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Jesus the Embodiment of God’s Living Power

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Jesus is the Embodiment of God’s Living Power.

Jesus is the spoken word of God, and by God’s word in him he created life. “In many and various ways God spoke of old to our fathers by the prophets. But in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He reflects the glory of God and bears the very stamp of his nature, upholding the universe by his word of power when he had made purification of our sins, when he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.” Hebrews 1: 1-3.

The Lord our God has created and sustains the universe and the world by the power of his Word, love, and grace. Jesus the all-embracing power of the Word of God, “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God; all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made, that was made. In him was life and the life was the light of men.” John 1: 1-4. 

Jesus healed by the power of his spoken Word.

Jesus’ creative power was experienced first hand by his disciples and followers when he healed the sicknesses and diseases of many people. . ”And many followed him, and he healed them all.” Matthew 12: 15. The miracles he performed could only be done by the power of the creator for example when Jesus  blessed the bread and fishes, “ And taking the five loaves and the two fish he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples to set before the people; and he divided the two fish among them all.” Mark 6: 41. The amount increased with enough to feed thousands.

Jesus fulfilled God’s plans and purposes in himself.

God has manifested himself in his Son Jesus, who was sent by his Father to be born as one of his created people. Jesus came to fulfil God’s plans and purposes, God’s plan to restore his relationship with the human family.  The purpose: Jesus making a way to find God through faith in his truthful words. God is the God of the living. When a person receives Jesus’ words into a person’s heart, by the action of the Holy Spirit God’s abiding presence of eternal life comes to dwell within that person. John 15: 7.10,11. 16: 14,15. 17: 20,24.

God prepared Jesus’ body to fulfil his plan, the writer of Hebrews stated, “Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, “Sacrifices and offerings thou hast not desired, but a body hast thou prepared for me.” Hebrews 10: 5. God’s plan for Jesus to lay down his prepared body, his blood, to accomplish God’s purpose to redeem humanity from all sin and its causes and in doing so, he fulfilled God’s plan and purpose reconciling humankind to God. “Jesus said, ”In burnt offerings and sin offerings thou hast taken no pleasure. Then I said, ‘Lo, I have come to do thy will, O God, ‘as it is written of me in the roll of the book.” Hebrews 10: 6.   

The writer of Hebrews explains: “When he said above, “Jesus said, “Thou hast neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the law),then he added, “Lo, I have come to do thy will.” He abolishes the first in order to establish the second. And by that will, we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” Hebrews 10: 7-10.

Jesus bearing the very stamp of God reflecting God’s glory through having the embodiment of God’s living power, to abolish the covenant between God and Moses “He abolishes the first in order to establish the second.”  Having fulfilled both covenants in himself,the law was fulfilled in God’s love for humanity. The ‘second’ is reference to the New Covenant, that Jesus established in his death being the final sacrifice for sin and forgiveness in his resurrection. The Law of commandments the Holy Spirit writes them into a believers heart, transforming the nature to feel how God the Father feels about sin, it is abhorrent to us. Jesus’ sacrificial love when he died to self-determining his own life, to do his Father’s will.

Jesus’ eternal life.

Jesus in his prayer, recorded by John, Jesus explains eternal life, his body transformed into an eternal body in the tomb.

Jesus gave insight to the understanding of eternal life, his spoken word giving enlightenment through the indwelling presence of the eternal Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. “And this is eternal life, that they know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent. I glorified thee on earth, having accomplished the work which thou gave me to do; and now, Father, glorify thou me in thy own presence with the glory which I had with thee before the world was made.” John 17: 2-5.

Jesus’ physical body was prepared before the foundation of the world, before the fall of humanity, God planned that the seed and egg planted by the Holy Spirit into the womb of Mary contained his immortality, his whole body, soul and spirit; the colour of his eyes and hair, his height, his blood coming from God as life is in the blood, His blood was an eternal offering for sin and the seed’s power in himself, to rise from the dead. His dead human body that had been prepared was transformed whilst he was in the tomb, by the power of his own prophecy, spoken during his ministry, “The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him: and when he is killed, after three days he will rise.”  Mark 9: 31.

