Today we celebrate Christ Jesus birth through special song and children program. We have decorated the Church inside and out to reflect colors and objects that make us think about Christmas. The worldwide celebration of Jesus birth. This morning the Lord put in my heart a message that is not a traditional Christmas message in that it does not focus on Christ birth and all the miracles that took place to make that possible. The message today is very much a Christmas message and it is very much centered on Christ and his relationship to his Father and our relationship to him.
The Key verse for this message is found in Hebrews
Hebrews 5:8
8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;
The Lord has been brewing this message in my spirit in various parts and brought it all together this morning. This past week I finished reading the book of Deuteronomy and started the book of Joshua. At the end of Deuteronomy, there is a very sobering event that that is recorded in the book. It is the exchange between God and Moses
Numbers 12:1-8
1 And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman.
2 And they said, Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? And the Lord heard it.
3 (Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.)
4 And the Lord spake suddenly unto Moses, and unto Aaron, and unto Miriam, Come out ye three unto the tabernacle of the congregation. And they three came out.
5 And the Lord came down in the pillar of the cloud, and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam: and they both came forth.
6 And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the Lord will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.
7 My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house.
8 With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the Lord shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?
**Do you see the relationship God has with Moses? It is beyond what any human at the time was anointed to have…..But in spite of this close relationship Moses was still human and Moses made some mistakes that prompted the discussion God is having with Moses in the end of the book of Deuteronomy.
Turn with me to Deuteronomy 3:23-28. In this passage of scripture Moses is recounting his conversation with the Lord where he asked if he could go into the promise land.
Deuteronomy 3:23-28
King James Version
23 And I besought the Lord at that time, saying,
24 O Lord God, thou hast begun to shew thy servant thy greatness, and thy mighty hand: for what God is there in heaven or in earth, that can do according to thy works, and according to thy might?
25 I pray thee, let me go over, and see the good land that is beyond Jordan, that goodly mountain, and Lebanon.
26 But the Lord was wroth with me for your sakes, and would not hear me: and the Lord said unto me, Let it suffice thee; speak no more unto me of this matter.
27 Get thee up into the top of Pisgah, and lift up thine eyes westward, and northward, and southward, and eastward, and behold it with thine eyes: for thou shalt not go over this Jordan.
28 But charge Joshua, and encourage him, and strengthen him: for he shall go over before this people, and he shall cause them to inherit the land which thou shalt see.
**Moses was a very special man of God. Moses had an incredible calling and anointing on his life but even with all of that Moses was not exempt to walk in Holiness and Obedience to the Father God. Remember our key verse today: Hebrews 5:8
8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;
**Moses records in the end of the book of Deuteronomy the following:
Deuteronomy 32:48-52
48 And the Lord spake unto Moses that selfsame day, saying,
49 Get thee up into this mountain Abarim, unto mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, that is over against Jericho; and behold the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel for a possession:
50 And die in the mount whither thou goest up, and be gathered unto thy people; as Aaron thy brother died in mount Hor, and was gathered unto his people:
51 Because ye trespassed against me among the children of Israel at the waters of MeribahKadesh, in the wilderness of Zin; because ye sanctified me not in the midst of the children of Israel.
52 Yet thou shalt see the land before thee; but thou shalt not go thither unto the land which I give the children of Israel.
***What was Moses big mistake at MeribanKadesh? The people were thirsty, they were murmuring and complaining. God told Moses to speak to the rock and water would come forth….But Moses in anger took his rod, his tool of blessing, his instrument of God’s authority and misused it to strike the rock. God still provided the water even thou Moses did not obey and was later judged by God for his anger and disobedience. Why did God provide the water? To meet the need in spite of Moses disobedience and fleshly actions.
***The 1st point of the Message today: Your gifts, talents, anointing and calling do not exempt you from God’s process of spiritual growth and life of Holiness.
1 Corinthians 10:4
4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.
**This is a warning to everyone listening that God has given a gift, a talent and anointing and a calling to some form of Ministry. Be careful you do not exercise your gift and talent in the flesh and strike Christ. God may answer the need but there are consequences for our actions.
2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
As we continue into the book of Joshua we find that Moses obeys the Lord and goes up in the Mountain to die. God comes down and gives Joshua a pep talk. God says I am with you. Look at
Joshua 1:5-6
5 There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
6 Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.
God has given Joshua a promise he can hold onto and clear direction on his mission and ministry.
