The Bread of Life is the key to…

                                                          

Luke 24:1-3; 13-43

                                                                

Text Verse:31

Intro

Cleopas and his companion had the privilege of hearing the incarnate Word, Christ the risen Word, explain the written Word.

However, they did not recognize Him until Jesus broke the bread and gave it to them.

Their “spiritual eyes” only opened at that time. 

They did not recognize Jesus as He walked with them nor as He talked to them.

Why were they kept from recognizing Jesus?

1.       Emancipation

·         Real freedom originates in the inner man and is not dependent on external circumstances.

·         The people of Israel (including the disciples) expected Jesus to bring them freedom from a worldly system.

·         Their wrong expectation prevented them from recognising Jesus as the true Emancipator/Liberator.

Romans 6:5-7,14

2.       Enlightenment

·         Jesus is the main subject of Scripture because He is the Triune God’s plan of salvation.

·         This plan was in place long before Adam and Eve’s sin because God is omniscient/all-knowing.

·         The Plan was revealed through Scripture but humanity did not understand it.

·         The plan then came in human form through Jesus but humanity still did not recognize Him.

·         The only way to gain insight /understanding into spiritual mysteries is through salvation and revelation through the Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 2 :14

                                    

3.       Eternity

·         There is only one way to eternal life-Jesus Christ.

·         He has power over death as witnessed through His resurrection

·         He has the power over sin that separated humanity from a Holy God.

·         He also has power to reconcile humanity to the Father as Mediator.

John 3:35-36

Conclusion

The entire Bible finds its unity in Jesus.

He is the fulfilment of Scripture

Jesus is the Messiah Who brought redemption to Israel.

He is the only One Who can give freedom and deliverance.

Worldly systems do not have the power to give lasting and true freedom.

The mystery of the spirit world is wrapped up in Jesus and the understanding thereof is

brought about by the Holy Spirit living inside of His followers/disciples.

The birth of Jesus revealed and introduced the existence of a Triune God

            Matthew 1:18-25

Intro

The Angel announced Who the Father of the Baby was; What His gender and name was to be.

There was reason for doing it in this particular way.

Firstly, the divine conception declared that the Baby to be born was NO

Ordinary human being/person. 

Secondly, the reason for stating His gender was because of His relation to the

Father as Son.

Thirdly, the reason for the name was because Hebrew culture necessitated

the use of a name that will represent the person’s character.

Jesus is the Greek form of Yeshua/Joshua; which means “the Lord saves”.

The mission/purpose of Jesus was declared within His Name ie to save His 

people from their sins.

The reference made to the Holy Spirit during the account of Jesus’ birth

revealed and introduced the existence of the Triune God.

Matthew’s Gospel account was originally directed to the Jewish nation, who believed in a Monotheistic God. It was thus of utmost importance to reveal the Truth of a Triune God.

1. The Role of His earthly parents

·        The mission of Jesus was extremely important to take risks and entrust a helpless baby to humanity with shortcomings and weakness.

·        His “earthly parents” had to meet God’s requirements of a good character and heart.

·        Both Mary and Joseph were righteous, upright, just, individuals of principles and honor.

·        Because Jesus was fully human (and fully God) they had to nurture Him in a God-fearing home.

They cared for Him and provided His needs

·        They were the primary mentors to groom/prepare Him for His Mission. 

They dedicated Him to the Father on the 8^th day as required;

taught Him the Scriptures, and took Him to the Temple for the annual feasts

2. The Role of Jesus

·        to save humanity from our sins .

he could only do so by  dying on the cross, because without the shedding of blood there can be no forgiveness of sins.

·        To renew all things pertaining to spiritual matters

Free access to the Father –no need to go through a priest

All people have equal status before the Father, whether Jew or Gentile; male or female;

slave or free.

·        To Restore the earth

·        To defeat Satan and the power/sting of death

·        To reconcile humanity to the Father

3. The Role of the Holy Spirit in the life of Jesus:

·        The Holy Spirit was the “Seed” for His conception

·        He was present during the Baptism of Jesus

·        The Holy Spirit was present during His temptation, walk/journey and service

·        He was present at His resurrection

·        The Holy Spirit was and still is the witness of Jesus in the lives of believers

The Holy Spirit was in existence before Christ ascended into heaven.

Conclusion

The Announcement of the Father’s love for humanity has now gone out into all the earth.

The whole world is celebrating Christmas even though some do not know what it’s really about. He came down to the earth Himself to save us through Jesus, the Messiah.

