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. John chapter 14, from where our theme
is John chapter 14. verse 12 John chapter 14
verse 12 John chapter 14 verse 12 he says most
assuredly I say to you 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 Matthew chapter 7 Matthew chapter
7 Matthew 7 21 Matthew chapter 7 verse 21 Not
everyone who said to me Lord Lord shall enter
the kingdom of heaven But he who does the will
of my father in heaven so Just here is speaking
And then he's saying that the one that will be
part of his kingdom, the one that will be part
of his father's kingdom is the one that does
the will of the father. Hallelujah. Now, what
is that will of the father? What is that will
of the father? You know, what is that will? What
is that will littered around scriptures? we'll
see that the scriptures contains the will of
God, the will of the Father. Now that word will
is a word that is translated from the Greek into
the English Bible that we have and that will
is the word Thelema in the Greek T -H -E -L -E
-M -A T -H - E L E M A and it means the desire
okay is a word that when used it can be used
to express desire similarly is a word that also
you know can be used for purpose or determining
tension contextually in scriptures It refers
to God's revealed purpose. God's revealed purpose,
especially in His redemptive plan that is made
known to us in the scriptures. So when the Bible
is talking about the will of the Father, it has
to do with what God has proposed, what God has
determined. What God has determined so when Jesus
Christ is saying that not everyone who said to
me Lord Lord Shall enter into the kingdom of
heaven, but he who does the will of my father
in heaven Jesus speaks of you know the one that
will Will align himself to God's purpose to God
determine intention from the beginning and of
course, we know that is actually You know the
walk of faith so God's will is that we will be
part of his Of his kingdom and to be part of
his kingdom is to believe in he who he has sent
And he who has sent is Christ who has come to
die for the sins of the whole world and when
we believe that The sins our sins are in Christ
as he was crucified And then he died and he rose
again Then we become part of the kingdom of God.
Hallelujah So Jesus's earthly mission as revealed
in scriptures Is to accomplish the Father's will
that was the lima and we'll see in John chapter
4 verse 34 Jesus will say that my foot is to
do the wheel of him who sent me, the wheel of
him who sent me. My foot is to do the wheel of
him who sent me. Jesus said to them, my foot
is to do the wheel of him who sent me and to
finish his work. And we have been called to do
the work, do the works. And these works are embedded
in the wheel of God for us. Hallelujah. And then
in John chapter 6 verse 36, you will see another
statement of Jesus Christ. He says, I've come
down from heaven not to do my own will, but to
do the will of Him who sent me. And now we can
see the cross reference in Matthew 26 verse 39.
So the same emphasis continues throughout the
epistles. We'll see Paul will be praying. That
the believer will be filled with what? with a
knowledge of his will So that day that is asked
the believers now may work worthy of the Lord
Colossians chapter 1 verse 9 Colossians chapter
1 verse 9 to 10 We'll see where Paul is praying.
He says for this reason We also since the day
we heard Do not cease to pray for you and to
ask that you may be filled with the knowledge
of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.
Of course, by context of what we've discussed
yesterday, we know where we can see the knowledge
of His will. Vastan says that you may work worthy
of the Lord. When we come to a comprehension
of His will, We will walk worthy of the Lord
pleasing him fully pleasing him being fruitful
way in a walk of ministry in every good walk
and Increasing in the knowledge of God So we'll
see later on Epaphras in chapter 4 verse 12 Epaphras
in the same text chapter 4 verse 12 same scripture
it says Epaphras who is one of you a born servant
of Christ greet you So it is essential that the
believer come to understanding what the will
of God is. It is important that the believer
has, you know, a proper foundation of the will
of God. Believers as well are chosen by God's
will. By God's will, Ephesians chapter 1 verse
5 will see that our salvation is God's will Ephesians
chapter 1 verse 5 He says having predestined
us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to himself
According to the pleasure of his will the pleasure
of his will Give me verse 9 verse 9 Ephesians
1 verse 9 having made known to us the mystery
of his will according to his good pleasure good
which he proposed in himself verse 11 verse 11
in him also we have obtained an inheritance being
predestined according to the purpose of him who
works all things according to the council according
to the council of His will. So we see the council
and we see the will of God. Yesterday we look
at how related, you know, we look at the idea
of the council of God and we're just trying to
emphasize because the scripture, the Bible from
Genesis to Revelation is a book that encompasses
the plans, the purpose, the will of God. Not
only that we are safe, What we are choosing according
to God's will we are commanded to understand
the will of God in Ephesians 5 verse 7 Paul continues
communication to the Ephesian Church Ephesians
5 verse 17 says 5 verse 17 says therefore do
not be unwise but understand what the will of
the Lord is okay What the will of the world is
not only that we understand it, but we do the
will of God. Ephesians 6 verse 6 Ephesians 6
verse 6 Ephesians 6 verse 6 not with eye service
as men pleasers but as born servants of Christ
doing the will of God from where from our hearts
from our hearts and then we endure the will of
God Hebrews 10 verse 36 Hebrews chapter 10 verse
36 For you have need of endurance So that after
you have done the will of God you may receive
what the promise All right, and of course 1st
Thessalonians talks about holiness, which is
his will 1st Thessalonians 4 verse 3 says he's
calling the believers to pursue for this is the
will of God Your sanctification and what is that
that you should abstain from sexual immorality,
hallelujah And then giving thanks in all situation
is a will of God for the believer 1st Thessalonians
5 18 1st Thessalonians chapter 5 verse 18 says
in everything give thanks For this is a will
of God in Christ Jesus. So the will of God in
Christ Jesus is not everything but the will of
God in Christ Jesus is that the believer the
Christian should give thanks in all circumstances
hallelujah so ultimately God's will or the word
thalima is revealed in the scripture so we will
find the will of God within the scriptures therefore
anyone called to serve God as we are believers
in in Him, we believe in Him, we are born of
God, we must diligently study the scriptures
so that we will be able to rightly discern His
will. For only by knowing His revealed will can
we faithfully accomplish the works that He has
called us to do. Because if we don't know, we
will not be able to accomplish the task. So the
study of the Old Testament scriptures as we've
started looking at yesterday is not optional
for us because these are scriptures that explain
to us the desires, the purpose, the plan of God.
It reveals to us the foundational truth about
the will of God and how we can fulfill the will
of God. Hallelujah. So our emphasis yesterday
was that the All Testament scriptures, what we
call the All Testament scriptures are, you know,
the scriptures by which Jesus himself was able
to see himself and the purpose for which he accomplished
on the earth. And we say that the apostles themselves,
their ministry, all the works they did were also
from the scriptures because that is the boundary
for the works that they've been called to do.
And we emphasize so much about the Old Testament
scriptures. Now, the New Testament scriptures
writings are also part of scripture. We must
emphasize this because we are not trying to reduce,
you know, the authority of the New Testament
scriptures just to bring a clarity to that. You
know, Peter places Paul's letters, most of the
uh what do you call it epistles it places the
authority on those writings as scriptures we
see in second peter chapter 3 verse 15 to 16
when he was speaking in this epistle let's let's
just look at how the apostles saw you know the
the epistles that they were writing in that in
those times second peter chapter 3 verse 15 second
peter chapter 3 verse 15 And consider that the
longsuffering of our Lord is salvation as also
our beloved brother Paul Okay, our beloved brother
Paul, which means that the Apostles especially
Paul Who was a letter apostle? You know half
an understanding of the gospel as handed down
by Jesus Christ to the apostles not only that
he had an encounter but there was a synchronization
of doctrine they were able to he was able to
align himself so he says as also our beloved
brother Paul according to the wisdom given to
him as written to you verse 16 as also in all
his epistles talking about the writings of Paul
what Paul wrote how did Peter saw the writings
of Paul speaking in them of things in which are
some speaking in them of these things in which
are some things hard to understand not that they
cannot be understood but they are hard to understand
which unlearned people people that are untaught
and unstable people twist to their own destruction
as they do the rest of scriptures so that statement
the rest of scriptures will mean that he is putting
the writings of paul and the holy scriptures
at his genesis to malachi on the same level of
authority and saying that people who are untaught
who are unlearned they twist the rest of the
scriptures including the writings of Paul, the
epistles of Paul, to their own destruction. Hallelujah.
