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Learning To Be A Son – Chapter Two – Jesus The Model Son

Book Reviews, , , ,

CHAPTER TWO

Jesus the Model Son

Before the Father created His human son and daughter, He had a blueprint, His own Son who was designated to become the Son from the beginning of creation.

But when did Jesus become the Son? As the second person of the Trinity before His incarnation, He was equal with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Intrinsic to God’s plan was the voluntary self-emptying of the second person of the Trinity in order to become the Son. He had to be a perfect model of the son that Adam failed to be in order to be a perfect substitute for mankind when He sacrificed His life on the cross to pay man’s debt of sin.

It was He who interacted with His people before His incarnation, revealing Himself first to Abraham and the patriarchs, and to Moses. It was He who led them through the wilderness and spoke to His people through the prophets. He finally came in person to represent and reveal the Father so that His people would know who the Father really was.

Through the dynamic language of the ancient Hebrew people, which was expressed through action rather than abstract thoughts, He revealed Himself as the one who had strength and authority and who nourished them as a nanny goat would nourish her kid. As the Son of God, He would “continue the house’, and teach those who followed Him to do the same.

As a true Son, He lived in perfect union, submission and obedience to the Father even to His death on the cross.

It was this model that the Father chose for the human beings He created to follow because He designed the human race to live in union with Him and in harmony with one another as a family, and in harmony with the created world over which we were to rule in obedience to Him.

God had already made provision for Adam’s failure before the creation of the universe He would sent the second person of the Trinity, who would become the Son to rescue mankind from destruction and restore us to fellowship with Himself through the life and death of the Son.

Learning To Be A Son – The Way To The Father’s Heart

Book Reviews, , ,

LEARNING TO BE A SON – THE WAY TO THE FATHER’S HEART

For several months I have advertised my debut book, “Learning to be a Son – The Way to the Father’s Heart”. I believe it’s time to pique your interest by giving you a glimpse into the content of the book.

First of all, I must tell you why I wrote it. A few years ago I was encouraged by a friend to spend a month studying one chapter of the Bible. I chose Luke’s Gospel and inched my way through chapter one with great enjoyment and profit; so I carried on into chapter two and three and eventually to the end of the book which probably took me a year or more, nearer two, I think.

At about the same time I was introduced to the teaching of a young American preacher by another friend which became a turning point in my understanding of the Bible. This young preacher had studied under a rabbi, a Messianic Jew who was also a Christian minister. What he had to say was life-changing for me as he explained many aspects of the Bible from the ancient Hebraic language and culture, which made sense to me as never before.

I also discovered a scholar of the ancient Hebrew language – Paleo Hebrew – on the internet and, through reading some of his work, I was faced with the truth that much of what I had understood and believed had no foundation in Scripture. Talk about having to change my mind! These events sent me on a quest to read and understand the Bible from the perspective of the ancient writers and not from my own western scientific and philosophical imposition on the Scriptures.

Now don’t get me wrong. I did not become a Hebrew scholar by any means, but I did lean heavily on the scholarship of others. As I pursued Luke’s story, and then later on the other three gospels, I began to realise how far the church has strayed from the simplicity of Jesus’ teaching and mission.

His primary purpose was to reveal the God of Israel who had been buried under all the baggage of Judaism. It was His passion to reveal to His people the one name by which they did not know God – the name “Father”. This was His all-encompassing mission which included His way of life, His teaching, His miracles, His death and His resurrection, all of which were a revelation of what God the Father is really like.

Why was it so important that His people understood that God was their Father? It was God’s intention to create a race of human beings to be His sons and daughters and who would relate to Him as a Father. Luke even called Adam “the son of God” in his genealogy of Jesus, linking the Messiah to the first man God created. Because sin alienated God’s children from Him, Jesus came to deal with sin so that the human race could be reconciled to their Father and be restored to fellowship with Him in His family.

Jesus lived on earth as the model of a perfect son, to qualify as our substitute when He paid the debt for our sin but also to show us how to be sons and daughters of God.  it is on the basis of sonship that we have access to the Father and that we are privileged to have a share in His nature, His resources, His kingdom, a home, an name and an inheritance.

Like the password we use to have access to many of the benefits of the internet, so it is the “password” – son or daughter of God – that gives us access to all the benefits of being a member of God’s family. Prayer is the privilege of sons. It is the way in which we gain access to the Father, and to His heart and mind as we live in the world to do His will and to extend His kingdom on earth.

