Pastor Andrew Morgridge

GOD IS A CHRISTIAN part 2

•Why I’m doing this – crisis time is here. •British Government to register and inspect religious schools, Threatens to shut down any establishment that promotes intolerance. Now is the time to know how to

•defend your faith (Psalm 127:3-4; Psalm 8:1-3) 1Pet. 3:14-16- why was God angry with Job and friends?•About the book – see cloning, Cynthia Kenyon as of inventions against God. See Gen. 6:3

•Comments by people •Explain what is wrong with people – the writer, commentators and some Christians, who I want to apply this to their everyday living.•God is a Jew and He’s a Christian

•Lessons for us, from the knowledge of His nature and dealings with man.•We closed part 1 with a look at 2 Cor. 4:4 as we saw the mind and what it means, to show you that MAN

GENERALLY PERCEIVES GOD THE WAY HE IS NOT.And they think they are right because the Devil has given them a Truth or what seems like Truth to believe.

This is NOEMA – a mental perception: after processing information through the senses to arrive at a conclusion. We showed only God has WISDOM, which He is willing to share through partnership with

the Holy Spirit. The ordinary mind will always remain open to satanic ideas (Eph. 2:1-3). Jn. 14:26, Jn. 16:12-13, Psalm 19

When you are thinking outside the revealed word of God, you are in Satan’s territory and you will lose out, because he’s also anointed (Rm. 1:28-29 1Tim. 4:16 See Gen. 3:1-5. (See Jn. 8:44). (2Pet.3:15-16;

Acts 9: Acts 11: . See different view on Gentiles – Peter vs God (Acts 10.

Never think outside the box – the word of God revealed –See Deut.6-:4-14; Deut. 11:8-25 –

Now you see why Jesus described His family thus – Matt. 12:46-50. Now you see why Jn. 14:6, Josh. 1:8

Everyone has a natural (innate) sense of belonging. Nobody wants to be alone.

Everybody wants to belong to a family, clan or circle of friends. Even the Lord! See 1Tim. 6:16

(Luke 11:2). (Ex. 19:9-11) (Exodus 20:28; Exodus 19:16).

Numbers 12: 6-8.All the above shows that God loves to relate to people. And even though angels had always existed, He wanted to relate to people like Himself.

That’s why after talking to the heavenly beings about His desire to make man (the “let us” in the Scriptures), He then went on to create man in His own (not their) image.

Gen. 1:26-27

Image means – a representative figure – it means image in the sense of essential nature, rather than an exact duplicate. While likeness is pattern – specification from which an item is made – PROTOTYPE.

This plays out in the 7 dispensations of man and his dealings with God. Highlighting will also answer the statement by Tutu that Christianity is a new comer on the scene. If Jesus is the standard,

what will be the fate of all those who died before Christ? Here’s the answer.

1. Dispensation of innocence – before the fall of man Purpose of God-to see if man would remain innocent and be true to his trust under the most

favorable and perfect condition possible (2:16-17).

Note Gen. 3:8-10;2-3 Interaction. Relationship.

2. Dispensation of conscience – from Adam’s fall to Noah’s 600th year.

Also called the age of FREEDOM – man could do as he pleased.

Test, Obedience to the dictates of conscience as to right and wrong (3:22; 4:7, 15; 6:1-7)

Purpose of God, His purpose now, since man knew good and evil, was to guide him in the proper exercise of his conscience to do the right and refuse the wrong; to teach fallen man that only by obedience to

God and His will he could be restored to his original dominion and get rid of the curse; and to test man under freedom of conscience and without restraint or compulsion to see if he would voluntarily

choose right from wrong, and give service to Him instead of Satan.

God wanted man to be brought to helplessness in himself so that he would turn to Him for help,

fallen angels, demons, sickness, and suffering in the struggle to overcome the curse. He wanted man to know that He was the only true friend and helper, and that only through Him was there a way out of sin

and the curse, and an opportunity for restoration to original dominion.

Gen. 6:3; Job 22:15-17

3. Dispensation of Human Government. Gen. 8:15 – Gen. 11:32 Noah – call of Abraham.

Name. so-called because human laws and human government were instituted to regulate man’s life after a long age of freedom of conscience.

God now gave Noah certain laws to govern the race by; and man was held responsible for self-government.

4. Dispensation of Promise. Abraham to Exodus

Test, For Abraham and his seed the test was to have faith in God, obey Him, remain segregated from all other nations, and evangelize the world (12:1-3;15:4-6:17:1-21; Rom. 3:1-2; 4:1-25; 9:4-5; Gal. 3:8; Heb. 11:8-19)

Purpose of God. To choose one man through whom Messiah should come, to use him and his seed as His representatives in the earth, and to give them Canaan as a base of operation concerning His program among men in the gospel and in government eternally.

5. Dispensation of LawLength-from the exodus from Egypt to the preaching of the kingdom of heaven by John the Baptist, or from Moses to Christ – 1,718 years or more

Favorable beginning. Not since the fall of man any people experienced a more favorable beginning than Israel at the beginning of the dispensation of Law. They saw the power of God in signs and wonders in Egypt and the wilderness.

He made personal appearance to them (Ex. 24:9-11; Josh. 5:13-15): and spoke with an audible voice (Dt. 5:22-24). There were visible manifestations of His presence day and night (Ex. 14:19-21).

