June 7, 2015
Scripture:
Scripture:
Let’s turn to Mark 7. In this chapter, the Lord has just accomplished a miracle. Read vv.36 & 37. He made the man to hear and speak. He does all things well. The Lord is the One who spoke and everything was made and it was very good. But what is amazing is that when His creature fell, no words could bring redemption. So He came to creatures that could speak and hear but were deaf and dumb to Him. Jesus went to the cross so He could bring us back to Him. This should mean a lot to us, and surely we have a song of grateful praise.
Lord’s Day June 7, 2015
Hymn 130 - To God be the glory
Prayer
We’ve been talking about the blessings that we receive when we take Christ as our Saviour. These are our “Christian Blessings”. Number six of these is Sanctification.
To be sanctified is to be set apart for a holy purpose, God’s holy purpose. In the Old Testament, it is used to describe items that were used in the temple.
Exodus 30:28 & 29
Hebrews 10:10-14
Here, in Exodus, it is talking about the tabernacle. This altar, which was for burnt offerings, had vessels or items that went with it. This would be out in the court of the tabernacle. The priests were to sanctify these items, to make them holy. They were set apart.
Imagine you were a priest, and it was lunch time at the temple; you have your brown bag, take out your sandwich, and look around for a plate. Suppose you use one of the golden plates. That plate was sanctified, and it would be a very serious sin, called profanity, if you used it. God would not be pleased.
When we get saved, we are sanctified. We are set apart for a holy use.
We are sanctified for Jesus. We are sanctified through His death on Calvary once for all. The sacrifices of the law could not take away sin, but through one sacrifice we are sanctified and made perfect. You’ve heard the expression “Nobody’s perfect.” But God can see us as perfect because of what Jesus did for us.
Now, God sees us as sanctified; but are we acting as sanctified people? Are we living up to what God has made us? This is very important.
Ephesians 5:25 & 26
The Word of God is like a bowl filled with water, in which I can put my hands and clean them. This is a picture of when we have read the Bible. It cleanses our minds, it prepares us for the day, and it shows us how to live for Christ.
So sanctification is one of our “Christian Blessings”, but its also something we need to do and work on.
Ephesians 1:15-23
Last week we saw that we have the Spirit of God. A person of the Trinity dwells within us, and that’s not something we should take lightly. We were built—pre-wired—to have this happen; we are more than just an extension of the lower creation. This didn’t evolve. It’s an extension of being made in God’s image. Since we are made in God’s image, we are to be God-like. It takes God to be God-like, though, and it’s through the indwelling of His Spirit we are connected with God. We are now able to talk to Him, and He to reveal things to us. This is supernatural and Divine, and only possible through the new birth and salvation.
At “the redemption of the purchased possession,” we will get a new body. No more need for medicare! That thought is a small foretaste of home, before we get the reality of it.
Starting from verse 15, we get the first of Paul’s two Ephesian prayers. At the end of this prayer we get an explanation of the greatest display of God’s almighty power. You might think that would be creation, but God’s power was never resisted there, and is spoken of rather nonchalantly. His power was resisted at the resurrection, though, and that is the greatest display of it. The “principalities, powers, mights, and dominions” that Christ was placed over sometimes refer to good powers, but most often refer to bad ones. There was a fight over Jesus’ grave that we know almost nothing about. It was Satan’s last hope. He had the Lord on the cross and then in the grave, but he couldn’t keep Him there. Death was the extent of his power; he can’t do worse.
The Ephesian believers were displaying good behaviour when Paul wrote this letter: they had faith in the Lord, and love toward the saints. The Lord was the Object of their faith, and the saints were the object of their love. Their love for the saints was a result of their faith in the Lord. May He give this love to us, and may nothing ever change it! It should characterize us: we should love one another, and may it be as He loves us. When we are occupied with Him, we love what He loves; and He loves the saints.
1 John 1:3. Fellowship is sharing common thoughts, and we have fellowship with God. 1 John 5:2. We show our love for God when we love His children. One way that’s shown is by praying for them, as Paul does here.
Read Ephesians 3:14, 1:17. There are three visible ways that God has revealed Himself to us: creation, His word, and the Lord Jesus Christ. The natural man doesn’t understand or receive these things: they’re foolishness to him. They are only revealed through the spirit, and God has shared His Spirit with us. He is willing to give us the “spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.” What others write off and think is nonsense is really truth. Atheists claim to believe science, but it needs constant correction. On the other hand, we have an ancient document that is more current then tomorrow’s news, and needs no correction. Those that claim to be wise are really fools!
What is true? Many feel that we need to be able to experimentally validate something with our senses before claiming it to be true. However, Paul said, “The God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints.” God can reveal to us what is true, without validation from our senses. This chapter is so full of things that are applicable to what we are afflicted with in the world today!
Hymn 92 — Have you any room for Jesus?
Prayer