The Work of Believing, Beholding, Adoring, and Making Lord: Col 1

Make every effort to know and experience Jesus. 

Who is God?  Whose am I?  Who am I? Why am I here - what for?  How am I to go about this life (if my life IS IN Christ?)

Becoming like the One I behold, the One (ironically, I am beholden to) the one I follow, the One whose disciple I am; dwelling on the One who indwells me, occupied with the One who occupies me, to be possessed by the One who possesses me, to be like the One I behold, adore, and abide in - it is mine to be like Jesus.  Joining God in His working to confirm me to Him - adoring. 

My life and its work will reflect the sincerity of my worship - my giving God His worth - proclaiming His value by working to believe, behold, and adore. It is not that good works produce sincere worship, it is that sincere worship, emanating from a humble spirit, will produce more and deeper humility, and in humility, we see God for who He is and what He has done (Matt 5:3).  

Having beheld God, being taken with Him, in light of Him, I can now see others as better than myself (Phil 2:3-4) our eyes can now see the plight of the downtrodden, our heart aches for the wounded and marginalized, and our heart reaches out to comfort with the very same comfort we ourselves have received. (2Cor 1:3-4)

Why?  Because we have beheld the glory of God in the face of Christ - that is, the Father of compassion, we have seen Him rightly, had our minds and hearts touched, and so we become inclined to go His way, in His manner - humbly, gently, respectfully (Matt 11; 1Pet 3).  Not just to do what He did, but say it, do it, the way He did.

The work that God requires: Good works, doing the right thing, can soften the heart, it can open us up to God’s moving, but it is beholding, abiding in, dwelling on, being occupied with, possessed by, being discipled by… Jesus, that will massage the heart to a fervent life (John 1:1-5) and prompt the works that will bring Him glory. (Ro 12)

To behold Jesus is to see Him for who He is and marvel at the truth…

1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was with God in the beginning. 3Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome a it.

The hard work is to behold, adore, and abide - to enter into the rest of Jesus and the grace of God (Heb 2;3). The ongoing work is to continually remove from the heart everything that my flesh would want to possess and place on that throne, and to put on the One your heart was actually designed to be possessed by and to possess - the One for Whom that seat was actually designed. 

The work of the kingdom is not necessarily to do good works  - though for those we are being created (Eph 2:8-10) - the work of the kingdom (and to be able to rightly do the good works God’s prepared for us) is to work to believe in Jesus, to behold Him, to adore him, to abide in Him - and to make him Lord. Then the good works come more naturally - our works that are truly born out of our righteousness and that righteousness acting itself out rightly, flowing from this truth: that the good works we do are out of this life of sincere worship.  (Gal 5:22-23)

• The work is in the believing - John 6:28

• The work is in Seeking - Isaiah 55:6; 26:9; Proverbs 1:8; 2:1-5; 3:1,5-7, 9,11, 21

• The work, in conjunction with our great and powerful Helper, the Holy Spirit, is fighting the flesh’s desires for the throne of the heart to be occupied by its desires. - Col 3:5-17; Ro 6:6,13; 1Co 6:18

• The good works that follow are then an extension of our heart’s desire to please the object of our adoration - not me, but Him. - Isaiah 58

A changed life having beheld - Isaiah 6:1-9 - Isaiah saw God, and can only respond with two things: one Amandum and two here am I send me

1In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. 3And they were calling to one another:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.”  4At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.  5“Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.”  6Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.”  8Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”  And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

And God gladly said… 9He said, “Go

A changed heart calling out to other hearts to sincerely behold - So what Isaiah was called to write, and Isaiah 58, would’ve been a natural expression of his experience with God and would have written it from a position of understanding in an attempt to convince his brothers and sisters to be hold God and be changed

Isaiah 58:5 Was this the kind of fasting I have required…

5Is this the kind of fast I have chosen, only a day for people to humble themselves?  Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed and for lying in sackcloth and ashes?  Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the Lord?