So Paul caught both Deuteronomy, okay, in his
writings, we will see an instance where not only
that he made reference to the Old Testament scriptures,
he also made reference to some things in Luke,
for example, in Deuteronomy 25 verse 4. Luke
chapter 10 verse 7 he caught this together in
1st Timothy chapter 5 verse 18. Let's look at
1st Timothy chapter 5 verse 18 1st Peter chapter
5 verse 18 we see where Paul is making reference
to the Old Testament scriptural and equally bringing
in you know an instance from Luke chapter 10
verse 7 it says for the scripture says You shall
not muzzle an ox while it threes out the grain
Okay, and then he brings in, collaborates it
with a part of scripture that is in Luke. He
says, and the laborer is what is worthy of his
wages. So they, in their writings, recognize
the authority of the gospel. Paul himself recognized
the authority of the gospel writings. The New
Testament, of course, will see the expressions,
not only him, the early church historically.
Utam Unopa made us to go into history to see
how they handle this, the early church handle
some of this, what do you call it? Handle the
epistles when they were collected. But I want
you to understand that they understand the ideas
as expressed. Of course, Luke chapter 10 verse
7, I said yesterday that the... That the the
cosmos were written sometimes a letter All right,
you were eating sometimes later, but most of
this were narratives, okay, there was A custom
of you know storytelling of the things that happen
Again time will not permit us to go into how
you know, they preserve the historic events of
Jesus Christ and how, you know, they were corroborated
and written down for us. So let's move on to
what we started looking at yesterday. We're trying
to look at the message of God as presented in
the Old Testament scriptures. You know, how the
Old Testament scriptures, especially the book
of Genesis, is the book or is where God revealed
His will and His purpose for us. And we started
with a particular theme that is important that
we're going to continue establishing on today,
and then we conclude. We say that one of the
first themes or the first theme as expressed
in the book of Genesis is the creation theology.
And we say that the creation is, you know, the
biblical theology that is a starting point for
understanding the message of the entire Bible.
And we emphasize that the first two chapters
of Genesis provides us, you know, the theological
framework to understanding every major doctrine
in the scriptures. Okay, because they open us
up to God's plan, God's purpose and God's will.
And without a proper understanding of this, you
know, the creation theology, we cannot properly
understand the rest of scriptures. Of course,
understanding the will of God, understanding
the works that we are to do, understanding what
God has done in Christ. So it is important for
us in our ministry, because without this comprehension,
It's impossible to walk in the will of God. It
is impossible to walk in the plan of God. Many
of the, you know, challenges we've had especially
in the Christian faith stems from the very basic
foundational explanations. Especially when it
comes to the concept of salvation. If a man cannot
properly explain what salvation is and it's difficult
for him. In fact, you cannot trust anybody. Whatever
he's going to teach If he does not understand
the basics the basis has to do with salvation
and we can see this at the very very beginning
of God's plan and God's intention. Let's go to
Genesis chapter 1 Genesis chapter 1 In the beginning
God created the heavens and the earth the earth
was without form and void and darkness was on
the face of the deep and The Spirit of God was
hovering over the face of the water. So yesterday
what we did basically was to Try to explain Genesis
1 1 Genesis chapter 1 verse 2 Genesis chapter
1 verse 3 Today probably just focus on just verse
4 and verse 5 and God saw the light that it was
good and God divided the light from the darkness
God called the light day and the darkness He
called night. So the evening and the morning
were the first day. So from verse 4 and verse
5, we see that God's plan, of course from chapter
1 verse 1 down to verse 5, in the context of
it is that God's plan is to separate darkness
and light. Okay, it's a separate darkness and
light And it is in this that he will it will
be good when there is a separation between darkness
and light That is his plan and we've seen that
darkness light are figurative expressions in
scriptures. They are not literal We spend so
much time yesterday trying to see how they are
used across the scriptures Mostly figuratively
referring to spiritual, you know realities Sometimes
light is referred to individuals it refers to
you know people it refers Christ call himself
light of the world and there are instances where
the believers are called the light of the world
so when we see the light especially as presented
at the very very beginning of Genesis it is used
in a figurative way and Consistently we see in
scriptures. That is how it is used so also in
this place. So this was a major theme in the
later writings of scriptures. We observe the
contrast of the same theme in the four gospels,
light and darkness. Luke chapter 16 verse 8.
Luke chapter 16 verse 8, we see a bit of a contrasting
between light and darkness. So the master commended
the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly
for the sons of this world. are more shrewd in
their generation than the sons of light. Hallelujah.
So light here is associated to the children of
God. Okay. So this similar, you know, idea concerning
light and darkness in his usage in scripture
can be seen in Paul's writing. Second Corinthians
chapter 6 verse 14. Second Corinthians chapter
6 verse 14. 2 Corinthians chapter 6 verse 14,
yes. Do not be unequally yoked together with
unbelievers. Yesterday we saw this text. For
what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness?
And what communion has light with darkness? What,
you know, communion has light with darkness?
So here Paul is contrasting light and darkness.
as two opposite that should not be allowed to
function together and In his writing here unbelievers
are regarded as darkness Okay, and then the believers
are regarded as light in his writings So in this
text, we see how he deliberately described the
unbeliever as unrighteousness, darkness, and
further on in the subsequent, let's read the
subsequent verses, verse 15, let's see verse
15. Verse 15, and what accord has Christ with
Belial, or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?
And what agreement has a temple of God? with
idols For you at a temple of the living God as
God has said I will dwell in them and Walk among
them and I will be their God and they shall be
my people. So this was a promise that God Introduced
the children of Israel when he you know, he brought
them out of Egypt That is his plan and purpose
right from Genesis all right that light will
shine in the hearts of men and there will be
union between the heavens and the earth hallelujah
and then we see the children of israel as god
called them out of egypt reintroducing the similar
message to them that he will dwell among them
all right be with them and we see you know doing
it in in these deliverance In the deliverance
of the children of Israel, we see how God was
with them. And even in the wilderness, we see
the presence of God with them in clouds, in fire,
and the miraculous things that happens in the
wilderness. We see the presence of God always
with them. And then we see Jesus Christ coming,
you know, in the flesh, establishing, you know,
a permanent work that God had in his mind right
from the beginning that he gave us a spirit and
the spirit living with us today permanently hallelujah
so here in this text we see that paul describes
the unbeliever as unrighteousness as darkness
as bilial bilial is a god temple of idols he
described the believer as righteousness he described
the believer as light he described the believer
as christ and the temple of God. These descriptions
are codified terminologies or pointers in the
Hebrew text. So Paul here is not just writing
from his own head, but actually the origin of
what he's writing here is from the Hebrew text,
from Genesis to Malachi. So this shows a clear
division between light and darkness. As pointed
by what we see in the creation story here in
Genesis chapter 1 From verse 1 down to verse
5 so far that we've read So second Corinthians
chapter 4 verse 1, let's look at second Corinthians
chapter 4 verse 1 First Corinthians chapter 4
verse 1, second Corinthians right there. Therefore
since we have this ministry as we have received
mercy, we do not lose heart We do not lose heart,
but we have renounced the hidden things of shame
not walking in the craftiness In craftiness no
handling the word of God deceitfully But by manifestation
of truth commending ourselves to every man's
conscious in the sight of God verse 3 But even
if our gospel is veiled it is veiled to those
who are perishing Whose minds the God of this
age has blinded? Who do not believe lest the
light of the gospel so here we see, you know
the gospel Light here relating to the gospel
whose mind the God of his each has blinded who
do not believe Lest the light of the gospel of
the glory of Christ who is the image of God Should
shine on them For we do not preach ourselves,
but Christ Jesus the Lord ourselves your born
servant for Jesus's sake. Verse 6. For it is
the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness.
So where did we see God commanding light to shine
out of darkness? We see God commanding light
to shine out of darkness in Genesis. Genesis
chapter 1 verse 1 that we just read. For it is
God who commanded light So here Paul is explaining
that text. He is in that text to explain the
plan and the purpose of God. He says, for it
is God who commanded light to shine out of darkness,
who has shone in our hearts to give the light
of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face
of Jesus Christ. So here he described the gospel
as light. Light of the glorious gospel of Christ
who is the image of God that gospel shines on
to the recipient who receives it Okay, secondly
The gospel is hidden to those who are lost Is
that the God of the world has blinded their mind
so look at verse 5 give me verse 5 again in verse
5 You see that he explicitly state that Christ
is that message. Okay, and the focus of the gospel
So he described the gospel as the light of what?
