Revelation 1:1-2, John 1:1-18, Hebrews 1:1-9, Luke 10:17-24, Matthew 16:13-19

Introduction

What is the revelation of Jesus Christ? It is the unveiling of the many dimensions of who Jesus is and how we can interact with and benefit from these many dimensional revelations of Himself. But firstly, we need to know that revelation is progressive, and in the revelation of Jesus is the progresive journey of a believer to the fullness of what God intends him (man) to be. The revelation of Jesus is therefore as “…the path of the just” which “is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day” (Proverbs 4:18)

As a believer embarks on this journey, he discovers that Jesus is the example, the pattern SON.  Jesus is the full expression of the Father’s will and thought of what He wants man to be in LIFE, He said of Himself “…I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” John 10:10

We are increasingly learning to receive and express His kind of life, but very soon we will experience His more abundant life, and as we go through this learning process, we are progressively enabled to receive more of His revelation knowledge, and Jesus Himself said “And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent. John 17:3” By saying this, the Lord Jesus shows us that the way to access His kind of life is by the revelation knowledge of God and of Himself (Jesus Christ). Meaning, the revelation of Jesus Christ gives us access to life.

Read and discuss the following bible passages in the light of the above John 8:12 (how do we follow Him?), John 1:4-12, Colossians 1:10.

What is life? 

Life in a simple definition is the state of being active and able to meaningfully affect your environment. It includes strength, wisdom, direction, intelligence, etc. Intelligence for example is what separates animal life from human life, while ability is part of what distinguishes plant life from animal or human life. But there is also the angelic level of life, and there is the God kind of life (the divine life). That is the level of life the Lord Jesus is referring to in John 17:3 – the God kind of life (the divine life). 

There are things that a plant cannot do that an animal can do. There are things that an animal cannot do that a human can do. There are things that a human cannot do that an angel can do. There are things that an angel cannot do that God (and Jesus) can do. Meaning the level of Jesus’s life (His activity and ability to meaningfully affect things) is much higher than anyone and anything else. He can do all things and with Him nothing is impossible (in heaven or on earth). 

That is the level of life we gain through the revelation of Jesus Christ – the divine life. And because life includes the state of being active and able to meaningfully affect your environment, gaining the divine life means that we shift from being just earth-bound humans who are spiritually inactive (and at best only better than animals and plants) to heavenly persons who are spiritually active and can be used by God to accomplish all kinds of Kingdom possibilities in heaven or in earth (beyond what angels can accomplish) – all through the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Part of the attributes that we have as we gain the divine life (through the revelation of Jesus Christ) is the capacity to conquer (be victorious over) all the factors that seek to resist (to oppose) us from affecting our environment (our lives, or territory) the way God has ordained for us to do. The opposition could come from the angle of doubt, or discouragement, or sin, or fear, or depression, or distraction, or delay, or hindrance, etc, all in a bid to stop us from becoming what God wants us to become and to stop us from doing what God wants us to do. The Lord Jesus referred to all such operations as the gates of hell (the different pathways that the forces of darkness explore to attack the people of God). But as He explained in Matthew 16:13-19, through the revelation of Jesus Christ (and the divine life we gain as a result of the revelation), we will always conquer the gates of hell such that they will never prevail or succeed against us, because the revelation of Jesus Christ is a rock (a strong foundation that upholds us from falling) and a key to access the authority (and power) of the Kingdom of Heaven. Meaning, the more of Him we know, the more victorious and heavenly our personal and corporate Christian life becomes.

We therefore trust the mercy of the Father to reveal His Son, Jesus Christ, to us as we embark on this study. We would look at the different nomenclatures (terminologies) used to refer to the Lord Jesus and we would also look at the different persons in the Old Testament that are prophetic representations of Christ.

The Nomenclatures of Christ

In this section, we would look at the different words that are used to describe or refer to the Lord Jesus Christ, and trust God to use them to reveal Christ to us, so that we can access His divine life, have a strong foundation, and exercise His Kingdom authority.

The Resurrection and the Life

We can find this reference to Christ (the Resurrection and the Life) in John 11:25-27. It reads: 

“[25] Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: [26] And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? [27] She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.”

In this passage, Jesus explained the functional effect of His identity as the Resurrection and the Life by saying “… he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die …”. The “dead” here could be physical death (including having sicknesses), spiritual death (including corruption of sin and addictions, decaying effect of accusations and condemnations, etc), financial death, emotional death (including anxiety and depression), etc. What other forms of death can you think of? 

Regardless of the definition of ‘dead’, the passage shows us that when we catch a revelation of Jesus as the Resurrection and the Life, the effect on us would be that (in our individual lives or in our corporate life as a church) if we find ourselves in a situation where we feel dead, then (through Christ) we can resurrect out of that situation into life (a better state or scenario). For example: from prayerlessness to fervency in prayer, from addiction to self-control, from depression to joy in the Holy Spirit, from anxiety to peace that passes human understanding, from lack to supernatural provision, from sickness to sound health, from guilt and condemnation to boldness and confidence to approach God and fellowship with Him, etc. Can you think of more practical examples of resurrection?

How do we experience this resurrection?

Jesus said “… he that believeth in Me …”. Meaning, we need to believe in His power to resurrect us out of all dead situations, just as Mary and Martha needed to believe that He could undo the death experience of Lazarus and bring him back to life. Nevertheless, Jesus explained further in John 5:24-25. He said:

“[24] Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on Him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. [25] Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.”

In this passage, He explains that the believing is on His Word (His Voice). That is, we must hear and believe His Voice. How do we hear His voice? One way (as indicated in Romans 10:6-8) is to take His Word (in the Bible) and speak it to yourself or to the situation, and as you speak His Word, believe it. By doing this (speaking the Word of God to yourself), you will be renewing your mind, and Romans 12:2 explains that renewing the mind is the means by which we are transformed (transformed into divine life, immortality, and Christ-likeness). That is how we experience what Jesus meant when He said “… the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live”, “… he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die …”. We experience this by speaking the Word of God to ourselves, to renew our mind (because a renewed mind would not accept death (of sin, of sickness, of failure, of oppression, etc). Can you think of examples of dead or dying situations, and the scriptures you can speak (as the Voice of God) to bring Christ’s resurrecting life to those situations?

The Word of God

John 1:1-3 tells us that in the beginning was someone called the Word. This person was with God, and this person was God. It tells us that all things were made by Him (the person called the Word), and that nothing that exists was not made by Him. Who is this person? Ephesians 3:9 shows us that it is Jesus. He is the One through whom God created all things. Meaning, in Genesis 1, when it says “… and God said …”, it was actually Jesus who spoke God’s words. As such, John 1:1 is saying: in the beginning (before the creation of this world) Jesus (the Word) was present, and Jesus (the Word) was with God, and Jesus (the Word) was God. 

