What and why is the New Creation? Pt.2

Messages for September 2017: Our Month of New Things

Message for Sunday 10^th of September, 2017

Theme: Understanding the New Creation Life

Topic: What and why is the New Creation? Pt.2

Introduction: last week we began to look at this topic and we were able to trace the history of man from the beginning to the fall and we looked briefly at the consequence of the sin of man which simply put, was death. We saw that man died in three ways namely the loss of his eternal life by being cut of God; his source. Secondly, he died physically because his body became subject to decay. Thirdly, if not redeemed, he would die eternally in the lake of fire and brimstone which is the second death. By second death here, we are talking about the death after dying in hell for sin without salvation.

God’s Redemption plan: In Genesis 3:15, God’s redemption plan was unfolded when he said to the serpent that the seed of the woman shall bruise the head of the serpent. To bring this plan to pass, God’s blessing of multiplying men on earth was left intact.

As men began to multiply, it became increasingly difficult for the serpent to be able to pin point anyone he could determine to be the seed of the woman so he came up with his own plan. The plan of the devil was to corrupt the human race with his seed. So in Gen.6:2, Sons of God referred to by many as fallen angels began to mix up with the seed of men with the intent to corrupt the human race so as to frustrate the plan of God. This so grieved God about man that he destroyed the entire human race leaving only Noah and his family who were not contaminated so as to start again to build up his world. All those angels who did not maintain their angelic place were judged by God and chained in hell awaiting God’s final judgement in the lake of fire and brimstone and the entire human race was wiped out by God’s flood except for Noah, his wife and sons and their wives. See Jude 1:6 and 2Pet.3:3-7.

Later, God found Abraham faithful to Him so he entered into covenant with him and in the word of the covenant, he promised that the seed of Abraham would bless the world [Gen.12:1-4]. In the New Testament, Apostle Paul clarified this truth when he said the seed referred to the Lord Jesus Christ in Gal.3:16. See also Jn.1:29; 36 and Matthew 1:21.

Through Jesus Christ the Lamb of God, the entire human race now received access to God through the redemption He paid for with his own blood. See Gal.3:13-14; Gal.4:28; Rm.5:8-10 and Heb.9:11-28.

The fulfillment of the plan of God in Christ: When the Lord Jesus Christ came into the world, he came in fulfillment of various prophecies given after the first one in Gen.3:15. Isaiah testified of him in Isa. 7:14 and Isaiah 9:6-7 and Zechariah the father of John the Baptist did testify of him also in Luke 1:67-79 referring to Him as the daystar from on high. When the angel Gabriel revealed the virgin conception and birth to Mary, he told her that he would save the people from their sin. You will find this account in Matthew 1:21. So we see that the fulfillment of the various prophecies concerning the Lord goes to show that his birth and life on earth was nothing short of the plan of God for the redemption of the human race.

His life and Ministry: As a man, he lived a normal family life with his parents and siblings until the time came for him to begin to fulfill His ministry. Concerning His early life, Luke 2:51-52 tells us that He grew up submissive to his parents and God caused Him to increase in wisdom and stature and in favour with God and man. He was filled with the Holy Spirit at conception because the angel Gabriel who brought the message to his mother told her that she would be overshadowed by the Holy Spirit and she received the word and it became flesh in her. See Luke 1:25-38; Dan.2:44-45; Jn.1:1-5; 12 and 14.

His Temptation: At the fullness of time, the Lord went to be baptized by John the Baptist who recognized him because of the sign that God gave him with which to recognize him; that the Spirit of the Lord shall descend on him in bodily form as a dove. See Mt.3:13-17; Jn.1:31-34. His baptism marked the beginning if His Ministry. After his baptism, He was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. His victory over the temptation of the devil caused his voice to be heard as his fame thus spread abroad thereby. See Lk.4:13-14 and Mt.4:13-16.

At his baptism, God the father confirmed that the Lord Jesus Christ was His Son. Immediately after that the devil came trying to tempt him by flatteries telling him that he could do many things if he were really the Son of God. For instance he asked him to turn stones to bread, jump down a hill and then he attempted to tempt him with the wealth of this world. Jesus overcame all of his temptations and began His Ministry.   

From His temptations we gather that Satan’s target was to get Jesus distracted from fulfilling his purpose for coming. For example in the book of Hebrews 10:6-10, we see the prophecy of the pre-incarnate Jesus Christ in which we see the Lord agreeing to come and offer Himself as the sacrifice for our redemption. Also, in John 17:4-5; Jn.8:58; Ex.3:13-15 we see proof of the pre-incarnate Jesus Christ which also confirms to us that the Lord was the Lamb of God slain before the foundation of the world referred to in the book of Revelation 13:8.

His ministry/Message: From the word of God we can gather that Jesus came to restore mankind back to God, restore man’s dominion over the earth and finally silence death and the devil forever. To this end, the message he preached could be summed up in the prophecy of prophet Isaiah in Isa.61:1-4; 53:1-5 and some of the things he said in the gospels when He walked the sands of time. He preached the message of the coming kingdom of God and that access to that kingdom was going to be by true repentance and faith. See Lk.4:16-30; 19:10; Mk.1:14-15.

