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Tulsa Meeting - Ordination
Bill Wax—September 14, 2019
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[00:00 to 25:48 of Video]
In our Christian life today we are to become professionals. Why would we become professionals? God is calling us to be kings and priests; He's not calling us to be door-keepers to a temple somewhere down the road. We think we are not capable of doing so, but God will lead us there in do time!
Today we want to look at how precious our calling is, to become kings and priests in the soon-coming kingdom.
2-Peter 2:1: "But there were also false prophets among the people, as indeed there will be false teachers among you, who will stealthily introduce destructive heresies, personally denying the Lord who bought them, and bringing swift destruction upon themselves."
We have to learn how to overcome these deceivers, and it's difficult out here in the world today with many different people with many different beliefs. But our goal is to become kings and priests.
Verse 21: "For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than, after knowing it, to turn back from the Holy commandment that was delivered to them."
In our travels in the last 30 years we've seen people who have turn away from the Holy commandment and gone back to the world. This is kind of scary!
Our calling to be kings and priests is that we cannot fall backward and go back to the world, because this is a serious business that God has called us into. People are being challenged on salvational issues all over the world, but especially to us, because we're being challenged on doctrine and many different issues. We have to be prepared in learning to overcome them ourselves, but how to teach others how to overcome them.
- Can we prove the Truth?
- Are we able to do so?
- Have we studied enough to be able to be able to prove the Truth to those who approach us with deceit?
Because it will happen and God will test us!
How else can we endure if we're not grounded in the Truth? We're being called not only to learn, but to teach, and not just in the Kingdom but to teach today, we try very hard, but many of stumble. That's okay, we can pick ourselves up and go forward from there. We need to take our calling to heart, because we are in school today; we are in the University of Eternal Life, and we need to learn and to study, not be like some folks who have said, 'All I want to do is just pray and be comfortable. I don't see a reason why study.'
That's kid of shocking, but we find many people like that. They become lackadaisical. We wouldn't want to get on an airplane with a pilot that missed piloting 101, would we? That would be the same way if we were to teach people today, because we are representatives of God today, and we need to learn and grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Revelation 1:5: "And from Jesus Christ, the faithful Witness, the Firstborn from the dead, and the Ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him Who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests…" (vs 5-6).
We're not kings and priests today, but we will be in the soon coming Kingdom.
"…to God and His Father; to Him be the glory and the sovereignty into the ages of eternity. Amen" (v 6). We're in school to learn how, and we all need to study and pray, and grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
Revelation 5:10: "And did make us unto our God kings and priests; and we shall reign on the earth."
I'm reminded of the Scripture in Matt. 5 that says 'the meek shall inherit the earth,' and here He confirms it.
When I was growing up, the Protestants always used that Scripture that 'the meek shall inherit the earth' as proof that 'the meek have to stay on the earth, but we get to go to heaven!' But that's not true!
So, Christ confirms in v 10: "And did make us unto our God kings and priests; and we shall reign on the earth."
And He confirms it again in Revelation 20:6: "Blessed and Holy is the one who has part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power. But they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years."
That's a wonderful blessing to be kings and priests for God the Father and Jesus Christ in the soon-coming Kingdom. How do we do this? This is not something that comes natural to us! We even have ladies that all they've been is a 'housewife' all of these years, how do they learn to be a king or priest? Well, if you rule your household well, and if you know the Bible you know the principles! You're just as good as any man!
Sometimes, I think that some of you ladies are better, because you have time to study whereas some of us guys are out working and we don't take the time to study like we really should. It's something that we need to learn to do, to study and pray more seriously and more frequently.
We think about the fifth commandment—honoring your father and mother—and think that's only a physical commandment for our physical parents, but think of the spiritual application! We must honor our Father in heaven and our mother the Church. It's where we get our sustenance, from each other weekly, daily and the Holy Days. We must honor our parents: the Church and our heavenly Father.
The Bible tells us that love will cover a multitude of sins. Don't we all need that covering? More and more today in this evil world that we live in. Christ says that 'you are My disciples if you love one another.' We need to put more emphasis on loving and caring for one another, because we are family and we are expected to become one as Jesus Christ and God the Father are one.
We cannot be kings and priests in the Kingdom if we don't become one, and that means being one in mind and in spirit, joined together in unity. As we see several of our brethren out in the world who are kind of contrarian, they're not in unity with one another. We need to overcome this so that we can truly become Christ's disciples, as He said to have love for one another.
- How many years have we been studying? Some of us have been in the Church 30 years, some less.
- How many, like Fred, have been in the Church 60 years?
- How many of us have been studying and we're still learning?
We will not be perfected until the first resurrection on Pentecost! We need to continue to grow in grace and knowledge!
Will we remain faithful and endure to the end? We must do so! We have lots of challenges on earth daily that we must endure. We must remain faithful and endure it!
God's true Church is in very good hands and God will have it no other way. He tests us and sifts us through many ordeals, and we must pass them all. I think that because God has called us, we have found 'the pearl of great price,' which is the calling and God's gift of the Holy Spirit. He says that after 'finding one very special pearl, one precious pearl, went and sold everything that he had and bought it' (Matt. 13).
