ACCEPTING CHRIST AS OUR HUSBAND
By Steve Buchanan
As I usually do, I’d like to begin by asking you to turn to Revelation 19. We are going to be reading a section of Scripture here that is future. What we can understand about this, in many regards, is going to be speculative or what God has revealed to us, what we are able to understand. This is a future setting. John is seeing this in vision. He does not have a distinct and clear understanding of it.
Revelation 19:1 After these things I heard a loud voice…
If we wanted to go back to Revelation 15:8, we would see
there that it says, in this vision, the temple was filled with smoke from the
glory and from the power of God. And so in this vision, from that point
forward, everything pertaining to the
Revelation 19:1 After these things I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, “Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor [The word “honor” does not appear in most original texts.] and power belong to the Lord our God!
The Companion Bible emphasizes the words. It says “the salvation,” “the glory, ” and “the power” of our God. It is specifically talking about our God. So this emotion that we are beginning to see erupting from the throne room of God has to do with our God.
Revelation 19:2 For true and righteous are His judgments…
Those individuals with this emotion have come to see and understand that God’s judgments—His decisions, His righteousness, His plan—are true. They work out. His way works! They know that. They believe that. They feel that. And that is the result of this emotion that we are seeing.
Revelation 19:2 …because He has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication;
We are going to get into this a little bit deeper later in the message. But it talks here about this system—this system that corrupted the earth--this system that caused so much pain, and agony, and hurt. It has caused so many people to believe things that were not right—believe them to the point that they followed them; they practiced them; they desired them. These judgments that God has made are involving that. This system is coming down.
Revelation 19:2-4 And He has avenged on her the blood of His servants shed by her.” 3 Again they said, “Alleluia! Her smoke rises up forever and ever!” 4 And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sat on the throne, saying, “Amen! Alleluia!”
They too are participating in this emotion that is taking place—this feeling that is generated from the throne room of God. All who are there, as we will see, are going to be participating in this.
Revelation 19:5 Then a voice came from the throne, saying, “Praise our God, all you His servants and those who fear Him, both small and great!”
So everyone who is present is told, “It’s now your time to express yourself. It’s now your time to express to God your feelings—your emotions, how you feel.”
Revelation 19:6 And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings,
John is trying to explain it in words that we can grasp—words that he could understand. This tremendous noise, this tremendous emotion, from the throne room of God:
Revelation 19:6 saying, “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!”
Or, as the margin in my Bible has: “For our Lord God Omnipotent.” Our Lord God All Mighty reigns!” Finally we are coming to the point where the systems of this earth [end]. Satan is going to be removed from rulership. God is now [to rule]. It’s His turn. It’s His thousand-year period. It’s going to be a time when all of the judgments are going to be made; and peace, and happiness, and gladness are going to reign on this earth with God in charge.
Revelation 19:7 “Let us [this multitude] be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.”
In this verse, I think we have to combine [two things]. We have to consider the grace that has been extended so that the bride could be made ready, to start with. But there’s also an aspect here that the wife has made herself ready. And I want to get to that a little bit later in this sermon. This situation, this rejoicing, this praise for God—this reflects part of why:
Revelation 19:8 And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
It is by these acts that they qualify, that they have merited the right to be saints. But it reflects something else that we will, again, get to a little bit later.
Revelation 19:9 Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’” And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of God.”
This represents the moment where part of our hope is fulfilled. I say “part of our hope.” In this message, I want to show that our hope reflects a beginning. And our hope involves so much more than just being in the Family of God, just being on that level of existence. It extends beyond that time frame. It extends beyond just that realization.
John
This word “come” has the meaning of ‘to come.’ It means opposite of ‘to go.’ It primarily and properly denotes motion from one place to another. Mr. Fuller gave the example that he moved from the place where he was sitting to here; and, in that period of time, things changed with him. This coming that the Father is talking about has a lot of what he described there. WE have to make a movement. WE have to come to Christ. There has to be a movement. It’s not just a physical movement; but, as we are going to see, it is one of heart and mind. It is going to be something that God has to grant, that God has to make possible. Even in this verse, it is by His choosing that we have this opportunity. It’s not that any of us are better than our neighbors. It is by God’s favor and His mercy at this time that we are able to understand what we do.
