05-16-26    I Represent the Resurrection

This is a revisit from a lesson from 1/12/2020, over 6 years ago.

 

Jesus sent the twelve apostles out two by two giving them ‘power’ over unclean spirits and sickness and disease (Matt. 10:1, Luke 9:1-2).  Later, He gave another seventy disciples instructions on how they should proceed (Luke 10:1-16).  The seventy returned, amazed that even the devils were subject to their commands in Jesus’ name (Luke 10:17).

Jesus also tells us that as we believe on Him, we can do the same works He did because the Father is in Him and He is in the Father (John 14:10-12).  How do we know this?  How do we know we have this ability as well?  Because Jesus gave this ability not to just the apostles, but to seventy of His disciples as well.  Note that the apostles were specifically chosen by Jesus to be prime examples His Word.  But the seventy disciples, also believers, were ‘regular guys’, just like you and me.

Now Jesus knew that they had to be equipped so after His resurrection, He had His disciples gather around Him and He breathed upon them and said “Receive the Holy Ghost” (John 20:22).  Did they receive the Holy Ghost at that time?  No because Jesus told them (later) to wait for the promise from the Father and when the Holy Ghost is come upon them (us) they shall have power (Acts 1:4-8).  We are talking about two different Greek words here being translated as ‘power’.  Matthew 10 and Luke 9 both use the Greek word exousia (G1849), which is translated ‘power’ but carries more of the connotation of ‘authority’.  In Acts chapter1, power is the Greek word dunamis (G1411) which means miraculous or explosive power.  A quick comparison is if someone commits a crime, the police officer can come and arrest him and put him in jail.  However, the judge can put him in prison for as long as the penalty requires.  Get the picture?

So back to being equipped.  Jesus promises us that the Holy Ghost will be our comforter and He will be in us (John 14: 16-17).  This brings us to Acts chapter two.  The apostles and disciples were in the upper room, in one accord when what sounded like a mighty rushing wind filled the house in which they were sitting.  Then what appeared as cloven tongues of fire sat upon each one of them and they were filled with the Holy Ghost and they began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave the utterance (Acts 2:1-4).  Also read Acts 2:5-18 for a more complete picture of what happened. 

Are we clear on what we have to work with?  Our title is “I Represent the Resurrection”, so let’s see how this can be.

John 11:1-45, focus v20-26

Martha, her sister Mary and their brother Lazarus lived in the town of Bethany, just about two miles outside Jerusalem on the hillside of the Mt. of Olives.  Lazarus had become ill so they sent for Jesus.  Lazarus died.  Jesus lingered where He was, then arrived in Bethany four days later.

When Martha heard Jesus was coming, she went out to greet Him and said “Lord, had you been here, my brother would not have died, but I know that whatever you ask of God, He will give you.”

Jesus said to her “Your brother shall rise again.”

Martha replied “I know that he will rise in the resurrection on the last day.”

Suddenly, I can feel everything coming to a standstill.  Perhaps the birds quit singing in the treetops.  Maybe the breeze stops whispering across the cheeks of our face.  I can see Jesus pausing here for a moment.  Maybe he takes a deep sigh.  Maybe a slight smile parts his lips.  Maybe His head moves slightly left to right.  Perhaps even leans forward a bit, maybe He looks Martha right in the eye.  (I don’t know, I wasn’t there and the bible doesn’t say) but then Jesus does say to Martha:

“I AM the resurrection and the life.  He who believes on Me though he may be dead, yet He shall live.  He who believes in Me shall never die.  Do you believe this?”

Jesus tells Martha that He IS the resurrection.  Father let that sink into my heart for a while then He started me thinking, more than once, that is many times over the years.

Hmmm. I am a Christian.  That being so, I represent Jesus here in this world.  For some, I may be the only representative of Jesus they may encounter.  I represent Jesus who is the resurrection, therefore I represent the resurrection.  I am not the resurrection but because I do represent Jesus who is the resurrection, I DO represent the resurrection.

Father got me to thinking about being a representative of Jesus.  A representative is (if you will) like an ambassador.  The US sends ambassadors to other nations to discuss our (and their) best interests in their relationship with us.  The ambassador operates in full authority and power of the US in that other country.  Of course, there may be matters he may have to refer back to the president and congress (he cannot declare war), but he does have the authority and power to make decisions and agreements with the other nation.  The ambassador acts on behalf of our nation in that other country. We act on behalf of Jesus in this world!

We are ambassadors for Jesus Christ in this world.  Jesus is currently in heaven and He has given us authority to operate on His behalf, in this world. 

Jesus tells His disciples that He will give them another comforter. Jesus promises us that same Comforter shall be in us (John 14:15-18) and the Comforter (Holy Ghost) will give us power (Acts 1:8).  So we have authority and we have power to operate as an ambassador for Jesus Christ in this world.  He also tells the tjem that the Comforter was “with” them (His disciples)  and shall be “in them”.  Jesus, as the fullness of the Godhead (Col. 2:8-10), was the presence of the Holy Ghost as He walked among the disciples, but Jesus was not ‘in’ them.  So Jesus promised them (and us) that the Holy Ghost would take up residence in them (us).  Jesus needed the fullness of the Holy Ghost so He could accomplish His mission (the cross/resurrection/ascension).  It would have been difficult for the Holy Ghost to minimize His work in Jesus to enter the disciples – at that time.  But, after the ascension – no problemo!

Whoa!  So I am an ambassador for Jesus!  I am acting in His stead, in this world!  I represent Jesus in this world and as I represent Jesus (who is the Resurrection), that means I represent the resurrection!  As John (the Baptist) professed that he wasn’t the Messiah (John 3:28), I profess that I am (clearly) not the resurrection but I DO represent the resurrection (Jesus).  Jesus says that we will do all that He did and greater (John 14:12).  So we walk in full authority and, through the Holy Ghost, the power that Jesus gives us!  WOW!

