06/26/2002
I Cor1:1
¶ Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,
·
An
apostle is a divinely summoned and divinely appointed ambassador belonging to
Christ Jesus. The formation of the
apostolic office comes as the apostle learns to do everything through the will
of God. An apostle is the product and a vessel of God’s will, ways and
timetable. The apostolic office is not
a ministry, which one chooses for himself or is conferred upon by men. It is divinely willed by the Lord. He is divinely picked and divinely sent out
and his life is result of the will of the Lord.
John 5:30 I can of mine own self do
nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine
own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
John 8:28 Then said Jesus unto
them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he,
and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these
things.
John 8:42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me:
for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent
me.
·
Through the agency of God’s will.
The apostle called to be an apostle has no other choice than to fulfill
his through the will of God, in that it is the agent or vehicle for the
apostolic ministry to be executed successfully.
·
The apostle himself does not matter but the one giving him the
commission, the Lord. The apostle sacrifices all programs and agendas to become a
vessel of God’ ways, will, and His timetable. Thus the apostle becomes an
ambassador or a representative of the Lord.
Gal
1:1 ¶ Paul, an apostle, (not
of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who
raised him from the dead;)
·
In absolutely no way is his calling from men, or his ordination or
authorizing from men. Not through their assistance, support, influence, or the
open doors that they can provide. Paul, an apostle not from men as a source. Not raised up by men
but by Jesus Christ
v Thusly the apostle is never
intended to please man outside of God’s will, but to please
God who chose and raised him up. Not
pleasing man, but a bond slave of God.
Eph 1:1 ¶ Paul, an
apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints, which are at Ephesus, and to
the faithful in Christ Jesus:
·
An apostle by the agency, influence, and
the open doors willed by God.
Col
1:1 ¶ Paul, an
apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus our brother,
v The apostle can proclaim the will
of God, because he or she live strictly out of the will of God.
1Tim 1:1 ¶ Paul, an apostle of Jesus
Christ by the commandment
of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope;
v He or she can proclaim God’s commandments, because the
apostle lives strictly out of the commandments of God.
2Tim:1:1 ¶ Paul, an
apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus,
v With the apostolic proclamation of the
resurrection life which is in Christ Jesus there it the promise and ability for
us to live in this quality of life right now?
This is fellowship of the mystery.
v Hence the
apostle in proclaiming Christ’s power and life must be an ambassador of the
life of Jesus. In other word he or she
must live in the resurrection life of God, which comes forth from the death of
Christ’s cross, which has touched everything in their lives.
v The apostle can only proclaim the life
of the resurrected Christ to us to the degree that he lives in it.
Titus 1:1¶ Paul,
a servant of God, and an
apostle of Jesus Christ, according to
the faith of God’s elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness;
(Greek: ... and an apostle of Jesus Christ,
according to the faith
of God’s elect, and the full
knowledge of the truth..
v
The apostle lives in accordance with God’s level of faith for His
saints. God’s level of faith is His
rhema word. Therefore the apostle lives out of God’s rhema word.
v
The apostle stimulates
and promotes the faith of God’s chosen ones. The stimulation of this faith
is to make others thirsty for the Son of God and not just simply for the
blessings, prosperity and other things that come from God.
v
True
promotion of faith by the apostle is to reveal the Son of God, and give the
saints the knowledge of what is their participation, ministries, and callings
into the riches found in the Son of God whom the apostle has just revealed to
them. This called the fellowship of the mystery.
v Secondly, the
apostle reveals to the church an accurate witness of the Word of God found both
in the logos and rhema word. This allows
the saints of God to participate in the truth of the Word, which will produce
godliness in their lives.
v The apostles thus must live themselves in that accurate
recognition and participation of the truth so that they may be able to testify
to it and bring others into its participation or fellowship.
v In accordance with the faith of God’s chosen out ones as a
precise and full knowledge of the truth, which is in accordance with godliness
towards God. He leads the saints into the accurate discernment,
recognition and participation of the truth, which belongs to and harmonizes
with what tends to godliness. He must
live in that accurate recognition and participation of these very truths.
Romans1:5 By whom we have
received grace and apostleship, for obedience to
the faith among all nations, for his name:
· The apostolic
ministry promotes obedience to the gospel, and through it makes disciples
amongst all the nations. The gospel must
be testified to in such an accurate way by the apostle that it will have the
power to promote obedience to others.