What does it mean that Jesus is the Word?

Isaiah 55:11 explains the character (or testimony) of the Word, that when God sends it, it will always accomplish (and prosper in) what He says, never returning void (without accomplishing what God said). For Jesus to be called the Word of God, it therefore means that He has this testimony described in Isaiah 55:11. It means that anything that God says (anything that comes out of His mouth) Jesus can do it. Think about it. One would have to be God (that is, have God’s ability and nature) in order to do everything that God says. For example, if God says, let there be light or let the world be created, the testimony of the Word of God means that whoever has that title must be able to accomplish what God has said so that nothing He said will remain undone. So when John 1:1 refers to Jesus as the Word, it is an indication that He is God, which is why He could carry out the Father’s goal of creating all things.

What is the benefit of having this revelation of Jesus Christ – that He is the Word of God? 

It reveals the fact that He never fails to accomplish the will of the Father. So, when He says in Luke 12:32, “Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom”, we can be assured He will surely accomplish it. He will not fail. We will indeed receive the Kingdom of God. This assurance becomes even greater when we consider 1 Corinthians 15:50 which says: “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption”. Meaning, when He said it is the Father’s good pleasure to give us the Kingdom, that “giving the Kingdom” involves changing us from mortality to immortality (from corruptibility to incorruptibility). And because Jesus is “the Word of God” (a title with a testimony of always accomplishing the goal) we know that He will never fail; we know that He will indeed cause us to be changed into Kingdom glory. But He said in John 11:40 “… Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?” To fully enjoy the testimony of His name (the Word of God) we must believe Him, and then we would see the glory of God manifest in all aspects of our lives. For it is by Him that all things (that pertain to life and godliness) are created in our lives.

How do we experience the Word of God?

By understanding and believing the person (Jesus) who is in charge of accomplishing what has been written in scriptures. Meaning, when we read a verse in scripture, for example “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48), we need to understand that Jesus (with the title and testimony of “Word of God”) is responsible for accomplishing this will of God (that we should be perfect like our Heavenly Father). So we don’t relate with scriptures as just plain text or just any other book. But rather as written descriptions of the will of God which in turn are written descriptions of Jesus’s mission – because every word that proceeds from God must be fulfilled. Experiencing the word of God therefore involves having faith in Him and that faith is strengthened as we fellowship with Him.

We have more confidence in one whom we have a relationship with. Meditating on the word of God is therefore not just interacting with a non-living text, but meditating involves fellowshipping with Christ who is the One in charge of accomplishing the will of God described in the scriptures. For example, meditating on “be holy for I the Lord am holy” (Leviticus 19:2) involves interacting with Jesus for Him to reveal His capacity to make one holy to the same degree with which God is holy. Because He is the Word of God.

The Christ

Read Matthew 16:13-16. In this passage, the Lord questioned His disciples on the subject of His identity for the first time. We must understand that these were men who had been with the Lord for a decent duration of time, but He still asked the question…”who do you say I am?”. They all gave their thoughts, and some agreed with the popular notions that He was John the baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah or just one of the prophets of the old. Peter however spoke by the influence of the Spirit of revelation, to provide divine perspective of the identity of the Lord Jesus. He said “You are the Christ, the son of the living God”. 

Jesus is both the Christ and Son of the Living God. We will expound on Jesus as the Christ for this section. The word “Christ” is the greek word Christos which means “the anointed” or “Messiah”. The name “Christ” is the Messianic name and office of the Lord Jesus (Acts 2:36). Jesus as Messiah speaks of His saving ministry of mankind (Acts 4:12). What is He saving man from? He came to save man from the power and the penalty of sin (Romans 6:23, Romans 3:23, Colossians 1:12-14). 

When the first man fell for sin he and all men that came from him became slaves to sin and sentenced to death (Romans 5:12-14, Romans 6:20). Since a man,  not spirits, not God brought damnation upon mankind only a man could be a channel for deliverance for mankind (Romans 5:17-19), and Jesus is that man. 

How did Jesus secure salvation for mankind? 

Jesus was manifested in the form of a man to be a symbolic sacrificial lamb for mankind (John 1:29, 1 Timothy 3:16). So He took up all rightful punishments, curses, sicknesses, and eventual death of mankind, and in His resurrection all that identify with Him (that is, all that accept Him) partake of the newness of life which is exclusively available through faith and spiritual identification with Him (Romans 6:1-10, Galatians 3:13, Isaiah 53:1-12). 

The saving ministry of the Lord Jesus goes beyond the born again experience right into our progressive walk on the path of life (Jude 1:24, Hebrews 7:24-25). He saves us from the sin nature in the soul and will eventually redeem or transform our bodies at His appearing (1 Peter 1:9, 2 Corinthians 3:18, Philippians 3:21, 1st John 3:2, Hebrews 9:28). The ministry of Christ is of even greater importance today because of the gross darkness, wickedness and deception in the world. Sometimes the believer finds himself in difficult conditions and may feel almost stranded. It may be by their own fault and ignorance or by the direct operation of the evil one. One thing we must know is that God never gives up on His sheep but goes after us to always secure deliverance. 

We see this character of Christ acted out in the life of David as a shepherd boy (1 Samuel 17:34-35). David stated that while he kept his father’s sheep, there came a devourer to both steal and to kill a sheep. What did he do? He went after the lion, took out the sheep from the mouth of the lion and slayed the lion. What a glorious personification of the Lord Jesus! A sheep in a lion’s mouth is as good as dead for the average shepherd, but not with the Lord Jesus, because “He saves to the uttermost”. He is a specialist in difficult and hopeless situations and a faithful deliverer of His sheep. When you think of that struggle, problem, situation that has you seemingly stranded, remember that Jesus saves even from the very mouth of the devourer (Isaiah 49:24-26). Jesus in the flesh reinforced this character trait over and over again as we see with the lost sheep and a sinking Peter (Matthew 18:12-14, Matthew 14:28-31).  

What can we learn? Jesus saves from the beginning to end. The cry of the righteous will never be ignored in the day of trouble (Psalm 20:1-9, Psalm 34:15). A caution in the topic of God’s saving ability now in relation to sin is that we are not delivered to continue in any form of sin (John 5:14-15). Jesus saves and He empowers us to live a life pleasing to Him (Philippians 2:12-13). We are also equipped to be channels of salvation to mankind having experienced His multidimensional operation of salvation (Obadiah 1:21). Jesus is our Savior and Deliverer so we can trust His ability because He is Mighty to save (Zephaniah 3:17). 

