FINDING THE TRANSCENDENT WAY OF JESUS Beloved family. Stay true to the gospel of the Kingdom! Stay true to our King! Stay true to the cross!
Right now, heaven is searching for transcendent and unadulterated voices that will speak the truth of God to both the lost in the world, and the deluded in the Church.
It’s instructive to recognize that the voice of Christ – and the way of God – is almost never a singular, polarized antithesis to the way of godlessness. It is nearly always also a bur under the saddle of carnal, religious idolatry. History is packed with relevant examples:
A. In Exodus, there was the way of the Egyptians, the way of the Children of Israel, and then the way of God through Moses and Joshua. YHWH opposed the religious/idolatrous way of the Children of Israel (Exodus 32) as resoundingly as He did the paganism of the people of Egypt.
B. In Joshua 5, the Captain of the Lord’s armies declared He was not for the descendants of the Children of Israel, nor for the people of Jericho. He was looking for those who would “be on the Lord’s side”. It was a transcendent moment that moved Joshua (the man who would not leave the tent of meeting in Exodus 33) so profoundly that he fell at the feet of the Captain in holy worship.
C. In Daniel 3, there was the way of Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians, there was the way of the faithless children of Judah, and then there was the transcendent way of Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego, who would not bow to the kingdom image that all the rest of the Babylonians, including captive Judah were bowing to.
D. In Jesus’ day, there was the way of the pagan Romans, and then the way of the Pharisees, and the crippled people of Judea. Jesus walked in a transcendent way above the rampant false gods of the Hellenistic world, and the false, religious zealotry of the Jews – calling all to repentance.
“Now after John was taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent and believe in the gospel.” (Mark 1:14-15)
E. Across the ages, kingdoms have risen in opposition to oppressive religion (ie. the Russian revolution, the populist movement in South Africa etc.), and kingdoms have risen up against virulent godlessness (the crusades, and many of the South American regime changes in the 60’s, and 70’s). In the VAST MAJORITY OF THE CASES the kingdoms that have risen against the ruling political power were NOT the way of Christ. (The Marxists weren’t the way of Christ replacing the religious elite in Russia. Pinochet wasn’t bringing the Kingdom of heaven to Chile. And Mandela wasn’t bringing the way of Christ to the people of South Africa.) There remained a transcendent way above, wedged and salted into the kingdoms that were in polar apposition to each other.
F. In the 1930’s, the Nazi’s rose to power promising to inoculate Germany from the godless ideology of communism that was sweeping the nations in eastern Europe. No one today believes Naziism was the way of Jesus. Nor would any Bible believer assert that the way of Stalin and Lenin were the government of heaven on earth. Faithful disciples of Jesus, the “ELECT” if you will, were borne and forged within the midst of the “trouble” (thlipsis – “tribulation”) of the intense cultural pressures that existed between these polarized ideologies. And so you had the Corey and Betsy TenBooms living for Jesus in spite of the Nazi opposition, and you had the Ivan (Vanya) Moiseyevs, living faithfully for Jesus under the thumb of communist Russia. BOTH LIVED FAITHFULLY FOR JESUS even though their secular cultural ideologies fought wars against the other…
It’s not so difficult to see the parallel today in America. There’s been a decades-long thrust of godless humanism that’s become virulent and oppressive throughout our culture, and now a strident, authoritarian nationalism that has taken aim at the evils of “the left”, and “the woke”. We dare (and it is a risk) to learn the long lesson of history – especially our own “people of God” history and realize that the Lord is most always NOT on one side or the other of these warring, political factions. His way is transcendent. His way is pure. His way is nailed to a cross to the glory of the One Who will one day rule ALL the nations.
Friends. Moses, Joshua, Jeremiah, Daniel, the John the Baptist, the disciples, Augustine, Luther, Wesley, and Bonhoeffer, all found the transcendent way of the “ELECT” of God. And it behooves the American Church to find it in our tumultuous hour as well.
INTRODUCTION: There are ten heavenly, corporate declarations and anthems of praise in the book of Revelation. These corporate exaltations (Revelation 5, 7, 11, 12, 14, 15, 18, 21 and 22) are like oases of joyous exhilaration and supernatural strength in the midst of raging fires of apocalyptic trouble and temptation. This lesson is about how to draw on the power of these “pools of jubilation”. Their waters will give us strength to stand, and overcome (Revelation 3:21) through difficult seasons of our life, as well as the heat and pressure that come with the end of the age.
THE UNIQUE PRESSURES AND THE UNIQUE NEED FOR THE END OF THE AGE
A. The end of the age will be jammed with the greatest temptation, with the greatest deception, with the greatest social pressure that the world has ever collectively experienced.