For many it’s a time of festivities, holidays, gifts and dress-ups.

Christmas is really about the celebration of the birth of the Messiah and thankfulness for The Father’s grace, compassion and mercy towards humanity.

“Yeshua”, the Son truly has His Father’s Nature and certainly lived up to His Name and Mission to save.

What are we accomplishing?

John 11: 45-48

A religious mind-set can blind you from seeing the Truth.

It can also hinder a divine encounter with Jesus.

It can also stop you from receiving your miracle.

The priests, rulers and teachers of the Law rejected the Truth and Life, Jesus Christ;

They missed a divine experience by not following Christ.

Sadly, they missed out on the miracle of transformation.

Acts 4:1-20

Peter and John were imprisoned for healing a crippled man in the Name of Jesus.

The Name of Jesus has power

V7 & 10: It is by the Name of Jesus Christ that people can be healed, restored, delivered and saved.

People or situations CANNOT be changed by the sprinkling of holy waters or ash. When someone is sick he/she should be anointed with oil IN THE NAME OF JESUS (James 5: 14)

The Name of Jesus Christ is powerful and effective in itself because it is not just another name.

Using His Name in vain does not make it less powerful.

The Name of Jesus has authority

(To have authority over something or someone is to exercise influence over them)

HIS Name has authority over sicknesses, diseases bondages and strongholds

His Name has authority over physical infirmities

His Name has authority over sin and death

His Name make demons tremble

The Name of Jesus is life-changing

V 20: Peter and John said that they cannot help to speak about what they have seen and heard

when they were commanded to NOT speak in the Name of Jesus.

(1John 1:1 & 3) John said that they proclaim what they have touched, seen and heard with their own senses.

They were referring to their experiences with Jesus.

Experience is something that no one can dispute.

No one has experienced Jesus can ever remain the same.

Conclusion

One would have expected that the people who are representing God i.e. teachers of the Law, priestsand rulers would be ecstatic /joyful when the people they are serving got healed and delivered.

The Problem was: They did not accomplish anything when they compared themselves to the many Miracles Jesus performed.

Jesus and the Name of Jesus was and still is a huge threat to the religious mind-set.

Jesus did not do anything in a conventional/orthodox way.

Jesus intimidated their way of life; their prestigious standing in life. He became more important than them to the people.

The religious community had their own agendas for being in positions of influence .If they really cared about the people they would have given their endorsement for the Name of Jesus to be used.

They were clearly not Kingdom-minded.

WHAT ARE WE ACCOMPLISHING IF WE ARE NOT DOING OUR ACTS OF KINDNESS, GOOD WORKS, TEACHING AND PREACHING, HEALING, DELIVERANCE AND RESTORATION WITHOUT DOING IT IN THE NAME OF JESUS?

WHAT ARE WE ACCOMPLISHING IF WE ARE NOT PUTTING OUR GOOD INTENTIONS AND STRATEGIC PLANS TO WORK?

By: Pastor Alicia Lawrence

Easter – the greatest event in human history

Ecc 12:7 So at death, our spirits return to God who gave it

The most important and wonderful significance of Easter Sunday: Jesus rose from the dead.

Rom 8:11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.

“He’s alive!” These words came from every believer in the first months after Jesus risen from the dead. This became the way they greeted one another.

Now, in the modern era, since that first Pentecost, “He lives within my heart!”

Jn 14:19 Because I live, you also shall live.

Death – the separation of the soul from the body

The soul is that essential part of man that will never perish. Man, according to the Bible is “a living soul”. Man is nowhere mentioned to as a spirit. He has a spirit but he is a soul.

We inherit our spirit, soul and body from our parents. Our inheritance is passed onto our offspring in the same way that our parents and their parents, right down to Adam, received their natures.

Our eternal life begins from the moment of conception.

Sin is the cause of the death of our spirits even though we are alive and well in this world.

Only a miracle from God can revive that spirit in what the Bible refers to as being born again.

God said, “. . . . .You will surely die!”

Satan said “you will surely not die!” the deception, his weapon of Mass Destruction.

In 1Cor 2:14, the word of God through the Apostle Paul, “the man without the Spirit” as being incapable of comprehending spiritual things,

There is a death penalty for those who reject God’s offer of salvation. Rom 6:23

But by the wonderful grace of God, there is a free gift on offer, an offer of deliverance from sin and death (Jn 3:16) “Redemption”.

