Sunday 05/08/16
Series: Living in the Kingdom Pt. 32
Message – The Redemption of the Body III
Living in the Kingdom
Last week we began looking at how the resurrection of Christ – effects our bodies as well as our spirits and souls. This is IMPORTANT because Paul places the redemption of our bodies ON PAR with the redemption of our spirit and souls when it comes to value. Also, as we will see today, if we do not maintain an awareness and joyful anticipation of our complete redemption (which includes our bodies) we will fail to maintain purity in our lives, which is ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY if we want to be united to God in Purpose as we live our lives in the Kingdom.
Rom 8:22-25,
“(22) For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. (23) Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. (24) For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? (25) But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.”
Today we are covering 4 points:
#1. We need to believe God care for & redeemed our bodies.
#2. Life in the body is part of the work of the Kingdom.
#3. Healing is a benefit of the Kingdom.
#4. We’ve been given the Holy Spirit Who gives us life.
As I said last week…we have STRESSED in here the importance of:
- The salvation of our spirits –
- 1 Cor. 5:17 – old things passed away – all new – all of God – reconciled
- 1 Cor. 6:17 – ONE spirit with Him.
- The salvation of our souls –
- 1:21 – Receive the engrafted word able to save soul
- 1 Peter 1:9 – End of your faith = salvation of soul
But it is important for us to realize that our bodies were included in the redemptive plan of Christ.
* Remember 1 Cor. 6 told us that…
- “the Lord is FOR the body
- our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit
- We were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body
Now there does seem to be an ORDER of importance –
3 John 1:2 –
“Beloved I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.”
This is NOT to imply that the body is less valuable than the soul. It is SO important that Paul made it a MAJOR part of his presentation before the Jewish Counsel and Felix!
In Acts 23:6, Paul said,
“\men and brethren…concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am being judged!”
In Acts 24:10-16,
“(10) Then Paul, after the governor had nodded to him to speak, answered: “… this I confess to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect, so I worship the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law and in the Prophets. (15) I have hope in God, which they themselves also accept, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust. (16) This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men.”
In Acts 26:6-8,
“(6) And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers. (7) To this promise our twelve tribes, earnestly serving God night and day, hope to attain. For this hope’s sake, King Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews. (8) Why should it be thought incredible by you that God raises the dead?”
So knowing that the resurrection of the body was a MAJOR part of the Gospel for which Paul was willing to testify AND die – let’s place to one side all considerations that the body is NOT as important as the rest of us.
Now 2 weeks ago we ended with an example of healing, let’s turn there if you will. It’s found in Luke 5…
Remember that Jesus preached the Kingdom of God and Along with teaching about God’s kingdom what did Jesus DO as a MAJOR part of His ministry?
He HEALED bodies and even raised some of them from the dead! We have testimony of this in the gospels SO THAT YOU MIGHT BELIEVE!
Luke 5:12-13,
“And it happened when He was in a certain city, that behold, a man who was full of leprosy saw Jesus; and he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” (13) Then He put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately the leprosy left him.”
What did this man do? He came and He asked.
What did Christ do? He answered and He healed.
John 20:30-31,
“(30) And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; (31) but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.”
John 21:24-25,
“(24) This is the disciple who testifies of these things, and wrote these things; and we know that his testimony is true. (25) And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.”
The things which are written were hand picked by the Holy Spirit and it seems clear that His intent was that it might inspire faith. More specifically it might inspire us to COME TO HIM that we might Hear and Believe!
POINT #1 – We need to believe God care for & redeemed our bodies.
- What did Christ say, “You search the scriptures for IN THEM YOU THINK you have life, but they are which testify of Me are you are UNWILLING to come to ME that you might have LIFE.”
- The scriptures that are recorded therefore are hand-picked by the Holy Spirit to lead us to intimacy with Him!
- Consider > What were the O.T. scriptures intended to lead us to?
- Then what should be expect the N.T. Scriptures to lead us to?
- This man was FULL of leprosy and Jesus was not only ABLE but WILLING to heal him.
It is UNREASONABLE in the extreme to assume that Jesus was willing to DO something which worked against the work of the Kingdom.
John 9:1-7,
“(1) Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. (2) And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” (3) Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned.
But so that the works of God should be revealed in him, I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; for the night is coming when no one can work.
(5) As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
(6) When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. (7) And He said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing.”
THAT was the work of the KINGDOM!!! –
One more – can we look at one more before we continue this morning?
Luke 7:19-23,
“(19) And John, calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to Jesus, saying, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?” (20) When the men had come to Him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to You, saying, ‘Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?’ ” (21) And that very hour He cured many of infirmities, afflictions, and evil spirits; and to many blind He gave sight. (22) Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things you have seen and heard: that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel preached to them. (23) And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.”
POINT #2 – Life in the body is part of the work of the Kingdom.
Say this with me – Jesus is FOR my body!
Our bodies are NOT peripheral to the Gospel but very much included in it!
Blessings!
The video is pending….
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