He described the gospel as the light of the glorious
of the gospel of Christ So that statement Commanded
light to shine out of darkness was not referring
to the Sun Okay, he was not referring to the
Sun or the moon and the stars or the creation
of the solar system because he had described
the glorious gospel of Christ as that light that
shines into the heart of men in verse four. So
as I stated earlier on, this was a direct reference
to what? To Genesis one, from verse one to two
and three. Also in the context of second Corinthians
chapter four, verse three to six, the darkness
has to do with the heart of man, okay? The darkness
there has to do with the heart of man Which is
a state of man without the gospel of Christ that
darkness is found in the heart of a man without
that gospel of Christ And we'll see how John
explained this in his account in chapter John
chapter 1 verse 4 will help us to see how this
darkness is in the heart of Those that don't
have they don't have the gospel John chapter
1 verse 49. He says in him was life. Okay, and
the life was the light of men and The light shines
in the darkness and the darkness did not comprehend
it There was a man sent from God whose name was
John this man came for a witness to bear witness
of the light that all through him might believe,
verse 8. He was not the light but was sent to
bear witness of that light. That was a true light
which gives light to every man. So the light
gives light to every man. This true light is
a personality here. is not the sun, is not the
moon, but the light is used to express, to figuratively,
you know, point to the person of Jesus Christ
as the one who comes to light men. So we saw
this also in Jesus's, you know, teachings. Jesus
also taught the same in his teachings John chapter
8 verse 12 We've read this several times where
he emphatically called himself that light Then
Jesus spoke to them saying I am the light of
the world Okay, he who follows me shall not walk
in darkness but have the light of life Chapter
9 verse 5 we see more emphasis of that chapter
9 verse 5 Then just spoke to them. Okay, as long
as I am in the world I am the light of what of
the world chapter 11 verse 9 and 10 Chapter 11
verse 9 and 10 of John Jesus answered are there
not 12 hours in the day If anyone walks in the
day, he does not stumble because he sees the
light of this world But if one walks in the night
he stumbles because the light is not in him So
the light is expected to be in men. Okay verse
11 These things he said and after he said to
them our friends Lazarus sleeps, but okay, okay
Yeah, so we see that Jesus Christ here is teaching
and is mentioning and emphasizing that he himself
is the light So we can see evidently from Paul's
explanation In 2 Corinthians 4, relating to Jesus
as a light is the consistent message in the epistles
and even in the words of Jesus himself. So the
gospel of Christ is that light of God. When a
man believes and receives the same, he is no
longer in darkness, but in light, in the light
of the Lord. He becomes a child of light. So
this is the message that we can see that Moses
was trying to communicate to his audience in
Genesis chapter 1 Let's look at more explanation
Ephesians 5 verse 8 Ephesians 5 verse 8 Ephesians
5 verse 8 as children of light here paul speaking
to the efficient church he uses the word darkness
however to describe the state of a man he says
you were once darkness but now you are light
so he describes the state of man who is yet to
believe in the gospel as darkness okay so darkness
here is figurative explaining or bringing The
picture or explaining a man who does not believe
in Jesus as the Savior So the man without a spirit
or the man without life is referred to here as
darkness. All right So 2nd Corinthians 6 verse
14 2nd Corinthians 6 verse 14 and 16 Where we
read Elaron We'll see that he contrasts these
ideas together, okay? He explained here that
the God of the world blinds the mind of those
who are lost who are yet to believe in the gospel
Okay in this text, so I'm trying to point to
us the condition of a man trying to explain how
darkness will emphasize light but darkness you
know use figuratively as those who do not believe
and In Ephesians 5 verse 8 refers to the unbelievers
and Paul telling the Ephesians that they were
once in that state But at this moment the light
has shone in their heart. All right, let's let's
let's check again Ephesians second second Corinthians
of the 10 verse 3 Second Corinthians of the 10
verse 3 To see how that darkness works in men
for though we walk in the flesh We do not war
according to the flesh For the weapon for was
for was for but was for For the weapons of our
warfare are not carnal but mighty In God for
pulling downward strongholds. Okay, we now strongholds
verse 5 casting down imaginations, casting down
arguments and every high thing that exalts itself
against the knowledge of God, and bringing every
thought into the captivity to even the obedience
of Christ. So Paul here is referring to the mind
of man, okay? And remember we say that this light
shines in the heart of a man. The darkness itself
also what? has his grip in the mind of men. So
Paul was referring to the mind of men in this
text, which functions through information, through
knowledge and understanding. So the statement
to the obedience of Christ was referring to the
gospel which Christ, which is Christ of course,
which is that same light that he has consistently
expressed in his writings. So in other words,
through the preaching of the gospel, we pull
down that stronghold Okay, that casts down imaginations
That exists in the mind of those who do not believe
So it will be very important to know that the
mind of man That is a man that is lost the man
that is unbelieving Can hinder him from receiving
salvation which is a light of the gospel the
glorious gospel. So Paul clearly explain the
importance also of the believer even the believer
to renewing his mind also because the mind is
where the operation of light happens the mind
is where the operation of darkness happens so
even the believer Romans 12 verse 2 needs to
regularly you know renew his mind by the word
of the gospel that they receive when he does
He will not conform himself to the darkness,
to the system of the world that is around him.
And by renewing his mind by the light, by the
gospel that he has received, he will approve
that he will walk in the will of God. So clearly,
where we see the darkness or the light and the
darkness is in operation is in the mind of men.
So the decision -making process of a man is in
his mind, okay? And for the believer to walk
in God's will, he must constantly renew his mind
with a written word. So the mind therefore plays
a vital role in recognizing and walking in God's
plan on the earth. Now remember we said that
the conversation in Genesis 1 is heaven and earth,
okay? and the idea of that light is talking about
men and we say that that has to do with the heart
of men okay the heart of men so in second Corinthians
chapter four verse three we read Eleron let's
go back to that text again to make emphasis on
the issue of the heart then we'll move on second
Corinthians chapter four verse three chapter
4 verse 3 It says even if the gospel is veiled
and we know what that gospel is, right? What
is the gospel is what has been described as light,
right? So even if the gospel is veiled it is
veiled to those who are perishing. Why are they
perishing? Because verse 4 something has happened
to their mind Whose mind the God of this age
has blinded so the God of this age has blinded
In the Old Kingdoms, they used the word hearts,
the word hearts or mind. And it was, you know,
translated from the Greek word, cardia. We've
seen this in church some times back. And it refers
to that core place, a central place of a man's
will, where activities happens, where he makes
decisions. That unseen part of the man. So from
Paul's explanation in the text that we've read
so far, especially referring to the heart, where
we see darkness and light operates, it is evident
that the reason why the light of the glorious
gospel of Christ does not shine the heart of
the lost or the unbelieving is that the God of
this world has blinded their minds. That is,
for the light of the gospel to shine in their
hearts, it must pass through their mind. The
mind is very vital, you know, to them receiving
the light of the gospel. Therefore the mind is
the heart because by blinding the minds of them
that believe not the God of this world invariably
blinds their heart. So you see exchange in scriptures
mind and heart sometimes is mind sometimes is
heart. Let's see Ephesians 4 verse 17 Ephesians
4 verse 17 and verse 18 So the believer is one
who has clearly, you know receive that light
of the glorious gospel I Say therefore and testifying
the Lord that you should no longer work as the
rest of the Gentiles Okay, let me check my text
Ephesians Okay, having okay give me verse the
previous verse verse 17. Yes This I say therefore
and testify in the law that you should no longer
work as the rest of the Gentiles Work and the
futility of what of their minds because they
are in darkness. Okay having their understanding
darkened being Alienated from the life of God
So number one we see that being in darkness simply
means to be alienated from the what from the
life of God because of ignorance that is in them
because of the blindness of what of their heart.
All right. So this is the condition of the unbeliever,
but the believer has clearly received the light
of the glorious gospel through his mind and believed.
Therefore he is called a new creation. Hallelujah.
So you see, Paul has a technicality of always
using Old Testament messages or themes or Vabbage
and explaining, you know and writing his epistles
in 2nd Corinthians 5 verse 17 He would refer
to the one that has received the glorious message
and then he will call him what a new creation
2nd Corinthians 5 17 He says therefore if anyone
in Christ He is a new creation all things have
passed what has passed away the life that is
defined in darkness the light that is that is
defined by darkness. All things, that old things
have passed away. Behold, all things have become
new. So this is a man that light has shone in
his heart. All right, this is a man that the
light of the gospel has been shone in his heart
and he has received that light of the gospel.
So he's called a new creation. So we see the
idea of the creation theology expressed in the
context of the salvation of man. So we see Jesus
Christ will be referring to people who believe
in Matthew 5 verse 14. Matthew 5 verse 14 because
they have the light in them. Matthew 5 verse
14 and 16 says, you are the light of the world.
You are the light of the world. A city set on
a hill cannot be hidden. Jesus describes his
audience as a light of the world, which is in
reference to what God's creation in Genesis referring
to you know the explanation of Genesis chapter
1 from verse 1 down to verse 3 verse 4 verse
5. However in verse 16 we see him saying let
your light shine this clearly shows that the
believer has a responsibility once he receives
the light in himself is to do all is to shine
the light and we've described and we've defined
the light as what the glorious message of the
gospel hallelujah so this will be seen in the
conduct and the preaching of the gospel in this
world so how the believer will allow the light
that he has received to be seen in the midst
of darkness in the midst of chaos is by his conduct
And by the preaching that he preaches about what
he has received and what he has in him. Okay?
So this is exactly similar to what we see in
Ephesians 5 verse 8, where Paul described the
believers as light in the world. Okay? For you
were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.
Work as children of light. So, the believer is
light in the Lord. Okay, the believer has received
light he has become light and he has light so
he is to shine the light even on earth on earth
Within a human relationship within human, you
know interaction The light that is in us who
have belief should be allowed to shine So this
shows the believers identity is light all right
This shows that the believer's identity is light,
while the identity of the unbeliever is called
darkness. And we see Paul, you know, instructing
the believers to walk as children of light. Walk
as children of light. Say, walk as children of
what? Of light, verse 8. He says, walk as children
of light. That walk has to do with peripatio,
which figuratively implies to live. children
of light to follow it also implies to conduct
yourself or a disposition that is influenced
by the nature of light that is in the believer
so the believer is no longer in darkness but
that light has been shown in his heart so he
has an identity a new creation has been formed
creation you know theology a new man has been
formed He has received light and he has become
light himself. So let him walk in the newness
of life that he has So the word as walk as children
of light as employed by Paul here Will be the
same thing as Jesus will say let your light shines
they are synonymous. So what Paul is saying Walk
as children of light is synonymous to what Christ
is saying in Matthew 5 14 and 16. Let your light
shine Let your light shine before men that they
may see and give glory to God So both speakers
are passing across Jesus and Paul here are passing
across the same instruction You know same instruction
We see severely in Paul's epistles Romans chapter
6 verse 4 Romans chapter 6 verse 4 Therefore
we are buried with him through baptism into his
death that Jesus that just as Christ was raised
from the dead by the glory of the Father, even
so also should walk. How to walk there is the
word paripatheo in the Greek, p -e -r -i -p -a
-t -e -o, p -e -r -i -p -a -t -e -o. Walk in
a newness of life. What is the newness of life?
The newness of life has to do with the light
kind of life, the life that has received the
light of God. Hallelujah Galatians 5 16 Galatians
5 16 Galatians up to 5 16 Paul in his epistle
will emphasize the believer to walk in that light
I Say don't walk in the spirit. You see the word
spirit All right is used to refute the light
walk in the spirit and you shall not fulfill
the loss of the flesh Ephesians 4 verse 1 Visions
of the 4 verse 1 so That life is a spirit. Ephesians
4 verse 1, I therefore the prisoner of the Lord
beseech you to walk worthy of the calling which
you were called. What was the calling that we
are called to walk in the light? That is a calling
right from the beginning, right? We are called
into light to walk in the light. So we are expected
to respond to that which we are in. Ephesians
5 verse 2. Ephesians 5 verse 2. And how do we
respond? By our conduct and by the preaching.
By conduct and by preaching. It says, and walk
in love. So that light, life of light has to
do with love. It says walk in love as Christ
also had loved us and given himself for us an
offering, an offering and a sacrifice to God
for His sweet. Smelling sour. All right, Colossians
1 verse 10 Colossians chapter 1 verse 10 That
you may walk worthy of the Lord Fully pleasing
him being fruitful in every good walk. Where
do we first see something that is good? Hmm In
Genesis, right? He said and it was good Genesis
chapter 1 verse 3 and God said let there be light
and there was light and God saw that the light
that it was what it was good hallelujah so Colossians
1 verse 10 we see that the life of the the life
of a believer in the light is a good life hallelujah
That you may work worthy of the Lord fully pleasing
him being fruitful in every good work and increasing
in the knowledge of God So poor clearly identifies
a work peculiar to the man who is born again
how he ought to conduct himself in the war in
this world and Glorify God in his conduct in
the earth So This is God's light shining out
of darkness. OK, this is the idea of God's light
shining out of darkness. God's desire is that
there will be distinction. OK, there will be
distinction between light and darkness. So this
is what God would refer to as good in the creation
narrative that we see in Genesis chapter one.
That we will walk in the light, that we will
allow the light that God has put in us to do
what? To find expression. Later we'll see, even
in John's epistles, I think in the first John
or second John about the way he says that they
should walk in the light, alright? And when he's
talking about walking in the light, he's referring
to Genesis, the expression, the plan and the
purpose of God is that the believer will walk
in that kind of life, you know, and John will
say that Jesus is at light, okay? Jesus is at
light. John chapter 1 we say that Jesus is that
light we see it there Okay so Ephesians chapter
5 verse 8 Ephesians chapter 5 verse 8 to 11 for
you were once darkness But you are light in the
Lord work as children of light. Okay for the
fruit of the spirit in all goodness righteousness
and truth finding out what is acceptable to the
Lord and have no fellowship with what with the
unfruitful works of darkness but rather what
do we do how do you expose works of darkness
it's by walking in the light how do you expose
the work of darkness is by preaching the gospel
when we allowed what we have within us to find
expression we expose the works of darkness We
expose the works of darkness. Ephesians chapter
2 verse 1. We see further description of the
believer. Ephesians chapter 2 verse 1. And he
who made a life, who were dead in trespasses
and sins, in which he once worked according to
the cause of this world. According to the Prince
of the power of the air the spirit who now walks
in the sense of disobedience According to the
spirit that now walks, so there's a walk. There's
a darkness that walks in the sense of disobedience
You call it the spirit of disobedience and yesterday
we saw You know the story of Noah Genesis chapter
6 where the world was weak was full of wickedness
Okay, we see an instance where wickedness darkness
was upon the face of the earth and God commanded
his life to shine in that darkness Alright, so
the description of the children of disobedience
and it takes here gives an allusion To men without
the life of God Alright men that don't have the
life of God and Jesus similarly described this
contrast and look it it looks 16 looked up the
16 verse 8 See, it's important that we keep seeing
in scriptures how, you know, this narrative is
made clearer. So the master commanded the unjust
to what? Because he asked, they're shrewdly for
the sons of this world are more shrewd in their
generation than the sons of light. So here we
see sons of light, okay, and sons of darkness.
There's a distinction between these two. Therefore,
in the earth today, we have the children of light,
that is believers, and the children of disobedience.
And we are instructed to shine the light or walk
in the light as a mark of separation to the world.
All right? We have to walk in the light as a
mark of separation from the world. This is proper
in God's creation plan. This is what God has
in His plan from the beginning. This is His plan
for the earth. Okay, this is His plan for where?
For the earth. That there should be distinction
between His walks and the walks of darkness.
Romans 13 verse 12 says, the night is fast spent.
The day is at hand, therefore let us cast off
the works of darkness and let us put on the armor
of light." This is clearly a direct reference
to God's reordering and giving a function to
the light in the darkness in Genesis chapter
1 verse 5. You know, light should shine amidst
darkness. a supernatural function as a day. You
know, when we see day and night, let's look at
that Genesis, because when we see day, it's not
literal day, okay? It's not literal day. Genesis
1 verse 5 says, God called the day, okay? God
called the light. What did he call the light?