John
We reflected, in Revelation 19, the fulfillment of a large part of our hope. Here, this reflects a beginning in this life—a beginning of coming to understand, a beginning to understand the purpose of why we are here. The purpose why we live is not to own homes. It is not to own cars. It is not to have a comfortable existence. But our purpose extends far beyond that. We have come to the point where we begin to understand the plan of God, and our purpose within it, and mankind’s purpose within it. This reflects, here, a moment in time where our perspective began to change—on why we are here, what each day means to us. We need to consider this calling that we have been given. In Luke 14, Jesus Christ is speaking:
Luke
We just read that no one can come to Christ except the Father first chooses him and teaches him what he or she needs to know.
Luke
When we think about this, it is easy to read through this verse. It’s easy to say, “Yes, I agree.” But it’s a different situation when the pressures and the trials begin to hit. It’s a different situation. We have to be willing not to compromise with what God has revealed in any situation in life that can come up. That involves family, friends, community—even our own desires that God reveals to us are wrong, are in conflict with what He reveals is right and true. NOTHING can come between this relationship! We cannot compromise in that way.
In other words, a beginning—an idea in mind—where you set on a course, but then you begin to compromise. You begin to pull back, because you didn’t count the cost.
Luke
And this includes the ways of this world, the practices of this world, the thoughts that are in our minds that are ingrained that that we have believed and which God reveals are wrong. Any of these things, if we do not forsake that—if we do not renounce that…
Luke
As we consider what has been laid before us—as we consider this hope that we have, this great hope—from our beginning we can see that there is a tremendous gap. There’s a tremendous void between where we began and where it paints the picture that we have the opportunity of ending up. As Mr. Fuller expressed, there is absolutely no way we can even begin this journey without the strength and the power of God, without the sacrifice and the examples and the strength of Jesus Christ and His life. There is absolutely no way any of us—by intellect, or knowledge, or strength, or finances—there’s nothing that we can do. We can’t take one baby step towards where we need to be.
We today, in the church, focus our perspective as we look forward to that hope of the potential of entering the Family of God as the bride of Jesus Christ. If we understand everything correctly, it appears that it is just going to be those who have God’s grace expressed to them at this point, while Satan is still the ruler of this world—who can endure, who can follow, who can yield themselves to God—who have the potential, or the opportunity, of entering the Family of God as the bride. It appears that those in the Millennium, after the wedding ceremony is over, will have to enter into another role (not of the bride).
A wedding is being prepared. Our focus has always been that we have an opportunity, a potential, of entering in as the bride of Jesus Christ. Today I want to look at this message from the perspective, and use as a background, the husband/wife relationship as it relates to Christ and the church. As we go through, and as we continue on reading Scripture, to keep as the backdrop the relationship of Jesus Christ and the church—husband and wife. The title of this sermon will be ACCEPTING CHRIST AS OUR HUSBAND.
I’d like to turn to Philippians 2. Again, this is a section of Scripture we have read hundreds and hundreds of times. By the time we have finished today, I’d like to take a different perspective on Scripture. I know this study has caused me to look at Scripture as a whole differently than what I did before.
Philippians 2:5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.
The word “mind” here is translated from the Greek word phroneo; and it has the meaning to interest oneself in, to set the affection on, to think (implying not only thought, but also the affections and the will). So when we talk about having the mind of Jesus Christ, we are talking about a tremendous miracle taking place for this to actually be fulfilled. We are talking about not just having truth as we can come to understand it. That is, intellectual understanding of truth. We are talking about desires. We are talking about purpose. We are talking about the cares that Jesus Christ had.
We can reflect on so many scriptures that talk about how the meat for Jesus Christ was to complete what His Father sent Him to do here—to complete His role in that Family, to obey His father, to support His Father. When I think about that (when I think about this mind that is supposed to be building in us), it is not something that we can come on in at the snap of the finger. But this mind of Christ is supposed to be growing in us. And we examine ourselves and look and say, “Does my emotion, does my affection, does my longing mirror that of the mind of Jesus Christ?” I think in every case (hopefully, in every case) we are going to say, “No, it doesn’t.” As far as I know, I haven’t met one person yet that doesn’t have a weakness or a problem. All of us do.
We are supposed to be growing to the point to have this mind in us, as it was in Jesus Christ. The word “in” here is from the Greek word en. It denotes being or remaining within. So this mind is something that is supposed to become part of our character. This holy, righteous character is supposed to be building in us. God has to build it in us, and it is supposed to remain within. It becomes a part of us.