·
He or she promotes obedience to the
faith and make disciples amongst all the nations. It is a traveling ministry
· The apostle can only promote obedience to the gospel to
the extent that they are themselves living in accordance to it. I limit the administration of the kingdom to
my hearing of the rhema word
·
The apostle do not have the power to do anything from myself as a
source
·
The apostle does not matter who sent him and His mission.
The emphasis on the commissioning is the author.
·
None can
be sent but the one who is under orders.
·
The man
commissioned is always the representative of the one giving the commissioning. The
apostle represents in his own person the Lord and His rights.
·
He must be
as good as the one who sent him.
·
God’s
commission cannot be fulfilled unless there is an absolute subordination and
death of the sent one’s will.
·
God’s
authority is given to the one who lives under God’s authority.
·
God’s
power is given to the one who lives out of God’s power as the source of life.
·
The sent
one by the Lord should be as the Lord Himself.
·
A man that
is sent with full authority must stand fully under the authority of the Lord
and as a slave of the Lord derives all that He is and has from the Lord,
·
He
forfeits his won initiative and unites his won will to the one who sent him.
·
An apostle
is always a mathetes (disciple)
·
The
commissioning to represent Jesus and His cause means humiliation rather than
exaltation.
·
There is
no special position or personal privilege.
·
The
apostle has no personal influence on how his ministry will turn out. He is brought under the will of God who
destroys his autonomy and leaves the apostle with no other choice but to a full
and obedient dedication to the will of God and a military walk to the voice of
the Spirit.
Gal
5:25 If we live in ( Instrumental (By)) in the Spirit, let us also walk (Greek word which is defined as “marching
in the footsteps of a soldier”) in (Instrumental (By)) the Spirit.
·
Greek paraphrase) (It is a
given that we should be living our lives not in the present day world system,
but in the domain, influence, and sovereignty of the world of the Holy Spirit. Because
we are being continually affected and influenced by the Spirit, in that
influence and effect we must march in step as soldiers so that the Spirit’s
influence can go on, deepen, intensify, and continue interrupted.
1 Corinthians 4:9 For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world,
and to angels, and to men.
q Hath
set forth To
expose to view; or to exhibit
q
Last in receiving honor,
last in being recognized by men and by the body of Christ, last in being raised
up by Christ, and smallest in importance and in the estimation of men.
q
Appointed to death: Greek:
Upon the death “Doomed to die”
q
A spectacle unto the
world. Greek: A theatre unto the
world.
q
God has exhibited, showed off, and exposed to view. The apostle
becomes a man exhibited, or to be gazed at.
Last in rank, importance, recognition and so forth.
q
The apostolic calling to those who are destined to be God
ambassadors. As His representatives,
apostles are called to be a portrait or a painting of God’s ways, will, and
timing upon the earth. The Lord allows
the apostle to go through the humiliating and frustrating circumstances of
being last so that he is whittled away from all that does not represent the
voice of the Lord, His ways, and His timing.
1 Corinthians
4:13 Being defamed, we intreat: we are
made as the filth(As soap being rinsed off from dirty plates) of the
world, and are the offscouring(scrapings of food thrown away) of all things
unto this day.
filth
and offscouring: The food
scrapings on a dirty plate, and the sweepings gathered from a dirty floor,
which are rinsed off or thrown away.
q
The
Lord engineers all of this in the apostle’s life, as He whittles him or her
into a walk by the simple rhema word, and continuously humbles them so that
they only walk in His ways.
Ambassadorship requires living by God’s rhema word and conforming to His
ways. Only then can their be true a representation
of the Lord here on earth.
1 Cor 4:10 We are fools for Christ’s sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised.
q Greek: We are morons on the account of Christ
q We are frail and weak, you are
confident and strong
q We are those who get no respect
from people
1 Cor 4:11 Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace;
q We are hungry and thirsty
q We are dressed scantily or with poor quality of clothing
q We are treated poorly
·
We have no home of our
own
12 And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it:
q We labor for the gospel’s sake to
the point of exhaustion
q When we are abused by men, we
bless back
1 Cor 9:12 If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.
q Greek: We did not make use of the different rights afforded to us
by the gospel as apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ. Some of these rights include having a Christian wife and getting
our income from the gospel. (Please study
the preceding verses above this one.) We do not make use of our rights,
but instead put up with all things so as not to impede the pioneering progress
of the gospel.