He called the light day. And what did he call
the darkness? Darkness equal night. So the evening
and the morning were the first day. So, when
we see night in scriptures, okay, consistently
we see reference to the works of darkness as
night, okay? So here Paul is making reference
to this text here in his writing. He employed
the words light and day and darkness, all right?
Night to distinguish between the disposition
of a man Alright, so Romans 13, did I read verse
14? Give me verse 14. Yes, put on the Lord Jesus
Christ as and make no provision for what? For
the flesh to fulfill it is lost. Yes, that's
the text I was looking for. Again, it is vital
to recall the term good as we keep seeing in
Genesis chapter 1 verse 4. referring to that
which is proper and fitting in God's plan. So,
in John chapter 1 verse 5, we see clearly also
how John writes, he says, the light shineth in
the darkness, and the darkness comprehended it
not. As children of light, we believers, As we
walk more deliberately in the light shining the
light over darkness in our conduct As we shine
the light of God's glorious gospel in our preaching
and teaching We dispel the darkness that is in
the heart of men. Hallelujah Mark 16 verse 15
says and he said to them go ye into all the world
and preach the gospel to every creature When
we fulfill this You know what we do is that we
bring light to the earth we bring light to people
all right by the preaching of the gospel and
of course we'll find the same explanation of
the Christian theology you know in Genesis chapter
7 let's let's let's go to Genesis chapter 7 Genesis
chapter 7 verse 11 Genesis chapter 7 verse 11
in the 600 year of Noah's life in the second
month the seventh the seventh day of the month
on the day all the fountain of the great deep
were broken up and the windows of heaven were
open and the rain was on the earth 40 days and
49 i wanted to see the comparison between this
genesis 7 and genesis 1 you would discover that
in genesis 1 all right god declared his will
and his purpose and we've stretched it over a
long period of time In Genesis 7 you begin to
compare between Genesis 7 and Genesis when you
discover that it is actually the same plan God
reiterating All right, so let's read to verse
13 and rain was on the earth verse 12 verse 12
and Rain was on the earth 40 days and 40 night.
You see the idea of day Okay, and night, right?
On the very same day Noah and Noah's son shame
Ham and Zapheth and Noah's wife and the three
wives of his sons with them entered the ark.
They had every beast after his kind, all cattle
after their kind, every creeping thing that creeps
on the earth." Does it look like Genesis 1 and
2? Recreation, right? After we see wickedness,
then we see the plan of God. Hallelujah. Yes,
so the art was filled with violence Okay, the
art was very corrupt in the time of Noah this
type of this is a typology of the chaos and a
disorder and the violence and The roaring which
can be explained as we saw in Genesis chapter
1 verse 1 and 2 Okay, the same story Expressed
toward through the story of Noah Noah's time
was characterized by chaos. So Noah built an
ark. What is that ark that Noah built? What is
that ark that Noah built? So Genesis 7 is also,
you know, God's new renewing what he has said
in Genesis chapter 1 verse 1. The ark was translated
from the Hebrew word tabba. The word tabab, T
-A -B -A -H. And then the word has, the idea
of ark has a context. That's a context to the
culture of the people of that day. The word is
from the Egyptian world. And then that ark from
the Egyptian world is a shrine. Okay, it's a
shrine for idols and gods, small gods. It's a
dwelling with three levels. in compartments and
by implication is a temple is a house for God
so what Noah was asked the ark is actually a
shrine you know a temple kind of structure and
when we look at the dimensions of the ark it
has three floors you know specifically as God
will give Noah to build so it is important to
note that the first place God established the
temple space was in Genesis chapter 2 verse 8
Okay, the first place we will see God establish
a concept of a temple a place of fellowship.
I Wish we were halftime. We're gonna have maybe
in church. We're gonna treat this about You know
the sin of Adam and what is truly and actually
the sin of Adam So in Genesis 2 verse 8, we'll
see the idea of the Garden of Eden The Garden
of Eden as a place of fellowship between God
and man So let's see Genesis chapter 7 verse
5 let's read from verse 5 Genesis 7 verse 5 let's
let's look at more of the story about Noah and
Noah did according to all the Lord commanded
him Noah was 600 years old when the flood waters
were on the earth So Noah with his sons his wife
and his sons wives went into the ark because
of the waters of the flood of clean animals,
of animals that are unclean, of bears, and of
everything that creeps on the earth. Two by two
they went into the ark to Noah, male and female,
as God had commanded Noah. And it came to pass,
after seven days, that the waters of the flood
were on the earth. In the 600 year of Noah's
life, If in the second month the seventh day
of the month on the day that all the fountains
of the great deep These were all expressed in
Genesis 1 we see we're broken up and the windows
of heavens were open And the rain was on the
earth 40 days and 40 nights Genesis 8 let's move
to Genesis 8 verse 1 to 4. Genesis 8 verse 1
to 4 Genesis 8 verse 1 to 4 Then God remembered
Noah and every living thing and all the animals
that were with him in the ark. And God made a
wind to pass over the earth. Does it look like
what we saw in Genesis 1? God commanded what?
A wind to pass over the earth. Alright? And the
water subsided. The fountains of the deep and
the windows of heaven were also stopped. And
the rain from heaven was restrained, verse 3.
And the waters receded continually from the earth.
At the end of the 150 days, the waters decreased,
verse 4. Then the ark rested in the seventh month.
Where do we see the idea of rest? Rest is a creation.
Vabbit right from Genesis when God finished his
work he rested then the ark rested in the seventh
month and the seventh day of the month of the
mountains of Ararat move to verse 13 and verse
14 verse 13 and verse 14 and it came to pass
in the 601st year in the first month the first
day of the month that the waters were dried up
from the earth from the air so we see the idea
of earth earth, earth, and Noah removed the covering
of the ark and looked and indeed the surface
of the ground was dry. Hallelujah. So, we observe
and point out the similarities between Genesis
1 and Genesis 7 and 8. The flood of waters, for
example, in Genesis 7 verse 5. Give me verse
5, we'll see the flood of waters. Verse 5, verse
11, verse 12. Say verse 5, Noah did according
to all, yes the Lord has commanded, is this,
yes. Verse 11, of course we see on the day all
the frontiers of the great deep were broken up
and the windows of heaven were opened, yes. So
we have also in Genesis chapter 1 verse 2, given
Genesis chapter 1 verse 2 The earth was without
form and void and darkness was on a deep Was
on the face of the deep and the spirit of God
was hovering over the face of the waters Okay
So an arc went upon the waters chapter 7 verse
18 arcs Genesis 7 verse 18. We see that the arc
was upon the waters in Genesis chapter 7 verse
18 The waters prevail and greatly increase on
the earth and the arc move upon on the face surface
of the water Remember we'll talk about the arc
the arc is actually a a temple kind of a structure
a shrine kind of a structure Alright, and it
hovers upon the waters and we'll see similarly
as we read in Genesis chapter 1 verse 2 What
do we see in Genesis chapter 1 verse 2? The spirit
move upon the face of the waters right now on
the face of the ground was dry The art was dried
up Genesis chapter 2 chapter 8 verse 2 and to
3 chapter 13 Talking about a dry ground. These
are terminologies that when we study We discover
that in the listen in the story of the people
that were there. All right Moses was trying to
communicate in them The consistency of God's
plan. That's what I want to bring to your notice.