Isaiah 58:6 Or is this the kind of fasting…

6“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke,

Tell me what to do! We are so desirous to be told what good things we are to do, that we think it strange when we are told that the thing we must do first and foremost is not “to do”, but to believe, behold, adore, and make Lord.  That the true work of God is to believe, behold, adore, and abide - granting Jesus access and authority in and over our heart (which, btw, IS the most difficult work of all - and even in this, we are not left alone - as Jesus has overcome this world and its trouble and granted us that victory - John 14:18; 16:33; 1Cor 15:50-58) and everything we are to do becomes more and more obvious and natural. 

Here are some statements we have heard over the past couple of months: 

• what is in or on the heart will come out 

• we will say and do what we become who we behold, 

• we will be indwelled by the one we dwell on, occupied by the one with whom we are occupied - who we allow to occupy us, possessed by the one we are possessed with (John 14:23; Rev 3:20-21) 

• we will be like the one of whom we are a disciple - and we will naturally do what they do and will learn to do it the way they do it 

The work of redeeming our imagination - and we are not alone in this great work!  We have been graced with:  God’s word, His presence - Holy Spirit, the grace of our imagination - redeeming our imagination in turning our minds and hearts toward Jesus.

Let us behold Him

Colossians 1:15-23

Behold and Become | 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:7

Main Idea/Bottom line up front: We Become Who We Behold.

Read - 2 Corinthians 3:12 - 4:7

“3:12 Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, 13 not like Moses, who

would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the

outcome of what was being brought to an end. 14 But their minds were

hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil

remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. 15 Yes, to this

day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. 16 But when

once turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and

where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we all, with unveiled

face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same

image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who

is the Spirit.

4:1Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. 2

But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to

practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of

the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight

of God. 3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are

perishing. 4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the

unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of

Christ, who is the image of God. 5 For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but

Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.  6 For God,

who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the

light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.7 But we

have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to

God and not to us.”

Reflect - 2 Corinthians 3:1 - 4:7

• 2 Corinthians is a letter from Christ written by the Spirit (Vs 3:1-6)

• Compare & contrast the Ministry of Death/Condemnation vs .Ministry of the Spirit/Righteousness (Vs. 3:7-11)

• See how beholding is tied to becoming glory/beauty (Vs. 3:12-18)

• Bask in the light of the Gospel (Vs. 4:1-7)

Respond - Application

Recognize that even giants of the faith (like the Apostle Paul) are merely “jars of clay”.

Therefore, don’t be too quick to criticize, critique and condemn God’s servants/vessels.

Regard yourself as merely a clay pot that is vessel of Christ’s precious glory and power.

Think and act accordingly.

Implementation - Questions for Personal or Group Consideration

Grab a pen and a notepad. Finish the following sentences. Christ is glorious/beautiful to me because_________?

I am glorious/beautiful to Christ because ________?

Come up with as many words as you can to complete these sentences.

What would look different in your relationship with God if you truly believed that Christ’s glory and power was your greatest treasure and resource?

Is the inertia and energy of your life proceeding from your own resources or from Christ?
How do you know? What needs to stop, start, or continue in this area?

Think about how the church in Corinth treated Paul since they didn’t view him correctly. How will recognizing that everyone in the body of Christ is a “clay pot” change how you regard and treat them? How will you treat others (including unbelievers) differently based on what we’ve studied here?

