Monday, November 10, 2008

THE MESSAGE for ALL Nations!

(Genesis 2:16-17/ KJV) says, “And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.”


You know the story: Eve was deceived by the devil and Adam followed his wife and because of SIN, the relationship between God and man was severed! The connection between God and man was contaminated. SIN placed a wedge between God and man, yet God still desired to have fellowship. God still desired to have a relationship, so God did what only God could do.


(John 3:16/ KJV) says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”


Fellowship between God and man needed REVIVING and the ONLY way for our relationship to be restored was for the void that sin caused in the Garden to be filled with the Spirit of God! The Gospel of the Death, the Burial and the Resurrection of Jesus Christ became “the Message” for every nation, tribe and tongue. Calvary became the launching pad for God to finally RECONNECT with humanity!


Because of the DEATH, our SINS could be FORGIVEN! Because of the BURIAL, our SINS could be BURIED and because of the RESURRECTION our lives could be SPIRITUALLY TRANSFORMED!


Death became symbolic to REPENTANCE. The Burial became symbolic to Water Baptism. But the Resurrection opened the door to a whole new dimension because without the RESURRECTION the DEATH and the BURIAL would have been in vain. (1 Corinthians 1:18/ KJV) says, “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.”


The Resurrection became symbolic to Spirit of God RAISING YOU UP out of your sin and REVIVING the relationship that had been destroyed in the Garden!


Jesus referred to it in (John 3:3-5/ KJV) when He told Niccodemus, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”


It's why the Apostolic Church STILL preaches that you MUST be BORN AGAIN! It's NOT just a "benefit" or a special "blessing" for a select few. It is STILL NECESSARY if you plan on going to Heaven! The "NEW BIRTH EXPERIENCE" is essential to Biblical Salvation!


Before Jesus ascended back into Heaven, (Luke 24:47-49/ KJV) records “the Message” He instructed them to preach saying, “that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 And ye are witnesses of these things. 49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.”


The promise that Jesus gave confirming the prophecy of Joel came to pass in the Book of Acts! The prophecy was fulfilled and the promise experienced in the upper room where THE CHURCH was born.


(Acts 2:1-18, 37-41/ KJV) says, “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.


5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. 6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.


7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? 8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? 9 Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, 10 Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God. 12 And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this? 13 Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.


14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:

15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. 16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; 17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: 18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:…


37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?


The MESSAGE for ALL NATIONS is still the DEATH, the BURIAL and the RESURRECTION! The MESSAGE for ALL NATIONS is still the NECESSITY of being BORN AGAIN! The MESSAGE for ALL NATIONS is still ACTS 2:38! The MESSAGE is stillREPENT, and be BAPTIZED every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off…”


It’s STILL THE MESSAGE FOR ALL NATIONS!”