Philippians 2:5-7 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
It’s very clear: We cannot literally give what Christ gave. We have never been on the plane with God. We cannot give that. But as we just talked about in the book of Luke, we are required to renounce—we are required to give up—anything that comes in the way of that relationship. That comes in the way of growing towards this mind of Jesus Christ.
Philippians 2:8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
In verse 8, Christ has borne His cross—the cross of His life. He was able to get through that, and He did it without compromise. He did it, setting us an example—a light, as we heard about, that we are able to see; that we are able to grow from. Why did He do this?
Hebrews 12:1 Therefore we also…
So the author here is linking himself with those that he is addressing.
Hebrews 12:1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses…
Not only those who are listed here in chapter 11, but no doubt all of the people and individuals that they are familiar with in their lives—that God has been involved with, that God has worked mighty works in, to change their thinking, their mindset.
Hebrews 12:1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight [every distraction that can get in the way], and the sin which so easily ensnares us [the sins that perhaps there are weaknesses involved with, that you are to separate yourself from, those things that God has revealed to us that we are supposed to change], and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.
The author is talking about the cross that they had to bear at that time frame for them. He’s talking to us about the cross we have to bear at this time in the church—this time individually, the circumstances and situations that we face.
Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus…
He begins to focus in on the primary focus of these words. The Moffatt translation goes so far as to say “with no eyes for anyone or anything except Jesus.” His life being the focus! All of those witnesses had Jesus Christ—had God—as their focus. That is what has to occur within us.
Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
I’d like to think a little bit about this word “joy” as it reflects on the mind, the emotions, the desires of Jesus Christ. There were many things that were going to be expected of Him. But His joy focused in on the result. His joy focused in on not just being back with His Father on that same level of existence at His right hand and that relationship; but it also included His love and His desire for all of mankind—beginning first with those who would be called as us, in our situation. But eventually all of mankind will be included in this Family. That is part of this joy.
At this point, I want to look at an aspect of Christ’s life—a part that is included in what was required of Him that this joy surpassed. He knew so many things that were going to happen to Him, but this joy surpassed all of the things that He would have to go through. This joy surpassed all of that. I want to consider some of the things that Jesus Christ knew ahead of time.
I Peter
Prior to Adam and Eve sinning and taking of that fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, prior to that it was already determined that the Word (the One who would become Jesus Christ) was going to have to be made human and was going to have to give His life. Before sin ever infected humanity, He knew that.
Romans 5:8 But God demonstrated His own love towards us [His mind, expressed with this love], in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
From our perspective here, it is very easy to see and understand this. Before we ever had an understanding, before we were ever given God’s Spirit, before the Father ever began to teach us—Christ went through what He did so that we would have an opportunity and those in the Old Testament. It was predetermined before that first sin that the Word was going to come and give His life, was going to express a life full of example and light for others to see.
Romans 5:6 For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
I know these verses are so familiar, but I want to focus in on the character traits—the desires—of both the Father and especially Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is our link. He is the bridge. Focus in on the desires of Jesus Christ that He had for people prior to them understanding who He was and what He was. Not only did Christ know He would die, but He knew how He would die.
John
John 8:28 Then Jesus said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things.
If you have the same version that I do, you have a little “1” and then in the margin it says, “crucify.” It is talking about the manner of death that He would be dying.
John 12:32-33 “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth [or, as the margin again has, crucified], will draw all peoples to Myself.” 33 This He said, signifying by what death He would die.
Jesus Christ knew ahead of time exactly how He was going to die. Sometimes I think we talk so much about the crucifixion that after a while we gloss over. We don’t think about a lot of the details of what He went through, of what was included in that joy that was expressed in Hebrews 12:2. This was not an ordinary death. We are aware of that. It was one reserved for individuals of disgrace. They were judged as individuals of disgrace, to be killed in this way. This was a form of death that was not allowed to be used for Roman citizens. The Romans would not put their own people through this.
As Christ emptied Himself of His level of existence, knowing some of these things, He experienced something else.
James 1:13-14 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. 14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.
Being enticed is not sin. Following that leads to sin. But it is a situation here that God, because of the character that He has, cannot be tempted with evil. It does not make an impact with Him.
Hebrews 4:15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.
It’s the same
Greek word. He was tempted. I think, if nothing else, the prayer in the
As Christ came to be born, He had a full and complete understanding of God’s mind, His plan, of what we qualify and talk about as spiritual truth—the full magnification, the full understanding. But turn to Luke 9. This is something that seemed to continually come up among the disciples that the Father chose and gave to Christ.
Luke 9:46-48 Then a dispute arose among them as to which of them would be greatest. 47 And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a little child and set him by Him, 48 and said to them, “Whoever receives this little child in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me. For he who is least among you all will be great.”
As Jesus Christ had this full understanding, He was put in a situation in which He had to deal specifically and very intimately with individuals who did not. He was required to respond to them with an example for us to look at and learn from. This dispute, this wrong desire, was very much in them—as they were wanting to pursue, they were wanting to qualify for, that top spot. Jesus Christ, again, was very gently correcting them and trying to teach them, trying to help them see.
Luke
In their eyes, it was not right. This was going to be a trouble. Never should you bring children, at this point, to Jesus Christ.
Luke
18:16-17 But Jesus called them to
Him and said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for
of such is the
Again, using this situation to try to teach—speak some words that maybe they wouldn’t grasp fully at this point, but later they’d be able to recall and learn from. And today we have an opportunity to learn from this. But Jesus Christ, again, was placed in a situation where these disciples did not grasp the significance of God’s plan. They still had a false idea of what it was. But Jesus Christ was here to teach them, to help them; and, in this case, a very gentle correction and instruction for them.
Matthew 16:21-22 From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raise the third day. 22 Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him…
If you look into this, this wasn’t just taking Him aside and saying, “Oh, please. You can’t do this.” He was telling Christ “You cannot do this! This is not right.” This was a desire that was in Peter—this yearning that Peter was saying, “It cannot happen this way. It has to work a different way.” Again, out of ignorance; but this reflects his desire.
Matthew 16:22-23 Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!” 23 But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”
Christ here took a mode of correction that wasn’t just gentle; but, no doubt, later in Peter’s life he was able to look back and see how easily he was influenced by Satan—easily influenced to believe something else. The power that we battle against is very strong; and without God we cannot fill this void from our beginning to our hope that we have. In all of these situations, Christ displayed patience, longsuffering, gentleness, correction, instruction—all of those things. Why did He do that?
John 13:1 Now before the feast of the Passover…
We just lightly skimmed over some of the situations that Jesus Christ had to deal with, just with His disciples. We can think of so many examples of the things that Jesus Christ had to deal with—not only with His disciples, but also with the world.
John 13:1 Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.
He was willing to endure that cross that He had to bear for His yearning, His love for them—even though they could not understand, even though they were making mistakes. His love was reflected in His patience, and that longsuffering, and that gentle correction. All of those things were included in this yearning that was in Jesus Christ. Not only was that reserved for His disciples (although He had a very special feeling for them), but look at Luke 19.
Luke
I can just picture
in my mind’s eye Him sitting on a hillside, looking at the city of
Luke 19:41-42 [He] wept over it, 42 saying, If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! [The things that would give you peace. The things that would take away so many problems.] But now they are hidden from your eyes.
He also understood that it was not their time. It was not in God’s plan to favor them, to choose them, to have mercy and grace on them at that point in time. He knew that.
Luke 19:43-44 For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, 44 and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”
He knew that there were going to be so many terrible things take place there, but it didn’t stop Him from looking over and weeping—expressing His love for those people. As the time drew near for His death, Christ knew something else.
Matthew
26:31-32 Then Jesus said to them
[His disciples], “All of you will be made to stumble because of Me [or, as the
margin of my Bible has “caused to take offense at Me”] this night, for it is
written: ‘I will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be
scattered.’ 32 But after I have been
raised, I will go before you to
Even at this
point, knowing that this was going to take place, He is trying to comfort them
by saying, “Please don’t worry. I will come to you afterwards.”
Matthew 26:33-35 Peter answered and said to Him, “Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble.” 34 Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” 35 Peter said to Him, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” And so said all the disciples.
All of the disciples said they wouldn’t do what Christ knew they were going to do. Christ knew they were going to depart from Him. He knew they were going to deny that they knew Him. But He still loved them to the end. It was that joy that prompted Him on.
