Good Morning My Beloved,
I'm so glad you've decided to join us today
Thank you for coming..
Heavenly Father,
Thank You, that You make us into perfect slaves of our perfect Lord
we confess, we are unworthy, and we are in complete awe of You
Your unending mercies toward us, which elicits from our hearts gratitude
Oh, we praise You, we worship You
May there never be another question about our relationship
with You, our role, slavery because we are faithful and humble
faithfully obedient to all that You have so graciously
and so generously revealed to us
Though unworthy, we're thankful to You
that we have Your mind; we know Your will.
and may we do it joyfully, so that we become even closer
closer friends, and more faithful sons and daughters
We humbly pray these things
in Jesus' name
Amen
"This I command you, that you love one another. If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know the One who sent Me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. He who hates Me hates My Father also. If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would not have sin; but now they have both seen and hated Me and My Father as well. But they have done this to fulfill the word that is written in their Law, ‘They hated Me without a cause."
John 15:17-25
Today's Message: If The World Hates You - Part 8
Well, you've guessed it, we're still in our study of John, the 15th chapter and as I previously indicated, it will likely be a while to cover everything that I've been given to teach here. But I no less dedicated, in fact, I'm even more driven, to do so. It's important to God, so its important to me.
Hopefully, it is my prayer, its important to you. And hopefully, prayerfully, it will change the way in which you serve the Lord.
There's just so much so say about this passage is Scripture. I'm trying to cover as much of it as I can as carefully as I can. Because I really want everyone to get this, and as Christians, we need to really understand. If we are to obtain the promised glory in heaven, we must understand.
When we concluded our study last time, I believe we did fairly well on covering a good deal of this passage, in John 15. I feel pretty good about all of you beginning to understand your roll in the Christian walk.
So, we'll see how far we can get today, I'm never really sure myself. It's not my will, but the Lords that be done. But I'm certainly not planning on rushing through any of this, as I've said before, its a very important section of Scripture. How we understand our relationship with Christ, determines how we live for Christ, how we serve Him, and others for Him. We really need to get this. As I said previously, this slave language runs all the way throughout the Bible. The verbiage was changed to sound a little more acceptable, more tolerable to give the masses. But that's not what we need to know, we need to know what God said, we need the truth.
I mean, its all sort of basic, isn't it? Once you have a true understanding, I believe it is.
So, let's get started.
Turn with me to Matthew 10, Matthew 10, verse 24: "A disciple is not above his teacher, or a slave above his master. It is enough for a disciple to become like his teacher and a slave like his master..."
We've all read that, I know that we've all read that. Jesus is saying, Do you think you’re supposed to tell God what to do? That you’re supposed to tell the Lord what to do? No, of course not. That’s the devil filling the minds of believers with his lies. That's not God's truths. We are to become like Christ, in His image, but we are never going to be equal, or above Him. Sure, we can ask Him for things we need, and He provides them, "And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus" - Philippians 4:19. But that's different from asking Him, for what we want, how dare we? And yet some say, "Hey, Jesus, I want a bigger house, and a new car. You promised what ever I ask in Your name, right?" Uh, no! That's a twisted theology. That's an inaccurate depiction of Scripture. We might want those things, but we certainly do not need it. If we even assume the Father, child verbiage, do you really give your children everything they ask of you, from all that you have? You know, all the stuff that prevents them from being the only one who doesn't have one of those things, that everyone else has? We've all heard that, we probably have even said it to our parents, if we ask them. Or do you give them what they need? Food, shelter, clothing and so on..
Did Jesus not say in Matthew 10, "A slave is not above his master." Do you think you’re supposed to tell God what to do? That you’re supposed to tell the Lord what to do? That’s the devil.
Again, may I remind you, all of this is slave language. The whole New Testament is based upon it. We are chosen. We know that, we've all read it, but do we understand what its saying? Do you see what He really said in John 15, verse 16: "You didn’t choose Me, I chose you. I went into the slave market of sin. I chose you. I bought you. I own you. I care for you. You’re dependent on me. I discipline you, and I reward you, I protect you, and so you obey Me, and you obey Me so willingly because your heart has been changed, that is, you’re not just slaves, you’re also friends. And I haven’t held anything back from you. I haven’t kept anything from you. Everything the Father has revealed to Me, I have given to you. No secrets." Of course, I'm paraphrasing here, but that accurately and honestly depicts our relationship with Christ.
However, all this nonsense could be so easily understood if everybody’s Bible had the correct language, if it actually said slave everywhere that it should. You can take all the different English Bible translations, and there's, I don't know, 20, 23 different English translations but there’s only 2, that's right, 2, that actually translate doulos slave. One is the Holman Standard Christian Bible, which the Southern Baptist produced recently and the other’s an old one called Goodspeed Translation. All the rest is just muddy the water. When you really understand kurios and doulos, then you understand what a lie modern theology is. How deceptive the prosperity gospel is, what a lie the name it and claim it crap is, what a lie the market-driven philosophy is that you come with whatever you want and compare it to what Jesus said, that He will meet your needs. All other such notions are alien to the truth, the biblical concept of confessing Jesus as Lord.
