Envisioning a more awesome church: Intercession

Acts 2:41-43 "So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls.42 They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
43 Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles."

Introduction and review

When I think of objects that fit in the category of "awesome", few are more "awesome" than a top fuel "funny car". Such machines can blister a quarter mile in under 4 seconds. The powerplant underneath the body of such a vehicle is truly mind blowing. Each engine produces roughly 8,000 horse power and costs in excess of $70,000 dollars. By the time the four second race is finished, the motor will had spent over 22 gallons of highly flammable nitro-methane and alcohol fuel. When it comes to getting such a high performace work of art down the track, no money is spared in squeezing every bit of horsepower out of the 500 plus cubic inch motor. The car pictured above is but an example of how beauty, technology and power can work together.

Yesterday I began sharing with readers where God has been dealing with me lately on the subject of envisioning an awesome church. Four terms were used yesterday to summarize what is meant when I say - "envision an awesome church": intercession; word; fellowship & co-mission. Whatever vision God has for each local church must include these four necessary elements. All four work together in harmony and not one of them must ever be excluded. 

Much like the drag car illustration, a church can many times be chocked full of beautiful people and have the latest and most sophisticated programs. However without the power of prayer, the church will not be able to get down the track pre-ordained for it by God. The vision for drag racing is simple: get to the finish line in the shortest amount of time. The vision for any local church is to glorify God by having fellowship around the Word, making disciples and doing the great commission. Such a general vision requires interecessory prayer. 

When it comes to the area of intercessory prayer or prioritizing prayer, churches do not consistently practice this vital effort. It is for this reason that I want to focus on this first element in envisioning an awesome church. Without intercession and without regularly dedicating our efforts at word ministry, fellowshipping and co-missioning to reach all peoples for Jesus, our churches will be at best religious and moral institutions that though beautiful and efficient in their programming, yet will have no power and no impact. 

Intercessory Prayer as a vital first step in envisioning an awesome church

In the Book of Acts and the Epistles, it is very obvious how important of a role prayer played in the life of the early Christans. In Acts 2:42 we read: "They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer."

The word translated "prayer" speaks of praying with a purpose. This word is many times used as an umbrella term that covers other sorts of praying. 

The early church was "devoted continuously" to prayer, and the results show. In Acts 4:31 we read the results of a powerful prayer meeting conducted in the church at Jerusalem: "And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness." The actual prayer itself is recorded in Acts 4:26-30, and its very contents demonstrate how seriously the people took the word of God, how much in fellowship they were with one another and how serious they were about the great commission. 

When the early Christians had to make any major decision, whether it was for additional leadership or seeking clarity for ministry, they always prefaced what they did with prayer. (Acts 1:14,24; 3:1; 6:4,6; 13:3; 14:23) Whenever the early church was going through a difficult season of persecution or strife, they interceded and sought the face of God. (Acts 12:12; 16:25; 20:36; 21:5)

This is why the early church could be described in the fashion we see back in Acts 2:42 as being a place were folks "feeling a sense of awe". 

Now did this first major step of intercession only exist in the Book of Acts. Certainly not! When we comb through the New Testament letters (epistles) and Revelation, we see the Apostles urging the churches to pray. I will only mention the references and then expound briefly on one of them as we close out today. Here are the references we see the Apostles teaching and urging the churches to engage in prayer. (Romans 8:26-27; 1 Cor 14:15; 2 Cor 1:11; Ephesians 1:18; Phil 4:6-7; Col 4:2; 1 Thess 5:17; 2 Thess 3:1; 1 Tim 2:1; 2 Tim 1:3; Philemon 1:6; Hebrews 13:18; James 5:13-15; 1 Peter 4:7; 1 John 5:14-15; 3 John 2; Revelation 5:8)

Now in one of these passages we see this simple and plain command in 1 Timothy 2:1 "First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men". Later on in the same chapter we then read these words in 1 Timothy 2:8 "Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and dissension." Think about how awesome a church can be when these commands are heeded consistently and persistently. The favor of God will be released to move in the church and go ahead of the church. God's favor, or His grace and power in action on behalf of His people, is free to move to allign the things of a given community with His heavenly purposes. Think about what happens when we pray for one another? The well-worn facts of churches experiencing infighting and hard feelings can be changed. Prayer is afterall part of the arsenal in the Christian's spiritual armor. (Ephesians 6:18-20)

Intercession must be consistently practiced and applied to stave off the attacks of the enemy, the temptation of the world and the tendencies to want to operate in the flesh. Busyness is perhaps one of the most common excuses as to why individual Christians and churches in general do not have a serious effort towards intercessory prayer. 

Practically speaking, whenever the church has a dedicated prayer meeting, the church membership ought to do all they can to be a part. Any meeting that is conducted in a church ought to not just have a token opening prayer, but include intercession over whatever is being discussed and if possible, intercession for those involved in the meeting. Praying for unsaved people should occupy a large percentage of our intercessory efforts. When we pray for the unsaved, we will approach reaching them with the heart of God Himself. 

Closing thoughts
As we close out this post regarding what it means to envision an awesome church, the first necessary ingredient is intercessory prayer. Author Gregory Frizell in his book "The Power of Prayer and Fasting", page 3, Broadman & Holman Publisher, notes: "While we continue on our frantic search for the next promise of power, personal fulfillment, and self-gratification, God stands at our side, patiently waiting and holding a connection that will give us one of the greatest sources of power we will ever know. It's a source of power still unknown, underused, misunderstood, and even fear evoking in the minds of some people. Pure and simple, it is the power of God that manifests itself through prayer and fasting." 

Can you and I imagine such an awesome church? If all we do is invest sweat and gritting of teeth alone, then the fruit of the best intentions of the flesh is all we will get. If all I do in preaching is just read the commentaries and jot down a few point without intercession, the sermons will amount to religious "talks" and nothing more. However whenever prayer is coupled with programs, planning and preaching, the outcomes will far exceed the efforts of men. When Jesus says in Matthew 17:20-21 that we can move mountains by prayer, this assumes we have aligned ourselves to God's will through prayer. A mountain cannot be moved by men, but only by God. An awesome church must begin with a serious concerted effort towards mutual and individual intercession.

How to begin envisioning a more awesome church

Acts 2:43 "Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles."

Introduction:

My attention right now is arrested by the Lord! Why? It is due to the underlined statement in the opening verse above: "Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe". As I stare at that text, I ask myself this question: "Isn't church supposed to be the most awesome place on earth"? Unlike the beautiful photograph above, when I think of the term "awesome church", I am not thinking of buildings. An awesome church can be any size, shape or "look". Whenever there is a genuine awe and fear of God resonating through the people - awesome is right around the corner! 

The word translated "awe" can just as easily be rendered "fear, trepidation, nervous wonder, anticipation". What was it that made the first century church an awesome church? There must had been a pattern, a set of practices or ingredients in which the leadership (back then the Apostles) and the membership were all committed. As I read this text and its wider verses, I simply ask God to enable me and hopefully you dear reader to envision a more awesome church. 

Let me tell you the story that led to this post

As I have met time and time again with people, have read books, consulted other pastors and listened to many hours of messages and prayed, the Lord has begun the process of pouring into me an awakening to lead our people through this process. 

About two weeks ago prior to this post, I was in my study preparing a message when suddenly I felt the urge to stop what I was doing and get up, take a marker and begin writing. At least in my own personal Christian walk, when that sense of "arrest" has gripped my mind and heart, I know then that the Holy Spirit is leading me in a particular direction. As I prayed and meditated on scripture, I ended up dividing the white board into four equal sections, with each of those sections containing one word. In the middle of that simple diagram I sketch out little symbols that represented each term (in a moment I will divulge to the reader what those four words are.)

Let me give a couple of admissions. First, I'll admit that when it was done, I knew that the Lord from His word had illuminated my understanding as to what was necessary to envision His vision for an awesome church. Then second, I'll admit that I am as excited as I am nervous. 

Anytime a pastor or leader is preparing to lead their people through a season of discovering, implementing and committing themselves to His will, the process can be as daunting as it is exciting. There is always that question as to what people will say or how they will respond. Moreover, as a pastor myself, I wonder what areas God will stretch me in as I grow in the upcoming year and become more the man of God that is needed to lead His people in achieving Kingdom things? 

I am also equally convinced that if we or any pastor and church will but give themselves to God's Word in the manner prescribed by Paul in Philippians 2:1-11, namely in the manner of Christ-like humility, God will begin to move mountains. (Matthew 17:20-21) Consequently, in due season God will promote the humble believer and submissive church in the things of God's kingdom. (James 4:10; 1 Peter 5:6)

4 necessary ingredients to envisioning an awesome church

This post today is admittedly more personal than normal, but perhaps God is stirring readers out there who are aiming to influence others around them for Jesus. You don't have to be a pastor to glean from this post. Anyone who believes the local church is God's primary vehicle for transforming lives and communities can glean something. Undoubtedly the Book of Acts and the New Testament Epistles provide the necessary blueprints for understanding what it takes to do church biblically. One must not take that last statement to mean that church is to be a "business-as-usual" type of activity. Far from it! In studying the scriptural teaching on God's design for His church, it ought to be on both its inside and outside an awesome force for Kingdom change in the world! What four ingredients must be in place in order for God to illuminate his people to discovering His specific vision for a specific church? Today I will list the words I was alluding to above and then take the next several days to unpack each one from the scripture.

1. Intercession. Unless leadership and the people in the pew give themselves to prayer for one another, for the lost and praise to Jesus, the church will be no better off than an unplugged lamp. Prayer is how we plug into God's power.

2. Word. Read the accounts of the early church in the Book of Acts and read the New Testament epistles. You will quickly discover how saturated the people were in the scriptures. There was preaching, teaching, scripture memory, praying through the scriptures, evangelization of the scriptures and quotations of scripture. The Word of God literally dominated the landscape of church life. If we are ever to have a church that is awesome in America, we must go deeper, not shallower into the Word. In-so-far as we go into the Word will the Word then go into and out of us.

3. Fellowship. The one sense I gain from reading about the early church in Acts and the Epistles is how much people enjoyed being around one another. Nothing was staged. They ate together, prayed together, heard God's Word together, told others about Jesus together. Their fellowship was the most effective tool used by God in winning a pagan world to Christ. The ratio of Christians to the Graeco/Roman culture of that day may had been around 1:1000. Yet look how God worked through them. What was it that they had that so many of churches in America lack? True fellowship.

4. Co-mission. Finally, the early church in the Acts and Epistles took serious Jesus' great commission to go into all the world and make disciples. (Matthew 28:18-20) Missions was not something the church did, it was who they were. Missions was not only discussed at periodic missions offerings or in a couple of evangelistic meetings, missions was a way of life. Because the early church had the other above three core ingredients, missions was a supernatural outcome of the supernatural power at work in and through the church.

More tomorrow.....

Faithfulness to God

Hebrews 3:1-2 "Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession;2 He was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was in all His house."

What it means to be faithful?
What does it mean to be faithful? Several times in Hebrews 3 we see reference to this word. I am convinced that this is the chief mark of success in God's sight. The English word translated "faithful" derives from two Greek words that could be rendered "being in a state of firm persuasion or trust". Sometimes when explaining this word to people I tell them that faithfulness is established by the case by case opportunities we have to trust God or doubt God. The more consistent I get at demonstrating myself to trust God than doubt God, the more it can be said that I am faithful. Moreover, with faith being the root, obedience follows as the necessary fruit. Hence it can be equally said that the more consistent I get at obeying God than disobeying God in a case by case fashion, I demonstrate myself to be faithful. The remainder of today's post aims to understand what it means to be faithful to God.

What it means to be faithful to God from Hebrews 3:1-14

1. Consistently obeys God. Hebrews 3:1-4
Hebrews 3:2 states - "He was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was in all His house." As a general pattern Moses did as the Lord told him. In a comprehensive and perfect manner Jesus carried out in His full humanity and undiminished Deity the will of the Father. Can a Christian be consistently faithful? Moses was considered as such and we know there were times in his life where he got angry, frustrated and tired. Yet the pattern of his life was growing faithfulness. Moses' faithfulness and really every believer's faithfulness borrows capital from the perfect faithfulness of Jesus Christ. By the Person of the Holy Spirit we are granted access to "partake" or "share" in the power and Person of Christ's achievements in his perfect humanity. In Christ it can be said we are consistently faithful while we are growing in faithfulness.

2. Carefully serves God's purposes. Hebrews 3:5-6
Hebrews 3:5 states that Moses was a faithful "servant" in God's house. The word translated "servant" is from the Greek word "therapaya" from whence we derive our English word "therapist". A therapist in the modern day sense is one who aids people in thinking more clearly or in achieving goals in their psychological life. A therapist was a servant who gave aid and made things easier for the master's purposes to be communicated and achieved. Typically these servants had specialized training in the medical field. Thus when we speak of something today as being "therapeutic", we are referring to its benefit to the one whom we are administering the service. 

Encouraging people or providing practical ministry can be "therapeutic" and requires a willingness to help out that person. When Jesus came He performed 35 miracles, with many of them having to do with healing. When God's people are faithful, the purposes of God are set free to do their work through us to that other person. Such purposes can prove to be "therapeutic" to people as a result of the faithful efforts of the child of God.

3. Keeps the heart sensitive to God. Hebrews 3:7-11
Hebrews 3:7-8 warns - "Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says, “Today if you hear His voice, 8 Do not harden your hearts as when they provoked Me." A true child of God will make keeping their heart sensitive to God a major priority. How is it we hear God? Chiefly we hear God through the scriptures. (Romans 10:17) In secondary ways we hear God by way of other people's counsel (Proverbs 11:14; 24:6); the course of circumstances and of course prayer. Loving the Lord with all our heart is considered the Greatest of the commandments and the core of true Biblical spirituality. (Deuteronomy 6:4-5; Matt 22:37-39)

4. Cherishes God's people. Hebrews 3:12-14
Faithfulness to God is never to be done in isolation. We only deepen our faithfulness to God to the degree we are in fellowship with the people of God. Hebrews 3:12-13 states - "Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heartthat falls away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin." Individual faith and obedience can never be any greater than the corporate faith and obedience of the Body of Christ at large. Truly the Lord ministers to His people in a far more profound and richer way corporately. The local church is the primary way in which the individual Christian can find all they need to be equipped to mature and excel in the faith. (Ephesians 4:11-12)

Closing thoughts
We have considered in short order today what it means to be faithful to God from Hebrews 3:12-13. We discovered the following traits of Biblical faithfulness:

1. Consistently obeys God. Hebrews 3:1-4

2. Carefully serves God's purposes. Hebrews 3:5-6

3. Keeps the heart sensitive to God. Hebrews 3:7-11

4. Cherishes God's people. Hebrews 3:12-14

Perfect Timing - A Christmas Mediation

Galatians 4:4 when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law,

God's big plans for Jesus' first advent included all of history
Is it not amazing how much time and effort is put into planning for Christmas day. My wife for example will begin shopping piece by piece as early as June. Such a head start may seem extreme, however she has learned that it is far better to stretch out the shopping over a long period of time than trying to come up with it the week before. 

When it came to God planning to send His Eternal Son into the world, how long had the plan been in place? Scripture indicates that Jesus' first advent was in the works from all eternity and would incorporate all of Old Testament history. (Ephesians 1:11; 2 Timothy 1:9; Titus 1:2; Hebrews 1:1-4) How big was the scope of God's timing in the bringing about of the Son of God into this world?  When we consider the whole of history from Genesis up to the time of Jesus' birth, it is amazing to think about everything God orchestrated to make the entry of the Son of God into the world a possibility:

1. 3600 years from Genesis to Malachi.  From Adam to Noah = 1656 years.  From Noah to Abraham = another 350 to 400 years.  From Abraham to the end of Genesis = around 250 or so years.  From Moses' day in Exodus to David's time in 1 Samuel is around 400 years.  From David to Malachi's day is another 600 or so years.  God orchestrated the rise and fall of at least four world empires, countless wars and 109 prophecies in preparation for when He would come.

2. The silent years between Malachi and Matthew.  From Malachi to Matthew we see the word of God not being spoken.  Just because God hid His face did not mean His hand was not at work behind the scenes.  In this period of time, three world empires rose and fell.  At the end of the Old Testament, Babylon was in power.  In 539 b.c Babylon fell to the Medo-Persia Empire.  This empire, predicted and spoken of in Daniel 2 and 7, was the first to begin the practice of crucifixion. 

Next came the Greeks, under Alexander the Great in 333 b.c.  After conquering Persia, Alexander began his program of making the whole world like the Greeks.  Everyone under his domain would speak Greek.  This language would be the language of the New Testament.  The Jews also made the world's first Bible translation - the Septuagint, in 275 b.c.

Greece gave away to Rome and the Roman empire devised the 50,000 mile roadway system throughout the Medditeranean world called "The Roman Road". It would be quite useful, especially when the early church would come to spread the goodnews of Jesus Christ. 

Rome by Jesus' day was experiencing political unreast in the Holy land.  Power had changed hands, and populations of people were being redistributed.  This is what prompted Caesar Augustus to issue the decree for everyone to return to their hometown to be counted.  Because of that decree, Jesus would be born in Bethlehem, as predicted in the book of Micah.

3. The prophecies of the Old Testament. When you count up all of the prophecies that predict the first coming of Jesus Christ, the grand total comes to 109!  Some of these are so extraordinary, they are worthy of mention.  Genesis 49:10 tells us what tribe in Israel the Messiah would derive - from Judah.  Isaiah 7:14 tells us He would be virgin born, with Isaiah 9:6-7 revealing Him as both human and Divine.  Isaiah 53 reveals He would suffer and die, with Zechariah 12:10 using the term "pierced" to describe the marks on his hands and feet.  Psalm 22 unfolds the words He would speak on the cross and Micah 5:2-4 uncovers the place of His birth. 

All in all, God alone can cover the scope of the timing of events, peoples and places - for He alone is Big enough, Powerful enough and knowing enough to accomplish it.  As the Angel said to Mary in Luke 1:37, following the birth announcements of John the Baptist and the Savior: "For nothing is impossible with God!" The timing of Christmas shows us that salvation is of the Lord! The timing of Christmas was perfect timing, because by it the Eternal Son came to be perfect God in perfect human flesh. 

Life and Worship Application of Jesus being the light of the world

John 1:9 There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man.

Introduction:

Yesterday we considered the question: what is meant by Jesus' statement about He being "The Light"? It was demonstrated the many scriptures that either refer to Jesus Himself and/or Yahweh of the Old Testament, the description of Jesus as "The Light" is yet another affirmation of His Deity. Today's post will focus specifically on the statements in John's writings that refer to Jesus Christ as "The Light". The goal is to glean specific life application so as to aid the reader in applying the implications of Jesus' identity to their lives. Furthermore, by considering such life application, a final worship application will urge the reader to use this title "The Light" to give praise and honor to Jesus Christ, "The Light of the World".

Life Application Jesus as "The Light of the World" in John's writings

A quick survey of John's usage of this title in his Gospel and writings will unfold the significance of Jesus Christ as "The Light". 

1. True Light. John 1:9  - "There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man." Following Jesus Christ will aid you and I to always have the truth we need for salvation and daily living. In a world where many people claim there is no such thing as "absolute truth", the scriptures reveal that such truth exists not only in principle but in the Person of the Son Who is both God and man. John 3:19 states - "This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil." 

2. Illuminating Light. John 8:12 - "Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.” Whenever we fellowship and walk with Jesus Christ, the light of the world, we have illumination. Without Jesus Christ, I would not know "who I am" or "Whose I am". Moreover, we would not be able to make sense of the scriptures, which the Holy Spirit illumines for the sake of showing us Jesus Christ, The Great Illuminator! John 12:46 states - "I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness." John then writes in 1 John 1:5,7 - "This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all." 7. but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.

