WEBVTT 00:00:01.260 --> 00:00:06.900 Welcome to NECF sermons. Each message here is 00:00:06.900 --> 00:00:09.900 designed to uplift and strengthen you in your 00:00:09.900 --> 00:00:14.140 walk with God. Don't miss out. Stay with us until 00:00:14.140 --> 00:00:18.160 the end for a rewarding experience. Let's dive 00:00:18.160 --> 00:00:27.739 right in. John chapter 14, from where our theme 00:00:27.739 --> 00:00:33.140 is John chapter 14. verse 12 John chapter 14 00:00:33.140 --> 00:00:38.200 verse 12 John chapter 14 verse 12 he says most 00:00:38.200 --> 00:00:42.840 assuredly I say to you he who believes in me 00:00:42.840 --> 00:00:47.399 the works that I do he will do also and greater 00:00:47.399 --> 00:00:53.100 works than this he will do because I go to my 00:00:53.100 --> 00:01:00.880 father and Matthew chapter 7 Matthew chapter 00:01:00.880 --> 00:01:08.719 7 Matthew 7 21 Matthew chapter 7 verse 21 Not 00:01:08.719 --> 00:01:13.739 everyone who said to me Lord Lord shall enter 00:01:13.739 --> 00:01:19.819 the kingdom of heaven But he who does the will 00:01:19.819 --> 00:01:27.120 of my father in heaven so Just here is speaking 00:01:29.260 --> 00:01:31.700 And then he's saying that the one that will be 00:01:31.700 --> 00:01:33.599 part of his kingdom, the one that will be part 00:01:33.599 --> 00:01:40.459 of his father's kingdom is the one that does 00:01:40.459 --> 00:01:44.319 the will of the father. Hallelujah. Now, what 00:01:44.319 --> 00:01:48.180 is that will of the father? What is that will 00:01:48.180 --> 00:01:52.239 of the father? You know, what is that will? What 00:01:52.239 --> 00:01:58.909 is that will littered around scriptures? we'll 00:01:58.909 --> 00:02:02.870 see that the scriptures contains the will of 00:02:02.870 --> 00:02:06.030 God, the will of the Father. Now that word will 00:02:06.030 --> 00:02:12.270 is a word that is translated from the Greek into 00:02:12.270 --> 00:02:16.710 the English Bible that we have and that will 00:02:16.710 --> 00:02:23.909 is the word Thelema in the Greek T -H -E -L -E 00:02:23.909 --> 00:02:31.939 -M -A T -H - E L E M A and it means the desire 00:02:31.939 --> 00:02:37.719 okay is a word that when used it can be used 00:02:37.719 --> 00:02:42.800 to express desire similarly is a word that also 00:02:42.800 --> 00:02:48.639 you know can be used for purpose or determining 00:02:48.639 --> 00:02:55.099 tension contextually in scriptures It refers 00:02:55.099 --> 00:03:00.500 to God's revealed purpose. God's revealed purpose, 00:03:01.719 --> 00:03:07.259 especially in His redemptive plan that is made 00:03:07.259 --> 00:03:11.439 known to us in the scriptures. So when the Bible 00:03:11.439 --> 00:03:13.819 is talking about the will of the Father, it has 00:03:13.819 --> 00:03:17.740 to do with what God has proposed, what God has 00:03:17.740 --> 00:03:22.319 determined. What God has determined so when Jesus 00:03:22.319 --> 00:03:25.060 Christ is saying that not everyone who said to 00:03:25.060 --> 00:03:28.939 me Lord Lord Shall enter into the kingdom of 00:03:28.939 --> 00:03:32.180 heaven, but he who does the will of my father 00:03:32.180 --> 00:03:37.819 in heaven Jesus speaks of you know the one that 00:03:37.819 --> 00:03:44.460 will Will align himself to God's purpose to God 00:03:44.460 --> 00:03:47.300 determine intention from the beginning and of 00:03:47.300 --> 00:03:53.039 course, we know that is actually You know the 00:03:53.039 --> 00:03:57.060 walk of faith so God's will is that we will be 00:03:57.060 --> 00:04:01.280 part of his Of his kingdom and to be part of 00:04:01.280 --> 00:04:06.099 his kingdom is to believe in he who he has sent 00:04:06.099 --> 00:04:11.599 And he who has sent is Christ who has come to 00:04:11.599 --> 00:04:14.120 die for the sins of the whole world and when 00:04:14.120 --> 00:04:19.680 we believe that The sins our sins are in Christ 00:04:19.680 --> 00:04:22.819 as he was crucified And then he died and he rose 00:04:22.819 --> 00:04:28.259 again Then we become part of the kingdom of God. 00:04:28.300 --> 00:04:34.180 Hallelujah So Jesus's earthly mission as revealed 00:04:34.180 --> 00:04:38.620 in scriptures Is to accomplish the Father's will 00:04:38.620 --> 00:04:42.259 that was the lima and we'll see in John chapter 00:04:42.259 --> 00:04:47.199 4 verse 34 Jesus will say that my foot is to 00:04:47.199 --> 00:04:51.810 do the wheel of him who sent me, the wheel of 00:04:51.810 --> 00:04:56.709 him who sent me. My foot is to do the wheel of 00:04:56.709 --> 00:05:01.829 him who sent me. Jesus said to them, my foot 00:05:01.829 --> 00:05:06.529 is to do the wheel of him who sent me and to 00:05:06.529 --> 00:05:10.970 finish his work. And we have been called to do 00:05:10.970 --> 00:05:16.850 the work, do the works. And these works are embedded 00:05:16.850 --> 00:05:21.540 in the wheel of God for us. Hallelujah. And then 00:05:21.540 --> 00:05:23.920 in John chapter 6 verse 36, you will see another 00:05:23.920 --> 00:05:26.600 statement of Jesus Christ. He says, I've come 00:05:26.600 --> 00:05:31.899 down from heaven not to do my own will, but to 00:05:31.899 --> 00:05:35.620 do the will of Him who sent me. And now we can 00:05:35.620 --> 00:05:38.800 see the cross reference in Matthew 26 verse 39. 00:05:40.500 --> 00:05:43.500 So the same emphasis continues throughout the 00:05:43.500 --> 00:05:47.149 epistles. We'll see Paul will be praying. That 00:05:47.149 --> 00:05:50.930 the believer will be filled with what? with a 00:05:50.930 --> 00:05:56.750 knowledge of his will So that day that is asked 00:05:56.750 --> 00:05:59.470 the believers now may work worthy of the Lord 00:05:59.470 --> 00:06:02.910 Colossians chapter 1 verse 9 Colossians chapter 00:06:02.910 --> 00:06:09.230 1 verse 9 to 10 We'll see where Paul is praying. 00:06:09.350 --> 00:06:13.230 He says for this reason We also since the day 00:06:13.230 --> 00:06:17.850 we heard Do not cease to pray for you and to 00:06:17.850 --> 00:06:21.750 ask that you may be filled with the knowledge 00:06:21.750 --> 00:06:26.730 of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. 00:06:26.730 --> 00:06:29.509 Of course, by context of what we've discussed 00:06:29.509 --> 00:06:35.050 yesterday, we know where we can see the knowledge 00:06:35.050 --> 00:06:38.569 of His will. Vastan says that you may work worthy 00:06:38.569 --> 00:06:41.769 of the Lord. When we come to a comprehension 00:06:41.769 --> 00:06:45.699 of His will, We will walk worthy of the Lord 00:06:45.699 --> 00:06:48.959 pleasing him fully pleasing him being fruitful 00:06:48.959 --> 00:06:51.459 way in a walk of ministry in every good walk 00:06:51.459 --> 00:06:56.720 and Increasing in the knowledge of God So we'll 00:06:56.720 --> 00:07:01.980 see later on Epaphras in chapter 4 verse 12 Epaphras 00:07:01.980 --> 00:07:05.459 in the same text chapter 4 verse 12 same scripture 00:07:05.459 --> 00:07:09.379 it says Epaphras who is one of you a born servant 00:07:09.379 --> 00:07:26.000 of Christ greet you So it is essential that the 00:07:26.000 --> 00:07:28.100 believer come to understanding what the will 00:07:28.100 --> 00:07:31.199 of God is. It is important that the believer 00:07:31.199 --> 00:07:35.600 has, you know, a proper foundation of the will 00:07:35.600 --> 00:07:40.040 of God. Believers as well are chosen by God's 00:07:40.040 --> 00:07:44.209 will. By God's will, Ephesians chapter 1 verse 00:07:44.209 --> 00:07:49.829 5 will see that our salvation is God's will Ephesians 00:07:49.829 --> 00:07:53.449 chapter 1 verse 5 He says having predestined 00:07:53.449 --> 00:07:58.310 us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to himself 00:07:58.310 --> 00:08:02.810 According to the pleasure of his will the pleasure 00:08:02.810 --> 00:08:09.459 of his will Give me verse 9 verse 9 Ephesians 00:08:09.459 --> 00:08:13.699 1 verse 9 having made known to us the mystery 00:08:13.699 --> 00:08:17.920 of his will according to his good pleasure good 00:08:17.920 --> 00:08:24.019 which he proposed in himself verse 11 verse 11 00:08:24.019 --> 00:08:29.420 in him also we have obtained an inheritance being 00:08:29.420 --> 00:08:33.399 predestined according to the purpose of him who 00:08:33.399 --> 00:08:38.460 works all things according to the council according 00:08:38.460 --> 00:08:42.039 to the council of His will. So we see the council 00:08:42.039 --> 00:08:44.159 and we see the will of God. Yesterday we look 00:08:44.159 --> 00:08:48.179 at how related, you know, we look at the idea 00:08:48.179 --> 00:08:50.799 of the council of God and we're just trying to 00:08:50.799 --> 00:08:53.779 emphasize because the scripture, the Bible from 00:08:53.779 --> 00:08:58.580 Genesis to Revelation is a book that encompasses 00:08:58.580 --> 00:09:04.419 the plans, the purpose, the will of God. Not 00:09:04.419 --> 00:09:09.370 only that we are safe, What we are choosing according 00:09:09.370 --> 00:09:12.929 to God's will we are commanded to understand 00:09:12.929 --> 00:09:17.190 the will of God in Ephesians 5 verse 7 Paul continues 00:09:17.190 --> 00:09:19.730 communication to the Ephesian Church Ephesians 00:09:19.730 --> 00:09:29.809 5 verse 17 says 5 verse 17 says therefore do 00:09:29.809 --> 00:09:34.629 not be unwise but understand what the will of 00:09:34.629 --> 00:09:37.879 the Lord is okay What the will of the world is 00:09:37.879 --> 00:09:40.519 not only that we understand it, but we do the 00:09:40.519 --> 00:09:43.899 will of God. Ephesians 6 verse 6 Ephesians 6 00:09:43.899 --> 00:09:50.139 verse 6 Ephesians 6 verse 6 not with eye service 00:09:50.139 --> 00:09:53.039 as men pleasers but as born servants of Christ 00:09:53.039 --> 00:09:57.679 doing the will of God from where from our hearts 00:09:57.679 --> 00:10:01.519 from our hearts and then we endure the will of 00:10:01.519 --> 00:10:07.120 God Hebrews 10 verse 36 Hebrews chapter 10 verse 00:10:07.120 --> 00:10:15.580 36 For you have need of endurance So that after 00:10:15.580 --> 00:10:19.759 you have done the will of God you may receive 00:10:19.759 --> 00:10:24.340 what the promise All right, and of course 1st 00:10:24.340 --> 00:10:26.179 Thessalonians talks about holiness, which is 00:10:26.179 --> 00:10:31.120 his will 1st Thessalonians 4 verse 3 says he's 00:10:31.120 --> 00:10:34.320 calling the believers to pursue for this is the 00:10:34.320 --> 00:10:38.759 will of God Your sanctification and what is that 00:10:38.759 --> 00:10:42.580 that you should abstain from sexual immorality, 00:10:42.580 --> 00:10:47.559 hallelujah And then giving thanks in all situation 00:10:47.559 --> 00:10:51.100 is a will of God for the believer 1st Thessalonians 00:10:51.100 --> 00:10:57.500 5 18 1st Thessalonians chapter 5 verse 18 says 00:10:57.500 --> 00:11:01.019 in everything give thanks For this is a will 00:11:01.019 --> 00:11:05.490 of God in Christ Jesus. So the will of God in 00:11:05.490 --> 00:11:07.629 Christ Jesus is not everything but the will of 00:11:07.629 --> 00:11:10.309 God in Christ Jesus is that the believer the 00:11:10.309 --> 00:11:13.269 Christian should give thanks in all circumstances 00:11:13.269 --> 00:11:17.909 hallelujah so ultimately God's will or the word 00:11:17.909 --> 00:11:21.769 thalima is revealed in the scripture so we will 00:11:21.769 --> 00:11:26.190 find the will of God within the scriptures therefore 00:11:26.190 --> 00:11:30.549 anyone called to serve God as we are believers 00:11:30.549 --> 00:11:33.549 in in Him, we believe in Him, we are born of 00:11:33.549 --> 00:11:36.870 God, we must diligently study the scriptures 00:11:36.870 --> 00:11:40.830 so that we will be able to rightly discern His 00:11:40.830 --> 00:11:45.929 will. For only by knowing His revealed will can 00:11:45.929 --> 00:11:49.269 we faithfully accomplish the works that He has 00:11:49.269 --> 00:11:52.970 called us to do. Because if we don't know, we 00:11:52.970 --> 00:11:54.950 will not be able to accomplish the task. So the 00:11:54.950 --> 00:11:57.250 study of the Old Testament scriptures as we've 00:11:57.250 --> 00:12:00.700 started looking at yesterday is not optional 00:12:00.700 --> 00:12:06.039 for us because these are scriptures that explain 00:12:06.039 --> 00:12:08.720 to us the desires, the purpose, the plan of God. 00:12:09.860 --> 00:12:15.480 It reveals to us the foundational truth about 00:12:15.480 --> 00:12:20.840 the will of God and how we can fulfill the will 00:12:20.840 --> 00:12:28.659 of God. Hallelujah. So our emphasis yesterday 00:12:28.659 --> 00:12:32.340 was that the All Testament scriptures, what we 00:12:32.340 --> 00:12:36.220 call the All Testament scriptures are, you know, 00:12:36.340 --> 00:12:40.840 the scriptures by which Jesus himself was able 00:12:40.840 --> 00:12:46.059 to see himself and the purpose for which he accomplished 00:12:46.059 --> 00:12:49.019 on the earth. And we say that the apostles themselves, 00:12:49.240 --> 00:12:52.679 their ministry, all the works they did were also 00:12:52.679 --> 00:12:54.919 from the scriptures because that is the boundary 00:12:55.370 --> 00:12:58.149 for the works that they've been called to do. 00:12:59.490 --> 00:13:03.830 And we emphasize so much about the Old Testament 00:13:03.830 --> 00:13:07.549 scriptures. Now, the New Testament scriptures 00:13:07.549 --> 00:13:10.509 writings are also part of scripture. We must 00:13:10.509 --> 00:13:13.330 emphasize this because we are not trying to reduce, 00:13:13.330 --> 00:13:16.289 you know, the authority of the New Testament 00:13:16.289 --> 00:13:20.629 scriptures just to bring a clarity to that. You 00:13:20.629 --> 00:13:24.669 know, Peter places Paul's letters, most of the 00:13:24.509 --> 00:13:28.830 uh what do you call it epistles it places the 00:13:28.830 --> 00:13:37.230 authority on those writings as scriptures we 00:13:37.230 --> 00:13:40.009 see in second peter chapter 3 verse 15 to 16 00:13:40.009 --> 00:13:42.990 when he was speaking in this epistle let's let's 00:13:42.990 --> 00:13:46.169 just look at how the apostles saw you know the 00:13:46.169 --> 00:13:48.250 the epistles that they were writing in that in 00:13:48.250 --> 00:13:52.289 those times second peter chapter 3 verse 15 second 00:13:52.289 --> 00:13:56.120 peter chapter 3 verse 15 And consider that the 00:13:56.120 --> 00:14:00.399 longsuffering of our Lord is salvation as also 00:14:00.399 --> 00:14:04.000 our beloved brother Paul Okay, our beloved brother 00:14:04.000 --> 00:14:06.519 Paul, which means that the Apostles especially 00:14:06.519 --> 00:14:12.360 Paul Who was a letter apostle? You know half 00:14:12.830 --> 00:14:15.750 an understanding of the gospel as handed down 00:14:15.750 --> 00:14:18.250 by Jesus Christ to the apostles not only that 00:14:18.250 --> 00:14:21.450 he had an encounter but there was a synchronization 00:14:21.450 --> 00:14:23.809 of doctrine they were able to he was able to 00:14:23.809 --> 00:14:28.309 align himself so he says as also our beloved 00:14:28.309 --> 00:14:32.230 brother Paul according to the wisdom given to 00:14:32.230 --> 00:14:41.769 him as written to you verse 16 as also in all 00:14:41.769 --> 00:14:44.370 his epistles talking about the writings of Paul 00:14:44.370 --> 00:14:47.409 what Paul wrote how did Peter saw the writings 00:14:47.409 --> 00:14:52.809 of Paul speaking in them of things in which are 00:14:52.809 --> 00:14:57.529 some speaking in them of these things in which 00:14:57.529 --> 00:15:00.250 are some things hard to understand not that they 00:15:00.250 --> 00:15:03.149 cannot be understood but they are hard to understand 00:15:03.149 --> 00:15:06.950 which unlearned people people that are untaught 00:15:06.950 --> 00:15:10.600 and unstable people twist to their own destruction 00:15:10.600 --> 00:15:16.460 as they do the rest of scriptures so that statement 00:15:16.460 --> 00:15:20.580 the rest of scriptures will mean that he is putting 00:15:20.580 --> 00:15:23.860 the writings of paul and the holy scriptures 00:15:23.860 --> 00:15:26.980 at his genesis to malachi on the same level of 00:15:26.980 --> 00:15:30.700 authority and saying that people who are untaught 00:15:30.700 --> 00:15:36.740 who are unlearned they twist the rest of the 00:15:36.740 --> 00:15:41.299 scriptures including the writings of Paul, the 00:15:41.299 --> 00:15:45.779 epistles of Paul, to their own destruction. Hallelujah. 