At Restoration House we’ve
been focused on Jesus Sermon on the mount and the Beatitudes for a few weeks.
Wednesday night during
Bible study we talked about what it means to be humble.
God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole
earth.
Matthew 5:5 NLT
“The Sermon on the Mount is
probably the best-known part of the teaching of Jesus, though arguably it is
the least understood, and certainly it is the least obeyed.”
These are the words of
Jesus
And Jesus is not only the
teacher but the model and the goal.
“If Jesus is only a teacher, all He
can do is tantalize us by erecting a standard we cannot come anywhere near. But
if we know Him first as Savior, we know that He did not come only to teach us; He
came to MAKE us what He teaches we should be.” Oswald Chambers
“Take my yoke upon
you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will
find rest for your souls.” Matthew
11:29 NLT
Jesus starts with “Blessed
are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
He starts with the first
principle. That we must realize we can do absolutely nothing good apart from
HIM and His empowering Holy Spirit.
Jesus sermon describes what
life looks like when it comes under the rule and reign of God.
It calls the church to live
as a counterculture in order to call all of man back to God.
Unfortunately the church
looks and acts more like the world than it does Jesus or the beatitudes.
Love is more than words... it’s in ACTIONS!
We cannot say we love God
and not love people, Love is an action –
we show it by going low,
being humble, serving others, turning the other cheek, going the extra mile,
doing good to those who hate us, loving our enemies.
I’ve been listening to a
sermon by Micheal Koulianos called The Incarnation (Part 1)
In part of it he says - people
say
“I want to serve the Lord but not
people. It doesn’t work like that.
Given that the Lord is married to His
people.
‘Well, I’ve been hurt in other
churches.’
You will be hurt in every church you
attend…. If you attend properly.
If you actually allow yourself to be
known, someone will hurt you.
If you choose to skim the surface, you
don’t get to actually experience church.
You actually need a disagreement or two
so
CHRIST can be FORMED in YOU through the
RECONCILIATION process. (Insert my WOW!)
When church hurt is being glorified
and used to strip the church of lowliness and selflessness – that’s a demonic
ploy!” Michael K.
Yoyza!
Dear children,
let's not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our
actions. 1st John 3:18
We cannot interact like the
world and still expect to be Formed into the image of Jesus!
If we want to be those who
look like Jesus – then we must look to the One who came lowly! Again He wasn’t
just teaching us – He was modeling this life for us.
We are called to live with
humility instead of pride, serving others, thinking of their needs before our
own – Just like Jesus!
Jesus Christ is our perfect
example of humility and service!
That’s what the incarnation
was all about.
Have this mind
among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was
in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be
grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being
born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled
himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a
cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on
him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of
Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the
earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to
the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:5-11
Paul gives an important
clue to understanding the incarnation and genuine humility. He says that being
found in human form, Jesus humbled himself and became obedient to death.
Christmas is right around
the corner.
A time we celebrate the incarnation
of Jesus coming as a baby in a manger.
But how many of us actually
understand what that means.
“It is impossible for us to
fully comprehend the condescension that the Incarnation involved. Jesus shared
the Father’s glory before the world was created (John 17:5)
and was the One through whom the Father created the world (John 1:3).
In Isaiah 6, Isaiah recorded a vision of God’s glory, and John said that Isaiah
actually saw Jesus’s glory (John 12:41).
When John saw the glorified Christ recorded in Revelation, he fell down as if
dead. Yet even though Jesus was supremely powerful, wise, and
glorious, he came to earth as a weak infant, born to a poor family, and lived a
sinless human life during which he would grow in wisdom, stature, and favor
with God and man.”
But the incarnation is an
invitation – it’s an invitation into reconciliation.
Both with God – Yes! But also
with Man!
Be kind and
compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God
forgave you. Ephesians 4:32
When God’s people actually
live out the ministry of reconciliation, we demonstrate the power of the gospel
and make it believable.
By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have
love for one another.”
John 13:35
So how about this Christmas
we actually let the power of Christ be formed in US and live it out in actions that
are completely countercultural?
Christ transcends culture.
But I fear we have fashioned
a Jesus that looks and speaks like us, who allows us to remain unchanged and
not walking in the power of the beatitudes.
And yet when you read Matthew
5, 6 & 7 you see that Jesus is not just informing, He was calling for a decision.
His Kingdom is Good News and it demands a response.
How about we respond with a
Yes!
How about giving the gift
of forgiveness, a cup full of kindness, a sincere phone call of grace to
someone who would never expect it and might not deserve it . . . with no
strings attached? It's risky . . . but you wouldn't be the first to try it.
God's gift to us came
wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
Talk about doing the
unexpected for the undeserving!
You see that’s the goal.
Christ formed in us.
If we are living this
Christian life with any less objective, we are falling short and missing the mark.
This season, decide to let
Christ be formed in you, and labor so that he may be formed in all the church.
Let us be about our
Father’s business, seeking His will, seeking Him.
Let him change us for His
purpose, and our glory will be his glory.
Go LOW!
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