November 2, 2014
The authority of the Word of God is being openly challenged today, even from within the Church. Though this has been true in nearly every generation, it is possible to have confidence and boldness in the timeless, eternal, and flawless character of Scripture. In this message, Eric Ludy explains the Canon Test (which God gave Moses to prove the authority of His Word) and shows how this “canon” was used throughout Scripture and is now applied in our lives. The climatic reality is that Jesus Christ has fulfilled the Canon Test and has the divine right to rule and control our lives. This sermon will leave you awestruck as you listen to how Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament in perfection.
Part One
Part Two
Part Three
sermon notes
part one
THE CHALLENGE OF KORAH
The question of authority that every generation must face
Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men: And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown: And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against
Numbers 16:1-3, 13-14
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and take of every one of them a rod according to the house of their fathers, of all their princes according to the house of their fathers twelve rods: write thou every man’s name upon his rod. And thou shalt write Aaron’s name upon the rod of Levi: for one rod shall be for the head of the house of their fathers. And thou shalt lay them up in the tabernacle of the congregation before the testimony, where I will meet with you. And it shall come to pass, that the man’s rod, whom I shall choose, shall blossom: and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, whereby they murmur against you. And Moses spoke unto the children of Israel, and every one of their princes gave him a rod apiece, for each prince one, according to their fathers’ houses, even twelve rods: and the rod of Aaron was among their rods. And Moses laid up the rods before the LORD in the tabernacle of witness. And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds. And Moses brought out all the rods from before the LORD unto all the children of Israel: and they looked, and took every man his rod. And the LORD said unto Moses, Bring Aaron’s rod again before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the rebels; and thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me, that they
Numbers 17:1-11
Jeremiah 1:11-12
THE ROD
Of measuring, of discipline, of comfort and enablement, of kingly authority
The Rod Measures the House of God, proving it perfect, righteous, and of divine origin
In the visions of God brought he me into the land of Israel, and set me upon a very high mountain, by which was as the frame of a city on the south. And he brought me thither, and, behold, [there was] a man, whose appearance was like the appearance of brass, with a line of flax in his hand, and a measuring reed; and he stood in the gate. And the man said unto me, Son of man, behold with thine eyes, and hear with thine ears, and set thine heart upon all that I shall show thee; for to the intent that I might show them unto thee art thou brought hither: declare all that thou sees to the house of Israel.
Ezekiel 40:2-4
And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.
Revelation 11:1
The Rod Brings Judgment, correcting all who enter the House of God, helping them
conform to the pattern of the House
And I will cause you to pass under the rod and bring you into the bond of
Ezekiel 20:37
He that spares his rod hates his son: but he that loves him chastens him betimes.
Proverbs 13:24
Foolishness is bound in the heart of a
Proverbs 22:15
The Rod provides comfort, support, and enablement to all that lean their weight upon its strength
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Psalm 23:4
The Rod is the scepter of God, the rule, the control, the kingly governance of a benign conqueror
The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.
Psalm 110:2
The LORD’S voice crieth unto the
Micah 6:9
And out of his mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
Revelation 19:15
THE ROD IS CHRIST
- He is the Measuring Rod, the Perfection of Righteousness, the Fulfillment of the Law
- He is the Word of God, profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness
- He is Grace, Comfort, and Salvation
- He is King of kings and Lord of lords
A Branch (a Rod) is verified as authentic by three crucial tests:
1) It must have arisen from the divine root
2) It must bear
3) It must bear identical fruit to the rest of the tree
NOTE: Jesus is The BRANCH, He is the Rod of all Rods, the Authority over all authorities. He Himself says “I am the root and the offspring of David” (Rev 22:16). He is both the Root of Israel (Creator), but He is the Fruit and Fulfillment of Israel (the Messiah, Rescuer, Deliverer).
And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD; And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.
Isaiah 11:1-5
Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered
Zechariah 3:1-9
Then take silver and gold, and make crowns, and set them upon the head of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest; And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD: Even he shall build the temple of the LORD
Zechariah 6:9-13
And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach. In that day shall the branch of the LORD be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel. And it shall come to pass, that he that is left in Zion, and he that remains in Jerusalem, shall be called holy, even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem: When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning. And the LORD will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defense. And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain.
Isaiah 4:1-6
Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Jeremiah 23:5-6
Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will perform that good thing which I have promised unto the house of Israel and to the house of Judah. In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land. In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely: and this is the name wherewith she shall be called, The LORD our righteousness. For thus saith the LORD; David shall never want a man to sit upon the throne of the house of Israel; Neither shall the priests the Levites want a man before me to offer burnt offerings, and to kindle meat offerings, and to do sacrifice continually.
