Welcome to NECF sermons. Each message here is
designed to uplift and strengthen you in your
walk with God. Don't miss out. Stay with us until
the end for a rewarding experience. Let's dive
right in. Now let's turn to our text for the
year John 14 verse 12 Continue our teaching on
faith for greater works understanding the faith
for greater works John 14 verse 12 to 14 My prayer
is that as we continue in these teachings that
our faith is stirred up That we will be able
to see what God has done in us and from the perspective
that we have of what God has done we will rise
up and do the things that God is calling us to
do. The salvation we've received come alongside
with work and the work is a work of ministry.
and I trust that God will stir us up to do this
work daily as we live. John chapter 14 verse
12 it says most assuredly I say to you that he
who believes in me the works that I do he will
do also and greater works than this he will do
because I go to my father and whatever you ask
in my name that I will do that the father may
be glorified in the son. If you ask anything
in my name, I will do it. Hallelujah. So from
this, we are able to establish what this greater
works is. We say that this works has to do with
what Jesus himself have done. When he was on
earth, the Bible will say in Acts that Jesus
began to do and he began to teach. and we established
that the things that Jesus began to do or the
things that Jesus began to teach are those things
that were written about him in the scriptures.
When Jesus came into the world, he came to fulfill
those things that were written about him on earth.
And when he was on earth for over three and a
half years before he died, you know, in his ministry,
all that he was doing was teaching men, teaching
the disciples, calling their attention to the
things that the scriptures have said concerning
him, calling their attention to his mission,
his purpose on earth. And then we see him accomplishing
the purpose. And the accomplishment of the purpose
is his death. In his death, he died because of
sin, not because of his own sin, he died because
of our sins. And then by the power of the Holy
Spirit, we sang and we danced about an empty
grave. The Holy Spirit was able to bring him
back to life and not only that he ascended to
the Father and from there we have the indwelling
of the Spirit in us. So the gifts that we receive
or what we call the promise is actually that
which we will receive by the Spirit of God. And
without the death, without the resurrection,
without the ascension, without Jesus going to
the Father we wouldn't have received the promise.
But then we see Jesus bringing us into the family,
bringing us into the realities of the things
that were promised long time. And we see that
today the believer is seated together with God
in Christ Jesus. Hallelujah. And we have the
promise of the Spirit of God in us. So what He
is calling us to do, as I will always remind
us, God is not calling us to do something that
we don't have the ability to do. He's not calling
us to do something that he himself have not done
He will not call us to do something that we have
not been equipped to do It is in God's character
that whenever he gives an instruction He enables
a man to do that which God has instructed so
as a believer This is speaking about you because
this promise or these statements that Jesus will
say that He who believes in me, the works that
I do will do also is speaking about the church
and you and I are part of the church of God.
Hallelujah. The church simply means his family.
The church simply means the family of God. And
the church on earth has a responsibility and
the responsibility is to ensure that the family
of God expands. And the way by which we We expand
the family of God is through the instrumentality
of preaching We tell the world what Christ has
done And what has Christ done Christ God in Christ
has forgiven sins God in Christ has forgiven
sins So we call people to partake into this life
and when they receive this truth, they believe
in this truth They are able to receive the gift
of the Spirit of God that gives them an identity
The seal that makes them part of this family
is the Holy Spirit Hallelujah and that Holy Spirit
is the one that guarantees That we are kept to
the very end that Spirit of God that is in us
He is a one that walks in us to be able to even
preach the gospel It is the same spirit that
empower us because when the Spirit of God is
given unto us He came into us with abilities
Hallelujah in Acts up to one verse eight He said
you shall receive power when the Spirit of God
has come upon you And what will you do? You'll
be witnesses for me The essence is that we are
empowered by the indwelling of the Spirit of
God We're empowered by the capacity of God that
he has put in us in order to be his representative
on earth in order to bring others into this family
and when he came into us he came into us with
gifts in Acts chapter 12 Romans chapter 12 we
speak about the gifts of the spirit the abilities
of the spirit in the believer and this empowerment
is in every believer pastors have been teaching
us about variation of these gifts and how they
work and how they manifest how we can utilize
these gifts And the essence is that we will be
equipped with the knowledge of what God has done
in us. We will not only know that we have an
ability in us, but we will be able to learn how
to use the equipping of God in order to do the
work that He has called us to do. So God has
supplied us with the resources, the ability to
discern, the ability to heal the sick, the ability
to give a word by the power of the Spirit of
God, and all the things that has been taught.