My book explores reason why every human being whether he is aware of it or not, is a son of God; the way to access and enjoy our sonship; the nature of Jesus who is the model son, and the privileges and responsibilities of being sons and daughters of God. Our role as sons and daughters is to follow Jesus, as He called His disciples to do, so that we can learn to be imitators of our elder brother.

In the next few weeks we shall explore the contents of each chapter of the book in the hopes that your appetite will be so whetted that you will want to buy your own copy.

Follow My Example

Bible Study, , ,

FOLLOW MY EXAMPLE

“All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Only let us live up to what we have already attained.

“Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do.” Philippians 3:15-17.

Paul sounds rather arrogant, doesn’t he? Follow my example! What right did he have to set himself up as an example? Didn’t Jesus say that, if we judge others, the same measure we use to judge will be used against us? What do we use to measure other people? Usually ourselves. So how Paul could set himself up as an example for other people to follow?

Paul was not being self-righteous or arrogant, as we would suppose. He was acting like a true rabbi. A rabbi’s job was to model his “yoke”, his teachings based on the way he understood the Torah – the Law of Moses – and the way he put his teachings into practice in his own life, and to “bind” his yoke on his disciples – those whom he called to follow him.

“Follow my example as I follow the example of Christ.” 1 Corinthians 11:1.

On the Damascus road, Paul had become a follower of his rabbi, Jesus. As he had learned his rabbi’s yoke and put it into practice in his life, being “loosed” from the yoke of Pharisaism which he had followed from his youth, so it was his duty to bind his yoke on his followers. In no way did Paul set himself up as the measure of righteousness. Jesus was the standard and, just as Jesus modelled the life of a son and invited people to follow him, so Paul followed Jesus as his pattern, and called people to follow him. He was simply making visible to the next generation what Jesus had made visible to His disciples.

It is reassuring to know that, at the same time, Paul did not expect perfection from his followers. He knew that maturing was a process which took a lifetime to work out. All he could do was to be the model and urge believers to follow him and put it into practice in their daily lives. He also depended on the Holy Spirit to reveal the way to them and to enable them to obey as they understood and believed what Paul had taught them.

The main hindrance which Paul understood very well, was translating their understanding into everyday living. It was no use having the knowledge in their heads, but not doing what they knew and believed.

“…Everything that does not come from faith is sin.” Romans 14:32b.

This opens us a truth we need to understand. It is possible to have two opposing beliefs at the same time. Let me explain. You may believe that God will provide everything you need because He is your Father. That belief will work for you as long as you are earning a steady income. But what would happen if you were to lose your job? You would go into a tailspin of anxiety and worry. Why? Your experience and the emotions it has produced has cancelled out your trust unless your previous experience has been of God’s provision in times of crisis.

Your mind will tell you one thing; your emotions will tell you another, and usually your emotions win. You will believe what feels true, not what is true and respond to that belief instead of to God’s promise.

“So,” Paul said, “let’s not go backwards by failing to live up to the measure of maturity we have already attained.” Life is a journey. As believers in Jesus, we are all going somewhere. Paul called it “maturity”. What is maturity? According to him, maturity has to do with becoming one in Christ.

“So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” Ephesians 4:11-13.

Paul’s counsel was, “Keep moving. If you stop, you’ll start going backwards.” Now that’s good advice, don’t you think?

Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

 

Prayer: Lesson 6 – The Outcome Of Prayer – God’s Kingdom

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LESSON 6

THE OUTCOME OF PRAYER – GOD’S KINGDOM

 INTRODUCTION

Prayer is primarily about bringing about God’s rule on earth so that His glory can be put on display. God has personally involved us in this enterprise because He gave man the earth to manage for Him as His vice-regents.

The kingdom of God is His family business. God relates to us as sons and daughters and allows us to share His rule by carrying out His will on earth.

The best way to get an understanding of our role in bringing God’s kingdom to earth is through watching and listening to Jesus who is our perfect  pattern.

1. JESUS IDENTIFIED WITH THE HUMAN RACE

Jesus came as a human baby to grow up and be one of us. He had to learn to be human and to experience everything that humans experience.

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathise with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet was without sin.” Hebrews 4:15 (NIV).

He also had to learn the meaning of being a son.

“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. Although He was a son, He learned obedience through what He suffered and, once made perfect He became the source of eternal salvation for all wo obey Him…” Hebrews 5:7-9 (NIV).

Question: In what ways was Jesus just like us and in what ways was He different from us?

