Welcome to a new move! Take your time to take in the vision, and may God breathe over you and divinely appoint you for great works as you look into this year's theme.
The unambiguous choice -
Joshua 24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
In Joshua 24, before posing the unambiguous choice to Israel, Joshua reminded the congregation of who God was and what he had done for them to equip them to make a right choice.
In a generation where there is abundant knowledge and revelation about the Lord Jesus Christ, with limitless sermon tapes, podcasts, fellowships and resources, one would think it would be crystal clear who we choose daily; yet many a "believer" choose instant gratification, wealth, prestige, pleasure, fame, and so on over Jesus.
How is it possible for any of these to look like a better option than King Jesus? Is it because, perhaps, God has not done such a great job in revealing Himself to man?
The undeniable revelation
Romans 1:19-21 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
On the contrary, God has given us an undeniable revelation of Himself, rendering humanity “without excuse”. Every intricate creation, every impossible testimony, every mind-bending encounter, every miraculous breakthrough and deliverance is a testament to His eternal power and Godhead. Perhaps, could it be that the issue is not how God presents Himself, but how men like us have represented Him?
The unchanging image
Hebrews 1:3A Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person...
Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever.
God has revealed Himself to us in Jesus, who is the image of God- and scripture clearly states that this Jesus is unchanging! So regardless of man’s rationalisation, logic, explanation, personal conviction or presentation of Jesus, we have in the written Word an unchanging image of God. Man's representation can never be greater than Jesus' revelation - and that is why the Knowledge of Jesus is a point of unification and not of division.
The unifying theology
Ephesians 4:13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
This unchanging image gives us one unifying theology regardless of how man may redefine the Christ. The journey to "Till We All Come" cannot be successful without the true knowledge of the Son because He is the singular destination - the only correct end of our conversation (Heb 13:7)
Once we have an accurate image of God in Christ daily, we are equipped to make the unambiguous choice daily.
However, as long as we subscribe to the now popular view of Christ mainly as a supplier of our needs or a solution to our challenges, we will be tempted whenever it comes to choice - to pick alternatives that satisfy those needs faster. Beyond being helper and provider, He is God Almighty and Him alone is worthy. The world doesn't revolve around us - it was made by and for Him and revolves around Him.
The awesome majesty -
Revelation 4: 8,10,11 And the four beasts ...rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.
...The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created
At the awesome majesty of God, the living creatures REST NOT day and night, worshipping the worthy one. His majesty is consistent and as the heavenly host look upon him in awe, they never stop living for the King. What do we see and how does it influence our daily living?
The unrestrained Testimony -
John 4:28-30 The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men, Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ? Then they went out of the city, and came unto him.
After a true encounter with His awesome majesty, there will be an unrestrained desire to testify to all to see what one has seen. What do we do when we see an impressive Instagram reel? We share! Have we seen anything impressive recently?
MHB 99 says it best in verse 5;
Weak is the effort of our heart,
And cold our warmest thought;
But when we see Thee as Thou art,
We’ll praise Thee as we ought.
Our theme for Chapter XIII of the Teleios story is
THE UNCHANGING MAJESTY
Our mission this year is to see Him as he is!
To behold him in awe and wonder - to study to show ourselves approved as we dismantle the false images set up about Jesus within and without the Church - and show this clear unchanging image to as many as God will give us in this year and beyond
Till We All Come
Are you Ready?
#UnambiguousChoice
#UndeniableRevelation
#UnchangingImage
#UnifyingTheology
#AwesomeMajesty
#UnrestrainedTestimony
#UnchangingMajesty