Concerning the indwelling of the spirit in the
believer So our work as pastors and as teachers
of the world is to always reveal to you What
God has done in you? Is to help you understand
what God has done by the spirit of God as we
teach every day Our emphasis is that you will
see what God has done I mean the prayer will
always pray every week in this church, especially
in the Wednesday prayers is that the eyes of
our understanding will be enlightened, the eyes
of our understanding will be open to the reality
of what God has done for us. And when we know
the things that God has done, we don't just know
it for knowledge sake, but as we know what God
has done, we begin to walk in what God has done.
Hallelujah. So my desire is that our faith is
stirred up, that our eyes are open to what God
has done, that we are willing, because you see,
it takes your will, To do the work of God hallelujah
At most as it takes your will to believe the
gospel You became a believer the spirit of god
lives in you. It will also take your will to
do what to live in obedience To the to the leading
of the spirit of god within you Because when
you don't heal yourself the spirit of god does
not manipulate you into acting God is a respecter
of the will of man So even when you are his son
one of the one of the One of the proof of His
love is the fact that God respects the will of
man. So your will doesn't just disappear as salvation,
but your will, even as a believer, is still active.
And God still respects your will. But the desire
of God for you, the believer, is that you exercise
your will by yielding to the nudging, because
every man that is born again has the leading
of the Spirit of God within him. So as a spirit
of God leads you daily you respond to the leading
of the spirit of God and you do According to
that which the spirit of God is leading you to
do So disobedience will be that you are not yielding
to the leading of the spirit As we teach the
word the word of God is a spirit of God as the
spirit of God is communicated to you via the
word It's called is showing to you what you should
do And when you're not doing what is taught,
it simply means that you're living in disobedience
to the word of God. Hallelujah. So as obedient
children of God, we should respond to the word
of God. Hallelujah. And we should know what our
role, our responsibility is. And we should rise
up as men that are responsible in this kingdom,
that we do that which God has called us to do.
because heaven or rather let me say the kingdom
of God is Depending on us to go out to speak
about the good news to go out to preach the good
news to go out and to bring men into the family
of God The desire of God is to fill the earth
with his knowledge the desire for god is to have
the family of men the desire of god is to have
men come to the knowledge you see it is not the
will of god for men to die it is not the will
of god for men to be to be separated from him
eternally that is never in fact hell was not
created for men hallelujah so we are the ones
that god by virtue of mercy and grace by virtue
of of love that he has committed to us this ministry
of reconciling men and what we do is that we
tell them that which God has done there is no
longer hostility there's no longer judgment there's
no longer condemnation there's no longer wrath
because God in Christ has dealt with the issue
of sin that is our duty it is not given on to
angels to do this but it's given on to men Just
to preach the gospel is given unto men to do
the work of ministry is given unto men To be
able to reconcile men to God is an honor that
you've been given This is the greatest honor
that you have been given as a man to be a partaker
of the work of God It's a privilege. It is not
it is not you know for some special set of people
alone the pastors the leaders in the church oh
is this brother and this sister you know she's
more spiritual than I he's more spiritual no
no no no every man that have received the gospel
is qualified to preach the gospel hallelujah
if you've received the gospel the qualification
is that you've received the gospel and when you
receive the gospel you've received the message
of faith that you can preach and a man can be
born again So you must see yourself in the light
that God sees you You must see yourself in the
context by which God is looking at you as a man
as a woman that he has equipped With a message
not only you are safe But you are equipped with
every resources within you to be able to preach
and to bring men to the knowledge of his will
hallelujah So we read a text in Mark Mark chapter
11 Similarly when Jesus Christ was teaching the
issue of faith in Mark chapter 11 verse 12 to
14 Let's go back and there was an a matter we
started discussing on Wednesday says now the
next day when they had they had come out from