2 Cor 1:8 For we would not, brethren, have you
ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of
measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:
v Excessively we
were burdened beyond our power.
v It is throwing
beyond magnitude. We were utterly at loss, destitute of earthly and fleshly
measures and resources.
9 But we had the sentence of death in
ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the
dead:
· It is a judicial
sentence of death. “An official resolution that stamps a matter as done.’
·
Whether on asking myself, should I die or whether I should
come out of mortal peril, I answered, “I must die”.
· So as to trust in God alone who is raising the
corpses
2 Cor 3:5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to
think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;
·
Our sufficiency and ability and our qualifications is not found in
ourselves as a source but only in God, his grace and power as its root sources.
q
2 Cor 4:1 ¶ Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not Because by the mercy of God,
we were called into this ministry, we do not become discouraged. (We know that
if God divinely summoned us, He will take care of us, and see us through;
therefore we do not lose heart.)
2
But have renounced (we gave up once, and now forbid) the hidden things of dishonesty
(anything that brings shame or disgrace to the gospel, or to us),
not walking in craftiness(not
conducting ourselves in the doctrines of men), nor handling the word of God deceitfully(by
trickery, adulterating or corrupting God’s word for base gain) ; but by manifestation of the truth (but by
manifesting the gospel in its accuracy and genuineness through the Word of God
and by our lives) commending
ourselves to every man’s conscience( we present ourselves to
every type of men’s conscience)
in the sight of God.
(Before the constant gaze of God)
·
Paul here
says, that the soundness of the apostle’s doctrine and the genuineness of his
or her life in accordance to the gospel must be so great, that it must hold up
to the scrutiny of the voice of God bearing witness or passing judgment to what
the apostle ministers in their hearer’s consciences. Secondly, the apostle must also deal with the scrutiny of God
Himself, whose penetrating look is ever upon the apostle.
2Cor 4:7 But
we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may
be of God, and not of us.
v The power is the
property of God.
·
2Cor 4:12 So then
death worketh in
us, but life in you.
·
The manifested death of Christ within the apostle is as an “energy
dynamo” that never ceases but always works with effect. We are always being handed over to death, so
that the very life of Christ can be like wised energized with effect for the
sakes of others.
· Death is actively energized and
efficient in us. The death of Christ is effectual in the apostle. Christ’s death always mighty in the
apostolic workings. This death is for
the benefit of others
2 Cor 4:16 For which cause we faint not; but though our
outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
· To rot thoroughly being disabled or being brought to decay,
consumed, or ruin.
2 Corinthians 5:13 For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God: or whether we be sober, it is for your cause.
If we are out of our minds; out of our
wits or insane
If Paul goes
beyond the bounds of normalcy it is in his highest devotion towards the Lord;
but on the other hand wisdom and prudence towards his disciples.
2 Cor
5:14 For the love of Christ
constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all
dead:
·
Not
urging or driving us, but shutting us up to one line, or one side of the road
and one purpose, as in a narrowed wall road.
Ø 2Cor 6:3 Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed:
q
Not even one occasion of sin or offense. No occasion for stumbling.
2 Cor 12:14 Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.
q
I am not seeking your
possessions, I am seeking you (the
person)
2 Corinthians 12:15 And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the
more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.
q
spend Incur personal expense
q spent To exhaust by spending; To spend oneself
totally up for the individual and for the sake of the gospel
q
Incur personal expense for your Christian well-being. I will pour my very soul out for your
progress in the faith. I will exhaust
myself by spending and using myself up for your spiritual maturing in Christ.
2Cor 13:4 For though he was crucified through
weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the
power of God toward you.
·
The apostle lives out of the power of God as the root system in
his life.
Oneness With The Lord
1 Timothy 1:12 And I thank Christ
Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting
me into the ministry;
Greek: I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who endued me with His
power (only as He found me dependable.) The gift of His power was given to me
as He found me worthy of trust. Once that the trust and power were there God
placed me into my ministry.
John 6:57 As the living Father hath sent
me ( Greek: apostolic
sending), and I
live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.
q Greek: The apostle or the one sent on an apostolic
mission lives moment to moment through the Father who does the works.
q As I have taught, the works
of the Father are translated into rhema words. The apostle must continuously
discern and carry out the rhema word.
