Some time ago, a Bible teacher that I respect very much made this comment, “You and God are incompatible, and He doesn’t change.” (Bob Mumford) That statement is profound and doctrinally true according to the Word of God.
In the book review of William P. Young’s novel, THE SHACK, GotQuestions.org.’s made the following observation of Young’s portrayal of God : “God never changes Himself so that we understand Him better; He changes us so that we can see Him as He clearly is. If God changed His nature He would cease to be God.”
How much preaching/teaching in the Church today presents an accurate Biblical understanding of Who God is ? Or has the Church changed its preaching/teaching to create for itself an understanding of God that is palatable for us at the expense of being culturally correct and/or not offending those that are listening? This brings to mind another statement made by Bob Mumford, “God will get you in the end.” (Philippians 2:5-11)
It is important that we focus on the Word of God. Jesus is the Word made flesh. (John 1:14-18). The writer to the Hebrews said, Hebrews 1:1-4, 2:1-4 (NKJV), “God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the exact image of His person, and uphold all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they…Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, G0d also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?” (emphasis mine)
In I Thessalonians 1:5 (NKJV), the apostle Paul writes, “For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake.”
Simply put, as I understand it, the Word of the Lord, was confirmed with signs following. In Mark 16:1-20,which includes the events surrounding the resurrection of Jesus and His subsequent appearance to Mary Magdalene; His appearance to two discouraged followers on the road to Emmaus; and then His appearance to His eleven disciples. Jesus said to the eleven, “…Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned ( see John 3:16-21). And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly; it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” Does this mean we can recklessly do things that profane the Word of God ministering in His name to other people? Absolutely not! But why would the Lord give such an instruction if He did not intend it to be true? Mark 16:19 (NKJV) continues, “So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God (see Acts 7:54-56; Hebrews 1:3, 12:1-2; 1 Peter 3:22).”
How did the disciples respond? Mark 16:20 (NKJV) says, “And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.” This means that the signs the Lord said would take place did, in fact, happen. The Word was confirmed with signs following.
We need to focus on what transpired between the time Jesus spoke to them as recorded in verses Mark 16:15-18 and what happened in verse Mark 16:20. Verse 19 says, (NKJV) “…He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.” Jesus ascended into heaven. Why is this important? It is important because of the events and the instructions that Jesus gave to His followers before He ascended.
When was that? During the forty days between the day of His resurrection and the day of His ascension.
The gospel of Luke gives us the insight we need. Turning to Luke 24:36-53 (NKJV), Luke has recorded what transpired after Jesus revealed Himself to the two followers on the road to Emmaus, left them, and is now standing the in midst of His disciples . Here is what took place.
“Now as they (the two followers Jesus had spoken with on the Emmaus road) (insert mine) said these things, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them (disciples), and said to them, “Peace to you”. But they were terrified and frightened and supposed they had seen a spirit. And He said to them, “Why are are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts? Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.” When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. But while they still do not believe for joy and marveled, He said to them, “Have you any food here?” So they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb. And He took it and ate it in their presence. Then He said unto them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.” And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.” Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations beginning at Jerusalem. Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you, but tarry in the City of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.” (emphasis mine) And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven. And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. Amen.”
I know that is a lot to consider, but it sets the context of what took place the forty days between Christ and His disciples from the time of His resurrection to His ascension.
We now turn to the Book of Acts, specifically Acts 1:1-2:47. This is the continuation of Luke’s gospel record of what took place in the lives of Christ’s disciples.
The disciples did not just take the instruction recorded in Mark 16 (Matthew 28:18-20; Luke 24:44-53;) go out on their own and do what Jesus had told them to do. Jesus had given them additional instructions. Those additional instructions are recorded in Acts 1; experienced in Acts 2; obeyed in Acts 3.
Between the commissioning of the disciples and their compliance to obey, they were told to wait. Wait for what? That is what is recorded in Acts 1,2.
Acts 1:4-8, (NKJV), Luke records, “And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to WAIT (emphasis mine) for the Promise of the Father, which, He said, “you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now”. Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom of Israel?” And He said to them, “it is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. 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, to the end of the earth.” After these words, He ascended into heaven.
Now what? They needed to WAIT. How long? Until the fulfillment of the Promise of the Father: the coming of the Holy Spirit. In order to fulfill their commissioning, they needed to be empowered by the Third Person of the Trinity, Holy Spirit. This is the fulfillment of what Jesus told in the upper room (John 13-16) the night He was betrayed. He had to grow away. It was to their advantage that He depart because the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, would come and be with them.
They WAITED; on the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came, “And they are filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” (Acts 2:4 NKJV) The Church begins, Peter preaches to the crowd assembled; the summary of Peter’s words are found in Acts 2:36 (NKJV), “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” (The message has not changed.) (insert mine). Acts 2: 37 (NKJV) continues, “Now when they (the crowd) heard this, they (the crowd) were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” The Word of God had pierced their hearts and they cried out, now what?
