I’d like to teach this lesson by comparing the Nation of Israel to what we call the Church today. To do this we’ll use this verse to kick it off:

Philippians 3:10

THAT I MIGHT KNOW HIM, AND THE POWER OF HIS RESURRECTION, AND THE FELLOWSHIP OF HIS SUFFERING, BEING MADE CONFORMABLE UNTO HIS DEATH;

Each year at this time we celebrate the actual resurrection of Jesus Christ. As I make that statement, look at these verses:

Matthew 28: 10-15

THEN SAID JESUS UNTO THEM, BE NOT AFRAID: GO TELL MY BRETHREN THAT THEY GO INTO GALILEE, AND THERE SHALL THEY SEE ME. (11) NOW WHEN THEY WERE GOING, BEHOLD, SOME OF THE WATCH CAME UNTO THE CITY, AND SHEWED UNTO THE CHIEF PRIESTS ALL THE THINGS THAT WERE DONE. (12) AND WHEN THEY WERE ASSEMBLED WITH THE ELDERS, AND HAD TAKEN COUNCEL, THEY GAVE LARGE MONEYUNTO THE SOLDIERS, (13) SAYING, SAY YE, HIS DISCIPLES CAME BY NIGHT AND STOLE HIM AWAY WHILE WE SLEPT. (14) AND IF THIS COME TO THE GOVERN OR’S EARS, WE WILL PERSUADE HIM. AND SECURE YOU. (15) SO THEY TOOK THE MONEY, AND DID AS THEY WERE TAUGHT: AND THIS SAYING IS COMMONLY REPORTED AMONG THE JEWS UNTIL THIS DAY.

WE can get very deep into this! However, we see here where there were some that were bound and determined not to allow Jesus Christ to be seen as anything special, at least not to be seen as the Messiah that was to come as they had been taught and knew very well as being taught in the Old Testament.

I often teach a principle that I believe to be true. Way back when Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden, God used the Tree of the knowledge of good and evil to show that man was not able to live up to expectations of God the Father on his own. We know that God shed the blood of an animal to make a covering for their sin.

As we move forward, we also see the Nation of Israel. If we simply begin with Moses, also looking at every person, even the prophets God sent, no matter what God spoke to that man, Israel as a nation would not conform to his voice coming from the men he spoke through.

In the verses I shared in (Matthew 28) wasn’t it the high priests of that day that conspired to bring about the conspiracy to bring a lie to pass in the mind of Israel? Going again, all the way back to Adam, man is a fallen being, corrupt and a sinner by nature.

My point is that people in their natural sinful flesh will never be changed simply by trying to keep the law as presented by another man, even if that man is perfect, such as Jesus Christ.

From the very beginning, God has spoken to man seeking to have man yield to his will! What we often fail to understand is that God, in the body of Jesus Christ already knew that no matter what he did before men, mankind was not going to follow him as a whole. We also know because of scripture that he didn’t come to this world to be the King of the Jews or to be followed at that time. Look at this verse:

John 18:37

PILATE THEREFORE SAID UNTO HIM, ART THOU A KING THEN? JESUS ANSWERED, THOU SAYEST THAT I AM A KING, TO THIS END WAS I BORN, AND FOR THIS CAUSE CAME I INTO THE WORLD, THAT I SHOULD BEAR WITNESS UNTO THE TRUTH. EVERY ONE THAT IS OF THE TRUTH HEARETH MY VOICE.

Jesus Christ came to this world, born of a virgin, born of woman to become the sacrifice for the sin of the world. His express mission was to live a perfect sin free life, that without blemish that he might be the perfect Lamb of God. He shed his blood, died and on the third day he arose from the dead, proving that God the Father had excepted his sacrifice.

When he has done all, he was supposed to do, he returned to the right hand of the Father. In all this, to all of us that believe; it is a small thing that God raised Christ from the dead. We always knew he had the ability to do that!

We need to understand what the Apostle Paul is saying in (Philippians) the power of his resurrection. Because of the resurrection of Christ, each of us can be born again allowing the very Spirit that lived in Jesus Christ to also live, grow and mature within our own hearts.

Almost every day of my born-again life I try to recognize that power within me! Let’s consider something! When we are born-again, we become members of the bride of Jesus Christ. As long as we live on this earth, as along as the Church is allowed to stay here the fact that we are espoused to become married to Christ, we have the awesome responsibility to allow Christ Jesus to speak through us.

Jesus Christ is now seated at the right hand of the Father, therefore where is his strength upon this earth? It’s in his bride (the Church)! We, as members of the bride of Christ are the power of his resurrection! In essence, on Easter when we celebrate his resurrection, we should be celebrating the fact that his life is now within us because of his sacrifice!

The Apostle Paul said this in:

(Philippians 3)

YEA DOUBTLESS, I COUNT ALL THINGS BUT LOSS FOR THE EXCELLENCY OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST JESUS MY LORD: FOR WHOM I HAVE SUFFERED THE LOSS OF ALL THINGS, AND COUNT THEM AS DUNG, THAT I MIGHT WIN CHRIST.

What he is saying is that he desires too completely forget all that he is and become all that Christ is! Let’s put it this way, while Jesus Christ truly appreciates the fact that we show our gratitude. it pleases him much more when we are willing to die to ourselves and allow him to live through us, doing his will each and every day.

I’m going to say this here. I realize it can be a very controversial statement but, it needs to be understood. Can you see how any person that chooses a homosexual lifestyle is doing exactly contrary to what Christ is asking of them? He or she is drawing everything possible unto themselves and not giving anything at all to the will of Christ. I even might add that it’s not only that, but it also even goes to any person that chooses to do things pleasing to themselves rather than even considering dying to themselves, their will and allowing Christ to live in them.

We have members of Churches that got up this morning early and went to sunrise service, they paid attention to (Good Friday) thinking that these things made them please God the Father when tomorrow or, even today, they will simply continue their lives as they always have never even considering dying to themselves that Christ might speak through them.

In closing, if you are born again then you are or, can be the power of his resurrection. The Bible says this (and the word became flesh and dwelt among us). Yes, it did! Now we are to become the word in our flesh that dwells among men, speaking, living his word! If we don’t, does that mean that we are spiritual homosexuals, drawing all thing unto our own selves? (MY CUP RUNNETH OVER) is that not supposed to be who we are? So filled with the love of God that we can’t help but allow him to shine through us?

In our Churches aren’t we doing exactly the same thing the nation of Israel did. We listen to a man, believe what he says, stay just as we are and say we believe. We never venture out to make our calling and election sure. What we hear becomes our truth, right or wrong, whether God id content with us or not!

Is Christ alive in you? Or are your actions speaking so loud not one person can hear a word Christ is saying? All they see is (YOU)! All they hear is (YOU)! because, all it is (IS YOU)!

Have you been born again? Has Christ been resurrected within you? If not, then I pray for you daily!

Marshall Clayton

@ Timothy 1:7