Our True Shepherd

The Smitten Shepherd

Book of Zechariah Chapter 13

Many times we are told that the Jewish people did not know that the Messiah would come to die, yet Zechariah is not the only prophet who writes of these things.

In the Psalms:

Psa 51:2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

Psa 51:3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.

The Prophet Isaiah:

Isa 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

There are other places that taught the Jews about their Savior, yet they chose to disregard those teachings.

The Jews reject many of the writings of the prophets and all the New Testament.

The fact is that we can pick and choose what we believe to be the true Scriptures but in reality, this does not make the other Scriptures to be false.

All the Scriptures are actually written by the Holy Ghost and we have no right to pick and choose what parts to believe and which parts to reject.

2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

2Ti 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

We need as much God as we can get, and the best place to get the truth is with all the Holy Ghost inspired Word of God!

So what is the truth of our Savior?

*****Zec 13:1 In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.

This Scripture refers to the Messiah as that fountain that is opened to those of Jerusalem.

We know that according to the Word of God, the Church is already with the Lord Jesus Christ before this day comes about, so in "what day" is this prophet speaking?

He is speaking of the "day of great mourning" from Chapter 12, when the Jewish people had finally realized the truth of the Messiah whom they had rejected and murdered when He first came.

Remember in Chapter 12 they had realized the truth of the Messiah.

Zec 12:10 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me "whom they have pierced", and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.

Chapter 13 continues with this theme.

The Lord will cleanse every believer who remains after the 7 years of Tribulation, of their sin and of their false worship.

Remember they had been cleansed of idol worship in those 70 years of captivity, but they had given their voice unto the Beast, the Antichrist, until he sat down as God in the rebuilt Temple.

They had been fooled up until that time, along with all the world!

All that are left, rulers and people, will be cleansed of their sin because the Lord had poured out His "mercy" and His "grace".

That word "fountain" gives the sense of "living waters".

The true "fountain" is God the Father "as the fountain of living waters".

Jer 2:13 For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.

It is God the Son that we see here in verse 1, the fountain opened to the house of David and all those in Jerusalem on that day.

God the Holy Ghost is that river of living waters in the heart of each and every believer.

Joh 7:37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.

Joh 7:38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

What happens beside salvation on "that day"?

*****Zec 13:2 And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD of hosts, that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they shall no more be remembered: and also I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to pass out of the land.

Idols are anything that we have placed in our lives that we hold to be higher than our Father in Heaven.

The Lord is saying, that not only idol worship would cease, but even the names of them would not be remembered.

Mic 5:13 Thy graven images also will I cut off, and thy standing images out of the midst of thee; and thou shalt no more worship the work of thine hands.

You see all idols are manmade and the things of man are never more important than the things of God!

You know we have no need of prophets today!

We have the complete Word of God which tells us the beginning, and the end, and everything in between.

God would never send us another prophet and here, when the Jewish people wake up to the truth of the Messiah, He tells them the same thing.

The Lord will cause all the prophets to pass out of the land, which is the Promised Land and the place where King Jesus will rule this world.

There is no need for prophets, not even today.

Any prophet would be a false prophet if they went against any part of the Word of God!

We have the complete Word of God, there will never be any new revelations that go against the existing Word of God!

Anything that goes against the Word of God is also unclean and all unclean things would pass out of the land of Promises from the Jews and the Church.

So there false prophets who are filled with unclean spirits!

Unclean spirits are lying spirits which work in the false preachers and false teachers we have today!

2Th 2:9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,

2Th 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

1Ti 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

1Ti 4:2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

1Ti 4:3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.

The world that is left after those 7 years of Tribulation, will not want to hear any false teachers! They will only want to hear the truth!

They certainly will not want to hear any false prophet and we should not either today.

The world that was destroyed was a world of lies and deception! The same world we live in today.

*****Zec 13:3 And it shall come to pass, that when any shall yet prophesy, then his father and his mother that begat him shall say unto him, Thou shalt not live; for thou speakest lies in the name of the LORD: and his father and his mother that begat him shall thrust him through when he prophesieth.

False teaching of any sort will be abolished during the Millennial Reign of Jesus Christ.

We see that parents will not allow their children to speak against the Lord like they do today.

Today the parents allow their children to bring home a false doctrine and will not correct them but this will change the parents will rule their own families with a "rod of iron" as will the Lord!

If it were to start up again, the parents would put an end to it immediately.