In Matthew 16:16, Peter said by the inspiration of the Spirit that the Lord Jesus was not just Christ but “The Christ”. The name Christ means “anointed”, in other words he is the anointed one. Why was he called “the Christ” and Christ? The Lord Jesus warned in the gospel that many shall claim to be Christ and lead people astray in the last days (Matthew 24:5, Matthew 24:24). It was important to note this because all through scripture, a messiah, a chosen one from God was prophesied of, that is he would be the hope of mankind (Isaiah 11:10, Isaiah 61:1). It was needful that he be identified as the anointed one, for God’s intention of Salvation for all of mankind. Hence he is the sole focus of man and there will be no other Christ outside of him. 

With that established, what does it mean to be anointed? The word anointed is used 97 times all through scriptures (85 times in the Old testament and 12 times in the new). The concept however remains the same in both the old and the new. The word “anointed” means to be rubbed, smeared, with oil as a symbol of sacrality or consecration to sacred purpose. The anointing is a symbol of divine authorization for accepted service before God (Exodus 30:30, 2 Samuel 6:6-7). The priests, prophets and kings were anointed for sacred service unto God (Exodus 30:23-25, 1 Kings 19:16, 1 Samuel 10:1). For example, a man called Aaron was anointed as a priest or symbolic mediator for his people, that is whenever he offered sacrifices for mercy or blessed the people God heard him (Numbers 16:45-48, Hebrews 5:1). In Christ we have a greater than Aaron!  He is the one authorized mediator and representative between God and man (1 Timothy 2:5; the priesthood of Christ will be covered in more details in another section). If Christ the head is anointed then the body is also (Colossians 1:18). The greater Aaron was anointed with oil and it flowed to the body of the skirt of the priest (Psalm 133:1-3). This reality is captured in the events displayed in the outpouring of the holy spirit on the day of pentecost as prophesied in the Psalms (Acts 1:8, Psalms 110:1-3, Acts 2:25-36). 

The anointing is a symbol of the Holy spirit. It is both authorization and empowerment for service. The Lord Jesus only commenced his divine ministry when he received the anointing of the holy spirit in the river Jordan (Luke 3:20-22, Acts 10:38).  As children of God, the anointing  of the holy spirit dwells in us to both teach us/guide in truth and also upon us for enablement in divine service (1 John 2:20, John 14:26, 1 Samuel 10:6, Luke 4:18). The anointing of the holy spirit is given by God so the body is empowered to serve and live supernaturally. The operation of this anointing is multidimensional and not limited to the five fold (1 Peter 4:10, Romans 12:4-8). We are a people authorized and empowered for divine purpose. What should the knowledge of the anointing do to a believer? It should eliminate fear, timidity, insecurity and comparison is service to God (2 Timothy 1:7, John 15:16). The anointing of the holy spirit is a substance of dominion and ruling not fear (Psalm 110:2). Christ the head was anointed in flesh, the glorified Christ is anointed and Christ the body is most definitely anointed. Say boldly, “ I am anointed by the Lord, commissioned of the Lord and empowered by the Lord for ministry, exploits and dominion on earth!”.

The Way, The Truth and The Life 

Read John 14:6 and 1 Corinthians 3:11. 1 Corinthians 3:11 says: “For no other foundation can no man lay, than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ”. 

This is one reality every genuine child of God must come to accept. Once we understand this saying, we would understand why the revelation of our Lord Jesus is a must for our lives as believers. Our lord Jesus is the cornerstone, which every other person must build upon. This also means that Christ is the foundation of true and authentic worship. Anything we do that has no foundation in Christ will not stand; it will crumble. Scriptural references (Luke 6:46-49, Ephesians 2:19-22, 1 Peter 2:4-8, Isaiah 28:16 ). 

Jesus is The Way

John 14:5-6. The statement made by Jesus in this particular scripture, was birthed by the question: How can we know the way? When Jesus says He is the way, the following are what He expects us to know:

• That He is the perfect image of the Father. He mirrors God to us and without Him we can’t see, touch or know the Father. 
• He expects us to know and trust Him and walk in the faith that He is the way. To walk in the faith means to rest in the comfort of the faith that He will lead us exactly where we need to go. 
• Christ is not just the way, He is an example. He is not just a prophet pointing the way of salvation to us by His doctrine. Rather, He is the way of salvation itself by His obedience and sacrifice. He is the way of His Father’s appointing, and which is entirely agreeable to the perfections of God, and suitable to the case and condition of sinners. He is the way to all the blessings of the covenant of grace.

But as we have in the world today, the world tends to look for alternatives outside of Jesus, to have the rest they have been longing for. Discuss other alternatives the world has embraced and how do they compare to our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Jesus is The Truth 

Jesus is not only true, He is the truth Himself. This is in relation to His person and character. He is the true God. He is the sum and substance of all the truths of the Gospel; they are all full of Him, and center in Him; and He is the truth of all the types and shadows, promises and prophecies of the Old Testament; they have all their accomplishment in Him. He is the true way, in opposition to all false ones man is devising for himself. Read Revelation 15:8, John 1:17, John 17:17, and John 8:32. 

Something to meditate on in regards to the truth. “The most important thing is not knowing the lies because new lies will keep being manufactured. It is Knowing the Truth because when you know the Truth you will know when a lie is being presented”. Guard your loins with the belt of Truth!!!!!  

Jesus is The Life

Jesus is the author and giver of life: natural, spiritual, and eternal. He is the way of life (the Living Way). In John 10:17-18 Jesus declared that He was going to lay down His life for His sheep, and then take it back again. He spoke of His authority over life and death as being granted to Him by the Father. Through Jesus we also have the promise of life in John 14:19  – “because I live, you also will live”. 

The deliverance Jesus has provided is deliverance from a life of bondage to sin and death to a life of freedom in eternity. John 1:4 says in Him (Christ) was life and this life was the light of men. Scripture reference: Romans 8:10, 1 Corinthians 15:45, John 17:3, John 6:57, John 10:28, Romans 6:23, 1 John 4:9, 2 Timothy 1:10, Romans 6:11. 

