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04/14/13 – “The Song of Abraham, the Son of David, and the Son of God” IV – The Significance of Names

SUNDAY SERVICES

LIVING SUPERNATURALLY II


East Location

April 14, 2013

 

The Son of Abraham, the Son of David, and the Son of God V

(What Think Ye of Christ?)

Central Location

April 14, 2013

 

The Son of Abraham, the Son of David, and the Son of God IV

(The Significance of Names)

 

 

REVIEW

  1. Three stages of sonship [depicted in the life of Jesus]
    1. Infancy (teknion) – symbolized by Jesus’ manger birth.
    2. Puberty (teknon) – symbolized by Jesus appearing in the temple at age 12.  (St. Luke 2:40, 42, 49)
    3. Maturity (huios) – meaning son placement lived out at Jesus’ water immersion in St. Matthew 3:16-17.

FOUNDATIONAL TEXT

  1. Hebrews 12:1-9
    1. The opposite of true sonship is a bastard mentality.
    2. After salvation, we are legitimately born of God; however, our actions or thoughts that are contrary to God bastardize the relationship.
    3. Defining God’s methods of correction
      1. Chastening is to train, to teach, to instruct, to cause one to learn; to train with words (not accidents, sickness or disasters)
      2. Scourge is to instruct coupled with pain or pressure
      3. Rebuke is to convict, to refute, to find fault with
    4. God corrects us in our spirit.

 

  1.          I.   The significance of names
    1. Genesis 17:1-7
      1. God allows all natural possibilities to be exhausted to display His power.
      2. Abram meant exalted father, not literally but as a term of respect.
      3. Abram’s name is changed to Abraham meaning respected; exalted father of nations or multitudes.
    2. Genesis 17:15-19
      1. Sarai means chief governor or leader in a masculine form which limits her ability to reproduce.
      2. Sarai’s name is changed to Sarah [the feminine form] meaning princess of many nations.
      3. A name will either bind us or lose us.
    3. Genesis 32:24-30
      1. Jacob’s name means trickster, supplanter, liar, and deceiver.
      2. Jacob’s name is changed to Israel meaning divine master.
      3. God refers to Jacob as both Jacob and Israel.  In other words, with every name change there is a part of us that must be overcome.
    4. St. Luke 1:57-64
      1. The power of God is released in the right name.
      2. The mother knew God was using this child to do something different from the father, consequently naming the child John.
      3. Zacharius’ mouth was opened immediately when he agreed with God’s name for the child.
  2.         II.            Christianity has been reduced to what we think (our opinion).
    1. Colossians 1:24-27 [Emphasis verse 27]
      1. Now that Jesus has been resurrected, the mystery is Christ is now in us.  We are more than a Jesus look-a-like; we are extensions of Jesus.
      2. We are not just Christians; we are the same substance of who God is in heaven in the earth.  We have the same DNA as God.  (Scripture reference – Psalm 82)
      3. Believers have settled for the wrong name.  If we have the wrong name, we are probably calling the wrong destiny.   In our name is our identity.
      4. Christian means Christ-like.  What is Christ-like or what does Christ-like, can only be answered by our opinion or what we think.
      5. The Bible defines who God is and consequently who we are.
      6. We will never possess all the Father has for us if we do not know who we are.
    2. When one is born again, God is concerned with developing us more than Christ-likeness.  Initially we were in His image and after His likeness.  He never called us Christians.
      1. I Peter 4:12-16
        1. The world (Romans) used the term Christian to describe followers of Christ.
        2. In other words, we have adopted a term the world called us.
        3. Acts 26:28-32 [Emphasis verse 28]
        4. Acts 11:22-26 [Emphasis verse 26]
    3. The power of God is in our representation as followers, not our opinion.
      1. Opinion – a personal view; an attitude or an appraisal; a belief or judgment that rest in grounds insufficient to produce absolute certainty
      2. A rose is known by its distinct characteristics.  A dog is a dog because of its characteristics.
      3. Christians should be identifiable by the same common characteristics defined by the Bible.
      4. The KKK, homosexuals, and the NRA all espouses Christianity. Christianity, as an opinion, does not make you a son or follower of God.
      5. How can we save the world if our version of Christianity is so varying?
    4. A revelation of God carries the power of God.
      1. I Kings 18:21
      2. St. John 14:6
      3. St. Matthew 22: 41-46

 

© 2013 George Matthews Ministries