I cannot speak for anyone else, but I’m happy, I'm blessed beyond description to be His slave; to be chosen, bought, owned, provided for, all my needs not just some of them, that I am protected from all harm, and one day now listen to this, one day, I will be more than a friend; I will be a son with full inheritance. I will be a joint heir. Revelation says I’ll be in heaven, sitting on the throne with Christ, my brother, and inheriting everything that God has.
And I know, some will say, "You know Pastor, this message is kind of offensive. a real blow against my human dignity." Really? Really? What does any man, or woman have to be dignified about in the first place anyway? Let me help you with that too. Let's turn to Philippians 2, Philippians 2:1-8.
"If then there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by thinking the same way, having the same love, sharing the same feelings, focusing on one goal. Do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. Everyone should look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be used for His own advantage. Instead He emptied Himself by assuming the form of a slave, taking on the likeness of men. And when He had come as a man in His external form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death—even to death on a cross."
Aren't we commanded to be "Christ-like?" We've all said it, we all know that. But did we stop to understand what it is that we're saying? I know many do not, they thought Scripture, chapter and verse, without any real understanding of what it really means, just what they've been told.
Yes, we need to be more like Christ. And if this sermon disturbs your inner self worth, if it bothers you, than you really need to be more like Christ. "What do you mean?" Let me help you out here: "Although He existed in the morph of God, He had equality with God. He didn’t see that or regard that as something to be grasped that He wouldn’t let go of, but emptied Himself, Christ emptied Himself, taking the form of a slave, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient, even to the point of death, even death on a cross." Wait! What? Now I'm asking you, what do you mean? You know the verse. You've read it, you've said it, didn't you realize what you actually were saying? Well, don't feel bad, most don't. Its because of the translations that are being used, it keeps you from understanding. That's why people are confused as to their roll, they only know certain aspects. A slave isn't given a choice to be obedient. He obeys, We're slaves. Stop complaining and do the will of your Master, Jesus. He is Lord.
You are a slave who became a son; He is a son who became a slave. You are a slave who will receive all the glories of heaven when your sonship is realized. He was a son who possessed all the glories of heaven and emptied Himself of all of them to become a slave.
What defined His slavery? "He emptied Himself," right there in verse 7, all personal aspects. He says throughout His whole life, "I do what the Father shows Me to do. I do what the Father wills Me to do. I do what the Father tells Me to do. I always obey the Father."
He was a slave of God in His incarnation. He shows us what that slavery is: “Not My will, but Thine be done, all the way to the cross; if it means death."
Now that’s taking up your cross, isn’t it? "Empty yourself, deny yourself, take your cross, follow Me all the way to death."
Who can agree that Christ is our example? Well, Christ showed us what that slavery looks like, and as a result , I love this part, right there in verse 9: "God highly exalted Him, bestowed on Him the name which is above every name." That’s the name Lord. That’s the name Lord. So He elevated Jesus. Because He was a faithful slave, He elevated Him and gave Him a new name, "Lord."
Here's an interesting word from tonight: for those of us who become slaves of Christ, Revelation 2 says, "When we are exalted to heaven, we too will be given a new name, a name of honor, a name that belongs only to us, a name that we can’t even know now." We will be eternal slaves, but we will then be so deeply connected to the eternal God, as friends of God, in such absolute perfection that we will literally have a personal name that God gives us in our exalted condition. Really, all you should want at the end of your life is to hear these words, found in Matthew 25:21, "Well done, good and faithful slave. Well done, good and faithful slave."
Now, if you feel this is some how beneath you, you shouldn’t. You really shouldn't. It wasn’t beneath Christ. You say, "Well, no, I actually feel pretty important now. You’ve elevated me. I’m on the inside group. I am a friend of the King. I am an intimate of the King. I have complete access to Him. He doesn’t have any secrets with me. We are so close. This is wonderfully elevating, this responsibility, this privilege."
Then that's good, that's good. But now, listen to this, Luke 17, verse 7: "Which one of you having a slave tending sheep or plowing will say to him when he comes in from the field, ‘Come at once and sit down to eat’? Instead, will he not tell him, ‘Prepare something for me to eat, get ready, and serve me while I eat and drink; later you can eat and drink’? Does he thank that slave because he did what was commanded? In the same way, when you have done all that you were commanded, you should say, ‘We are good-for-nothing slaves; we’ve only done our duty."
Beloved, we are still unworthy slaves, unworthy. Yet we're privileged to be experiencing the eternal love and grace of God, who loves us, provides and protects us.
I pray that I've inspired you to read these passages again, now, having the truth, that you look at it with a fresh, open mind and see what Jesus was saying in them, by what example He really instructed us to follow. What taking up your cross really means. I pray that rather than offend you, it has enlightened you, with a new perspective, about Who Christ is, and what you are to Him.
With the guidance of the Holy Spirit, I pray that I've done well, my duty for Him.
That I'll one day hear those coveted words, "Well done, good and faithful slave. Well done, good and faithgful slave. Well done."
And now may the Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.
Now and forever, in Jesus' name
Amen
Brian Monzon Ministries