God took sickness from Israel (Ex. 15:26; 23:25; Ps. 105:37; 107:20); gave them the riches of Egypt (Ex. 12:35); Ps. 105:37); gave them revelations and a complete code of laws; made covenants with them; and gave them the gospel (Gal. 3:8; Heb. 4:2)

6. Dispensation of GraceName, so-called because of the fullness of grace brought by Jesus Christ (Jn. 1:16-17). Men had grace in all previous ages, but not in fullness.

The same was true regarding laws. Men had laws in all periods before Moses, but the fullness of law came by him.

In this matter no difference was made between Jew or Gentile, male or female (Acts 2:16-21; 1Cor. 12:13; Gal. 3:28; Col. 3:11).

Furthermore, the dispensation of Grace began with ministries of power; that of Christ, John the Baptist, the apostles, and other men endued to perform miracles, as recorded in the Gospels and Acts.

It began with complete grace (Jn. 1;16-17), promises of the fullness of the spirit (Jn. 7:37-39), and a full commission to represent God and do the works of Christ (Mk. 16:15-20; Jn. 14:12).

There is now no limitation to the believer regarding what he wants from God according to the promises. Everyone is privileged to receive according to his faith (Mt. 8:13; 9:29; 17:20; 21)

7. Dispensation of Divine Government or Millennium ( Rev. 19:11-20:15). The age to come (Mt. 12:32; Eph. 1:21). God in charge fully. Vibrant relationship with them. See Zech. 8:3,8, 20-22

From dispensation 5 we see Grace coming into play – to determine things in the world.

But this grace is not for everybody, even though it is available for everybody. Titus 2:11-12.

You need to access grace, by being born again (Matt. The Syrophonicean woman’s case, the Lk. 10:5-6 statement. Extended in Acts 1:8, Mk. 16:15:21-28 Matt. 28:18-19

Jesus is the fullness of grace revealed. He is the fountain source (Jn. 1: 14

That is where God is a Christian comes in,

Jesus is God. Heb. 1: 3 express image of God. Jn. 14: He is the Christian, because those who first bore the title were called Christians, because they behaved like Him. Acts 11:

Paul said He is the standard to conform to 1Cor. 11:1; 2Cor. 3:18 discuss Image. Discuss metamorphoo – changed into. E.g. Caterpillar to butterfly. Same thing.

Isaiah 53:6, Heb. 2:9; Heb. 4:10; Heb. 12:2

1. Jesus lived in intimate relationship with His Father. This intimacy is modeled for us in His practice of prayer and in His teaching on prayer (Luke 5:16).

This intimacy with God is available to us today, even as the Spirit helps us in our prayer life, He teaches also about the life of Christ. (Romans 8:26-27) (John 16:13)

2. Jesus was empowered by the Holy Spirit, and He promised us the comfort and the power of the Spirit after His departure (Mark 1:8, 9,12; John 14:12-17). One of the unmistakable marks of the earliest church was this empowering the Spirit (Acts1:8).

The Spirit's power is promised to each believer today (Ephesians 4:29-32, 5:18-21). The very reason why you ; and I are able to say "no" to temptations is because the Spirit helps us to take God's way (see 1 Corinthians 10: 13).

3. At the very beginning of Jesus' ministry we see Him involved in spiritual warfare, as Satan tempts Him to depart from the Father's will for His earthly ministry (Matthew 4:1-11).

Spiritual warfare is a daily reality for each of us (Ephesians 6:10-12,13). Jesus shows the importance of a life governed by the Word of God in order to become pure in heart (Matthew 5:1-12).

4. Jesus expressed the full range of human emotions-from joy..,( (Hebrews 12:2) to anger (John 11:33, Mark 11:15-17), from compassion (Matthew 9:35-38; Luke 19:41) to frustration (Matthew 17:17).

He experienced sorrow (John 11:35) and love (John 11:5,13:34-35). He becomes for us the example of how to express our human emotions in a healthy manner.

This includes times when we can express ourselves With our tears and times when we express ourselves through our laughter. It includes caring for our closest friends, as well as caring for the sick, needy, and neighbors.

5. Jesus came to earth to bring the message of salvation. He came to seek the lost and sinners (Mark 2: 13-17). His teach ing was based on Scripture, but He brought an authority which astounded the crowds (Matthew 7:28; Mark 1:21-28).

Like the early church, we have in Jesus a clear example of both actions and words we can use as we reach out to a lost world (Acts 1:8, Colossians 3:16).

6. Jesus lived in a way that did not focus on His own comforts. He came to serve, not to be served (Mark 10:45). During His final night on earth He washed the disciples' feet and said:

“I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you" (John 13:15) If our Teacher and Lord could serve His disciples, then as His disciples we must serve each other.

7. Jesus was involved with a community of faith as a normal part of His life. His disciples were His family of faith (Matthew 12:46-50). Jesus extended the view of family to include our relationships with others who believe in and serve Him.

The Family of God is reflect in the local church, the community of faith in the world today (1Timothy 3:4-5. James 2: 15-17).

8. Jesus concentrated many of His efforts on preparing a new generation who could continue His work once He had passed from the earthly phase of His ministry (Mark 3:13-19). Whether laity or clergy, we are called to birth and train the next generation of Christians (2Timothy 2:1-2)

Conclusion 1.He was God of Adam and Eve

2.He was God of Noah 3.He was God of Noah and all who listened to Noah

4. He was God of Abraham and the Israelites

5. He is God of Christians 6. He will be God of All in

Jerusalem 7. He will be God of the

universe when he starts creation anew

The Lessons Let the message quicken/trigger compassion in you.

Pray against abomination in the Church

Seeing that you are so privileged, thank Him for grace

For choosing youPray to not abuse grace 1Pet. 1:9-12