The Hard Work of Abiding, is, Being in View of God’s Mercy: Isa 58; Luke 15

The hard work of abiding, is, being in view of God’s mercy (Ro 12:1), to persistently put down or put to death - to renounce - our flesh, and its desires (Col 3:5), that which competes for the allegiance and devotion of our hearts, and, to pick up the cross of Christ and His manner and way  (Mk 8:34-38; Jo 14:6)

We have examined our hearts toward God and the worship that comes from the condition of our heart - insincere vs. sincere and the life that comes from the measure of our sincerity.  First the warning to the insincere: the type of worship that is expressed, without truly considering, taking into account, being in constant remembrance of God’s mercy and our need for it - having been forgiven much, will we remember, and love much? (Lu 7:47)

Isaiah 58:1-5  1“Shout it aloud, do not hold back.  Raise your voice like a trumpet. Declare to my people their rebellion and to the descendants of Jacob their sins.  2For day after day they seek me out; they seem eager to know my ways, as if they were a nation that does what is right and has not forsaken the commands of its God. They ask me for just decisions and seem eager for God to come near them. 3‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and you have not seen it?  Why have we humbled ourselves, and you have not noticed?’  “Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your workers. 4Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife, and in striking each other with wicked fists.  You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high. 5Is this the kind of fast I have chosen, only a day for people to humble themselves? Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed and for lying in sackcloth and ashes?  Is that what you call a fast,  a day acceptable to the Lord?

As children of God and recipients of love expressed in His merciful grace - this might be called our “prodigal moment”.  Perhaps losing sight of God’s mercy, taking for granted His grace, taking advantage of His goodness and blessing, and going our own way - the way of our own will and pleasures - and the perilous and fruitless results. 

Luke 15:11-16 11Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. 12The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.  13“Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

Then we began to examine our hearts in light of God’s mercy and grace, remembering Him and His love for us in Jesus - this is the heart that persistently puts to death what belongs to the flesh and remembers, has in mind God’s mercy that produces a grateful and sincere worship - and the life that is born of it:  The fruit of sincere worship: a changed character that changes behavior that changes you as it changes them: in service to God and others:

Isaiah 58:6-8a “Isn’t this the fast I have chosen: to break the chains of wickedness and injustice and untie the cords of the burdensome yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?  To have compassion as your Father has shown you compassion and comfort others with the comfort you have received (2Cor 1)…to share your food with the hungry… shelter for the poor wanderer… to clothe the naked… and love and serve your family?”

8a THEN your light will break forth like the dawn… 

This might be called the “coming to our senses” response - when a light dawns in and to our heart - a startling remembrance of the true nature of our Father - His goodness.  This is the light that dawns, a light that lights not just our hearts, but our path back to our Father and Father's goodness - the darkness of my crippled heart is chased away and the path back to Him is now illumined, by Him, and the light of His Truth. A light to our path… 

Luke 15:17-20 17“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20So he got up and went to his father.

…seeing and coming too know our Father rightly and becoming, more and more, imitators of Him as the dearly loved children that He has made us to be and that we are - and we run back to Him:

Isaiah 58:8b and your healing, your recovery, your restoration, will quckly appear

This then IS our recovery, our healing, and as we turn and go, we realize our recovery, our healing, by the real and true love of our Father (in Jesus), we are refreshed by His rich welcome and acceptance, we are restored to rightness with Him and ourself, we are returned to Him and His goodness, then to accomplished His goodness reflected by His work in us, and we go as a light of the very light of God in us to others as a proof of His goodness to us, in us, and now, rightly and goodly and joyfully, through us.  

Luke 15:11-24“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.  21“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’  22“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

Loving, Truly Loving, is Not Easy, and Will Be Misunderstood (1Cor 3:1-5)

This is by no means an easy day - I do not pretend to have the answers - other than Jesus (1Cor 3:1-5)

As much as there is relief and rejoicing to be done with regards to life being dignified, there are lives around us who are mourning, angry, feeling betrayed and abandoned, and feel as though they have not been dignified, that they are not being dignified and it is ours to minister to both…

Blessed are those who… Matthew 5

• Mourn

• ...are meek - not driven by worldly wants, but humble, gentle, lowly… 

• Hunger and thirst for righteousness - God’s merciful grace expressed in His goodness, fairness, and justness 

• The peacemaker - expressing kindness - in and out of season (Ps 1)

Standing in the midst of the carnage… that is our culture…  

Who are we to minister to?  Whomever we encounter.