For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.(Matthew 24:21-22)
B. It will require supernatural, Spirit-borne strength to walk through this intense hour of human history with our faith, and love for Jesus remaining vibrant and flourishing. This is the strength that Paul prays for the believers in the Church at Ephesus.
I pray… that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the with, and length and depth and height – to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.(Ephesians 3:16)
C. These intense pressures, or crises are meant to draw us into controversy. And these controversies are meant to draw the passageways of our hearts into deep, honest dialogue with the Lord about… 1. Who He is, and 2. His unique ability to purify, and bless us through these circumstances.
When (Revelation 8:10) hits, and a third of the world’s water resources are poisoned, and there isn’t enough to go around in your community, what will your heart attitude be? When politicians lie and want you to champion their lies, and their lies are helping you, but hurting other people, how will you operate? When millions die in a plague, and your unbelieving family members question the goodness of God in the midst of so much death, what will you say? What will your heart testimony be? Through the crises of the great troubles that are on the earth will you be able to grow in first-commandment love? Will you be a champion of Jesus’ beatitudes? Will the fruit of your life still be love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control? Will you increase in Christlikeness in this context?
D. Two questions that the Lord is most keen to confront us with through these afflictions are: 1. Are you growing in first-commandment love for Me? 2. Are you growing in vibrant Christlikeness? Are you coming forth, through the fires, looking like My Son? Are the beatitudes the attitudes of your heart? Is the fruit of your life, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control?
Later, in Ephesians 5, when Paul talks about Jesus removing every spot, wrinkle, and blemish in His Bride, (Ephesians 5:25-27), he’s talking about removing every impediment to first-commandment love, and brilliant Christlikeness. Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the Word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.
E. This purging, maturing process is what we see happening throughout the book of Revelation: 1. Jesus is confronting, and calling the seven churches to grow in love for God, and purified Christlikeness. 2. The pressures, (thlipsis = judgments of the Lord) crises, and troubles that are on the earth are forcing the issues re: the truth about God, and the worthiness of Jesus to reign on the earth. Who is God? Is He worthy of your love? Is Jesus worthy to rule the nations, AND rule your heart? Will your heart come into alignment with His will, emotions, plan, values, and priorities? 3. The Bride makes herself ready (Revelation 19:7). Through all the pressure she’s clothed in whole- hearted love, and she has taken on the heart and character of her Bridegroom King.
QUESTION: What are the great pressures and deceptions that we see mounting in our culture today? How are they tempting us away from Christlikeness, and first-commandment love for God? How are these great “troubles” able to help us cultivate Christlikeness, and first-commandment love for God?
F. The fact of the matter is, the great tribulation, (along with great sin, great temptation, great evil, and great delusion) will actually accelerate great first-commandment love, and great Christlikeness – unlike any other time/atmosphere in human history. Here’s the salient point: If we know this now, we can prepare ourselves (and others) for it now. The 100,000 question is, HOW DO WE DO THIS NOW? What is the Lord’s strategy for forging loyal, faithful love, and Christlikeness in the Bride?
II. WE NEED UNIQUE POWER IN ORDER FOR OUR LOVE AND CHRISTLIKENESS TO OVERCOME THE INTENSE AFFLICTIONS FLOURISH UNTO THE END OF THE AGE
A. This is what the Bible says about this overcoming power:
To him who OVERCOMES I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, AS I OVERCAME and sat down with My Father on His throne.(Revelation 3:21)
How did Jesus overcome?
Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, LOOKING UNTO JESUS the Author and Finisher of our faith, Who for the JOY that was set before Him endured the cross… and sat down at the right had of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-2)
The JOY of the LORD is your STRENGTH.(Nehemiah 8:10)
The kingdom of God is… RIGHTEOUSNESS (Christlikeness) and PEACE (SHALOM blessing) and (that comes through) JOY in the HOLY SPIRIT.(Romans 14:17)
B. What does this Christlike power look like in our lives?
Dallas Willard notes: “The human will has little STRENGTH to OVERCOME when it has little JOY to draw upon.”
JOY is the real, tangible, dynamic that explodes in our hearts as we give ourselves to 1. REVELATIONS of the GOD/MAN, CHRIST JESUS 2. PERSONAL EXPERIENCES of GOD INTIMATELY BLESSING US WITH DIVINE LOVE
C. When we give ourselves to these experiences, JOY will be the result in our hearts. And when the human heart is filled with this type of kinetic joy, our wills are clothed with strength to love, and strength to say “yes” to His ways, even through great threat and persecution.
The good news is, we don’t have to wait for “great threat and persecution”. We can fill our bank account with experiences of exhilarating joy, today – right now!