The people of Millennial reign of Christ, will all honor the commandments of Christ! King Jesus will rule with a rod of iron!

Mar_12:30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

Mat 10:37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

Mat 10:38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.

There will be no place for false teaching during the Millennial reign of Jesus Christ!

Rev_2:27 And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.

There will be a complete extermination of the unclean spirits, when Jesus Christ sits on His throne in Jerusalem!

Though the Church will be with Jesus, we can still imagine a world where there will be no lies told of any sort.

There will be no deception.

There will be no temptation. (Satan will be bound for 1000 years).

The truth of God will rule each day!

The government will be a Theocracy with King Jesus the true Christ upon the throne.

All the needs of the people will be met, and this includes the truth!

*****Zec 13:4 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the prophets shall be ashamed every one of his vision, when he hath prophesied; neither shall they wear a rough garment to deceive:

Zec 13:5 But he shall say, I am no prophet, I am an husbandman; for man taught me to keep cattle from my youth.

Most all of us can relate to this picture. We were all dirty rotten sinners until we met the Lord Jesus Christ and are now cleansed of our sin.

We are all ashamed of our old lives, at least I know I am.

Even in the days of near perfection there will be some who will rebel.

There will also be those who are accused of rebelling who have not.

Remember the craving to sin lives in each of us as long as we are in this body of flesh.

We are not a people who are good and sometimes do bad things. We are a people who are bad and sometimes we may do something good!

This will not change during the Millennial Reign of Jesus Christ!

The one thing that is true is, that those who have survived the Great Tribulation and now know the truth, will not tolerate those who would again try to teach a false message.

Until they are found out, they will not dress as the prophets of old, nor will they appear as the TV evangelist do today, they will dress the same as those around them.

He shall say "I am no prophet". He shall say "I am just an average person" who has been taught how to work and make a living.

Remember false prophets prefer to deceive and talk you into supporting them.

They will be hated and sought out during this Millennial Age.

This is one of the reasons that King Jesus must rule with a "Rod of Iron"!

All these people will still have the old sin nature until they are cleansed of that old spirit!

Mic 3:6 Therefore night shall be unto you, that ye shall not have a vision; and it shall be dark unto you, that ye shall not divine; and the sun shall go down over the prophets, and the day shall be dark over them.

Mic 3:7 Then shall the seers be ashamed, and the diviners confounded: yea, they shall all cover their lips; for there is no answer of God.

Mic 3:8 But truly I am full of power by the spirit of the LORD, and of judgment, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin.

These false prophets would rather be seen as slaves rather than confess that they reject the Lord Jesus Christ!

Some of these men or women may even be repenting their sin in order to be cleansed by the Lord, His "Fountain of Grace".

Idolatry, false prophesy, and unclean spirits will be removed by the Lord Jesus Christ!

*****Zec 13:6 And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.

No doubt this this is prophecy of our Savior when He was nailed to the cross and if you are Christian, then those wounds in the hands of the Lord we will never be forgotten.

These wounds will be a constant reminder of the things that Jesus did for us so we could be saved.

We will see those wounds when He is placing those crowns on our head and will be a reminder and we will toss those crowns back at the feet of Jesus

In fact the wounds our Savior received in paying our sin debt will be a reminder to us all the days though out eternity.

How will we differ from Christ when we have our own glorified body? Our body will not have any blemishes. Our body will be perfect, while the Lord will always show his scars on His body! Those will be His own Crowns of glory

In real time this thing also speaks of the early days of the Millennial reign of Christ

The beginning, of the Millennial Kingdom, may be the toughest years.

Many will go through firery trials before they find the Lord.

Many will question their sincerity.

The false prophet would still carry the signs of self-mutilation and these things could never be hidden.

1Ki 18:28 And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them.

The world that was destroyed was a world of lies and deception! The same world we live in today.

*****Zec 13:3 And it shall come to pass, that when any shall yet prophesy, then his father and his mother that begat him shall say unto him, Thou shalt not live; for thou speakest lies in the name of the LORD: and his father and his mother that begat him shall thrust him through when he prophesieth.

False teaching of any sort will be abolished during the Millennial Reign of Jesus Christ.

We see that parents will not allow their children to speak against the Lord like they do today.

Today the parents allow their children to bring home a false doctrine and will not correct them but this will change the parents will rule their own families with a "rod of iron" as will the Lord!

If it were to start up again, the parents would put an end to it immediately.