All right That what we see in Genesis 1 Genesis
2 We see that it is the iteration of same in
the time of Noah And even when we come to Abraham
we see that similar thing was communicated to
Abraham and even when God came to the children
of Israel in Egypt it was the introduction of
similar conversation right from Genesis So for
every time and for every season we see the consistency
of God's plan in typologies in symbols in Figures
of speech and in all those things the iterating
is eternal purpose for man And his plan is that
his spirit will dwell in men that light will
shine in the hearts of men. Hallelujah So, all
this is important for us to understand that the
creation story is vital. It's vital for us in
understanding the purpose of God. It's very crucial
for us to understand the plan and the purpose
of God. I wish we would go into looking at Genesis
chapter 2 and chapter 3 more in detail, that
we would see how sin came into being. Okay, we'll
see how sin came into being and how you know
What actually is that particular sin that Adam
sin in the Garden of Eden? What is the concept
of Eden itself? We'll discover that all this
speaks about the intention of God and a plan
and the purpose of God for humanity and often
times when God declares his plan and his purpose
What do you see? Even in the declaration of God's
plans and purpose is at main In their weaknesses
may fail as we see in the fall of Adam and we
see the salvation of God even in the fall In
a time of Noah we see wickedness in increase
and we see that God interrupted and introduces
himself into their face of the earth For salvation
so that is a message of salvation Even in the
nation of Israel when God began with Abraham
Abraham was a pagan Right? And we see God coming
to him to declare his plan and his purpose for
humanity. And even when the children of Israel,
who are the people that, you know, through which
God has promised to Abraham, were in captivity,
we see that he sent them help. All right? He
sent them Moses, and Moses delivered them and
brought them out of Egypt. We see the salvation
story of God consistently in scriptures. And
even when he brought them out to the wilderness,
they were saved from Egypt. They walked on dry
land, they came out of the waters, you see. And
they were in the wilderness and he declared his
plan and his purpose for them even in their unbelief.
Yet we see the consistency of God's faithfulness
that he still brought about the fulfillment of
his promise. And even when the nation of Israel
enter into the promised land as we read through
their history we will see consistently where
they will disobey they will turn their hearts
away from God and then as they turn their hearts
away from God we will see that they are displaced
okay they will sin and in their sin they will
they will be displaced from the land of promise
does that give us a picture of Adam? Adam placed
in the garden okay and then he's seen and then
he was displaced from the place that he was created
and placed all right so all these things are
explanations of God's dealings with man and they
are narratives that are very very important and
if you see how men will come into God's plan
from the time of Adam and Eve is by faith okay
and even in the time of Noah Noah was a preacher
of righteousness And how people will come into
you know the reality of what Noah will do was
preaching was by faith Not to think of even immediately
after Adam we see his offspring We see Cain and
Abel When Cain did not hearken to the voice of
God All right, and he murdered his brother the
Bible said that he was he became a fugitive that
we see you know the actions of God even in the
midst of that he was not he was even in his sin
right he complained to God and say God whoever
sins me will kill me but we see even in his rebellion
we see the preservation of God what put a mark
on him that no man will kill him hallelujah so
consistently we see the stories and the activities
of men in the activities of men we see God's
salvation plan declared and fulfilled in that
time and we see Jesus Christ Then what is the
essence of Jesus Christ? We will see shortly
that Jesus Christ comes to Bring in the permanence
of God's plan and God's purpose the permanence
of God's plan and purpose has to be the fulfillment
of God's plan and his purpose for all men because
how We will come into the plan because we are
not a nation of Israel So God picked a nation
and He picked a nation to bring about His plan
and His purpose for the entire world and how
we will come into it is through Jesus Christ
Hallelujah, so let's for a short period of time.
Let's look at the gospel as preached in the book
of Acts and we close Throughout the book of Acts
whenever the Apostles preach the gospel they
consistently told the story of God's dealings
with Israel before presenting Jesus Christ as
a Messiah. This is a pattern that we see all
through their summons in the book of Acts Whenever
they go to preach the gospel, they don't omit
the story of Israel and that is very very crucial
Okay, we'll see how everything linked together
Before even to the Gentiles they must explain
God's dealings with Israel is very important
to the message For example now in Peter someone
in Acts chapter 2 verse 14 to 41 We'll see Peter
begins by explaining Joel's prophecy. Is that
the story of Israel? prophecy of Joel all right
Particularly to the nation of Israel actually
2 verse 16 to 21. He traces God's promise through
David. This is a soul of people of Israel Before
proclaiming Jesus as a risen Lord and Christ
in Acts chapter 2 verse 26 to 38. Now we cannot
Tell the story of God especially salvation without
Actually explaining the story of the nation of
Israel Peter also did the same thing Acts chapter
3 verse 11 Peter presents Jesus as the fulfillment
of what Moses and all the prophets foretold connecting
Christ directly to God's covenant with Abraham.
Abraham is actually the story of Israel, the
nation of Israel. Acts chapter 3 verse 18, and
then we'll see 22 verse 25. Alright? Oh, look
at Stephen's defense. Stephen is another example.
When he was speaking in chapter 7, the entire
chapter, we see that in the entirety of the chapter
7, What Stephen did was to narrate God's dealing
with the nation of Israel. Why is this important?
Why is this important? It's important because
salvation, okay, is actually expressed in God's
dealing with the nation of Israel. The reason
for salvation, hear this properly, the reason
for salvation is explained in God's dealing with
the nation of Israel. Why did God save the nation
of Israel? Is that He will have a kingdom. All
right? Is that He will have a people. Is that
He will have a family. So if you take away the
story of the nation of Israel, we will not be
able to explain vividly the idea and the concept
of salvation. If we decide to cut away the story
of the nation of Israel, we will not be able
to declare properly God's plan and God's purpose,
because through them, God really exposed or expressed
to us His will and His purpose. We'll see another
example, Acts 13 verse 16 to 41, where Paul was
preaching. Paul begins with God's choosing of
Israel. Then he went on to speak about the Exodus,
very crucial. Then the judges the time of the
judges then he comes to talk about David and
then he declares Later on in verse 23 that from
these man's descendants are calling to the promise
God brought Israel the Savior Jesus Christ Is
a line of his story that we must We must comprehend
Okay, we must comprehend so the story of Jesus
is the story of israel actually i started giving
us a hint of this yesterday i said the story
of jesus christ is from the story of israel so
when we ignore this we can't know the gospel
we cannot know the gospel the life and the mission
of jesus on earth are the all testament stories
of israel retold jesus christ in his life and
his mission We will see clearly that he is repeating
the story of the nation of Israel. So if we will
have an understanding of what Jesus did, we must
look at God's dealing with the nation of Israel.
Even in the explanation of what Jesus did in
the epistles, the apostles always reference the
nation of Israel as a context what Jesus did.
So we cannot fully understand the gospel without
understanding God's work through Israel because
Jesus is a fulfillment of the story and not a
departure from it. God's work of salvation is
first revealed in his dealings with the nation
of Israel. God's salvation is first revealed
in his dealings with the nation of Israel, whom
he redeemed to establish his kingdom purpose.
Once we are able to understand what God did with
the nation of Israel, we will understand God's
purpose. We understand God's will. This riches
is fulfillment in Christ who brings salvation
to all who believe and establish God's kingdom
through his church. So the story of the church
is actually the story of the nation of israel
retold hallelujah for example in exodus chapter
19 verse five to six let's see exodus chapter
19 verse five to six quickly exodus chapter 19
verse five to six now there now therefore if
you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant
then you shall be a special treasure to me Above
all people for all the earth is mine. The earth
is mine speaks of people all the earth is mine
What will they become to be a treasure to him,
right? verse I Shall be a kingdom of priests
That is after he has saved them. You shall be
a kingdom of priests and a holy nation These
are the words you should you shall speak to the
children of Israel. That is after salvation So
Moses came and called for the elders of the people
and he laid before them all these words which
the Lord had commanded him All right Matthew
chapter 1 verse 21 Matthew 1 21 Because of time
quickly And you shall bring forth a son when
Jesus came and you shall call his name Jesus
for he will save his people from their sin. Yes
Luke 1 32 Luke 1 32 We're trying to link the
story of the nation of Israel and then we see
Jesus and then we see the church He will be a
great he will be great and will be called the
son of the highest and The Lord will give him
the throne of his father David Okay, we see kingdom
In the story of Israel we see Jesus Christ coming
and then getting the kingdom from David and he
will reign over the house of Jacob forever and
of his kingdom there will be no end. Colossians
chapter 1 verse 13, Colossians chapter 1 verse
13 and verse 14. He has delivered us from the
power of darkness, Genesis 1 conversation, and
conveyed us into the kingdom of the son of his
love in whom we have redemption through his blood,
the forgiveness of sins. Then 1st Peter chapter
2 verse 9, we see that Peter expressly linked
the story of Israel to our reality today. He
says, but you are a chosen generation, a royal
priesthood. This is a story of Israel, a holy
nation. This is a story of Israel. His own peculiar
people read this in Exodus chapter 19 verse 5
and 6. His own special people. Why? that you
may proclaim the praises of Him who call you
out of darkness. Which darkness? Darkness has
to do with the idea of God calling us out of
sin, out of the chaos, out of an identity of
chaos. As we've seen in the altar sermon, into
His marvelous light. What is that light? That
life, the life that is in Christ, we've explained.
