Shareware Overload Trio 2

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C:\LESSON\GRWORKS.DOC 06-07-91 GREATER WORKS THAN THESE PART 2 John 14:12 read --- I believe Jesus did what he did because he knew how much his Father loves us --- The characteristics of much of the church today do not believe God loves us as much as he does --- it seems to be too good to be true --- This is why there has risen --- a theology that looks upon what we often think as the will of God as a very bad thing that has happened to us --- because this is the kind of God that we really think he is --- Every time Jesus meets a negative situation --- he knows the compassionate love of his Father to that person --- and therefore he brings about the blessing --- We know the promises and the blessings are there --- but we just believe that God could not possibly want us to have it this time --- There is not one case that came to Jesus in terms of a need that was not echoed as a positive in the blessings --- every time Jesus brought the blessings to them --- So whenever Jesus saw a lack of any kind he always spoke supply --- whenever he saw sickness he always spoke healing --- In Mat 8: we see where the leper came to Jesus and said --- if you want to --- or --- if you will --- you can make me whole --- He is saying --- I have no doubt about God's power --- but I have doubt about God's will --- I know you can -- if you will --- GREATER WORKS THAN THESE PART 2 The response to this in the Greek -- is as if Jesus Said --- of course I want to --- The idea is how dare you think otherwise How could the thought ever enter your mind to think that God would want you to be in this condition Jesus as true man united to his Father knew his Father's love towards the wretchedness of the human race --- Wherever Jesus met confusion and fear -- he always gave joy and peace --- Jesus was often saying --- peace be unto you --- When Jesus says --- the works that I do --- Those works were the application of the covenant under which he and the people around him lived --- no one performed covenant work like he did --- When I look at Jesus -- as man -- he is showing me there is no limit to what God will do in fulfilling his covenant --- Elisha had really thought he had seen God fulfil his covenant --- all that Elisha had seen was a very small portion of it --- Jesus comes and says --- there is no limit -- Let there be need and the blessing meets the need --- man has come and limited what God will do in these blessings --- Jesus just opened the doors and --- behind those simple words in -- GREATER WORKS THAN THESE PART 2 Deut 28 it says -- there is an endless supply -- it is only a matter of you taking it --- Just before Jesus leaves he calls the 12 disciples together saying --- the works that I do you shall do also --- It is as if he is saying --- I have demonstrated for 3 years -- how limitless the covenant is -- and how God will continually supply -- as you draw upon his covenant promises -- Now Jesus says --- you have seen me do it --- now it is over to you to continue doing the same And then he says --- and greater works than these shall you do --- The word -- WORKS -- in your Bible is in italics -- which means that word is not the original --- it has been put in by the translators --- I would be much better to say --- greater -- THINGS than these will you do --- They are going to do the same things as Jesus -- also they are going to do greater things than these --- The Sinai covenant related to the physical --- and out of this came a physical tabernacle --- that is when they thought of God's presence it was always to do with a place that you went to --- physical --- It also related to a physical priesthood --- that is they had a high priest and many other priests --- GREATER WORKS THAN THESE PART 2 Their priests, you could touch them --- this meant that they died --- so these priests were always changing They had offerings of -- lambs -- bulls -- goats These were constantly being offered -- you could touch them -- it all had to do with the -- physical --- All of these blessings that we have just read - from Deuteronomy -- have to do with the -- physical -- your body -- your food -- your money -- where you live This is all -- physical This is the -- Old Covenant When it comes to the spiritual -- that is the dealing with sin -- and the walking with God --- now the Old Covenant really could not handle this --- But these people at the time of the Old Covenant had the very best that was offering at that time --- Nowhere in the Old Testament did they know that their sin was dealt with --- They could say -- they knew forgiveness -- but their sin was still there --- God had forgiven them but their sin had not been dealt with --- God passed over it -- it was only covered over -- it was not dealt with --- Every year on the Day of Atonement -- they went and had to remember their sin ---- GREATER WORKS THAN THESE PART 2 In this there was no sense of joy when they thought about sin -- because it was not dealt with --- There was a mixture of remembering that I have sinned and at