Now turn to Luke 22. This prayer in the garden, which I have often thought was probably the most fervent prayer ever prayed because Christ knew what was about to take place:
Luke
22:39-40 Coming out, He went to the
His first instruction was for them to pray, try to draw close to God. And in all honesty (and this is a separate subject in itself), the power of prayer—I wonder if we today even realize the need we have for this. The instruction in Scripture is very clear, especially as the time draws near, that we are to be praying. We are to be [praying], as Christ said in this case, that we do not enter into temptation. We are not enticed by it and follow after it.
Luke 22:41-42 And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed, 42 saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.”
“Not what I’m
desiring, but what You desire—because I trust You. I know Your way works! You
know what is best, and I trust in that.”
Luke
So here is a situation where He was strengthened by this angel. Then, right after that:
Luke
I can’t begin to imagine the fervency in this prayer that Jesus Christ had. All of this included in that joy that is described in Hebrews 12:2. Knowing that He was going to have to endure all of this, I can’t begin to understand this feeling that He had. But He knew what was going to be required, and that it was going to be difficult. He knew that His disciples were going to deny Him. He knew that the Pharisees, and the Scribes, and the Sadducees were going to ridicule Him. He knew the punishment that He was going to take. Here He is asking His Father, ”If there’s any other way, please do that.” [He was] sweating, as it were, great drops of blood—after being encouraged by this angel.
Luke 22:45-46 When He rose up from prayer, and had come to His disciples, He found them sleeping from sorrow. 46 Then He said to them, “Why do you sleep? Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation.”
I want to consider
this mind of Christ. I want to consider all that He knew. I shouldn’t say “all
that He knew” because He knew other things, but we just don’t have the time to
go into it. But some of the things that we’ve covered here that He knew ahead
of time that He was going to have to bear, that was His cross to bear for Him
as an individual. What He did was to provide
As our perspective takes us, as we focus in on the bride of Christ and as we focus in on what Christ has done for us, He has made it possible—showing the love of a husband providing the needs of a wife. This is what Jesus Christ has done for us! He cared, and showed a great love—enduring so much prior to the time that we had strength, or that we had knowledge, or that we even acknowledged Him as our Lord, and our Savior, and our Owner. By grace, not only do we understand what we need to know about God’s plan and what we need to know about Jesus Christ as time goes on—but we have the life and pattern of His life, and heart, and character revealed to us bits at a time. That is, what we need to know. The next step in our conversion process, the next step in trying to grow toward that mind, that feeling, that emotion and desire of Jesus Christ.
II
Peter
It’s not too hard for me to grasp and get my teeth into “growing in the knowledge of Jesus Christ.” To “grow in the grace of Jesus Christ” may be a little more difficult for me to understand. It is true that God will have to extend more grace as we come to a further and deeper knowledge of who Jesus Christ is. Perhaps that is the way it should be taken—that grace and knowledge are to be linked. In order to increase in knowledge of who Jesus Christ is, it requires the grace from God to reveal it.
But our instruction is that we are to grow in the grace and the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. As time goes on, we are to come to the point that we know Him more intimately. We understand more. It is by the grace of God that takes place. He has to reveal this to us, and show this to us; and put us through tests and trials to bring out things in our heart that will be proved to us as wrong. Things that we need to change, as we need to be made more like Jesus Christ. He uses those opportunities to show that to us. Our command, our hope, is to grow in the grace and the knowledge of who He is.
Ephesians
Again, think about our perspective—our potential to become part of the bride of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is showing us, and the Father is helping us to come to see, qualities and characteristics, desires and emotions of Jesus Christ. And as His wife, we have the opportunity of believing as He does, feeling as He does, moving in the same direction as He does. Not desiring that our own will be done, but that His will be done. [There are] situations and circumstances that God allows to take place in our lives to help us to see this.
What is it that we are told to do with what He provides?
Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus…
Again, the backdrop of the husband/wife relationship between Christ and the church—the potential that we have.
Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus [looking unto our affianced Husband, our potential Husband], the author and finisher of our faith [the one who has given and provided everything that we have need of to fulfill our role within that Family], who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
This joy that Jesus Christ had—what He knew He had to do, what He knew He was going to be put through. The joy of being back with His Father; and not just with His Father, but with His wife and with the extended Family! All of that joy surpassed by far all that He had to go through.