Acts 2:38 (NKJV), Peter responds without hesitation, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”
Repent and be forgiven of your sins; be water baptized, identify with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection; be filled with the Holy Spirit that empowers your new life in Christ. [A,B,C = Atonement (justification), Water Baptism (Identification), Comforter (Holy Spirit’s Enabling Power)] (insert mine).]
What is the outcome of the coming of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost?
It is the Promise of the Father just as Jesus had explained to them. It is the coming of the Comforter, just as Jesus had explained to them in the upper room and just as Jesus has explained to them again prior to His ascension. The Holy Spirit is the Power that will enable the disciples who were commissioned with a message, to proclaim that message as Christ’s Apostles with signs following. It is the Presence of the Third Person of the Trinity directing the growth and the mission of the Church here on earth. The Holy Spirit is the C.E.O. of the Church. He is the Chief Executive Officer. (See the blogs, The Lord’s C.E.O. and The Holy Spirit, Agent of Change, go to livingwordsofencouragement.com)
Looking back into the Old Testament, we need to reflect upon the Word of the Lord given to Zerubbabel. In Zechariah 4:6 (NKJV), it says, “…This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, Says the Lord of hosts.” This word is true today. Why? Because God doesn’t change.
Zerubbabel had the responsibility to oversee the rebuilding of the Temple of God in Jerusalem after the exiles returned from Babylon to Judah. The Lord told him that it was not going to be done in the strength and ingenuity of man but by His Spirit. The same is true today. Jesus is building His Church, and He is using the Holy Spirit and the Word of God to accomplish it.
Acts 2:40-46 (NKJV), records for us the beginning of the building of the Church with the coming of Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost.
“And with many other words he (Peter) (insert mine) testified and exhorted them (crowd), saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them (the Church). And they (new believers) continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine (teaching), and fellowship, in the breaking of bread (most likely the observance of communion as taught by the Lord in the upper room, along with a meal)( inserts mine), and in prayers. So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness of heart, praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.”
Here we are shown the beginning of the Church, the community of believers, the basic ‘organizational’ commitment that functioned as a living organism, centered in Christ, directed and empowered by the Holy Spirit, living in simplicity and truth, resulting in a lifestyle of “praising God and having favor with all the people”. (Acts 2:47a, NKJV).
Last December, I posted a blog entitled, THE LORD’S C.E.O. . It was a follow up to a series of blogs entitled, GOVERNMENTAL CONTROL, WHO IS IN CHARGE? ( a series of 5 blogs). I find myself again, pressed to make the point that the Holy Spirit of God, the Third Person of the Trinity, is the Lord’s Chief Executive Officer (C.E.O.) of the Church. The Lord is the Head of the Church (Ephesians 1:22) and the Holy Spirit, the promise of God the Father, is the One who is guiding, directing, encouraging, and empowering the Church in the earth.
As I entitled this blog, it says in Malachi 3;6 (NKJV) , “For I am the Lord, I do not change.”. (emphasis mine)
The prophet Malachi is expressing God’s heart for His people, reminding them of His covenantal love for them, and confronting them with their lifestyle as God’s people that has offended and angered Him greatly. In short, God’s people are fortunate that He doesn’t change otherwise they would have fallen into the hands of an angry God (Hebrews 10:31)
Questions: Does the Church, today, please God? Is it functioning according to the government of man, or is it governed by the Holy Spirit? Is the Word of God being faithfully preached, or is it being interpreted to fit the societal culture of our day? Are God’s people giving their best offerings, or are they ‘robbing God’ (Malachi 3:8) giving Him the left overs? Are God’s people pressing into God in prayer for the needs of others, or are they praying, pursuing their own agenda? Is the Church centered in Christ, or is it centered in the political turmoil of this nation?
In short, Where is the focus of the Church? is the Church being the Body of Christ to a lost world or is it missing its purpose as Israel missed its purpose as the people of God?
God’s message to Israel, through Malachi, began with a covenantal reminder of God’s love for them and that He had not changed.
Malachi 3:6,7 (NKJV) continues, “…Therefore you not consumed, O sons of Jacob. Yet from the days of your fathers You have gone away from My ordinances and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,” Says the Lord of hosts. but you said, In what way shall we return? (emphasis mine)
God says, I love you, but I have something against you. Does that sound familiar? What did Jesus say to the seven churches addressed in the Revelation? (Revelation 1-3)
If the Lord wrote a letter to His Church today what do you think He would say?
It is not my responsibility to answer that question; but I do believe that the Lord is going to bring correction to His Church.
Correction is the change that the Lord is going to bring. It will come in a shaking.
Hebrews 12: 25-29 (NKJV), “See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, “yet once more,” indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire.”
Is your heart ready to accept the Word of the Lord that will bring change?
How hard was it for Jewish Christians to let go of the old, and embrace the new found in Christ?
How did Paul admonish the Galatian Church?
Galatians 3:1-5 (NKJV), “O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified? This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the words of the law, or by the hearing of faith ?(emphasis mine) Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh? Have you suffered so many things in vain–if indeed it was vain? Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?” (emphasis mine)
How’s your hearing of faith?
blessings, a brother in Christ, deo
TBC
Living Words of Encouragement 