The people of Millennial reign of Christ, will all honor the commandments of Christ! King Jesus will rule with a rod of iron!

Mar_12:30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

Mat 10:37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

Mat 10:38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.

There will be no place for false teaching during the Millennial reign of Jesus Christ!

Rev_2:27 And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.

There will be a complete extermination of the unclean spirits, when Jesus Christ sits on His throne in Jerusalem!

Though the Church will be with Jesus, we can still imagine a world where there will be no lies told of any sort.

There will be no deception.

There will be no temptation. (Satan will be bound for 1000 years).

The truth of God will rule each day!

The government will be a Theocracy with King Jesus the true Christ upon the throne.

All the needs of the people will be met, and this includes the truth!

*****Zec 13:4 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the prophets shall be ashamed every one of his vision, when he hath prophesied; neither shall they wear a rough garment to deceive:

Zec 13:5 But he shall say, I am no prophet, I am an husbandman; for man taught me to keep cattle from my youth.

Most all of us can relate to this picture. We were all dirty rotten sinners until we met the Lord Jesus Christ and are now cleansed of our sin.

We are all ashamed of our old lives, at least I know I am.

Even in the days of near perfection there will be some who will rebel.

There will also be those who are accused of rebelling who have not.

Remember the craving to sin lives in each of us as long as we are in this body of flesh.

We are not a people who are good and sometimes do bad things. We are a people who are bad and sometimes we may do something good!

This will not change during the Millennial Reign of Jesus Christ!

The one thing that is true is, that those who have survived the Great Tribulation and now know the truth, will not tolerate those who would again try to teach a false message.

Until they are found out, they will not dress as the prophets of old, nor will they appear as the TV evangelist do today, they will dress the same as those around them.

He shall say "I am no prophet". He shall say "I am just an average person" who has been taught how to work and make a living.

Remember false prophets prefer to deceive and talk you into supporting them.

They will be hated and sought out during this Millennial Age.

This is one of the reasons that King Jesus must rule with a "Rod of Iron"!

All these people will still have the old sin nature until they are cleansed of that old spirit!

Mic 3:6 Therefore night shall be unto you, that ye shall not have a vision; and it shall be dark unto you, that ye shall not divine; and the sun shall go down over the prophets, and the day shall be dark over them.

Mic 3:7 Then shall the seers be ashamed, and the diviners confounded: yea, they shall all cover their lips; for there is no answer of God.

Mic 3:8 But truly I am full of power by the spirit of the LORD, and of judgment, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin.

These false prophets would rather be seen as slaves rather than confess that they reject the Lord Jesus Christ!

Some of these men or women may even be repenting their sin in order to be cleansed by the Lord, His "Fountain of Grace".

Idolatry, false prophesy, and unclean spirits will be removed by the Lord Jesus Christ!

*****Zec 13:6 And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.

No doubt this this is prophecy of our Savior when He was nailed to the cross and if you are Christian, then those wounds in the hands of the Lord we will never be forgotten.

These wounds will be a constant reminder of the things that Jesus did for us so we could be saved.

We will see those wounds when He is placing those crowns on our head and will be a reminder and we will toss those crowns back at the feet of Jesus

In fact the wounds our Savior received in paying our sin debt will be a reminder to us all the days though out eternity.

How will we differ from Christ when we have our own glorified body? Our body will not have any blemishes. Our body will be perfect, while the Lord will always show his scars on His body! Those will be His own Crowns of glory

In real time this thing also speaks of the early days of the Millennial reign of Christ

The beginning, of the Millennial Kingdom, may be the toughest years.

Many will go through firery trials before they find the Lord.

Many will question their sincerity.

The false prophet would still carry the signs of self-mutilation and these things could never be hidden.

1Ki 18:28 And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them.

For some, it may take a chastising from our friends to keep us from doing wrong.

Pro 27:5 Open rebuke is better than secret love.

Pro 27:6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.

Whatever it takes for us to see the light of Jesus, is acceptable to the Lord.

We should remember the "Grace of God". When we are washed in the blood of Jesus, we are cleansed of all our sins.

This old false prophet who finally accepts the Lord will be just as saved as we are, even if they still wear the signs of false worship .

We may scoff at these things, but the fact remains that self-mutilation is still seen today in some religions.

The Lord will rid the earth of all false prophets, false teachers, false teachers and anyone who would use lies to deceive others.