It says that we are to look to Him for encouragement, for an example, for the light that He brought. In some ways, what we know ahead of time differs from what Jesus Christ knew. To highlight just a few: We have no idea when or how we are going to die. We have no idea about any of that. We have no comprehension of what it is to be on the existence and the plane of God as yet. Thereby we have no idea what it is not to be tempted by evil. We do not have full understanding, full depth of the truth or the mind of Jesus Christ yet. As the apostle Paul (who was inspired to write more words in the Bible than any other writer perhaps), in all of his knowledge, and all of his dealings, and tests, and trials said, “I can only know in part. I can only teach in part.” He knew he didn’t have the full comprehension of who Jesus Christ was; but he had a part, and it was his responsibility to shine a light based on that part. But that part was intended to grow, as we’ve read. It was intended to grow more and more like that of the mind, and the cares, and the emotions of Jesus Christ.
But for us, consider how God is developing situations so that we can grow in understanding more of Christ’s joy, more of His mind. Christ displayed a love for mankind as it was predetermined for Him to die for mankind prior to sin even existing, prior to people having an understanding of God’s plan for their purpose for living. He expressed a love for them. If you’ll turn to Matthew 5, these are instructions for you and me. But, again, remember the husband/wife relationship; and remember Jesus Christ and the church. What Jesus Christ accomplished in His life, and now what He is asking you and me to do.
Matthew 5:38-39 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.
Think about Jesus Christ standing there and getting beaten, asked so many questions and He wouldn’t even open His mouth. It wasn’t His place and time.
Matthew 5:40-42 If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. 41 And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. 42 Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.
Be ready to provide for others—thinking about others, and not yourself only. Thinking of others, and trying to provide for them.
Matthew 5:43-44 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies…
Again, reflect on
Jesus Christ sitting on that hillside overlooking
Matthew
As He was nailed to the stake, He said, “Father, forgive them because they don’t understand what they are doing. It is out of ignorance that they are doing this.” His concern, even at that point, was for them!
Matthew 5:44-45 Do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven…
These situations are provided so that we learn and we deepen our understanding of Christ’s desires, His examples—that we move towards that mind of Christ, that same feeling that Jesus Christ had that God provides for us.
Matthew 5:45-48 That you may be sons of your Father in heaven, for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and send rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? [But if you will follow where the Spirit leads, if you will continue to come to Me, if you will come after Me.] 48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
As Christ dealt with many of the disciple’s ignorance, wrong desires and wrong purposes—He displayed so many attributes of God’s mind—the patience, and the longsuffering, and the love that He had for them. Even though we do not have the full depth of understanding that Jesus Christ had, even though we do not enter into any relationship amongst ourselves without fault, without weakness—we are told to show this same emotion, this same desire, these same attributes towards one another.
Romans 12:10-11 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; 11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.
Again, linking this to Jesus Christ—we are with Jesus Christ. It’s a Husband/wife relationship. We are learning who our Husband is.
Romans
Here is something that emphasizes prayer—an important attitude.
Romans
To me, the “needs” don’t reflect just physical needs—money, or help to move, or things of that nature. But, as so many scriptures talk about, [such things as] edifying one another, building one another up. We are going to go further into Hebrews 12, and it expresses that sentiment that we are given the responsibility of as the affianced bride of Jesus Christ.
Romans 12:13-14 Distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality. 14 Bless those who persecute you.
And the same idea here in context is talking about God’s people; and it says, “Bless those who persecute you.”
Romans 12:14-16 Bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 16 Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble.
As this process continues, for the person who is truly following and yielding himself, humility is a natural thing to happen. It is going to happen that we are going to see how much further we have to go, how many more things have to be overcome to fill this void between our beginning and this hope that can be fulfilled.
Romans
Again, reflect on what Paul said about he “knew in part.” So many times we can stake our reputation on an opinion with one another, and perhaps not have the full comprehension. It is talking here about not entering into disputes with one another.
Romans 12:17-18 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things [or provide good] in the sight of all men. 18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you…
“As much as depends on me” requires me to be in contact with God, because the only “good” that can be in any of us is if God provides it, if God teaches it, and God makes it possible.
