Majesty: Full Devotion

 
 
 
 

Majesty: Full Devotion

Pastor Rollan Fisher

Focus: We will worship Jesus with full devotion when we recognize his majesty trumps that which the world exalts.   

  • Unusual Attraction

  • Two Responses

  • His Majesty and the Second Coming of Christ

Unusual Attraction

The qualities for which we worship Jesus are not the things which the world exalts.   

Isaiah 53:1-5 

Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.

What does the world find appealing and attractive?

What draws people to spend hours flipping through social media or fantasizing about a different life?

What the Scripture above is saying is that there would have been nothing in the natural that made Jesus appealing to us.  

The things that made Jesus savior were contrary to what the world valued.

The very description of Jesus would have been the things we run from, rather than gravitate toward, in the world.  

  • We hate suffering.

  • We try to avoid grief.

  • We often have a low tolerance for sorrows.

But these are the very things that Jesus took up to heal us in his life and at the cross.  

*It is that which would have repelled us away from and caused us to overlook Jesus that actually saved us. 

*He had no beauty that we should desire him.  

This is a sobering statement.  

*Could it be that in our superficial attractions, shallow affections, and surface-level attachments we could also miss Jesus today?

 

We will if we prioritize things other than what God esteems. 

  • So what questions should we ask ourselves time make sure that we do not miss what Jesus wants to do in and through our lives?

  • What does the world characterize as beauty?

  • What are the differences between what God characterizes as majestic and what the world esteems?

 

For example, the world often exalts certain culturally derived standards of physical beauty, putting oneself forward and perceived strength in the ability to best one’s competition.  

Yet Jesus was holy and different.  

Jesus came as the standard of beauty, but was unassuming; was able to boast, but came to lift others up; able to dominate, but chose to serve. 

Of all people, Jesus could rightfully demand justice, but extended mercy. 

Jesus could have been spiteful to those who rejected, despised and betrayed him, but expressed kindness and grace instead. 

He had a pathway to exact retribution, but chose self-sacrifice for our forgiveness at the cross.  

The first coming displayed Christ’s humility; the second coming will display his strength.  

The majesty which Jesus displayed at his first coming prevented people from attempting to come to him for the wrong reasons. 

If you were only coming to God to see what you could get rather than what you could give in worship, the majesty of Jesus would seem undesirable and the cross of Christ an offense to you.  

Think - considering all of his attributes, though no greater picture of God or man exists, what are some of the reasons that prevent people from desiring Jesus today?

Always remember that in your pursuit of God:

God often calls beautiful what we say is rejected.  

God often calls majestic what we call despised.  

Make sure that you have the right lense and God’s perspective. 

Two Responses

There are only two responses when we are confronted with the majesty of Jesus - rebellion or submission. 

Matthew 2:1-12 

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: “‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’” Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.

What caused Herod to miss the majesty of Jesus?

Jesus did not come with the force and pomp of a military commander.

Jesus came in humility as a child and thus Herod thought he could rid himself of the need to acknowledge Jesus as Lord.  

Herod’s response did not begin with outright rebellion.  

It looked like he was in line with the prophetic words and mission of the Christ, until it challenged his independence and sovereignty.  

Herod was used to doing things as he wanted and when he wanted.  

He picked and chose how he wanted to associate with God, doing what was right in his own eyes.  

He built the temple for the people but was a murderer of anyone, even family, that threatened his autonomy.  

The issue was that Herod did not want his independent rule challenged, over the region of Judea or his own life. 

Herod responded to the majesty of Jesus with manipulation and murder. 

The Magi responded with meekness and marvel. 

 

Matthew 2:16-18 

Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah: “A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they are no more.” 

What were the signs of Herod’s rebellion?

  1. Herod acknowledged the word of God, but picked and chose what he would obey

  2. Herod used others to his own advantage to try to preserve his chosen way of life

  3. Herod disposed of those who would threaten his autonomy and self-rule

The same happens with people today.  

People are willing to acknowledge the reality of Jesus, his coming and his mission, but are threatened by the implications of his total rulership in their lives.  

 

Which way have you responded? 

Two Options: Threatened or Totally Submitted

What allowed the Magi to acknowledge the majesty of Jesus?

Scholars believe that the wise men may have come from the region of Bablylon, where the exiles of Israel had been scattered many years before during a period of judgment. 

The Magi were outside of the citizenship of Israel, but would have been exposed to the Word of God, having more than likely heard the prophecies and good news of the coming Messiah from the Jewish Diaspora in exile in the East. 

They took God at his word and humbled themselves, rearranging their lives to submit to the Lordship of Jesus. 

The Magi were willing to inconvenience themselves to honor and worship the Lord, even in his infancy. 

