Identification

Identifying with the Humanity of Jesus

Oct 11-12

2Cor 8:9;
Heb 10:5-7

1Pet 2:24

He Was There For Me

The most common description of friendship in these times: He was there for me! What more can be said of a friend than, Were brothers! He's from the Hood! We go way back! In a word...Identification This is a feeling that is so hard to put in words. This is lifestyle Christianity. We take it out of the books, forget the sermons, bible studies, and all that is in the head. Instead this lesson deals with where we live! In out heart. It concerns it self with he bile that comes up at times of danger, real or imagined! How do we really respond when the heat is on. Do we run away from the truth? Do we lock up and loose all words? Do we sink into the arms of the Lord and let him defend us? What really happens in the nitty gritty times? These questions arise as we transform ourselves from the level of superficial Sunday go to church Christians into Deeply felt reflex level believers!

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2Cor 8:9

9 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.

The heart of a giver is that giving where one gives from the riches of his own personal treasury. This word Grace, meaning so often "church-skewed" and given a definition or no definition at all. The usual one way out of context with it's use anywhere else in the world. This verse accurately illustrates it's misuse! One of the definitions given by Merriam Webster is that certain feeling one gets when a very rich person gives a large sum of money to someone who could never repay. That overwhelming feeling one gets who receives such gift we call Grace! The humble act of giving where the giver makes no pretense or show at the time of giving also is called Grace Both the giver and the recipient experience Grace!

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Heb 10:5-7

5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he said, Sacrifice and offering thou would not, but a body hast thou prepared me:

6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.

7 ¶ Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.

I will do thy will! How many have claimed the Promise ... All things will work out to the Good. 1.Qualification Love God 2.Called according to your purpose (in a word God's Will!) This is quite a nice promise, but the qualifications call for "Doing God's Will

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1Pet 2:24

24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes you were healed.

Time to get out the "exacto knife" and do some cutting. This is a verse that has been "spiritualized" more than most others. At the point of this verse does much of Christianity began to divide. The road to "Radical and Fringe goes one way and the path to nominal Christianity turns the other. In the Late forties and the early fifties of the last century a group of about fifty ministers and evangelists formed a group of loosely knit affiliates who decided to believe that this scripture did apply to today. Most of those have passed from this world by 2008 but the various works and institutions that they founded has formed the backbone of the "Charismatic Renewal" as it is called. They along with some groups formed after the "Azisua Street Revival" beginning in Los Angeles around 1904 and continuing approximately seven years have spread the basic tenant of their thoughts and faith around the world. There has been no movement since the reformation that has had as much of a broad impact on the face of Christianity. Currently the groups that propose "hetero-glosia" as a central tenant of their faith constitute approximately one third of all peoples who claim Christianity as their faith. Second on their list of basic precepts it the belief that "Who his own self in his own body " is actually a present reality for today. Many of the more extreme believers claim that He is the same Yesterday Today and Forever I can not question the veracity of the verse, but do think that the context of the other verses lead one to think the writer of Hebrews was not expecting the reader to "Force God to respond to their requests and demands" simply because He did so in another time and place. Another scripture leads one to believe that all things are possible to him who believes, Once again it is a specific time place circumstance (rhema) word of faith as compared to a (logos) any time, any where, any body, word of faith. It is on this distinction that many who think that they are "Believing" the Bible or the "Believing in" theLord get deceived. Each person has to get the faith understanding for the specific time place and situation for himself. Sadly pastors and other Christian leaders can not really see into a persons heart. So it is hard to find out what the person is actually believing. It is on the miss diagnosed understanding that many have "failed to be Healed." The pastor may have actually believed the person would be healed. The person however must also carry his half of the 'Mercy Seat" in order to actually see the manifest presence of God's healing! In other words both of the two persons praying must believe the same thing and base the belief on a written scripture in order for the "miracle" of answered prayer to take place. It is possible for a person to pray and believe the prayer for healing but he must also deal with the physical discomfort caused by the affliction or disease. iGenerally it is harder for a person to see the 'Miracle of Answered Prayer" when praying for himself. Also it is easier for a person who is not experiencing the hurt to "unselfishly" The best motive for any prayer is to give the glory to God! This is another thought that is "Churchified" and thereby given a meaning not extant in normal conversation within the culture at large.