The living power of these words could only be realised (embodied) through the fulfilment of his own prophecy. Jesus’ body of human flesh became an eternal body, by the transforming power of his spoken word. He had the power to fulfil his own prophecy because he was the embodiment of God’s living power.

John wrote in his gospel, “Jesus said, “Destroy this temple and I will raise it up in three days, ”John confirmed that he spoke of the temple of his body.” John 2: 19,21. Paul writes that the church is Christ’s body. Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians he writes, “Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.” 1 Corinthians 12: 27.

Proving that his body is the temple in the new Jerusalem. “ And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb.” (Jesus the Lamb of God) Revelation 21: 22. The Churches new role serving Christ in the heavenly city.

Jesus in conversation with Martha, Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life.” Jesus spoken word was fulfilled when he raised himself from the dead. Jesus’ body became eternal, His appearance before his disciples on the eve of his resurrection, their immediate reaction was to think they were seeing a ghostly figure of Jesus. Knowing their thoughts he said to them “See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself, handle me, and see; for a spirit has not flesh and bones as you see that I have.” Luke 24: 39. His eternal body had the marks that confirmed his word. “That it is I myself.” It was Jesus the same person they had followed for three years: he had shared with them the joy of his healing ministry and the times of discouragement when the Pharisees, Sadducees, lawyers. and scribes had opposed Jesus’ healing on the Sabbath day.

Jesus gave the promise of receiving eternal life through faith in him.

Jesus continued to say to Martha“He who believes in me; though he dies, yet shall he live and whoever lives and believes in me, shall never die.”

Mary, Martha and Lazarus believed spiritually that that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God, their faith was acknowledged by Jesus. Through their faith in Jesus, they had entered eternal life while they lived, so when they died, they passed over eternal death, as sin leads to eternal death and eternal separation from God. Their faith in Jesus united them in life and death to him into eternal life. Their human remains lie in the grave  until Jesus calls out the church.                                                                                                                                

John recorded Jesus’ words, “Since thou (God) hast given him (Jesus)  power over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom thou hast given him.”  

Jesus gave his disciples the promise of eternal life, “For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him should have eternal life. . . . . Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in me has eternal life.” John 6: 40,47.

Today anyone who has faith in Jesus can seek repentance for the forgiveness of their sins which enables a person to pass over death and they will be raised (resurrected) with Jesus into life eternal. By entering a personal relationship with Jesus, a person will experience the power of the Holy Spirit and become a child of God, a Christian (Christ-like).

Jesus spoke of bodily resurrection.

Every Christian’s body will be raised and transformed by the power of Jesus’ word: “And when I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” John 14: 3.

To fulfil Jesus words, God put in place the event that would transform our human body into an eternal body.

Paul writes in his first letter to the church at Corinth, “ Lo! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable nature must put on the imperishable, and this mortal nature must put on immortality.When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality.” 1 Corinthians 15: 51-54.

Jesus calls out the church to the gathering of believers in the air, “And then they will see the Son of man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.” Mark 13: 26,27.

When Jesus calls out the church, it is the ‘fetching of the Bride’ to the wedding of Jesus the Bridegroom and his Bride, the Church. The word confirmed in “Footsteps of the Messiah” by Arnold Fruchtenbaum. Jewish Marriage” Page 111, Published by Ariel Ministries 2000 “The Rapture is the fetching of the Bride. Christ will come in the air to fetch His bride to His home, which is in heaven.”  

Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians, “For  this we declare to you by the Word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first; then we who are alive, who are left, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so, we shall always be with the Lord. therefore comfort one another with these words.”  1 Thessalonians 4: 15-18. This event has yet to take place.

John wrote in Revelation 1: 7 that Jesus will fulfil his Word, John writes, “Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, everyone who pierced him; and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.”