Romans
12:18-20 If it is possible, as much
as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. 19 Beloved, do not avenge
yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is
Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. [God will take care of us.] 20
Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a
drink; [Think of all the situations and examples of Jesus Christ doing
this.] for in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”
It’s not that the purpose that we do these things is for somebody just to feel bad and get theirs. But if our desire is like Christ’s, it’s going to be to do what’s right. And if that happens to an individual, that they will come to repentance—that they will come to the point to see who they are. That’s the desire that Christ had, and that’s the desire that needs to be growing in us.
Romans
I Thessalonians 5:12-14 And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, 13 and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. Be at peace among yourselves. 14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly [warn those who are insubordinate or idle], comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all.
To me, this can be one of the things that is so hard for us to do. To be patient with one another, to allow an individual to come to repentance—especially an individual with whom you come in contact all the time. But we are told to do what Christ did, to be patient. We are told to incorporate this attribute and learn it until it becomes part of our mind and our character.
I Thessalonians 5:15 See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.
Ephesians 4:1 I [Paul], therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called.
The calling that we have been given at this time holds the potential of becoming the bride of Jesus Christ. This is the calling that we have been given.
Ephesians 4:2-3 With all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, 3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
We are to try to
work with one another—with no feeling of revenge; but the same desires, again,
that Jesus Christ had. He’s telling us to incorporate this. “Learn from Me.
The Spirit will provide what you need and write it on your heart and mind. This
is an opportunity that you have.”
Ephesians 4:4-6 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith [One truth. We are not to compromise with what we are given in dealing with one another.], one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
Colossians
We can focus in just on those words and what they mean, and the blessing that it is to be included in that; and that alone should provide humility for us.
Colossians 3:12-13 Put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.
We are reflecting again on what Christ has done, and we are to follow.
Colossians 3:14-17 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. 15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts [no matter what it is that our cross is to bear in this life], to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell [or, remain] in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
Both of Them are involved, but Jesus Christ is our focus. As we consider further Christ’s example, will our desires and affections truly imitate that of Jesus Christ? Will His desires take precedence in our lives? We are going to be put in situations and circumstances constantly in our lives where God is looking to see how we will respond—what emotions we have, what desire is in us. He knows exactly how far we have to go. He knows what the next step is.
Romans 8:31-32 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son…
He who did not provide another way, as His Son asked Him in the garden, sweating great drops of blood to provide another way—the Father did not spare Him what was His cross to bear, just as He’s not going to spare us what is our cross to bear so that we learn.
Romans 8:32-34 But delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.
To me, verse 35 is a key.
Romans
In one sense, Christ is asking for our hand in marriage. What is it that will prevent us from accepting it?
Romans
All of these situations—one of them, two of them—maybe more so in an individual’s life than in a congregation’s life…What is it that will cause us not to respond with patience, and longsuffering, and forgiving for one another; but we’ll decide to follow temptation to seek revenge? To follow after a way that is not Christ-like!
Romans 8:36-37 As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” 37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
And Paul is speaking here from his perspective and all that he went through.
Romans 8:38-39 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Nothing was going to separate him. And as we follow and yield ourselves to God’s Spirit, and where it leads us and what it teaches us about who Jesus Christ is and what we have the opportunity to become, it cannot separate us either, as we grow with that same feeling.
If you turn back to Hosea 2, to me these are touching words that I can picture Jesus Christ saying to you and me.
Hosea 2:19-20 “I will betroth you to Me forever; Yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and justice, in lovingkindness and mercy; 20 I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness, and you shall know [fully] the Lord.”
We will have an opportunity to come to see Christ as He is, fully—in character and mind. God has to grant that to us by His mercy and His grace, to reveal those things to us bit by bit in this life; but in the next life, a fullness of understanding and knowledge of Jesus Christ.
Hosea 2:21-23 “It shall come to pass in that day that I will answer,” says the LORD; “I will answer the heavens, and they shall answer the earth. 22 The earth shall answer with grain, with new wine, and with oil. They shall answer Jezreel. 23 Then I will sow her for Myself in the earth. And I will have mercy on her who had not obtained mercy. Then I will say to those who were not My people, ‘You are My people!’ And they shall say, ‘You are my God!’”