00:15:46.879 --> 00:15:55.659 So Paul caught both Deuteronomy, okay, in his 00:15:55.659 --> 00:15:58.480 writings, we will see an instance where not only 00:15:58.480 --> 00:16:00.960 that he made reference to the Old Testament scriptures, 00:16:00.960 --> 00:16:03.620 he also made reference to some things in Luke, 00:16:03.659 --> 00:16:06.860 for example, in Deuteronomy 25 verse 4. Luke 00:16:06.860 --> 00:16:09.360 chapter 10 verse 7 he caught this together in 00:16:09.360 --> 00:16:11.320 1st Timothy chapter 5 verse 18. Let's look at 00:16:11.320 --> 00:16:15.860 1st Timothy chapter 5 verse 18 1st Peter chapter 00:16:15.860 --> 00:16:18.259 5 verse 18 we see where Paul is making reference 00:16:18.259 --> 00:16:21.320 to the Old Testament scriptural and equally bringing 00:16:21.320 --> 00:16:26.620 in you know an instance from Luke chapter 10 00:16:26.620 --> 00:16:31.899 verse 7 it says for the scripture says You shall 00:16:31.899 --> 00:16:35.299 not muzzle an ox while it threes out the grain 00:16:35.870 --> 00:16:39.629 Okay, and then he brings in, collaborates it 00:16:39.629 --> 00:16:42.070 with a part of scripture that is in Luke. He 00:16:42.070 --> 00:16:47.409 says, and the laborer is what is worthy of his 00:16:47.409 --> 00:16:52.149 wages. So they, in their writings, recognize 00:16:52.149 --> 00:16:54.570 the authority of the gospel. Paul himself recognized 00:16:54.570 --> 00:16:56.970 the authority of the gospel writings. The New 00:16:56.970 --> 00:16:59.330 Testament, of course, will see the expressions, 00:16:59.529 --> 00:17:03.690 not only him, the early church historically. 00:17:04.519 --> 00:17:07.359 Utam Unopa made us to go into history to see 00:17:07.359 --> 00:17:12.000 how they handle this, the early church handle 00:17:12.000 --> 00:17:16.559 some of this, what do you call it? Handle the 00:17:16.559 --> 00:17:20.059 epistles when they were collected. But I want 00:17:20.059 --> 00:17:23.319 you to understand that they understand the ideas 00:17:23.319 --> 00:17:26.299 as expressed. Of course, Luke chapter 10 verse 00:17:26.299 --> 00:17:32.779 7, I said yesterday that the... That the the 00:17:32.779 --> 00:17:37.119 cosmos were written sometimes a letter All right, 00:17:37.220 --> 00:17:39.740 you were eating sometimes later, but most of 00:17:39.740 --> 00:17:48.880 this were narratives, okay, there was A custom 00:17:48.880 --> 00:17:52.640 of you know storytelling of the things that happen 00:17:52.640 --> 00:17:55.519 Again time will not permit us to go into how 00:17:55.519 --> 00:17:58.660 you know, they preserve the historic events of 00:17:58.660 --> 00:18:01.000 Jesus Christ and how, you know, they were corroborated 00:18:01.000 --> 00:18:04.200 and written down for us. So let's move on to 00:18:04.200 --> 00:18:09.380 what we started looking at yesterday. We're trying 00:18:09.380 --> 00:18:14.019 to look at the message of God as presented in 00:18:14.019 --> 00:18:19.180 the Old Testament scriptures. You know, how the 00:18:19.180 --> 00:18:21.079 Old Testament scriptures, especially the book 00:18:21.079 --> 00:18:27.079 of Genesis, is the book or is where God revealed 00:18:27.079 --> 00:18:30.039 His will and His purpose for us. And we started 00:18:30.039 --> 00:18:32.099 with a particular theme that is important that 00:18:32.099 --> 00:18:33.980 we're going to continue establishing on today, 00:18:34.059 --> 00:18:37.700 and then we conclude. We say that one of the 00:18:37.700 --> 00:18:39.740 first themes or the first theme as expressed 00:18:39.740 --> 00:18:43.359 in the book of Genesis is the creation theology. 00:18:44.460 --> 00:18:49.799 And we say that the creation is, you know, the 00:18:49.799 --> 00:18:53.359 biblical theology that is a starting point for 00:18:53.359 --> 00:18:56.200 understanding the message of the entire Bible. 00:18:57.819 --> 00:18:59.960 And we emphasize that the first two chapters 00:18:59.960 --> 00:19:03.079 of Genesis provides us, you know, the theological 00:19:03.079 --> 00:19:08.059 framework to understanding every major doctrine 00:19:08.059 --> 00:19:14.220 in the scriptures. Okay, because they open us 00:19:14.220 --> 00:19:17.180 up to God's plan, God's purpose and God's will. 00:19:19.170 --> 00:19:23.349 And without a proper understanding of this, you 00:19:23.349 --> 00:19:27.269 know, the creation theology, we cannot properly 00:19:27.269 --> 00:19:30.190 understand the rest of scriptures. Of course, 00:19:30.210 --> 00:19:32.130 understanding the will of God, understanding 00:19:32.130 --> 00:19:33.829 the works that we are to do, understanding what 00:19:33.829 --> 00:19:39.829 God has done in Christ. So it is important for 00:19:39.829 --> 00:19:44.390 us in our ministry, because without this comprehension, 00:19:45.039 --> 00:19:47.400 It's impossible to walk in the will of God. It 00:19:47.400 --> 00:19:50.059 is impossible to walk in the plan of God. Many 00:19:50.059 --> 00:19:54.119 of the, you know, challenges we've had especially 00:19:54.119 --> 00:20:01.980 in the Christian faith stems from the very basic 00:20:01.980 --> 00:20:05.779 foundational explanations. Especially when it 00:20:05.779 --> 00:20:08.259 comes to the concept of salvation. If a man cannot 00:20:08.259 --> 00:20:12.279 properly explain what salvation is and it's difficult 00:20:12.279 --> 00:20:15.750 for him. In fact, you cannot trust anybody. Whatever 00:20:15.750 --> 00:20:20.730 he's going to teach If he does not understand 00:20:20.730 --> 00:20:23.210 the basics the basis has to do with salvation 00:20:23.210 --> 00:20:26.890 and we can see this at the very very beginning 00:20:26.890 --> 00:20:29.269 of God's plan and God's intention. Let's go to 00:20:29.269 --> 00:20:40.430 Genesis chapter 1 Genesis chapter 1 In the beginning 00:20:40.430 --> 00:20:44.589 God created the heavens and the earth the earth 00:20:44.910 --> 00:20:48.329 was without form and void and darkness was on 00:20:48.329 --> 00:20:51.529 the face of the deep and The Spirit of God was 00:20:51.529 --> 00:20:53.529 hovering over the face of the water. So yesterday 00:20:53.529 --> 00:20:58.069 what we did basically was to Try to explain Genesis 00:20:58.069 --> 00:21:01.529 1 1 Genesis chapter 1 verse 2 Genesis chapter 00:21:01.529 --> 00:21:06.589 1 verse 3 Today probably just focus on just verse 00:21:06.589 --> 00:21:10.049 4 and verse 5 and God saw the light that it was 00:21:10.049 --> 00:21:13.369 good and God divided the light from the darkness 00:21:13.740 --> 00:21:18.119 God called the light day and the darkness He 00:21:18.119 --> 00:21:22.279 called night. So the evening and the morning 00:21:22.279 --> 00:21:26.259 were the first day. So from verse 4 and verse 00:21:26.259 --> 00:21:30.339 5, we see that God's plan, of course from chapter 00:21:30.339 --> 00:21:33.400 1 verse 1 down to verse 5, in the context of 00:21:33.400 --> 00:21:39.160 it is that God's plan is to separate darkness 00:21:39.160 --> 00:21:43.380 and light. Okay, it's a separate darkness and 00:21:43.380 --> 00:21:46.599 light And it is in this that he will it will 00:21:46.599 --> 00:21:49.079 be good when there is a separation between darkness 00:21:49.079 --> 00:21:52.880 and light That is his plan and we've seen that 00:21:52.880 --> 00:21:57.000 darkness light are figurative expressions in 00:21:57.000 --> 00:21:59.599 scriptures. They are not literal We spend so 00:21:59.599 --> 00:22:01.599 much time yesterday trying to see how they are 00:22:01.599 --> 00:22:05.400 used across the scriptures Mostly figuratively 00:22:05.400 --> 00:22:09.900 referring to spiritual, you know realities Sometimes 00:22:09.900 --> 00:22:12.920 light is referred to individuals it refers to 00:22:12.920 --> 00:22:15.160 you know people it refers Christ call himself 00:22:15.160 --> 00:22:17.720 light of the world and there are instances where 00:22:17.720 --> 00:22:21.819 the believers are called the light of the world 00:22:21.819 --> 00:22:24.700 so when we see the light especially as presented 00:22:24.700 --> 00:22:29.599 at the very very beginning of Genesis it is used 00:22:29.599 --> 00:22:34.119 in a figurative way and Consistently we see in 00:22:34.119 --> 00:22:38.000 scriptures. That is how it is used so also in 00:22:38.000 --> 00:22:43.180 this place. So this was a major theme in the 00:22:43.180 --> 00:22:47.539 later writings of scriptures. We observe the 00:22:47.539 --> 00:22:50.259 contrast of the same theme in the four gospels, 00:22:50.460 --> 00:22:54.200 light and darkness. Luke chapter 16 verse 8. 00:22:54.339 --> 00:22:57.599 Luke chapter 16 verse 8, we see a bit of a contrasting 00:22:57.599 --> 00:23:00.420 between light and darkness. So the master commended 00:23:00.420 --> 00:23:03.640 the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly 00:23:03.640 --> 00:23:08.630 for the sons of this world. are more shrewd in 00:23:08.630 --> 00:23:11.890 their generation than the sons of light. Hallelujah. 00:23:12.569 --> 00:23:16.769 So light here is associated to the children of 00:23:16.769 --> 00:23:22.410 God. Okay. So this similar, you know, idea concerning 00:23:22.410 --> 00:23:24.990 light and darkness in his usage in scripture 00:23:24.990 --> 00:23:30.150 can be seen in Paul's writing. Second Corinthians 00:23:30.150 --> 00:23:33.490 chapter 6 verse 14. Second Corinthians chapter 00:23:33.490 --> 00:23:41.220 6 verse 14. 2 Corinthians chapter 6 verse 14, 00:23:41.400 --> 00:23:46.480 yes. Do not be unequally yoked together with 00:23:46.480 --> 00:23:49.259 unbelievers. Yesterday we saw this text. For 00:23:49.259 --> 00:23:52.660 what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? 00:23:53.539 --> 00:23:58.980 And what communion has light with darkness? What, 00:23:59.099 --> 00:24:02.380 you know, communion has light with darkness? 00:24:02.839 --> 00:24:05.380 So here Paul is contrasting light and darkness. 00:24:06.029 --> 00:24:09.289 as two opposite that should not be allowed to 00:24:09.289 --> 00:24:15.490 function together and In his writing here unbelievers 00:24:15.490 --> 00:24:20.690 are regarded as darkness Okay, and then the believers 00:24:20.690 --> 00:24:26.069 are regarded as light in his writings So in this 00:24:26.069 --> 00:24:28.490 text, we see how he deliberately described the 00:24:28.490 --> 00:24:32.009 unbeliever as unrighteousness, darkness, and 00:24:32.009 --> 00:24:34.349 further on in the subsequent, let's read the 00:24:34.349 --> 00:24:37.690 subsequent verses, verse 15, let's see verse 00:24:37.690 --> 00:24:43.589 15. Verse 15, and what accord has Christ with 00:24:43.589 --> 00:24:48.109 Belial, or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? 00:24:50.990 --> 00:24:54.859 And what agreement has a temple of God? with 00:24:54.859 --> 00:24:59.680 idols For you at a temple of the living God as 00:24:59.680 --> 00:25:05.019 God has said I will dwell in them and Walk among 00:25:05.019 --> 00:25:08.279 them and I will be their God and they shall be 00:25:08.279 --> 00:25:13.480 my people. So this was a promise that God Introduced 00:25:13.480 --> 00:25:17.319 the children of Israel when he you know, he brought 00:25:17.319 --> 00:25:21.039 them out of Egypt That is his plan and purpose 00:25:21.039 --> 00:25:25.880 right from Genesis all right that light will 00:25:25.880 --> 00:25:27.619 shine in the hearts of men and there will be 00:25:27.619 --> 00:25:30.500 union between the heavens and the earth hallelujah 00:25:30.500 --> 00:25:33.559 and then we see the children of israel as god 00:25:33.559 --> 00:25:38.900 called them out of egypt reintroducing the similar 00:25:38.900 --> 00:25:42.339 message to them that he will dwell among them 00:25:42.339 --> 00:25:48.480 all right be with them and we see you know doing 00:25:48.480 --> 00:25:52.400 it in in these deliverance In the deliverance 00:25:52.400 --> 00:25:54.099 of the children of Israel, we see how God was 00:25:54.099 --> 00:25:56.799 with them. And even in the wilderness, we see 00:25:56.799 --> 00:25:59.740 the presence of God with them in clouds, in fire, 00:26:00.339 --> 00:26:02.400 and the miraculous things that happens in the 00:26:02.400 --> 00:26:05.279 wilderness. We see the presence of God always 00:26:05.279 --> 00:26:08.279 with them. And then we see Jesus Christ coming, 00:26:09.059 --> 00:26:13.119 you know, in the flesh, establishing, you know, 00:26:13.420 --> 00:26:18.000 a permanent work that God had in his mind right 00:26:18.000 --> 00:26:20.920 from the beginning that he gave us a spirit and 00:26:20.920 --> 00:26:24.339 the spirit living with us today permanently hallelujah 00:26:24.339 --> 00:26:30.299 so here in this text we see that paul describes 00:26:30.299 --> 00:26:33.960 the unbeliever as unrighteousness as darkness 00:26:33.960 --> 00:26:39.859 as bilial bilial is a god temple of idols he 00:26:39.859 --> 00:26:42.980 described the believer as righteousness he described 00:26:42.980 --> 00:26:46.940 the believer as light he described the believer 00:26:46.940 --> 00:26:52.599 as christ and the temple of God. These descriptions 00:26:52.599 --> 00:26:59.380 are codified terminologies or pointers in the 00:26:59.380 --> 00:27:03.019 Hebrew text. So Paul here is not just writing 00:27:03.019 --> 00:27:07.099 from his own head, but actually the origin of 00:27:07.099 --> 00:27:09.579 what he's writing here is from the Hebrew text, 00:27:09.640 --> 00:27:12.619 from Genesis to Malachi. So this shows a clear 00:27:12.619 --> 00:27:16.509 division between light and darkness. As pointed 00:27:16.509 --> 00:27:19.650 by what we see in the creation story here in 00:27:19.650 --> 00:27:23.029 Genesis chapter 1 From verse 1 down to verse 00:27:23.029 --> 00:27:28.829 5 so far that we've read So second Corinthians 00:27:28.829 --> 00:27:32.930 chapter 4 verse 1, let's look at second Corinthians 00:27:32.930 --> 00:27:35.910 chapter 4 verse 1 First Corinthians chapter 4 00:27:35.910 --> 00:27:38.210 verse 1, second Corinthians right there. Therefore 00:27:38.210 --> 00:27:42.049 since we have this ministry as we have received 00:27:42.049 --> 00:27:46.269 mercy, we do not lose heart We do not lose heart, 00:27:46.809 --> 00:27:49.769 but we have renounced the hidden things of shame 00:27:49.769 --> 00:27:53.690 not walking in the craftiness In craftiness no 00:27:53.690 --> 00:27:57.289 handling the word of God deceitfully But by manifestation 00:27:57.289 --> 00:27:59.970 of truth commending ourselves to every man's 00:27:59.970 --> 00:28:03.789 conscious in the sight of God verse 3 But even 00:28:03.789 --> 00:28:07.650 if our gospel is veiled it is veiled to those 00:28:07.650 --> 00:28:11.890 who are perishing Whose minds the God of this 00:28:11.890 --> 00:28:17.190 age has blinded? Who do not believe lest the 00:28:17.190 --> 00:28:20.569 light of the gospel so here we see, you know 00:28:20.569 --> 00:28:26.490 the gospel Light here relating to the gospel 00:28:26.490 --> 00:28:29.589 whose mind the God of his each has blinded who 00:28:29.589 --> 00:28:32.730 do not believe Lest the light of the gospel of 00:28:32.730 --> 00:28:36.529 the glory of Christ who is the image of God Should 00:28:36.529 --> 00:28:40.529 shine on them For we do not preach ourselves, 00:28:40.589 --> 00:28:44.809 but Christ Jesus the Lord ourselves your born 00:28:44.809 --> 00:28:48.930 servant for Jesus's sake. Verse 6. For it is 00:28:48.930 --> 00:28:52.309 the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness. 00:28:53.569 --> 00:28:55.529 So where did we see God commanding light to shine 00:28:55.529 --> 00:28:58.029 out of darkness? We see God commanding light 00:28:58.029 --> 00:29:01.970 to shine out of darkness in Genesis. Genesis 00:29:01.970 --> 00:29:06.809 chapter 1 verse 1 that we just read. For it is 00:29:06.809 --> 00:29:10.539 God who commanded light So here Paul is explaining 00:29:10.539 --> 00:29:13.220 that text. He is in that text to explain the 00:29:13.220 --> 00:29:16.119 plan and the purpose of God. He says, for it 00:29:16.119 --> 00:29:19.079 is God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, 00:29:20.200 --> 00:29:24.779 who has shone in our hearts to give the light 00:29:24.779 --> 00:29:28.099 of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face 00:29:28.099 --> 00:29:33.799 of Jesus Christ. So here he described the gospel 00:29:33.799 --> 00:29:38.640 as light. Light of the glorious gospel of Christ 00:29:38.640 --> 00:29:42.779 who is the image of God that gospel shines on 00:29:42.779 --> 00:29:46.200 to the recipient who receives it Okay, secondly 00:29:46.200 --> 00:29:52.740 The gospel is hidden to those who are lost Is 00:29:52.740 --> 00:29:54.900 that the God of the world has blinded their mind 00:29:54.900 --> 00:29:57.539 so look at verse 5 give me verse 5 again in verse 00:29:57.539 --> 00:30:00.160 5 You see that he explicitly state that Christ 00:30:00.160 --> 00:30:04.880 is that message. Okay, and the focus of the gospel 00:30:05.940 --> 00:30:09.579 So he described the gospel as the light of what? 00:30:10.599 --> 00:30:13.319 He described the gospel as the light of the glorious 00:30:13.319 --> 00:30:22.859 of the gospel of Christ So that statement Commanded 00:30:22.859 --> 00:30:25.339 light to shine out of darkness was not referring 00:30:25.339 --> 00:30:29.240 to the Sun Okay, he was not referring to the 00:30:29.240 --> 00:30:34.269 Sun or the moon and the stars or the creation 00:30:34.269 --> 00:30:36.750 of the solar system because he had described 00:30:36.750 --> 00:30:41.930 the glorious gospel of Christ as that light that 00:30:41.930 --> 00:30:45.809 shines into the heart of men in verse four. So 00:30:45.809 --> 00:30:48.609 as I stated earlier on, this was a direct reference 00:30:48.609 --> 00:30:52.869 to what? To Genesis one, from verse one to two 00:30:52.869 --> 00:30:56.390 and three. Also in the context of second Corinthians 00:30:56.390 --> 00:30:59.690 chapter four, verse three to six, the darkness 00:30:59.690 --> 00:31:04.160 has to do with the heart of man, okay? The darkness 00:31:04.160 --> 00:31:08.400 there has to do with the heart of man Which is 00:31:08.400 --> 00:31:11.859 a state of man without the gospel of Christ that 00:31:11.859 --> 00:31:16.400 darkness is found in the heart of a man without 00:31:16.400 --> 00:31:23.799 that gospel of Christ And we'll see how John 00:31:23.799 --> 00:31:27.039 explained this in his account in chapter John 00:31:27.039 --> 00:31:30.619 chapter 1 verse 4 will help us to see how this 00:31:30.619 --> 00:31:33.380 darkness is in the heart of Those that don't 00:31:33.380 --> 00:31:35.740 have they don't have the gospel John chapter 00:31:35.740 --> 00:31:40.940 1 verse 49. He says in him was life. Okay, and 00:31:40.940 --> 00:31:48.579 the life was the light of men and The light shines 00:31:48.579 --> 00:31:52.720 in the darkness and the darkness did not comprehend 00:31:52.720 --> 00:31:57.440 it There was a man sent from God whose name was 00:31:57.440 --> 00:32:02.420 John this man came for a witness to bear witness 00:32:02.420 --> 00:32:06.779 of the light that all through him might believe, 00:32:07.019 --> 00:32:10.140 verse 8. He was not the light but was sent to 00:32:10.140 --> 00:32:15.359 bear witness of that light. That was a true light 00:32:15.359 --> 00:32:21.980 which gives light to every man. So the light 00:32:21.980 --> 00:32:26.980 gives light to every man. This true light is 00:32:26.980 --> 00:32:29.809 a personality here. is not the sun, is not the 00:32:29.809 --> 00:32:35.829 moon, but the light is used to express, to figuratively, 00:32:35.829 --> 00:32:38.410 you know, point to the person of Jesus Christ 00:32:38.410 --> 00:32:46.750 as the one who comes to light men. So we saw 00:32:46.750 --> 00:32:51.140 this also in Jesus's, you know, teachings. Jesus 00:32:51.140 --> 00:32:53.319 also taught the same in his teachings John chapter 00:32:53.319 --> 00:32:55.519 8 verse 12 We've read this several times where 00:32:55.519 --> 00:32:59.759 he emphatically called himself that light Then 00:32:59.759 --> 00:33:02.640 Jesus spoke to them saying I am the light of 00:33:02.640 --> 00:33:06.680 the world Okay, he who follows me shall not walk 00:33:06.680 --> 00:33:12.440 in darkness but have the light of life Chapter 00:33:12.440 --> 00:33:16.599 9 verse 5 we see more emphasis of that chapter 00:33:16.599 --> 00:33:20.710 9 verse 5 Then just spoke to them. Okay, as long 00:33:20.710 --> 00:33:23.809 as I am in the world I am the light of what of 00:33:23.809 --> 00:33:28.670 the world chapter 11 verse 9 and 10 Chapter 11 00:33:28.670 --> 00:33:35.609 verse 9 and 10 of John Jesus answered are there 00:33:35.609 --> 00:33:39.170 not 12 hours in the day If anyone walks in the 00:33:39.170 --> 00:33:41.890 day, he does not stumble because he sees the 00:33:41.890 --> 00:33:48.230 light of this world But if one walks in the night 00:33:48.230 --> 00:33:51.769 he stumbles because the light is not in him So 00:33:51.769 --> 00:33:54.390 the light is expected to be in men. Okay verse 00:33:54.390 --> 00:34:00.509 11 These things he said and after he said to 00:34:00.509 --> 00:34:03.009 them our friends Lazarus sleeps, but okay, okay 00:34:03.009 --> 00:34:06.910 Yeah, so we see that Jesus Christ here is teaching 00:34:06.910 --> 00:34:10.210 and is mentioning and emphasizing that he himself 00:34:10.210 --> 00:34:15.130 is the light So we can see evidently from Paul's 00:34:15.130 --> 00:34:21.019 explanation In 2 Corinthians 4, relating to Jesus 00:34:21.019 --> 00:34:26.039 as a light is the consistent message in the epistles 00:34:26.039 --> 00:34:28.739 and even in the words of Jesus himself. So the 00:34:28.739 --> 00:34:33.300 gospel of Christ is that light of God. When a 00:34:33.300 --> 00:34:36.699 man believes and receives the same, he is no 00:34:36.699 --> 00:34:41.340 longer in darkness, but in light, in the light 00:34:41.340 --> 00:34:45.840 of the Lord. He becomes a child of light. So 00:34:45.840 --> 00:34:49.980 this is the message that we can see that Moses 00:34:49.980 --> 00:34:51.940 was trying to communicate to his audience in 00:34:51.940 --> 00:34:57.380 Genesis chapter 1 Let's look at more explanation 00:34:57.380 --> 00:35:05.579 Ephesians 5 verse 8 Ephesians 5 verse 8 Ephesians 00:35:05.579 --> 00:35:19.469 5 verse 8 as children of light here paul speaking 00:35:19.469 --> 00:35:24.329 to the efficient church he uses the word darkness 00:35:24.329 --> 00:35:29.409 however to describe the state of a man he says 00:35:29.409 --> 00:35:33.190 you were once darkness but now you are light 00:35:33.190 --> 00:35:37.469 so he describes the state of man who is yet to 00:35:37.469 --> 00:35:41.269 believe in the gospel as darkness okay so darkness 00:35:41.269 --> 00:35:45.360 here is figurative explaining or bringing The 00:35:45.360 --> 00:35:48.760 picture or explaining a man who does not believe 00:35:48.760 --> 00:35:52.179 in Jesus as the Savior So the man without a spirit 00:35:52.179 --> 00:35:55.480 or the man without life is referred to here as 00:35:55.480 --> 00:36:01.460 darkness. All right So 2nd Corinthians 6 verse 00:36:01.460 --> 00:36:10.619 14 2nd Corinthians 6 verse 14 and 16 Where we 00:36:10.619 --> 00:36:17.610 read Elaron We'll see that he contrasts these 00:36:17.610 --> 00:36:24.170 ideas together, okay? He explained here that 00:36:24.170 --> 00:36:26.130 the God of the world blinds the mind of those 00:36:26.130 --> 00:36:29.670 who are lost who are yet to believe in the gospel 00:36:29.670 --> 00:36:34.449 Okay in this text, so I'm trying to point to 00:36:34.449 --> 00:36:37.570 us the condition of a man trying to explain how 00:36:37.570 --> 00:36:42.070 darkness will emphasize light but darkness you 00:36:42.070 --> 00:36:45.110 know use figuratively as those who do not believe 00:36:45.110 --> 00:36:50.849 and In Ephesians 5 verse 8 refers to the unbelievers 00:36:50.849 --> 00:36:54.070 and Paul telling the Ephesians that they were 00:36:54.070 --> 00:36:57.130 once in that state But at this moment the light 00:36:57.130 --> 00:37:00.650 has shone in their heart. All right, let's let's 00:37:00.650 --> 00:37:04.070 let's check again Ephesians second second Corinthians 00:37:04.070 --> 00:37:08.150 of the 10 verse 3 Second Corinthians of the 10 00:37:08.150 --> 00:37:16.739 verse 3 To see how that darkness works in men 00:37:16.739 --> 00:37:20.920 for though we walk in the flesh We do not war 00:37:20.920 --> 00:37:27.019 according to the flesh For the weapon for was 00:37:27.019 --> 00:37:33.380 for was for but was for For the weapons of our 00:37:33.380 --> 00:37:37.659 warfare are not carnal but mighty In God for 00:37:37.659 --> 00:37:41.980 pulling downward strongholds. Okay, we now strongholds 00:37:41.980 --> 00:37:51.360 verse 5 casting down imaginations, casting down 00:37:51.360 --> 00:37:53.960 arguments and every high thing that exalts itself 00:37:53.960 --> 00:37:57.260 against the knowledge of God, and bringing every 00:37:57.260 --> 00:37:59.960 thought into the captivity to even the obedience 00:37:59.960 --> 00:38:04.619 of Christ. So Paul here is referring to the mind 00:38:04.619 --> 00:38:08.380 of man, okay? And remember we say that this light 00:38:08.380 --> 00:38:10.980 shines in the heart of a man. The darkness itself 00:38:10.980 --> 00:38:14.949 also what? has his grip in the mind of men. So 00:38:14.949 --> 00:38:18.570 Paul was referring to the mind of men in this 00:38:18.570 --> 00:38:21.730 text, which functions through information, through 00:38:21.730 --> 00:38:26.309 knowledge and understanding. So the statement 00:38:26.309 --> 00:38:28.590 to the obedience of Christ was referring to the 00:38:28.590 --> 00:38:31.030 gospel which Christ, which is Christ of course, 00:38:31.690 --> 00:38:33.929 which is that same light that he has consistently 00:38:33.929 --> 00:38:36.409 expressed in his writings. So in other words, 00:38:36.550 --> 00:38:39.389 through the preaching of the gospel, we pull 00:38:39.389 --> 00:38:45.300 down that stronghold Okay, that casts down imaginations 00:38:45.300 --> 00:38:51.360 That exists in the mind of those who do not believe 00:38:51.360 --> 00:38:57.139 So it will be very important to know that the 00:38:57.139 --> 00:39:01.880 mind of man That is a man that is lost the man 00:39:01.880 --> 00:39:05.719 that is unbelieving Can hinder him from receiving 00:39:05.719 --> 00:39:08.380 salvation which is a light of the gospel the 00:39:08.380 --> 00:39:12.349 glorious gospel. So Paul clearly explain the 00:39:12.349 --> 00:39:17.550 importance also of the believer even the believer 00:39:17.550 --> 00:39:20.710 to renewing his mind also because the mind is 00:39:20.710 --> 00:39:23.949 where the operation of light happens the mind 00:39:23.949 --> 00:39:26.230 is where the operation of darkness happens so 00:39:26.230 --> 00:39:30.849 even the believer Romans 12 verse 2 needs to 00:39:30.849 --> 00:39:34.829 regularly you know renew his mind by the word 00:39:34.829 --> 00:39:38.030 of the gospel that they receive when he does 00:39:38.440 --> 00:39:41.199 He will not conform himself to the darkness, 00:39:41.539 --> 00:39:44.780 to the system of the world that is around him. 00:39:45.539 --> 00:39:48.960 And by renewing his mind by the light, by the 00:39:48.960 --> 00:39:52.760 gospel that he has received, he will approve 00:39:52.760 --> 00:39:58.420 that he will walk in the will of God. So clearly, 00:39:59.719 --> 00:40:02.960 where we see the darkness or the light and the 00:40:02.960 --> 00:40:05.519 darkness is in operation is in the mind of men. 00:40:06.219 --> 00:40:09.460 So the decision -making process of a man is in 00:40:09.460 --> 00:40:12.900 his mind, okay? And for the believer to walk 00:40:12.900 --> 00:40:17.480 in God's will, he must constantly renew his mind 00:40:17.480 --> 00:40:22.179 with a written word. So the mind therefore plays 00:40:22.179 --> 00:40:25.699 a vital role in recognizing and walking in God's 00:40:25.699 --> 00:40:30.219 plan on the earth. Now remember we said that 00:40:30.219 --> 00:40:34.960 the conversation in Genesis 1 is heaven and earth, 00:40:35.559 --> 00:40:39.159 okay? and the idea of that light is talking about 00:40:39.159 --> 00:40:42.619 men and we say that that has to do with the heart 00:40:42.619 --> 00:40:53.420 of men okay the heart of men so in second Corinthians 00:40:53.420 --> 00:40:56.639 chapter four verse three we read Eleron let's 00:40:56.639 --> 00:40:58.820 go back to that text again to make emphasis on 00:40:58.820 --> 00:41:01.579 the issue of the heart then we'll move on second 00:41:01.579 --> 00:41:06.239 Corinthians chapter four verse three chapter 00:41:06.239 --> 00:41:09.920 4 verse 3 It says even if the gospel is veiled 00:41:09.920 --> 00:41:11.880 and we know what that gospel is, right? What 00:41:11.880 --> 00:41:14.940 is the gospel is what has been described as light, 00:41:14.980 --> 00:41:18.699 right? So even if the gospel is veiled it is 00:41:18.699 --> 00:41:20.760 veiled to those who are perishing. Why are they 00:41:20.760 --> 00:41:25.260 perishing? Because verse 4 something has happened 00:41:25.260 --> 00:41:29.659 to their mind Whose mind the God of this age 00:41:29.659 --> 00:41:33.760 has blinded so the God of this age has blinded 00:41:33.949 --> 00:41:36.210 In the Old Kingdoms, they used the word hearts, 00:41:36.570 --> 00:41:40.030 the word hearts or mind. And it was, you know, 00:41:40.309 --> 00:41:42.369 translated from the Greek word, cardia. We've 00:41:42.369 --> 00:41:46.789 seen this in church some times back. And it refers 00:41:46.789 --> 00:41:50.670 to that core place, a central place of a man's 00:41:50.670 --> 00:41:53.389 will, where activities happens, where he makes 00:41:53.389 --> 00:41:59.260 decisions. That unseen part of the man. So from 00:41:59.260 --> 00:42:01.300 Paul's explanation in the text that we've read 00:42:01.300 --> 00:42:03.840 so far, especially referring to the heart, where 00:42:03.840 --> 00:42:06.659 we see darkness and light operates, it is evident 00:42:06.659 --> 00:42:08.760 that the reason why the light of the glorious 00:42:08.760 --> 00:42:11.719 gospel of Christ does not shine the heart of 00:42:11.719 --> 00:42:15.059 the lost or the unbelieving is that the God of 00:42:15.059 --> 00:42:17.860 this world has blinded their minds. That is, 00:42:17.860 --> 00:42:19.780 for the light of the gospel to shine in their 00:42:19.780 --> 00:42:24.119 hearts, it must pass through their mind. The 00:42:24.119 --> 00:42:29.940 mind is very vital, you know, to them receiving 00:42:29.940 --> 00:42:36.019 the light of the gospel. Therefore the mind is 00:42:36.019 --> 00:42:38.900 the heart because by blinding the minds of them 00:42:38.900 --> 00:42:42.239 that believe not the God of this world invariably 00:42:42.239 --> 00:42:46.619 blinds their heart. So you see exchange in scriptures 00:42:46.619 --> 00:42:48.739 mind and heart sometimes is mind sometimes is 00:42:48.739 --> 00:42:54.239 heart. Let's see Ephesians 4 verse 17 Ephesians 00:42:54.239 --> 00:43:00.630 4 verse 17 and verse 18 So the believer is one 00:43:00.630 --> 00:43:04.550 who has clearly, you know receive that light 00:43:04.550 --> 00:43:10.090 of the glorious gospel I Say therefore and testifying 00:43:10.090 --> 00:43:12.190 the Lord that you should no longer work as the 00:43:12.190 --> 00:43:17.969 rest of the Gentiles Okay, let me check my text 00:43:17.969 --> 00:43:26.309 Ephesians Okay, having okay give me verse the 00:43:26.309 --> 00:43:30.800 previous verse verse 17. Yes This I say therefore 00:43:30.800 --> 00:43:32.980 and testify in the law that you should no longer 00:43:32.980 --> 00:43:36.099 work as the rest of the Gentiles Work and the 00:43:36.099 --> 00:43:38.559 futility of what of their minds because they 00:43:38.559 --> 00:43:41.820 are in darkness. Okay having their understanding 00:43:41.820 --> 00:43:46.760 darkened being Alienated from the life of God 00:43:46.760 --> 00:43:50.480 So number one we see that being in darkness simply 00:43:50.480 --> 00:43:53.059 means to be alienated from the what from the 00:43:53.059 --> 00:43:56.699 life of God because of ignorance that is in them 00:43:56.699 --> 00:43:59.849 because of the blindness of what of their heart. 