Part 3: Three Foundational Truths
Looking for a Witness
Part 2 - “Three Foundational Truths”
Text: Matthew 24:14, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” & Psalm 119:11 NASB
Introduction,
Read Matthew 24:14 (Text for the series).
Acts 1:4-5;8,
The whole reason for the “Power” of God is to be a “Witness” for God.
The Lord spoke to my heart and said, “I am getting ready to invade earth once again, but before I do, I earnestly look for hearts who are loyal to Me. For it is those hearts which have caught My eye that I choose to carry and display the witness of My Glory through.”
How many desire to be a vessel the Lord chooses to carry and display the witness of His Glory through?
2 Chronicles 16:9a, “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him....”
The Dual Responsibility of Kings and Priests.
Act as representatives of man to God – As Intercessors – Priestly Role.
Act as representatives of God to man – As Witnesses (proclaiming and demonstrating the gospel of the kingdom, talking like Jesus, looking like Jesus, acting as witnesses to Him to the World) – Kingly Role.
Christ is the model in both these roles.
In His death, He represented sinful man to God and took our judgment. Now “...He always lives to make intercession for us” - Hebrews 7:25. – Intercessor.
As a representative of God to Man Colossians 1:15 says, “He (Christ) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation” and that, “It pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell.” (Col. 1:19) – Kingly.
His witness will outshine our witness - “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth” (Acts. 1:8).
3 Foundational Truths Regarding the Witness of God in and through us.
The Witness of God Does Not Need the Authentication of Man. It stands on its' own merit.
Authentication Def. - Is the process of determining whether someone or something is, in fact, who or what it is declared to be.
John 2:23-25 - “Now when He (Jesus) was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did. 24. But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, 25. and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.”
If you need the affirmation of man to validate who you are in Christ than you are not ready for ministry!
Man will ALWAYS disappoint you
Take ownership and responsibility of your calling and ONLY commit your calling, your assignment, your destiny to Jesus Christ!
Listen carefully, to me. I am not saying you become an independent spirit & circumvent the God-ordained men and women of God He places over your life to equip you for the work of the ministry.
Read Ephe. 4:1-16 – comment.
Again, The Witness of God Does Not Need the Authentication of Man. It stands on its' own merit.
(John 10:37-38).
(John 5:36).
As heavenly witnesses or ambassadors of His Kingdom, we must understand:
It's not our message we are giving, but His.
It's not our testimony we share, but His.
It's not our reputation we uphold, but His.
Listen, it's not your reputation that is on the line, but God's.
1 Cor. 3:7, “So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.”
We must understand we aren't the witness – He is!!
One of the primary truths that Jesus proved is that it is simply impossible to represent God accurately without demonstrations of power.
Jesus has commissioned (Mark 16:15-18)
Mark 16:19-20,
The Witness of God only comes through those who have personally experienced Him and have become one with God (Born-again).
When questioned by Nicodemus about what Jesus meant when He told him “You must be born-again” Jesus said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness” (John 3:11).
2 Components of all Testimonies (John 3:11)
Speak what We (You & the Lord) know. (what the Lord places in your knower).
2 Cor. 4:13, “And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed and therefore I spoke.” We also believe and therefore speak.”
Testify what you (You & the Lord allows you to) see.
Illustration: Man born blind receives sight by Jesus when questioned by the Pharisees he says, “...Whether He (Jesus) is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see” (John 9:25).
Seeing and Knowing in the Spirit.
This is a method God uses to impart direction and instruction to us.
Defined as - seeing ahead of time in the Spirit what you are to do and knowing that you are to do it.
Jesus is our example:
In His life and ministry, Jesus perfectly represented the Father by doing what His Father did and saying what His Father said.
Throughout Jesus' ministry it says, (John 5:19).
Why did Jesus respond in different ways on such similar occasions?
He only did what He saw the Father doing.
Jesus operated solely upon the principal of seeing and knowing.
The Witness of Christ Begins, is Maintained and Ends At the Altar.
We Must Understand that.
Matt. 11:12, “And from the days of John the Bapist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.”
Jeremiah 20:9, “then I said, “I will not make mention of Him, nor speak anymore in His name.” But His word was in my heart like a burning fire shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, and I could not.”
The Altar – Represents 3 Things
The altar is the place where man meets God – 1) The Altar of God = A place of Meeting!!!
The altar is where the sacrifice is offered to God
What does sacrifice mean? It means drawing near to God. 2) – The Altar of God = A place of sacrifice!!!
The altar it the place where the sacrifice is consumed by fire 3) – The Altar = A place of Fire!!!
In this hour, we must RUN to the Altar & and Stay at the Altar
At the Altar of God we lay it all down and give it all to Him – Offering ourselves as a whole burnt sacrifice to God.
When you present a sacrifice on the altar fire comes.
Levt. 6:13 “A fire shall always be burning on the altar, it shall never go out.”
Remember this, The Lord puts the fire at the Altar, but the responsibility to keep it burning belongs to each one of us!!!
Heb. 13:15, “Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name.”
Conclusion.
Jesus’ Purpose, Mission & Passion.
Jesus’ Purpose.
To Destroy the works of the devil.
1 John 3:8, “He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.”
Mission.
Luke 19:10, “for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
To seek and to save that which was lost – redemption.
Passion.
John 4:32-34, “But He said to them, I have food to eat of which you do not know.” 33. Therefore the disciples said to one another, ‘Has anyone brought Him anything to eat?” 34. Jesus said to them. “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.”
Passion is measured by doing the will of the Father.
Jesus greatest fear was not to please the Father.