We read in verse 2 where even the parents would not allow their child to speak falsely.

Certainly it would be the same for friends. Everyone would be on the lookout for anything false!

We need our Christian friends sometimes to keep us from falling back in sin!

What does Jesus say?

For some, it may take a chastising from our friends to keep us from doing wrong.

Pro 27:5 Open rebuke is better than secret love.

Pro 27:6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.

Whatever it takes for us to see the light of Jesus, is acceptable to the Lord.

We should remember the "Grace of God". When we are washed in the blood of Jesus, we are cleansed of all our sins.

This old false prophet who finally accepts the Lord will be just as saved as we are, even if they still wear the signs of false worship .

We may scoff at these things, but the fact remains that self-mutilation is still seen today in some religions.

The Lord will rid the earth of all false prophets, false teachers, false teachers and anyone who would use lies to deceive others.

We read in verse 2 where even the parents would not allow their child to speak falsely.

Certainly it would be the same for friends. Everyone would be on the lookout for anything false!

We need our Christian friends sometimes to keep us from falling back in sin!

What does Jesus say?

*****Zec 13:7 Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones.

It would be good to remember when the Lord Jesus was upon this earth, He was 100% God while being 100% human. When Jesus went back to Heaven He did so in a "Glorified Body".

The Lord Jesus Christ is the True Shepherd!

That man is that human part that the Lord has made Himself to be, so when we all live together, we will be like Him.

1Jn_3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

Our Lord Jesus has made all these things possible.

Again we see in this passage the Holy Trinity as the phrase "my fellow" signifies "my equal", my companion. The Lord's Divine equality with the Father!

The Word was God, and the Word was with God, but He was man as well as God!

Not a natural man but the God Man, the way He presented Himself to us, so we can be with Him and see Him face to face!

1Co_13:12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

He is the True Shepherd because His people need Him to be that way!

He performs a Shepherd's part because, He will watch over us, He will provide for us, and He will guide us throughout eternity!

These are things He has decided to do Himself!

We are the sheep that God the Father gave to Him to redeem so that He could give us back to God the Father when He presents His Bride.

Rev 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

Rev 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

It is God the Father, who caused the sword to smite His own Son that all these things be true!

It was God the Father who cause the suffering of our Savior!

The persecuting Jews were just willing instruments in all they did against Him!

They did it voluntarily, but they did it according to the Word of God.

Had they not done so then there would be no Church.

Had they not done so then there would be no redeemed Jews.

Once the Shepherd was smitten, God turned His attention to the "little ones" all those "Babes in Christ" who would grow into the family of God!

This is the message of the Lord of Hosts!

And what of those who deny Him?

Joh 19:6 When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Take ye him, and crucify him: for I find no fault in him.

Joh 19:7 The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.

Joh 19:11 Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.

Remember it is the Lord of Hosts who is speaking.

*****Zec 13:8 And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein.

Zec 13:9 And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.

At first, it was the Roman army that laid waste to two thirds of the Jews and the world has continued to do this throughout the years since that time.

Many times the world has tried to destroy the Jews, the most recent time on most minds today would be the holocaust by Adolf Hitler, where 6 million Jews were slain for no reason.

We know that by the destruction of the Temple, Jewish worship had been taken away from this people and has never been restored.

What did God promise?

"I will bring a third part through the fire". "And refine them" "and try them" and the day is coming they will call upon His name!

Eze 5:12 A third part of thee shall die with the pestilence, and with famine shall they be consumed in the midst of thee: and a third part shall fall by the sword round about thee; and I will scatter a third part into all the winds, and I will draw out a sword after them.

Eze 5:13 Thus shall mine anger be accomplished, and I will cause my fury to rest upon them, and I will be comforted: and they shall know that I the LORD have spoken it in my zeal, when I have accomplished my fury in them.

Eze 5:14 Moreover I will make thee waste, and a reproach among the nations that are round about thee, in the sight of all that pass by.

Eze 5:15 So it shall be a reproach and a taunt, an instruction and an astonishment unto the nations that are round about thee, when I shall execute judgments in thee in anger and in fury and in furious rebukes. I the LORD have spoken it.

It should be obvious that Jehovah is not through with this promise as of yet, but all the signs indicate that this is soon coming to an end.

1) The Church will be taken out.

2) The 7 years of Tribulation where the refinement of the Jews will succeed.

3) These Jews will call upon the name of the Lord.

