A Christ-like attitude is one of sympathy, empathy and compassion for your fellow countrymen and for all humanity. Jesus said, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted" (Matthew 5:4). If we grieve for others, God will comfort us in this life and much more in the next life.
Today’s society chooses to dance and sing whether they can or not. It is party all day long. Do we mourn for those who are disrespectful of the president of this nation and rude to their neighbors? Do we pray for them to see God clearly? Do we ask for the Lord to send laborers across their paths?
Our God-ordained responsibility is to watch and pray. Ignorance comes from ignoring, and God does not want us to be ignorant and "in darkness" (see 1 Thessalonians 5:1-10). Our Master and role model Jesus Christ certainly understood the issues, politics and personalities of His day. We should do likewise.
The Beatitudes or the SERMON on the Mount set a higher standard than the Law had. In the Law, “do not murder” but Jesus said, “do not even hate.
1. Deuteronomy 5:15 you shall not murder ( we had a nation who chose to close down a nation, close schools, mom and pop stores and give a “killer vaccine” to mother pregnant with child. We must dress like the kingdom we are set upon His kingdom! ( We must put on the word of God!)
2. But in Matthew 5:21-23 NKJV 21 You have heard that it was said to those of old, “You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment. 22 But I say to you that whoever is angry (hate)with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, “Raca!” shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!” shall be in danger of hell fire.” Did not one of those running in this election just called that about our President?
3. To be enraged (or angered… (or—gid—zoe ) Strong’s numbering 3710…to provoke one to anger. It is a passion that is furious and intense to terminate another by wrath.
4. You can see that in the dragon or the devil who has such intense hatred of those made in God’s image.
5. This imagery is seen in Revelation 12 where the dragon is persecuting those members of the witnessing church!
Matthew 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you. In giving this to His disciples, His aim was to birth the church through them, the true propagators and inheritors of His present and consummated kingdom. And many of them faced fierce wrath for their love for God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
As He walked through the region, sadly many chose to remain satisfied with the Law and the tradition of the elders…those who were not accepting the Gospel..they had tasted the old traditions, tasted the old ways and chose them over the kingdom of God and the coming King!.......Luke 5:36-39 NKJV 36 Then He spoke a parable to them: “No one puts a piece from a new garment on an old one; otherwise the new makes a tear, and also the piece that was taken out of the new does not match the old. 37 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine will burst the wineskins and be spilled, and the wineskins will be ruined. 38 But new wine must be put into new wineskins & both are preserved. 39 And no one having drunk old wine, immediately desires new; for he says, “The old is better”.
1. What worked yesterday may not work today; in that of the past traditions, the form of yesterday may be water and we really require wine. In truth since the days of Charles Spurgeon, the word of God has been watered down. You can see what can happen as we see today in this nation!
2. Jesus was bringing a new wine the Kingdom of God, and that new not fully fermented must be put into fresh wineskins, that being the believers!
3. Matthew 16:18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.
4. Jesus the Rock, Peter and the other disciples, including us are the pieces that fit together in Jesus.
Colossians 2:20-23 Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations---- 21 “do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,” 22 which all concern things which perish with the using----according to the commandments & doctrines of men? 23 These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility & neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.
Do not touch: do not attach yourself…..
Do not taste: geunomai (ghyoo—om—ahee) Strong’s no. 1089 to eat, to partake/to feel/experience. Used in describing life in“gusto”/of death as in disgust.
Do not handle: thiggano ( N.T. 2345) as to finger or to manipulate …to injure
We are not to attach ourselves to that which is perishing that which is according to the commandments and doctrines of men. It is wisdom of the world containing that false humility and neglect of the body but hold no value against the indulgence of the flesh.
That which is of flesh reveals the man. It reveals his heart, whether he is of God or of another god like the devil. How are we dressing? Do we have a dress code that resembles a Christ-like one living for His glory and praise?
Keeping a taste for the Lord, keeps one out of tasting death! John 8:48-52 NKJV 48 Then the Jews answered & said to Him, “Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan & have a demon?” 49 Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father & you dishonor Me. 50 & I do not seek My own glory; there is One who seeks & judges. 51 Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death.” 52 Then the Jews said to Him, “Now we know that You have a demon! Abraham is dead, & the prophets; & You say, ‘If anyone keeps my word he shall never taste death.’