We have been given many different talents, and each of us has a different talent to contribute. Not one of us has all of them. That's why we are to be at one so that we can come together as one, as God the Father and Jesus Christ are one.
Parable of the Wedding Feast
Matthew 22:1—we are invited: "And again Jesus answered and spoke to them in parables, saying, 'The Kingdom of Heaven is compared to a man who was a king, who made a wedding feast for his son, and sent his servants to call those who had been invited to the wedding feast; but they refused to come'" (vs 1-3).
Who are those who would refuse to come to God's wedding feast? Have we known people like that? I have! Maybe you have, too! They went back to the world and they refused to come to the wedding feast. We must guard ourselves against falling into that same trap!
Verse 4: "Afterwards he sent out other servants, saying 'Say to those who have been invited, "Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and the fatted beasts are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding feast."' But they paid no attention and went away, one to his farm, and another to his business. And the rest, after seizing his servants, insulted and killed them" (vs 4-6).
We could possibly add those who went back to Sunday, the world and holiday-keeping.
Verse 7: "Now, when the king heard it, he became angry; and he sent his armies and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city." We know that that's talking about Jerusalem! But it can also apply to us today.
Verse 8: "Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding feast indeed is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy.'" Think about that for a minute! We must be counted worthy to stand before the Son of man at His return!
Verse 9: "'Therefore, go into the well-traveledhighways, and invite all that you find to the wedding feast.'….[Who are these?] …And after going out into the highways, those servants brought together everyone that they found, both good and evil; and the wedding feast was filled with guests: (vs 9-10).
How in the world do people give up this pearl of great price and refuse to go to the wedding feast? They turned their back on the Truth! They quit studying, praying and growingin the grace and the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Verse 11: "And when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not dressed in proper attire for the wedding feast." I don't know how that man got there!
Verse 12: "And he said to him, 'Friend, how did you enter here without a garment fit for the wedding feast?' But he had no answer." We don't know how the man got in there, but we do realize that it obviously happened!
Verse 13: "Then the king said to the servants, 'Bind his hands and feet, and take him away, and cast him into the outer darkness.' There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen" (vs 13-14).
Parable of the Ten Virgins
Matthew 25:1—we are in God's eyes spiritual virgins:"Then shall the Kingdom of Heaven be compared to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish" (vs 1-2).
Why were five foolish? They were just lackadaisical,like the bridge-builder who missed Bridge Building 101, or the airline pilot who missed Airline Flying 101.
Did we miss Kings and Priests 101? Maybe we did if we quite studying and praying! We are in the School of Eternal Life and we are learning in Kings and Priests 101!
Verse 3: "The ones who were foolish took their lamps, but they did not take oil with them… [they didn't have the spirit with them] …but the wise took oil in their vessels along with their lamps" (vs 3-4).
Verse 8: "And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.' But the wise answered, saying, 'No, lest there not be enough for us and for you. But instead, go to those who sell, and buy for yourselves'" (vs 8-9).
You can't buy the Holy Spirit! It is a gift from God! How can we take a gift from God, so lackadaisical. We wouldn't want to come to us to learn how to come into the Kingdom if we missed Kings and Priests 101, and that's where we are today.
Verse 10: "And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast, and the door was shut…. [I've thought about this] …And afterwards the other virgins also came, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us.' But He answered and said, 'Truly I say to you, I do not know you'" (vs 10-12). Now, that's a scary thought!
How did that happen? We run the risk if we don't continue to study and pray! God might say to us 'I do not know you.'
Verse 13: "Watch, Therefore, for you do not know the day nor the hour in which the Son of man is coming."
The door was shut on the five foolish virgins, and He said, 'I do not know you.' Half were not chosen because they did not continue to grow in the grace and knowledge, and because:
- they did not keep their spiritual lamp lit
- they were no longer a light
- they were no longer shining the goodness of God the Father and Jesus Christ
Parable of the Talents
We all have a different talent!
Verse 14: "For the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man leaving the country, who called his own servants and delivered to them his property." That's us! He gave us the spirit! We should keep that spirit alive and shinning brightly when He returns.
Verse 15: Now, to one he gave five talents, and to another two, and to another one;he gave to each one according to his own ability, and immediately left the country."
This tells us that God does not give us more than we can handle. Some can handle more than others, but that does not mean that one is better than the other, because those who doubled their talents doubled them equally and God gave them the same blessing.
Verse 16: "Then the one who had received five talents went and traded with them, and made an additional five talents. In the same way also, the one who had received two talents also gained two others. But the one who had received the single talent went and dug in the earth, and hid his lord's money" (vs 16-18).
He's equating this to money, but we're talking about something very valuable, which is God's Holy Spirit.
Verse 19: "Now, after a long time, the lord of those servants came to take account with them. Then the one who had received five talents came to him and brought an additional five talents, saying, 'Lord, you delivered five talents to me; see, I have gained five other talents besides them.' And his lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! Because you were faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord'" (vs 19-21)—he doubled the talents! He was given more, so he was expected to produce more!