2Ch 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Then the Promised 1000 years of King Jesus upon the throne of David.

Amen

Let's Pray!

Knowing the Plan of God

Increasing in Knowledge of God's Plan

Book of Colossians 1:17-29

At the end of last week’s lesson, the Scriptures described Jesus Christ as the image of the invisible God.

That word invisible means that it was not the body of Jesus that was important, it was His characteristics!

Those that worship angels, and those that believe that those who die being Christians become angels should take note, no one can represent God, but His only begotten Son.

In the Lord's divine nature, the invisible image, in His human nature, the visible image, of our Father in Heaven, who existed before all the worlds, before all time, from all eternity!

It is this world and all things that are seen that were created by Him.

It is Heaven and all the unseen world that were also created by Him.

All the things seen and unseen were created by Him and for Him.

All things created, seen and unseen, have a purpose in the salvation plan of God!

Let's continue:

*****Col 1:17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

The Lord Jesus Christ is the "glue" that binds this entire creation together.

If you believe in evolution then you believe our world evolved from chaos. The truth is Creation as described in the Book of Genesis makes our world a cosmos rather than chaos.

The Lord Jesus Christ was and is the essential element of our Creation!

All those who are confused about creation need to pay close attention!

Since it is the Lord Jesus Christ who is the complete image of our Heavenly Father and He is before all things, then we are fools to think we are not subject to Him!

We may live in the "here and now" but there is coming an end to all things.

1Co 15:24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.

Many talk about the great battles near the end such as Armageddon but just the voice of the Lord can end any battle, just the appearance of the Lord will annihilate all sin and all sinful men.

The Lord Jesus Christ is the Head of all things!

*****Col 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

That "body", is the "body of Christ".

The Church is a living organism, which carries on lively activities, by individual living believers. The head of this "body" is our Living Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

This world considers any group who gather to be a church. The truth is, the Church is made up of a group whom God has called out of this world as a special group of His own.

There is the universal Church: Eph 1:22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,

Eph 1:23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

There is the local Church: Eph 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.

Eph 5:24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.

Eph 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

As our own head gives direction to our bodies, so does Jesus Christ give direction to the Church, both local and universal!

It is Jesus Christ who gives us the gifts for the building up of the Church.

Eph 4:7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

Eph 4:8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.

Eph 4:9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?

Eph 4:10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)

Eph 4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

Eph 4:12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

Eph 4:13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

Eph 4:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

Eph 4:15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

Eph 4:16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

Those so-called places of worship that reject the ways of Jesus Christ are not a church and certainly not part of the universal church!

The Church is alive but it seems today that the church is on the death bed with little or no life, because the church has rejected the teachings of Jesus Christ who is the Head of the Church!

The true Church is totally dependent on its Head, and that Head is the Lord Jesus Christ!

Study on this end time prophecy of the final Church Age and you will see that even this prophecy has come true

Rev 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

Rev 3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

Rev 3:22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

This is another reason we should realize that the Lord is soon returning to take us home!

It is Jesus Christ who began the Church and there can be no church without Jesus Christ.

The person who does not follow the teachings of Jesus Christ cannot be part of the Church!

Today the Church is full of lies:

1Jn 2:21 I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.

1Jn 2:22 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.

1Jn 2:23 Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.

1Jn 2:24 Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.

God intended for the Lord Jesus Christ to have preeminence over all things on this world but also in Heaven.

*****Col 1:19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;

There is no way to avoid this Scripture! It cannot be misunderstood! The fulness of God is within the Living Lord Jesus Christ

It is the Divine will of the Father that the Lord Jesus Christ possess the Divine Nature of God enforced by the Holy Spirit.

How do we describe our God?

God is Spirit.

God is self-existing.

God is perfect, God is absolute perfection.

God is one God, but God is in three persons, the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit.

God is the truth.

God is love.

God is Holy.

God is eternal.

God is immense.

God is omnipresent.

God is omniscient.

God is omnipotent.

God is merciful.

God is "Grace".

God is Just and He is the Justifier of those who seek to be just.

God is Almighty and there are many other characteristics of God!

But it pleased the Father that all these things and more dwell in the Lord Jesus Christ.

How can we deny our Savior?

*****Col 1:20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

This great All Powerful, Almighty God, poured Himself into a body of flesh to die for all our sins. Our Savior made our peace with His Father by the shedding of His blood.

It is earth where sin began. thus, we are all sinners.