How are we to minister to them? In view of the mercy we have received and continue to receive - we are to minister with (that same) mercy and grace, sympathy and compassion, kind loving girded by truth. (Matt 5; Ro 5)

What are we supposed to do?

• We must have a proper perspective - we have to be careful to not get caught up in the “macro” - that doesn’t mean don’t care - pray, be informed, have curious and gentle and compassionate discussions, and vote

• Why is perspective important?  Because, most of us will have a little direct influence on the direction of this country, in a political way, we must remember certainly, that prayer is a transformative discipline that places us in the midst of things that we are selves cannot be a part of. Our responsibility, each one of us, is for the lives, the life in front of us. The lives, the persons, this person, we encounter. The people and persons, each one, who we encounter and have actual opportunity to bless and minister to

• Yes, it is an issue, but there are people, persons, at the heart of this - and not everyone is - what we might perceive as an enemy.  And even if they are what perceive as an enemy - how are we to treat them? (Matt 5; Luke 6; Rom 12).  We must not forget that we are talking about people, persons, a person - loved by God, to whom Jesus was sent, and for whom Jesus gave Himself.

• Therefore, we must ask ourselves, can one 

  • “Can be pro-life and still hurt for the hurting?”

  • “Can one be pro-life and not care about the life standing in front of them - now?”

  • “Who am I absolved from loving, who am allowed to not love?” (1John 2:5; 4:17)

Trust God’s sovereignty, as difficult as that can be do what you are supposed to do - be a witness, an ambassador from another kingdom, sent - while God does what He will do.

Psalm 82 “the gods…”, rulers of the peoples, unjust and uncaring.  Do we believe and trust God’s sovereignty and His ability to bring about His will - “...on earth as it is heaven…”?  

How do we honor God’s sovereignty, and truly join Him in His governing?

1Timothy 2 I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. 2Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. 3This is good and pleases God our Savior, 4who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. 5For, there is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. 6He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone.

Isaiah 58 …the people - our privileged responsibility to minister to the broken… 

Who are the Oppressed among you?  You will only know if you engage and listen, pray, care, and when given the opportunity, when asked the reason for your hope - share - and that with “gentleness and respect”.

We cannot allow ourselves to be swept into the national landscape in a way that keeps us from the person in front of us.

We cannot allow ourselves to be swept up in the frenzy, dragged into arguments, provoked into the vitriol.   we cannot be condescending or gloating, proud, or callous.  Yes, we are called to “rejoice with those who rejoice”, and to rejoice when we see goodness prevail, and consider any good, right, and fair judgment or justice.  But, it is also ours also to mourn with those who mourn and extend mercy and grace to those who so desperately need it.  Those who are truly struggling - fearful and confused. 

Jesus came for the people, and the peoples, but never forsook the person. He was never too busy or preoccupied to stop and engage and touch and heal and feed and speak.   Jesus did not merely come to tell us the truth, but to be the truth, and then, to be and show us the way and the life. 

John 1:16-17 Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. 17For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

Why? Psalm 8

Ps 139:13-18  “…fearfully and wonderfully made…” 

But, lest we forget, there are those who are entrapped in the system, by the system, and we dare not be a part of that system… 

John 8:1- “…they used this question as a trap…”  the woman caught in the middle 

Let us not get caught in the trap of arguing the issues, debating the politics, merely defending moralities, and in the process lose sight of the hearts which we are to fight for and be ready, willing, and able to be merciful to and to love. Let us not forget our own sin and be mindful, even thankful God‘s grace toward us relative to the consequences of our own sin - we have sinned, we do sin, it is only the merciful grace of God that we stand here now - therefore, we are called to - Empathize, sympathize, have compassion, and desire to bring comfort, needs to be our aim.

This, now, is not about politics or issues, this is about ministering to others - mercy, grace, kindness… 

Matthew 5 a blessed are the… persecuted

And you will be misunderstood, expect it. 