When Jesus calls out the church by the power of Jesus’ living Word, our own body will be like his body that was transformed into an eternal body.

The simple truth – we take Jesus at his Word, the promises he gave and the commands he gives to us in the Gospels and letters are to bless his family and friends, the church.

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Thaddaeus asked Jesus why did he not show himself to the world.

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Thaddaeus – The Messiah’s Secret Revealed.

Judas the son of James also known as Thaddaeus, in his conversation with Jesus at the last supper Thaddaeus asked Jesus, “Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?” Jesus replied, “If a man loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and will come to him and make our home with him.” John 14: 22-24. Luke 6: 16. Matthew 10: 2-4.

Jesus told his disciples that he was going away to prepare a place for them in his Father’s house. Thomas asked Jesus to show them the way to the Father. Jesus said that the way to the Father was to believe the words that he had taught them during his ministry. Truthful words, that were living words, that give eternal life. Jesus had previously told his disciples that his words were Spirit and life. John 6: 63.

Jesus continued to say while he was away, he would send the Comforter, the Holy Spirit to them, but the people in the world could neither see or know the Holy Spirit. The reason was because at that time, the people had not the words of Jesus abiding in them, only the disciples had heard the words from Jesus. The people could not understand the parables. Jesus explained the parables to his disciples.

Thaddaeus did not understand why Jesus would not show himself to the world by publicly stating that he was the Messiah. Jesus’ own brothers had thought the same, saying, “For no man works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, (healing and miracles) show yourself to the world.” John added that “his brothers did not believe in him,”  John 7: 3-5.

There was confusion among the people because Jesus and his disciples did not publicly proclaim that Jesus was the Messiah. The Jews said to one another, “Where does this man intend to go that we shall not find him? Does he intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks.” The Dispersion was reference to the Jews that had at some point in history exiled across the known world. For instance, after the second world war, many Jewish people living in European countries were displaced and came to live in Manchester, England. The Jews retain their identity as Jews. Polish Jews, Russian Jews etc. Peter wrote his first letter to the exiled Jews of the Dispersion in Pontius, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. John 7: 35, 36. 1 Peter 1: 1.

I believe that Jesus did not show himself to the world because he had to die at Jerusalem. The prophesies that revealed the death and resurrection of the Messiah God hid them from the understanding of disciples and people. The Jews were taught from the law that the Messiah would not die, “We have heard from the law that the Christ will remain for ever.” John 12: 34.

The man in in the crowd indicated that the Son of Man and the Messiah are the same person. “The crowd answered him, “We have heard from the law that the Christ will remain for ever. How can you say the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?” The crowd, the people were taught that the Messiah when he was revealed would remain for ever on the earth.

This is confirmed when Jesus was dying on the cross, “The Chief Priests mocked Jesus to one another with the scribes, saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Mark 15: 31,32. The leaders of Israel did not believe that the Messiah would die before completing his mission to save Israel and establish God’s kingdom, fulling John the Baptist’s and Jesus’ message “Repent, the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 3: 1,2. Mark wrote, Jesus said, “The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe the gospel.” Mark 1: 15.

In Acts 3 Peter speaking to the crowd gathered at Solomon’s Portico, informed the people that they had acted ignorance when they handed Jesus over to the Romans, who crucified Jesus. If they repented of their ignorance, then their sins would be blotted out, wiped clean and God would send the ‘times of refreshing’ the restoration of the land and throne of king David by the Messiah. “And that he (God) may send the Christ (Messiah) appointed for  you, Jesus.”  Now was the time for the Jewish leaders to accept Jesus as the Nation’s Messiah. To the Jews at that time, it was a national calling to accept Jesus as the Messiah. The Jews were a nation of priests, they were to take the kingdom message of the Messiah to the rest of the world. Acts 3: 17-21. Exodus 19: 6.   Matthew 28: 19. Luke 24: 47.