That is the apostle’s whole objective in life.
q Any time that the apostle
acts in the flesh, he or she will experience a loss of the full credentials of
the Lord’s power, which is found only in the voice of the Spirit.
John 8:42 Jesus said unto them,
If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither
came I of myself, but he sent me.
q
Greek: The
apostle, or the one on an apostolic mission, is birthed from God and lives
continuously out of God just as a tree must live out of its roots. Not only is
their ministry birthed from God, but also their constant presence in this world
must be accomplished out of this same dependency.
q The apostle has no agenda.
His or her agenda is the Lord.
q
The apostle therefore lives in utter
dependency upon the Lord. The apostle
has been broken by the Lord and lives out of the voice, strength and the power
of God. There has been a death to his or her ability to overcome, so that their
overcoming now comes through the revelation of the Son of God.
q His or her whole existence
is sustained and originates through his or her relationship with the Father.
John 5:36 But I have greater
witness than that of John: for the
works which the
Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness
of me, that the Father hath sent me.
v The apostle’s work originates in God. It is consequently done with the full
authority of God and in signs and wonders of the rhema word.
q
Utter
dependency on the rhema word of God bounds the apostle to learn and limit his
or her life strictly to the ways of God.
Both of these things bring the apsotle into oneness with the Lord and
equip him or her for ambassadorship with the full credentials of the Lord power.
q
His ministry is not one of exaltation but one
of being continually humbled either by seasons of material lack, or by the
stringent limits placed upon their lives by the boundaries of the rhema word of
God. .
q
The greatness of the apostle and
the prophet is found in how faithfully he or she restrict their lives to the
accuracy of rhema word of God.
·
John 14:9 Jesus
saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known
me, Philip? he that hath
seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then,
Shew us the Father?
·
He that has seen me with discernment has seen the Father.
Mat 10:40 He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me
receiveth him that sent me.
q Greek:To welcome with open arms i.e. receive
with hospitality.
q The reception that the apostle receives is in
fact the reception given to the Lord Himself. This is because the apostle
always lives and acts in accordance to the voice of the Spirit through the
rhema word of God. A hospitable welcome given to the apostle is a hospitable
welcome given to the Lord whose rhema word the apostle is executing.
Luke 10:16 He that heareth you heareth me;
and he that despiseth you
despiseth me; and
he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.
v Greek ; He that is making
light of, or is despising you, despises me.
He that is paying attention to what you are saying pays attention to me.
Rom 11:13 For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:
14 if by any means I may provoke to jealousy
them that are my flesh, and may save some of them.
q
Greek
Scriptures: Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the nations, I do my ministry
honor, or I lay much stress and care in magnifying my office, or I continuously
glorify my ministry. The apostle does his ministry honor
q If I may provoke to jealousy
Ephesians 6:19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open
my mouth boldly, to make known
the mystery of the gospel,
1 Corinthians 2:7 But we speak the wisdom of God(The will of God as found in the gospel and
in His Son) in a mystery,
even the hidden wisdom,
(even the hidden will of God) which God ordained before the world
unto our glory:
·
Mysteries
for one are doctrines of God that are brought to life through revelation
knowledge and are bring out the scriptural patterns of God’s kingdom.
Ephesians
3:8 Unto me, who am less than the least
of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
Ephesians
3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery,
which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all
things by Jesus Christ:
·
To turn on the light as to what is the koinonia of the fellowship
·
Which was hidden in a perfect tense in God. One mystery here is the doctrine of allowing
the Gentiles into the NT fellowship.
Christ however is the main mystery of God.
Colossians 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this
mystery among the Gentiles;
which is Christ in you,
the hope of glory: {in: or, among}
28
Whom we preach, (The apostle preaches the revealed Person of Christ, and not
a thing) warning
every man (exhorting, admonishing and warning), and teaching
every man in all wisdom
(teaching every person the will of God found in the sound doctrine of
scriptures); that we may present every man perfect (to the level of Christ’s maturity
and character) in Christ Jesus:
Eph
3:4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in
the mystery of Christ)
v
The apostle not only reveals the mystery of Christ,
its dispositions and arrangements but also teaches others how to participate
according to their calling into this mystery.
v It comes to say that the apostle is used within church to bring the
church into the comprehensive participation of what that it has been called
into.
v Bring forth the dispositions of God according to His grace.
