Sabbath Message 29/02/32/120

 

Greetings Brethren,

May the blessings and calling of the Lord our God brighten your Sabbath day, which the Lord has made our day of rest.

As we move closer to Pentecost we should have all enjoyed a blessed Passover. We have participated in the sacrament of the Lord's Supper and Passover sequence, which takes into account our replacing the old leaven of malice and wickedness with the leaven of sincerity and truth.

This sequence also marked the first harvest, which is our Lord Jesus, the first begotten of the creation (Col. 1:15), therefore, the beginning of the creation of God (Rev. 3:14). One of the most important lessons during this sequence, and a key to our understanding, is that of the three elements to eternal life.

The first two elements are from John 17:3.

The first element … “And this is eternal life, that they know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.”

The second element of eternal life is faith in Jesus Christ through knowledge of the One True God.

The third element of eternal life is participation in the Passover and eating of the body and drinking of the blood of Jesus Christ (Jn. 6:53-54).

These three require obedience to the One True God by keeping his Commandments, which point to the function of Messiah in obedience unto death once and for all.  Since Christ was the only born son (Mat. 3:17) this would take into account the reconciliation of both the physical and spiritual fallen Host (see also the paper The Lord’s Supper (No. 103)).

The most important acknowledgement is our common belief with ancient Israel of which there is no contradiction, as stated in Shema (Deut. 6:4): “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our god is one God; and you should love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your might.” This expression of our faith is delivered from the same source of God, the Logos in human flesh, Jesus Christ, in Mark 12:29. Therefore, we are in accord and of one mind in this respect with physical Israel.

We see that all the people of Israel were in agreement with God on the old covenant when they answered together with one voice: “All that the Lord hath spoken we will do” (cf. Ex. 24:7). When all the words of the Lord, concerning the Commandments and judgements, were made clear they were again with one accord and were heard again with one voice. No schisms here, just a loud verbal agreement. Exodus. 24:3: “And Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord, and all the judgements: and all the people answered with one voice, ‘All the words that the Lord has said we will do.’” Furthermore, during the beginning of King Hezekiah's reign, which was to restore Judah to obey God's commands and keep the Passover and other Feasts, the people in Judah acted with one heart, which by then Israel in the North had forgotten.

2Chronicles 30:12 Also in Judah the hand of God was on the people to give them one heart to do the commandment of the King and of the princes, by the word of the Lord.

So here we see that not only were they in agreement but also, contrary to previous statements, in fear concerning Israel. They had their hearts involved in the matter.

By now, we should draw from these examples that we as Christians, through our unity with Christ and God, should also be of one heart and mind. Paul extorted us to be of one mind in Philippians 1:27: “Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ; that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind for the faith of the gospel.” Here we are again with the heart of one spirit and one mind for the faith and commission of our calling.

The message is similar in Philippians: 2:2: “Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.”

Paul again states in Ephesians 4:4-6: “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling. One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and father of All, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.”

To these I would add what is expressd in Isaiah 8:20: “To the Law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” 

So here, brethren, we can accumulate the understanding that there is: one spirit, one body, one mind and one testament and one unshakeable faith in Christ, the son, who is our brother and God the Father, who is above all and in all.

Romans 12:5 states we are knitted together as a unit:

Romans 12:5  So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

We are to be sober-minded as well so as able and ready to provide services to God who Himself is merciful and kind in that He created us for His pleasure and according to His purpose.

Ephesians 5:18  And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the spirit.

Remember brethren, God does not change.

Malachi 3:6 For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob (which we are; Rom. ch. 11) are not consumed.

So let us get to the heart of the matter of why we are created then called.

First there is God's pleasure:

Ephesians 1:5 Having predestined us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will.

Second, there is purpose:

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose.

We know every purpose was planned out before it was implemented:

Proverbs 20:18 Every purpose is established by counsel …

God's purpose is revealed in that we were called before the world began, to fulfill His works.

2Timothy 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.

Specifically, his purpose is the reason for our commission in Matthew 28:18-20 and that this was predestined as per Romans 8:29. So this plan was historically done under counsel with the consent of God before we were conscious of our existence. We can also aptly call this a “building plan” as we note we are fitted together to work together with likeminded presence.

We know that there is also a time to every movement of God's plan:

Ecclesiastes 8:6 Because to every purpose there is time and judgement therefore the mercy of man is great upon him.

This is important to note brothers and sisters as we reach the end of the first 6,000 years of the plan. God's calendar system, starting from the first day of the first month (Nisan or Abib), was used to bring forth the various harvest periods which symbolically portray the division in the salvation of God’s creation.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven. A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted.

Pentecost is fast approaching and we must, once again, realize the calling to be of one purpose and mind, as were our brothers and sisters at the outset of our era. Remember, Acts 2:1 finds our brethren gathering together, that they were of one mind, one accord, and this event is used this day to serve God's purpose. We are, therefore, one with all who are called by God to be the people of this work. We work together with the mind of the Bereans as was our example from Paul, demonstrated and recorded in Acts 17:10-14.

2Timothy 3:16-17 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

Let us also do this with patience toward one another.

Luke 21:19 In your patience possess your souls.

James 1:4-5 also reminds us:

But let your patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask God, that giveth to all men liberally, and abraideth not; and it shall be given him.

We should concern ourselves with working as stewards of the mysteries entrusted to us through the word of God.

In conclusion, this time that we live in is a time of great apostasy that will soon turn into a terror like none other that the world has seen. We will see many horrors before our eventual adoption and will no doubt thereafter be called, in the Millennium of peace, to service with Christ in ruling the planet. We can only fulfill this purpose if we are and ever more of one accord, one spirit, one heart, one mind and one testimony with our beloved Christ and Our Father and God. 
     

Angel Vazquez
Coordinator New York