The Last Adam

1 Corinthians 15:45-49. This passage mentions two Adams: the first Adam and the  last Adam. The first Adam is the man that God created in Genesis in the garden of Eden, while the last Adam is the Lord from heaven, which is Jesus Christ. What is the benefit of the revelation that Jesus is the Last Adam? To appreciate this, we would first need to understand what it means to be an Adam. In the context of this passage, an Adam is the first man (or the father) of a human race. That is, out of Adam (the first man created in the garden of Eden) came out all humanity that has ever lived upon the earth and will ever live before the close of this age. Meaning, Adam is the father (or ancestor) of every human being that has ever walked upon the earth. 

Why is this important? It is because, spiritually speaking, what a father has done is reckoned to his children. A good example is described in Hebrews 7:1-10. There we are told that Levi paid tithe to Melchizedek, even though Levi was not even born yet and had never physically seen Melchizedek. But because Levi was in Abraham when Abraham met Melchizedek and paid tithes to Him, it is spiritually reckoned that Levi paid tithe to Melchizedek. The gap (generations) between Abraham and Levi was inconsequential to the reckoning logic. Levi was Abraham’s great grandson. But it was still reckoned that he was in Abraham, because he was in Jacob who was in Isaac who was in Abraham at the time when Abraham met Melchizedek (though they had not yet been born). 

This is the same principle that links every human being to Adam (the first man). That is, just as Levi (the fourth generation from Abraham) was still reckoned as being in Abraham, so also all of humanity are reckoned as being in Adam. Meaning, when Adam was taking the action of disobeying God and obeying satan by eating of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, it was reckoned that every human being did it. That is, just as (in Abraham) Levi paid tithe to Melchizedek, so also (in Adam) every human being (we all) disobeyed God and ate of the tree of knowledge of good and evil and died the death of separation from God. That is the Adam effect — the actions of “an Adam” affect every human being, because he is the first man in the human race and as such the father of all others.

But from 1 Corinthians 15:45-47, we see that there are only two Adams: the first Adam (the first man) and the last Adam (the second man). Meaning, there are only two people whose actions are reckoned to all humanity: the Adam in the garden of Eden and the Lord Jesus Christ.

What is the benefit of the Lord Jesus as an Adam? The wisdom is captured in 1 Corinthians 15:21-22, 1 Corinthians 15:47-49 and Romans 5:12-19. These verses in summary show that just as satan (the spirit of sin) gained control over all humanity to influence them and install the sin nature in them simply because Adam (who we were in) decided to obey him and become his servant (according to the principle in Romans 6:16), so also by the last Adam’s actions (of obedience to God) all humanity are free from sin’s and death’s influence and can easily take on the nature of righteousness and true holiness. Chew on this (along with the passages: 1 Corinthians 15:21-22, 1 Corinthians 15:47-49 and Romans 5:12-19) and ponder the question: what are the benefits that Christ’s obedience (as the last Adam) make available to us?

Jesus as the Last Adam is to us an advantage in the sense that in Him we are no longer legally under the influence of sin, and in Him His obedient and righteous actions are reckoned to us. The result being that we have greater ease to experience what He has experienced: sonship, holiness, life, immortality, divinity, etc, which otherwise would have been impossible for fallen humanity to experience. It is similar to how Adam’s actions of submitting to the spirit of sin (satan) made it easier and “natural” for every human being to be sinful from birth. Selah! Christ’s actions make it easy (from the time of being born-again) for us to walk in righteousness and true holiness as obedient sons of God.

Knowing this, our attitude daily should be to believe, confess and expectantly walk in the reality of who we are in Him understanding that whatever Jesus has done, we too are reckoned to have done it. Romans 6:1-11, Galatians 2:20, Ephesians 2:4-6, Hosea 6:2. As He died, so we died; as He arose, so we arose; as He is in heaven living in God’s sight and exercising the full authority of God’s throne, so we are in heaven living in God’s sight and exercising the authority of God’s throne. Meaning, our daily Christian experience should be heavenly and we are not to believe any lie that the enemy presents to us claiming that we are failures or good for nothing or unable to walk in perfection. But are to maintain the consciousness of who we are in Him (our new Adam) and let what He has done flow through us as our new character and ability. Because as He is, so are we (1 John 4:17), and that’s the Adam effect (the last Adam effect). Selah!

The Bread of Life

In this section, we want to appreciate the benefit of the fact that the Lord Jesus is the Bread of Life. That is, we want to understand: what benefit is it to us that Jesus is the Bread of Life. Read John 6:26-63. 

In this passage, as the Lord walks towards giving the revelation that He is the Bread of Life, He begins by explaining to them (in verse 27) that aside from physical food which can perish (that is, which can decay, or which after being eaten is issued out into the toilet), there is another kind of food that lasts until it brings the eater to eternal life. Then He adds that this eternal life is given by Him, meaning, the food that leads to eternal life is associated with Him.

Upon saying this, the people responded by making a link to Moses and saying that it is Moses that has given such supernatural food which was called manna (or bread from heaven) as shown in verses 30-32. Then Jesus proceeded to reveal the fact that what their fathers ate was not the real bread from heaven, but rather, “… the bread of God is He which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world” (John 6:33). After which He moved further in verses 48-51 to boldly declare: 

“[48] I am that bread of life. [49] Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. [50] This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. [51] I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”

This is profound. Jesus is the bread of life. Meaning, we are to eat Jesus. But many people were confused by this. Verse 52 says “The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”. But what did Jesus mean? How are we to eat of Him? He answered it in verse 29 & 35. He said: “[29] … This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent. … [35] And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.” As such, we eat of Jesus by believing on Him. That is how we eat the Bread of Life. By believing Him, and because we know that He is the Word of God, we understand that believing Him means believing the Word of God. Meaning, we eat of the Bread of Life by believing the Word of God (after reading, hearing, studying, meditating on the scriptures).

Knowing this, we can yet ask: What does it mean that Jesus is the Bread of Life? We know how to eat of Him. But what does it mean that He is the Bread of Life? Who is this that we are actually partaking of? What is the implication for us that He is the Bread of Life? That is the revelation we want to gain.

If we remember, Jesus said in verse 27 that we should labour for the food that leads to eternal life. And now we know that He is that food (that bread of life from heaven). It thus means that the implication for us that He is the Bread of Life is that if we partake of Him He will bring us to eternal life. That is, the effect on us of Him that we take in is that we receive eternal life. He made this even clearer in verses 47, 53-58. Verse 58 says: “This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.” That’s an amazing fact! Whoever eats of this bread shall live forever. 

What does it mean to live forever?

