DISCIPLESHIP 101 (Part 9 - The King)

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FUNDAMENTALS OF DISCIPLESHIP

DISCIPLESHIP 101

Part 9 – The King

Luke 17:20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of Elohim should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of Elohim cometh not with observation:

21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of Elohim is within you.

Repentance from iniquity, repentance from sins, repentance from dead works:  We are bought with a price.  We are no longer our own.  We belong to another.  Life is not about “me.”  Life is about the King.

Today, I want to discuss this matter that “Life is about the King.”  Today, masses of believers around the world call the Son of IAUE, “the Lord Jesus Christ.”  This compound name generates an emotional response born of tradition and expectation from the congregation.  A pastor can sing it out with powerful voice, and the church responds on key; and yet, “Lord” is not his title, “Jesus” is not his name, and “Christ” is not who he is.  (We covered this on 5/5/13, in our very 2^nd post in this blog.)  What we seldom hear him called is, “King.”  This has resulted in a misunderstanding of a great many passages of Scripture.

The New Testament opens with this verse:

Matthew 1:1 The book of the generation of Yahushua Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

The very first sentence from the pen of Matthew writing his message to the Jews is to identify Yahushua the Messiah as the son of David, the son of Abraham. Matthew then proves his declaration by showing the lineage of Abraham all the way down to Joseph, the husband of Mary unto whom was born Yahushua.

Luke, writing his gospel to Theophilus, begins with a set-up of the history of the three year ministry of Yahushua (which would occupy the rest of his account).  He sets forth the facts regarding the birth of Yahushua, and moves very quickly to his revelation to Israel as the Messiah at his immersion by John.  Before moving to discuss his ministry, Luke establishes the genealogy of Yahushua from Joseph and Mary back through David, through Abraham, all the way back to Adam…and to Elohim.

Matthew’s genealogy traces him back to David through the bloodline of David’s son, Solomon; and Luke traces him back to David through the bloodline of his son, Nathan.  Matthew shows the bloodline of Joseph.  Luke shows the bloodline of Mary. 

The significance of showing that the bloodlines of both Joseph and Mary trace back to David was to prove one thing.  Yahushua was the rightful heir to the throne of David.  This is expressly why Matthew’s very first verse of his gospel calls him “the son of David.”  Yahushua was born, King of the Jews.  At his birth, this is who he was; and who he is still, today. By tracing him back to Abraham, Matthew connects him to be the “seed of Abraham,” whom Paul later identifies in Galatians 3, to be “the Messiah.”  By tracing him back to Adam, Luke’s gospel identifies him as the son of IAUE.

Understanding this sheds new light on the interaction between the angel and Joseph.

Matthew 1:20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of IAUE appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.

Joseph knew he was a direct descendant of King David, and as such, he had a responsibility to maintain a pure bloodline.  If Mary had been unfaithful, their child, their firstborn, would have been a bastard and not of the bloodline of David.  Joseph was told he had no reason to fear being wed to Mary.  Mary had her own encounter with Gabriel, the archangel of IAUE; and she was told not to fear, for the child would not be one of fornication but of divine implantation.  She, too, knew she was a direct descendant of David and was responsible to remain pure.

Once Messiah was immersed of John, fasted in the wilderness and returned in the power of the Spirit, he taught constantly about the Kingdom of Heaven/the Kingdom of Elohim.  Many of his parables began with, “The Kingdom of Elohim is like this…”  His message, everywhere he went, was “Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.”  He was the King announcing the imminent appearance of his own kingdom.

Look at the awareness of this relationship between being the son of David and being the Messiah in just the gospel of Matthew.

Matthew 9:27 And when Yahushua departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou son of David, have mercy on us.

Matthew 12:23 And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David?

Matthew 15:22  And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Master, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.

Matthew 20:30  And, behold, two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Yahushua passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Master, thou son of David.

Matthew 20:31 And the multitude rebuked them, because they should hold their peace: but they cried the more, saying, Have mercy on us, O Master, thou son of David.

Matthew 21:9 And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of IAUE; Hosanna in the highest.