Jesus’ promise the Holy Spirit came true when he came into the world at Pentecost. Also, the promise of God indwelling the believer through hearing and receiving God’s word spoken by Jesus to his disciples, “Those who believe on their word,” the disciples repeating and recording Jesus’ words that are found in the Gospels. These words in Jesus’ prayer recorded by John are true, “And this is eternal life, that they may know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou has sent.” Every Christian may know God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit, the indwelling presence of God, through faith in Jesus. John 17: 3, 20.

Prayer.

God, please give me understanding of these words that Jesus gave his disciples recorded by John. “If a man loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and will come to him and make our home with him.” I want to be right with God, so I am sorry for sin in my life, please forgive me, and take me, fill me with your loving presence in Jesus’ name. Amen.

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The Messiah’s Jubilee

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At Christmas, we celebrate Jesus’ coming into the world; it is also a celebration of the Messiah’s Jubilee, Jesus coming into our hearts as our redeemer, Lord and Saviour.

In the Bible the Jewish Jubilee took place every 50 years, under the Law of Moses. It commenced on the Day of Atonement. The fields were left fallow, and the people were to eat from last year’s harvest. Hired servants who had been working off their debt, had their debt cancelled. Inheritances were restored, the land returned to the original owners, and slaves set free.[1] God’s justice and generosity demonstrated under law was a shadow of what was to come in with the Messiah’s Jubilee.

The Messiah’s Jubilee was referred to as the “Year of Liberty”[2] or “The Year of Redemption”[3] or “The year of the Lord’s favour.”[4] Jesus, at the beginning of his ministry, went into the synagogue at Nazareth where he read from the book of Isaiah, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach the good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord’s favour.”[5]

During his ministry Jesus was setting people free from all kinds of bondage and bringing them into the glorious liberty of Jubilee.  Jesus’ parables: the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the prodigal son, were about restoration and celebration. “Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost.”[6] And in the parable of the lost coin: “Rejoice with me, for I have found my coin which was lost.” [7] The parable of the (prodigal) lost son: “Bring the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet and bring the fatted calf and kill it. Let us be merry, for this my son was dead, and is alive again, he was lost and is found, and they began to make merry.” [8]

The Messiah’s Jubilee is also a celebration of Jesus coming into our hearts as our Lord and Saviour.

We celebrate with those across the world who share our faith in Jesus. They, like us, have entered the Messiah’s Jubilee. Having been released, set free from all that used to enslave us. Our debt of sin has been paid for by Jesus on the cross, and we have entered the freedom of God’s forgiveness. We are joint heirs with Christ, sharing Jesus’ complete work of salvation and entering into the ‘Rest of God.”   

[1] Leviticus 25: 39

[2] Ezekiel 46: 17

[3] Isaiah 63:  4

[4] Luke 4: 18, 19

[5] Luke 4: 18, 19. Isaiah 61: 1, 2

[6] Luke 15: 4

[7] Luke 15:  9

[8] Luke 15: 24

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Son of man series No 3 Jesus the Son of man respected authorities

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Series No 3 – Jesus the Son of man respected authorities

“The truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it, but in the end, there it is.” Winston Churchill.

“Then the Pharisees went and took counsel how to entangle him in his talk. “And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are true, and teach the way of God truthfully, and care for no man; for you do not regard the position of men.” Matthew 22: 15, 16.

They accepted that Jesus was a truthful man in his interpretation of the scriptures, and he spoke the truth regarding the hypocrisy of some of their religious leaders. But their suggestion that he had scant regard for the ordinary person and people in authority wasn’t true.