Bethany he was hungry and Seeing from afar a
fig tree having leaves He went to see if perhaps
he will find something on it when he came to
it. He found nothing but leaves for it was not
the season for figs in response jesus said to
it let no one eat from you ever again and his
disciples heard what he said verse 20 in response
jesus now okay now in the morning as they passed
by they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots
and peter remembrance said to him rabbi look
the fig tree which he cursed has withered away
So Jesus answered and said to them have faith
in God For assuredly I said to you whoever says
to this mountain be removed and be cast into
the sea and does not doubt in his heart But believes
that those things he says will be done. He will
have whatever he says Therefore I said to you
whatever things you ask when you pray believe
that you will receive them and you Will have
them hallelujah, and then we saw in verse 24
that God in Jesus Christ here introduced a Similar
idea as in John chapter 13 chapter 14 verse 14
about prayer About asking God about you know
making requests before God says therefore i said
to you whatever things you ask when you pray
believe that you receive them which means that
faith is necessary for receiving from god hallelujah
faith is necessary okay for receiving from god
james will tell us see if you if you ask and
then you are doubting don't expect that you receive
anything from god in fact in a practical sense
If I ask for say Emmanuel for something and I
don't believe that he has the ability to give
me or I I'm just asking for asking sake You know,
I don't trust his ability to give me what I asked
for Then even if he's he's bringing it I'll be
doubting whether you know, he's giving me even
if he's giving an envelope I'll be doubting whether
he's giving me what I'm requesting of because
I don't see him as having the ability Hallelujah.
So for us who are in Christ, okay For us who
have the faith of God for us who have been quickened
by the Spirit of God we have the ability to acts
of God and We acts in faith. Hallelujah So John
also teaches in the in his epistles we saw a
lot on what we read in Mark in first John chapter
5 verse 13 and 14 about us having a confidence
right we have this confidence that when we ask
you know says these things I've written to you
who believe that this is written to believers
to Christians in the name of the Son of God that
you may know that you have eternal life and that
you may continue to believe so believing does
not just stop our salvation all right so we continuously
believe The Christian life is a life lived by
faith. It's a life that exists primarily by faith.
Hallelujah. So that you continue to believe in
the name of the Son of God. The name of the Son
of God has to do with all that He has accomplished.
Now this is the confidence that we have in Him
because we believe, because we are in Him. So
we have this confidence in His character. that
if we ask anything according to his will is that
he answers us he's able to hear us and if we
know that he hears us whatever we ask we know
that he will have the petition that we ask of
him so because we are in him because of Jesus
because of what he has done for us we understand
the faithfulness of God and we are able to receive
what we ask of him But in Mark 11 25 we saw that
it seems to be a little bit like a contradiction
to this Mark 11 25 26 We will see that Jesus
seems to be suggesting that Apart from believing
or apart from faith, you know, we need to do
something as well Verse 25 and 26 says and whatever.
Okay, let's read in context. Let's read from
verse 20 to 26 now in the morning as they passed
by they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots
and peter remembering said to him rabbi look
the fig tree which you curse has withered away
so jesus answered and said to them have faith
in god but for okay for surely i said to you
whatsoever Whosoever other says to this mountain
be removed and be cast into the sea and does
not doubt in his heart But believes that those
things he says will be done. He will have whatever
he sees Therefore I say to you whatever things
you ask when you pray believe that you receive
them and you will have them in 25 see something
carefully verse 25 and whenever you stand to
pray if you have anything against anyone Forgive
him and your father heaven may also forgive your
trespasses now if you stop here it will seems
to communicate that whenever you have something
against your neighbor you forgive and in forgiving
that's when God will forgive you but if you do
not forgive neither look at this if you do not
forgive neither will your father in heaven forgive
your trespasses neither will your father in heaven
forgive Your trespasses so we can ask the question.
