Love Fulfilled Ministry

“ Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time ?" 1 After saying this, Jesus tells several parables, that are related to being good servants. On the third time Jesus revealed himself to the disciples after he was raised from the dead, He asks Peter three times if he loves Him, and after each respectively He says, feed my lambs, shepherd my sheep, feed my sheep. If we look at the different words used by Jesus, we see words which imply growth from a lamb to a sheep. We associate loving Christ with feeding the flock of God, lambs and sheep. We see the will of the Father in that a Good Shepherd would give his life for the sheep, and would leave the ninety nine to rescue the one lost. We see the lost lamb, and how the Kingdom of God is receiving these little children. Also he sanctified himself and prayed for the lost lambs now found to be sanctified in truth, to become sheep. We can equate a go...

" Only, they asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do ." 1 Some three years in Arabia and fourteen elsewhere Paul having received much revelation from Christ now comes before the apostles, those pillars of the early Church. "When James and Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. Only, they asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do." 2 " You shall have no inheritance in their land nor own any portion among them; I am your portion and your inheritance among the sons of Israel. To the Levites I have given every tithe in Israel for an inheritance, in return for their service that they do ," 3 In the Mosaic Covenant, the priesthood was from the tribe of Levi, one of the twelve tribes of Israel. While the people of Israel were "set apart...

" but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, neither in this age nor in the age to come . " 1 Jesus had healed a man who was demon possessed, blind, and mute. Now, to do one would be a miracle in itself, but he casts out a demon and heals the man of two ailments. Earlier on the Sabbath Jesus healed a man with a withered hand, saying "is it not lawful to do good on the Sabbath?" The Pharisees had then plotted to destroy Him for breaking their traditions and rules. 3 In context we begin to get more insight of what it means to be for or against God. " Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven ." 4 What is blasphemy against the Spirit? well, lets look at the surrounding scriptures.  Jesus healed the man possessed, and "When the people saw this they said,  “Can this be the Son of David?” The people were asking was this the Messiah, in o...

" Indeed, the law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus liberates from the law of sin and death ." 1 This word for liberates "I free, set free, liberate" is from a root word meaning free, exempt, not bound by an obligation. As partakers of God's divine nature, being born of Spirit, we are no longer obligated to the sinful nature but to righteousness which is God's nature. When we believe we receive the Spirit of promise, a guarantee of our inheritance, a great testimony that we are His children, it is a Spirit of Life. " Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life." 24 The Son came not to condemn the world but to save it. "One trespass   led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. " 6 " He was delivered over to death for our trespasses and wa...

“ If anyone desires after me to come, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me ." 1 Matthew, Mark, and Luke all quote Jesus saying this, Luke adds "... take up his cross every day." 2  In each case it was after Jesus foretold His death and resurrection to the disciples. This was before he would literally take up a cross and carry it to His crucifixion. Let us look at the powerful symbolism in the crucifixion and carrying the cross in our sanctification. " Then they led Him out to crucify Him." 3 Imagine what it would be like to carry a cross to crucifixion. If anyone would follow Jesus, he must deny himself and take up his cross. To the disciples Jesus said, "follow me" and  " for whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. " 6  It is a difficult path but with a promise. " Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires ....

"...  put off your former way of life, the old man, that corrupt according to deceitful desires, and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on the new man, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness of truth ." 1 How does one put off the former life? How do you put on the new man? We know that righteousness is a free gift received by faith in Christ, and that we will reign in grace through righteousness. We are created after the likeness of God, we have partaken of His Divine nature, in true righteousness, and the fruit of righteousness leads to sanctification or holiness. This process of sanctification is by truth, as Jesus prayed to the Father that believers be sanctified in truth, as He sanctified Himself. We see key concepts as pieces of the armor of God. Such we see is a process of sanctification or holiness. " Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to st...

"present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For you will not rule over sin , indeed, under the Law but under grace." 1 It is an amazing concept that one will rule over sin under Grace. We see that ruling over sin begins with a free gift, which we receive by faith in Christ, "those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ ." 2  So we see grace reigns through the gift of righteousness, " as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord ." 3 " There is therefore now no condemnation in Christ Jesus, not according to the flesh walk but according to the Spirit ." 3 This is an importance understanding,  no condemnation in Christ Jesus.  Now, sin still dwells in my flesh, so I can walk in the flesh, thus ...

"But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you ." 1 This word for added is from prós, "towards, with" and íthēmi, "to set, lay down." These things are added by God. What things are added? First in the kingdom of the world is money, putting trust in riches and material things, building storehouses and laying up treasure on earth. The Kingdom of God is opposite that of the world, it lays up treasure in heaven, and this type of wisdom from God builds upon trusting in Him. To seek Him first is to trust in Him, and all these things will be added. " Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they ?" 3 Putting first the kingdom of God to some is a matter of reaping and sowing money, these speak of a God who meets your needs based upon what you sow. Such is convenient for them, million...

“If anyone would be first , he must be last of all and servant of all. Then He had a little child stand among them . Taking the child in His arms, He said to them,  “ Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.” ”  1 We have probably heard that to be first in the Kingdom is to serve, and we know it is to serve Jesus but here we see even more specifics of such service. Jesus, as an object lesson to associate service with something tangible, takes this child and places him in front of the disciples, and equates being a servant of all, to receiving one such child in His name. We see to serve is to receive children in His name, so the question becomes what does it means to receive one such child in His name. " Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it. And He took the children in His arms, placed His hands on them, and blessed them .” 3 Here w...

" For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.” 1 "Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” 2   The good news is a message of the forgiveness of sin, this was the promise the prophets foresaw, and which John the baptism prepared the way, proclaiming Jesus as the Christ, the One who would forgive sins. David spoke of such, blessed is the one whose sins are not counted toward him. To Israel repentance required this receiving of Christ but also a change in mind, in turning from a works justification to a justification and righteousness by faith, according to grace. To follow Jesus would bring certain persecution, fathers and mothers would disown their children, and children would disown their fathers and mothers. "And his mother and his brothers came, and standing outside they sent to him and called him..." 3 Surel...

"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life. " 1 Jesus is the Word, He was in the beginning with God. 2  All things were made through Him. He is the Word and Light of men, the way, the path, "I am the way, the truth, and the life." 4  Thus we can say as the Psalmist, Jesus, the Word, is a Lamp unto my feet, and a Light unto my path. 5  "In him was life, and the life was the light of men." 6  Concerning the Word of Life, " the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life ," Proclaimed, that our joy may be complete, a glory like that in the beginning, fellowship with the Father, with one another, and with his Son Jesus Christ, the Word of Life. "You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot...