Promise Land to Promise Life - Introduction - Part I
We closed last year looking at relevance and credibility. One gives you the language the other gives permission to speak that language and be heard. Paul had to speak Greek to the commanding officer and Aramaic to the crowds but to speak at all he had to win the credibility of the officer. Private devotions are not the public service but Sunday can be public private devotions using a language only the seasoned Christian would understand. Christ had a relevant language but his credibility was slammed to stop him. Cinderella had a relevant language but the two ugly sisters put her under the stairs in the basement attacking her credibility. But the prince gave her credibility and danced at the ball. In 2006 we need to intentionally work at our credibility with the community.
We also looked at the church being a culture not a structure. Structural incentive does not grow the church. It is not a matter of eating and drinking but righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. This is a culture. Walking with the Holy Spirit means personal change and development. If your righteousness, peace and joy come from anything else other than the culture of the Holy Spirit it will have to come from a structural incentive. You cannot have a theology of loving God and not loving people or being together without contribution. The Pharisees and John's disciples fasted because of the structure but the Disciples of Christ did not fast because of the culture, Christ was with them.
This is an introduction to a teaching series that examines and challenges the day-to-day issues you face inviting you to live from a Biblical context in 2006 in all that you do to win the credibility of the community as a church. What does the Promised Land mean?
(Genesis 12:1) "The Lord had said to Abram, 'Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you."
God will always find 'who' before he shows you 'what.' He found Abraham who became the chosen family throughout Genesis. Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Reuben, Asher, Dan, Gad, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Zebulon, Benjamin, Naphtali and Isacaar. In Exodus the chosen family becomes the chosen nation where Jacob's name is changed to Israel. But even in slavery the promise of land did not change. The land was not a payoff 'if you do this for me I will give you some major real estate in the fertile crescent.' Israel was meant to be a model nation for all other nations. They were given a purpose to fulfill.
(Genesis 12:3) "…and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."
Israel could not fulfill that promise of blessing other people outside of the land that God gave them. They were to be in the world but not of the world. If they messed with the land they messed with the purpose and visa versa. The promise and the land were inseparable.
Although there were many battles to occupy the land, military might was not the point but a promise from God. Other nations have been formed through conquest of military might. Rome conquered Great Britain in 43AD. When Rome fell the Scandinavians conquered Britain with the Saxons. Seven kingdoms were formed under seven kings later reduced to three kingdoms with three kings. The Danes tried to conquer but were crushed by one of the kings called Alfred the Great. His grandson became the first king over a United Kingdom. Today Queen Elizabeth reigns with the blood of 13 nations in her. The United States has a history of military might and conquest involving the British, French, Spanish and Mexicans. The Promised Land was Israel's through a promise.
When Abraham arrived in the Promised Land centuries before the nation of Israel, his dilemma was no children. He left the promise and took Hagar to conceive Ishmael. Remember when you mess with the land you mess with the purpose. Ishmael did not carry the promise to the next generation but was at odds with the world.
(Genesis 16:12) "He will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone's hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers."
Two monotheistic faiths were born in Christianity and Islam. One carries the promise the other is constantly at odds with the world. What does the Promised Life mean?
Remember that God will always find 'who' before he shows you 'what.' (Revelation 13:8)
"…the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world."
(2 Timothy 1:9) "This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time…"
(Titus 1:2) "…a faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time…"
(1 Corinthians 2:7) "…a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began."
The plan of salvation called redemption was decided before God said 'let there be light' not only the plan but also the person who would carry that plan before man was made in his image. The promised life is not a payoff 'if you serve me I will do this for you.'
(John 3:16) "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
God loved you first without condition. This is how we know that God loves us and while we were sinners Christ died for us. We now love because he first loved us. The promised life is meant to make you a model for other people on how to live.
(1 Peter 2:9) "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light."
If you mess with the promised life you mess with the purpose. The promised life and its purpose are inseparable. Although we face many battles in the promised life God has given us a place to dwell together called the church. It was not established by military might or power.
(Zechariah 4:6) "Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the Lord Almighty."
On the day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit was poured out on all people without prejudice to fulfill the prophet Joel. The church does not exist because it has conquered an indigenous people but includes anyone who will call on the name of the Lord. The royal priesthood is all-inclusive.
(Matthew 16:18) "I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it."
That statement alone shows that all hell is against the church.
(2 Corinthians 10:4-5) "The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."
This is why we have been given the armor of God. We are to stand firm with the belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, helmet of salvation, shield of faith, feet that are swift with the gospel and the sword of the Spirit. The image of a Christian kneeling in prayer surrendering to God is like sending the tribe of Judah first into battle with the Ark of the Covenant. But on all accounts we are never to be at odds with each other but to turn the other cheek and go the extra mile. When you arrived at the church knowing God had a promised life for you, like Abraham you were lifeless. You were born again supernaturally.
(John 1:13) "…born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God."
How you began the promised life is how you will continue it.
(1 Peter 1:23) "For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God."
God gave you a gift of faith to be born again and requires that faith throughout your life.
(Hebrews 11:16) "And without faith it is impossible to please God…"
Remember that if you mess with the promised life that is by faith you mess with the purpose.
In 2006 Cinderella is going to the ball speaking a relevant language with the credibility given to her. Over the next few months issues of day-to-day life will to examined and challenged in this equipping series.
These teachings are part of a series Promise Land to Promise Life. If you would like to see previous transcripts or hear audio available in the last series Discovery.God you can find them here.:
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