One simple way to look at it is by considering the contrast of Romans 6:23, 1 Corinthians 15:56. These passages show the relationship between sin and death. Meaning, death involves living in sin. Whoever is committing sin is experiencing death (or the reign of death). So when the Lord says whoever eats of the Bread of Life shall live forever. He is saying whoever eats of Him will never sin, but remain in a perpetual state of holiness unto God. That’s amazing. Meaning by believing the Word of God we can be free from sin? Yes! But the key word is “believe”, which is a function of understanding. This is the key truth to gain from the fact that Jesus is the Bread of Life. It should affect our attitude to scriptures and the quality of expectation we have from interacting with it. Our expectation and faith should be that by yielding to the Word of God we shall live in holiness forever and never sin, because what we are taking in is not just a text but a description of the Bread of Life. He said He is the food that leads to eternal life.

Because everything with God involves faith. It shows that we have access to this eternal life in Christ Jesus when we truly believe the Word of God. That is how we eat of Him. There is life in Him. But if we read or hear or ponder the scriptures without faith, then we may not access that eternal life that gives us victory over the death of sin. So He said “… This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.” (John 6:29). We must believe that He (and His Word) has the power to remove sin from us. Amen!

The Lamb

Jesus is the Lamb that taketh away the sins of the world (John 1:29, Revelation 5:6-10). As the Lamb, He shed His blood for the removal of our sins (Romans 3:23-28), and by the shedding of His blood on the cross, Jesus has taken away our sin and has made us free from guilt, condemnation and accusation (Romans 8:31-39). Romans 5:15-16 highlights a key element of Christ’s sacrifice: that it is not like the judgment which came after one offence. Meaning, it is not the case that the gift of forgiveness is after only one offence. Rather, it covers many offences. This however is not a license to continue in sin (Romans 6:1-23). Rather it is a secured opportunity for us to keep advancing towards manifest perfection without suffering a break in relationship with the Spirit of Christ who is both the author and the finisher (perfecter) of our faith (our Christian walk).

As such, a profitable application of the revelation that Jesus is the Lamb that taketh away the sins of the world is that no matter what may have happened, we must never entertain (or give legitimacy to) the accusations of the enemy, because although they masquerade as the Holy Spirit convicting us of sin, they (accusations) are actually designed to weaken our confidence to approach God and thus have a break in vital relationship with Him, despite the new and living way Christ has made available for us to approach God through His blood.

The Son of the living God

Matthew 16:16 – “… Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God”. The concept of sonship is used throughout the scripture from the Old Testament to New. Phrases like “Son of man”, “Son of David”, and “Son of God” are most notable mentions. One of the biggest controversies about the Christain faith is how that the invisible God could have a Son. This highly debated subject is a common basis for questioning the deity of the Lord Jesus. However the concept of a son first spans back into the jewish tradition of inheritance. A son is the first one who is heir to his father’s inheritance, as seen with Jacob and Esau and the prodigal son, just to mention a few (Genesis 21:9-10, Deuteronomy 21:16-17, Luke 15:11-12). 

Sonship is the primary ground for which inheritances are passed down from generation to generation. Paul understood this, so he said that we are to both come into the revelation of our inheritance as children of God, and we are to know the things that are freely given to us (Ephesians 1:17-18, 1 Corinthians 2:12). The Lord also took advantage of this concept in His teaching on the Holy Spirit in John 16:15. He said “All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that He shall take of Mine, and shall shew it unto you.”: The Lord was simply using the concept of inheritance to convey His oneness with God, His possession of all that is God and the similar experience available to those who will receive the Spirit of adoption. This is because the Holy Spirit is the seal that permits legal access to our divine inheritance (Ephesians 1:11-14), which is why the Holy Spirit is called the “Spirit of His Son” and “the earnest of our inheritance” (Romans 8:15, Galatians 4:6, Ephesians 1:14). 

With that established from a historical standpoint, we must go back to the question, what does it mean for Jesus to be the “Son of the Living God”?  The new testament introduces us to a new concept of spiritual sonship. This concept of sonship reveals an invisible God in and through mankind. That is, God is revealed in and through man for all of creation to see (1 Timothy 3:16). In all of visible creation, there is a reference for the invisible realm, but God’s desired reference is man (Romans 1:20, Genesis 1:26). Since Adam fell for sin, a new man was introduced and unlike the first Adam, this man perfectly revealed the Father. This man is called “the Son”. Hebrews 1:1-3 describes the Lord Jesus as the Son, the Heir of all things and the express Image of God’s person (Read Hebrews 1:1-3). This Son is the custodian of all of God’s inheritances, but most importantly He is the revelation of God in bodily form. In other words, if you want to see, understand and experience God’s true essence or character, you have to look to THE MAN called Jesus, via the revelation of the Word. He is the express Image of God’s person! Hallelujah! So when the Lord was asked to reveal the Father, He explained to His disciples that He is the only Father they would ever see. That is, He is the truth/reality of God and outside Him there is no revelation of God (John 14:6-9). Paul also further established this truth in 2 Corinthians 4:6, that the revelation of God is in His Son Jesus. 

Jesus is the Son of the living God. He is not the son of Mohammed or Buddha, but the Son of THE LIVING GOD: the source of all life Himself. And because He is alive, we live through Him. He has also given us the Holy Spirit to bear witness of the Living God (Acts 5:32). This was the concept the Lord Jesus came to model, which is the concept of sonship. In His death, burial and resurrection, He became much more than a Son, but now the Firstborn and Senior Brother for all sons of God (Colossians 1:18,  John 12:24, John 20:17, Hebrews 2:10-13, 1 John 3:1, Romans 8:19). Like Jesus, we are also sons of God. 

What were the characteristics of the first Son? 

According to Hebrews 1:1-3, He is heir of all things, and the glory and express image of God. Is this the reality for you? If it is, this will be a good time to shout “YES!!! I AM A SON OF THE LIVING GOD!!!”. Yes we are sons. We have inheritances in our Father’s kingdom, and these inheritances are available now as well as then in the times to come (Ephesians 1:17-19, Colossians 1:12-14, 1 Corinthians 2:12). We are also the express image of God, because of God’s Spirit in us, because when both God and the devil see you, they see the glorified Son (1 John 4:4). Lastly, the image of God is truly formed and manifested experientially in our character through a process of renewal and sanctification by God’s Word and Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:18, Romans 12:2). Why? Because we are God’s divine project (Ephesians 2:10). 

Questions (discuss and answer): 

1) What inheritance(s) are available to me in Christ today and how can I take advantage of them? 

2) Give practical examples of experiences, revelations from the word, personal teachings and dealing that allowed for a greater expression of the Character of Christ in or through you. 