the same time it is covered over --- On one hand you had the misery that it had not been dealt with -- and a sort of joy that it had been covered over -- and I can walk with God --- The walk with God was all based on the -- physical -- if you wanted to be in God's presence - you had to go to the temple --- Actually the Old Covenant itself was the promise of something better to come -- this was only a shadow of the real thing -- Jeremiah comes along and -- He says in Jer 31:31 to 34 -- That there will be a new covenant -- and your sins and your iniquities will be remembered no more --- That is no more covering over --- Jeremiah also says -- I will write my law upon your heart -- I will put it into you mind --- Ezekiel says -- I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my ways --- He says -- Everyone in that covenant will know me says the Lord --- from the least to the greatest --- GREATER WORKS THAN THESE PART 2 He is saying -- You will know God for yourselves -- you will not need someone to stand between you and God --- No more offerings -- Why -- because your sins will be remembered no more -- One offering will be made that will deal with the whole lot -- so this is the end of the offerings --- No more 10 commandments on the wall -- because the 10 commandments will be inside of you -- the law will be written on your heart --- He says -- You will know me for I will be your God -- not just God out there somewhere --- but an intimate personal relationship -- and you will be my people --- This is the New Covenant and it is a better covenant than the Old Covenant -- for this one takes up all the imperfections of the old -- and replaces them with perfection -- No more just covering over sin ----- sin is wiped out and made as if you have never sinned --- never to be remembered again --- It is nice to have a priest -- but it is better to know the Lord yourself --- Jesus said -- you disciples are going to do things that are greater things than I have done --- --- Why this --- He said -- because I go to my Father --- GREATER WORKS THAN THESE PART 2 Now -- what does this mean -- when he speaks of going to his Father --- He is speaking of his death and resurrection --- That is he is going to die for our sin and in so doing, he pays for our sin in full --- Then he rises from the dead and goes to his Father --- and in going to the Father -- he is the guarantee of the new covenant --- What did he do there -- really I do not know --- but speaking as a little child-I would say -- He said --- here I have shed my blood on behalf of all humanity --- I have taken their sin it is paid for in full I am now standing before you as if I am them And the Father with delight accepts his beloved Son -- and the ones he has bought with his own blood ---- When the Father accepted his Son --- I am also accepted in his Son --- It is as if I am standing there my sin is declared as if it never was and I am welcomed in the Fathers presence as if I was Jesus himself --- At this moment Jesus pours out the Holy Spirit on earth The Holy Spirit on earth is the proof that the covenant is sealed in Heaven --- for the Holy Spirit is among men --- Now all the blessings of the New Covenant are ours --- the better blessings --- GREATER WORKS THAN THESE PART 2 Or as Eph 1:3 says --- you are blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ These terms of Jeremiah -- they are the blessings of the New Covenant and they are all ours --- When Peter stood up on the day of Pentecost and proclaimed the gospel --- he was offering and doing greater things than Jesus had done in his life here on earth --- For Jesus had never offered what Peter was offering --- Jesus could not do it because he was under the Old Covenant -- This could never be given until he had died -- risen -- and -- ascended So Jesus had to achieve it and then Peter proclaimed it And in proclaiming it - and offering it -- it is a greater thing then what Jesus did under the Old Covenant -- What I am saying to you -- is better then what Jesus said -- because I am offering you the New Covenant which is better than the Old Covenant -- Jesus could not do this because the New Covenant had not arrived -- Seeing I live after his death and resurrection - I can now present - - the greater -- the better thing than the Old Covenant ever had -- Jesus said -- The works that I do - you shall do also GREATER WORKS THAN THESE PART 2 Therefore all the blessings of the Old Covenant are still with us -- When the New Covenant came - God did not just through out the Old Covenant -- everything that was good in the Old Covenant continues --- Everything that I do - you shall do also -- but there will also be greater things -- So all the imperfections of the Old Covenant have been swallowed up in the New Covenant -- Now we have the best of both Covenants We have all the physical -- material -- and caring of God for his people in the Old Covenant And we also have the blessings of the New Covenant -- which deals completely with sin -- This brings us into a relationship with God by the Holy Spirit -- which causes us to know the