He was made like us in every way: He was tempted like we are; He functioned as a human being; He was empowered by the Holy Spirit; He had to learn.

He was different in that He was both fully God and fully man. He did not function as God in His earthly life. He set aside His deity and lived purely as a human being.

2. JESUS PARTNERED WITH HIS FATHER AS A MATURE SON

He was already aware of His sonship at the age of twelve. His obedience to His heavenly Father took precedence over His earthly parents.

“Why were you searching for me?” He asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” Luke 2:49 (NIV).

He spent hours with the Father, nurturing His relationship with Him, growing in confidence in His Father’s disposition and will, learning how to partner with Him in His ministry and how to establish His kingdom on earth. He spent hours watching the Father and listening to Him.

“Jesus gave them this answer: ‘I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by Himself; He can only do what He sees the Father doing because whatever the Father does, the Son does also. For the Father loves the Son and shows Him all He does.’” John 5:19,20 (NIV).

Question: In what ways can we imitate Jesus as a son?

3. JESUS ALWAYS PUT GOD’S GLORY AND GODS KINGDOM FIRST IN EVERYTHING HE DID

Jesus always viewed every circumstance from God’s perspective. relating to God’s rule.

Three examples:

1. He viewed sickness and death as an opportunity to show people what God could do.

“Walking down the road, Jesus saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, causing him to be born blind?’

“Jesus said, ‘You’re asking the wrong question. You’re looking for someone to blame. There is no such cause-effect here. Look instead for what God can do.’” John 9:1-3 (The Message).

Jesus received a message that His friend, Lazarus was sick.

“When Jesus got this message, He said, ‘This sickness is not fatal. It will be an occasion to show God’s glory by glorifying God’s Son.’” John 11:4 (The Message).

2. He viewed all circumstances as relating to people’s relationship to God.

“About that time some people came up and told Him about the Galileans Pilate had killed while they were at worship, mixing their blood with the blood of the sacrifices on the altar. Jesus responded, ‘Do you think those murdered Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans? Not at all. Unless you turn to God, you will also die.’” Luke 13:1-3 (The Message).

3. He taught and brought the kingdom of God into people’s everyday lives.

“He tried again, ‘How can I picture God’s kingdom for you? It’s like yeast that a women works into enough dough for three loaves of bread – and waits while the dough rises.’” Luke 13:20 (The Message).

If we are the sons and daughters of God, we need to be imitating Jesus. Since it is our role to continue the mission of Jesus on earth, we cannot do it in a hit-and-miss fashion.

Jesus gave His life to transfer us from the dominion of darkness into the kingdom of light.

“For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves.” Colossians 1:13 (NIV)

4. OUR RESPONSE TO JESUS PASSION FOR GOD’S KINGDOM

Jesus came to announce God’s kingdom and to set it up in people’s hearts by dealing with sin and opening the way to the Father.

His work would be in vain if we are not passionate about what He is passionate about.

“If you love me, you will obey what I command.” John 14:15 (NIV).

Paraphrase: If you value what I value, you will do what I tell you so that you do not break my heart.

Jesus focussed all His energy on teaching and establishing God’s kingdom. His prayer was directed to doing His Father’s will.

“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will but yours be done.” Luke 22:42 (NIV).

Question: In what practical ways can we imitate Jesus in His passion for the Father’s kingdom and glory?

CONCLUSION

1. Jesus is the model we are called to follow.

2. His passion for God’s rule in people’s live spilled over into everything He said and did.

3. His prayer life was the engine that drove Him. Anything less is unworthy of Him.

 

Prayer – Lesson 1: The Foundation Of Prayer – Sonship

Prayer, , ,

STUDY ON PRAYER

LESSON 1

THE FOUNDATION OF PRAYER – SONSHIP

INTRODUCTION

This study is designed to help you to base your understanding and practice of prayer on Scripture rather than on the way you have learned to pray from listening to other people. This is a dangerous and futile way to pray because it perpetuates the errors of others and takes us farther away from the truth of the Scriptures.

This is my attempt to help you get back to the Bible as the source of your prayer lives. It is my passion and my prayer that this not be just an academic exercise but a life‑changing experience if you are serious about being a disciple of Jesus.

These are not prescriptions or a formula for successful prayer. They are Biblical guidelines to help you understand what prayer is so that you can engage meaningfully with God as your Father, not to get what you want but to work with Him in His purpose for you and for His kingdom.