The First and the Last

Revelation 1:8-18 (emphasis on verses 8, 11, 17 and 18). Revelation 2:8, Revelation 22:12-16. Jesus is the Alpha and Omega; the beginning and the ending; the One who was, who is, and who is to come; the First and the Last. 

Genesis 1:1-3 tells us that “In the beginning … God said …”. And John 1:1 echoes the same thing saying: “In the beginning was the Word …”. Then Ephesians 3:9 says: God created all things through Jesus Christ. Together, these passages show that indeed Jesus was indeed the first to speak. He was the first to declare His counsel. He is the First! 

What is the point of His speaking first?

Hebrews 11:3 says: “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God …”. Which is what Genesis chapter one shows. The speakings of God is the means by which He creates. He spoke this world into existence. As such, being the First to speak implies that in our lives, and in any situation, there is a reality, a version of the story, that He has already created by His word; even before any other opposing factors come in; even before the enemy hatches any counter plan against you or the situation; God through Jesus has spoken First and by that speaking has created a goodly reality. 

This realization is one way to enjoy the benefit of Jesus being the First; knowing that no matter what the situation is (personal, spiritual, financial, academical, emotional, ministerial, etc) Jesus has already spoken His will concerning it (a speaking that we can find by revelation in the Scriptures; a speaking that has already created a goodly version of the matter). We would thus do well in every situation to seek the Lord to reveal the portions of Scripture that show what He has already spoken concerning that situation; because in all things concerning our lives, Jesus is the First to speak. And as He said in Isaiah 46:9-10, it is His counsel that shall always stand! 

What about the Last?

Jesus is the Last. And combined with being the First, He envelopes all other contrary possibilities in the certainty of His counsel, swallowing them up in victory. Be it as it relates to things that pertain to life or such that pertain to godliness (and salvation), Jesus is the First and the Last. We see an example of His authority as The Last in Revelation 16:17 where we are told of His voice proceeding from the Throne, saying: It is done. Or in Revelation 21:5-6 where He spake from the Throne saying “… Behold, I make all things new … It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end …”. That is the final say. He always has the final say. In all things pertain to our life and the world, Jesus had the First say and He has the Last say; all other sayings are temporal and shall indeed pass away. They are what Isaiah 41:29 refers to as “… they are all vanity; their works are nothing: their molten images are wind and confusion.” Profitable for nothing in the final analysis. Whatever the enemy seems to be trying to do in any aspect of our lives or any aspect of the world are all profitable for nothing; they shall all come to nought as Isaiah 8:10 says, because Jesus is with us and He is the First and the Last. That is why He said to John in Revelation 1:17 “… Fear not; I am the first and the last:”. Amen.

God of gods 

The revelation of Jesus Christ as the God of gods is an emphasis on God’s Supremacy, Greatness and Might. Deuteronomy 10:17 says “For the Lord your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a Mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward”. It was very important that the Lord made known to the children of Israel who He is, in terms of His capability, when they left Egypt and when He was seeking to establish a relationship with them, so as to build their trust in Him. The prior knowledge they had of Him was that He was the God of their fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. 

Most times we understand this reference (God of gods) as a God who is more powerful than any other so-called god. But, we must know  that this reference does not make mention of the existence of other real gods, rather focuses on God as the supreme over anything else. Further scriptural references are: Isaiah 45:5, Isaiah 43:11, John 1:1-3. God says in Isaiah 45:5 “I am the Lord and there is none else, there is no God beside Me”. 

How does this understanding impact our relationship with God? 

 Our Inclination towards this revelation of Jesus as God of gods.

This revelation should strengthen our trust in God, we should be able to conclude that the only One we can place our trust in is God Almighty; wonder why David said “I will lift up my eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help is from the Lord, which made the heavens and earth.” (Psalm 121:1-2). Just as a little child trusts his father to help him in all things, we should be a little child in trusting God, knowing He is the Supreme One. See Isaiah 26:4, John 14:1, Psalm 20:7, Psalm 9:10, Psalm 37:5, Psalm 56:3-4, Proverbs 3:5-6.

Another aspect of this revelation we cannot but talk about is the FEAR OF THE LORD. Yes, the Fear of God. Scriptures say “ The fear of God is the beginning of Wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10a). When we talk about the fear of God we mean having reverence for God, it means to give Him complete reverence and honour Him as God of great glory, majesty, power and holiness. The fear of God is not the fear that makes one to be afraid, just as people are afraid of accidents, armed robbers, etc. This fear is the fear that makes a man to love God, appreciate His character as God, and walk uprightly before Him. This is what the fear of God does to a man:

• The fear of God brings hatred for sin, and the seriousness of how enormous it is (Romans 7:13)
• The fear of God causes a man to love, honour, and reverence God with the whole of the heart, soul, and strength and to keep His commandment (Deuteronomy 6:4-5, Deuteronomy 10:12-13, Matthew 22:36-38).
• The fear of God makes a man take seriously the weight and importance of what God has called us to, and the ministry He has given unto us (Philippians 2:12).
• Discuss other impacts the fear of God has on a man.

Finally, this revelation of Jesus as the God of gods, gives us believers the leverage (Maximum Advantage) to get rid of all idols, imaginations or things that exalts itself higher than God in our lives, thereby giving us the readiness to fully obey the Lord, and making our lives an establishment of His counsel in this present world, so that God has total ownership and rulership of our lives.

Great High Priest

Hebrews 4:14. Hebrews 10:21-23. These verses show the link between “having a great High Priest” and “maintaining our confession of faith”. In other words, if we didn’t have a High Priest, we would not have the confidence to have any hope in God. Things like “the hope of our calling” or the “hope of our Christian faith” etc would be non-existent. We won’t have a confident basis to expect anything good from God. No access to His grace! The only reason we have these things: grace, hope of glory, expectation of His mercies, kindness and interventions, etc is because we have a High Priest. So the writer of Hebrews says, because we have a High Priest, let us be confident to expect goodwill from God.

Why is this so?

