Faith In Christ As Prophet
Minister: |
Rev. Ronald Van Overloop |
Date: |
11/3/2013 PM
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Text:
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Acts 3:22;
Lord's Day 12
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Psalters: |
229, 147, 375, 112 |
- The idea.
- In general, a prophet is given the knowledge of God, and then he speaks in His name, and declares His praises.
- Before the fall, Adam knew God well.
- Sin changed the office into the service of the devil.
- Man began speaking and loving the lie and evil, and hating the truth (especially about himself).
- Sinful man cannot bear the presence and voice of God (Adam and Eve hid themselves; Gen. 3:8).
- When man fell, God promised to restore the office in the Messiah.
- Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah/Christ, the Anointed One, THE office-bearer, THE prophet.
- He was appointed and qualified to do everything necessary to lead God's works to the highest glory.
- In His very Being He perfectly represented the invisible God in this world (Deut. 18:15ff; Heb. 1:1-3).
- How did He conduct Himself a chief Prophet when He was on earth?
- He bubbled over, revealing the Father and the way of salvation (Acts 3:21,22; Luke 4:18,21; John 1:18).
- He delivered us from sin, giving the right, the ability, and the desire of divine service, so we can know God.
- In heaven Christ received the Spirit, by which He, as The office-bearer, fulfills His ministry of representing God.
- Jesus, THE Office-bearer, exercises His office of prophet through a visible representation of Himself.
- In great mercy throughout the Old Dispensation God still spoke in direct revelation to selected men: prophets.
- In the New Dispensation, Christ still is His people's prophet, through the office of preacher.
- Christ instituted and preserves the ministry of the gospel (Eph. 4:11-13; Rom. 10: 13-17; I Peter 1:10-12).
- When a minister speaks from the written Word by the Spirit, then he brings Christ directly into the world.
- As a result of the out-pouring of the anointing Spirit, the Spirit of Christ dwells within every believer.
- Those in Christ partake of His anointing and thus are Christians, anointed ones.
- As prophets in church we readily submit to the Sword of the Spirit through the preaching of the gospel (I Thess. 5:12,13).
- As prophets in this world we are to confess Christ's name.
- To have the right to be called a Christian is a gift of grace.