00:44:00.489 --> 00:44:04.809 All right. So this is the condition of the unbeliever, 00:44:05.269 --> 00:44:09.510 but the believer has clearly received the light 00:44:09.510 --> 00:44:12.769 of the glorious gospel through his mind and believed. 00:44:13.469 --> 00:44:17.309 Therefore he is called a new creation. Hallelujah. 00:44:18.170 --> 00:44:21.969 So you see, Paul has a technicality of always 00:44:21.969 --> 00:44:28.030 using Old Testament messages or themes or Vabbage 00:44:28.030 --> 00:44:31.989 and explaining, you know and writing his epistles 00:44:31.989 --> 00:44:34.449 in 2nd Corinthians 5 verse 17 He would refer 00:44:34.449 --> 00:44:37.570 to the one that has received the glorious message 00:44:37.570 --> 00:44:40.510 and then he will call him what a new creation 00:44:40.510 --> 00:44:44.969 2nd Corinthians 5 17 He says therefore if anyone 00:44:44.969 --> 00:44:48.530 in Christ He is a new creation all things have 00:44:48.530 --> 00:44:50.909 passed what has passed away the life that is 00:44:50.909 --> 00:44:56.519 defined in darkness the light that is that is 00:44:56.519 --> 00:45:00.559 defined by darkness. All things, that old things 00:45:00.559 --> 00:45:03.800 have passed away. Behold, all things have become 00:45:03.800 --> 00:45:08.159 new. So this is a man that light has shone in 00:45:08.159 --> 00:45:11.059 his heart. All right, this is a man that the 00:45:11.059 --> 00:45:13.440 light of the gospel has been shone in his heart 00:45:13.440 --> 00:45:15.079 and he has received that light of the gospel. 00:45:15.420 --> 00:45:18.780 So he's called a new creation. So we see the 00:45:18.780 --> 00:45:24.559 idea of the creation theology expressed in the 00:45:24.559 --> 00:45:32.780 context of the salvation of man. So we see Jesus 00:45:32.780 --> 00:45:35.280 Christ will be referring to people who believe 00:45:35.280 --> 00:45:39.820 in Matthew 5 verse 14. Matthew 5 verse 14 because 00:45:39.820 --> 00:45:42.579 they have the light in them. Matthew 5 verse 00:45:42.579 --> 00:45:46.579 14 and 16 says, you are the light of the world. 00:45:48.139 --> 00:45:52.099 You are the light of the world. A city set on 00:45:52.099 --> 00:46:18.440 a hill cannot be hidden. Jesus describes his 00:46:18.440 --> 00:46:20.340 audience as a light of the world, which is in 00:46:20.340 --> 00:46:24.820 reference to what God's creation in Genesis referring 00:46:24.820 --> 00:46:29.460 to you know the explanation of Genesis chapter 00:46:29.460 --> 00:46:32.239 1 from verse 1 down to verse 3 verse 4 verse 00:46:32.239 --> 00:46:39.760 5. However in verse 16 we see him saying let 00:46:39.760 --> 00:46:42.880 your light shine this clearly shows that the 00:46:42.880 --> 00:46:46.059 believer has a responsibility once he receives 00:46:46.059 --> 00:46:50.019 the light in himself is to do all is to shine 00:46:50.019 --> 00:46:52.039 the light and we've described and we've defined 00:46:52.039 --> 00:46:55.280 the light as what the glorious message of the 00:46:55.280 --> 00:47:03.039 gospel hallelujah so this will be seen in the 00:47:03.039 --> 00:47:05.980 conduct and the preaching of the gospel in this 00:47:05.980 --> 00:47:09.059 world so how the believer will allow the light 00:47:09.059 --> 00:47:13.320 that he has received to be seen in the midst 00:47:13.320 --> 00:47:18.340 of darkness in the midst of chaos is by his conduct 00:47:18.719 --> 00:47:21.840 And by the preaching that he preaches about what 00:47:21.840 --> 00:47:25.219 he has received and what he has in him. Okay? 00:47:25.659 --> 00:47:27.840 So this is exactly similar to what we see in 00:47:27.840 --> 00:47:32.000 Ephesians 5 verse 8, where Paul described the 00:47:32.000 --> 00:47:36.719 believers as light in the world. Okay? For you 00:47:36.719 --> 00:47:39.500 were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. 00:47:40.079 --> 00:47:45.039 Work as children of light. So, the believer is 00:47:45.039 --> 00:47:48.789 light in the Lord. Okay, the believer has received 00:47:48.789 --> 00:47:51.409 light he has become light and he has light so 00:47:51.409 --> 00:47:56.869 he is to shine the light even on earth on earth 00:47:56.869 --> 00:48:01.690 Within a human relationship within human, you 00:48:01.690 --> 00:48:05.690 know interaction The light that is in us who 00:48:05.690 --> 00:48:10.429 have belief should be allowed to shine So this 00:48:10.429 --> 00:48:14.150 shows the believers identity is light all right 00:48:14.409 --> 00:48:17.250 This shows that the believer's identity is light, 00:48:17.289 --> 00:48:19.090 while the identity of the unbeliever is called 00:48:19.090 --> 00:48:25.989 darkness. And we see Paul, you know, instructing 00:48:25.989 --> 00:48:29.849 the believers to walk as children of light. Walk 00:48:29.849 --> 00:48:35.230 as children of light. Say, walk as children of 00:48:35.230 --> 00:48:37.489 what? Of light, verse 8. He says, walk as children 00:48:37.489 --> 00:48:41.829 of light. That walk has to do with peripatio, 00:48:41.889 --> 00:48:45.269 which figuratively implies to live. children 00:48:45.269 --> 00:48:49.570 of light to follow it also implies to conduct 00:48:49.570 --> 00:48:53.150 yourself or a disposition that is influenced 00:48:53.150 --> 00:48:55.829 by the nature of light that is in the believer 00:48:55.829 --> 00:49:01.409 so the believer is no longer in darkness but 00:49:01.409 --> 00:49:05.510 that light has been shown in his heart so he 00:49:05.510 --> 00:49:09.309 has an identity a new creation has been formed 00:49:09.309 --> 00:49:13.190 creation you know theology a new man has been 00:49:13.190 --> 00:49:16.389 formed He has received light and he has become 00:49:16.389 --> 00:49:20.150 light himself. So let him walk in the newness 00:49:20.150 --> 00:49:24.489 of life that he has So the word as walk as children 00:49:24.489 --> 00:49:29.309 of light as employed by Paul here Will be the 00:49:29.309 --> 00:49:32.809 same thing as Jesus will say let your light shines 00:49:32.809 --> 00:49:36.469 they are synonymous. So what Paul is saying Walk 00:49:36.469 --> 00:49:38.789 as children of light is synonymous to what Christ 00:49:38.789 --> 00:49:42.989 is saying in Matthew 5 14 and 16. Let your light 00:49:42.989 --> 00:49:47.800 shine Let your light shine before men that they 00:49:47.800 --> 00:49:51.219 may see and give glory to God So both speakers 00:49:51.219 --> 00:49:54.699 are passing across Jesus and Paul here are passing 00:49:54.699 --> 00:50:00.559 across the same instruction You know same instruction 00:50:00.559 --> 00:50:04.440 We see severely in Paul's epistles Romans chapter 00:50:04.440 --> 00:50:09.880 6 verse 4 Romans chapter 6 verse 4 Therefore 00:50:09.880 --> 00:50:12.300 we are buried with him through baptism into his 00:50:12.300 --> 00:50:15.260 death that Jesus that just as Christ was raised 00:50:15.260 --> 00:50:18.420 from the dead by the glory of the Father, even 00:50:18.420 --> 00:50:21.659 so also should walk. How to walk there is the 00:50:21.659 --> 00:50:26.980 word paripatheo in the Greek, p -e -r -i -p -a 00:50:26.980 --> 00:50:32.119 -t -e -o, p -e -r -i -p -a -t -e -o. Walk in 00:50:32.119 --> 00:50:33.980 a newness of life. What is the newness of life? 00:50:34.340 --> 00:50:36.820 The newness of life has to do with the light 00:50:36.820 --> 00:50:40.219 kind of life, the life that has received the 00:50:40.219 --> 00:50:44.760 light of God. Hallelujah Galatians 5 16 Galatians 00:50:44.760 --> 00:50:49.119 5 16 Galatians up to 5 16 Paul in his epistle 00:50:49.119 --> 00:50:51.699 will emphasize the believer to walk in that light 00:50:51.699 --> 00:50:54.820 I Say don't walk in the spirit. You see the word 00:50:54.820 --> 00:50:59.079 spirit All right is used to refute the light 00:50:59.079 --> 00:51:01.780 walk in the spirit and you shall not fulfill 00:51:01.780 --> 00:51:08.539 the loss of the flesh Ephesians 4 verse 1 Visions 00:51:08.539 --> 00:51:15.099 of the 4 verse 1 so That life is a spirit. Ephesians 00:51:15.099 --> 00:51:20.699 4 verse 1, I therefore the prisoner of the Lord 00:51:20.699 --> 00:51:24.119 beseech you to walk worthy of the calling which 00:51:24.119 --> 00:51:26.739 you were called. What was the calling that we 00:51:26.739 --> 00:51:29.980 are called to walk in the light? That is a calling 00:51:29.980 --> 00:51:32.960 right from the beginning, right? We are called 00:51:32.960 --> 00:51:37.730 into light to walk in the light. So we are expected 00:51:37.730 --> 00:51:40.889 to respond to that which we are in. Ephesians 00:51:40.889 --> 00:51:44.690 5 verse 2. Ephesians 5 verse 2. And how do we 00:51:44.690 --> 00:51:47.289 respond? By our conduct and by the preaching. 00:51:48.650 --> 00:51:52.530 By conduct and by preaching. It says, and walk 00:51:52.530 --> 00:51:56.969 in love. So that light, life of light has to 00:51:56.969 --> 00:51:58.789 do with love. It says walk in love as Christ 00:51:58.789 --> 00:52:02.070 also had loved us and given himself for us an 00:52:02.070 --> 00:52:04.469 offering, an offering and a sacrifice to God 00:52:04.469 --> 00:52:08.289 for His sweet. Smelling sour. All right, Colossians 00:52:08.289 --> 00:52:16.349 1 verse 10 Colossians chapter 1 verse 10 That 00:52:16.349 --> 00:52:20.210 you may walk worthy of the Lord Fully pleasing 00:52:20.210 --> 00:52:23.989 him being fruitful in every good walk. Where 00:52:23.989 --> 00:52:28.650 do we first see something that is good? Hmm In 00:52:28.650 --> 00:52:32.510 Genesis, right? He said and it was good Genesis 00:52:32.510 --> 00:52:39.039 chapter 1 verse 3 and God said let there be light 00:52:39.039 --> 00:52:41.840 and there was light and God saw that the light 00:52:41.840 --> 00:52:49.320 that it was what it was good hallelujah so Colossians 00:52:49.320 --> 00:52:55.860 1 verse 10 we see that the life of the the life 00:52:55.860 --> 00:52:58.639 of a believer in the light is a good life hallelujah 00:52:58.719 --> 00:53:01.300 That you may work worthy of the Lord fully pleasing 00:53:01.300 --> 00:53:07.079 him being fruitful in every good work and increasing 00:53:07.079 --> 00:53:12.280 in the knowledge of God So poor clearly identifies 00:53:12.280 --> 00:53:16.199 a work peculiar to the man who is born again 00:53:16.199 --> 00:53:19.980 how he ought to conduct himself in the war in 00:53:19.980 --> 00:53:24.440 this world and Glorify God in his conduct in 00:53:24.440 --> 00:53:29.440 the earth So This is God's light shining out 00:53:29.440 --> 00:53:33.280 of darkness. OK, this is the idea of God's light 00:53:33.280 --> 00:53:36.559 shining out of darkness. God's desire is that 00:53:36.559 --> 00:53:39.659 there will be distinction. OK, there will be 00:53:39.659 --> 00:53:43.940 distinction between light and darkness. So this 00:53:43.940 --> 00:53:47.679 is what God would refer to as good in the creation 00:53:47.679 --> 00:53:49.940 narrative that we see in Genesis chapter one. 00:53:51.599 --> 00:53:56.889 That we will walk in the light, that we will 00:53:56.889 --> 00:53:59.289 allow the light that God has put in us to do 00:53:59.289 --> 00:54:02.389 what? To find expression. Later we'll see, even 00:54:02.389 --> 00:54:05.849 in John's epistles, I think in the first John 00:54:05.849 --> 00:54:07.969 or second John about the way he says that they 00:54:07.969 --> 00:54:10.829 should walk in the light, alright? And when he's 00:54:10.829 --> 00:54:12.449 talking about walking in the light, he's referring 00:54:12.449 --> 00:54:14.789 to Genesis, the expression, the plan and the 00:54:14.789 --> 00:54:18.050 purpose of God is that the believer will walk 00:54:18.050 --> 00:54:21.909 in that kind of life, you know, and John will 00:54:21.909 --> 00:54:25.210 say that Jesus is at light, okay? Jesus is at 00:54:25.210 --> 00:54:27.980 light. John chapter 1 we say that Jesus is that 00:54:27.980 --> 00:54:35.099 light we see it there Okay so Ephesians chapter 00:54:35.099 --> 00:54:42.179 5 verse 8 Ephesians chapter 5 verse 8 to 11 for 00:54:42.179 --> 00:54:45.840 you were once darkness But you are light in the 00:54:45.840 --> 00:54:49.159 Lord work as children of light. Okay for the 00:54:49.159 --> 00:54:51.239 fruit of the spirit in all goodness righteousness 00:54:51.239 --> 00:54:55.860 and truth finding out what is acceptable to the 00:54:55.860 --> 00:55:01.059 Lord and have no fellowship with what with the 00:55:01.059 --> 00:55:04.619 unfruitful works of darkness but rather what 00:55:04.619 --> 00:55:09.300 do we do how do you expose works of darkness 00:55:09.300 --> 00:55:12.360 it's by walking in the light how do you expose 00:55:12.360 --> 00:55:14.260 the work of darkness is by preaching the gospel 00:55:14.260 --> 00:55:17.920 when we allowed what we have within us to find 00:55:17.920 --> 00:55:21.349 expression we expose the works of darkness We 00:55:21.349 --> 00:55:24.550 expose the works of darkness. Ephesians chapter 00:55:24.550 --> 00:55:29.289 2 verse 1. We see further description of the 00:55:29.289 --> 00:55:39.369 believer. Ephesians chapter 2 verse 1. And he 00:55:39.369 --> 00:55:43.110 who made a life, who were dead in trespasses 00:55:43.110 --> 00:55:48.030 and sins, in which he once worked according to 00:55:48.030 --> 00:55:52.690 the cause of this world. According to the Prince 00:55:52.690 --> 00:55:56.690 of the power of the air the spirit who now walks 00:55:56.690 --> 00:56:00.550 in the sense of disobedience According to the 00:56:00.550 --> 00:56:02.530 spirit that now walks, so there's a walk. There's 00:56:02.530 --> 00:56:05.269 a darkness that walks in the sense of disobedience 00:56:05.269 --> 00:56:09.789 You call it the spirit of disobedience and yesterday 00:56:09.789 --> 00:56:13.909 we saw You know the story of Noah Genesis chapter 00:56:13.909 --> 00:56:17.250 6 where the world was weak was full of wickedness 00:56:17.840 --> 00:56:21.260 Okay, we see an instance where wickedness darkness 00:56:21.260 --> 00:56:24.139 was upon the face of the earth and God commanded 00:56:24.139 --> 00:56:28.019 his life to shine in that darkness Alright, so 00:56:28.019 --> 00:56:30.840 the description of the children of disobedience 00:56:30.840 --> 00:56:35.980 and it takes here gives an allusion To men without 00:56:35.980 --> 00:56:39.000 the life of God Alright men that don't have the 00:56:39.000 --> 00:56:42.019 life of God and Jesus similarly described this 00:56:42.019 --> 00:56:45.440 contrast and look it it looks 16 looked up the 00:56:45.440 --> 00:56:50.510 16 verse 8 See, it's important that we keep seeing 00:56:50.510 --> 00:56:54.929 in scriptures how, you know, this narrative is 00:56:54.929 --> 00:56:57.650 made clearer. So the master commanded the unjust 00:56:57.650 --> 00:57:03.050 to what? Because he asked, they're shrewdly for 00:57:03.050 --> 00:57:06.570 the sons of this world are more shrewd in their 00:57:06.570 --> 00:57:09.030 generation than the sons of light. So here we 00:57:09.030 --> 00:57:13.769 see sons of light, okay, and sons of darkness. 00:57:14.550 --> 00:57:18.980 There's a distinction between these two. Therefore, 00:57:19.179 --> 00:57:22.880 in the earth today, we have the children of light, 00:57:23.000 --> 00:57:26.900 that is believers, and the children of disobedience. 00:57:27.820 --> 00:57:32.400 And we are instructed to shine the light or walk 00:57:32.400 --> 00:57:35.860 in the light as a mark of separation to the world. 00:57:36.500 --> 00:57:40.960 All right? We have to walk in the light as a 00:57:40.960 --> 00:57:44.860 mark of separation from the world. This is proper 00:57:44.860 --> 00:57:49.099 in God's creation plan. This is what God has 00:57:49.099 --> 00:57:53.980 in His plan from the beginning. This is His plan 00:57:53.980 --> 00:57:58.539 for the earth. Okay, this is His plan for where? 00:57:58.679 --> 00:58:00.960 For the earth. That there should be distinction 00:58:00.960 --> 00:58:04.719 between His walks and the walks of darkness. 00:58:05.519 --> 00:58:13.460 Romans 13 verse 12 says, the night is fast spent. 