Overcoming the World
Today’s Focus: The Purpose of Jesus and His Ministry
Scripture: John 1:12; 10:30,36-38; Matthew 4:3-6; 2 Corinthians 5:17-20
Greetings Kingdom Citizens:
Now we have said in times past when there is a lack of identity, then there is a lack of purpose and when there is a lack of purpose, there is a abuse of power or oppression. In being the Son of God Jesus understood who He is. The church today has this problem in the fact that we see ourselves more as Christians and church members or parishoners. The devil's attack is to always attack who you are because if you do not know who you are then how can you know what you are supposed to do. Please pay attention to this. Jesus had an encounter with the devil and during this encounter there was a common question the devil asked during the temptations in Matthew 4. Let me show you this because we must be transformed by the renewing of our minds. We must have the pre-fall mindset. Now watch how the devil tries to challenge Jesus.
Matthew 4:3: And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command these stones be made bread
Matthew 4:6: And saith unto Him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give His angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
Notice the devil is questioning whether Jesus "thinks or believes" He is the Son of God. He is questioning His sonship. Even in Garden the devil attacked the identity of Adam and Eve about being naked. Sonship is not in the flesh but in the Spirit. Your flesh is simply your housing. Jesus was secure in who He was and He was secure in what He was called to do which is His purpose. Now people say that Jesus came to save us by dying on the cross and allowing us to go to heaven. The problem with this mentality is all of the focus of salvation is to get you to heaven. The ministry of Jesus was very unique and Jesus dealt with this very issue. Let me show you.
John 10:30: I and my Father are one.
John 10:36,37: Say ye of Him (Jesus), whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God? If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me and I in Him.
The purpose of Jesus ministry was to show the Father. To be His Son, His ambassador, His representative in the Earth. The only way He could do this is through submission and obedience to the Father. This is why Jesus can say, if you have seen me, you have seen the Father. Jesus was the full and exact expression of the Father in the earth. He was full of grace and truth. In showing the Father, Jesus preached and taught about the rulership of the Father which is His Kingdom. So this is what we have to this point:
We have Jesus the Son of God sent to the Earth to show us the Father. Jesus preaches and teaches us about the Kingdom of God which is the rulership of God over the lives of men.
This is how Jesus overcame the world. By being a Son of God and allowing the Father's rulership to order and direct His steps in word and in deed. The death and resurrection of Jesus made this life available to men who believe on His name. John 1:12: But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe oon His name: We as the sons of God have been given the ministry and word of reconciliation. The ministry and word of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:17-20) is all about the sons putting on display the ways and nature of the Father in the Earth. They are only able to do this being mature and submitting to the rulership of the King over their lives (Kingdom of God).
In the next message we will look at three stages of believers in the scripture and began to frame how we overcome the world. I know Jesus tells us and shows us, but we want to show that the apostles dealt with this very issue with the church.
Peace, Love and Grace from the Father,
Calvin Calhoun, Jr.
