 22.17

Revelation 22:17 ESV

17 The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.

Spirit = The Holy Spirit

The Bride = The Bride of Christ, The Church, some would say Israel.

I would say the nation Israel, But every individual regardless of tribe and tongue must confess that Jesus is Lord for the Glory of God.

REVIEW

POINT #1 - “ARE YOU CHOSEN AND FAITHFUL?”

Nothing “saves” you, nothing protects you, except the fact that as a Child of God… You are chosen. And being Faithful is totally up to you.

POINT #2 - GOD CARES ABOUT THE LITTLE STUFF AS MUCH AS THE BIG STUFF IN OUR LIVES.

You know… He will provide a whole lot more if we would share a whole more about our deepest darkest needs. Our hurts our pain, our sin and our shame. Learn to go to Him first with everything!

POINT #3 - THE PROPHETS MESSAGE WAS PERSONAL AND WORLD CHANGING

The prophets as challenged by God and Jesus to be true to the message that they were given. To faithfully buck the established status quo and to break societies back and replace it with a Theocracy eventually led by Jesus. l

You do not know the day, time or circumstances regarding your home going. When we meet Jesus. Weather he know us or not.

Jesus prepped this world by sending his Spirit. So all the strength necessary to live in and live out of this world were provided.