Who was, were not a people, but are now the people
of God. who had not obtained mercy, but now have
obtained mercy. All right. So when we read the
creation account, we see God's plan of salvation
and his purpose of establishing his kingdom,
his rule that is heaven on earth. That same purpose
is progressively revealed in his dealings with
Israel, whom he chose and dwell among them. Did
God dwell among the nation of Israel? How did
he stay with them? We see him all through in
the activities, in the wilderness, right? He
was in the cloud, representing, and also what?
The fire, right? So he dwell among them, in the
tabernacle. He tabernacle with them, a temple
symbol. The same purpose is progressively revealed
in his dealings with the nation of Israel and
then we see him dwelling among them and then
shaping his covenant with them. In this sense,
the creation narratives as recorded by Moses
because see Genesis 1, Genesis 2, Genesis 3 and
the entire books of the Old Testament were not
written for us, to us rather. The his audience
were the people of Israel So in that writing
that Moses wrote Genesis one two down and all
the writings he did He was actually telling them
about God's plan and God's purpose for them Hallelujah,
he was revealing that God has called him out
of darkness He was revealing that God is calling
them out of chaos that they will be a people
of light So Moses was given was to reveal God's
eternal plan and purpose to Israel. So when we
understand God's plan as Moses communicated to
his audience, and we see God's dealing with the
nation of Israel, alright, then we'll better
understand what Christ did. When we understand
what Christ did, then we'll appreciate the church,
the early church. We'll read through the book
of Acts, we'll see how you know the church lived
and exemplified the same so Moses was given the
writings he wrote was teaching them about God's
eternal plan and purpose showing that his redemptive
work you know even though yes it did not begin
with them the intention of God did not begin
with them but From the beginning, I mean the
story Abraham right before we see the Exodus
down to Isaac to Jacob Then we see them You know
in the wilderness in Egypt, then he saved them
out of Egypt and then he gave them the laws All
right so Jesus Christ in his resurrection Express
God's finished walking express the finished fulfillment
of God's work through the Holy Spirit. And the
benefits of Christ's redemption are applied to
us today. What Jesus did was to bring God's plan
of salvation to his fulfillment and ushering
believers into the kingdom, those who are all
men, because God's intention in the beginning
was for all nations, for all the earth. The kingdom
is for all nations the plan is for all nations
not only the nation of israel but god intended
plan was for all the earth the father's purpose
to unite all things together in all in one god's
eternal purpose was the unification of all things
the entire earth talking about people and his
creation but we see the unity is in christ The
Jew and the non -Jew, the Jew and the Gentile
are united in Christ. All of us from different
nations and tribes and tongues are united in
the person of Christ. Because that was the mission
right from the beginning. Hallelujah. And let's
read through this and then we see how we summarize.
John chapter 19 verse 30. We just read and see
how these realities are expressed in scriptures.
John chapter 19 verse 30. So when Jesus had received
the sour wine, he said it is finished, that is
on the cross. What is finished? The fulfillment
of what he has been sent to do. And bowing his
head, he gave up the spirit. That's his death.
Romans 8, 11. Romans 8, 11. Romans 8 -11. But
if the spirit of him who raised Jesus from the
dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from
the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies
through his spirit who dwells in you. So we see
that his death brought about the indwelling of
the spirit. Acts chapter 2 verse 32 to 39. the
salmon of Peter this Jesus God has raised up
of which we are all witnesses therefore being
exalted to the right hand of God and having received
from the father the promise of the Holy Spirit
okay he poured out this which you now see and
hear for David did not ascend into the heavens
but he said himself the Lord said to my Lord
sit at my right hand Till I make your enemies
your footstool Therefore let all the house of
Israel know assuredly that God has made these
Jesus whom you crucified both Lord and Christ
Now when they had this They were caught to the
heart and said to Peter and the rest of the Apostles
men and bread and what shall we do? Then Peter
said to them repent And let every one of you
be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the
permission of saints 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 far
off. Now that is the emphasis that I want us
to see. The promise is to them, to their children
and to all who are far off. As many as the Lord
our God would call. Remember. We will see in
true scriptures that that spirit hmm Is represented
as Christ is represented as that light from Genesis
All right, so that declaration of God's plan
is for all The promise is for all To all who
are far afar of who are not even within the nation
of Israel God's plan was for all men All right
Colossians of the one verse 19 and 20 Colossians
chapter 1 verse 19 and 20. For it pleased the
Father that in Him, in who in Christ, all the
fullness should dwell and by Him to reconcile
all things to Himself by Him. What are things
on the earth? What do you think is things on
the earth or things in the heaven? Does it look
like Genesis chapter 1? verse one in the beginning
god created the heaven and world and the earth
this is god's eternal plan right from the beginning
that in him john will say in the beginning was
the world right in him so paul here is talking
is the same genesis one verse one is explaining
here for he pleased the father that through him
that all things in himself by him where are things
on the earth what are the things on the earth
Humans, men, humans, we, the creation on the
earth, men. Things on the earth or things in
the heavens, heaven has to do with God's activity.
Heaven on earth, God's activity. Having made
peace through the blood of his cross. So from
the eternal plan is a unification of heaven on
earth. Hallelujah. Ephesians, is it? Yes, Ephesians
1 verse 9 and 10. Having made known to us the
mystery of His will. What is His will? Where
do we find the mystery of His will? The mystery
of His will is in the scriptures from the beginning.
Having made known to us the mystery of His will
according to His good pleasure. What is His good
pleasure? He's proposing Himself, verse 10. Look
at verse 10. That in the dispensation of the
fullness of times, He may gather together. What?
He may gather together in one All things in Christ
what all things in Christ Both which are in what
in the heaven that this is Genesis 1 and which
are on the earth in him Hallelujah. So this has
been his intent from the beginning that the heaven
and the earth will be united in Christ and we
see Moses communicating these plans of salvation
All right to the people of Israel and I will
see even in their own story. We see the expression
of God's plan and purpose rewritten in their
own life And we see when Jesus came he told the
story by what he did what he preached and what
he fulfilled Hallelujah, and then we see the
message Matthew 28 verse 18 Matthew 28 verse
18 we see God's plan And Jesus came and spoke
to them saying, all authority has been given
to me where? Heaven. What is heaven? Heaven,
the unseen, the activities of heaven, all right?
Genesis 1 verse 1, all authority has been given
to me where? In heaven and where? On earth. How
did he access this authority? But what he accomplished,
his death, his burial and his resurrection has
given him what? that authority on earth to unite
things. That means he has fulfilled things by
his death, his birth, his resurrection. All authority
has been given to me in heaven and on earth.
This is Genesis 1 .1 verse 19. So go therefore
and make disciples of all nations. You see where
our mission came from? It's from the unification
of the heavens and the earth that we have our
ministry derived from. That we now have the ability
to do what to go. Baptizing them in the name
of the Father and the Son of the Holy Spirit.
Teaching them to observe all things that I've
commanded. You and Lo, I am with you always,
even to the end of the age. Hallelujah. So our
ministry is rooted in what Christ has done. It's
a complete story of what Christ has done. Okay?
So we read earlier on 1 Peter 2 verse 9 and 10.
We read earlier on, and we see in this, I'm not
going to read it again, we read it earlier on,
Peter identifies that both the Gentiles are included
in what God is doing. Gentiles are inclusive
in what God has done or what God is doing as
the continuation of his kingdom. And he applies
this to the church. He applies this to the church.