First, we need to understand the role of a priest. Why did God institute the concept of priests and priesthood? In summary, a priest is one ordained of God to offer atoning sacrifices to God on behalf of the people, that their sins may be forgiven. See Leviticus 4 (taking note of verses 13 & 20, 22 & 26, 27 & 31). Atoning sacrifices are sacrifices intended to take away the sin or transgression of a person or people. It is a wisdom God put in place where the animal for sacrifice will bear the death penalty (which is the wage of sin, Romans 6:23) that the offender should have had. God put this in place with the Israelites to foreshadow the substitutionary sacrifice that His Son (Jesus Christ, our Lord) would come and do for us: to die in our place, so that we would be free from guilt and the penalty of sin. It is the role of the priests to carry out these atoning sacrifices. And after carrying out the sacrifice, it is the role of the High Priest to take the blood of the sacrifice into the Most Holy Place of the temple and present it to God on behalf of the people as a symbol that justice has been served, the punishment for sin has been done, and the blood is the evidence of it. If this is not done, the people remain in their sin and thus are cut off from the outflow of goodwill and blessings from God. See Leviticus 16. This is why having a High Priest gives us the opportunity to hold on to an expectation of God’s goodness, grace and protection in our lives, as well as a hope of glory (immortality and life).

Numbers 35:9-29 gives another perspective to why we should rejoice and be confident because we have a High Priest. Discuss. Keep in mind verse 25 that sets the condition for the validity of the period of refuge to “until the death of the High Priest. And consider how that Hebrews 4:14 says we have a High Priest that is passed into the heavens (and as such, not subject to death), what does that mean for us?

Christ the Bridegroom

The Marriage

In Ephesians 5:31-32 we are told of “a great mystery” that refers to the marriage union between our Lord Jesus Christ and his precious bride; the Church. Why is the marriage between a man and a woman a great mystery? This is because God uses the visible and more relatable concepts to establish his eternal realities (Romans 1:20). That is to say,  the visible marriage relationship between a man and a woman is God’s way of conveying the great eternal union between our Lord Jesus and his glorious Church. This union can be seen in 2 fold expressions; it spans from this present time, as a covenant relationship between God and his people , even unto the ages to come, a joining where we are seated and will yet seat with him on his throne, ruling and reigning with him forever (Hebrews 8:10-13, Revelation 19:6-7, Revelation 20:6).  This is a reality that makes us “the called”, a glorious call into a practical intimate relationship with our lord and saviour Jesus Christ that begins from now even unto ages to come, words without end. Amen.(Revelation 19:9).

To further understand the covenant relationship between the bridegroom and the bride, we shall look into certain scriptures. In Ezekiel 16:8 we are told of a covenant entered into, that made us God’s chosen and God’s owned. While this may be seen as a covenant relationship between God and Israel of old, we know that this basically a type and shadow, referring to the relationship between the Bridegroom and the Bride. We entered into this relationship through the death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ and all that it has to offer even his blood. The parable in Matthew 13:45-46, speaks of man that goes all the way to purchase a precious pearl. This is synonymous to the idea of when a man goes to pay a bride price over his  bride. You must know that you are not only a lively stone, but also God’s precious treasure in Christ Jesus, that has been purchased with a precious price, even the precious blood of Jesus to be reserved as a virgin for the Bridegroom. (1 Peter 2:5, Zechariah 9:16, Malachi 3:17, 1 Corinthians 6:20, Acts 20:28, 2 Corinthians 11:2).

What does it mean to say, You are purchased with a price, and that you are no longer your own? Discuss before proceeding

To be purchased with a price implies that, we have been redeemed or recovered by legal rights from every previous ownership or lordship, this includes but is not limited to; the lordship of yourself, of  men, and of spirits. This means that, the sin nature with all its tendencies which was inherent in us and held us captive, will no longer have dominion over us. Additionally, this means that no devil or unclean spirit can lay claim over you and all your interest. It doesn’t matter if it’s by ancestry or by projected influences or even past evil deeds. The blood of Jesus has put an end to every such possibility. Note, we must master the act of always reminding ourselves of this reality of our redemption.(Ephesians 1:7, Colossians 1:12-14, Romans 8:33)

The Bridegroom

For some, that understanding that Jesus Christ is the visible image of the invisible God, which is to say Jesus is the embodiment of the Creator God. This understanding makes it difficult to see Jesus as their husband. As it is considered condescending, who am I to consider the creator as my husband? But we must however receive grace to see our lives and our experiences from the perspective of God. The scripture is God’s perspective of us, and in his perspective, we are told that God is our husband (Isaiah 54:5). Selah!

Let it sink in deep, that Jesus Christ in all his majestic and glorified estate is our Bridegroom. He has paid the price, therefore we should let him have his way in all areas of our lives. Let us allow him to have his full possession of us. It may be okay for a new bride to still want to maintain her individuality, but as she grows in the marriage relationship she must begin to learn how to stretch forth her hands and let her bridegroom to lead her. Sometimes the direction may not be pleasing to her, but she must regardless yield to guidance of her Lord as this is a sign of spiritual maturity in union.(John 21:18-19).

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 tells us that our body is the temple of the holy spirit, and that we are no longer ours but Gods. This is to say, there is now a change of purpose and Identity, our new purpose is to glorify God.  Given that we now know that our body is not our own, we must understand that the owner of the body is the Bridegroom. He that hath the bride is the bridegroom..(John 3:29a).  To fulfill his lordship over the bride, the bridegroom is committed to protecting, providing and leading the bride. Amongst these responsibilities, one of the primary roles of the bridegroom is to love the bride. 

Oftentimes as a church we focus on fulfilling the need of being labourers and workers of God -which is a good thing!, but we often lose sight of the fact that the same God that is seeking labourers is also seeking a lover in you. We must understand that Jesus loves us so much that he laid down his life as a proof of his love (John 15:13, Romans 5:7-9).

We must continue to pray to God for a deeper knowledge and understanding of the love of Christ, till we are fully persuaded and convinced of how strong his love is. Till we come to full terms with the truth, that nothing can detach us from the love of our Bridegroom. (Ephesians 3:14-19, Romans 8:38-39, Psalms 139:1-10).

The Bride

In scripture, we see two symbols that describe the church; a location and a person/people. As a location, just like the word “When” points us to a time, the word “Where” refers to a location. Matthew 18:20 tells us that “where” there is a gathering in Jesus’s name, he is also there amongst them. So we can say the church is a “place” that houses the presence of God in the person of Jesus Christ. Furthermore, we see the Church described as the “house” of God, where the truth of God’s word alone is preached and nothing else(Genesis 28:16-17, 1 Timothy 3:14-15).

The word “house” introduces us to a more spiritual meaning of the Church as a person or a people. When the house is understood as a place to house God and not only the church members, it gives the house a deeper meaning with better appreciation.There is a house that God prefers to dwell in, and that house is a man (Acts 7:47-49, Isaiah 66:1-2). Not just any person, but those that have become one with Jesus by an intimate relationship, they have yielded to him and are allowing him to alter their character and their lifestyle, to the end that Christ may be fully formed in them. The Bride of Christ is a perfect man, a group of people that will grow to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Jesus Christ ( Ephesians 4:11-16, Ephesians 5:25-27).