Jeremiah 33:14-18
THE CANON OF CHRIST
The Divine Authority of the Word made Flesh
Canon – 1828 Webster’s Dictionary
Deduced from the Hebrew word for cane, reed, or measuring rod. To set, to establish, to form a rule. That which is set or established.
Canon denotes the divine right to rule and control. Canon is
THE DIVINE RIGHT OF SCRIPTURE
The Canon of Scripture has been established by the very same test. It must evidence that it comes from God, is in harmony with the rest of the inspired Branches, and bears identical fruit as the rest of the Tree. Each book, before admittance into the Canon was measured and tested, and then once proven divine, has become itself a standard for measuring and testing
The Canon of Scripture has a divine right to rule and control our lives. It is the measuring rod of righteousness, the final arbiter of truth, the teacher and governor of all life, the source of hope, comfort, and direction, and the ultimate Law and Judgment on all matters.
THE DIVINE RIGHT OF CHRIST
The Canon of Christ has been established by the very same test as well. He was measured and tested by the existing Canon, proving Himself against the harshest standard of perfection and prophetic fulfillment. He evidenced that He not only came from
He is the Word of God made flesh, the Canon of Scripture in human form, bearing the divine right to rule and control our lives. He is perfect righteousness by which each of us must measure; He is the final arbiter of Truth, for He is Truth; He is the Teacher and Governor of all Life, for He is Life; He is the source of Hope, Comfort, and Direction – For He is the Way, He is the Gospel; And He has become the Ultimate Law and Judgment on all matters; He is the King of kings and Lord of lords and He asks us to lay down our own scepters (rods) and allow His Rod, His Truth, His Life, and His Way to Rule and Control our existence.
THE BLOSSOMING ROD
The evidence that Christ is the Canon
Jeremiah 1:11-12
All ye that are about him, bemoan him; and all ye that know his name, say, How is the strong staff
Jeremiah 48:17
Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;
Hebrews 9:4
And the angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep, And said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top thereof: And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof. So I answered and spoke to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my lord? Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord. Then he answered and spoke unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts. Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it.
Zechariah 4:1-11
He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him
Isaiah 53:3
My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring
Psalm 22:1-21
SESSION TWO
HE MUST PROVE THE SON OF GOD
Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.
Psalm 2:6-9
And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy
Luke 1:30-35
HE MUST PROVE THE SEED OF A WOMAN
And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
Genesis 3:14-15
But when the fullness of the time
Galatians 4:4
HE MUST PROVE THE SEED OF ABRAHAM
And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.
Genesis 17:7-8
Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
Galatians 3:16
HE MUST PROVE THE SEED OF ISAAC
And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.
Genesis 21:12
By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.
Hebrews 11:17-19
HE MUST PROVE THE SEED OF DAVID
The LORD hath sworn in truth unto David; he will not turn from it; of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne.
Psalm 132:11
And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfill all my will. Of this man’s seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Savior, Jesus.
Acts 13:22-23
Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,) Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:
Romans 1:1-4
HE MUST BE BORN OF A VIRGIN, HE MUST BE IMMANUEL, GOD WITH US
Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
Isaiah 7:14
And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
Luke 2:7
Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to
Matthew 1:18-23
HE MUST BE BORN IN BETHLEHEM JUDAEAH
But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.
Micah 5:2
Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
Matthew 2:1
And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
Luke 2:4-6
KINGS MUST FALL DOWN BEFORE HIM OFFERING HIM GIFTS
The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts. Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him.
Psalm 72:10-11
Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. When Herod the king had heard [these things], he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, art not the least among the princes of Judah: for out of thee shall
Matthew 2:1-11
HE MUST BE CALLED OUT OF EGYPT
When Israel was a child, then I loved
Hosea 11:1
And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.
Matthew 2:13-15
ELIJAH MUST COME BEFORE HIM
The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Isaiah 40:3
Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.
Malachi 3:1
Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:
Malachi 4:5
In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
Matthew 3:1-3
But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet. For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. Verily I say unto you,
Matthew 11:9-15
And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elijah must first come? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elijah truly shall first come, and restore all things. But I say unto you, That Elijah
Matthew 17:10-12
HE MUST BE ANOINTED WITH THE SPIRIT
Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
Psalm 45:7
And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
Matthew 3:16
HIS MINISTRY MUST COMMENCE IN GALILEE
Isaiah 9:1-2
Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee; And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up. From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
Matthew 4:12-19
HE MUST ENTER JERUSALEM RIDING A COLT
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion;
Zechariah 9:9
And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples, Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her:
Matthew 21:1-5
HE MUST BE UNDESIRABLE TO MANY
Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
Isaiah 53:1
Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Judah, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.