He applies to the church the identity first given
to Israel in Exodus 19 verse 4 to 6. He applies
the identity given to Israel in Exodus chapter
19 verse 4 to 6. A chosen generation, a royal
priest with a holy nation, his own special people,
this calling reflects God's original purpose,
right? Revealed through Abraham, that through
his descendants, All the nations of the earth
will be blessed. This was a promise made to Abraham
All right, and we see it beginning with what
the nation of Israel a kingdom Okay But when
the promise was made to Abraham, it was to the
whole earth not only to the nation of Israel
All right. So Peter in this in his epistle first
Peter 2 verse 9 and 10 He pre he is not presenting
the church as a replacement for Israel because
often times we have this idea that the church
era is a replacement to what God did to the nation
of Israel. But what God actually did is that
He expanded the fulfillment of His promise of
His covenant through Christ. Hallelujah. So God's
kingdom mission revealed through the nation of
Israel. now includes people from every nation
who are united by faith in Jesus Christ. So we've
emphasized this over and over and over and over
again that we must always understand the story
of the nation of Israel because that is where
our own story came from. God expressed it through
them. We cannot understand the mission for the
church without understanding the mission to Israel.
The mission to the church of doing greater works
is a mission to the nation of Israel to be priests,
to be kings on the face of the earth. That through
the nation of Israel, the whole world will understand
the plan and the purpose of God. That when the
men in the world see God's dealing with the nation
of Israel, they'll understand the purpose of
God, they'll understand the will of God. The
nation of Israel was called to teach the world
about the plan, the purpose, and the mission
of God on the earth. So we can say that God's
kingdom mission was revealed through Israel and
now includes all of us. The kingdom of God is
not merely about leaving the earth, because oftentimes
when we talk about heaven, we always think about
an escape from the earth, hallelujah. But that
was not God's communication to the nation of
Israel. He says that he will dwell with them.
Was that the communication? Heaven and earth
will be united. Heaven will come to earth. Heaven
and earth will be one. Heaven will be on earth.
In the beginning, God created the heavens and
the earth. The idea was that earth, heaven will
be on the earth. Hallelujah. The idea is that
God will visit men and He will tabernacle with
men. So we see God visiting the nation of Israel
and dwelling with them So we see Jesus Christ
coming to us All right visiting us saving us
and what did he do? He dwell with us Hallelujah
By the Holy Spirit. Amen. He resides in us permanently
Israel story is our story is a is the story of
the church explained So, it's not about an escape
on the earth and going to heaven. It's about
God establishing His reign and presence on the
earth through His people. Okay? The Kingdom of
God is not about going to heaven. It's about
God establishing His reign and presence on the
earth through His people. Matthew 6 verse 10,
Revelation 21 -3. We see this. So the earth is
God's dwelling place. That is God's plan from
the beginning. That the earth will be his dwelling
place heaven on earth All right, he always visits
and the goal is that he will visit and he will
dwell among men And we see it in Christ as a
finished work And we who are in Christ have received
the spirit So the earth is God's dwelling place
and its purpose is a restoration of all things
under Christ. So the church is appointed instrument
today. The community through which he continues
the kingdom work on earth. So the church is a
continuation of what we see in the scriptures
concerning the nation of Israel. The continuation
of God's work on the earth. So every local church
must see itself as part of this mission. What
is our mission is to do greater works and this
greater works is proclaiming what God has done
in Christ Okay Demonstrating his kingdom through
the power of the spirit making disciples Reflecting
the character of God because he dwells in us
as that particular light as a shine in darkness
That is our mission. The church mission is to
proclaim that the walls belong to God The earth
belongs to God He created all things. He created
all things. Our calling is not to escape the
earth, but to present God's kingdom on the earth.
But to represent God's kingdom on the earth.
The creation story, man is part of the creation.
When God created Adam, he created him in his
image. He didn't create him in his image so that
he would escape and go to heaven. The idea is
that that man will be his representation on earth
and in that message Moses communicated that purpose
and that will that plan that idea to the nation
of Israel that this is that the that man belonged
to God and Man is expected to do what to remain
on the earth God in dwelling man on earth and
we'll see in the Garden of Eden The Garden of
Eden is a presence of fellowship where God and
man will fellowship. And man, Adam, was given
a duty in the Garden of Eden, a priestly responsibility
of tending. He represents, he thanks, and he
operates a priestly role on the earth. That is
God's plan from the beginning. That is His plan.
And we have been incorporated in the plan by
virtue of what Christ has done. So the church
is not preparing people for a rapture escape
from the earth. All right, so our message and
our preaching is not to declare that God is escaping
people from the earth We are to preach the gospel
about salvation But much more that we must declare
our goal is to teach that the earth that the
desire of God from the beginning Our ministry
cannot be fulfilled All right If we don't announce
to people that it's not only that they will be
safe alone. Salvation is fundamental. It's important.
But much more is to tell them that God's desire
to inhabit men and to dwell in the earth with
men. The plan and the purpose of God is for heaven
to be on the earth. That through men, God will
establish his divine will and his purpose on
the earth. That is our call for the greater works.
bringing his reign on earth, his presence and
his glory through the earth, through the activities
of men, that God will be seen in the activities
of men. Hallelujah. We need to understand the
purpose of God. We need to understand the story
from the beginning, how God has been communicating
it time and time and time again, that we will
be aligned to God's calling for our own lives.
So as we continue in this conference, I want
us to understand that God is revealing His plan
to us. He's opened up our eyes more. Some of
the things I try to explain here, I struggle
a lot to bring clarity because it was so much
that I have to just cut it to just shed light
on little and it was not even conclusive from
the beginning. Maybe in the course of a Church
services will shed more light on it to show to
us that actually God's plan of salvation is for
him to dwell on the face of the earth and through
us and through our activities we'll be able to
represent him and to make him known on the earth.
Hallelujah. I want us to just rise on our feet
and communicate our heart's desire. You see?
Often times when we read the story of Israel,
we think maybe they were unbelievers. And it's
okay to look at them as unbelievers in the context.
But let me show something as we pray. Genesis
chapter 3. No, Exodus chapter 3, yes. Genesis,
Exodus rather, chapter 4, verse 38, 28. When
God had encountered Moses, and he has told him
his plan and his desire for the nation of Israel.
He gave him a word to the people and consistently
what we expect to see all through scriptures
right from Adam to the time of Noah to Cain and
Abel to the time of Noah to the time of Enoch
and all the people that live in scripture is
that they will believe the word of God. Hallelujah.
Without believing the word of God They will not
enter into the plan of God. The only way that
they can enter the plan of God is by believing.
That is the same to people across all generations.
So how did God save the nation of Israel? Sometimes
we think that God just kidnapped them out of
the nation of Egypt. No. Look at verse 28. So
Moses told Aaron all the words of the Lord who
had sent him and all the signs which he had commanded
him. Where did God inform Moses about his plan
and his purpose for the nation of Israel in his
encounter in the wilderness, right? Look at verse
29. Then Moses and Aaron went and gathered together
all the elders of the children of Israel. They
were in Egypt now. They have not been saved out
of Egypt. He went and gathered them and Aaron
spoke all the words which the Lord has spoken
to Moses. Then he did the signs in the side of
the people. Look at verse 21, very importantly.
So the people did what? They believed. What did
they believe? And when they heard that the Lord
has visited the children of Israel, does this
look like salvation? All right. Does it look
like the Lord has come to save them? And when
they heard that the Lord has visited the children
of Israel, and that He had looked upon their
affliction, then they bowed their heads. and
worshipped. Hallelujah. So they believed the
message of salvation that Moses brought and upon
this belief they were willing to follow Moses
out of Egypt. Hallelujah. And we see that they
experienced the salvation of the Lord because
they believed. But when they came to the wilderness
and God unfold unto them the plan of priesthood,
okay, we see them restraining themselves from
entering that responsibility of priesthood. So
what I'm trying to portray is that it is not
enough to be born again. Salvation is fundamental
and is basic and is necessary to enter, to be
ready, to be saved eternally. But much more than
the salvation that we experience is the call
into the priesthood, the call into being a kingdom,
call into what? The purpose, the plan of God
on the earth. We must also by our will align
ourselves To God's plan for humanity because
what God presented to them in the wilderness
was God's plan for the entire world That there
will be a kingdom and a priest that they will
teach the entire world about him And we see that
that is where their unbelief comes in Hallelujah
that when they enter into the promised land the
promised land is on the land of Canon when they
enter the promised land They will be able to
do what? represent God and not serve the gods
that they came out with from Egypt and they will
not worship the gods of the people they were
meeting in the land and they second them that
they will be a priest unto the nations but they
have to believe to enter this hallelujah we appreciate
you being here today we hope you carried this
word with you throughout your week don't forget
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Until next time, stay blessed.