Matthew 21:15 And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the son of David; they were sore displeased,

Matthew 22:42 Saying, What think ye of Messiah? whose son is he? They say unto him, The son of David.

When they called him, “Master,” this was no common usage of the term, as of simple respect for an elder, a wealthy person, or a local leader.  It was a term used to acknowledge Yahushua as KING.

In our opening passage of Scripture, the Pharisees were asking Messiah when the kingdom of Elohim was come.  It was a half-taunt, half-terrified-of-the-answer question.

Luke 17:20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of Elohim should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of Elohim cometh not with observation:

21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of Elohim is within you.

In his answer, Yahushua revealed the divine plan.  His answer to the Pharisees contained a key to the revelation of the mystery given to Paul; a mystery kept hidden from the foundation of the world. The King intended to take up residence within man; and to express his dominion through man.  To accomplish this objective, he was going to have to die, then rise from the dead, leave the world, indwell his disciples with his spirit, manifest his authority and dominion through redeemed men and women through signs and wonder, command repentance and preach remission of sins.  Then, he would return to claim his throne on the earth; but before that would happen, his kingdom would first be manifested, made apparent, through the lives of his disciples in whom he, the King, resided.

Before he left his disciples, Luke records the following.

Acts 1:1 The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Yahushua began both to do and teach,

2 Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Spirit had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:

3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of Elohim:

His final instructions to his disciples were of the kingdom of Elohim.

4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.

5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days hence.

For the kingdom of Elohim to be within them, they first had to be born of the Spirit and brought into union with the spirit of the King; and empowered by the Spirit of Elohim, Himself.

6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Master, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?

See, even at this moment of the King’s departure, the disciples are asking if when the Holy Spirit comes, will that be when Yahushua will take his place upon the throne of David?  They are speaking to their King.  They think of him as their King.  They are taking vows of allegiance to their King.  Yahushua, in their mind, is first and foremost their King.

7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.

8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Being a witness UNTO Yahushua, means they are to be the advance guard proclaiming the dominion of the King, and demonstrating his dominion through signs and wonders and the power of the gospel to change men’s lives, setting them free from all captivity, from all forms of bondage to sin.  Repentance, which we have been discussing for the past two weeks, is in its very essence, a commitment of allegiance to the King; and a forsaking of all that opposes his reign in their lives.

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Kingdom heart: a heart that offers no resistance to the performance of the will of IAUE.

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DISCIPLESHIP 101 (Part 8 - Repentance - II)

WBS.211

FUNDAMENTALS OF DISCIPLESHIP

DISCIPLESHIP 101

Part 8 – Repentance - II

Isaiah 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and IAUE hath laid on him (Messiah) the iniquity of us all.

Repentance is embracing the clemency provided for us by the death of Messiah, and receiving the power provided by the resurrection of Messiah to turn to IAUE and be restored to the purpose for which we were created: obedience to the will of IAUE.  It is a command.  All mankind is under the authority of IAUE, now invested in the person of the Master Yahushua Messiah.  A king has the right to command his people, and to judge them for their rebellion; and we cannot be his disciple without repentance.

There are so many ways to study this matter of repentance.  In mainline church circles it is explained as “to turn around,” to cease going in the direction you have been going, and go the opposite direction.  This is an over-simplified definition of repentance as it fails to identify from what one is to turn, unto what one is to turn, and why one is to turn around in the first place. The general explanation provided us is to turn from our sins, to turn to Elohim, and the typical reason is to be saved.  Of course, “being saved” is rarely defined or explained.  It is left for each person to assume what that means, including to understand how absolute necessary “being saved” is.

We saw in last week’s post, several verses of Scripture that speak of turning to IAUE.  That is the obvious direction unto which man is to turn; but in what direction was man headed away from IAUE?  There are at least three answers to that question; and to understand repentance in its fullest sense, it is necessary to understand those wayward directions from which we must turn back to IAUE.

Wayward Direction #1

Isaiah 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and IAUE hath laid on him (Messiah) the iniquity of us all.