Okay, how do we receive forgiveness of God? How
do we receive the forgiveness of God? Is it by
faith that we receive the forgiveness of God
or is by an action we took that will receive
the forgiveness of God So the verse would seems
to suggest that forgiveness is conditional on
our forgiveness of others and we said the last
time that This text Jesus made this statement
under the law Now I want to make a clarity what
I want to do this moment is to make clarity concerning
this That Jesus made this statement under the
law. What do we mean by under the law? Now the
Bible teaches that Jesus was born under the law
Okay Galatians chapter 4 verse 3 to 5 will explain
to us about Jesus Galatians 4 verse 3 to 5 even
so we when we were children were in bondage under
the elements of the world but when the fullness
of time had come now children there is figurative
it's not literal it's not saying the children
are under bondage that's not what that text is
saying is figurative of been under the law under
the system of the law but when the fullness of
time had come what happened? God sent forth his
son born of a woman born when? born under the
law okay to redeem those who were under the law
that we may receive their adoption as sons because
some people have used this text to teach about
growth that first of all you know you begin from
being a baby then you grow into a son and they
try to explain it so wonderfully so we see that
Jesus Christ here was under the law was he was
born under the law he came under a system this
is the word system of the law all right and then
the statement he made in mark chapter 11 verse
25 26 was in the context of the law So Jesus
Christ will say that he did not come to abolish
the law in Matthew 35 verse 16 to 20 Give me
this text in the amplified When he came he did
not come to abolish the law, but the Bible will
say that he came to fulfill the law Matthew 5
16 to 20 in the amplified Let your light Shine
before men In such a way that they may see your
good deeds and Moral excellence and recognize
and honor and glorify your father who is in heaven.
Yes Do not think that I have come to do away
with or undo the law of Moses So you see contextually
here. All right, we have a definition for what
the law is right of Moses all the writings of
the prophets okay so the law okay will refer
to the writings of Moses Genesis down to the
five books and then the writings of the prophets
and the Psalms so Jesus Christ did not come to
do away with the law of Moses all the writings
of the prophets I did not come to destroy but
to do what fulfill but to fulfill was yes for
I show you that more solemnly say to you until
a heaven and earth pass away not the smallest
letter or stroke of pain will pass from the law
what is the law the law will mean the writings
of Moses okay the first books written by Moses
from the law until all things which things things
are written in the law of Moses right until all
things which is foreshadows that is there are
things that the law foreshadows there are things
that have been spoken of in the laws that needs
fulfillment that needs accomplishment fulfilling
simply means to be accomplished to be done so
whosoever breaks one of the least the importance
of these commandments and teaches others to do
the same Will be called least important in the
kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and
teaches them He will be called great in the kingdom
of heaven verse 20 for I said to you that unless
your righteousness Please I want you to maybe
underline this verse 20 because we're going to
explain what it means letter for I said to you
that unless your righteousness your uprightness
your moral essence is more than that of If you
have a red pen on the line more than that of
what does it mean to be more than that of the
scribes and the Pharisees exactly you will never
enter the kingdom of heaven if a bible student
you ask how do people enter the kingdom of heaven
who answer that in due course now the law and
the prophets listen to what i will say carefully
the law and the prophets contains things about
the christ Okay, it contains prophecies it contains
teachings it contains the things about the Christ
Jesus said that he has not come to do away with
them, but he has come to accomplish them So it
means that when we talk about the law Which our
person has been teaching us how we receive the
law how the law was received by the instrumentality
of angels by Moses, right? It contains things
about the Christ In the law in the writings of
Moses Contains the things About the Christ and
we'll see Jesus Christ who said these in his
address resurrection Matthew Luke 24 verse 25
When he had died and he's been brought back to
life by the power of the Holy Spirit See Luke
24 verse 25 to 27 Then he said to them all foolish
ones It's not an insult He's just diagnosing
their state of understanding. He says all foolish
ones and slow of heart To believe okay in all
that the prophets have spoken. So the prophets
have spoken in their writings Moses have spoken
in his writings and the essence of what they
wrote was meant to be believed upon Because they
were supposed to believe look at give me the
previous verse I'm slow of her to believe all
that the prophets have spoken Okay, ought not
the Christ that is this is what the prophets
have spoken to have suffered Because you see
they were they were murmuring about what has
happened if you read the context Some disciples
were on their way to Emmaus and are talking about
what has happened. You know, Jesus has just died.
