Fresh Speaking
(Nancy's notes from Lord's Day, May 9, 2010)
In the very beginning of the Bible - Gen. 1:3 - God says "let there be light". We have one person speaking. God.
At the very end of the Bible - Rev. 22:17 - we have the Spirit and the Bride speaking. The Spirit and the bride (the church) say come. We see the Spirit and the bride speaking as one.
How did we get from Genesis to Revelation? From God speaking, to the Spirit and the bride speaking? This past year the brothers have been sharing and showing us a certain line of thought. Beginning with the blood of Christ being shed for our sin. Adam sinned and God came and covered him with skins, implying the shedding of blood. Then the New Covenant came. Jesus said "this is My blood shed for you". This One who went to the cross and was crucified, rose again! Death had no hold on Him. He walked in and out of death. Who can set us free from sin? Only Christ! Only One, in the eyes of God, was righteous. There was no curse on Him. He had no sin. He was not worthy of death. No other life walked on earth that was perfect and righteous to God. Jesus said "what I see the Father do, this I do." This life was not deserving of the curse, yet He took on the curse and suffered death for us. Then, since He was not deserving, God resurrected Him. After resurrection, Jesus came to the brothers and said "peace be to you" and He breathed into them. This same One lives in us! Praise the Lord!
From the beginning of Genesis to the end of Revelation, something has transpired. Mary was found with child. John tells us that the Word became flesh and tabernacled among us. Jesus went through so many things, and then we see "the Spirit and the bride say come". A process has taken place.
Paul's writings began about 54 A.D. with Galatians and ended about 13-14 years later - about 69 A.D. - with the books of I and II Timothy. II Corinthians was written about in the middle. This was the deepest word from Paul.
Gal. 6:14-16
"But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom the world has been crucified to me and I to the world. For neither is circumcision anything nor uncircumcision, but a new creation is what matters. And as many as walk by this rule, peace be upon them and mercy, even upon the Israel of God."
What matters? Nothing matters but the new creation! Spirit and the bride - is the new creation.
I Tim. 1:3-4
"Even as I exhorted you, when I was going to Macedonia, to remain in Ephesus in order that you might charge certain ones not to teach different things nor to give heed to myths and unending genealogies, which produce questionings rather than God's economy, which is in faith."
The word economy means work, dispensation, stewardship. We need some understanding what economy is and what this means to us. Economy - same root word as pasture. God's dispensing. God is pasturing us. God says "come! eat!" This is God's work; to dispense Himself into us. God is pouring Himself out to us! This is the new creation. Paul says "don't teach anything else other than God's economy. God is creating in us a new creation by dispensing Himself into us.
Exodus 33:13-15
"Now therefore if I have found favor in Your sight, please let me know now Your ways, that I may know You, so that I may continue to find favor in Your sight. Consider also that this nation is Your people. And He said, My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest. And he said to Him, If Your presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here."
Paul only wrote for about 13-14 years, but he had so much revelation in this short of a time. He says "don't teach anything but God's dispensation."
II Cor. 3:18
"But we all with unveiled face, beholding and reflecting like a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord Spirit."
In a sense, we are Moses beholding the Lord, yet in spirit. This beholding is God's way. When we behold this One, we are changed. Like the volcanoes at a science fair. one drop of vinegar into the baking soda causes a reaction. Something happens. God went through a process to become the life-giving Spirit to get into us. Just a little drop and something happens! He is the one who came into us. Something happened! The Lord is moving in me! Things I used to like to do, I no longer like anymore. Something is going on inside.
There are many things (teachings) going on out there. Paul says to stay right here, in God's economy. All that He went through, bore the cross, etc. was for this. After Adam sinned, the way to the tree of Life was closed. When Jesus came and died, He opened the way to the tree of Life! II Cor. shows what is going on in us. Beholding and reflecting. This is Paul's gospel of glory! A little drop of God = glory!
Many get saved and then wait for an eternity of happiness. The Spirit and the bride say come. The bride went through such a process. What is the center of what God is doing? Dispensation. What is God's focus and goal? Paul says it is God's economy - God dispensing Himself into us. What is God doing today? He is dispensing Himself into man, transforming man. God's Life changes man and what comes out? Christ! Christ is all and in all!
Hymn #645 - Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.
We behold Him. As we behold Him, God's process, God's economy takes place. God is changing us within. The things of earth have grown strangely dim.