00:58:13.840 --> 00:58:16.719 The day is at hand, therefore let us cast off 00:58:16.719 --> 00:58:20.219 the works of darkness and let us put on the armor 00:58:20.219 --> 00:58:25.940 of light." This is clearly a direct reference 00:58:25.940 --> 00:58:30.019 to God's reordering and giving a function to 00:58:30.019 --> 00:58:31.900 the light in the darkness in Genesis chapter 00:58:31.900 --> 00:58:36.380 1 verse 5. You know, light should shine amidst 00:58:36.380 --> 00:58:43.510 darkness. a supernatural function as a day. You 00:58:43.510 --> 00:58:46.010 know, when we see day and night, let's look at 00:58:46.010 --> 00:58:48.610 that Genesis, because when we see day, it's not 00:58:48.610 --> 00:58:52.590 literal day, okay? It's not literal day. Genesis 00:58:52.590 --> 00:58:56.409 1 verse 5 says, God called the day, okay? God 00:58:56.409 --> 00:58:58.130 called the light. What did he call the light? 00:58:59.289 --> 00:59:02.610 He called the light day. And what did he call 00:59:02.610 --> 00:59:07.429 the darkness? Darkness equal night. So the evening 00:59:07.429 --> 00:59:10.889 and the morning were the first day. So, when 00:59:10.889 --> 00:59:14.570 we see night in scriptures, okay, consistently 00:59:14.570 --> 00:59:18.889 we see reference to the works of darkness as 00:59:18.889 --> 00:59:22.110 night, okay? So here Paul is making reference 00:59:22.110 --> 00:59:28.110 to this text here in his writing. He employed 00:59:28.110 --> 00:59:33.530 the words light and day and darkness, all right? 00:59:33.829 --> 00:59:35.909 Night to distinguish between the disposition 00:59:35.909 --> 00:59:53.719 of a man Alright, so Romans 13, did I read verse 00:59:53.719 --> 01:00:03.000 14? Give me verse 14. Yes, put on the Lord Jesus 01:00:03.000 --> 01:00:06.360 Christ as and make no provision for what? For 01:00:06.360 --> 01:00:09.460 the flesh to fulfill it is lost. Yes, that's 01:00:09.460 --> 01:00:11.500 the text I was looking for. Again, it is vital 01:00:11.500 --> 01:00:14.179 to recall the term good as we keep seeing in 01:00:14.179 --> 01:00:16.650 Genesis chapter 1 verse 4. referring to that 01:00:16.650 --> 01:00:20.909 which is proper and fitting in God's plan. So, 01:00:24.690 --> 01:00:29.489 in John chapter 1 verse 5, we see clearly also 01:00:29.489 --> 01:00:32.789 how John writes, he says, the light shineth in 01:00:32.789 --> 01:00:37.070 the darkness, and the darkness comprehended it 01:00:37.070 --> 01:00:41.219 not. As children of light, we believers, As we 01:00:41.219 --> 01:00:43.900 walk more deliberately in the light shining the 01:00:43.900 --> 01:00:48.340 light over darkness in our conduct As we shine 01:00:48.340 --> 01:00:50.739 the light of God's glorious gospel in our preaching 01:00:50.739 --> 01:00:54.179 and teaching We dispel the darkness that is in 01:00:54.179 --> 01:00:58.300 the heart of men. Hallelujah Mark 16 verse 15 01:00:58.300 --> 01:01:00.840 says and he said to them go ye into all the world 01:01:00.840 --> 01:01:04.519 and preach the gospel to every creature When 01:01:04.519 --> 01:01:09.500 we fulfill this You know what we do is that we 01:01:09.500 --> 01:01:14.019 bring light to the earth we bring light to people 01:01:14.019 --> 01:01:18.920 all right by the preaching of the gospel and 01:01:18.920 --> 01:01:20.820 of course we'll find the same explanation of 01:01:20.820 --> 01:01:24.480 the Christian theology you know in Genesis chapter 01:01:24.480 --> 01:01:27.780 7 let's let's let's go to Genesis chapter 7 Genesis 01:01:27.780 --> 01:01:32.460 chapter 7 verse 11 Genesis chapter 7 verse 11 01:01:32.460 --> 01:01:36.980 in the 600 year of Noah's life in the second 01:01:36.980 --> 01:01:40.440 month the seventh the seventh day of the month 01:01:40.440 --> 01:01:43.679 on the day all the fountain of the great deep 01:01:43.679 --> 01:01:46.699 were broken up and the windows of heaven were 01:01:46.699 --> 01:01:51.320 open and the rain was on the earth 40 days and 01:01:51.320 --> 01:01:55.559 49 i wanted to see the comparison between this 01:01:55.559 --> 01:01:58.960 genesis 7 and genesis 1 you would discover that 01:01:58.960 --> 01:02:03.719 in genesis 1 all right god declared his will 01:02:03.719 --> 01:02:06.159 and his purpose and we've stretched it over a 01:02:06.159 --> 01:02:10.449 long period of time In Genesis 7 you begin to 01:02:10.449 --> 01:02:12.489 compare between Genesis 7 and Genesis when you 01:02:12.489 --> 01:02:14.789 discover that it is actually the same plan God 01:02:14.789 --> 01:02:19.289 reiterating All right, so let's read to verse 01:02:19.289 --> 01:02:23.909 13 and rain was on the earth verse 12 verse 12 01:02:23.909 --> 01:02:27.289 and Rain was on the earth 40 days and 40 night. 01:02:27.429 --> 01:02:30.550 You see the idea of day Okay, and night, right? 01:02:30.940 --> 01:02:34.199 On the very same day Noah and Noah's son shame 01:02:34.199 --> 01:02:37.159 Ham and Zapheth and Noah's wife and the three 01:02:37.159 --> 01:02:40.280 wives of his sons with them entered the ark. 01:02:41.219 --> 01:02:45.800 They had every beast after his kind, all cattle 01:02:45.800 --> 01:02:49.079 after their kind, every creeping thing that creeps 01:02:49.079 --> 01:02:51.019 on the earth." Does it look like Genesis 1 and 01:02:51.019 --> 01:02:54.980 2? Recreation, right? After we see wickedness, 01:02:55.059 --> 01:03:00.360 then we see the plan of God. Hallelujah. Yes, 01:03:00.820 --> 01:03:05.079 so the art was filled with violence Okay, the 01:03:05.079 --> 01:03:08.820 art was very corrupt in the time of Noah this 01:03:08.820 --> 01:03:11.679 type of this is a typology of the chaos and a 01:03:11.679 --> 01:03:15.420 disorder and the violence and The roaring which 01:03:15.420 --> 01:03:18.739 can be explained as we saw in Genesis chapter 01:03:18.739 --> 01:03:25.579 1 verse 1 and 2 Okay, the same story Expressed 01:03:25.579 --> 01:03:30.079 toward through the story of Noah Noah's time 01:03:30.079 --> 01:03:35.219 was characterized by chaos. So Noah built an 01:03:35.219 --> 01:03:40.699 ark. What is that ark that Noah built? What is 01:03:40.699 --> 01:03:45.420 that ark that Noah built? So Genesis 7 is also, 01:03:45.420 --> 01:03:51.980 you know, God's new renewing what he has said 01:03:51.980 --> 01:03:55.920 in Genesis chapter 1 verse 1. The ark was translated 01:03:55.920 --> 01:03:59.289 from the Hebrew word tabba. The word tabab, T 01:03:59.289 --> 01:04:03.409 -A -B -A -H. And then the word has, the idea 01:04:03.409 --> 01:04:10.230 of ark has a context. That's a context to the 01:04:10.230 --> 01:04:12.710 culture of the people of that day. The word is 01:04:12.710 --> 01:04:17.289 from the Egyptian world. And then that ark from 01:04:17.289 --> 01:04:21.889 the Egyptian world is a shrine. Okay, it's a 01:04:21.889 --> 01:04:25.469 shrine for idols and gods, small gods. It's a 01:04:25.469 --> 01:04:29.769 dwelling with three levels. in compartments and 01:04:29.769 --> 01:04:33.429 by implication is a temple is a house for God 01:04:33.429 --> 01:04:36.510 so what Noah was asked the ark is actually a 01:04:36.510 --> 01:04:41.929 shrine you know a temple kind of structure and 01:04:41.929 --> 01:04:43.730 when we look at the dimensions of the ark it 01:04:43.730 --> 01:04:46.750 has three floors you know specifically as God 01:04:46.750 --> 01:04:50.230 will give Noah to build so it is important to 01:04:50.230 --> 01:04:52.309 note that the first place God established the 01:04:52.309 --> 01:04:55.650 temple space was in Genesis chapter 2 verse 8 01:04:56.389 --> 01:04:59.289 Okay, the first place we will see God establish 01:04:59.289 --> 01:05:02.369 a concept of a temple a place of fellowship. 01:05:03.590 --> 01:05:05.090 I Wish we were halftime. We're gonna have maybe 01:05:05.090 --> 01:05:07.849 in church. We're gonna treat this about You know 01:05:07.849 --> 01:05:11.630 the sin of Adam and what is truly and actually 01:05:11.630 --> 01:05:16.070 the sin of Adam So in Genesis 2 verse 8, we'll 01:05:16.070 --> 01:05:20.389 see the idea of the Garden of Eden The Garden 01:05:20.389 --> 01:05:26.780 of Eden as a place of fellowship between God 01:05:26.780 --> 01:05:30.980 and man So let's see Genesis chapter 7 verse 01:05:30.980 --> 01:05:35.420 5 let's read from verse 5 Genesis 7 verse 5 let's 01:05:35.420 --> 01:05:38.860 let's look at more of the story about Noah and 01:05:38.860 --> 01:05:40.980 Noah did according to all the Lord commanded 01:05:40.980 --> 01:05:44.900 him Noah was 600 years old when the flood waters 01:05:44.900 --> 01:05:49.880 were on the earth So Noah with his sons his wife 01:05:49.880 --> 01:05:52.380 and his sons wives went into the ark because 01:05:52.380 --> 01:05:58.400 of the waters of the flood of clean animals, 01:05:58.599 --> 01:06:02.119 of animals that are unclean, of bears, and of 01:06:02.119 --> 01:06:05.260 everything that creeps on the earth. Two by two 01:06:05.260 --> 01:06:07.760 they went into the ark to Noah, male and female, 01:06:07.800 --> 01:06:11.820 as God had commanded Noah. And it came to pass, 01:06:11.840 --> 01:06:15.420 after seven days, that the waters of the flood 01:06:15.420 --> 01:06:20.400 were on the earth. In the 600 year of Noah's 01:06:20.400 --> 01:06:23.079 life, If in the second month the seventh day 01:06:23.079 --> 01:06:25.559 of the month on the day that all the fountains 01:06:25.559 --> 01:06:29.019 of the great deep These were all expressed in 01:06:29.019 --> 01:06:31.880 Genesis 1 we see we're broken up and the windows 01:06:31.880 --> 01:06:36.960 of heavens were open And the rain was on the 01:06:36.960 --> 01:06:43.320 earth 40 days and 40 nights Genesis 8 let's move 01:06:43.320 --> 01:06:45.579 to Genesis 8 verse 1 to 4. Genesis 8 verse 1 01:06:45.579 --> 01:06:52.190 to 4 Genesis 8 verse 1 to 4 Then God remembered 01:06:52.190 --> 01:06:56.269 Noah and every living thing and all the animals 01:06:56.269 --> 01:07:00.789 that were with him in the ark. And God made a 01:07:00.789 --> 01:07:03.909 wind to pass over the earth. Does it look like 01:07:03.909 --> 01:07:07.070 what we saw in Genesis 1? God commanded what? 01:07:07.630 --> 01:07:12.829 A wind to pass over the earth. Alright? And the 01:07:12.829 --> 01:07:18.329 water subsided. The fountains of the deep and 01:07:18.329 --> 01:07:20.690 the windows of heaven were also stopped. And 01:07:20.690 --> 01:07:24.090 the rain from heaven was restrained, verse 3. 01:07:24.449 --> 01:07:27.630 And the waters receded continually from the earth. 01:07:27.909 --> 01:07:31.329 At the end of the 150 days, the waters decreased, 01:07:31.530 --> 01:07:37.610 verse 4. Then the ark rested in the seventh month. 01:07:38.090 --> 01:07:42.989 Where do we see the idea of rest? Rest is a creation. 01:07:43.710 --> 01:07:46.409 Vabbit right from Genesis when God finished his 01:07:46.409 --> 01:07:49.329 work he rested then the ark rested in the seventh 01:07:49.329 --> 01:07:52.130 month and the seventh day of the month of the 01:07:52.130 --> 01:07:54.969 mountains of Ararat move to verse 13 and verse 01:07:54.969 --> 01:08:00.789 14 verse 13 and verse 14 and it came to pass 01:08:00.789 --> 01:08:04.809 in the 601st year in the first month the first 01:08:04.809 --> 01:08:06.909 day of the month that the waters were dried up 01:08:06.909 --> 01:08:09.809 from the earth from the air so we see the idea 01:08:09.809 --> 01:08:12.989 of earth earth, earth, and Noah removed the covering 01:08:12.989 --> 01:08:15.710 of the ark and looked and indeed the surface 01:08:15.710 --> 01:08:22.869 of the ground was dry. Hallelujah. So, we observe 01:08:22.869 --> 01:08:25.189 and point out the similarities between Genesis 01:08:25.189 --> 01:08:30.810 1 and Genesis 7 and 8. The flood of waters, for 01:08:30.810 --> 01:08:34.350 example, in Genesis 7 verse 5. Give me verse 01:08:34.350 --> 01:08:38.329 5, we'll see the flood of waters. Verse 5, verse 01:08:38.329 --> 01:08:43.890 11, verse 12. Say verse 5, Noah did according 01:08:43.890 --> 01:08:47.149 to all, yes the Lord has commanded, is this, 01:08:47.250 --> 01:08:58.710 yes. Verse 11, of course we see on the day all 01:08:58.710 --> 01:09:00.710 the frontiers of the great deep were broken up 01:09:00.710 --> 01:09:03.810 and the windows of heaven were opened, yes. So 01:09:03.810 --> 01:09:09.699 we have also in Genesis chapter 1 verse 2, given 01:09:09.699 --> 01:09:13.420 Genesis chapter 1 verse 2 The earth was without 01:09:13.420 --> 01:09:17.100 form and void and darkness was on a deep Was 01:09:17.100 --> 01:09:19.439 on the face of the deep and the spirit of God 01:09:19.439 --> 01:09:23.779 was hovering over the face of the waters Okay 01:09:23.779 --> 01:09:29.640 So an arc went upon the waters chapter 7 verse 01:09:29.640 --> 01:09:34.539 18 arcs Genesis 7 verse 18. We see that the arc 01:09:34.539 --> 01:09:37.199 was upon the waters in Genesis chapter 7 verse 01:09:37.199 --> 01:09:42.279 18 The waters prevail and greatly increase on 01:09:42.279 --> 01:09:45.600 the earth and the arc move upon on the face surface 01:09:45.600 --> 01:09:47.359 of the water Remember we'll talk about the arc 01:09:47.359 --> 01:09:51.560 the arc is actually a a temple kind of a structure 01:09:51.560 --> 01:09:54.220 a shrine kind of a structure Alright, and it 01:09:54.220 --> 01:09:57.119 hovers upon the waters and we'll see similarly 01:09:57.119 --> 01:10:00.159 as we read in Genesis chapter 1 verse 2 What 01:10:00.159 --> 01:10:03.239 do we see in Genesis chapter 1 verse 2? The spirit 01:10:03.239 --> 01:10:06.140 move upon the face of the waters right now on 01:10:06.140 --> 01:10:10.890 the face of the ground was dry The art was dried 01:10:10.890 --> 01:10:15.989 up Genesis chapter 2 chapter 8 verse 2 and to 01:10:15.989 --> 01:10:19.829 3 chapter 13 Talking about a dry ground. These 01:10:19.829 --> 01:10:22.689 are terminologies that when we study We discover 01:10:22.689 --> 01:10:25.670 that in the listen in the story of the people 01:10:25.670 --> 01:10:30.050 that were there. All right Moses was trying to 01:10:30.050 --> 01:10:33.930 communicate in them The consistency of God's 01:10:33.930 --> 01:10:36.170 plan. That's what I want to bring to your notice. 01:10:36.170 --> 01:10:42.779 All right That what we see in Genesis 1 Genesis 01:10:42.779 --> 01:10:46.520 2 We see that it is the iteration of same in 01:10:46.520 --> 01:10:51.380 the time of Noah And even when we come to Abraham 01:10:51.380 --> 01:10:55.399 we see that similar thing was communicated to 01:10:55.399 --> 01:10:59.039 Abraham and even when God came to the children 01:10:59.039 --> 01:11:03.239 of Israel in Egypt it was the introduction of 01:11:03.239 --> 01:11:06.710 similar conversation right from Genesis So for 01:11:06.710 --> 01:11:09.710 every time and for every season we see the consistency 01:11:09.710 --> 01:11:14.810 of God's plan in typologies in symbols in Figures 01:11:14.810 --> 01:11:17.729 of speech and in all those things the iterating 01:11:17.729 --> 01:11:21.489 is eternal purpose for man And his plan is that 01:11:21.489 --> 01:11:24.869 his spirit will dwell in men that light will 01:11:24.869 --> 01:11:37.350 shine in the hearts of men. Hallelujah So, all 01:11:37.350 --> 01:11:41.329 this is important for us to understand that the 01:11:41.329 --> 01:11:46.069 creation story is vital. It's vital for us in 01:11:46.069 --> 01:11:48.689 understanding the purpose of God. It's very crucial 01:11:48.689 --> 01:11:52.970 for us to understand the plan and the purpose 01:11:52.970 --> 01:11:55.930 of God. I wish we would go into looking at Genesis 01:11:55.930 --> 01:11:58.430 chapter 2 and chapter 3 more in detail, that 01:11:58.430 --> 01:12:02.789 we would see how sin came into being. Okay, we'll 01:12:02.789 --> 01:12:05.909 see how sin came into being and how you know 01:12:05.909 --> 01:12:08.489 What actually is that particular sin that Adam 01:12:08.489 --> 01:12:10.850 sin in the Garden of Eden? What is the concept 01:12:10.850 --> 01:12:14.510 of Eden itself? We'll discover that all this 01:12:14.510 --> 01:12:17.210 speaks about the intention of God and a plan 01:12:17.210 --> 01:12:20.130 and the purpose of God for humanity and often 01:12:20.130 --> 01:12:22.890 times when God declares his plan and his purpose 01:12:22.890 --> 01:12:28.210 What do you see? Even in the declaration of God's 01:12:28.210 --> 01:12:31.710 plans and purpose is at main In their weaknesses 01:12:31.710 --> 01:12:35.329 may fail as we see in the fall of Adam and we 01:12:35.329 --> 01:12:39.109 see the salvation of God even in the fall In 01:12:39.109 --> 01:12:41.970 a time of Noah we see wickedness in increase 01:12:41.970 --> 01:12:45.489 and we see that God interrupted and introduces 01:12:45.489 --> 01:12:50.369 himself into their face of the earth For salvation 01:12:50.369 --> 01:12:55.729 so that is a message of salvation Even in the 01:12:55.729 --> 01:12:58.090 nation of Israel when God began with Abraham 01:12:58.090 --> 01:13:02.310 Abraham was a pagan Right? And we see God coming 01:13:02.310 --> 01:13:05.470 to him to declare his plan and his purpose for 01:13:05.470 --> 01:13:09.630 humanity. And even when the children of Israel, 01:13:09.970 --> 01:13:12.229 who are the people that, you know, through which 01:13:12.229 --> 01:13:16.130 God has promised to Abraham, were in captivity, 01:13:16.850 --> 01:13:21.329 we see that he sent them help. All right? He 01:13:21.329 --> 01:13:24.270 sent them Moses, and Moses delivered them and 01:13:24.270 --> 01:13:26.170 brought them out of Egypt. We see the salvation 01:13:26.170 --> 01:13:29.239 story of God consistently in scriptures. And 01:13:29.239 --> 01:13:33.699 even when he brought them out to the wilderness, 01:13:34.340 --> 01:13:37.819 they were saved from Egypt. They walked on dry 01:13:37.819 --> 01:13:41.439 land, they came out of the waters, you see. And 01:13:41.439 --> 01:13:43.439 they were in the wilderness and he declared his 01:13:43.439 --> 01:13:46.640 plan and his purpose for them even in their unbelief. 