Although all religions claim to engage their god in pray, prayer is actually the exclusive right of believers through faith in the one true God and who approach the Father through the Lord Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Other religions use various methods to “pray”to:

1. Get their god’s attention;

2. Gain his favour;

3. Avoid his anger;

4. Get what they want.

Prayer is not based on relationship but on fear and lies because gods do not exist except in the minds of those who believe in them.

Gods are a deception of the devil and are the impersonation of demons  to gain control of people through fear.

“Consider the people of Israel: Do not those who eat the sacrifices participate in the altar? Do I mean that a sacrifice offered to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything. No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God…” 1 Corinthians 10:18-20a.

Likewise, distortions of Christianity (sects and heresies) control and hold people through superstition and fear.

“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” 1 John 4:18.

Question: Do gods exist? Where do they originate?

Gods do not exist. They are the product of human imagination inspired by the devil to draw attention away from the living God and to receive worship in the name of the false god.

1. PRAYER IS A FAMILY EXPERIENCE

True prayer can only take place within the context of a Father / son relationship. Jesus’ relationship with the Father is the model of Biblical prayer.

Question: Does God answer the prayers of unbelievers? On what basis?

Every person on earth is potentially a son or daughter of God (Acts 17:28) and has been forgiven (Luke 23:24; 2 Cor 5:19) Those who receive Him are given the right to become children of God. God responds to unbelievers through His mercy. He does not have to answer their prayers but He does in order to show them His glory.

God relates and responds to us as a Father.

He knows our needs. There is no need to explain or advise.

“But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father who is unseen. Then your Father who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like the pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.” Matthew 6:6-8.

God responds to us as the perfect Father.

Because of His wisdom, God will always do and give the best to His children.

“If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him.” Matthew 7:11

We can approach God with confidence as His children.

Because Jesus had reconciled us to the Father:

“God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them.” 2 Corinthians 5:19a

Because He has given us the right to be His children:

“Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God…” John 1:12

Because He has given us the Spirit of sonship, not the spirit of fear:

“For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by Him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’ The Spirit Himself testifies that we are God’s children.” Romans 8:15,16.

Because He deals with us as sons:

“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! … Dear friends, now we are the children of God…” 1 John 3:1a. 2a.

Question: If we are children of God, why does He not answer all of our prayers?

He is a wise and loving Father. He answers us in accordance with His nature and His will.

God treats us on the same level as He treats Jesus.

Jesus gave us power-of-attorney to use His name:

“In that day you will ask in my name; I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. No, the Father Himself loves you because you have loved me, and have believed that I came from God.” John 16:26-27.

Jesus is our elder brother:

“Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers.” Hebrews 2:11.

We are heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus:

“Now if we are children, then we are heirs – heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in His suffering in order that we may also share in His glory.” Romans 8:17.

Question: If Jesus is perfect and we are imperfect, how can God treat us the same?

God treats us out of who He is, not out of who we are. He sees us as already perfected in Christ and does what He does to move us towards who we already are.

2. OUR ROLE AS SONS OF GOD

Sonship carries both privileges and responsibilities.

We cannot enjoy the privileges of sonship and ignore the responsibilities that go with it. As children of God we are to be partners in our Father’s business:

“For we are God’s fellow workers…” 1 Corinthians 3:9a.

“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Matthew 6:33.

“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10.

Question: What is God’s business?

The business of the Son and us as sons of God is His kingdom. It is our role as followers of Jesus is to continue on earth what He began. He came to bring God’s rule into the chaos of what man has done through his rebellion and disobedience.

Characteristics of a mature son.

Jesus is the model of mature sonship:

“During the days of His 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. Although He was a son, he learned obedience from what He suffered and, once made perfect, He became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him,” Hebrews 5:7,8.

The Holy Spirit plays an active part in this “family” enterprise

“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans that cannot be expressed. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with the will of God.” Romans 8:26,27.

The business of the Son and us as sons of God is His kingdom.

Question: What are the most important qualities of a mature son?

Submission and obedience to the Father. Jesus perfectly modelled both – see Hebrews 5:7-8; Psalm 40:6-8; Hebrews 10:5 7.

CONCLUSION

1. True prayer can only be experienced on the basis of true sonship.

2.  Everything God does in us and for us is based on our relationship with Him as His children.

3. Part of our prayer experience is nurturing our Father / son / daughter relationship in order to grow our confidence in God as our Father.

4. Prayer is engaging with each person in the Trinity. We come to the Father through the Son with the help of the Holy Spirit.