1Cor 2:10-16  you will not be understood, your goodness will be misinterpreted as much or more than it will be received and appreciated - just let it be Jesus’ presence in you that is dispised - not our attitude or argumentativeness, our condescension or gloating.  

Please understand - your loving kindness, the extension of mercy and grace - does not guarantee a like response, in fact, you will be more often than not - misunderstood, your words and actions misinterpreted, your motives judged as impure 

And, that has to be ok - do not be angry, indignant, vindictive, neither try to defend yourself (your extending) or God, just be persistent and constant in your loving

To expect or insist on something in return for our love and kindness is not really loving another, but self or the idea of loving (to be) loved or the feeling of having loved and having it received and appreciated…

This is what Jesus meant by love your enemies and do good to those who mistreat you - we do not love to be loved In return, we love because that’s what love does - especially when one’s been loved as we have been loved - forgiven as we have been forgiven.  (Luke 7:47)

There was no one more merciful, gracious, kind, and loving than Jesus. And we know how that ended. And he himself said, if they have hated me, they will hate you all the more. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you. And what was the driving force behind the persecution? His mercy and grace completely misinterpreted and misunderstood, righteousness and the goodness that stood before the people, and would but it’s on nature convict the unrighteousness and the hearts of those confronted by that righteous goodness.

John 15:18-21 18“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. 20Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ b If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. 21They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me.

And therefore, how would we act in the face of being misunderstood, having done good goodly yet being seen as a hypocrite, an enemy…  

If you have had an abortion, have suggested and paid for an abortion, have found yourself in a position of panic and confusion, there is hope - there is forgiveness and healing 

Being Just Like Dad… Merciful Luke 6:27-36

Being just like Dad… merciful. Luke 6:27-36

Progressing over time, with our cooperative effort, we see God more and more for Who He is, and in seeing Him, we see more and more who we are - at all, let alone to Him.  And then, as we grow in character and into the full measure of what He is creating us to be, we begin to see others as God intended – through what they are, to what they could be, and treat others as they ought to be treated – as God's image in need of restoring and renewing, as we ourselves have been restored and are being renewed. 

Mercy begets life and that life of mercy begets mercy

Titus 3:3-11 (Romans 2:1-4; 2Tim 2:14; Col 2)

3At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived, and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. 4But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. 8This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.

9But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless. 10Warn a divisive person once, and then warn them a second time. After that, have nothing to do with them. 11You may be sure that such people are warped and sinful; they are self-condemned.

Luke 7:36-50. What does this mercy and changed life and life’s perspective look like in real-time?  Loving much, because we have been forgiven much – mercy’s indelible mark.

Mercy’s perfection, being perfect just like dad… merciful: minds and hearts changed, a Spirit of divine seeing and acting… apprehended by God, I now strive to apprehend God – to see as God sees and act as God, our Father, acts – formed and informed by God’s Spirit of Truth, empowered to act with the mercy acted upon – me…

1Cor 3:9-16; Ephesians 5:1-20 yes, we have the Spirit of God who teaches us the heart of God, the source of divine intelligence, God’s mercy expressed, His Spirit’s enablement and empowerment through the work of Jesus.   This Spirit is the source and substance of Divine intelligence… seeing through the eyes and heart of our Heavenly Father.

1Corinthians 3:9-16

“What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” —

the things God has prepared for those who love him—10these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.

The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. 13This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. 14The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. 15The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, 16for, “Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?”  But we have the mind of Christ.

What does that Spirit compel us to do?

2Cor 5:11, 14-21

11Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade others. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience… 

…14For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.  16So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: a The old has gone, the new is here! 18All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21God made him who had no sin to be sin b for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

…and this Spirit/spirit of mercy enables us to see what the world cannot see. What we could not see before. Divine intelligence is what enables us to see God, come to trust God, place our faith in God, believe in God, and believe God, to trust God, and to obey God.  Because we can see… we have knight and discernment into God and His intentions - looking for the good He will accomplish.