The things in Heaven, being the saints in Paradise, or Abraham's bosom, who had died for Christ had come.

It was not the cross that was needed to catch the eye of the Father.

It was not so much that Jesus Christ was willing to die for us.

The truth is, it was "love" that took Jesus Christ to the cross, that His blood be shed for each and every sinner who has ever lived!

Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Joh 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

But we see that "faith" in these things is the key to salvation!

It is "faith" in the work of the Lord Jesus Christ who possesses the fulness of God the Father that we can be reconciled to God!

*****Col 1:21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled

Notice that God has reconciled all humans to Himself but He has also reconciled all His creation to Himself (all things).

First: Did the Lord shed His blood for every human being from the time of Adam until sometime in the future? Absolutely!

Then is this a universal salvation as some believe? It could have been!

It is important for us to consider certain things.

We must know the Lord God on a personal level! This is impossible without making peace with God!

Rom 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

To live in this world after salvation we must have the peace of God:

Php 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

Php 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

To be a Christian is to have the God of peace live in our hearts:

Php 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Php 4:9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

We know that that enemies of God are always hostile, hateful, and rebellious.

We should also notice that the death of Jesus Christ met the requirements of Divine Law and opened the door to Divine Love!

Mat 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

Mat 22:38 This is the first and great commandment.

Mat 22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Mat 22:40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

We who were once the enemies of God have been reconciled to Him by the blood of His Dear Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who by His resurrection has now opened the door for our own resurrection!

The mind that was once full of deceit and lies can now be filled with the love of God!

1Co_2:16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

We must clearly understand, it is by the death of Jesus Christ that we are reconciled to God!

*****Col 1:22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:

The entire material body of flesh of the Lord Jesus Christ was the instrument of our reconciliation. The body of Christ here represents His manhood and not any part of the Church. It is through the death of the physical body of Christ that we are reconciled to God. We cannot stress this enough.

The sacrifice of Christ was the voice of God proclaiming love!

Rom 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Rom 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

Rom 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

Rom 5:11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

God sacrificed the body of Christ so I did not have to sacrifice my own body!

Isa 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

Jesus Christ in His flesh, exhibited the character of God, therefore He could be the substitute for our sins!

It is only by the "Cross" that we learn that we can have a brotherhood of Christians who can make a great nation.

Politicians cannot do this, and political process can never achieve this thing!

As Christians we are reconciled to God but we are also reconciled to ourselves. We find it hard to forgive ourselves but God has made a way to even solve this problem by the death of His Dear Son.

It was by the death of Christ Jesus that each believer can be holy, unblameable, and unreproveable in the sight of God. What a blessing!

It is by the "Cross" that we begin learning of our Father and our Elder Brother, the Lord Jesus Christ!

It takes "faith" to understand these things and we must continue in "faith" to be grounded and settled in the truth of God!

*****Col 1:23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;

The truth is we will all face the Lord in Judgment.

The Christian will face the Lord when we meet Him at the "Judgment Seat of Christ". This is not a judgment for salvation because that is already taken care of or we would not be Christians.

Paul is saying it just makes sense for us to continue to be grounded in our "faith" and settled and be not moved away from the hope of the "Gospel".

We need to keep in mind that we can never move the hand of God without "Faith"!

The foundation of that "Faith" must be the "Gospel" of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Gospel can reach any class of people!

Those teachings contrary to the Gospel can only reach certain classes of people.

For what is the hope of the "Gospel"?

That we all might be reconciled to God and presented perfect before Him.

That we might be given the privilege of living forever with Him.

That we may worship Him and serve Him throughout eternity.

That we may go wherever He goes forever.

We must not only profess Christ, we must live for Christ to get a full reward.

2Jn_1:8 Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.

If we profess Jesus Christ and do not live for Jesus Christ, we are living a lie!

As Paul explains, these are the rules for reconciliation!

What did Jesus say? Joh 15:6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

Joh 15:7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

Paul repeats what our Saviour said: He rejoices in his sufferings for the Church.

*****Col 1:24 Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church:

Col 1:25 Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;

The Lord Jesus Christ had great joy in providing the pathway for our reconciliation to His Father.

Heb_12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Paul being as much like Christ as he possible could, also rejoiced in his own sufferings.

The foundation of the Church is the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God.

Mat 16:15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?

Mat 16:16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

Mat 16:17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

Mat 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church "which is His body"

Eph 1:22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,

Eph 1:23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

The Lord's body being now substituted by Christian believers.

