Series: The Word Made Flesh
Sunday am 7 August 2016 – Kobus Swart
John 1:1, 14; 1 John 2:18-22; 1 John 4:1-3, 17; (Gen. 1:27); 2 John 1:7; Eph. 1:4-5; (Rom. 8:19, 28); (Phil. 2:6-7); Eph. 1:10; Gen. 2:1-3; Isa. 66:1; John 14:23; Matt. 11:28-29 (Message Bible); Heb. 4:10-12; Rev. 21:3
The first Incarnation took place when Jesus became the Word made flesh. Likewise, we are called to be living epistles in which the Word is becoming flesh again.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word became flesh; the Word became Jesus. God became visible in the person of Jesus (John 1:1, 14). That is called the incarnation. That is beyond the capability of our minds to grasp. That process is being repeated in the Body of Christ worldwide. God’s original plan with man is still His ultimate intention. It is taking longer than we thought but God sees everything from the finish.
The only book in the Bible that talks about the antichrist is the epistle of John, and only four times. Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us. But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know. I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it, and because no lie is of the truth. Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son. (1 John 2:18). Already in those days there were antichrists. There is an eschatology that has lost direction where everyone is looking for ‘an antichrist’. Beloved, do not believe every spirit… By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world (1 John 4:1-3). There were those who denied that Jesus had come in the flesh. John calls them the antichrist. For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist (2 John 1:7). There is a process taking place; the Word is becoming flesh again. Jesus was called the First of a new humanity.
By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world (1 John 4:17). God is love, God is light and God is Spirit, and it says, “As He is, so are we in this world”. Unfortunately, for many, Church only happens on Sunday mornings in a building. The Church has to leave the building! For the Word to become flesh we have to go out, so where you work and wherever you are, it has to manifest, otherwise Christianity has missed the mark. As He is, so I am! As He is, so are we in this world.
Where did all of this start? It started in Genesis where God created man in His image and in His likeness (Gen. 1:27). God wanted to be put on display in the world because He is Spirit. He wanted to become visible in the earth. When it says God created man, it means He actually carved us out of Himself. That is our origin. What God starts, He will finish. In Jesus we have been re-created and put into a process; He perfected us once for all, those who are being sanctified (Heb. 10:14). We are in the process of coming back to the full image that was originally in God’s plan for man.
Even before we were born we were predestined to become sons; to come to full sonship in Him (Eph. 1:4-5). Every fall, every mistake, every wrong choice, every wrong decision that causes pain and delays, He makes it work for our good so we can conform to the image of His Son (Rom. 8:28). This can make people arrogant, but what will help is if we think like Jesus when He was on earth. (Phil. 2:6-7). Jesus was God in the flesh, but He did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. The Word is going to be made flesh and we are going to be like Him. The whole of creation can hardly wait for the fullness of the Son to be manifested in the sons (Rom. 8:19). We are heading towards the climax of human history. Human history will finally be consummated in Christ (Eph. 1:10)
The Sabbath is not a 24 hour day, nor a day on the calendar. If you look carefully into this, the Sabbath is referring to a people and God hallowed it and set it aside. God wants to rest in a people (Gen. 2:1-3; Isa. 66:1). The sovereign God, the omnipresent God, the omniscient God is looking for a people in whom He can find rest (John 14:23). The house in which God will rest will be free of religious activity. Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly (Matt. 11:28-29Msg).
This takes us back to paradise, the Garden of Eden. It has been confirmed by apostolic voices world-wide that the Garden of Eden is not a geographical place on earth which you can find on a map. The Garden of Eden is an environment, an atmosphere. It refers to order, a delightful spot; an open door. A spot where God has an open door from heaven to earth, and that is where God put man. What happened when man sinned? That atmosphere went back to Him. Study the Bible and see where you find the word ‘paradise’. When Adam and Eve were banned from the garden, the door was closed for them to get back into that environment and atmosphere because they had disobeyed God. They were like God but had not eaten from the tree of life. God put cherubim with flaming swords moving back and forth at the entrance of the garden, so that man could not come back without qualifying for that atmosphere.
God is looking for a place to rest; the Word has to become flesh again; the environment, the atmosphere in which God will rest and feel at home. How do we get there? The only way is by the Word of the Lord. For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His. Therefore, let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience. For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart (Heb. 4:10-12). The only way to get back is by the Word that separates spirit from soul and penetrates the heart. Why is it important for us to be hungry hearers? We receive the Word like lightning from heaven being invited by a reaching out from earth. Then the download comes from heaven to the hungry heart. We need the Word of God like a two-edged sword, living and powerful that will divide what needs to be divided, that will open the door to that place of His presence. We must connect with that Word and become that Word. Finally it will be us in God, God in us and God will fill all in all.
And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them” (Rev. 21:3). There will be no more separation. In that atmosphere God had a daily walk with Adam and Eve. There was interaction, there was relationship; there was an atmosphere and environment. After Adam and Eve fell, men began to call on the name of the Lord (as if He was far away). God wants to re-open (the atmosphere and environment) and make it accessible to those who are lovers of His Word.
Quote:
For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist (2 John 1:7)