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BACKGROUND
CALL
CALLING
MINISTER
MINISTRY
The
full background to this teaching is available online at this link
For serious students only
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Online links to scriptures (New International Version [NIV] unless otherwise stated) are shown in blue
| THE CALL OF US ALL |
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 Today we look at 'The Power of the Call' from the perspective of the people.
Since the Industrial Revolution of the 1800's we have promoted the division of labour, splitting jobs into specialised parts so that a task may be achieved in the most efficient way in the shortest time possible.
The classic example of this methodology has been the car production line in which thousands of parts come together in an intricately preplanned manner to produce an almost living organism that is the pride of many a man's heart.
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 Unfortunately, this specialisation mindset applies to 'religion' too, although in the spiritual world, no matter the religion, the assignment of 'spiritual functions' to a specialist priest, of whatever name, has been the norm from almost the beginning of time.
Why is this?
It is because of sin!
Before Adam and Eve sinned, they walked with God
Genesis 3:8
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 They had an intimate, personal relationship with God as we (hopefully!) have with our spouse.
But sin and purity cannot co-exist. When our forefathers sinned, they were banished from the Garden of Eden, from the direct presence of God.
Genesis 3:23
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 The story of all religions worldwide since, has been to, in whatever way, to attempt to come back into relationship with the 'supreme being', in whatever form or name is given to him, her or it. As mankind was separated from God through the sin of Adam and Eve, 'reconciliation' has almost always been attempted through an intermediary, a priest, who 'communicates' with God on people's behalf. Many religions have been born as people have attempted to make this reconciliation.
God too, related with His chosen people, The Jews, in this way, through firstly, the priesthood of Melchizedek and then the Aaronic priesthood. However, people being people, Jew and gentile alike, meant that sin continued to get in the way!
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 Yet God always desired for people to walk in a close, intimate, personal relationship with Him, as had Adam and Eve prior to the fall.
There was only one way of achieving this however. People had to become sinless. But how?
Jesus WAS the answer. Jesus IS the answer. Jesus always WILL BE the answer.
Hebrews 13:8
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 Through the sacrifice of the perfect man on the cross at Calvary. Hallelujah!
2 Corinthians 5:19
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 God required a perfect sinless sacrifice in order that individuals who accepted its reality might come back into a personal, intimate relationship with Him.
People say, "surely there are many ways back to God?" While there have been numbers of 'good men' who have tried to make this reconciliation, there has not been a 'perfect sacrifice', other than Jesus. That is why Jesus made the controversial, and often rejected statement today,
John 14:6
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This foundational truth is at the heart of 'The Power of the Call', in relation to the people.
There is only one way to God, and that is through Jesus.
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 When Jesus came, He turned the world upside down. Not in the way that the people of the day, or most of us today expected, as a physical takeover of the world, but rather, in the reopening of a direct spiritual path to for you and me to the Almighty, to God the Father. As mentioned earlier, a relationship last experienced by Adam and Eve, before the fall.
Jesus brought a spiritual revolution, not a physical one. So what was this revolution? The formation of a spiritual kingdom, the kingdom of God.
John 18:36
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 Pilate could not understand it. The Jews could not understand it. We do not really understand it either!
The Temple in which the presence of God lived is gone! Physically today it is actually the site of a Muslim Mosque! No it has not been replaced by the Vatican, Canterbury Cathedral, the Crystal Cathedral, or the local church down the road. We, you and I, are God's building!
1 Corinthians 3:9
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 You are the temple of God. I am the temple of God. We are all the temple of God!
Before Jesus, only the priests could enter the sanctuary and only the High Priest could come into God's presence once a year. But the sacrifice of Jesus changed all that. The veil which separated God from man was supernaturally split so that we might again have direct access to the Father. Now we are all priests!
Revelation 1:5b-6a
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 This was such a huge revolution that it reverberated in the physical as well as the spiritual.
Matthew 27:50-51
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 It was the most momentous but least understood moment in human history! God is in us! We have direct access to God! We are now all priests in the kingdom of God! Hallelujah!
We must believe it! We must live it!
Hebrews 10:19-22
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 The revolution has come! You are a priest! I am a priest! Not by appointment by man! Not by wearing a robe or a ring! Not by the preaching of a sermon! But by the appointment of Jesus through his sacrifice on the cross at Calvary!
Revelation 1:5b-6a
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'The Power of the Call' is upon each one of us!
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| <i>NEXT WEEK:</i> THE POWER OF THE CALL continues..... |
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 .....as we look at both the blessings and obligations of our call.
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| A NOTE FROM DAVID |
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 The full understanding, acceptance and application of our call would revolutionise the church!
For we, the people, truly are the church! Not just the leadership! But all of us need to be involved in transforming the 'kingdom within' to the 'kingdom without'!
We all need to witness the kingdom through our lifestyle as well as our words. To be the light of Jesus to the world.
BIBLE ARCHAEOLOGY
The Coins of Jesus' Time
Coin of Augustus, 27BC-AD14, AR Cistophorus (12.20g). IMP CAESAR, his head rt/Six grain ears tied together, AVGV-STVS across field, RIC478 (R). Ephesus mint.
This coin would have been in circulation when the 12 year old Jesus visited the Temple for his taking of vows.
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So until next week.......
MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND YOU BLESS GOD!
His servant and yours
Learn more about us at...
www.wwj.org.nz/about.php
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A DAVID'S DOODLING
1203. Ministry, put simply, is being Jesus to others.
David Tait
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Check
out the WWJ website for….
More David's Doodlings: www.wwj.org.nz/dd.php
Marriage and Family Facts: http://www.wwj.org.nz/maffacts.php
Just jokes: http://www.wwj.org.nz/jokes.php
Waxing Lyrical: http://www.wwj.org.nz/waxing.php
If Only I'd Thought of it: http://www.wwj.org.nz/thought.php
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The 'temple of God' is now within every believer.