Jairus the synagogue ruler reveals Jesus’ regard for him and his daughter and the lady desperately in need of being healed: Jairus came to Jesus asking him to go with him to his house where his daughter lay dying. They set off and as they were going, a lady touched the hem of his garment, which caused Jesus to stop and ask who touched him. The lady owned up and Jesus responded to her saying her faith had made her well and to go in peace. Meanwhile the news came to Jairus that his daughter had died, Jesus’ response he told him not to fear, only believe. Peter, James and John accompanied him to the house where the mourners had gathered. In the presence of his disciples, Jairus and his wife, Jesus took her by the hand, saying “Little girl, I say to you, arise” and she immediately got up and walked and he strictly charged them that nothing should be said to anyone about what had taken place.  Mark 5: 21-43.

Jesus showed respect and discretion for Jairus position as a Ruler of a synagogue. Matthew probably sought the family’s permission to include this incident when writing his Gospel.

Prayer

“The truth shall make you free.” John 8: 32

Heavenly Father help us to respect the truth and to live by the truth. To have regard for the positions of responsibility that people carry, especially in the church. Help us to follow Jesus he came to serve and not to be served. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Jesus the Son of man proved his authority was of God.

Mark records Jesus was at home at Capernaum, whether he was at his own house or he was staying with Simon Peter it’s not clear, but the house was full of people including Pharisees and teachers of the law and people from Jerusalem, they had come to hear him preach the word.

The meeting was interrupted when the roof above where Jesus was standing began to be removed. The clatter of debris and the dust falling on where Jesus stood, above him four men had made a hole in the roof big enough to lower a stretcher carrying a man.

Jesus wasn’t troubled by confusion and noise or perturbed at his home being broken into. To the Pharisees and scribes present Jesus was the intruder breaking into their traditions and interpretations of the law,

In this turbulent scene Jesus proved that he is God made visible in the flesh.

The dust had not settled, when Jesus saw the faith of the four friends of the paralysed man, and responded by saying to him, “My son your sins are forgiven.” He discerned that some of the scribes present questioned in their hearts, “Why does this man speak thus? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins, but God alone?”  Jesus responded knowing what they were thinking said, “Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, “Your sins are forgiven’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your pallet and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins’, he said to the paralytic, “I say to you rise, take up your pallet and go home.” The man got up before them all and went home. Mark 2: 5-12. John 9: 34.

This incident proved that Jesus had the authority to forgive sin; the Jews believed that only God could forgive sins and that sin was the cause of sickness, so by healing the paralysed man Jesus proved that he was God, the man was healed, his sin had been forgiven.  “The Messiah’s Secret” 2001 by Dorothy Newton.

In another situation Jesus said that not every sickness is a result of personal or hereditary sin. We read of the account of the man who was healed of blindness from birth. “The disciples asked Jesus, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind.” Jesus answered, “It was not that this man had sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be made manifest in him.” John 9: 1-3.

In 2013 the optician told me that I had cataracts coming on both my eyes. I prayed for healing praying against an hereditary spirit of blindness. In 2016 the optician told me that I had a cataract on the centre of one of my eyes and I would need it removed in a few months time. I believe that the Lord has healed my eye, I’ve prayed the same prayer and I refuse all that would come to me from down the hereditary lines.  I pray daily for forgiveness of my sins knowingly or what I’ve done in ignorance. It only takes five minutes or so. Thank you Lord.

The passionate faith of the four men who believed in Jesus authority to heal their friend and their determination to help him that led them to break into Jesus’ house.

God’s passionate love for us led him to break into world affairs, in order to die for us on the cross. God raised Jesus from the dead and sent his Holy Spirit to be received by us as a gift from heaven. (After Jesus’ ascension into heaven)

The Holy Spirit fills us with a passionate longing for people to know  Jesus our Saviour God.

Today the question still arises in people’s hearts, “Is Jesus God?”  Under the banner of ‘The Church in Rammy’ chatting to people on the street on questions of faith is proving a challenge and a blessing.

On the 2019 Chocolate Festival Weekend, two ladies approached me and asked, “Is Jesus God? My response was “Jesus is the word of God clothed in the flesh,” this is how I relate to Jesus my Saviour; his words are Spirit and life.