Verse 22: "And the one who had received two talents also came to him and said, 'Lord, you delivered to me two talents; see, I have gained two other talents besides them.'"
He doubled his talents as well. He wasn't given more because maybe he wasn't capable of more, but he doubled them nonetheless, and his blessing was the same.
Verse 23: "His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! Because you were faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.'"
If God is going to set us over many things, that would be over the entire earth to help Christ rule and reign as kings and priests to God the Father and Jesus Christ during the Millennium, helping to rebuild this world.
We must be learning how to do so today! Even though we have a small number of talents, we can double them and we get the same blessing as those who had greater talents and also doubled them.
One is not better than the other. We are still to become at one with one another so we can become at one as Jesus Christ and God the Father are one.
Verse 24: "Then the one who had received the single talent also came to him and said, 'Lord, I knew that you are a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter. And because I was afraid, I went and hid your talent in the earth. Now look, you have your own.' His lord answered and said to him, 'You wicked and lazy servant! You knew that I reap where I did not sow, and gather what I did not scatter. Because you knew this, you were duty-bound to take my talent to the money exchangers, so that when I came, I could have received my own with interest'" (vs 24-27).
He didn't even try!As I said earlier, we run across those who say they don't need to study. All they want to do is pray and be content. Isn't that what this one-talent gentleman did here? He hid his talent!
- he didn't apply it
- he didn't study
- he didn't grow
- he didn't become at one like he should be
Verse 28: "Therefore, take the talent from him, and give it to the one who has ten talents. For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he shall have abundance; on the other hand, as for the one who does not have, even that which he has shall be taken from him. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness.'…." (vs 28-30).
We don't want to be counted as worthless servants. We want to be counted worthy to stand before the Son of man at His return!
"…There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Now, when the Son of man shall come in His glory, and all the Holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory; and He shall gather before Him all the nations; and He shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats" (vs 30-32).
We want to be sheep and not goats! How did Christ determine that?
Verse 35: "For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you took Me in; I was naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me" (vs 35-36).
This is part of being at-one with one another. We have to learn how to do this for one another. We must continue to do so throughout our remaining lives.
Verse 37: "Then shall the righteous answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, and fed You? Or thirsty, and gave You a drink? And when did we see You a stranger, and took You in? Or naked, and clothed You? And when did we see You sick, or in prison, and came to You?' And answering, the King shall say to them, 'Truly I say to you, inasmuch as you have done it to one of the least of these My brethren, you have done it to Me'" (vs 37-40).
We need to remember that we do not want to be considered goats. We need to continue to be sheep and to be at-one with one another.
I want to go back to 2-Peter 1:5: "And for this very reason also, having applied all diligence besides, add to your faith, virtue; and to virtue, knowledge… [we get this by study and prayer and staying close to God] …and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control… [not only among ourselves, but also among people in the world] …endurance; and to endurance, Godliness; and to Godliness, brotherly love; and to brotherly love, the love of God" (vs 5-7).
Verse 10: "For this reason, brethren, be even more diligent to make your calling and election sure; because if you are doing these things, you will never fall at any time."
1-Peter 4:8: "But above all, have fervent love among yourselves because love will cover a multitude of sins."
I'm here to tell you, we need a lot of covering! Many of us do! This is a promise that "…love will cover a multitude of sins." Remember that Christ said, 'If you are My disciples, love one another.' This applies!
Verse 9: "Be hospitable to one another without complaining. Let each one, according as he has received a gift from God… [there are the talents] …be using it to serve the others as good stewards of the grace of God, which manifests itself in various ways" (vs 9-10).
We all have different talents that God has given to us, and our goal is to become at-one with each other, just as Jesus Christ and God the Father are at-one with each other.
1-Peter 2:2 "As newborn babes, yearn after the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow…. [the spiritual milk, the light that God has given us] …if you yourselves have indeed tasted that the Lord is gracious. To Whom coming, as to a living Stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God, and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house… [that's us] …—a Holy priesthood—… [Priesthood 101] …to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ" (vs 2-5).
Verse 9: "But you are a chosen stock, a royal priesthood, a Holy nation, a people for a possession of God, that you might proclaim His excellent virtues, Who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light."
- we are to let our light shine
- we are to continue to grow
- we must continue to study
So that we can be counted worthy to stand before God at His coming so that we can be skilled and professional kings and priests of God the Father and Jesus Christ!
Love one another and let your light shine very bright throughout your life!
Scriptural References:
- 2-Peter 2:1, 21
- Revelation 1:5-6
- Revelation 5:10
- Revelation 20:6
- Matthew 22:1-14
- Matthew 25:1-4, 8-32, 35-40
- 2 Peter 1:5-7, 10
- 1 Peter 4:8-10
- 1 Peter 2:2-5, 9-10
Scriptures referenced, not quoted: Matthew 5; 13
BW: bo
Transcribed: 9/26/19
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