They've crucified him. And some of our people
have come and they've told us that he has his
reason. But man, this is like to us like a dream.
How can they say somebody died and then he has
risen again? Maybe they saw a ghost. There is
a lot of rumour on Instagram and on Facebook
and on whatever blogs about what has happened.
And when Jesus appeared, he said, what are you
talking about? So are you a new person in this?
I don't know the letters that happen in town.
Are you new to town and Just say all you foolish
of hearts flow slow of hearts to believe that
means that they were meant to believe What was
written by the prophets? What was written by
what in the Psalms and in the law of Moses the
writings of Moses and this is it He says ought
not the Christ to have suffered these things
and to enter into his glory beginning at Moses
the Lord of Moses the writing of Moses and all
the prophets that means that Jesus Christ did
a Bible study he what he expounded he explained
to them he taught them he explained to them the
things right across all the scriptures things
concerning himself that means that he will look
through the law and then he expound to them.
Expound means interpret. You interpret those
things away foreshadowed in the law of Moses,
in the prophecies, in the Psalms, the things
that concerns him, the things that spoke about
what he will do when he comes into the world.
Hallelujah. So he expounded onto them the things
that pertains to himself, the promises and what
he will do. they were meant to actually believe
those things that the prophets have said concerning
the coming Messiah so Jesus will also explain
the things written about him in verses 24 in
verses 44 to 49 same Luke we will see his emphasis
to them then he said to them These are the words
which I spoke to you while I was still with you.
That means that before his death and his resurrection,
he has been, these are the things that Jesus
began to teach and to do. He began to teach and
to demonstrate that he is a Christ because in
the writings of the prophets, speaks of what
the Messiah will do. Speaks, for example, now
when John was arrested, he sent people to go
and check if Jesus is a Messiah. And the response
of Jesus to John is, go and tell him the miraculous
things that you see that the blind is able to
hear and then the whatever happened the miraculous
signs and everything and blessed is he who is
not offended by this that is to say if john will
hear that these things have been done these are
the signs that have been have been spoken about
the messiah in the writings of the prophets these
are some things that have been spoken of that
will the messiah the christ will do So he said
to them these are the words which I spoke to
you while I was still with you That all things
must be what you see he says he didn't come to
what to abolish the law right all things must
be fulfilled Which were written in the law of
Moses and the prophets and the Psalms concerning
who? concerning him concerning Jesus Christ,
so Jesus Christ in his death, burial, and resurrection
fulfilled those things that were said about him
in the writings of the prophets in the Old Testament,
what we call the Old Testament part of the scripture.
And he opened their understanding. How did he
open their understanding? By teaching, all right?