Divine intelligence helps us to see that God is triune - a community. There is a Father, a Son, and a Holy Spirit.

Divine intelligence allows us to see beyond the senses, and into the spiritual. Divine intelligence enables us to discern what is actually right and good and true and just and fair. (Proverbs)

Taken along by the Holy Spirit, it is God‘s word that illumines and validates our seeing for us, enabling us to apprehend God’s truth, governs our understanding, defines it for us, and the Spirit translates it for us, showing us how we can apply it to our lives and express to the lives around us.

One who has divine intelligence, in essence, begins to see creation through the lens of a designer, The Designer.

The one who has divine intelligence is able to attribute to God good things, that His word is true, hard to wrestle with sometimes, but ultimately good and beneficial.

Divine intelligence allows us to recognize God’s attributes and His invisible qualities, and then prompts us, compels us, and even leads us, to want the same attributes and qualities, not just because we are made in His image - and therefore have a semblance of them by nature of that fact - but knowing Christ, having that illuminating Spirit, we want even more, because we can see more - we see Jesus, know Jesus have been apprehended by Jesus, so now long to apprehend Jesus - we want to be the same, to work with the Spirit and Truth to be what we are being created to be, and eventually do what that new nature does - live Jesus’ life in us with mercy.

Attitude, and perspective, have much to do with how we view and treat others. How we see them, determines how we treat them, shows whether we actually believe God in his declaring love for the world, his desire for men to come to him, and recognize her privileged responsibility to demonstrate the mercy to others that we are Celtic received. 

This is the renewed mind given the ability to discern God’s will, to accomplish the works prepared in advance for us to do which are always those with whom we share any and every encounter - again, as we cooperate with Him in His word and Spirit. (Gal 5)

• Romans 12:2 “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

• Ephesians 4:23 “be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”

• Colossians 3:10 “put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.”

By the Spirit of God, we are able to see this world, other people, ourselves, and God Himself, through the lens of that Spirit – putting it all together…. So, then, how do we treat people?  

• The precursor is to not see them for their sin or as their sin, but to see them as broken because of sin, and lost in their sin - Romans 2:4 - they cannot yet see or apprehend God and His grace and their lives are marked then by not living according to God’s design and will and purposes for them(selves) - ours is to reveal God to them and His dearie for them. 

• First, they have value - see them, each and all, as God's making.

• Second, assume that they need mercy, grace, and love.

• Third, assume kindness

• Fourth, assume God‘s desire for them to draw near

• Fifth, treat them with the mercy you’ve been treated. Dignify them as you would like to be dignified, love them as you were desired to be loved, treat them, the way you wanna be treated.

• Finally, be prepared to give a reason for your help when you are asked Dash and we ask because you’ve lived in such a way as to be asked.

  • Kind

  • Approachable

  • Accessible

  • Humble

Colossians 3:12-17

To See God, is to Know God, to Know God is to Know Self

Matthew 5:45 Be perfect, merciful, good, just as your heavenly Father is perfect… as Jesus is perfect

and good, we are to grow into that same goodness, or virtue – being perfect

as our good, wise, and loving Father – who is merciful and gracious – that in

us, now causes us, having received from God this merciful grace, the real

compelling to extend that grace.

A true and real expression of God - that is what we are!

God’s divine power enables us to see Him. This divine seeing, intelligence, enables me, us, having seen Him for who He is, can now see me and you for who He has truly made us to be and act. 

This divine ability to see also enables me to see and know what is righteous – that is to “apprehend” and comprehend it – and then be the righteousness He has created me to be and act out that righteousness according to His will and purposes – and this, out of loving appreciation of Him and all that He has done. 

This causes me to no longer (want to) live as I once did when I was believing what I though was right to be right but, now, in Jesus, being and seeing and knowing (what is) right, I can rise above this world and its desires and participate in the divine (Ro 1:21; Eph 4:17-18, 22; Col 3:17; 2Pe 1:1-11). 