1Co 12:12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.

1Co 12:13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

The Church is now in need of a minister who will willingly suffer for others and that is where the individual Christian comes in.

The Lord Jesus Christ suffered greatly to form His Church.

The Apostle Paul and all the apostles suffered greatly to further the Gospel and grow the Church.

We are now the ministers of the "Gospel", this is not just the job of the Pastor!

1Pe_2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

We may be that generation of the Church Age which will end when the Lord returns!

Laboring for Jesus Christ on this earth will never be easy.

Serving the Church in this world will never be easy.

We will always have to suffer for Jesus Christ!

For the most part, the church means nothing to the average man or woman.

The church is only tolerated if it stays in its place.

It is alright for the church to do social service in the community but not by Jesus Christ.

The Church is never to interfere with the workings of mankind or the workings of government.

We can see that the world does not understand the church nor the Head of the church, our Savior!

This is not the Church that is the body of Christ!

To trust in the Lord is to ignore foolish people

The job of the church is to fulfill the will of God!

2Pe_3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

All these things were a mystery to the Old Testament Saints.

*****Col 1:26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:

The great mystery to the Jews was namely, Christ justifying and sanctifying Gentiles, as well as Jews.

There are many mysteries in the Scriptures that are hidden from the natural man but God does not hide anything to those who are saved and spend time studying the Scriptures.

A man once wrote that when the Lord first reaches into the mind, He will cause it to think and then later He will touch the heart to reveal His purpose for our life.

Another great mystery to those who are lost is God's plan of salvation!

Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

The average person cannot understand how this is true and again this is our job to show them the way!

The truth is in the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

*****Col 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:

Every Church must have a Pastor who will share the "great mystery of God".

This mystery is "Christ in you the hope of glory"!

Religion after religion speak of the many ways to get to Heaven but the truth is there is only one way to reach the "glory world" and this is by Jesus Christ!

Unless Jesus Christ comes to dwell within you, you have no chance of seeing Heaven much less live throughout eternity with our Heavenly Father.

Php_1:19 For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,

It is only by the work of Christ that we can be reconciled to God and then only if we believe these things to be true.

If Christ abides in us then we must abide in Him. Christ must be accepted by "Faith"!

We might question the things around us whether they are truly ours, but what is inside of us we certainly possess!

Gal_2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

The sure ground we stand upon is our "hope in glory" and this hope is sealed by the blood of Jesus and His guarantee is that He lives within us and will never leave us.

Joh 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

Joh 14:17 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.

Joh 14:18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

Some may say, well I thought this was the Holy Spirit. God in the flesh, is Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit in His presence is the Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ lives in each believer in the person of the Holy Spirit!

We see that is God the Father who took the time to make these things known to all the world, but this has been rejected by most of this world!

Jesus Christ rose from that grave because He conquered death and now we can live eternally with Him.

Jesus Christ is the first fruit!

Rom_11:16 For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.

We should remember when Jesus Christ rose from the dead those that followed Him saw that His claim of being God in the flesh was true.

God can never be bound by death because He is the true essence of life!

Another thing we must certainly realize is that Christ Jesus is not picky, He will live in any believer, no matter their background.

2Co 1:21 Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God;

2Co 1:22 Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.

God has warned this entire world that no one can enter into His glory unless Jesus Christ lives within them!

This is the very reason Jesus is hated so much, the world knows this is true!

*****Col 1:28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:

You see God must warn all mankind of this truth or He would not be God!

You see as an individual, we must submit to the truth of God in Jesus Christ.

Eze 33:9 Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.

As believers this is our job today and really it is our only job with living holy to increase our chance to witness to those who do not know the Lord.

*****Col 1:29 Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

To labor is to work hard. Some think it is only the Pastor who is to do this thing but the Lord Jesus said we all are to do this thing called evangelism!

When we have used all our own strength then the Lord will supply the needed strength to continue.

1Co 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

When we can understand the plan of God and know that the Lord Jesus Christ lives within us by the Holy Spirit, we will find the yoke of the Lord is easy but this world will show us how much they are our enemy.

If we focus on this wonderful place called Heaven and not on the things of this world, our job will not be so hard.

If we need extra strength it will come from the Lord.

If we have loved ones, let's begin with them and then friends and then whosoever crosses our path.

God's plan is the only plan that will work in this evil world!

Amen