3. Hopeful Light. 1 John 2:8 - "On the other hand, I am writing a new commandment to you, which is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true Light is already shining." To have Jesus Christ, the Light of the world, means we have unending hope in a hopeless world, joy in the midst of sorrow and clarity amidst much confusion. Revelation 22:5 portrays the ultimate destiny of followers of Jesus - "And there will no longer be any night; and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine them; and they will reign forever and ever." The logic that is gleaned from these texts with regards to Jesus Christ's identity as "The Light" can be summarized in the following syllogism (logical argument):

1. God is the Light                               2. Jesus Christ is called "The Light"       Therefore Jesus Christ is God

Worship Application Jesus as "The Light of the World" in John's writings

We have seen that Jesus Christ as "The Light of the World" is the True light, the Illuminating light and the Hopeful Light. When we bow our hearts and knees to Him as Savior and Lord, His truth makes clear the identity to which God has called us to be. We have fellowship and closeness with the very God of eternity. As the glory of Jesus Christ illuminates our hearts and minds to Himself, we discover that worship is likened to a bride kissing her husband. The veil of what the natural mind perceives to be important is pulled back and all things are wide-open before Him Who knows all and sees all. Then as the Hopeful light, we can live a 24/7 lifestyle of worship and praise to the One Who saved us and bought us. Matthew 5:16 has Jesus reminding us - "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven." It has been said that it is more effective to light a candle than curse the darkness. Paul writes in Philippians 2:15-16  "so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, 16 holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain." 

May you and I make our light so shine before men and may we hold forth to a dark and dying world the light of the incarnate Son - the Light of the World. 

The Significance of Jesus being the Light of the World

John 1:9 There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man.

Introduction:

What is meant by Jesus' statement about He being "The Light"? That is the question that will be answered in today's post. As will be demonstrated in a survey of the many scriptures that either refer to Jesus Himself and/or Yahweh of the Old Testament, the description of Jesus as "The Light" is yet another affirmation of His Deity. 

Understanding Jesus as "The Light of the World" in John's writings

A quick survey of John's usage of this title in his Gospel and writings will unfold the significance of Jesus Christ as "The Light". 

1. John 1:9  - "There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man." 

2. John 3:19 - "This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil." 

3. John 8:12 - "Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.” 

4. John 12:46 - "I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness." 

5. 1 John 1:5,7 - "This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all." 7. but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.

6. 1 John 2:8 - "On the other hand, I am writing a new commandment to you, which is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true Light is already shining." 

7. Revelation 22:5 - "And there will no longer be any night; and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine them; and they will reign forever and ever." The logic that is gleaned from these texts with regards to Jesus Christ's identity as "The Light" can be summarized in the following syllogism (logical argument):

1. God is the Light                               2. Jesus Christ is called "The Light"       Therefore Jesus Christ is God

The significance of the title "Light" in the wider circle of scripture

This logic in John's writings affirms what the scripture teaches about the essence of God's Deity. 

1. Psalm 36:6 tells us that "in His light we see light". 

2. Isaiah 60:1 prophetically speaks about the coming Messiah who is equated in power and glory with Yahweh - “Arise, shine; for your light has come, And the glory of the Lord has risen upon you." 

3. Daniel sees what appears to be a pre-incarnate vision of the Eternal Son in Daniel 10:6 "His body also was like beryl, his face had the appearance of lightning, his eyes were like flaming torches, his arms and feet like the gleam of polished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a tumult." Such a description matches John's description of Jesus in Revelation 1:14-15 "His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire. 15 His feet were like burnished bronze, when it has been made to glow in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters."

Closing Thoughts:

Today's post aimed to unfold the significance behind Jesus being the Light of the world. We surveyed John's writings, where this title appears most frequently, and demonstrated that Jesus' usage of it for Himself asserts He being God in human flesh. Further study showed the following logic:

1. God is the Light

2. Jesus is the the light

Therefore Jesus is God

Knowing that Jesus is the light of the world brings great assurance, being that He who was incarnated in human flesh and ever will be was none other than God Himself in human flesh - Jesus Christ. 

What the Miraculous Son came to Achieve: A miraculous Ascension

Ephesians 2:5-10  "even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them."