Eph 3:8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all
saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the
unsearchable riches of Christ;
9
And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning
of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
v
Ephesians
chapter three verses eight and nine guides us a bit deeper into the supremely
significant importance of the apostolic and prophetic revelation of Christ our
mystery. As we have discussed before,
the Person of Christ contains within Himself all of the treasures and riches of
who God is, and of what He possesses.
These treasures, the Greek scriptures tell us, are undetectable, un-
searchable, and unreachable through all of our fleshly efforts. Only through a spirit of revelation into the
mystery of the Person of Christ can these treasures be manifested out to the
body through the preaching of the gospel. Verse nine tells just this. Part of
Paul’s apostolic/ prophetic ministry as described in verse eight and nine, is
to not only reveal theses undetectable riches.
In verse nine he goes on to tell us that the purpose of this revelation
is to make every one else within the local body aware as to what is their part,
participation, share, and calling into the riches of Christ is.
v
Through this, the apostle stimulates and promotes the faith of
God towards His chosen ones. The
stimulation of this faith is to make others thirsty for the Son of God and not
just simply for the blessings, prosperity and other things that come from God.
v
True
promotion of faith by the apostle is to reveal the Son of God, and give the
saints the knowledge of what is their participation, ministries, and callings
into the riches found in the Son of God whom the apostle has just revealed to
them. This called the fellowship of the mystery.
v Secondly, the
apostle reveals to the church an accurate witness of the Word of God found both
in the logos and rhema word. This
allows the saints of God to participate in the truth of the Word, which will
produce godliness in their lives.
v The apostles thus must live themselves in that accurate
recognition and participation of the truth so that they may be able to testify
to it and bring others into its participation or fellowship.
v Furthermore, I believe that the seal
of apostleship is defined in these two ways. The believer as mentored by the apostle, is first brought to a
place of adequate spiritual freedom as he or she grasps the liberty brought to him
or her by the revelation of the mystery of the gospel, as the apostle teaches
it.
v As the disciple begins to grasp whom he
or she is IN CHRIST, the apostle introduces the fellowship of the mystery;
assisting the disciple to discover his or her office, callings, and spiritual
gifts so that the disciples in turn can do the work of the ministry.
v
Through this, the apostle stimulates and promotes the faith of God
towards His chosen ones. The stimulation
of this faith is to make others thirsty for the Son of God and not just simply
for the blessings, prosperity and other things that come from God.
v True promotion
of faith by the apostle is to reveal the Son of God, and give the saints the knowledge
of what is their participation, ministries, and callings into the riches found
in the Son of God whom the apostle has just revealed to them.
v Secondly, the
apostle reveals to the church an accurate witness of the Word of God found both
in the logos and rhema word. This
allows the saints of God to participate in the truth of the Word, which will
produce godliness in their lives.
v In accordance with the faith of God’s chosen out ones as a
precise and full knowledge of the truth, which is in accordance with piety
towards God.
v Leads them into the accurate discernment, recognition and
participation of the truth, which belongs to and harmonizes with what tends to
godliness. He must live in that
accurate recognition and participation of the truth.
v With the promise of life goes the provision
for its proclamation. Hence the apostle
in proclaiming you shall live through Christ, is an apostle according through
the very proclamation of this life.
2 Timothy 1:13Hold fast the form of sound words,
which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
Greek: Hold fast the outline or pattern of
healthy words…in a world that belongs to faith and love.
1 Timothy 6:3 If any man teach
otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus
Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;
2 Timothy 1:13 Hold fast the form
of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in
Christ Jesus.
2 Timothy 4:3 For the time will
come when they will not endure sound > doctrine; but after their own lusts shall
they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
Titus 1:9 Holding fast the faithful
word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound <5198> doctrine both to exhort and to convince
the gainsayers.
Titus 1:13 This witness is true.
Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;
Titus 2:1 But speak thou the things
which become sound doctrine:
· Here is one way of our fulfilling all that
Paul has spoken to us since the chapter began. Only the outline of the healthy
words (comprised of the gospel) placed before our eyes can accomplish
this
q
The apostle has the grave
responsibility of knowing the scriptures soundly, as well as maintaining a walk
of intimacy with the Lord. He or she
can present and reveal the mystery of the Son of God to the church as it is
found in the written word, as well manifesting Him through His ongoing works by
the rhema word.
q The revelation of the mystery of the
gospel, as well as that of the Son of God by the apostle, must have enough
richness so that believers within a local assembly can understand what is their
participation and levels of involvement into the unsearchable riches of the Son
of God, which are Jesus callings, giftings, and ministries to them; Hence the
fellowship of the mystery.