The Scriptures tell us that Messiah came to seek and to save that which was lost (Luke 19:10). Have you ever gone on a drive to an unfamiliar destination?  Maybe you printed out a map, or just studied a map to see the way to get there, then off you went; and part of the way there you got this brilliant idea to take a short cut; or maybe you just thought you could improve on the designated path to get there and you “turned to your own way.”  What happened?  Usually, in life, the result is, you got lost. I think it is just these experiences that created the phrase, “You can’t get there from here.”  The Scripture says that “we have turned every one to his own way.”

Judges 21:25 In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.

Prov 14:12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

Proper direction for man’s life does not originate with man.  We are a creature, and we have a Creator.  Just like an engineer, today, who designs an automobile, for example, the creator of that car has a manual for its proper use and operation.  If the car chooses for itself what it should do and where it should go, it will go off-script and destroy itself.  Man is no different.  There is a manual designed by our Creator for our proper use and operation.

In Isaiah 53.6 (above) turning to our own way is called “iniquity;” so the first wayward direction from which we must turn is to turn from iniquity…from doing what is right in our own eyes. Note, it is not what we are doing; but the right to choose what we will do that is iniquity.  It is the act of going our own way that is wrong and which must be reversed.

Wayward Direction #2

Matthew 1:21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Yahushua: for he shall save his people from their sins.

Luke 24:47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

Repenting from iniquity is to turn from our rebellion against the Creator’s designed path for our life.  It is to cease choosing to do what seems right to us and to turn back to the Creator’s design for our life, yielding fully to His authority (His right to choose for us) and His choices for us. 

While we are of this rebellious mindset (iniquity), everything we do is incapable of pleasing IAUE.  These deeds are called “sins.” Absolutely everything we do while in the path of iniquity, no matter how “good” it may be measured to be by society, is evil in the eyes of IAUE, because they originated with us and not with Him.

Romans 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against Elohim: for it is not subject to the law of Elohim, neither indeed can be.

⁸ So then they that are in the flesh cannot please Elohim.

We are to repent, to turn from the deeds borne out of our own ideas; and not just what appears to be evil; but also everything that even appears to be good or borne of good intentions.  Iniquity cannot bear good fruit.  Once the path to turn to our own way is made, every fruit of that path is evil.

Wayward Direction #3

Hebrews 6:1  Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Messiah, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward Elohim,

Man’s choice of iniquity (turning to his own way) was made for him by Adam.  Every person born of the seed of man was shaped in iniquity and conceived in sin (Psalm 51:5).  Man is born alienated from the life and light of IAUE; consequently, man’s only choice was to do what seemed right in his own thinking. Of course, every choice was sin; and sin, which it is finished, brings forth death (James 1:15).  [This is why the wide gate and the broad path lead unto destruction.  It is the path of iniquity.  It is not a life that has been returned to the Creator’s design and authority.]

Though shaped in iniquity and conceived in sin, man still has an instinctive “upward yearning” for his Creator; however being born alienated from IAUE and being a subject of the kingdom of darkness, man thinks that there is something he can do to restore the relationship with IAUE.  Virtually every religion on the face of the earth is nothing more than an effort by man to “reach IAUE”  They all devise methods or practices by which one may make an appeal to Him of right standing before Him.  This is what the Scriptures refer to as “dead works.”

More often than not, it is a system of “good works” (by society’s standards). If one does more good than bad, the scales tip to IAUE and man is saved.  Some religions require ascetic practices of self-denial and abasement.  What is a good work that comes from walking in iniquity?  Sin.  Is that ever going to be an acceptable appeal before IAUE?  Never.

Gal 2:416 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Yahushua Messiah, even we have believed in Yahushua Messiah that we might be justified by the faith of Messiah, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

Titus 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

Man instinctively appeals to IAUE with the fruit of his own hands; because he believes there is good within him that can be demonstrated to IAUE.  It is another thought that seems right to a man; but the end there of are the ways of death.

Remember Cain and Abel?  Cain offered a sacrifice that was grown by his own hands and efforts.  Abel offered a life of an animal as a sacrifice representative of his own life.  IAUE was displeased with Cain’s sacrifice because it demonstrated that Cain did not understand the true nature of his condition before Him.  He offered a “dead work.”