Because I can see God, know God, and, having been first made in His image and likeness, but now am created in Christ Jesus (Eph 2:8-10), I have the right, not only to become a child of God (John 1:12), but having been made a child of God (Ro 8:14-16; 1Jo 3:1), I, having been born anew (Jo 3:3-8), am now empowered and enabled, as a child of God, to be an imitator of God – as that dearly loved child – and live a life of love! (Eph 4:1; 5:1-2)

I can now know how to act, because I see and know God and how God acts – by His word (and Spirit).  First amongst Himself (which IS His word), then and because of being exposed to that divine acting, and made to live and act the same way (in Jesus), see His word as correction and instruction in that divine acting toward Him, self, and others. (Mark 12:29-31)

…and the trueness of that real expression is the progressive unfolding of our lives in Christ until we reach the end – functioning at full-strength at each level of strength we obtain as we obtain it – or Him – more and more! (Philippians 3:7-16)

To know God, truly know Him, is to be like Him.  Therefore, to be like Him, we must truly know Him.

The nature of God as…

• …One  Isaiah (Ex 20:1-11; Job 38-42)

  • 54:6,24-26 

  • 48:6,8,17-1

  • Revelation 1:8

• …many, as three “let us make… in our image and likeness”

Genesis 1:1-3 (2-3) 1In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.  3And God said…

John 1:1-4; 15:3; 17:15-19; Eph 5:26

• 1:1-4 1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was with God in the beginning. 3Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.

• 15:3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.

• 17:13-19 13“I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. 14I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17Sanctify them by d the truth; your word is truth. 18As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.

John 14:15-21

 15“If you love me, keep my commands. 16And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be c in you. 18I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”

How does act with each other?  Well, in brief…

Ephesians 5:1-2,15-20

  1Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children 2and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Then, to know God, is to know self and others.  Why is it important that we see God as three?

Who is God?  God as one - there is no other God above Him.  God, as three, the Divine Us and Our, God as a divine community in mutual submission.  And God has existed, always (Rev 1:8) in perfect and perpetual and joyful communion (John 17)

What are the implications of having been made in the image and likeness of this singular God who expresses himself, as themselves, as a divine community?  Could it be that we have been made to actually be, live, and act, like Him/Them?

What is it then to act like the Godhead?  In mutuality, mutual submission?  Maybe we can assume that God acts toward one another the same way He commands us to act with and toward one another in Philippians 2:1-11 - for us to not know God and His Divine mutuality, would be to not recognize how we are then made to act with and upon and toward one another

To not strip a person of their personhood - which is what makes them who they are and as 

• To not objectify - or not their person, but a utility to be used for one’s own purposes

• To not dignify and protect

• To not see value or significance

But in fact, to be able to see each person as a person worthy of esteem and engagement and kind and loving service - just as God sees Himself and each Other and lovingly lifts each other.

• This is divine

• This is divinely inspired, enabled, mutuality

• This is God in His/Their Divine community

• This is how God made us to be and what it is He redeemed us for

• ·   This is the making the most of every opportunity, doing the good works prepared in advance for us to do - each other in community, having been granted divine intelligence to see and act accordingly - this is being perfected just our heavenly Father is perfect - being merciful… 

How do we do this?  Yes, His Spirit in us, but also, with our cooperation, our putting in every effort to add to trust God and His word and to add to our faith and loving service – the very words, the very expression, of God and His heart – for us.

We must learn that every command God gives us instructs us to live out the righteousness that He has made us to be (2Cor 5:21)  - it is a reflection of Him and His doing, which is His heart. (Ps 32:8; Isaiah 48:17)

• Ps 32:8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you. 

• Isaiah 48:17-18 “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you,

who directs you in the way you should go. 18If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your well-being like the waves of the sea.”

What are the implications of not seeing Him as a divine community?