By teaching, by exposition, by the help of the
spirit and by teaching, and that they might comprehend
the scriptures. Then he said to them, this is
what he said, the summary of the writings. of
the bible thus it is written where it is written
in the scriptures right and thus it was necessary
in the scriptures for the christ to suffer and
to rise from the dead the third day it was necessary
that the christ will suffer so the sufferings
of the christ was prophesied in the writings
of of moses the writings of the prophets in the
psalms about jesus christ that he will suffer
and to rise again from the dead the third day
and that what repentance and remissions of sins
will be preached in his name to all nations beginning
at Jerusalem and you are witnesses of these things
that is to say at your very own eyes you've seen
the fulfillment of all that the prophets have
written in all their books all that moses have
written in all their books concerning me and
it has been fulfilled right before your very
own eyes so we'll see that forgiveness of sin
is a product of what what the messiah will accomplish
because says that it will preach in his name
the remissions of sins will be preaching his
name hallelujah so forgiveness of sins is a product
of what Jesus Christ did but don't forget we
saw in Mark 11 26 where Jesus Christ was saying
that if you don't forgive your father will not
forgive you so what does that mean? is that a
contradiction? again Jesus made a statement about
the righteousness that exceeds that of the scribes
and the Pharisees in Matthew 16 20 Matthew 5
rather verse 16 to 20 remember I said you should
underline right he says something about a righteousness
that exceeds that of the scribes and the Pharisees
what does Jesus mean by this or what did he mean
by your righteousness give me verse 20 For I
said to you that unless your righteousness Exceeds
the righteousness of the scribes and the Pharisees
You will by no means enter the kingdom of Eve
which means that the Pharisees and the scribes
have a kind of righteousness Okay, they have
a particular kind of righteousness and if you
will enter the kingdom of heaven or if you will
be into the family of god or if you will be born
again you must have a righteousness that exceeds
that of the scribes and the pharisees so there
are two kinds of righteousness explained in the
scriptures that which comes from doing the law
okay now don't be confused what do we mean by
doing the law doing the law is called It's what
is called works, okay? And another kind of righteousness
that comes from believing the law, what the law
says. What is a summary of the message of the
law? The sufferings of the Christ, okay? And
the resulting effect that will come from that.
That is the content of the writings of the law.
Romans 10 verse one to four. Romans 10 verse
1 to 4 give me this text in the NLT in the NLT
two kinds of righteousness one that comes from
what from believing what the law says and One
that comes from doing the works of the law Okay,
their brothers and sisters. Look at what Paul
is saying concerning his people Israel We're
reading from verse 1 to 4 the longing of my heart
My prayer to God is for the people of Israel
to be saved. That is his desire that they will
be saved. Why? I know that enthusiasm, what enthusiasm
they have for God. That means that they have
this desire for God. But it's misdirected zeal.
Why is it misdirected? Because they don't understand
God's way of making people right with himself.
That is, they don't know how God makes, they
don't understand the righteousness of God. refusing
to accept God's way. What is God's way to make
people right? To believe what was said about
Jesus Christ and the law. When you believe this,
you are met right with God. This is the righteousness
that comes from what? From believing what the
law says, okay? And the prophets, we can say,
and what the prophet says, right? So for they
don't understand God's way of making people right
with himself, refusing to accept God's way, they
cling to their own way of getting right with
God. How? By trying to keep the law, which means
that the law was not meant to be kept by them.
Okay? It was meant to be believed. It speaks
of what Christ will do. In it, there are teachings
concerning what Christ will do, and their response
should be that they believe what Christ will
do. Hallelujah. It therefore means that God's
plan from the beginning was faith. Very important.
For Christ has already accomplished the purpose
for which the law was given. So Christ has fulfilled
the law. Okay? Christ has fulfilled the law.
He has accomplished the purpose for which the
law was given. As a result, all who believe in
him are made right with God. So When you try
to do the law, you are doing what we call works,
and it's a kind of righteousness apart from the
righteousness that comes from God, which is actually
to believe in what the law says concerning what
Christ will achieve for us. Hallelujah. So the
righteousness exceeding that of the scribes and
the Pharisees will be referring to that which
is of faith. Okay. Exceeding doesn't mean that
you have to do more than what they, because sometimes
we think that, oh, If the Father sees, give 10
,000 in the offerings, we have to give 20 ,000.