01:13:47.000 --> 01:13:49.199 Yet we see the consistency of God's faithfulness 01:13:49.199 --> 01:13:52.479 that he still brought about the fulfillment of 01:13:52.479 --> 01:13:56.960 his promise. And even when the nation of Israel 01:13:57.050 --> 01:13:59.789 enter into the promised land as we read through 01:13:59.789 --> 01:14:02.270 their history we will see consistently where 01:14:02.270 --> 01:14:03.829 they will disobey they will turn their hearts 01:14:03.829 --> 01:14:06.350 away from God and then as they turn their hearts 01:14:06.350 --> 01:14:08.670 away from God we will see that they are displaced 01:14:08.670 --> 01:14:14.930 okay they will sin and in their sin they will 01:14:14.930 --> 01:14:18.350 they will be displaced from the land of promise 01:14:18.350 --> 01:14:22.829 does that give us a picture of Adam? Adam placed 01:14:22.829 --> 01:14:27.010 in the garden okay and then he's seen and then 01:14:27.010 --> 01:14:28.850 he was displaced from the place that he was created 01:14:28.850 --> 01:14:34.289 and placed all right so all these things are 01:14:34.289 --> 01:14:37.869 explanations of God's dealings with man and they 01:14:37.869 --> 01:14:39.810 are narratives that are very very important and 01:14:39.810 --> 01:14:42.270 if you see how men will come into God's plan 01:14:42.270 --> 01:14:48.170 from the time of Adam and Eve is by faith okay 01:14:48.170 --> 01:14:52.609 and even in the time of Noah Noah was a preacher 01:14:52.609 --> 01:14:57.020 of righteousness And how people will come into 01:14:57.020 --> 01:15:00.579 you know the reality of what Noah will do was 01:15:00.579 --> 01:15:05.979 preaching was by faith Not to think of even immediately 01:15:05.979 --> 01:15:12.399 after Adam we see his offspring We see Cain and 01:15:12.399 --> 01:15:16.979 Abel When Cain did not hearken to the voice of 01:15:16.979 --> 01:15:20.560 God All right, and he murdered his brother the 01:15:20.560 --> 01:15:25.550 Bible said that he was he became a fugitive that 01:15:25.550 --> 01:15:29.329 we see you know the actions of God even in the 01:15:29.329 --> 01:15:32.430 midst of that he was not he was even in his sin 01:15:32.430 --> 01:15:34.770 right he complained to God and say God whoever 01:15:34.770 --> 01:15:38.250 sins me will kill me but we see even in his rebellion 01:15:38.250 --> 01:15:40.750 we see the preservation of God what put a mark 01:15:40.750 --> 01:15:46.489 on him that no man will kill him hallelujah so 01:15:46.489 --> 01:15:49.170 consistently we see the stories and the activities 01:15:49.170 --> 01:15:54.569 of men in the activities of men we see God's 01:15:54.569 --> 01:15:57.729 salvation plan declared and fulfilled in that 01:15:57.729 --> 01:16:00.569 time and we see Jesus Christ Then what is the 01:16:00.569 --> 01:16:02.350 essence of Jesus Christ? We will see shortly 01:16:02.350 --> 01:16:08.689 that Jesus Christ comes to Bring in the permanence 01:16:08.689 --> 01:16:11.069 of God's plan and God's purpose the permanence 01:16:11.069 --> 01:16:13.149 of God's plan and purpose has to be the fulfillment 01:16:13.149 --> 01:16:15.949 of God's plan and his purpose for all men because 01:16:15.949 --> 01:16:20.029 how We will come into the plan because we are 01:16:20.029 --> 01:16:23.220 not a nation of Israel So God picked a nation 01:16:23.220 --> 01:16:27.020 and He picked a nation to bring about His plan 01:16:27.020 --> 01:16:29.439 and His purpose for the entire world and how 01:16:29.439 --> 01:16:34.399 we will come into it is through Jesus Christ 01:16:34.399 --> 01:16:39.279 Hallelujah, so let's for a short period of time. 01:16:39.659 --> 01:16:45.939 Let's look at the gospel as preached in the book 01:16:45.939 --> 01:16:50.060 of Acts and we close Throughout the book of Acts 01:16:50.060 --> 01:16:53.079 whenever the Apostles preach the gospel they 01:16:53.079 --> 01:16:55.300 consistently told the story of God's dealings 01:16:55.300 --> 01:17:01.659 with Israel before presenting Jesus Christ as 01:17:01.659 --> 01:17:03.680 a Messiah. This is a pattern that we see all 01:17:03.680 --> 01:17:06.880 through their summons in the book of Acts Whenever 01:17:06.880 --> 01:17:09.520 they go to preach the gospel, they don't omit 01:17:09.520 --> 01:17:12.640 the story of Israel and that is very very crucial 01:17:12.640 --> 01:17:15.800 Okay, we'll see how everything linked together 01:17:18.059 --> 01:17:21.539 Before even to the Gentiles they must explain 01:17:21.539 --> 01:17:23.819 God's dealings with Israel is very important 01:17:23.819 --> 01:17:26.880 to the message For example now in Peter someone 01:17:26.880 --> 01:17:30.800 in Acts chapter 2 verse 14 to 41 We'll see Peter 01:17:30.800 --> 01:17:33.260 begins by explaining Joel's prophecy. Is that 01:17:33.260 --> 01:17:37.020 the story of Israel? prophecy of Joel all right 01:17:37.020 --> 01:17:38.840 Particularly to the nation of Israel actually 01:17:38.840 --> 01:17:42.520 2 verse 16 to 21. He traces God's promise through 01:17:42.520 --> 01:17:45.739 David. This is a soul of people of Israel Before 01:17:45.739 --> 01:17:48.279 proclaiming Jesus as a risen Lord and Christ 01:17:48.279 --> 01:17:52.659 in Acts chapter 2 verse 26 to 38. Now we cannot 01:17:52.659 --> 01:17:57.600 Tell the story of God especially salvation without 01:17:57.600 --> 01:18:01.119 Actually explaining the story of the nation of 01:18:01.119 --> 01:18:05.899 Israel Peter also did the same thing Acts chapter 01:18:05.899 --> 01:18:10.560 3 verse 11 Peter presents Jesus as the fulfillment 01:18:10.560 --> 01:18:14.560 of what Moses and all the prophets foretold connecting 01:18:14.560 --> 01:18:17.460 Christ directly to God's covenant with Abraham. 01:18:17.899 --> 01:18:23.039 Abraham is actually the story of Israel, the 01:18:23.039 --> 01:18:25.779 nation of Israel. Acts chapter 3 verse 18, and 01:18:25.779 --> 01:18:30.779 then we'll see 22 verse 25. Alright? Oh, look 01:18:30.779 --> 01:18:34.399 at Stephen's defense. Stephen is another example. 01:18:36.560 --> 01:18:39.819 When he was speaking in chapter 7, the entire 01:18:39.819 --> 01:18:42.579 chapter, we see that in the entirety of the chapter 01:18:42.579 --> 01:18:46.420 7, What Stephen did was to narrate God's dealing 01:18:46.420 --> 01:18:50.460 with the nation of Israel. Why is this important? 01:18:52.460 --> 01:18:56.500 Why is this important? It's important because 01:18:56.500 --> 01:19:03.819 salvation, okay, is actually expressed in God's 01:19:03.819 --> 01:19:06.640 dealing with the nation of Israel. The reason 01:19:06.640 --> 01:19:10.359 for salvation, hear this properly, the reason 01:19:10.359 --> 01:19:14.960 for salvation is explained in God's dealing with 01:19:14.960 --> 01:19:18.560 the nation of Israel. Why did God save the nation 01:19:18.560 --> 01:19:22.960 of Israel? Is that He will have a kingdom. All 01:19:22.960 --> 01:19:26.539 right? Is that He will have a people. Is that 01:19:26.539 --> 01:19:31.439 He will have a family. So if you take away the 01:19:31.439 --> 01:19:33.239 story of the nation of Israel, we will not be 01:19:33.239 --> 01:19:37.680 able to explain vividly the idea and the concept 01:19:37.680 --> 01:19:41.810 of salvation. If we decide to cut away the story 01:19:41.810 --> 01:19:44.130 of the nation of Israel, we will not be able 01:19:44.130 --> 01:19:46.369 to declare properly God's plan and God's purpose, 01:19:46.729 --> 01:19:50.609 because through them, God really exposed or expressed 01:19:50.609 --> 01:19:55.409 to us His will and His purpose. We'll see another 01:19:55.409 --> 01:19:59.069 example, Acts 13 verse 16 to 41, where Paul was 01:19:59.069 --> 01:20:01.649 preaching. Paul begins with God's choosing of 01:20:01.649 --> 01:20:05.229 Israel. Then he went on to speak about the Exodus, 01:20:05.350 --> 01:20:08.210 very crucial. Then the judges the time of the 01:20:08.210 --> 01:20:11.010 judges then he comes to talk about David and 01:20:11.010 --> 01:20:16.050 then he declares Later on in verse 23 that from 01:20:16.050 --> 01:20:18.630 these man's descendants are calling to the promise 01:20:18.630 --> 01:20:23.409 God brought Israel the Savior Jesus Christ Is 01:20:23.409 --> 01:20:28.510 a line of his story that we must We must comprehend 01:20:28.510 --> 01:20:33.310 Okay, we must comprehend so the story of Jesus 01:20:33.310 --> 01:20:39.199 is the story of israel actually i started giving 01:20:39.199 --> 01:20:41.000 us a hint of this yesterday i said the story 01:20:41.000 --> 01:20:45.560 of jesus christ is from the story of israel so 01:20:45.560 --> 01:20:48.279 when we ignore this we can't know the gospel 01:20:48.279 --> 01:20:53.699 we cannot know the gospel the life and the mission 01:20:53.699 --> 01:20:57.260 of jesus on earth are the all testament stories 01:20:57.260 --> 01:21:02.619 of israel retold jesus christ in his life and 01:21:02.619 --> 01:21:07.500 his mission We will see clearly that he is repeating 01:21:07.500 --> 01:21:12.760 the story of the nation of Israel. So if we will 01:21:12.760 --> 01:21:15.399 have an understanding of what Jesus did, we must 01:21:15.399 --> 01:21:17.880 look at God's dealing with the nation of Israel. 01:21:19.479 --> 01:21:23.039 Even in the explanation of what Jesus did in 01:21:23.039 --> 01:21:27.640 the epistles, the apostles always reference the 01:21:27.640 --> 01:21:30.439 nation of Israel as a context what Jesus did. 01:21:36.039 --> 01:21:39.579 So we cannot fully understand the gospel without 01:21:39.579 --> 01:21:42.300 understanding God's work through Israel because 01:21:42.300 --> 01:21:47.859 Jesus is a fulfillment of the story and not a 01:21:47.859 --> 01:21:52.159 departure from it. God's work of salvation is 01:21:52.159 --> 01:21:55.060 first revealed in his dealings with the nation 01:21:55.060 --> 01:21:59.260 of Israel. God's salvation is first revealed 01:21:59.260 --> 01:22:02.479 in his dealings with the nation of Israel, whom 01:22:02.479 --> 01:22:07.569 he redeemed to establish his kingdom purpose. 01:22:08.529 --> 01:22:11.949 Once we are able to understand what God did with 01:22:11.949 --> 01:22:15.029 the nation of Israel, we will understand God's 01:22:15.029 --> 01:22:20.649 purpose. We understand God's will. This riches 01:22:20.649 --> 01:22:24.970 is fulfillment in Christ who brings salvation 01:22:24.970 --> 01:22:30.590 to all who believe and establish God's kingdom 01:22:30.590 --> 01:22:34.369 through his church. So the story of the church 01:22:34.369 --> 01:22:38.550 is actually the story of the nation of israel 01:22:38.550 --> 01:22:44.789 retold hallelujah for example in exodus chapter 01:22:44.789 --> 01:22:47.409 19 verse five to six let's see exodus chapter 01:22:47.409 --> 01:22:51.210 19 verse five to six quickly exodus chapter 19 01:22:51.210 --> 01:22:54.670 verse five to six now there now therefore if 01:22:54.670 --> 01:22:57.890 you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant 01:22:57.890 --> 01:23:02.250 then you shall be a special treasure to me Above 01:23:02.250 --> 01:23:06.270 all people for all the earth is mine. The earth 01:23:06.270 --> 01:23:09.229 is mine speaks of people all the earth is mine 01:23:09.229 --> 01:23:11.949 What will they become to be a treasure to him, 01:23:11.949 --> 01:23:19.550 right? verse I Shall be a kingdom of priests 01:23:19.550 --> 01:23:22.829 That is after he has saved them. You shall be 01:23:22.829 --> 01:23:26.229 a kingdom of priests and a holy nation These 01:23:26.229 --> 01:23:28.529 are the words you should you shall speak to the 01:23:28.529 --> 01:23:32.380 children of Israel. That is after salvation So 01:23:32.380 --> 01:23:34.819 Moses came and called for the elders of the people 01:23:34.819 --> 01:23:37.100 and he laid before them all these words which 01:23:37.100 --> 01:23:44.100 the Lord had commanded him All right Matthew 01:23:44.100 --> 01:23:51.439 chapter 1 verse 21 Matthew 1 21 Because of time 01:23:51.439 --> 01:23:55.119 quickly And you shall bring forth a son when 01:23:55.119 --> 01:23:57.939 Jesus came and you shall call his name Jesus 01:23:57.939 --> 01:24:00.899 for he will save his people from their sin. Yes 01:24:01.199 --> 01:24:08.020 Luke 1 32 Luke 1 32 We're trying to link the 01:24:08.020 --> 01:24:10.340 story of the nation of Israel and then we see 01:24:10.340 --> 01:24:13.359 Jesus and then we see the church He will be a 01:24:13.359 --> 01:24:15.960 great he will be great and will be called the 01:24:15.960 --> 01:24:19.039 son of the highest and The Lord will give him 01:24:19.039 --> 01:24:23.340 the throne of his father David Okay, we see kingdom 01:24:23.340 --> 01:24:27.300 In the story of Israel we see Jesus Christ coming 01:24:27.300 --> 01:24:32.760 and then getting the kingdom from David and he 01:24:32.760 --> 01:24:35.420 will reign over the house of Jacob forever and 01:24:35.420 --> 01:24:38.939 of his kingdom there will be no end. Colossians 01:24:38.939 --> 01:24:42.039 chapter 1 verse 13, Colossians chapter 1 verse 01:24:42.039 --> 01:24:45.920 13 and verse 14. He has delivered us from the 01:24:45.920 --> 01:24:49.739 power of darkness, Genesis 1 conversation, and 01:24:49.739 --> 01:24:53.439 conveyed us into the kingdom of the son of his 01:24:53.439 --> 01:24:57.560 love in whom we have redemption through his blood, 01:24:57.680 --> 01:25:00.739 the forgiveness of sins. Then 1st Peter chapter 01:25:00.739 --> 01:25:05.359 2 verse 9, we see that Peter expressly linked 01:25:05.359 --> 01:25:09.460 the story of Israel to our reality today. He 01:25:09.460 --> 01:25:13.300 says, but you are a chosen generation, a royal 01:25:13.300 --> 01:25:16.380 priesthood. This is a story of Israel, a holy 01:25:16.380 --> 01:25:19.460 nation. This is a story of Israel. His own peculiar 01:25:19.460 --> 01:25:22.960 people read this in Exodus chapter 19 verse 5 01:25:22.960 --> 01:25:28.300 and 6. His own special people. Why? that you 01:25:28.300 --> 01:25:30.600 may proclaim the praises of Him who call you 01:25:30.600 --> 01:25:33.399 out of darkness. Which darkness? Darkness has 01:25:33.399 --> 01:25:36.279 to do with the idea of God calling us out of 01:25:36.279 --> 01:25:40.699 sin, out of the chaos, out of an identity of 01:25:40.699 --> 01:25:47.640 chaos. As we've seen in the altar sermon, into 01:25:47.640 --> 01:25:49.600 His marvelous light. What is that light? That 01:25:49.600 --> 01:25:52.039 life, the life that is in Christ, we've explained. 