Lord -- without any priest standing between us -- We can now say -- He is my God And hear him say back to us -- We are his people Now we do not have any more offerings -- for Jesus was the final lamb slain -- And that was the end of all offerings We do not have any more religious hierarchy -- priesthood -- GREATER WORKS THAN THESE PART 2 I do not minister to you because I am part of some religious hierarchy -- it is because he has given me a gift -- I am your brother -- I am your equal All that I am doing is sharing what God has given me I do not stand for you in the presence of God -- you must stand for yourself -- and you will do it through the blood of Jesus and in the name of Jesus -- There are no more temples of sacred places -- wherever you are is sacred -- It is sacred only as long as you are there -- it is you that is sacred not the place -- Wherever you stand - it is holy ground -- it is sanctified -- but the moment you leave -- it is just plain ground --- In the Old Covenant everything was visible -- there was -- the priest -- the offerings -- the temple -- Then in the resurrection of Jesus -- He says -- This is finished And you could see nothing -- because the true is invisible We now say -- We are accepted by God through the one offering -- and the blood of Jesus Then you are asked - where is this offering and this blood -- in the Old Covenant you could see the blood dripping off the alter -- GREATER WORKS THAN THESE PART 2 Now you come to the real thing -- you cannot see it -- but the Holy Spirit witnesses in our heart that it is real -- We now have an invisible High Priest who is ever in Heaven making intercession for us -- and the Holy Spirit witnesses to us that he is real -- In the Old Testament you had a very clear group of Covenant people who lived together known as Israel -- they lived in the land of Canaan -- Now the real thing has come It is no longer - one nation it is no longer - one land one place - one city It is an invisible nation -- an invisible church -- and it is throughout the entire world -- The world say - where is it -- And on second thought they say -- Of course it is that place on the corner it is painted grey there is a sign that says church Many times when you go into one of these places you will find that no one believes in Jesus -- It is only a church by name -- The word church outside a building does not mean a thing The church is people in whom Jesus Christ lives by his Holy Spirit -- GREATER WORKS THAN THESE PART 2 And the world says -- where are they -- I cannot see them -- But if you are in the church -- when you meet one of the church you will know that you have found a brother -- We are living in the greater and better New Covenant -- What does this do to us If I have done one thing today -- I hope it is this -- That I have raised your expectancies -- I do not expect you to leave here and -- walk on water -- still storms and put certain people out of business But what I do expect is that you will begin to expect -- Start where you are on solid ground -- that God has wiped out your sin -- Stop looking at this as something that God just did -- and realise that it is a firm solid plank of Covenant -- God did this -- not just because he felt like it -- He did it because the blood of Jesus - was Covenant blood and it is one of the blessings of Covenant -- God swore by himself that he would wipe out your sin -- He swore by himself to put his Holy Spirit inside of you -- so there will be the power to live this Christian life -- This is the blessing of Covenant -- not something that you have to beg and plead of God - hoping that he will do it GREATER WORKS THAN THESE PART 2 He has sworn his blessing -- that he will do it -- You personally know the Lord wherever you may be -- he has sworn this -- You can say -- You are my God And he will return it -- By saying -- You are my people There is not an area of life that does not come under this -- every part of this life is in this covenant -- You will be blessed in your going out and your comings in -- Wherever you are the blessings of God are upon you -- whatever you touch God's blessing is there He does this not just because he feels like it or you are hoping so -- God has sworn to himself that it would be so -- Whatever your life occupation may be -- you can expect God's blessing because you are in covenant -- When there are emergencies in these areas -- you can expect God to walk into the emergency and perform a miracle The heart of faith is to expect If I have seen what God has said -- and I see that he has underlined it in the blood of Jesus -- Then I can walk out and rest expecting God is going to do this -- GREATER WORKS THAN THESE PART 2 I can expect my Covenant God to fulfil the blessings of covenant -- From the healing of the body to the provision in our every day need to the work that we do Right throughout the New Covenant we are blessed with all spiritual blessings -- Know that our sins are wiped out-- Jesus says -- The works that I do You shall do also and greater works than these shall you do because I go to my Father AMEN.