I Have Seen the Lord
Introduction
Good to be back from vacation- and yes, contrary to last weeks speaker, I did take a vacation.
I do understand where Pastor Jay is coming from- many Christians do not have a sense of laboring in the fields or building God’s Kingdom.
I do believe it is good to regularly get away from our everyday schedules to … refresh our bodies/minds, seek God’s heart for our lives, and refocus on what is really important.
We are in a spiritual race and I want to finish it well.
One of the questions I am wrestling with- I am 63- how can I finish strong, what does the Lord have for me to do in the next 15-20 years?
Each of us needs to ask the same question … how can I run the race I am in and complete the next 10 years successfully, what is it God has for me/how can I do it well.
Listened to- Pastor Tony’s/Jay’s words.
Both words-timely/challenging-personally/corporately.
I want to build on the theme of their words so I am going to start by reviewing their words.
Review- Pastor Tony’s Word
1. Dedication of Solomon’s Temple
In 2 Chr 7- dedicating the new temple Solomon built.
Temple was the place of God’s presence … 2 Chr 5:13-14
Today we are God’s temple …
1 Pet 2:5 you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God … NASU
As they were dedicating the temple …
2 Chr 7:1-3
Pastor Tony made a very astute observation …
For God’s fire to fall on us today, there must also be an offering or a sacrifice.
In other words, what are we putting before God?
Rom 12:1 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
In order to experience … fire of God, His glory, and His presence
… we must make ourselves available to Him.
Are we giving God something to pour out His fire on?
How much of me is for God, how much for myself?
2. Kings and Priests
In Rv 5:10 we are called kings and priests and
in 1 Pet 2:9 we are called a royal priesthood.
Kings govern/priests intercede on behalf of people.
The church has been given the authority to … govern the world through intercession.
Therefore, the church, by not praying, has created a void into which unrighteous rulers have stepped.
We have an incredible responsibility/opportunity.
Review- Pastor Jay challenged us as well
God is returning for a glorious church …
The church is a people, where the presence, the power, the acts, the nature, and the character of God are in sustained manifestation. Pastor Jay
As we position ourselves to stand in His presence and His glory, we will be transformed into His image.
1 Cor 15:49 Just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we will also bear the image of the heavenly. NASU
God is looking for a people that are not too busy to … cultivate His presence into their daily routines.
Pastor Jay talked about God shaking the nations.
I do not see America pressing in, I see America adjusting. Pastor Jay
There is a place to make adjustments, but we cannot just adjust/trim, we must press into God.
There is great revelation that has come out of the church in American, but the application is very weak. Pastor Jay
For those who take it, the opportunity to sit under anointed teachers in this country is unlimited.
Our difficulty comes in practically living those truths.
I Have Seen the Lord
Zephaniah- prophetic book …
on one level speaks of God’s judgment- Babylonian captivity, on another level speaks of the judgment of God that will fall on the world at the end of the age.
Zep 1:1-4a, 6
We often view God’s judgment falling on those we consider to be wicked people.
Who is he talking about here (v6) …
1. Those who once followed God and now are not
2. Those who do not take time to inquire of Him
I am not worried about #1, but #2 is troubling.
Many times I allow the responsibility/busyness of life to rob me from time I would take to inquire of God.
I allow the urgent to outweigh the important, or I allow other things to fill my life and push God out.
Zep 1:12
What does it mean to be stagnant in spirit?
Stagnant- river that has stopped flowing/now blocked.
Stagnant heart- a heart that is not flowing, advancing, developing with respect to the things of God.
Some translations use the word- complacent.
Complacent- a self-satisfaction that comes out of an unawareness of …
the true condition of our heart and the seriousness of the days in which we live.
In Rev 3 it talks about people who are not hot or cold towards God, but luke-warm.
I am not intentionally luke-warm but I allow circumstances to rob me of my fervor for God.
I end up luke-warm and in a place where God may have to bring judgment (shaking) in my life, to awaken me so I will return to fervency.
Jn 20:1
Mary had come to the tomb during the fourth watch which is from 3am to 6am.
Her desire for Jesus- so strong- came early to see Him
Jn 20:2-9
As much as they had heard Jesus teach, they had not yet realize He was going to die/be resurrected.
As they looked at the grave clothes they suddenly realized what Jesus had been telling them.
They experience this light/truth- what do they do …
Jn 20:10
Contrast this with Mary- she had … risen before dawn to go to the tomb,
run to tell Peter and John what she found, returned with them to the tomb, and then tarried at the tomb after the went home.
Peter/John had gained new insights and spiritual truths, but they still went home afterwards.
Mary may have come to the same realization, but knowledge was not enough for her.
Mary wanted to experience the presence of the Lord.
Jn 20:11-16
At first she did not see Jesus- perhaps because- could not take her eyes off the tomb-had her back to Him.
A picture of many of us who are looking at our situation in unbelief when all we need to do is turn around and see the Lord with eyes of faith.
As a result of the cry in Mary’s heart/her willingness to wait for the Lord, she experienced His presence.
Jesus would eventually appear to the disciples, but He appeared to Mary first. Why?
Her heart yearned for Him … she knew she had sinned much,
had experienced Jesus love, was forgiven much, and now loved much in return.
She would not be satisfied with trite answers, she wanted to again experience the Lord’s love.
I appreciate Peter/John, but I want a heart like Mary.
Jn 20:17-18
Like Mary, I want to be able to say… “I have seen the Lord.”
This is the very essence of Christianity, that we can say … “I have seen the Lord.”
God did eventually appear to the disciples and they did experience His presence as Mary had.
Reminds me of the story of Mary and Martha …
Lk 10:38-42
It is not a question of devotion in place of service, but keeping devotion first and out of our devotion comes anointed and Spirit led service.
I work as if God does nothing and pray like God does everything. Pastor Jay
Effective service for God comes out of relationship.
Conclusion
We are living at the end of the age and God is shaking the nations with His judgment.
However God’s judgment comes out of His love and desire that everyone would turn towards Him.
Jn 20:30-31
The scripture is given for two reasons- that we would-
believe and live.
The scripture is not given just so we can believe, get saved, and go to heaven.
It is given so we can … live God’s eternal life now and
serve Him with signs and wonders following.