01:25:53.279 --> 01:25:56.779 Who was, were not a people, but are now the people 01:25:56.779 --> 01:25:59.909 of God. who had not obtained mercy, but now have 01:25:59.909 --> 01:26:09.470 obtained mercy. All right. So when we read the 01:26:09.470 --> 01:26:13.409 creation account, we see God's plan of salvation 01:26:13.409 --> 01:26:15.710 and his purpose of establishing his kingdom, 01:26:16.550 --> 01:26:21.369 his rule that is heaven on earth. That same purpose 01:26:21.369 --> 01:26:24.970 is progressively revealed in his dealings with 01:26:24.970 --> 01:26:30.210 Israel, whom he chose and dwell among them. Did 01:26:30.210 --> 01:26:33.170 God dwell among the nation of Israel? How did 01:26:33.170 --> 01:26:36.670 he stay with them? We see him all through in 01:26:36.670 --> 01:26:39.050 the activities, in the wilderness, right? He 01:26:39.050 --> 01:26:43.649 was in the cloud, representing, and also what? 01:26:43.930 --> 01:26:49.470 The fire, right? So he dwell among them, in the 01:26:49.470 --> 01:26:55.090 tabernacle. He tabernacle with them, a temple 01:26:55.090 --> 01:27:00.329 symbol. The same purpose is progressively revealed 01:27:00.329 --> 01:27:02.909 in his dealings with the nation of Israel and 01:27:02.909 --> 01:27:06.609 then we see him dwelling among them and then 01:27:06.609 --> 01:27:11.510 shaping his covenant with them. In this sense, 01:27:12.090 --> 01:27:16.409 the creation narratives as recorded by Moses 01:27:16.409 --> 01:27:19.689 because see Genesis 1, Genesis 2, Genesis 3 and 01:27:19.689 --> 01:27:22.989 the entire books of the Old Testament were not 01:27:22.989 --> 01:27:27.609 written for us, to us rather. The his audience 01:27:27.609 --> 01:27:30.949 were the people of Israel So in that writing 01:27:30.949 --> 01:27:34.250 that Moses wrote Genesis one two down and all 01:27:34.250 --> 01:27:36.930 the writings he did He was actually telling them 01:27:36.930 --> 01:27:41.949 about God's plan and God's purpose for them Hallelujah, 01:27:41.970 --> 01:27:45.210 he was revealing that God has called him out 01:27:45.210 --> 01:27:47.689 of darkness He was revealing that God is calling 01:27:47.689 --> 01:27:50.630 them out of chaos that they will be a people 01:27:50.630 --> 01:27:56.239 of light So Moses was given was to reveal God's 01:27:56.239 --> 01:28:00.180 eternal plan and purpose to Israel. So when we 01:28:00.180 --> 01:28:03.140 understand God's plan as Moses communicated to 01:28:03.140 --> 01:28:06.319 his audience, and we see God's dealing with the 01:28:06.319 --> 01:28:10.020 nation of Israel, alright, then we'll better 01:28:10.020 --> 01:28:15.539 understand what Christ did. When we understand 01:28:15.539 --> 01:28:21.159 what Christ did, then we'll appreciate the church, 01:28:21.260 --> 01:28:22.600 the early church. We'll read through the book 01:28:22.600 --> 01:28:26.699 of Acts, we'll see how you know the church lived 01:28:26.699 --> 01:28:36.880 and exemplified the same so Moses was given the 01:28:36.880 --> 01:28:39.300 writings he wrote was teaching them about God's 01:28:39.300 --> 01:28:43.020 eternal plan and purpose showing that his redemptive 01:28:43.020 --> 01:28:47.180 work you know even though yes it did not begin 01:28:47.180 --> 01:28:50.039 with them the intention of God did not begin 01:28:50.039 --> 01:28:53.050 with them but From the beginning, I mean the 01:28:53.050 --> 01:28:57.109 story Abraham right before we see the Exodus 01:28:57.109 --> 01:29:01.970 down to Isaac to Jacob Then we see them You know 01:29:01.970 --> 01:29:04.449 in the wilderness in Egypt, then he saved them 01:29:04.449 --> 01:29:08.270 out of Egypt and then he gave them the laws All 01:29:08.270 --> 01:29:16.989 right so Jesus Christ in his resurrection Express 01:29:16.989 --> 01:29:21.189 God's finished walking express the finished fulfillment 01:29:21.189 --> 01:29:26.130 of God's work through the Holy Spirit. And the 01:29:26.130 --> 01:29:28.289 benefits of Christ's redemption are applied to 01:29:28.289 --> 01:29:33.810 us today. What Jesus did was to bring God's plan 01:29:33.810 --> 01:29:37.550 of salvation to his fulfillment and ushering 01:29:37.550 --> 01:29:40.630 believers into the kingdom, those who are all 01:29:40.630 --> 01:29:42.590 men, because God's intention in the beginning 01:29:42.590 --> 01:29:46.090 was for all nations, for all the earth. The kingdom 01:29:46.329 --> 01:29:49.310 is for all nations the plan is for all nations 01:29:49.310 --> 01:29:52.329 not only the nation of israel but god intended 01:29:52.329 --> 01:29:55.970 plan was for all the earth the father's purpose 01:29:55.970 --> 01:30:00.109 to unite all things together in all in one god's 01:30:00.109 --> 01:30:02.909 eternal purpose was the unification of all things 01:30:02.909 --> 01:30:05.989 the entire earth talking about people and his 01:30:05.989 --> 01:30:15.600 creation but we see the unity is in christ The 01:30:15.600 --> 01:30:21.680 Jew and the non -Jew, the Jew and the Gentile 01:30:21.680 --> 01:30:26.699 are united in Christ. All of us from different 01:30:26.699 --> 01:30:30.260 nations and tribes and tongues are united in 01:30:30.260 --> 01:30:33.840 the person of Christ. Because that was the mission 01:30:33.840 --> 01:30:38.659 right from the beginning. Hallelujah. And let's 01:30:38.659 --> 01:30:41.699 read through this and then we see how we summarize. 01:30:41.949 --> 01:30:44.229 John chapter 19 verse 30. We just read and see 01:30:44.229 --> 01:30:47.329 how these realities are expressed in scriptures. 01:30:47.449 --> 01:30:52.409 John chapter 19 verse 30. So when Jesus had received 01:30:52.409 --> 01:30:54.470 the sour wine, he said it is finished, that is 01:30:54.470 --> 01:30:58.770 on the cross. What is finished? The fulfillment 01:30:58.770 --> 01:31:03.810 of what he has been sent to do. And bowing his 01:31:03.810 --> 01:31:06.670 head, he gave up the spirit. That's his death. 01:31:06.789 --> 01:31:15.250 Romans 8, 11. Romans 8, 11. Romans 8 -11. But 01:31:15.250 --> 01:31:17.710 if the spirit of him who raised Jesus from the 01:31:17.710 --> 01:31:20.350 dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from 01:31:20.350 --> 01:31:23.189 the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies 01:31:23.189 --> 01:31:26.970 through his spirit who dwells in you. So we see 01:31:26.970 --> 01:31:29.850 that his death brought about the indwelling of 01:31:29.850 --> 01:31:39.939 the spirit. Acts chapter 2 verse 32 to 39. the 01:31:39.939 --> 01:31:45.460 salmon of Peter this Jesus God has raised up 01:31:45.460 --> 01:31:49.399 of which we are all witnesses therefore being 01:31:49.399 --> 01:31:52.680 exalted to the right hand of God and having received 01:31:52.680 --> 01:31:55.979 from the father the promise of the Holy Spirit 01:31:55.979 --> 01:32:00.100 okay he poured out this which you now see and 01:32:00.100 --> 01:32:04.300 hear for David did not ascend into the heavens 01:32:04.300 --> 01:32:06.760 but he said himself the Lord said to my Lord 01:32:06.760 --> 01:32:09.789 sit at my right hand Till I make your enemies 01:32:09.789 --> 01:32:13.529 your footstool Therefore let all the house of 01:32:13.529 --> 01:32:16.489 Israel know assuredly that God has made these 01:32:16.489 --> 01:32:19.829 Jesus whom you crucified both Lord and Christ 01:32:19.829 --> 01:32:27.470 Now when they had this They were caught to the 01:32:27.470 --> 01:32:30.890 heart and said to Peter and the rest of the Apostles 01:32:30.890 --> 01:32:34.609 men and bread and what shall we do? Then Peter 01:32:34.609 --> 01:32:37.520 said to them repent And let every one of you 01:32:37.520 --> 01:32:39.500 be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the 01:32:39.500 --> 01:32:41.640 permission of saints and you shall receive the 01:32:41.640 --> 01:32:46.000 gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to 01:32:46.000 --> 01:32:50.380 you and to your children and to all who are far 01:32:50.380 --> 01:32:51.939 off. Now that is the emphasis that I want us 01:32:51.939 --> 01:32:55.680 to see. The promise is to them, to their children 01:32:55.680 --> 01:33:01.859 and to all who are far off. As many as the Lord 01:33:01.859 --> 01:33:07.609 our God would call. Remember. We will see in 01:33:07.609 --> 01:33:11.470 true scriptures that that spirit hmm Is represented 01:33:11.470 --> 01:33:14.789 as Christ is represented as that light from Genesis 01:33:14.789 --> 01:33:18.449 All right, so that declaration of God's plan 01:33:18.449 --> 01:33:23.869 is for all The promise is for all To all who 01:33:23.869 --> 01:33:28.210 are far afar of who are not even within the nation 01:33:28.210 --> 01:33:33.090 of Israel God's plan was for all men All right 01:33:33.090 --> 01:33:37.779 Colossians of the one verse 19 and 20 Colossians 01:33:37.779 --> 01:33:43.899 chapter 1 verse 19 and 20. For it pleased the 01:33:43.899 --> 01:33:49.819 Father that in Him, in who in Christ, all the 01:33:49.819 --> 01:33:55.319 fullness should dwell and by Him to reconcile 01:33:55.319 --> 01:34:00.479 all things to Himself by Him. What are things 01:34:00.479 --> 01:34:03.760 on the earth? What do you think is things on 01:34:03.760 --> 01:34:05.239 the earth or things in the heaven? Does it look 01:34:05.239 --> 01:34:08.090 like Genesis chapter 1? verse one in the beginning 01:34:08.090 --> 01:34:12.569 god created the heaven and world and the earth 01:34:12.569 --> 01:34:15.050 this is god's eternal plan right from the beginning 01:34:15.050 --> 01:34:18.670 that in him john will say in the beginning was 01:34:18.670 --> 01:34:22.029 the world right in him so paul here is talking 01:34:22.029 --> 01:34:24.510 is the same genesis one verse one is explaining 01:34:24.510 --> 01:34:27.789 here for he pleased the father that through him 01:34:27.789 --> 01:34:31.569 that all things in himself by him where are things 01:34:31.569 --> 01:34:34.229 on the earth what are the things on the earth 01:34:34.380 --> 01:34:39.260 Humans, men, humans, we, the creation on the 01:34:39.260 --> 01:34:42.439 earth, men. Things on the earth or things in 01:34:42.439 --> 01:34:45.579 the heavens, heaven has to do with God's activity. 01:34:45.979 --> 01:34:49.279 Heaven on earth, God's activity. Having made 01:34:49.279 --> 01:34:53.239 peace through the blood of his cross. So from 01:34:53.239 --> 01:34:56.300 the eternal plan is a unification of heaven on 01:34:56.300 --> 01:35:00.140 earth. Hallelujah. Ephesians, is it? Yes, Ephesians 01:35:00.140 --> 01:35:07.960 1 verse 9 and 10. Having made known to us the 01:35:07.960 --> 01:35:09.619 mystery of His will. What is His will? Where 01:35:09.619 --> 01:35:11.979 do we find the mystery of His will? The mystery 01:35:11.979 --> 01:35:14.960 of His will is in the scriptures from the beginning. 01:35:15.319 --> 01:35:17.619 Having made known to us the mystery of His will 01:35:17.619 --> 01:35:19.779 according to His good pleasure. What is His good 01:35:19.779 --> 01:35:21.659 pleasure? He's proposing Himself, verse 10. Look 01:35:21.659 --> 01:35:24.680 at verse 10. That in the dispensation of the 01:35:24.680 --> 01:35:28.560 fullness of times, He may gather together. What? 01:35:29.300 --> 01:35:35.649 He may gather together in one All things in Christ 01:35:35.649 --> 01:35:39.409 what all things in Christ Both which are in what 01:35:39.409 --> 01:35:42.430 in the heaven that this is Genesis 1 and which 01:35:42.430 --> 01:35:47.130 are on the earth in him Hallelujah. So this has 01:35:47.130 --> 01:35:50.390 been his intent from the beginning that the heaven 01:35:50.390 --> 01:35:57.270 and the earth will be united in Christ and we 01:35:57.270 --> 01:36:00.170 see Moses communicating these plans of salvation 01:36:00.600 --> 01:36:03.720 All right to the people of Israel and I will 01:36:03.720 --> 01:36:07.220 see even in their own story. We see the expression 01:36:07.220 --> 01:36:10.380 of God's plan and purpose rewritten in their 01:36:10.380 --> 01:36:16.220 own life And we see when Jesus came he told the 01:36:16.220 --> 01:36:19.659 story by what he did what he preached and what 01:36:19.659 --> 01:36:23.399 he fulfilled Hallelujah, and then we see the 01:36:23.399 --> 01:36:27.000 message Matthew 28 verse 18 Matthew 28 verse 01:36:27.000 --> 01:36:32.779 18 we see God's plan And Jesus came and spoke 01:36:32.779 --> 01:36:35.199 to them saying, all authority has been given 01:36:35.199 --> 01:36:40.460 to me where? Heaven. What is heaven? Heaven, 01:36:41.060 --> 01:36:43.659 the unseen, the activities of heaven, all right? 01:36:43.859 --> 01:36:46.920 Genesis 1 verse 1, all authority has been given 01:36:46.920 --> 01:36:51.020 to me where? In heaven and where? On earth. How 01:36:51.020 --> 01:36:53.479 did he access this authority? But what he accomplished, 01:36:53.979 --> 01:36:56.739 his death, his burial and his resurrection has 01:36:56.739 --> 01:37:00.819 given him what? that authority on earth to unite 01:37:00.819 --> 01:37:03.520 things. That means he has fulfilled things by 01:37:03.520 --> 01:37:06.060 his death, his birth, his resurrection. All authority 01:37:06.060 --> 01:37:09.180 has been given to me in heaven and on earth. 01:37:09.680 --> 01:37:15.399 This is Genesis 1 .1 verse 19. So go therefore 01:37:15.399 --> 01:37:20.500 and make disciples of all nations. You see where 01:37:20.500 --> 01:37:23.279 our mission came from? It's from the unification 01:37:23.279 --> 01:37:26.159 of the heavens and the earth that we have our 01:37:26.159 --> 01:37:29.680 ministry derived from. That we now have the ability 01:37:29.680 --> 01:37:31.800 to do what to go. Baptizing them in the name 01:37:31.800 --> 01:37:34.279 of the Father and the Son of the Holy Spirit. 01:37:34.619 --> 01:37:36.619 Teaching them to observe all things that I've 01:37:36.619 --> 01:37:39.640 commanded. You and Lo, I am with you always, 01:37:39.939 --> 01:37:43.640 even to the end of the age. Hallelujah. So our 01:37:43.640 --> 01:37:48.060 ministry is rooted in what Christ has done. It's 01:37:48.060 --> 01:37:52.699 a complete story of what Christ has done. Okay? 01:37:53.239 --> 01:37:57.119 So we read earlier on 1 Peter 2 verse 9 and 10. 01:37:57.359 --> 01:38:02.760 We read earlier on, and we see in this, I'm not 01:38:02.760 --> 01:38:05.399 going to read it again, we read it earlier on, 01:38:05.579 --> 01:38:10.060 Peter identifies that both the Gentiles are included 01:38:10.060 --> 01:38:15.340 in what God is doing. Gentiles are inclusive 01:38:15.340 --> 01:38:19.939 in what God has done or what God is doing as 01:38:19.939 --> 01:38:23.460 the continuation of his kingdom. And he applies 01:38:23.460 --> 01:38:26.260 this to the church. He applies this to the church. 01:38:26.539 --> 01:38:29.060 He applies to the church the identity first given 01:38:29.060 --> 01:38:33.640 to Israel in Exodus 19 verse 4 to 6. He applies 01:38:33.640 --> 01:38:37.500 the identity given to Israel in Exodus chapter 01:38:37.500 --> 01:38:41.619 19 verse 4 to 6. A chosen generation, a royal 01:38:41.619 --> 01:38:44.460 priest with a holy nation, his own special people, 01:38:45.020 --> 01:38:48.079 this calling reflects God's original purpose, 01:38:48.260 --> 01:38:52.600 right? Revealed through Abraham, that through 01:38:52.600 --> 01:38:56.760 his descendants, All the nations of the earth 01:38:56.760 --> 01:39:00.300 will be blessed. This was a promise made to Abraham 01:39:00.300 --> 01:39:04.340 All right, and we see it beginning with what 01:39:04.340 --> 01:39:09.239 the nation of Israel a kingdom Okay But when 01:39:09.239 --> 01:39:11.319 the promise was made to Abraham, it was to the 01:39:11.319 --> 01:39:13.380 whole earth not only to the nation of Israel 01:39:13.380 --> 01:39:17.359 All right. So Peter in this in his epistle first 01:39:17.359 --> 01:39:21.819 Peter 2 verse 9 and 10 He pre he is not presenting 01:39:21.819 --> 01:39:25.020 the church as a replacement for Israel because 01:39:25.020 --> 01:39:27.779 often times we have this idea that the church 01:39:27.779 --> 01:39:32.539 era is a replacement to what God did to the nation 01:39:32.539 --> 01:39:36.439 of Israel. But what God actually did is that 01:39:36.439 --> 01:39:39.420 He expanded the fulfillment of His promise of 01:39:39.420 --> 01:39:44.579 His covenant through Christ. Hallelujah. So God's 01:39:44.579 --> 01:39:47.739 kingdom mission revealed through the nation of 01:39:47.739 --> 01:39:51.729 Israel. now includes people from every nation 01:39:51.729 --> 01:39:56.470 who are united by faith in Jesus Christ. So we've 01:39:56.470 --> 01:39:58.789 emphasized this over and over and over and over 01:39:58.789 --> 01:40:04.729 again that we must always understand the story 01:40:04.729 --> 01:40:07.670 of the nation of Israel because that is where 01:40:07.670 --> 01:40:11.250 our own story came from. God expressed it through 01:40:11.250 --> 01:40:14.189 them. We cannot understand the mission for the 01:40:14.189 --> 01:40:17.250 church without understanding the mission to Israel. 