Now, I’m sharing with you something in which I am still growing and trying to put into action in my own life.  I know, in my head, what this means but the process is translating it’s reality into my heart and then into my actions …  Even today I’ve seen progress, but I’m not where I’d like to be (how about you?).

Father would like to see ALL His children come into this mode where we can absolutely trust Him in and for all things.  He desires for each and every one of us to operate in the full authority and power through (the Holy Ghost) which He has granted us.

As I said, I’m still growing with the translating this into my heart, my own life.  I find myself, oft times needing to go into the “Job mode”.  Remember his problems?  Yet, through it all, Job never doubted who God is.  He may have thought God unfair (Job 23:1-5), yet in the end, he came to a clear understanding of who God is and what his relationship should be with the Creator of all things (Job 42:1-5).  Yes, many times Father has answered my prayers on the spot, but more often, there’s a process involved – at least for me.  He’s teaching me and I am learning the depth and breadth of what He is expecting from me.

In my head, I set something before the Lord and I expect to see it done.  Yet, I always try to make sure I have no hindrances.  I try to clear the air before I ask.  That is assure that there is no ‘open’ sin in my life.  But, when I don’t see the answer coming right away, I have to go into the “Job mode”, that is knowing that God is God no matter what I see (or don’t see),  I continue trusting in Him. At times, I may have to go into the Daniel mode.  The answer to Daniel’s prayer was delayed as the angel, bringing the response, was delayed by the Prince of Persia (a demonic entity) for twenty-one days (Dan. 10:12-14).  We may experience spiritual interference in our prayers.  That’s why ‘we don’t give up the ship’ but keep pressing forward.  Intellectually, I know Father always has my best interests at His heart, yet the task is translating that knowledge into my heart isn’t always easy.  Coming to where I have absolutely no fear nor doubt.  God speaks, I do. I know His Word, but bringing it into a personal realization (reality) isn’t always so easy for me.    

And yet another thing to consider is God’s timing.  He has selected a task for me (and for all of us) even from before birth (Jer. 1:5).  He has ordered my steps (Psalm 37:23).  All is done in His timing (Eccl. 3:1).  He may show us something today but is not meant, perhaps, for many years as with Joseph, from the dream to the second in command in Egypt (Gen. 37:5-11, 42:5-6). [Gen. 37:2, Gen. 41:46, about 13 years].  And yes, Joseph experienced some negative things in those years.

And, of course, there is our own doubt.  Jesus says to believe and don’t doubt (James 1:5-8).  Too many times I’ve doubted would God really use me?  Or there are others present with greater authority than I.  I have doubted with ‘will people really listen to me?’ after all, I am a ‘nobody’ (I am not well known outside of my circle of friends).  I still wrestle with my own insecurities trusting Father to implement what He has said.

For years, Father has been drilling this into my head:  Trust Him, learn what He teaches me, then go forth when He says it is time to go carrying the message He has given me.  I’m actually already operating in the ministry Father has given me, – through the blog.  Those entries are what the Holy Ghost gives me.  I used to be concerned whether or not people would actually read the blog.  Now, I’m concerned with ‘not if’ but rather that those who do read it would be blessed, encouraged and/or edified!  Through doubt, we are our own worst enemies. 

Today, too many Christians serve God intellectually.  For the most part, they know the Word (or at least what the words say) and many have some understanding.  The key is moving that knowledge into our hearts so we can confidently act on it.  Satan knows the Word, too.  He knows it better than any of us.  He just chooses not to live it (Isa. 14:12-14, Ezek. 28:15-17, Eph. 2:2). 

So, not because of ‘who we are’ but rather ‘Who is inside us’, we discover the blind can see, the lame can walk, sick are healed, devils are cast out, etc., etc.  The Words in the bible are supposed to become more than just words but a reality in our lives.  As we represent the resurrection, our Lord desires us to operate as He did.  Signs and wonders shall follow those who believe (Mark 16:17-18).  AND He gives us His strength (via the HG) to do it! (Psalm 28:7-8, Isa. 40:31, Acts 1:8).

I have seen answered prayers for a ton of little’ things that come into my life– even on a  daily basis.  I regularly pray for the growth of others and over time, Father has shown me physical evidence of those prayers being answered.  He has also shown me how He has spared me from potential disaster, more than once.

The closer we draw to the Lord, the greater the reality of His Word becomes in our lives.  It moves from head knowledge to absolute trust from our heart.  The closer we walk with the Lord, the greater the reality of these things coming to pass in our own lives.  That God will use us – as we allow Him!      

  Drawing closer to our Lord is growth and that should be our goal.  We do represent the resurrection.  How good of a representative are we?  How close do we dare walk with Jesus?

Note:  Father actually gave me a song “I Represent the Resurrection” in 2017.  Here we are nine years later.  #9 = fruit of the Spirit; Divine completeness from the Father, God’s Visitation. Father is showing me, in the world around me, how this is unfolding today.  No, I didn’t include the lyrics but as a clue – in Christ Jesus, as a steamroller we are capable of rolling over the deeds of Satan and his cohorts; better than a steam shovel, Jesus has dug our way out of the pits of Hell; and as a cement mixer Jesus is telling us that though we are all different, in His love we are all uniting under the banner of ‘Jesus Christ, our Lord’.  We need to make this personal.

So, is Father truly bringing full fruition of the song “I Represent the Resurrection?  I see it unfolding around me.  I found it interesting that a song written about construction equipment, released  by James Taylor in 1970 and also in 1973 by Elvis Presley, can bring to us the a reality of Jesus in our hearts.

Amen