No, no, no. He's saying that this is their own
kind of righteousness. These are the kind of
way, what they do to make themselves right. Yours
must be different because the kind of righteousness
that makes you come into the kingdom of heaven
is by faith. So their own kind of righteousness
will not bring you into what? Into the kingdom
of God. So the righteousness as I said exceeding
that of the scraps and fathers who will be referring
to that which is of faith That is believing the
message written in the law and the prophets concerning
the Christ This is a righteousness which a man
enters into the kingdom of heaven So by now we
can see evidently that all along right God's
plan all along is faith God's plan all along
is faith. God's plan and purpose for man is true
faith. So why did Jesus make the statement in
Mark 11 26? Okay, it is important to note that
not everything written by Moses in the law was
the will of God. Now write this exactly the way
I said it. Don't paraphrase it. If you paraphrase
it, it will mean something else. It is important
to note That not everything written by Moses
in the law was the will of God All right, now
let's see some things that were in the law of
Moses that were not the will of God For example,
now let's go about that same Matthew chapter
5. We'll see something Matthew chapter 5 Because
Moses wrote many things right Some things were
concerning the Christ and we will see that some
things were not actually about the Christ and
why were those things there? Matthew chapter
5 from verse, let's see verse 20 Yes Let's even
say verse 21 This is just speaking. It says you
have heard that it was said to those of old You
shall not murder and whoever murders will be
in danger of judgment Who said this? It was said
in the documentation of the laws and the prophets,
right? You shall not murder. But I say to you
that whoever is angry with his brother without
a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And
whoever says to his brother, Raka, shall be in
danger of the council. But whoever says to you,
says you fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
Therefore, if you bring gifts to the altar, Yes,
let's just jump down to verse also verse 27.
You see also he make another statement you have
heard It was said to those of old verse 27 You
shall not commit adultery who said and where
was he said in the laws, right? You've heard
that it was said to a seat But I now say to you
that whatsoever whosoever looks at a woman To
lust for her has already committed adultery with
her in his heart. It seems as though Jesus Christ
Is raising the bar All right, this was what was
said And I can tell you that this will not be
speaking to a man that is kind of Amen Now let's
look at another one verse 31 It has been said
whoever divorces his wife let him give her a
certificate of divorce Okay, whoever divorces
his wife let him give her a certificate of divorce.
So who said that Whoever divorces wife must give
a certificate of divorce room, of course Moses
right in the laws But I say to you whoever and
you know, they divorce for whatever reason Okay.
Now look at what Jesus will say, but I say to
you whoever divorces his wife for any reason
except sexual immorality causes her to commit
adultery and whoever marries a woman who is divorced
commits adultery hallelujah so we can see it
seems to be like a contrast of what moses wrote
in the law and what jesus is now saying now why
are there these additions or why are there these
explanations in the law of moses Because in Matthew
chapter 19 verse 7 we see the Pharisees later
on come to ask him if you've been teaching us
all these things why then did Moses ask us to
give what? To give the letter of divorce Matthew
19 verse 7 to 8 They said to him why then did
Moses command to give a certificate of divorce
and put away and put her away Now look at the
response of Jesus. He said to them Why did Moses
say that they should give certificate of divorce
because of the hardness of your heart Permitted
so there was a permission. Okay that Moses gave
to them when he was writing that They should
divorce their wives But from the beginning What
happened was the will of God it was not in the
plan of God Okay, so divorce was not in the plan
of God but in the law as written by Moses there
is a provision for divorce so why? it says because
of the hardness of your heart because of the
condition of your heart Moses permitted so so
you see so there is a permission that was granted
in the writings of Moses that was not meant to
be there but because of the disobedience we see
for example in Galatians 3 verse 19 He called
it because of transgression, the unbelief of
the people. Galatians chapter 3 verse 19. What
purpose then does the law serve? It was added
because of transgressions till the sea shall
come to whom the promise was made and it was
appointed through angels by the hand of a mediator.
How it was received, hallelujah. So there were
additions, all right? There were, will I say
additions? shall I say injunctions, shall I say
provisions, shall I say permissions because of
what? Because of the disobedience of the people.