01:40:18.780 --> 01:40:21.359 The mission to the church of doing greater works 01:40:21.359 --> 01:40:25.180 is a mission to the nation of Israel to be priests, 01:40:25.579 --> 01:40:29.600 to be kings on the face of the earth. That through 01:40:29.600 --> 01:40:32.979 the nation of Israel, the whole world will understand 01:40:32.979 --> 01:40:35.560 the plan and the purpose of God. That when the 01:40:35.560 --> 01:40:37.939 men in the world see God's dealing with the nation 01:40:37.939 --> 01:40:40.239 of Israel, they'll understand the purpose of 01:40:40.239 --> 01:40:41.859 God, they'll understand the will of God. The 01:40:41.859 --> 01:40:45.300 nation of Israel was called to teach the world 01:40:46.220 --> 01:40:48.060 about the plan, the purpose, and the mission 01:40:48.060 --> 01:40:52.479 of God on the earth. So we can say that God's 01:40:52.479 --> 01:40:56.020 kingdom mission was revealed through Israel and 01:40:56.020 --> 01:41:01.100 now includes all of us. The kingdom of God is 01:41:01.100 --> 01:41:03.619 not merely about leaving the earth, because oftentimes 01:41:03.619 --> 01:41:07.500 when we talk about heaven, we always think about 01:41:07.500 --> 01:41:11.479 an escape from the earth, hallelujah. But that 01:41:11.479 --> 01:41:13.340 was not God's communication to the nation of 01:41:13.340 --> 01:41:16.289 Israel. He says that he will dwell with them. 01:41:16.569 --> 01:41:20.430 Was that the communication? Heaven and earth 01:41:20.430 --> 01:41:24.569 will be united. Heaven will come to earth. Heaven 01:41:24.569 --> 01:41:28.529 and earth will be one. Heaven will be on earth. 01:41:28.649 --> 01:41:30.289 In the beginning, God created the heavens and 01:41:30.289 --> 01:41:34.430 the earth. The idea was that earth, heaven will 01:41:34.430 --> 01:41:37.850 be on the earth. Hallelujah. The idea is that 01:41:37.850 --> 01:41:40.789 God will visit men and He will tabernacle with 01:41:40.789 --> 01:41:44.199 men. So we see God visiting the nation of Israel 01:41:44.199 --> 01:41:47.859 and dwelling with them So we see Jesus Christ 01:41:47.859 --> 01:41:52.840 coming to us All right visiting us saving us 01:41:52.840 --> 01:41:57.380 and what did he do? He dwell with us Hallelujah 01:41:57.380 --> 01:42:03.579 By the Holy Spirit. Amen. He resides in us permanently 01:42:03.579 --> 01:42:08.600 Israel story is our story is a is the story of 01:42:08.600 --> 01:42:14.020 the church explained So, it's not about an escape 01:42:14.020 --> 01:42:17.159 on the earth and going to heaven. It's about 01:42:17.159 --> 01:42:20.800 God establishing His reign and presence on the 01:42:20.800 --> 01:42:24.600 earth through His people. Okay? The Kingdom of 01:42:24.600 --> 01:42:27.380 God is not about going to heaven. It's about 01:42:27.380 --> 01:42:30.819 God establishing His reign and presence on the 01:42:30.819 --> 01:42:33.720 earth through His people. Matthew 6 verse 10, 01:42:33.760 --> 01:42:38.079 Revelation 21 -3. We see this. So the earth is 01:42:38.079 --> 01:42:40.380 God's dwelling place. That is God's plan from 01:42:40.380 --> 01:42:44.260 the beginning. That the earth will be his dwelling 01:42:44.260 --> 01:42:50.380 place heaven on earth All right, he always visits 01:42:50.380 --> 01:42:54.079 and the goal is that he will visit and he will 01:42:54.079 --> 01:42:59.479 dwell among men And we see it in Christ as a 01:42:59.479 --> 01:43:03.520 finished work And we who are in Christ have received 01:43:03.520 --> 01:43:08.039 the spirit So the earth is God's dwelling place 01:43:08.039 --> 01:43:11.460 and its purpose is a restoration of all things 01:43:11.460 --> 01:43:16.720 under Christ. So the church is appointed instrument 01:43:16.720 --> 01:43:20.979 today. The community through which he continues 01:43:20.979 --> 01:43:24.960 the kingdom work on earth. So the church is a 01:43:24.960 --> 01:43:27.239 continuation of what we see in the scriptures 01:43:27.239 --> 01:43:30.060 concerning the nation of Israel. The continuation 01:43:30.060 --> 01:43:33.720 of God's work on the earth. So every local church 01:43:33.720 --> 01:43:38.409 must see itself as part of this mission. What 01:43:38.409 --> 01:43:41.670 is our mission is to do greater works and this 01:43:41.670 --> 01:43:44.710 greater works is proclaiming what God has done 01:43:44.710 --> 01:43:48.989 in Christ Okay Demonstrating his kingdom through 01:43:48.989 --> 01:43:54.390 the power of the spirit making disciples Reflecting 01:43:54.390 --> 01:43:56.470 the character of God because he dwells in us 01:43:56.470 --> 01:43:59.369 as that particular light as a shine in darkness 01:43:59.369 --> 01:44:02.850 That is our mission. The church mission is to 01:44:02.850 --> 01:44:06.470 proclaim that the walls belong to God The earth 01:44:06.470 --> 01:44:11.890 belongs to God He created all things. He created 01:44:11.890 --> 01:44:16.189 all things. Our calling is not to escape the 01:44:16.189 --> 01:44:19.890 earth, but to present God's kingdom on the earth. 01:44:20.909 --> 01:44:23.109 But to represent God's kingdom on the earth. 01:44:25.229 --> 01:44:28.289 The creation story, man is part of the creation. 01:44:28.989 --> 01:44:32.090 When God created Adam, he created him in his 01:44:32.090 --> 01:44:34.930 image. He didn't create him in his image so that 01:44:34.930 --> 01:44:38.159 he would escape and go to heaven. The idea is 01:44:38.159 --> 01:44:40.460 that that man will be his representation on earth 01:44:40.460 --> 01:44:44.060 and in that message Moses communicated that purpose 01:44:44.060 --> 01:44:46.880 and that will that plan that idea to the nation 01:44:46.880 --> 01:44:51.060 of Israel that this is that the that man belonged 01:44:51.060 --> 01:44:55.260 to God and Man is expected to do what to remain 01:44:55.260 --> 01:45:00.159 on the earth God in dwelling man on earth and 01:45:00.159 --> 01:45:03.239 we'll see in the Garden of Eden The Garden of 01:45:03.239 --> 01:45:07.510 Eden is a presence of fellowship where God and 01:45:07.510 --> 01:45:11.850 man will fellowship. And man, Adam, was given 01:45:11.850 --> 01:45:15.090 a duty in the Garden of Eden, a priestly responsibility 01:45:15.090 --> 01:45:20.729 of tending. He represents, he thanks, and he 01:45:20.729 --> 01:45:24.750 operates a priestly role on the earth. That is 01:45:24.750 --> 01:45:28.109 God's plan from the beginning. That is His plan. 01:45:28.949 --> 01:45:31.850 And we have been incorporated in the plan by 01:45:31.850 --> 01:45:35.170 virtue of what Christ has done. So the church 01:45:35.170 --> 01:45:39.010 is not preparing people for a rapture escape 01:45:39.010 --> 01:45:43.750 from the earth. All right, so our message and 01:45:43.750 --> 01:45:47.850 our preaching is not to declare that God is escaping 01:45:47.850 --> 01:45:50.789 people from the earth We are to preach the gospel 01:45:50.789 --> 01:45:54.350 about salvation But much more that we must declare 01:45:54.350 --> 01:45:57.550 our goal is to teach that the earth that the 01:45:57.550 --> 01:45:59.890 desire of God from the beginning Our ministry 01:45:59.890 --> 01:46:04.130 cannot be fulfilled All right If we don't announce 01:46:04.130 --> 01:46:06.670 to people that it's not only that they will be 01:46:06.670 --> 01:46:09.729 safe alone. Salvation is fundamental. It's important. 01:46:10.229 --> 01:46:12.949 But much more is to tell them that God's desire 01:46:12.949 --> 01:46:16.689 to inhabit men and to dwell in the earth with 01:46:16.689 --> 01:46:19.489 men. The plan and the purpose of God is for heaven 01:46:19.489 --> 01:46:24.189 to be on the earth. That through men, God will 01:46:24.189 --> 01:46:27.270 establish his divine will and his purpose on 01:46:27.270 --> 01:46:30.270 the earth. That is our call for the greater works. 01:46:31.239 --> 01:46:34.640 bringing his reign on earth, his presence and 01:46:34.640 --> 01:46:37.359 his glory through the earth, through the activities 01:46:37.359 --> 01:46:40.220 of men, that God will be seen in the activities 01:46:40.220 --> 01:46:46.399 of men. Hallelujah. We need to understand the 01:46:46.399 --> 01:46:49.840 purpose of God. We need to understand the story 01:46:49.840 --> 01:46:52.180 from the beginning, how God has been communicating 01:46:52.180 --> 01:46:56.319 it time and time and time again, that we will 01:46:56.319 --> 01:46:58.640 be aligned to God's calling for our own lives. 01:47:00.680 --> 01:47:04.279 So as we continue in this conference, I want 01:47:04.279 --> 01:47:08.199 us to understand that God is revealing His plan 01:47:08.199 --> 01:47:11.520 to us. He's opened up our eyes more. Some of 01:47:11.520 --> 01:47:14.619 the things I try to explain here, I struggle 01:47:14.619 --> 01:47:17.140 a lot to bring clarity because it was so much 01:47:17.140 --> 01:47:21.020 that I have to just cut it to just shed light 01:47:21.020 --> 01:47:26.319 on little and it was not even conclusive from 01:47:26.319 --> 01:47:29.550 the beginning. Maybe in the course of a Church 01:47:29.550 --> 01:47:32.649 services will shed more light on it to show to 01:47:32.649 --> 01:47:37.590 us that actually God's plan of salvation is for 01:47:37.590 --> 01:47:39.729 him to dwell on the face of the earth and through 01:47:39.729 --> 01:47:42.529 us and through our activities we'll be able to 01:47:42.529 --> 01:47:47.310 represent him and to make him known on the earth. 01:47:47.529 --> 01:47:50.390 Hallelujah. I want us to just rise on our feet 01:47:50.390 --> 01:47:57.970 and communicate our heart's desire. You see? 01:47:58.740 --> 01:48:00.859 Often times when we read the story of Israel, 01:48:01.100 --> 01:48:05.340 we think maybe they were unbelievers. And it's 01:48:05.340 --> 01:48:07.859 okay to look at them as unbelievers in the context. 01:48:08.939 --> 01:48:11.039 But let me show something as we pray. Genesis 01:48:11.039 --> 01:48:17.220 chapter 3. No, Exodus chapter 3, yes. Genesis, 01:48:17.420 --> 01:48:23.840 Exodus rather, chapter 4, verse 38, 28. When 01:48:23.840 --> 01:48:28.939 God had encountered Moses, and he has told him 01:48:28.939 --> 01:48:31.920 his plan and his desire for the nation of Israel. 01:48:32.039 --> 01:48:35.420 He gave him a word to the people and consistently 01:48:35.420 --> 01:48:39.140 what we expect to see all through scriptures 01:48:39.140 --> 01:48:44.079 right from Adam to the time of Noah to Cain and 01:48:44.079 --> 01:48:47.380 Abel to the time of Noah to the time of Enoch 01:48:47.380 --> 01:48:50.479 and all the people that live in scripture is 01:48:50.479 --> 01:48:54.640 that they will believe the word of God. Hallelujah. 01:48:55.420 --> 01:48:57.970 Without believing the word of God They will not 01:48:57.970 --> 01:49:00.130 enter into the plan of God. The only way that 01:49:00.130 --> 01:49:01.869 they can enter the plan of God is by believing. 01:49:02.670 --> 01:49:06.189 That is the same to people across all generations. 01:49:07.029 --> 01:49:10.569 So how did God save the nation of Israel? Sometimes 01:49:10.569 --> 01:49:12.449 we think that God just kidnapped them out of 01:49:12.449 --> 01:49:18.430 the nation of Egypt. No. Look at verse 28. So 01:49:18.430 --> 01:49:21.229 Moses told Aaron all the words of the Lord who 01:49:21.229 --> 01:49:25.029 had sent him and all the signs which he had commanded 01:49:25.029 --> 01:49:29.500 him. Where did God inform Moses about his plan 01:49:29.500 --> 01:49:31.199 and his purpose for the nation of Israel in his 01:49:31.199 --> 01:49:33.260 encounter in the wilderness, right? Look at verse 01:49:33.260 --> 01:49:37.319 29. Then Moses and Aaron went and gathered together 01:49:37.319 --> 01:49:41.539 all the elders of the children of Israel. They 01:49:41.539 --> 01:49:43.699 were in Egypt now. They have not been saved out 01:49:43.699 --> 01:49:47.020 of Egypt. He went and gathered them and Aaron 01:49:47.020 --> 01:49:49.460 spoke all the words which the Lord has spoken 01:49:49.460 --> 01:49:54.579 to Moses. Then he did the signs in the side of 01:49:54.579 --> 01:49:57.510 the people. Look at verse 21, very importantly. 01:49:58.189 --> 01:50:02.369 So the people did what? They believed. What did 01:50:02.369 --> 01:50:05.430 they believe? And when they heard that the Lord 01:50:05.430 --> 01:50:08.350 has visited the children of Israel, does this 01:50:08.350 --> 01:50:11.670 look like salvation? All right. Does it look 01:50:11.670 --> 01:50:14.689 like the Lord has come to save them? And when 01:50:14.689 --> 01:50:17.229 they heard that the Lord has visited the children 01:50:17.229 --> 01:50:20.210 of Israel, and that He had looked upon their 01:50:20.210 --> 01:50:24.170 affliction, then they bowed their heads. and 01:50:24.170 --> 01:50:26.989 worshipped. Hallelujah. So they believed the 01:50:26.989 --> 01:50:30.409 message of salvation that Moses brought and upon 01:50:30.409 --> 01:50:33.390 this belief they were willing to follow Moses 01:50:33.390 --> 01:50:37.529 out of Egypt. Hallelujah. And we see that they 01:50:37.529 --> 01:50:39.170 experienced the salvation of the Lord because 01:50:39.170 --> 01:50:42.729 they believed. But when they came to the wilderness 01:50:42.729 --> 01:50:47.109 and God unfold unto them the plan of priesthood, 01:50:47.850 --> 01:50:50.970 okay, we see them restraining themselves from 01:50:50.970 --> 01:50:53.859 entering that responsibility of priesthood. So 01:50:53.859 --> 01:50:56.659 what I'm trying to portray is that it is not 01:50:56.659 --> 01:51:00.399 enough to be born again. Salvation is fundamental 01:51:00.399 --> 01:51:04.020 and is basic and is necessary to enter, to be 01:51:04.020 --> 01:51:07.539 ready, to be saved eternally. But much more than 01:51:07.539 --> 01:51:11.159 the salvation that we experience is the call 01:51:11.159 --> 01:51:15.039 into the priesthood, the call into being a kingdom, 01:51:15.560 --> 01:51:18.640 call into what? The purpose, the plan of God 01:51:18.640 --> 01:51:24.529 on the earth. We must also by our will align 01:51:24.529 --> 01:51:28.550 ourselves To God's plan for humanity because 01:51:28.550 --> 01:51:30.590 what God presented to them in the wilderness 01:51:30.590 --> 01:51:33.229 was God's plan for the entire world That there 01:51:33.229 --> 01:51:35.770 will be a kingdom and a priest that they will 01:51:35.770 --> 01:51:39.130 teach the entire world about him And we see that 01:51:39.130 --> 01:51:42.729 that is where their unbelief comes in Hallelujah 01:51:42.729 --> 01:51:45.149 that when they enter into the promised land the 01:51:45.149 --> 01:51:47.270 promised land is on the land of Canon when they 01:51:47.270 --> 01:51:49.949 enter the promised land They will be able to 01:51:49.949 --> 01:51:52.920 do what? represent God and not serve the gods 01:51:52.920 --> 01:51:55.619 that they came out with from Egypt and they will 01:51:55.619 --> 01:51:57.000 not worship the gods of the people they were 01:51:57.000 --> 01:51:59.020 meeting in the land and they second them that 01:51:59.020 --> 01:52:03.119 they will be a priest unto the nations but they 01:52:03.119 --> 01:52:08.100 have to believe to enter this hallelujah we appreciate 01:52:08.100 --> 01:52:10.739 you being here today we hope you carried this 01:52:10.739 --> 01:52:13.720 word with you throughout your week don't forget 01:52:13.720 --> 01:52:16.220 to check the show notes for additional insights 01:52:16.220 --> 01:52:19.140 stay connected with us through our website or 01:52:19.140 --> 01:52:22.619 follow us on social media. If you were encouraged, 01:52:23.159 --> 01:52:25.300 share this message with someone you care about. 01:52:25.979 --> 01:52:27.899 Until next time, stay blessed.