John the apostle in his first letter wrote, “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— 2 the life was made manifest, and we saw it, and testify to it, and proclaim to you the eternal life which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— 3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you may have fellowship with us; and our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.” 1 John 1: 1-3

Jesus is the living word, his words bring forth life. Genesis 1   The Sermon on the Mount is where we find a variety of Jesus teachings recorded by Matthew. Chapters 5-7.                                                                        John wrote, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father.” John 1: 14. 

Paul wrote, “Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2: 9-11

Prayer 

Heavenly Father, thank you for Jesus, his words of authority are working among people today bringing forth the joy of knowing you, Help us to know more about your love and to be able to communicate your love and regard to those who have doubts, misunderstandings about whether Jesus is God. In Jesus’ name.                                                                                                             

Jesus breaking into the Church today by showing no partiality between Christians.

Jesus spoke directly to Martha this crucial word about the resurrection. In doing so he showed no partiality between her and the 12 disciples.

How excited and humbled Martha  must have been when she shared the words about Jesus to the disciples and followers of Jesus, “I am the resurrection and the life, he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” Martha’s reply, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, he who is coming into the world.” John 11: 25-27.

Jesus our Lord God spoke directly to Martha choosing her to receive this breath-taking glorious word about the resurrection in Jesus.

The question I’ve asked myself, “Why didn’t Jesus choose a woman to be one of the twelve?”

Jesus reveals that he has assigned the twelve disciples to sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel in the future new world. Below the promise Jesus gave the disciples:

 “Truly I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of man shall sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” Matthew 19: 28.

“You are those who have continued with me in my trials; and I assign to you, as my Father assigned to me, a kingdom, that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”  Luke 22: 28-30.

It’s interesting to note that after Israel reached the Promised Land, and later during the period of the Judges, Deborah was a judge over Israel. Judges 4: 4.

Therefore, Jesus in his authority chose who he wanted to be judges over the twelve tribes of Israel and no women were chosen.  None of the women, had been with him from the beginning of his ministry.

The disciples anointing I believe to be Judges, took place on the evening of the day of the resurrection. Jesus breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any they are retained.” John 20: 23. Numbers 11: 25-30

After Pentecost Peter made judgements over Ananias and Sapphira when they committed themselves to giving the proceeds from the sale of their land, to the Jerusalem community.

When Ananias came before Peter, he said how much he had received for the land, but Peter said to to him that he lied about the amount received, as Peter spoke Ananias fell down and died,  Later Sapphira came before Peter, he said to her, did she sell the land for so much? She replied, “Yes, for so much.” Peter passed sentence upon her, “The feet of those who buried your husband are at the door and they will carry you out, immediately she fell down and died.” Peter used his authority as a Judge over the community. They were individually accountable for their sin, as it’s personal salvation. Acts 5: 1-11. 8: 17-24. 12: 15-23.

There is no evidence since the apostles of the church having any power on making judgements over people’s sin. As I understand the apostles’ ministry will continue in the new world.  It’s important to note that the gifts of the Holy spirit are still given to the Church.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank your Holy Spirit leading us into all truth. Thank you for Jesus being revealed to us through the testimony of many witnesses that he is God made visible in the flesh. Thank you, for your living word to us from Jesus. may the Lord use his word to glorify his name in our lives.

Thank you, for blessing us, in knowing Jesus our Lord and Saviour and nothing can separate us from the love of God. In Jesus’ glorious name. Amen.

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The Messiah’s Secret Revealed – Lifted up in Christ.

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The young man at the empty tomb told the three women Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Salome that Jesus was risen and then he instructed them to go and tell the disciples and Peter that Jesus was going before them to Galilee; there they would see him as he had told them. “And when they went back and told the rest, but they did not believe them.”    Mark 16: 7, 13.