Pastor was teaching us in the series concerning
women's liberty that if Moses didn't allow them
to divorce maybe there will be so much abuse
because these people are so they're so obstinate
in their heart and he created allowance and that
was that is not the will of God all right Divorce
is not the will of God Hallelujah So we see that
Moses gave that permission because of the heart
condition of the people He permitted them to
do so So in the four gospels we will see that
forgiveness of sins is attached to what man does
because you see There were provisions in the
law because of unbelief of the people because
of their unwillingness to believe What God have
said concerning Jesus Christ concerning the promise
Therefore giving room for what what? the performance,
okay But after redemption because we are trying
to look at why would Jesus say Give that injunction
of you forgive so that you be forgiving and we
are explaining that it is under a system and
it's a system of unbelief Hallelujah, and that's
the same of unbelief is dependent on what men
do Are we together? But that is not the will
of God. Because the will of God we've seen consistently
right from the beginning. Because even God was
dealing with Abraham that was around before the
law by faith. Amen? So the introduction of the
permissions is because of the disobedience of
the people. Because they rejected the faith.
They rejected the message that they heard concerning
the promise of God that they were meant to believe.
upon hallelujah But after redemption We see that
forgiveness of sins is a gift receive of God
from God through faith It says if it's a gift
we receive from God through faith officials of
the one verse six to eight We'll talk about You
know the redemption by his blood the forgiveness
of sins to the praise of the glory of his grace
by which he made us accepted in the beloved in
him we have redemption through his blood so redemption
the forgiveness of sins is not by what we do
but by what christ has done according to the
riches of his grace which he made to abound towards
us in all wisdom and prudence verse 9 On what?
On works. It's not anchored on what anyone will
do but it's anchored on what God will do in Christ.
So God's plan and God's purpose consistently
right from the inception was faith. Right from
inception was what? Was faith from the beginning.
Hallelujah. So we now can forgive Ephesians 4
verse 32 we forgive because we have been forgiven
okay we forgive because God has forgiven us and
be kind to one another tender -hearted forgiving
one another even as what even as God in Christ
forgave you so our forgiveness towards one another
is not because we are looking forward to God's
forgiveness no we forgive because God in Christ
has forgiven us hallelujah and we receive that
as a gift we receive that as a result of what
believing in what he has done and we've received
that forgiveness hallelujah so now our works
and the work we do is by faith all that encompasses
the work of the ministry all that encompasses
the way we lead our lives in the flesh the bible
will say that the life i live now in the flesh
how do i live it i live it by the faith of the
son of god I live it by the faith of the Son
of God. I live it by what? By the provision of
God. By the Spirit of God. So we work out our
salvation in Philippians 2 verse 12 to 13. As
I close, Philippians 2 verse 12 to 13. Therefore,
my beloved, as you have always obeyed, Not as
in my presence only but now much more in my absence
Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling
now when we stop here We think as if we are trying
to create a way another kind of a salvation.
No Is to bring to bear what has been done in
us All right, because the next verse will explain
the previous verse for us for it is God who what
who works in you but to will and to do of his
good pleasure. Hallelujah. So walking out salvation
is actually bringing forth what God has done.
Bringing to, you know, existence or rather to
manifestation that which God has done in us.
What has he done for us in salvation? He has
given us his spirit. Hallelujah. So we manifest
what God has done for us. Walking out the salvation
will include Working in all that God has done
for us in salvation has given us a spirit has
given us his ability has given us You know the
ns of his spirit in us. We have the ability to
love people We have the ability to forgive people.
We have the ability to pray for people We have
the ability to preach the gospel. We have the
ability to receive word for people we have the
ability to To do the work of ministry by the
spirit of God Because it is by faith that we've
received this hallelujah And the work of ministry
is anchored continuously on the finished work
of Christ So my desire is that as you leave this
place in your heart You live with a picture of
yourself having all the necessary empowerment
That you have all it takes by the Spirit of God
as you continue in knowing the things that God
has done That you only keep discovering more
and more that which God has done in you And as
you discover you begin to manifest it daily in
your lives I want you to begin to pray for yourself
that daily as you live your life that your life
becomes a manifestation of the goodness of God
We appreciate you being here today. We hope you
carry this word with you throughout your week
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Until next time, stay blessed.