Repentance from this third wayward direction, therefore, is to turn from appealing for right standing before IAUE (justification) on any other ground than upon that which Yahushua Messiah has done for man.  Man can take absolutely no credit whatsoever for the mechanism by which he is restored into the Creator’s will for his life. Right standing is provided by IAUE through Yahushua His son. If man can do anything for it, man earns it; but it is evident that nothing man can do can make the slightest appeal to IAUE for right standing with Him.

Even knowing this, however, does not stop man from offering up dead works. Even believers, today, try to outweigh evil with good; or they simply rely on the passing of time so their “sin” is no longer a present thought or issue (in their mind).  Some pray special prayers repeatedly to appeal to IAUE’s favor, or they will fast for periods of time.  The “life” of dead works, that which powers the persistent appeals of dead works for acceptance before IAUE, is fueled by iniquity.  Once we repent of our choice to go our own way; we can never offer a device of our own choosing to try to appeal to IAUE’s “good side,” because we know that anything that originates with us is already unacceptable.

Repentance from iniquity, repentance from sins, repentance from dead works:  We are bought with a price.  We are no longer our own.  We belong to another.  Life is not about “me.”  Life is about the King.

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Kingdom heart: a heart that offers no resistance to the performance of the will of IAUE.

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DISCIPLESHIP 101 (Part 7 - Repentance)

WBS.210

FUNDAMENTALS OF DISCIPLESHIP

DISCIPLESHIP 101

Part 7 – Repentance

Mark 6:12 And they went out, and preached that men should repent.

Once we become aware that we have entered the wide gate to a broad path; we must acknowledge that its destination is destruction.  That leaves us with the choice to continue on to our own destruction; or to repent and believe the TRUE gospel, and then live for IAUE.  One might think this would be a “no-brainer,” but the hold of the broad pathway to an unrepentant life is strong. This is why the Master instructed the questioner to strive to enter the strait gate. Can we let go of the fairy tale of an already-secured Heaven to reach for something that will cost us everything?

Many times over the past 45 years, I have wondered why the church does not preach repentance as found in the Scriptures. Often, the only time you hear the word is when someone is leading another through the “magic prayer.”  (You know the one I am talking about. “Jesus, forgive me.  Come into my heart. I accept you as my lord and savior.”  It’s the prayer that you cannot find in the Scriptures anywhere.) Almost in passing, they are lead to say, “I repent of my sins.”  It was not preceded with any kind of explanation that it was going to be a part of the prayer; and like almost any time that someone has you repeat word for word; if you don’t understand it, or don’t even believe it, you just say it because you are under the gun to repeat word for word.  People may be looking; and the fear of man prevents you from saying, “Now, wait just one minute!  What do you mean by ‘I repent of my sins?’  I’m a pretty good person. I haven’t broken any laws. I’m good to my neighbors. I love my mother.  What do you mean ‘I repent of my sins?”.   

And THAT is the introduction of the vast majority of people into Christendom. The truly unrepentant (because they didn’t even know what that entailed; and they certainly did not have the time to process what it required of them) make up the mass of most congregations.  No matter how zealous and devoted they are to their beliefs and to the religious culture; they have never truly visited the first claim of the gospel upon the life of man.  Repent.

Let’s take a look at what the Scripture says about this.

After his immersion, Messiah was lead into the wilderness for 40 days.  When he returned, the Scriptures say that he returned in the power of the Holy Spirit.  And then it says this:

Matthew 4:17 From that time Yahushua began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Everywhere he went, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” were virtually the first words out of his mouth.  His words were not a request.  They were an edict of IAUE being passed down to man by his emissary.

Luke 13:3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

Luke 13:5 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

The truth of these words is no less applicable today than they were when Messiah spoke them.

In Mark 6, Yahushua called the twelve unto him and prepared them for a mission.  It was a mission that would “break the ice” of their ultimate call to take the gospel to the world. It was a task that would give them some initial experience of preaching the gospel.  What did they do?

Mark 6:12 And they went out, and preached that men should repent.