D. Again, the book of Revelation is all about the redeemed engaging these dynamics. As we see the judgments, and the great calamity on earth, we are also presented with the pattern and the norm of heaven – with the high praises of God in the mouths of the redeemed, and the created order. These dynamics actually lean, build, and draw upon each other:
The turbulence on earth stirs prayers in the saints. The prayers of the saints are received in heaven – mingled with the praise of the angels and the redeemed; the glory of God is released to earth; and the saints on earth are filled with confidence, joy, and love; they overcome the threats of the enemy; and Jesus is glorified on the earth; hailed as uniquely qualified to rule the nations and the human heart.
What happens on earth, moves heaven. And what happens in heaven spills onto the earth.
E. We absolutely want this heavenly strength. But, according to Jesus, it’s costly. The return-rate on our investment is out of this world, but the pursuit of wholehearted love, and vibrant Christlikeness does require faith, and intentionality. We won’t get it on the run.
I believe, cultivating love, Christlikeness and joy is what Jesus was exhorting the Laodiceans to do in Revelation 3:18 “I counsel you to BUY from ME, GOLD REFINED in the FIRE that you may be RICH.”
Again, the good news is we can give ourselves to these experiences now, prior to, or apart from being touched by deep tribulation, hardship, temptation and great deception. There is enough tribulation in our lives in 2025 in order to let them forge Christian gold in our hearts and lives today.
F. How can we do this? How can we “buy gold refined in the fire”? How do we“buy ample oil”(Matthew 25:4)?
G. Both, the Father, and Jesus promise that the Lord’s House, will be called a HOUSE of PRAYER, and the atmosphere of that house will be JOY.
“I will bring the nations to My holy mountain, and EXHILARATE (ושׁמחתים – rejoice greatly, delight, be made glad, jubilate, exult) them in MY HOUSE of PRAYER. Their worship and sacrifices will be accepted on My altar; for MY HOUSE shall be called a HOUSE of PRAYER for ALL (peoples).”(Isaiah 56:7)
H. Because the Church has often starved herself on this vital, Kingdom oxygen, we find her gasping for breath, caught up in false forms of exhilaration that don’t cultivate either vibrant Christlikeness, nor first-commandment love. And when crises and trouble hit our world, or our lives, we don’t grown in love, and we don’t grow in His character – and sometimes, we even fall back into despair, or fall into false hopes for consolation.
The Lord your God is in your midst! He is warrior! Who can deliver? He takes great delight in you! He renews you by His love! He shouts for joy over you! (Zephaniah 3:17)
I. THIS is the primary dynamic that goes on in the House of Prayer. (In Matthew 21) Can you see why Jesus was SO put out when His Father’s House was turned into something else?) Let me say, IF THIS ISN’T HAPPENING in our lives, our fellowships, etc. THERE IS SOMETHING VITAL MISSING in the HOUSEHOLD of GOD. Something we need to be prepared for tribulation is absent!
J. As we come to the Lord in our tired, broken, dim, and imperfect state, engaging Him in the place of worshipful prayer, the Holy Spirit fills us with supernatural joy, exhilaration, passion, inspiration, unction, contentment, brightness, pleasure, gladness, and delight that is unlike anything else we can experience, and this EXHILARATION is what gives us courage to operate in the beatitudes, and not squelch the fruit of the Spirit in the times of uber-hardship.
In the House of Prayer, we do engage in intercession for all types of needs and issues, but it ALL flows from the atmosphere of exaltation and joy – because that’s the atmosphere of heaven. Exaltation and joy is the power-source to our prayers. And so, I could say, this is the atmosphere we chiefly aim to maintain; but it’s more like, what we focus on entering into.
Beloved, if we’re seated with Him in the heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6) we are in a realm of joy.“In Your Presence is the fulness of joy…”(Psalm 16:11)
K. This exhilarating, unified strength is precisely what Jesus prayed for His followers to receive when He prayed to the Father in the garden, just before His crucifixion:
Now I come to You… that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves.(John 17:13)
Jesus’ exhortation to the Church is not, “Sit at My feet and be joyful”. His extraordinary invitation is, “Let Me be your joy! Find joy in Who I Am!” In His presence Jesus delights to reveal that He, Himself is our joy!
Though you have not seen Him (with the naked eye) you love Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory. (1 Peter 1:8)
L. As we respond to His Word, we are filled with supernatural exhilaration, so that have power to resist the carnal inclinations and temptations, and yield to the fruit of the Spirit, the crucifying work that produces Christ-like qualities, and make choices that cultivate first-commandment love. We have power to joyfully agree with God’s glorious purposes for our lives.And, as a result, we can’t help but sing His praise, and magnify Him with our lives.
SPIRIT WORD & CROSS 