1 Cor 9:1 ¶ Am I not an
apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my
work in the Lord?
2
If I be not an
apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.
q
The scriptures above in
Ephesians three, eight and nine, and First Corinthians nine, one and two, tell us
much about the apostolic ministry. I
would like to teach the verses in Ephesians chapter three in the following
manner.
q
I have been approached by
people whom have presented our family with an offer to become part of a company
that sells a host of different services to the community, all from on
location. In other words I could become
a person who could sell life insurance, mortgages, stocks, mutual funds, and
bonds with proper training and licensing.
The folks who visited us gave Mary and I an elaborate presentation of
what their company offers, as well as the levels of participation in which we
could get involved with them. We could
simply purchase one or several of their services, or participate as a company
partner in progressive levels of involvement, by selling the different products
that would be offered to others. This
is precisely what the fellowship of the mystery means. A mystery is what is unknown to us. In this case we knew nothing about the
company. When these friends taught us
the company presentation, the mystery was revealed and we understood what the
company was all about. The
fellowship of the mystery is our understanding of what our
participation and levels of involvement could now be with the company.
q
The apostle primarily reveals
the mystery of the Son of God through the written or logos word of God. The
prophet reveals the Son of God primarily through the rhema word. Both of them
functioning together provide the fullness of the revelation of the Son of God,
who becomes the foundation on which any local assembly must build.
q
The apostle has the grave
responsibility of knowing the scriptures soundly, as well as maintaining a walk
of intimacy with the Lord. He or she
can present and reveal the mystery of the Son of God to the church as it is
found in the written word, as well manifesting Him through His ongoing works by
the rhema word.
q
The revelation of the mystery
of the gospel, as well as that of the Son of God by the apostle, must have
enough richness so that believers within a local assembly can understand what
is their participation and levels of involvement into the unsearchable riches
of the Son of God, which are Jesus callings, giftings, and ministries to them;
Hence the fellowship of the mystery.
q
Furthermore, I believe that
the seal of apostleship is defined in these two ways. The believer as mentored by the apostle, is
first brought to a place of adequate spiritual freedom as he or she grasps the
liberty brought to him or her by the revelation of the mystery of the gospel,
as the apostle teaches it.
q As the disciple begins to grasp whom he or
she is IN CHRIST, the apostle introduces the fellowship of the mystery;
assisting the disciple to discover his or her office, callings, and spiritual
gifts so that the disciples in turn can do the work of the ministry
1 Cor 3:10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise
masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But
let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
·
Limited to
the proportion of Christ’s labor given unto me that produced the anointing of a
wise architect, the foundation I completely laid in such a way that it will
have a continuing impact.
·
The
architect himself does not work but is the leader of the workmen.
·
The apostle is a spiritual architect.
·
Lays the revelatory foundation of the person of Jesus Christ at
all times.
11 ¶ For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is
Jesus Christ.
·
There
is no other foundation that has been appointed which Jesus the Christ.
·
This foundation always
being the very person of Christ. His
direction, His will, wisdom, gifts, power.
Eph 2:19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and
foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God.Ephesians
2:20 And are built upon the
foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the
chief corner stone;
q
Foundation consisting in the apostles and prophets. Case of location,
or the building up of the church must occur IN what the apostles and prophets
lay.
v Being built up in the Lord while resting on the revelatory
foundation of the prophets and apostles.
This foundation being the very person of Christ. His direction, His will, wisdom, gifts,
power.
v The article not
before prophets shows that apostles and prophets are of the same kind of
people.
2Peter 3:2 That ye may be mindful of the
words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us
the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:
v The apostles and prophets are both exclusive bearers of
revelation. The prophet’s revelation is
progressive while the apostles can operate in complete revelation based on the
written word of God.
Mark 1:2 As it is written in
the prophets, Behold, I send (apostello) my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
· Which shall prepare Literally who will lay down all of the
needed gear, utensils and equipment at another’s disposal.” In this case,
we furnish the Lord with a crucified life that will allow Him to operate in His
wisdom and prudence through us.