The women were told to go and tell the good news that Jesus was risen from the dead. He didn’t say go and tell the men to come and I will inform them of the good news that Jesus is risen. Something had changed, the old order of women being the helper given to man so he would not be on his own as steward of the earth, having God’s word of authority to manage God’s garden, to women bearing the word from God to go and tell Jesus’ disciples and the followers and to Peter who had ‘fallen short’ his sin of unbelief that Jesus is risen from the dead.

Esther 8: 1-8.

Esther was chosen from among the virgins to take the place of Vishti the deposed Queen. 

“On that day King Ahasu-e′rus gave to Queen Esther the house of Haman, the enemy of the Jews. And Mordecai came before the king, for Esther had told what he was to her; 2 and the king took off his signet ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.

3 Then Esther spoke again to the king; she fell at his feet and besought him with tears to avert the evil design of Haman the Agagite and the plot which he had devised against the Jews. 4 And the king held out the golden sceptre to Esther, 5 and Esther rose and stood before the king. And she said, “If it please the king, and if I have found favour in his sight, and if the thing seem right before the king, and I be pleasing in his eyes, let an order be written to revoke the letters devised by Haman the Agagite, the son of Hammedatha, which he wrote to destroy the Jews who are in all the provinces of the king. 6 For how can I endure to see the calamity that is coming to my people? Or how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred?” 7 Then King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, “Behold, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and they have hanged him on the gallows, because he would lay hands on the Jews. 8 And you may write as you please with regard to the Jews, in the name of the king, and seal it with the king’s ring; for an edict written in the name of the king and sealed with the king’s ring cannot be revoked.”

The King’s edict given to Haman was in force and therefore could not be changed only by revoking it with another edict from the king. The second edict had to be put into practice the Jews defended themselves against the first edict and were successful. Esther 9:2.

The women at the tomb followed the instruction given to them not realising the change to the status of women from being a helper and man’s soul mate, to becoming a child of God,to bear the fruit of His word. The young man who gave them the instruction was fully aware of the change . Genesis 2: 18.

There are those today who still believe that women were created to be man’s soul mate, his helper.

My own personal experience of being told that the Messiah’s Secret came through a man speaking through me and when I informed him, that when I received the words from the Lord in 1996 my church St James was in an interregnum without a priest in office.

I’ve had to make a stand like Esther going to the King, only I have gone to the King of Kings to the Lord of Lords to revoke the words of Paul of making a man the head of a women under Christ and “Let a woman learn in silence with all submissiveness. I permit no woman to teach or to have authority over men; she is to keep silent.” Paul has put women under the confines of Jewish Law for centuries, I forgive him and those who follow a man’s words. 1 Corinthians 11: 3.  1 Timothy 2: 11,12.

The Spirit bears witness to the truth, Jesus has saved me by my faith in Him, personal salvation. I am a child of God, betrothed to Christ, I have been lifted up in Christ to be  co-heir with Christ. Mary of Bethany sat listening to Jesus and he commended her for doing so. I am seated with Christ in heavenly places. I am a member of Christ’s body. Jesus being the head of the body, his church. I believe we are individually members of one another in Christ’s body.  2 Corinthians 11: 2. Luke 10: 39, 42. Romans 12: 5

The disciples didn’t believe the women.

Would God reveal such a truth ‘Jesus was risen’ to women?  Surely he would have informed one of the disciples  first. The disciples were told by Jesus that he would rise on the third day, but they couldn’t grasp what he was saying. Matthew 16: 21-23. Mark 9: 10. Yet Martha received the word concerning Jesus’ resurrection and believed Jesus, but she thought that he was referring to the last day. John 11: 24, 27. The Pharisees believed in the resurrection on the last day. Jesus taught the resurrection on the last day. John 6:40. The last day being the day of Judgement. Matthew 25: 31-46.

Jesus the seed in humanity that had to die alone to become the first of the resurrection into eternal life, Jesus’ divinity. “Truly, truly I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” John 12: 24.

“But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead the first-fruits of those that have fallen asleep.” 1 Corinthians 15:20.

Jesus said that the truth shall set you free, the truth has set me free in Christ.