That gap, that void, having been bridged; and these people now ready to give everything. “You are my God!” There is nothing that can come between that. We have the potential of becoming the bride of Christ. We are the betrothed. It’s a Husband/wife relationship; and we are the betrothed. As we study and meditate—and as God reveals more about the attitudes, and the feelings, and the emotions, and the desires that Jesus Christ had—we are instructed to follow Him and to act upon them in this life.
It is through God’s grace that our potential is to be made “a helper” for Jesus Christ—to be there for Him, desiring what He desires (and not just following as a corporal in the army). We are there to follow because we want to be there. We desire this. It begins here on this earth—this character that is being molded and shaped in us. Not only following Him wherever goes, but desiring to be with Him. Desiring to be doing what He is doing. As we yield our will, and desire His will, we learn more and grow closer to His heart and His mind—even today.
At every new
truth, at every new aspect of Christ’s heart that is revealed to you or me, at
every new trial or circumstance in life (at least, figuratively speaking) Jesus
Christ is asking us, “Do you still want to be My wife? Do you still want to
follow Me wherever I go? Do you still want to walk in My footsteps?” The
Scripture is clear that any sin that is unrepented of—the quenching of God’s
Spirit, the blaspheming of God’s Spirit—is answering to that, “No, I don’t.
I’ve reached my limit. I’ve reached the wall. This is where I want to quit.”
If we will always be yielded to God, He will not fail us. He will fulfill His role. He is the projected Husband, and He will provide for His Family everything they need. But we always have to come to the point that His will be done. No matter what our cross is to bear, we have a set of attitudes and characteristics that God is writing on our heart and mind that is supposed to result in action and word. Not by that do we merit a position in God’s Family. We are learning to think and act like Jesus Christ, even here now; and He is putting us into situations to reflect on that.
Hebrews 12:3 For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you [or as the Revised Standard has, “so that you do not”] become weary and discouraged in your souls.
That is, so that you don’t desire to give up. So that you won’t be tempted to get away from this process, this growth, that is taking place.
Hebrews 12:12-13 Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.
That is what we desire. It’s not to inflict harm. It’s not to seek revenge, but that it be healed.
Hebrews
The purpose of this is to see Him—what He is, and who He is.
Hebrews 12:15 Looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled.
Our examples are so important because it can affect someone else. If we don’t fulfill our role, someone else can be affected. God, even at that, knows what is talking place. But it is our opportunity to act on the characteristics that we have been taught.
Hebrews 12:16-17 Lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. 17 For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears.
Now turn to Revelation 19. This is where we began.
Revelation 19:1-2 After these things I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, “Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God! 2 For true and righteous are His judgments, because He has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication; and He has avenged on her the blood of His servants shed by her.”
As the Scriptures say, “Vengeance is Mine.” God has made His judgment. It is now His time to take over control and rulership of this earth.
Revelation 19:3—6 Again they said, “Alleluia! Her smoke rises up forever and ever!” 4 And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sat on the throne, saying, “Amen! Alleluia!” 5 Then a voice came from the throne, saying, “Praise our God, all you His servants and those who fear Him, both small and great!” 6 And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, “Alleluia! For the [or, our] Lord God Omnipotent reigns!”
Part of our hope is fulfilled at this moment, but there is still a hope. There is still something that has to be done. We will be able to continue on with those feelings that have been written on our hearts and minds, and express it to those who have not yet known Jesus Christ. We will have, and be given, the privilege and the opportunity to be able to stand before them and teach them as ones who have been saved—out of humility, being able to offer a different perspective to the God Family, being able to say “I was saved, and look what God has done for me. Look where I am. His way works!” We are going to have that opportunity to teach them.
Revelation 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory [All praise and honor go to Him.], for the marriage of the Lamb has come [God’s grace has made this possible.], and His wife has made herself ready.”
The wife [is] required to act on what God has revealed to them to generate in them a level, a feeling, an attitude, an emotion and longing as Jesus Christ has. The miracles that take place in us—brethren, I guarantee you all of us sell it short. Every single one of us! I don’t see how we can meditate enough on this. I don’t see how we can give the thanks that God deserves. The only way possible is for us to completely yield ourselves to His will.
What will our answer be, as Christ continually through this life—at every revealed truth, at depth of understanding, through any circumstance and trial that we are required to bear—what will our answer be? “Are you still willing to be My wife?” Hopefully in all of our cases, we will in humility yield ourselves to God and allow God to finish the work in us that He began.
Transcribed by plh April 2004