Introduction and Review:
Everything Jesus came to achieve in the realm of His humanity was so that all who by grace through faith heed the call to salvation can experience everything he experienced. Jesus Christ had a miraculous birth so that all sinners Divinely affected by the Spirit through the scriptures could have a miraculous birth. In yesterday's post we saw that when Jesus died on the cross as the crucified One, this meant that the Christian could say: "I have been crucified with Christ...." (Galatians 2:20). When Jesus raised from the dead, guess what? every Christian could also say they too have been raised to walk forth in newness of life! (Romans 6:4-11; 8:11) Today we aim to conclude this short series on what the Miraculous Son came to achieve in His incarnation by noting that he came to achieve a miraculous ascension. Just like His birth, death and resurrection, the ascension is used in the New Testament to describe the experiential life and identity of the Christ follower today. 

Just as Jesus is seated in the Heavenly realms, Christians too can say the same thing positionally and spiritually about themselves. 
Since Jesus Christ ascended into heaven in glorified, physical, resurrected humanity - the Christian now can say they are spiritually seated in the heavens with Jesus and look forward to when He returns to give them a glorified, physical, resurrected body like His own. (Ephesians 2:6-11; 1 Corinthians 15:35-58) Why is this truth so important?

Jesus ascended to provide power for Christian living
The ascension of Jesus Christ into heaven was not only a historical event, and a cosmic event but also an event that would provide the basis for Christian living for every generation of the converted church. Theologian William Conner notes: The whole New Testament after the Gospels is written from the standpoint of the exalted Christ. The writers do not so much look back to the historic Jesus as they look up to the glorified Christ." To clarify further what Conner is talking about, I heard a preacher make the following statement that aids in summarizing the entire New Testament: "Who Jesus Was is found in the Old Testament and the Gospels; Who Jesus is now is found in Acts and the Epistles; who Jesus will be is found in His return in the Book of Revelation."  

As I come to know "Whose I am", I discover "who I am". Those two fundamental truths, if retained, function as the bedrock of practical everyday Christian life. The following scriptures serve to show how Jesus' ascension is the power source for the Christian life:

1. Ephesians 1:18-20 "I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might 20 which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places."

2. Colossians 3:1-3 "Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. 3 For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God."

3. Hebrews 4:14-16 "Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. 16 Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

4. 1 Peter 3:22-4:2 "who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him. (4:1) Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2 so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God."

So another reason to rejoice in the ascended Jesus is due to the fact He provides power for Christian living, and really Christian identity.  By focusing upon the ascended Jesus, our joy in Him increases. Christians are literally "co-enthroned" with Jesus in the heavenly realms. 

We as Christian people need to realize all that Jesus achieved in His incarnation
So many Christians, including myself at times, live below the level to which God has called us. Since Jesus came to this world as incarnate Deity, that means that we have something in common with Him and he with us. Through Jesus Christ and the person of the Holy Spirit was are able to partake of the Divine nature. Simply put - we get to experience life with God by interaction with the energies he makes available to His people. However, it must be equally affirmed that the Christian life is not just about attaining power for living in the soul, but also a change of mind and re-orientation as to how I treat my physical body and how Christians live as people in this world. Jesus came as a man and remained in his physical humanity following His resurrection from the dead. 

As the ascended God-man, his humanity is shared by all true Christians, and He with them. (Hebrews 2:11-15) The language of "partaking" applies just as equally in the Deity of Jesus as it does in His humanity. When we celebrate the Lord's table, the pictorial reality of that meal conveys the literal, spiritual reality of Jesus Christ joining with us and in us at that moment and everyday of the Christian walk. Jesus' ascension achieved the power to walk above my hang-ups and for Him to walk in me and through me.

Closing thoughts:
In these past several posts we have attempted to show the reader how Jesus' Christ, the Miraculous Son, came to earth in His incarnation to achieve four life-practical truths for people who are by grace through faith redeemed in Him:

1. He achieved a miraculous birth to make available the New birth

2. He achieved a miraculous death and resurrection to make actual a co-crucifixion and co-resurrection for every believer in Him

3. He achieved a miraculous ascension whereby the Christian in their identity could begin to enjoy co-enthronement with Him.