Jesus - Appointed by God –
Appointed to Serve
1)
God
is the Master Planner
Acts 17:26, 27, 31
26 From one man he made every nation of men,
that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places
where they should live.
27 God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him
and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.
31 For he has set a day when he will judge the
world with justice by
the man he has appointed (ordained). He has given proof of
this to all men by raising him from the dead."
Our God
sent Jesus to us as author and executor of the most wonderful plan ever.
1 Peter 1:10-12
10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the
grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care,
11 trying to find out the time and
circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he
predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.
12 It was revealed to them that they were not
serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been
told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent
from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.
All of
God’s people before you served faithfully even though they did not receive the
promise of God:
Hebrews 11:40 God had planned something better
for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.
Such is
our inheritance that the Holy Spirit, through Peter, gives us this timely
advice:
1 Peter 1:13 Therefore, prepare your minds
for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be
given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.
How do we prepare our minds for
action, and what kind of action are we talking about here? Let’s get a
clue from Jesus:
Hebrews 5:7-10
7 During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he
offered up prayers and
petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from
death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.
8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience
from what he suffered
9 and, once made perfect, he became the source
of eternal salvation for all who obey him
10 and was designated by God to be high priest
in the order of Melchizedek.
a)
Jesus
submitted to God to get The Plan going
b)
But
first He had to learn obedience
i)
We
learn obedience by being transformed through our acceptance of suffering:
Rom 12:2 Do not conform any longer to the
pattern of this world, but be
transformed by the renewing
of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's
will is-- his good, pleasing and perfect will.
ii)
We
learn obedience by believing God (Hebrews 11)
iii)
We
learn obedience by not conforming to what is seen…
2
Cor 4:18 – 5:1 So we fix our
eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is
eternal. Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed,
we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human
hands.
2)
Because
Jesus was trusting and obedient he was appointed executor (architect) of this
Master Plan
a)
Moses
was appointed because he believed God—he recognized that the unseen is what is
real, not material treasures…
Heb 11:24-28
24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused
to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter.
25 He chose to be mistreated along with
the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time.
26 He regarded disgrace for the sake of
Christ as of greater value than the treasures of
27 By faith he left
28 By faith he kept the Passover and the
sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the
firstborn of
b)
David
was appointed because he believed in the living God—and trusted Him for
everything. (Psalm
23)
c)
Gideon
believed in the unseen more than in what he saw!
Judges 6:13-17
13 "But sir," Gideon replied, "if
the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders
that our fathers told us about when they said, 'Did not the LORD bring us up
out of
14 The LORD turned to him and said, "Go
in the strength you have and save
15 "But Lord," Gideon asked,
"how can I save
16 The LORD answered, "I will be with
you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together."
17 Gideon replied, "If now I have found
favor in your eyes, give me a sign that it is really you talking to me.
d)
Nehemiah
believed God was with him in the purpose he wanted to accomplish and evidenced
God’s work in his answered prayers.
Nehemiah 1:5-11
5 Then I said: "O LORD, God of heaven,
the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love
him and obey his commands,
6 let your ear be attentive and your eyes open
to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your
servants, the people of
7 We have acted very wickedly toward you. We
have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.
8 "Remember the instruction you gave your
servant Moses, saying, 'If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the
nations,
9 but if you return to me and obey my
commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will
gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling
for my Name.'
10 "They are your servants and your
people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand.
11 O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the
prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in
revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in
the presence of this man." I was cupbearer to the king.
3)
Each
of us is a part of God’s Master Plan
a)
We
each have a part in the ministry of the Gospel:
1Co 12:14 Now
the body is not made up of one part but of many.
b)
We
each have been given gifts:
1
Cor 12:3-7 Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the
Spirit of God says, "Jesus be cursed," and no one can say,
"Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit. {4} There are different
kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. {5} There are different kinds of service,
but the same Lord. {6} There are different kinds of working, but the same God
works all of them in all men. {7} Now to each one the manifestation of the
Spirit is given for the common good.
c)
We
each have been given talents (Mat 25:14ff)
d)
We
all are prepared for this life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3)
2 Peter 1:3 His divine power has given us
everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who
called us by his own glory and goodness.
i)
God
has given you all the tools
ii)
Your
tools are different than other Christian’s tools
iii)
Each
of us has the most powerful tool for our ministry already!
(1)
Your
testimony in the Gospel!
(2)
Your
Reasons for Believing!
(3)
This
is what each person in the Bible used in preaching the Gospel!
e)
Don’t
look for
i)
Learn
from Elijah in 1 Kings 19:11-13 as to where to look for the Lord.
1 Kings 19:11-13
13 The LORD said, "Go out and stand on
the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass
by." Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered
the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind
there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake.
12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the
LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.
13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak
over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice
said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
ii)
Serving
is our ministry, serving with the manifold gifts given to us as a body, to
administer grace in its various forms to each other and the lost.
Eph 3:2-21
2 Surely you have heard about the administration of God's grace
that was given to me for you,
3 that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have
already written briefly.
4 In reading this, then, you will be able to understand
my insight into the mystery of Christ,
5 which was not made known to men in other
generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God's holy apostles
and prophets.
6 This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with
7 I became a servant of this gospel by the
gift of God's grace given
me through the working of his power.
8 Although I am less than the least of all
God's people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the
unsearchable riches of Christ,
9 and to make plain to everyone the
administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who
created all things.
10 His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God
should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms,
11 according to his eternal purpose which he
accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.
12 In him and through faith in him we may
approach God with freedom and confidence.
13 I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged
because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.
14 For this reason I kneel before the Father,
15 from whom his whole family in heaven and on
earth derives its name.
16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he
may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,
17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts
through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,
18 may have power, together with all the
saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,
19 and to know this love that surpasses
knowledge-- that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably
more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within
us,
21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ
Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
1Pe 4:10-13
10 Each one should use whatever gift he has
received to serve others, faithfully
administering God's grace in its various forms.
11 If anyone speaks, he should do it as one
speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the
strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus
Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.
12 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering,
as though something strange were happening to you.
13 But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ,
so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.
iii)
This
is the power of the Spirit, working in each of you through the grace of God!
iv)
Only
those who are of the Spirit are ready to go where the Spirit wants them to be
(John 3:8)
John 3:8 “The wind (spirit) blows
(breathes) wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where
it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
f)
Look
to serve where the Spirit has called you to serve with the tools he has already
given you. Don’t look to do something convenient, and certainly don’t give Him
an excuse that you are too busy or too involved with something else, our work
is the
g)
Look
to serve in humility from the position you have already been given. Don’t serve to a position!