Now I want you to follow the story with me. They are on the Wilderness side of the Jordan River. It is a barrier between them and the promise land. God opens the waters just like he did the red sea and the Children of Israel walk across to the other side into the land of Promise but now there is no river of protection to prevent the enemies from attacking them. This is a point in time when God’s people are most vulnerable for attack. Time is not on their side. They should move quickly and not lose the element of surprise. But that is not what God had them do. Turn with me to Joshua Chapter 5
Joshua 5
King James Version
5 And it came to pass, when all the kings of the Amorites, which were on the side of Jordan westward, and all the kings of the Canaanites, which were by the sea, heard that the Lord had dried up the waters of Jordan from before the children of Israel, until we were passed over, that their heart melted, neither was there spirit in them any more, because of the children of Israel.
2 At that time the Lord said unto Joshua, Make thee sharp knives, and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time.
3 And Joshua made him sharp knives, and circumcised the children of Israel at the hill of the foreskins.
4 And this is the cause why Joshua did circumcise: All the people that came out of Egypt, that were males, even all the men of war, died in the wilderness by the way, after they came out of Egypt.
5 Now all the people that came out were circumcised: but all the people that were born in the wilderness by the way as they came forth out of Egypt, them they had not circumcised.
6 For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people that were men of war, which came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they obeyed not the voice of the Lord: unto whom the Lord sware that he would not shew them the land, which the Lord sware unto their fathers that he would give us, a land that floweth with milk and honey.
7 And their children, whom he raised up in their stead, them Joshua circumcised: for they were uncircumcised, because they had not circumcised them by the way.
8 And it came to pass, when they had done circumcising all the people, that they abode in their places in the camp, till they were whole.
**Do you know how many days it takes to be whole from a circumcision? 8 to 10 days. In the natural it makes no sense to bring your entire army across the river that was a barrier of protection and then at a point of most vulnerability to take all the men at one time out of commission for defense for 8 to 10 days.
***The 1st point of the Message today: Your gifts, talents, anointing and calling do not exempt you from God’s process of spiritual growth and life of Holiness.
**The 2nd point of the Message today: God’s timing for our lives may not make sense to us but there is no shortcut to spiritual growth and holiness.
9 And the Lord said unto Joshua, This day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you. Wherefore the name of the place is called Gilgal unto this day.
10 And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal, and kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the month at even in the plains of Jericho.
11 And they did eat of the old corn of the land on the morrow after the passover, unleavened cakes, and parched corn in the selfsame day.
12 And the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land; neither had the children of Israel manna any more; but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.
13 And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?
14 And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the Lord am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my Lord unto his servant?
15 And the captain of the Lord's host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.
*** Point #3 of the Message today: God’s provision and protection for you is sufficient for the season he has you walking through.
***I want to pivot back to our Key Verse in Hebrews Chapter 5
Hebrews 5:1-9
King James Version
5 For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins:
2 Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity.
3 And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins.
4 And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.
5 So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee.
6 As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
7 Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;
8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;
9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;
John 15:18-21
18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
21 But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me.
This morning as I was walking up the Lord impress on my spirit all the steps that Jesus took in his life and the process of spiritual growth and holiness:
- Jesus brought to the Temple and offered to the Lord, circumcised on the 8th day according to the law of God.
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Luke 2:21-40
21 And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called Jesus, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
22 And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord;
23 (As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;)
24 And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.
- Jesus submitted to his parents authority, went to school or learned from his family and socially engaged
Luke 2:49-52
49 And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?
50 And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them.
51 And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.
52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.
Jesus submits to water baptism under the ministry of his Cousin John the Baptist.
Matthew 3:13-17
13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.
14 But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?
15 And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.
16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
****Do you know what is amazing to me? Jesus did not go down and offer John the Baptist to do joint baptism with him. It is hard today to get any pastors, preachers or evangelist to receive ministry from someone else lead alone to submit to spiritual authority…….
As the Choir comes up and we prepare to close the service I want you to hear my heart through the words of Paul to the Church at Phillpi: Philippians 2:3-11
Philippians 2:3-11
3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
***The 1st point of the Message today: Your gifts, talents, anointing and calling do not exempt you from God’s process of spiritual growth and life of Holiness.
**The 2nd point of the Message today: God’s timing for our lives may not make sense to us but there is no shortcut to spiritual growth and holiness.
*** Point #3 of the Message today: God’s provision and protection for you is sufficient for the season he has you walking through.
**The 4th and Final point of the message today: It is through humility, obedience , patience and faith that we become the person God has called us to be.
Jesus submits himself to Fasting, Prayer and testing by Temptation…….
Matthew 4
4 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,
6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
11 Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.
**Jesus submits to the fathers will for physical death.
John 10:18
No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
Matthew 26:36-39
36 Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.
37 And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.
38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.
39 And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.