• John 8:19; 14:7; 17:25  We do not know GOD - Jesus said “We no not what or whom we worship - the fact that we know God - at all - and believe in His being, One and Three is evidence of this divine intelligence

• We cannot know ourselves as God intends as we have been made to be like Him and we are truly only like Him when we know Him, Them, and one another - as it is not good for man to be alone - as God, is not alone and has never been alone.  As God is with one another, so we are meant to be with one another - and Him. 

o   John 17:20-25

• Our eyes have been opened to see the mystery of God and accept God’s word and words (Proverbs 2:1; James 1; those without the Spirit of God cannot accept John 3:11; 5:43; 8:42-43; 12:48; 14:17; 1Co 2:14)

o   1Corinthians 2:5-16

God's commands remind us of who he is, how he functions, how we’ve been made, and to enable us to live according to that likeness. In order for us to truly understand the word of God, and commands of God, we must understand God, and that we’ve been made in his, or their, image, and likeness. When we see the word this way, it makes more sense, because there is an overarching goal to God‘s word, commands, and instruction. That we would be like him. As we worship him, lift him up, the greatest form of worship we can give him, is to recognize his greatness, and to live according to that greatness imputed in us – that is Jesus righteousness – indwelling Holy Spirit – that is the divine intelligence with which way now see his word, him, ourselves, and one another.

Stretched to Full Capacity: Perpetually Perfected by Grace: John 1:16

Matthew 5:45 Be perfect, merciful, good, just as your heavenly Father is perfect… as Jesus is perfect and

good, we are to grow into that same goodness, or virtue – being perfect as

our good, wise, and loving Father – who is merciful and gracious.

OK, so we have touched on this idea of being perfect, being perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect. What does this mean? How do we do this? What does it look like? How do I reach this perfection? 

Grace, and only by grace.

It is grace, that makes us what God wants us to be, and stretches us out to become the full form of what we are meant to be - that is telescopic - being stretched out to perfection, full potency, the unfolding of Christ’s character and stature.

The process begins by grace, God’s saving grace, and then continues by God’s grace working on, in, and then through me – with me.

John 1:16 “Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given.” 

In essence, there are many acts of grace

• The grace of life and breath - John 1:1-4

• The grace of God’s perfect The Law - John 1:17a

• The grace that is and is from Jesus - John 1:9-14, 17b

This is grace: God, seeing our condition, our sin and rebellion, our inability to reach up and be righteous, and acceptable, God looks down with compassion, and so loves us, He sends His Son, as grace upon grace upon grace.  (John 3)

And to those who will receive Him, He gives the right to become children of God and does this, not when we were right with Him, but while we are still enemies of Him. 

This is grace.  (John 1:12; Romans 5:1-11)

We then, by grace, are perpetual works in progress, and we are always works in process - that progressive work is:

• God’s working in and on us, and then through us (Phil 2-3)

• Our working with Him on us and through us, with Him, in the lives of others (Phil 2-3; 2Pe 1)

First and foremost, our being been made perfect and then realizing and growing (into) perfection enables us to see God, no longer from the worldly point of you but growing in an increasingly right view and understanding of God, His character, that what He does is loving and good, what He does is always best, and seeing and experiencing these truths, to be able to receive from Him what He has done, is doing, and will do, starting with our making, and working through us as we respond to His goodness with grateful, appreciative, and loving obedience.

Our hearts have been changed, drawn to God, and enabled to see God for the good and loving Father that He is, and he works in and with us to desire Him and His will and purposes - because they are as good as He is good. He changes not only our hearts but our heart’s view of Him and His work.  This is grace.

Then there is the working grace - the daily grace of our equipping to live lives of consequence

2Corinthians 5:13-21 - God’s love, His love for us, compels us - our perfection comes out of us in a compelling love - that we would be instruments of righteousness, vessels of noble (princely) purposes, reconciliation between God and man.

As we grow in God, in our perfection, we learn, by grace, and growing in that grace, or, perfection - that it is true that “all good gifts come from the Father of heavenly lights”