Redemption
Jesus became the only recognised sacrifice for sin. The OT rituals had served their purpose in pointing to the coming Messiah, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

After His resurrection from the grave. Jesus paid the price for every person; for every human being coming into this world as well as for those of the OT who believed in the prophetic future. They believed through the religious rituals and the prophetic announcements of God’s Word.

(Heb 11:39,40). “Only together with us will they be made perfect”

Rom 8:3-4 For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.

The same Holy Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead is living in those who have received Jesus as their Saviour. 

“IF…” The spirit is living in you

He will also give life to your mortal body while you are waiting.

Does sin really matter?
Rom 6:14 For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.

15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey-- whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness

Conclusion

The whole purpose of Easter Sunday, is to draw our attention to the powerful Word of God regarding our salvation.

1. Out of His love for you and me, and every other sinner in this world, God gave us a way out though the death of His only begotten Son.

There was a penalty that had to be paid for God to allow the greatest of His creation, the offspring of Adam, into His holy presence. Jesus, the ultimate Lamb of God, paid the price that we could not pay.

2. Now, because He took our sins to the grave so that we can, through faith, know that we are forgiven when we acknowledge that our sins are taken away.

3. But not only can we believe in being pardoned but we can now receive the Spirit of Christ, the Holy Spirit to live within us because Jesus rose from the dead and has given us His Spirit of holiness so that we can have intimate relationship with our Creator, our Holy Father in heaven.

4. Easter Sunday is Resurrection Day; the Day that brought about the potential for us to enjoy intimate relationship with our awesome, almighty Father in heaven; the Day when Jesus finally defeated death and made it possible for us to live without the fear of tomorrow or the guilt of the past

Keys to unlock the doors of opportunity

Acts 16: 16-34

“Pleasure in the job leads to perfection in the work”(Aristotle)

Paul was a “mentally talented” /intelligent man.

He was a learned man in Greek Philosophy & Jewish Law, but he found Someone far greater than Philosophical Reasoning and Religious Rituals.

He met Jesus Christ and his life was turned up-side-down.

People have a misconception that spirituality and intelligence cannot blend together-it’s either or.

The mental and spiritual aspects are separate entities of the human body, but they can co-exist.

Paul is a classic example that it can.

He devoted his life, time, energy, mental talents to spreading the Gospel.

He was able to explain deep Theological truths in simple layman’s language, so that people can understand and implement it.

Even though the Gospel was simplified, some still found reason to argue and to be skeptical.

You must have a spirit of discernment-some are trying to win you over to their beliefs, it’s not that they want to know the truth.

 3 Keys to unlock the doors of opportunity

•         Prayer
•         Praise
•         Persecution

Prayer- Verse 25

Be faithful in the gathering of prayer sessions with other believers and by yourself

Jesus will make His Presence known (

Be  intentional-if there are no prayer groups in your workplace/neighborhood/family –start one!

Divine act-supernatural things happen when we pray

Praise –Verse 26

It lifts up the down-cast spirit/burdens

It opens the door for God to visit with us (He resides in the praises of His people)

It breaks yokes and sets people free

It creates opportunities for miracles

Persecution

Mathew 5:10-12

There are Cost implications to serving Jesus, but the rewards outweigh it .

Persecution is a cost you must pay if you want to be His disciple; some are paying with their lives/die, but they count it a joy

It prepares the way for miracles-as in the case of Paul

It prepares the way for provision-as in the case of Joseph

It prepares the Way for expansion-as in the case of the early church

It prepared the way for salvation-as in the case of Jesus

Don’t sit on the ash heap when you are persecuted at your workplace, in the family, neighborhood-

Start praying for them

Start praising God in the midst of the difficulties

Paul & Silas were imprisoned not for any wrong-doing, but for rebuking /reprimanding the slave-girl.

Her owners had them arrested because it messed up their finances

Why did Paul rebuke her when she spoke the truth?

Her heart did not agree with what her mouth was confessing (Romans 10:8-10**)

If she did she would not have been a fortune-teller

Conclusion

A great door for ministry is opening. Therefore:       

• Guard yourselves
• Be Steadfast in faith
• Be courageous
• Serve and do everything with love for God and His creation
• Endure persecution by changing your perception about the circumstances & situations to it
• Stay positive by committing your feelings/emotions to the Lord. Don’t become weighed down by it stand up and stand out in the midst of the persecution.

Paul took pleasure in His work as a servant of the Gospel. How about you?

By: Pastor Alicia Lawrence