Jesus - Empowered through the Father
Does anyone seriously think that they can actually live like Jesus? Let us leave aside those unique features of his calling as the Messiah, principally the miracles; are not the followers to bear some resemblance to the Leader? Yes they are and today I give you the greatest key to following Jesus.
How was Jesus enabled and empowered to do what he did? Through his relationship with his Father. He called God ‘abba’ = ‘dear Father’.We are invited into a similar relationship. We also call God ‘abba’ as we receive the Spirit of sonship cf Galatians 4:4-7.
What did this relationship provide Jesus with? And us also? Training – the Greek word ‘paideia’ is used often in the NT and has a wide range of meaning – bring up, instruct, train, educate; correct, guide, discipline, punish.
· Eph 6:4 – bring up children in the training and instruction of the Lord
· 2 Timothy
· Hebrews 12:4-12 – do not make light of the Lord’s discipline
God’s pattern Empowerment for life/ ministry comes through a relationship which provides training. ( paideia).These include God the Father and his Son Jesus in the days of his flesh; Jesus and his disciples; Parents and children; Pastor/teachers and congregations – Ephesians 4:12
Today we will look at what God provided for Jesus to see what he is also able to provide for us – John 17:23
1. Loved – my beloved Son in whom I delight; John 5:20 – all the expressions of God’s covenant love towards Israel Jesus knew described God’s love to him. This was what enabled him to trust and obey. We too are loved.
2. Called/chosen – Isaiah 42:1-4 - the concept of
3. Envisioned – Jesus discovered his identity and mission in the OT. He saw that he was in fact the person in whom God had come to fulfil what was promised in the OT, to write the final chapter of the story. He was to be the fulfilment of great OT predictions of the messiah who would usher in the reign of God. We too find our identity and role in the great story of redemption.
4. Resourced – In the OT the anointing with the spirit was to enable people to carry out their task of prophet, priest, king so Jesus was given through the Holy Spirit all the resources to carry out his mission. After Pentecost we too have access to the full power of the Spirit
5. Taught – He said he did what he saw the Father doing – what does this mean? It was his knowledge of the ways and works of God in the OT in which Jesus was saturated; Jesus learned there what his Father had done, he had absorbed that so perfectly that he simply went out and did the same. We have the Bible, including the gospels.
6. Supported – Jesus never felt alone. Even the disciples were sent out in twos. Jesus always had a sense of the presence of his Father. He says I am with you always.
7. Appreciated – Jesus knew that God was pleased with how he was living and would also honour him in the future. We too can feel his smile when we walk in obedience. Even the smallest cup of cold water will not lose its reward.
8. United with others -– we work better together than on our own. The disciples may not have been much help but they were his team.. The Father provided these men as his companions, helpers. God gives us our friends and our church as our team to be our partners in ministry.
What was the result of all this in the life of Jesus? This generated within him a life of perfect trust and perfect obedience, a life of faith. He lived a life where the Father was totally available to him, and where he was totally available to the Father. Do he simply went out and did what he was told, knowing the Father would back him all the way. Faith was the key that enabled Jesus to receive all this multi-dimensional empowerment from God.
We are not the Messiah; but we are the messianic community. We are not the master, but we are the disciples. This is how we are to live and it can be done because the Father is just as committed and available to us as he was to Jesus. If we can see this, and if we will submit to this ‘training’ in relationship to God as our Father we can live and minister as Jesus did.
Don’t you want to live a life that resembles Jesus and makes a difference; grasping the love and commitment of God to you as your Father and your part in his plans is the key. Ask him to reveal more of it to you today.
Casting Our Cares on the Lord – 1st Peter 5:7
One of the things I don’t like coming back from holiday is the pile of mail in the hall; I came back from
The Cares That Weigh us Down.
Experiences, especially challenging or negative ones are like mail coming through the letter box. We have to learn how to deal with them for they won’t go away. They will pile up and affect us one way or the other. They can take away our health – physical, emotional, mental and spiritual; they can drive us into addictions or other forms of escapism. They are like a weight around our soul.
Quote verses from Proverbs – hope deferred maketh the heart sick; a crushed spirit who can bear?
Everything must be processed if we are to grow through it and if it is to become a healthy life-giving experience; the greatest danger is avoidance or some kind of repression which will basically build a reservoir of pain/negativity/dark material/hurt/poison in our lives – a kind of well of rotting material that will eventually burst forth or seep through in all our words and relationships.
There is no need to try to list what we may find a burden but it need not be a major thing or even a bad thing – it may be a responsibility; research has shown that much stress is caused by the accumulation of small daily irritants. They may also be the troubles of the lives of others with whom we come in contact; or even just things in the world in general that upset us.
So the first question for us is what are we doing with the cares that weigh us down – are we really facing up to, processing and dealing with these experiences
The Saviour who Bears Us Up.
Peter tells us to cast our cares upon the Lord for he cares for us. It is interesting to think how he may have come to this conviction – and it was surely his earthly experience of being cared for by Jesus. Peter had known from the Psalms that as a father pitieth his children so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. But now he experienced it.
He taught Peter constantly and rebuked him when necessary
He saved him from sinking when he was walking on the water
When Peter denied him he forgave him and restored his soul.
But not so well known are the lovely words spoken to Peter in Luke 22:31-32
I see here great tenderness, prayer, a real knowledge of Peter’s strengths and weaknesses, a caregiving commitment to Peter, and a vision for Peter’s life.
Jesus really looked after Peter as a pastor. Then Peter saw him die.
Peter knew Jesus cared for him.
The chief evidence of God’s love is the cross; but if we look closely we can see his care for us in his dealings with us - He is praying for us; warning us; he is leading us through life; disciplining us; he has a vision for our lives; sending along help.
The Secret That Pulls Us Through.
Cast. There is always an action involved in faith – it is not simply a thing of the mind. You must do something to express your belief. In this case it is not enough to believe he cares – we must give over the weight of the burden to him.
What this generally means is that we must pray - so let us look at this.
Oh what peace we often forfeit, o what needless pain we bear
All because we do not carry, everything to God in prayer
1. Talk honestly and slowly - First we come to the Lord in prayer and we speak to him openly about the matters that are troubling us. Slowly, not hurriedly – we begin to lighten the burden simply by talking
2. Confess our need - We confess our need for him and our utter helplessness to deal with all that is coming into our lives
3. Hand over completely - We hand the matter right over to him and ask him to take it - We must really give the burden consciously, unreservedly, gladly to God. Release the burden and leave it there – use verses like
4. Listen carefully - But then as we listen – and read his Word – we await his perspective, a word from him that enables us to see it from his position.
5. Act promptly - Now then we must await the promptings which may come telling us what practical action to take
Maybe we need to involve another person – to see counsel, to seek support
Maybe we need to do something about the balance of our lives, to see our doctor, to delegate some aspects of our responsibilities
Maybe we just need to meditate on his love and care for us .Remember the Saviour – his care, his promises, his past care for you
Conclusion.
How much unattended mail is lying in the hall way of your life? How long has it been there? Are you tripping over it everyday? Is it getting so big you are about to fall over it? Youv’e got to start somewhere to deal with it and today I have shown you the way. It is now time to take action.
Contact
16 East Bridge Street
ENNISKILLEN BT74 7BT
Tel: (028) 6632 5759
www.spce.org.uk
email: church.office1@btinternet.com