· Thy way is in the Greek accusative case.
The accusative case points out an object or goal. The goal God’s servant is to embrace and execute God’s very
unorthodox methods within the limits of His prolonged time schedules. My friend this is the key to becoming
a revivalist!
Titus 1:5 For this cause left I
thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in
every city, as I had appointed thee:
q
To set in
order from the word “ortho” which means straight as with the orthodontist’ “one
who straightens teeth.”
Ac
14:23 And when they had ordained them elders in every
church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on
whom they believed.
v To set straight
besides or after. To arrange what
was left behind after Paul’s departure.
v Epidiorthoo .To what still remains to be set in
order.
v Wanting the things that are
failing, lagging or, inferior.
v Ordain: To appoint or set down in every office.
2 Corinthians 12:12 Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.
q
Indeed the
signs of an apostle were worked out in the realm of all endurance; both by
signs and wonders, and works of God’s dunamis (miracles)
o Signs: The miracle from the point of
view that gives proof to the reality of God, and to the authenticity of the
apostle as a sent ambassador of God commissioned with His credentials.
o Wonders: The same miracle from the
point of view of its startling, astonishing, amazing qualities, which the world
beholds, and causes it to believe in God.
Col 1:29 Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working,
which worketh in me mightily.
· Greek (paraphrase)
I athletically agonize to always respond to God’s rhema word that contains
God’s energy to make it come to pass, and if which I obey, will give me the
victory as its energy is successfully carried out into the external world as a
miracle.
Romans 15:19 Through mighty signs and wonders, by the
power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto
Illyricum, I have fully
preached( I
have filled up the gospel) the gospel of Christ.
· It is
important for us to be aware that if we are to do our part in filling up the
gospel of Christ it will never be accomplished through our mere preaching of
God’s word. The gospel must be
proclaimed in the power of the signs and wonders that accompany our spiritual
gifts.
Ephesians 2:20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets,
Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an
holy temple in the Lord:
·
The apostle Paul always categorizes apostles and
prophets together. They are in the same class because their revelatory functions
in many ways are similar. Ephesians
chapter three, verses four and five tells us that apostles and prophets have
been specifically called to a ministry of revealing the mystery of God, which
is the person of Christ into a local body.
Though every believer has been called to reveal the Person of Christ
through their ministries, the revelatory anointing in apostolic and prophetic
people is especially emphasized. When
the prophetic flow is curtailed or prohibited in our assemblies, we in fact cut
our own necks off. The revelation of
the Person of Jesus Christ is crippled at best.
Mark 3:14 And he ordained twelve,
that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach,
Mark 6:30 ¶ And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and
told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught.
Mark 9:37 Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth
me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me.
Luke 9:48 And said unto them,
Whosoever shall receive this child in my name receiveth me: and whosoever shall
receive me receiveth him that sent me: for he that is least among you all, the
same shall be great.
Luke 10:16 He that heareth you
heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me
despiseth him that sent me.
John 5:30 I can of mine own self do
nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine
own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
John 5:37 And the Father himself,
which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice
at any time, nor seen his shape.
John 6:57 As the living Father hath
sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by
me.
John 7: 18 He that speaketh of
himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the
same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.
John 8:16 And yet if I judge, my
judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me.
18
I
am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness
of me.
John 8:26 I have many things to say
and to judge of you: but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world
those things which I have heard of him.
John 8:28 Then said Jesus unto
them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he,
and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these
things.
John 8:29 And he that sent me is
with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that
please him.
John 8:38 I speak that which I have
seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father
John 8:42 Jesus said unto them, If
God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from
God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.
John 10:25 Jesus answered them, I told
you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear
witness of me.
John 10:37 If I do not the works of
my Father, believe me not.
38 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.
John 12:49 For I have not spoken of
myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should
say, and what I should speak.
50
And
I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore,
even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.
John 13:16 Verily, verily, I say unto
you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater
than he that sent him.
John 14:10 Believest thou not that I
am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak
not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
John 16:27 For the Father himself
loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from
God.
28 ¶ I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again,
I leave the world, and go to the Father.
John 17:21 That they all may be one;
as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us:
that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
22 And the glory which thou
gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
23 I in them, and thou in me,
that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou
hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.