Being the  Bride of Christ, is not just by taking his name (Isaiah 4:1), we must feed on his word and put on the Character of the Bridegroom (Matthew 4:4, Romans 13:14). For this is the only way we can bring forth the fruit of the Spirit as seen in the life and character of the bridegroom. A true bride is not identified by their name, but by their fruit (Matthew 7:16-20). When we know his love, a natural response will be to love him in return and to love others (1 John 4:16-21).

The bride is also expected to submit to the Lordship of the Bridegroom, we must recognise our Lord Jesus as our head. We are to allow him to do our thinking for us, and allow him to guide us through the leading of the Holy Spirit. (Ephesians 5:22-24).

What does it mean to allow the bridegroom to do our thinking for us? Discuss before continue

This means that we are to allow him to live our lives for us through the principles of this word, and by the leading of his holy spirit. We live our lives like it’s not ours, like a dead man, we have no opinion or inclination to anything in our lives. But rather, the prompting and nudging of the Holy Spirit becomes our basis for our life decisions even for the big and little things of life however convenient or inconvenient. In summary, this is what it means, to be dead to self –  the crucified life of a believer and a life of absolute trust in the Father, above your human inclination (John 5:30, Galatians 2:20, Col. 3:3-4, Proverbs 3:5-6, Matthew 16:25).

Additionally, the bride is expected to always be faithful in response to the faithfulness of the bridegroom (2 Thessalonians 3:3, Deuteronomy 7:9) . We read stories in the Old Testament about how God supernaturally presented Himself to Israel as a good and faithful Husband through His covenant of love for her. Israel was richly loved, favoured, and provided for by Him. Despite all of His blessings and fidelity to her, just a few people believed in Him and remained faithful to Him, while the majority rejected Him and turned away to worship other gods (Jeremiah 3:20).Treachery is simply characterized by betrayal, or the lack of confidence and trust in someone. The people of Israel just could not trust that the same God who saw them through a previous challenge is able to see them through the subsequent challenges. The scriptures list some examples of what they did for our admonition, so that we don’t do the same. Go through the examples found in 1 Corinthians 10:6-13, and discuss

We must always remember that our loyalty is only towards our Lord Jesus Christ and him alone, and not any other man, object or ideas. The bridegroom wants to be all and all, and does not want us to be defiled with other gods (Exodus 34:14, 2 Corinthians 11:2, Revelation 14:4)

The Results of a Vital Union

The result of a Vital Union with the bridegroom can be summarized in the 3 following aspects discussed below; Companionship, Service, and Fruitfulness.

Companionship

In the first chapter of the book of Genesis, we see God’s evaluation in respect to his creation plan, for every aspect of his creation the scripture says “God saw that it was good”. There was one exception to this, where the scripture tells us “God said It is not good”, and this was regarding the lonely state of man (Genesis 2:18). Companionship was at the heart of God’s creation plan, we are not created to live our lives alone. Fellowship is a vital aspect of the survival of man, we were created to enjoy a vital communion primarily with our Lord Jesus Christ our bridegroom, and then our brethren. One of the key points of every marriage union is companionship, communion, fellowship and friendship which is referred to as intimacy (John 15:15).

God had always wanted to dwell among his people in true communion, and this is very important for the people of God to know and understand, this is the expressway to true oneness with the Father in Jesus. Distance relationship  was never part of God’s plan in relating to his people, sin is what brought that distance. But thanks be to God who has made it possible for us to have a deep and intimate relationship with him in Jesus Christ, Amen (Exodus 25:8, Exodus 29:45, Leviticus 26:12, Zechariah 2:10, John 14:23, Revelation 21:3-4)

Service

In Matthew 20:27-28 the word minister simply means servant, so to minister would mean to serve, as seen in the duty of waiter in a restaurant standing to offer service to the guest. For more understanding and application, let us look at the book of Genesis, Adam can be seen as a type of the husband, as well as Christ the bridegroom. Eve can be seen as a type of the wife, as well as the Church the bride. In Genesis 2:15, we see that the man was given an assignment to carry out, of which the woman was also to help (Genesis 2:18-25). Similarly, our Lord Jesus, the bridegroom, was given an assignment (Galatians 4:4-5), the church is also expected to help in the fulfillment of this assignment.

What is the assignment given to Christ, the last adam? 

How do we the Church play our role as the helpmate of Christ? 

Discuss before proceeding

Galatians 4:4-5 tells us that the assignment given to Jesus was to redeem all from the law, which is the law of sin and of death (Romans 8:2-4). Additionally, we can further understand that the assignment given to the bridegroom of which we are to be part of, is to preach the good news, that sets men free from every form of bondage and spiritual imprisonment (Luke 4:17-21, Matthew 4:23-24). As he is working in us, he also invites us as his helpmate to co-labour with him in delivering men from every bondage and reconciling men back to God (Matthew 28:18-20, 1 Corinthians 3:9, 2 Corinthians 5:18-20, Romans 1:16-17)

Fruitfulness

Malachi 2:15 tells us that one purpose of oneness as seen in a faithful marriage relationship, is to bring for godly seed, a seed or fruit after the life  of God. We bring forth fruit as we maintain a steady intimate relationship with our bridegroom, similarly to how Adam knew Eve, his wife, she conceived and bare Cain (Genesis 4:1). The result of a vital communion with the Lord through our fellowship with the Holy Spirit, would be to bear forth the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). Now we must understand that, we don’t bear fruits by looking at the fruits, no. We bear fruits by abiding in him and letting him abide in us, for no amount of self righteousness or ritual practices can make us fruitful (John 15:4-5)

What does it mean to bear fruit ? Discuss before continuing

The bearing of fruit is synonymous to giving birth. There is first a conception, this is the conceiving or the forming of a life within a person. As we abide in God through his fellowship with his word, the very life, nature and the Character of God as seen in Jesus Christ is being formed in us (Galatians 4:19). Now this formation starts when we become born again, and as we receive the Holy Spirit, which is the spirit of his son – Jesus Christ ( Galatians 4:6). After the conception stage, there is a delivery stage. This is a process, where the life that was conceived is brought forth visibly to find an outward expression (John 7:37-39). We can only bring forth that which we take in. If what is inside is of God, this will be reflected in our words and action. We must understand that, we do not bear fruit by fixating on the fruit, no. We bear fruit by fixing our gaze on Jesus, and the fruit we bear will be reflected in what we change into (Hebrews 12:2, 2 Corinthians 3:18).