March 19, 2017
Pastor/Teacher Roger Redmond
Revelation 1:18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
1 Peter 1:10 -18 i.e. 18-19 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
We are not redeemed by decayed things, perishable things but by the Blood of Christ, "The Precious Blood of Christ". Precious = valuable, costly, dear. It should be valued, loved, treasured, cherished. His blood is not dead and scattered; Hebrews 9:12-14, i.e. 14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
It is the Blood of Christ, therefore, He is Precious, 1 Peter 2:4 To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, He is called precious by the Father.
He is Precious to those who believe, 1 Peter 2:7a Unto you therefore which believe he is precious:......"
Since we have a Living Saviour and if you are alive in Him (Is He Precious to You?) then we should be doing living things in our life for Him. This is the message Peter is laying out.
The Prophets of old wanted to know the time Christ would come and the events that would surround His Person, His Coming, His suffering, 1:11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.
The Spirit of Christ in them did signify, The Holy Spirit made plain. This confirms again the Word of God is inspired; it is His Word, 2Pe 1:21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. Rev 19:10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
"Searching what" Means the Prophets investigated very carefully the prophecy they announced, What people, what person, what time, what suffering. The Holy Spirit testified, prophesied, of His Suffering. Isaiah 53: 1-12,i.e. 4--7 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
They saw the glory that would come from His suffering, Isaiah 53:11 "He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied:..." They saw He is a Satisfactory Sacrifice.
The prophets did not understand all the glory that should follow, even Daniel who spoke of His death in 9:25-27 said in 12:8 &9, And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.
The Holy Spirit revealed to them that these prophecies would happen in future ages. Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into. 1Peter 1:12
We have the record of Christ and His suffering accomplished, 1 John 5:11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. We have the Written Word.
Also, we have the Holy spirit which brings the message of Christ to the mind and heart of all mankind, John 16:7-11. Titus 2:11-14 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
We have this sure Word of Prophecy, the final revelation of communication, Hebrews 1:2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
Peter said, we heard the voice of the Father in mount saying, 2 Peter 2:17-19 "For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed,..." You will not hear His speak in an audible voice but you can hear Him speak in His written Word by the Holy Spirit that He sent down. That written Word is the more sure word of prophecy ...that we need to heed!
Therefore, you better get a grip on the power of your mind with sincerity and truth, a sound mind - one who is not controlled by a passion. Cherish the truth of the gospel till the end of your life, 1Pe 1:13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; We have been redeemed by a Living Saviour, made alive whereas we once were dead, to a Living Faith that has Living Power. Therefore, we should be doing Living things.
- The Commands of God are lively, Acts 7:38
- We have been born again unto lively hope, 1 Peter 1:3
- We are called lively stones, 1 Peter 2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
Some "Spiritual Sacrifice that is Acceptable to God by Jesus Christ"
There is no doubt we are living in the Last Days, Daniel 7:4 -8
America is still a Nation at the Rapture - Also, It appears America did not become one of the ten nations of the R.R. E. or at least rebelled against them and helped Israel, Rev. 12:14.
We should get away from doom and gloom.
Presenting our bodies as a living Sacrifice is a spiritual sacrifice, Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. This is a living thing we are doing when we present our bodies to Him/
Presenting your body to Him does not hinder or keep you from your dreams but rather is the only way you can be assured of peace and joy, Pro_10:22 The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it. Psalm 34:7-10The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him. The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.
Public Worship of Him with His Body, the Church is offering up a spiritual sacrifice, 1Ti 3:15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. If you honour Him - He will honour you. Public worship with the body, fellow believers is a living thing we are doing.
- We as believers are called a spiritual house, 1 Peter 2:5.
- We as believers are called the building of God, Ephesians 2:20-22.
- We are called the Body of Church, Ephesians 5:27-32.
We are to worship Him together, Hebrews 10:23-25 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
Learning the principle of Giving is a spiritual sacrifice, Luke 16:10-11He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
Christ called money "least" but with the world, it is a very big thing. He also called it "unrighteous mammon"
He said if we are unfaithful in a very little thing: how can we be entrusted with something greater in the world to come. If we fail in the right use of the "mammon of unrighteousness" how can we be counted worthy of greater riches in the kingdom to come? If we misuse that which is another's how can He trust us with the inheritances He desires to give us?
Obedience is the test to see if we are worthy to rule with Christ. The Law of first fruits is taught in Joshua as the Children of Israel entered the Promised Land. Joshua 6:17-19. (The City of Jericho the first city in the Promised Land)
We have a living Saviour and we are called lively stones and we should be doing living things in our life! 1Pe 1:17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear: It is a spiritual sacrifice to respect the LORD. 1Pe 1:18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 1Pe 1:19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
He is saying do you know you have been redeemed? Do you know you have been redeemed by the blood of Christ? You have not been redeemed by the dead corruptible things but by the blood of the Living Saviour. Revelation 1:18.
Seeing the Harvest and hearing the Saviour's call is a spiritual sacrifice. It will require a living sacrifice to follow Him. John 4: 34-38
The Harvest is people being saved. In other words, people are waiting to hear the gospel
Christ came for all people, John 4:27. You see His Love for all people.
"The Rabbinical writings taught that it was beneath a man's dignity to converse with women. It was one of the six things which a Rabbi might not do. "Let no one," it is written, "converse with a woman in the street, not even with his own wife."
Vincent, M. R. (1887). Word studies in the New Testament (Vol. 2, p. 124). New York: Charles Scribner's Sons.
Also see John 4:9
"It is striking that Jesus revealed himself as Messiah to a Samaritan woman who had her own (Samaritan) beliefs about the Messiah. While Jesus believed the Samaritans were mistaken about a number of things and said that salvation 'was from the Jews' (22), he recognized the longings of the Samaritan people would be satisfied (they would only find 'living water') and they would be able to offer true worship only by putting their trust in him, the Jewish Messiah."
Kruse, C. G. (2003). John: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 4, p. 137). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
He did not condemn her religion but spoke to her need, which is knowing Him. John 4:26
We are given the same work to do in, John 4: 34-38
<