On the thought of identification with Christ we need to come back together. We must not be separated by specific understandings of this scripture or that scripture. No one is big enough to know and understand every scripture in the Bible. We all must simply start where we are. If one finds himself in a group that believe the verse one way, he should accept that understanding then put the shoulder to the plow and do the work of the vision of the pastor in their fellowship. Even if he has experienced understanding or faith in a precept that the pastor does not accept he must have patience with the pastor. To cause distress for others is only to plant the seeds of the sin of Sedition and in time will cause many to stumble. A more effective path of action is to privately share the faith and understanding with he pastor. If this is a new concept to him the pastor will listen and try to understand. He realizes that he does not know everything either. On the other hand he may suggest another pastor and fellowship who understands this verse the way you understand it and ask you to seek for specific guidance from the Lord. In the mean time continue to participate in the life of the fellowship and learn all possible from the pastor as he has studied much of the scripture and has understandings that you will benefit by learning.
By way of example Beverly Lewis describes the subject as it played out in the mid fifties. the Amish began to understand salvation in a new way. some of these wrestled with his new experience of "Knowing God!" Some gravitated to the Mennonite fellowship who shared a slightly less severe understanding of come out from among them than the Amish. As Revival began to break out among these people, there existed great stress and a challenge of beliefs. It is a delicate thing to expand the tenants of a group of believers. I personally ting that this is a job not for the lay person, the pastor or the governing board. Instead Scripture indicates that the church is founded on the apostles and prophets. (missionaries with preachers witnessing the new doctrine.) More harm is doesn't to believers and to the fellowship by those who stubbornly cling to the "truth" but at the same time divide the body. Christ, the true apostle has a way of identifying a portion of scripture that he wants to emphasize at a given time. He generally "broadcasts" the truth to many across the broad spectrum of the body of Christ. The last couple of years He has been emphasizing the Blessed life! This is not a new concept. It is however a portion of scripture that has been overlooked. Church leaders across the country have begun to emphasis this concept spontaneously and independently; each from his own paradigm of thought. If these had resisted the message undoubtedly a new denomination would have sprung up led by a man who thought this message was paramount. He over time would have spawned new churches and given time a denomination of Blessed life-ers would have begun to populate the landscape! This has been the pattern through out the generations. Look at the second baptism cloud! They believed that one should believe before baptism, They originally were called the Ana-Baptists or another baptism Group. They were fueled by persecution of both the Catholic Church (as well as other "Liturgical" groups) and the Governments that were offended by their "Faith and Understanding of Scripture!" The Government objected to the lack of tax revenue as the government had co-opted the church baptismal rolls to count the heads for purposes of taxation. The challenge then was who owned and therefore should the children , the parents, the church, or the state! Some how we still feel the cut of this challenge!

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I call you Friend

You did it to me

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You did it to me     Mathew 25:42-45

42 For I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:

43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.

44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?

45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

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I call you Friend
John 15:15

John 15:15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant know not what his lord does: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
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What is a reflex level Christian?

Introduce... I have never heard of that

Recognize... Let's see I think that I have seen that before

Remember...Short term memory "I remember that the other day"

Remember...Long term Memory "Oh yes, I know that"

Memorize ...Reflex the information sinks into the subconscious where: memory takes place with out conscious thinking

We are hoping to move this thought "Jesus Saves" from the head down eight inches to the Heart! Only when our normal thoughts drift over to the friendship we have with Jesus do we begin to experience this Salvation!

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Transform
Romans 12:1-2

1 ¶ I beg you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Paul thinks that it is reasonable to present your own body to the Lord and that in the process of presenting you are transformed. He finds three levels of entering into God's will. One that is Good one that is one that is acceptable and finally one that is perfect or complete

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Mutual
Matthew 22:12

Matthew 22:12 And he said unto him, Friend, how did you came in here not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.

Jesus by his words establishes a definition for fellowship. This definition implies that each party needs to contribute. In the case of the man in the parable the contribution was merely to make himself ready.The spiritual counterpart is: to put on "godliness." Dressing appropriately is an entry requirement for the Spiritual Feast. The essence of the parable is that the actions of a believer do matter. The implication of the story is that each party needs to contribute something of value and of cost.

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Identification
John 17:21

21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

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The Monkey Is On his Back

Isaiah 53:3-11
If He took it on his back then ... Is it just for two to pay the price for the same sin?

Isaiah 53:3-11

3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

4 ¶ Surely he hath borne our grief, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth.

8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.

9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.

10 ¶ Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.

11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

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Heb 13:8

Heb 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
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All Things

Matthew 19:26 But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

Matthew 21:22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

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Unselfishly
James 4:3

James 4:3 You ask, and receive not, because you ask a miss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
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Come out from among them

2Co 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, said the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

Re 18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
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Apostles and Prophets
Ephesians 2:20

And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;

This delicate dev elopement of a new understanding like Luther's introduction that the "just should live by faith" not by works to the Roman Catholic Church slowly moves the entire body of Christ into a new and fuller understanding of the Truth of Scriptures. The revelation is already in the scripture but simply not understood by the body of Christ at the time.

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Blessed Life

Deuteronomy 28:1-15

1 ¶ And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:

2 And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God.
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Children

Psalms 127:3 Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.

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All things work out to the Good --- Promise
Romans 8:28

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
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A New and Living Covenant --- Sacrifice For Sin

Hebrews 10:16

16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;

17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.

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The only way the exchange could be made was for Jesus to come into the earth in PERSON, The letter To the Hebrew Christians blasts any argument against the truth Jesus came in the Flesh and by same identified with Us!

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