1. Again this taste is ghyoo---omahee…to partake, to experience have gusto describing life
2. Taste for the Lord, to deny oneself, put the kingdom of God 1st and foremost: from v. 51: “ if anyone keeps My word, he shall never see death
3. Tasting the word is tasting & experiencing life God intended for us through His Son Jesus. It is knowing the Father of lights of whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. It is every good gift & every perfect gift from Him who keeps His promises. To take up the cross does not mean to endure some irritating burden: as to sickness nor disease nor that inflicted by brutal men! John 5:24 Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word & believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life,& shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. John 11:25-26 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection & the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. 26 & whoever lives & believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
4. Jesus: Say HIS name: Resurrection & the Life
Luke 14:16-24 NKJV Then He said to him, “A certain man gave a great supper & invited many, “ & sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, ‘Come, for all things are now ready.’ 18 But they all with one accord began to make excuses. The 1st said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go & see it. I ask you to have me excused.’ 19 ‘& another said, ‘I have bought 5 yoke of oxen and I am going to test them. I ask you to have me excused.’ 20 “Still another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’21 “So that servant came & reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, ‘Go quickly into the streets & lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and the maimed & the lame and the blind. 22 & the servant said, ‘Master, it is done as you commanded and still there is room.’23 “Then the master said to the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. 24 ‘For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.
1. Unselfish motives: relying on the Lord, recognizing His greatness & goodness/Water into wine …that taste is for the extension of the gospel to the poor, the sick & socially dispossessed.
2. Jesus rejected by what symbolized the religious leaders, the most unfortunate ones to whom Jesus came to minister to are now “the invited ones”.
3. The banquet is in progress; Israel had accepted God’s invitation to the kingdom, it came through the prophets. Jesus arrives with the kingdom of God, but is rejected….the nation refuses God’s grace. They choose not that “gusto” of life but the disgust of death!
4.. Jesus of God tasted death for everyone….He took the disgust of death so
that we could live unto Him; Jesus provided a way, that of escape from bondage,
accessing God’s presence/that entrance into man’s intended glory
5. When our
life, circumstance, or character is under fire by the adversary, it is God’
grace that keeps an enablement or that empowerment to achieve His plan, to
endure /have continual access to Him .
From Luke 14:24….’for I say to you that none of those men
who were invited shall taste my supper.’ Matt. 22:8-14 then he said to his
servants, ‘the wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. 9
Therefore go into the highways & as many as you find, invite to the
wedding.’ 10 ‘So those servants went out
into the highways & gathered together all whom they found, both bad &
good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests. 11 But when the king came in
to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. 12
“So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding
garment? And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind
him hand & foot, take him away, & cast him into outer darkness; there
will be weeping & gnashing of teeth.’ 14 For many are called but few are
chosen.’
1. Not
worthy from verse 8: Matthew 10:11 Now whatever city or town you enter, inquire
who in it is worthy and stay there till you go out.
2. The unworthy: those who neither welcome the gospel nor would listen to it!
Both bad and good are found: Matthew 13:38, 47-48 NKJV the field is the world, the
good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the
wicked one. 47 Again the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into
the sea and gathered some of every kind, 48 of which, when it was full, they
drew to shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but
threw the bad away.
1. The good,
kalos (kal-oss) strong’s 2570 the beautiful, the pleasing, acceptable,
excellent, honest
2. The
Gospel message is cast: it goes before all society, attracting all types of
people, but many will be found un-redeemed by the angels at the end of the age.
3. The man
with no wedding garment, he who was the false disciple: Matthew 7:15-20 Beware
of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are
ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes
from thorn-bushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good
fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 a good tree cannot bear bad fruit,
nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 every tree that does not bear good fruit
is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 therefore by their fruits you will
know them.
4. Bind him
hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be
weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called but few are chosen: From
Matthew 22:13-14, repentance and honor are the words for those chosen.
Responding or Forfeiting the Invitation: From Matthew 22:12
So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding
garment?” And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the servants, Bind
him hand & foot & take him away and cast him into outer darkness,
there will be weeping & gnashing of teeth.’ 14 For many are called, but few
are chosen.
1. The
hypocrite got in but was not wearing the required celebration garment who know
Christ Jesus!
2. Being Clothed in linen…that white garment represents a kingdom, where we all look like our Husband Christ…who leads in victory by righteousness and truth….we are to daily put on Jesus….who humble themselves…are meek but not weak, who imitate Jesus
Man was not wearing a wedding garment! 2 Cor. 5:1-8 .. For
we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building
from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this we
groan earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from
heaven, 3 if indeed, having been clothed we shall not be found naked. 4 For we who
are in this tent groan, being burdened not because we want to be unclothed, but
further clothed, that morality may be swallowed up by life. 5 Now He who has
prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a
guarantee. 6 So we are always confident knowing that while we are at home in
the body we are absent from the Lord. 7 For we walk by faith & not by
sight. 8 We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body
& to be present with the Lord.
WE are to be Clothed with our habitation: which is from heaven…..Fruit appears from our heart through our mind, will and emotions. People stuck in culture, will meditate with thoughts of why they must dress like the culture they live in; they will act out by their emotions in the culture they live…….jeans reveal holes in the knees…..their home is more of a showcase than an actual place to live in comfort or else their car looks like they live in it every day. Their bodies display a worldly culture.
We are to have the “wine” quality for life now in this
moment. Jesus took death for us, then let us dress like Him for the spiritually and morally is alive in His words and commands. Amen!
Teaching at: Voice of Prayer
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