They also cast out demons and healed the sick.  It is a package deal, this gospel of Messiah Yahushua; but it begins with a command to repent.  It isn’t a “pretty please” request; and it is certainly not something that can be understated, overlooked or not declared. To fail to command the people to repent would be to not present the gospel at all.  After his resurrection, the Master made this abundantly clear.

Luke 24:45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,

46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Messiah to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:

47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

He did not say to preach that IAUE has a wonderful plan for their lives.  He did not say to offer them the children’s bread while they are still dogs; and yet how many times have you heard people tell the lost about all the things that they receive when they come to Messiah?  Even telling them they must be born again, and trying to explain what that brings to their lives is nowhere to be found in the presentation of the gospel. What IS found in the Scriptures is a demonstration of the power of the Holy Spirit, followed by an explanation of how the observer can also partake of the kingdom to which that power belongs.

On the day of Pentecost, when Peter preached the very first message to jumpstart the gospel to the world, he first answered the peoples’ question about what was happening.  120 men and woman were speaking in languages unknown to them. They were magnifying IAUE in the languages of the people who were in Jerusalem for the festival. Peter knew that his audience understood that this prophecy, this promise of the Spirit being poured out upon all flesh, was the heritage of the people of IAUE; so his message migrated to how the Spirit could be poured out upon them. Here is how his sermon progressed.

1. The miracle they were witnessing was what Joel prophesied.   That prophecy ended with “Whosever shall call upon the name of IAUE shall be saved.”

2.  He moved from that last verse from Joel’s prophecy to explain who Yahushua was. 

    a. He was sent by IAUE, proven to be the Messiah by the miracles IAUE did through him. 

    b. He was killed. 

    c. He rose from the dead. He poured out the Holy Spirit which has produced this miracle you see today (120 people praising IAUE in the languages of the people gathered in Jerusalem from all across the Mediterranean seaboard).

  

The masses present realized that if what Peter said was true, they had to respond to it; but they did not know how to respond; so they asked Peter what they must do.

Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Yahushua Messiah for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

This is exactly what Messiah told them that they were to do (Luke 24:47):  “Preach repentance and remission of sins.”  The book of Acts records the obedience of the original apostles and disciples to the Master’s instructions.

Acts 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of IAUE.

Acts 11:18 When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified Elohim, saying, Then hath Elohim also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.

Acts 17:30 And the times of this ignorance IAUE winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:

Acts 20:20 And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publicly, and from house to house,

21 Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward IAUE, and faith toward our Master Yahushua Messiah.

Acts 26:20 But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to IAUE, and do works meet for repentance.

Today, we are embarrassed to command people to repent.  Why is this?  Maybe it is because we have not repented. How can we communicate the command of Yahushua that people repent when we are not even a good example of that in our own lives?  Also, how much of an example do we give others of what it is to have received the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon our own life?  Are we a vibrant example of the power of the Holy Spirit demonstrating the fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy, or are we just someone speaking words.  

We have covered this many times before in this blog; but, what is sin?  From what, exactly, are we to command people to repent?  Part of that can be answered by seeing what happened in the book of Acts.

Acts 9:35 And all that dwelt at Lydda and Saron saw him, and turned to IAUE.

Acts 11:21 And the hand of IAUE was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto IAUE.

Acts 15:19  Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to IAUE:

Acts 26:20 But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to IAUE, and do works meet for repentance.

Sin is not the bad things we have done; but rather, they are the acts of our own will which evidence that our lives are not committed to obeying the authority and will of IAUE.  

 

Isaiah 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and IAUE hath laid on him (Messiah) the iniquity of us all.

Repentance is embracing the clemency provided for us by the death of Messiah, and receiving the power provided by the resurrection of Messiah to turn to IAUE and be restored to the purpose for which we were created: obedience to the will of IAUE.  It is a command.  All mankind is under the authority of IAUE, now invested in the person of the Master Yahushua Messiah.  A king has the right to command his people, and to judge them for their rebellion; and we cannot be his disciple without repentance.

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Kingdom heart: a heart that offers no resistance to the performance of the will of IAUE.

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