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Commentary on "The Blessings of the Prophetic Gift"
Day 2: Sunday, March 15, 2009
The opening question in today's lesson is; "Why did God elect Israel as His special people?" and it follows up with the question; "What is the mission of the Christian church, and how well is it carrying out this mission?
PROBLEMS
In response to the first question we should begin with this passage:
Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. (Gen. 12:1-3)
From this passage we learn that through Abraham and the nation of Israel, God elected that all families of the earth would be blessed. Since we know that Israel has repeatedly turned away from serving God, we need to change the question and ask; How did God keep his promise that Israel would be a blessing to "all families of the earth"?
And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will. Of this man’s seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus: (Acts 13:22,23)
I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. (Rev. 22:16)
The "offspring of David", the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, is how "all families of the earth" have been blessed and why the nation of Israel is God's special people.
The mission of the church is to carry this message of the Savior who came through the "root of Jesse" of the Nation of Israel unto all the world. Remember, the reason we need a Savior is we are all under the curse of death because of the sin of Adam. Jesus Christ brings us good news; the GOSPEL MESSAGE.
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23)
The command to the Church to spread the gospel message, was summarized by Paul in the following two verses:
For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified…. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. (I Cor. 2:2; 3:11)
This is why Jesus was able to say to the thief on the cross these words:
"Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise." (Luke 23:43b)
One important point that should not be overlooked is that we can not obey the command to spread the gospel message to the whole world without first being indwelt and empowered by the Holy Spirit promised by Jesus Christ as the Comforter who would represent him in the life of each Believer:
And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. (John 14:16,17)
And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. (Acts 2:1-4)
Summary
All the families of the world have been blessed by the line of Abraham because of the Messiah, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The mission of the Church, the true Body of Christ, is to spread the good news that Jesus Christ paid the full penalty for our sins and that we receive God's salvation in the same way that the thief on the cross did, by complete faith in Jesus Christ. The question of how well any Christian is delivering the gospel message centers on how truly they are indwelt, enlightened and empowered by the leading of the Holy Spirit.
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