Mark 6:3
HE MUST BE MEEK
Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delights; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.
Isaiah 42:1-3
Then the Pharisees went
Matthew 12:14
HIS BEING WITHOUT GUILE
And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
Isaiah 53:9
For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judges righteously: Who his own self bare our sins in
1 Peter 2:21-25
HE MUST BE CONSUMED WITH ZEAL FOR GOD’S HOUSE
For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up
Psalm 69:9
And the Jews’
John 2:13-22
HE MUST BEAR THE REPROACH
But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people. All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him . . . Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round. They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion.
Psalm 22
For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written,
Romans 15:3
HE MUST BE BETRAYED BY A FRIEND
Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.
Psalm 41:9
I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eats bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me. Now I tell you before it
John 13:18-19
THE SHEEP MUST BE SCATTERED
Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn
Zechariah 13:7
Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad . . . But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled . . . Then all the disciples forsook
Matthew 26:31,56
HE MUST BE SOLD FOR THIRTY PIECES OF SILVER AND THE POTTER’S FIELD MUST BE PURCHASED WITH THE MONEY
And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver. And the LORD said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was prised at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of
Zechariah 11:12-13
And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.
Matthew 26:15
Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that. And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself. And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood. And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in. Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day.
Matthew 27:3
HE MUST BE NUMBERED WITH THEH CRIMINALS
Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors
Isaiah 53:12
And with
Matthew 15:27-30
HE MUST MAKE
Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors
ISAIAH 53:12
HE MUST DIE
Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his
Luke 23:34
Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors
Isaiah 53:12
Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.
Matthew 27:50-54
HIS BONES MUST NOT BE BROKEN
In one house shall it be eaten; thou shalt not carry forth ought of the flesh abroad out of the house; neither shall ye break a bone thereof.
Exodus 12:46
He keeps all his bones: not one of them is broken.
Psalm 34:20
But when they came to
John 19:33-36
HE MUST BE PIERCED
And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.
Zechariah 12:10
But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water. And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced.
John 19:34
HE MUST RISE AGAIN FROM THE DEAD
For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
Psalm 16:10
He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spoke unto you when he was yet in Galilee, Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day
Luke 24:6-8
HE MUST ASCEND
Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them.
Psalm 68:18
And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from
Luke 24:51-53
HE MUST SIT AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD
The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right
Psalm 110:1
Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
Hebrews 1:3
HE WILL RETURN TO THE MOUNT OF OLIVES
Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished
Zechariah 14:1-4
And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with
Acts 1:4-12
- HE MUST DEMONSTRATE…
- Himself as the Branch, 2nd Adam, the Perfectly dependent and yielded Life
That He is of the order ofMelchisadek , a King and a PriestThat He is 2nd man – the one after the Spirit and not after the Flesh- The Sign of Jonah (3 days in the belly of a whale and life again)
- That He is the Ram in the thicket (The provision for people of Abraham)
- That He is the Spotless Passover Lamb (the sacrifice for the People)
That He offers the Blood to be placed on the Doorpost (It was His death that paid the penalty for sin and removed the transgression)- That He is the Manna come down from Heaven (The Life given that all must partake of to live)
-
That He is Joshua (That commander leading Israel across the Jordan in the Power of the Spirit) That He is as David defeating Goliath (Conquering and condemning sin in the flesh)That He is The Hebraic Temple, the Holy House of God in whom the Life of God residesThat He is as Solomon, Zerubabbel, and Joshua building the Temple of God according to the patternshown in the Mount
LIVING EPISTLES
Becoming a bearer of the Canon of Christ
- We must be measured against the Rod of Righteousness and found wanting
- We must allow the Rod to expose the Root of Sin and uproot it in our life
- We must come under the rule and control of the Canon
- And just as the Canon of Scripture was penned by men carried along by the Holy Spirit, so we too must be “carried along” by the Life of God, doing what He is doing and speaking what He is speaking and out will flow the Living Word of God from our lives
- As the Word was conceived in Mary, and what was born was perfect and inerrant, not merely the son of Mary, but the Son of God, so our lives must become willing to bear the perfect and inerrant Canon of Christ – not the son of self-effort, but the Son of Grace, the Son of God working in and through us.
- Our lives must become the Word made flesh. This is the mystery of godliness, the mystery
hidden for ages andgeneration but now revealed.
SESSION THREE