Talking about his life and ministry, Apostle Peter said He was anointed by God and went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil. This truth was confirmed by Apostle John when he said he wished above all things that the Church members would prosper and be in health even as their soul prospered. Also the writer of Hebrews showed us that Jesus came to fulfill prophecy as the Lamb of God slain for our redemption. That the sacrifice of himself on Calvary’s Cross was enough to obtain eternal redemption for all of mankind forever. All these truths were received in great details and delivered to us by Apostle Paul when he said in Romans 10:6-11 that our salvation was already easily accessible to us by faith in Christ Jesus. See Acts 10:38-48; 3Jn.1:2 and Heb.10:4-10.      

His death and burial: Of his death and resurrection Apostle Peter had this to say among other things in Acts 2:12-19:

“… Ye denied the Holy one and the just and desired a murderer to be granted unto you;

And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses…” verses 14 and 15.

The religious leaders of his time claimed to be killing Him for blasphemy which they could neither prove nor establish but Pilate knew that they killed him out of envy. See Mt.27:17-18 and Mk.15:9-11. Everything about His life, ministry, death, burial and resurrection was preordained by God and prophesied by the ancient prophets; some who even lived up to 300 years before He was born and they all came to pass. After He was crucified a secret disciple; Joseph of Arimathaea who was a rich man, took his body and buried him in the tomb he prepared for himself in which none was ever laid. See Mt.27:45-66; Mk.15:33-47; Isa.53 and Ps.22. 

His resurrection: Also, in accordance with the word of God, the Lord was raised by the power of God from the dead on the third day to die no more. By this means, He destroyed him that had the power of death so as to deliver all who were subject to bondage through their fear of death so that we can be restored to God as His sons and daughters. This has entitled us to become heirs of God and joint heirs with the Lord Jesus Christ. When He rose from the dead, He appeared to many. The bible records that he instructed five hundred disciples to await the promise of the father. When the promise was fulfilled only 120 of them were available to receive. See 1Cor.15:6; Acts 1:1-14; Heb.2:14-15; Mt.28:6-7; Mk.16:1-14; Lk.24:1-8; Mt.28:18-20 and Mk.16:15-20.

The fulfillment of His post resurrection ministry: When John the Baptist announced Him to all his followers, he made it clear that the person to baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire was going to be the one who came after Him. When He met the Lord at the Lord’s baptism, he was able to recognize the Lord as the Messiah and the one who would baptize believers with the Holy Spirit and fire. The Lord confirmed this to his disciples in the following texts of scripture among others: Mt.3:11; Mk.1:6-8; Lk.3:16; Jn.16:13; Lk.24:46-49 and Acts 1:4. See also Mt.3:11 and Lk.3:16. However, this ministry of baptizing with the Holy Spirit was going to be His post resurrection ministry. This explains why the Lord said to his disciples that if they understood better they would desire his departure because it was necessary for Him to depart before the Holy Spirit could come for them. Finally, in Acts 1:8, he told them that they would receive power to be witnesses for Him when the Holy Spirit comes on them. After His ascension following His resurrection, forty days later, He fulfilled His ministry as the Baptizer with the Holy Spirit. He is still doing this till today. See Acts 2:1-4; 2:38-39; 10:44-46 and 19:1-6.

His legacy: His legacy were the eleven men left of the twelve He discipled. One of them Judas Iscariot did not make it because he became a son of perdition and had to be replaced. Men replaced him with Matthias but the Lord replaced him with Saul who later became Apostle Paul. See Acts 1:15-26 and Acts 9:1-6 and verses 10 to 20. He invested so wisely in them that it was easy for the Holy Spirit to continue to disciple and multiply them from where He finished. Today, the voices of His disciples are still resounding on earth and still multiplying the flock for him. Indeed what he brought us was eternal life. See Mt.4:17-20; Lk.5:8-11; Jn.10:7-18 and Jn.17:1-4.

We shall draw the curtain here for today because of time and space. We shall continue next week with the remaining part of this topic.

Meanwhile anyone reading this that has yet to decide for Christ as their Messiah, this is your opportunity to do so. If you want to decide for the Lord Jesus Christ right away, please do so by saying following prayer out loud in faith and the Holy Spirit will take you up from there:

Heavenly Father,

Have mercy on me a sinner. Today, I believe that Jesus died for me and you raised Him from the dead for my Justification. I therefore declare that Jesus Christ is my Saviour and Lord and from today, I renounce the fatherhood of Satan and embrace Jesus Christ as my Saviour and Lord. Thank you for this father in Jesus’ name! Amen.

Congratulations! For more information and resources that would help you grow in this new life, please visit our website at www.kingdomheirsministries.org and our blogs at www.flourishinggirl.blogspot.com and follow us on twitter at alero_nanna and on face book on www.facebook.com/flourishinggirl www.facebook.com/khmii2015; www.facebook.com/thewellbeingcenter. Or www.facebook.com/kingdomjointheirsfamily email:  jointheirsfamily@gmail.com.