They knew that the things that most defined their lives, their time (journey to find Jesus), their talent (great learning) and treasure (their gifts) were the things that God would look to receive in their worship.  

It is no different for us today. 

Whether you’ve been walking with God for years or are just beginning, recognizing Jesus as Lord over all areas of your life - your time, your talent, your treasure and even your relationships, is key.  

This is what it means to submit to the majesty of Jesus. 

 

What was the sign of the Magi’s submission?

  1. The Magi diligently searched for the meaning of the Scripture and how it would apply to each of the aforementioned areas of their lives.

  2. The Magi allowed the Scripture to dictate their actions, making the long trip to meet with and worship Jesus. (In stark contrast, Americans today average church attendance approximately 1.4 times per month).

  3. The Magi lived a life of sacrifice, going to great lengths to offer their time (the long journey), treasure (presenting Jesus gifts) and talents (great learning) in worship of Jesus.

They displayed the attitude of the great King of Israel, David, when he said,

 

2 Samuel 24:24 

“But the king said to Araunah, “No, but I will buy it from you for a price. I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God that cost me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.

Even the gifts they offered Jesus were them sowing into the ultimate cause of Christ.  

The gold allowed the flight to Egypt to escape the wrath of Herod.  

The frankincense and myrrh were used in the process of embalming during burial 

(What a birthday present if not for the fact that the Messiah would be born to die, to save his people from their sins! - Isaiah 52+53). 

Who will you be like this new year - Herod or the Magi?

*We must understand that indifference is a response and actively places us in the camp of functionally despising the majesty of Jesus.  

Think about the indifference of a marriage proposal unanswered.  

It is no different than the invitation that God makes to you in Jesus today, thus the continual references to the marriage banquet of the Lamb at the second advent of Christ (Matthew 22:1-14). 

When he comes, Jesus will come as Lord of all. 

 

“I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.”

C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

His Majesty and the Second Coming of Christ

Acknowledging the majesty of Jesus should shape our lives in preparation for his second coming. 

The second coming of Jesus will evidence how his majesty trumps that which the world exalts. 

The second coming will fully reveal the majesty of Jesus where we receive the reward of our response - eternal life with an imperishable inheritance for those who received him; eternal judgment for those who rejected his Lordship.  

Matthew 2:19-23 

But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, “Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child's life are dead.” And he rose and took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he withdrew to the district of Galilee. And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, so that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, that he would be called a Nazarene.

The second coming 

What application does this have for us today?

What you find yourself doing, though it may lack the esteem of the world, is for the glory of God when done in faith and obedience to God’s word.  

Your praying, your giving and your going to make disciples of the nations may not always come with the praise or recognition of those around you, but God sees it all. 

He will reward your faithfulness, and like the Magi, will use your efforts as part of his ongoing story to reveal the majesty of Christ, bringing his eternal salvation to the world.  

Because Jesus is coming again in the Second Advent, like the Magi, we order our lives accordingly in worship, which means service to him.  

We’ll end with an excerpt from Sacred Structures which gives perspective on how we should order our lives in response to the majesty of Jesus:

 

“The story of three bricklayers is a multi-faceted parable with many different variations, but is rooted in an authentic story. After the great fire of 1666 that leveled London, the world’s most famous architect, Christopher Wren, was commissioned to rebuild St Paul’s Cathedral.

One day in 1671, Christopher Wren observed three bricklayers on a scaffold, one crouched, one half-standing and one standing tall, working very hard and fast. To the first bricklayer, Christopher Wren asked the question, “What are you doing?” to which the bricklayer replied, “I’m a bricklayer. I’m working hard laying bricks to feed my family.” The second bricklayer, responded, “I’m a builder. I’m building a wall.” But the third brick layer, the most productive of the three and the future leader of the group, when asked the question, “What are you doing?” replied with a gleam in his eye, “I’m a cathedral builder. I’m building a great cathedral to The Almighty.”

 

Let us acknowledge the majesty of Jesus and give our all to worship him, joining in the building of his heavenly Kingdom! 

 

Second City Church - Pastor Rollan Fisher

Resurrection and Life Vision 2022

 
 
 
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Resurrection and Life 

Vision 2022

Associate Pastor: Cole Parleir

 

Focus: When we follow Jesus as His disciples we will also begin to see his glory as the resurrection and the life.

Observations:

Jesus knows and redefines our struggles (John 11:1-16)

When we see death, Jesus sees a glorious opportunity.

Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. 3 So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” 4 But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”

5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So, when he heard that Lazarus[a] was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. 7 Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” 8 The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?” 9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10 But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” 11 After saying these things, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.” 12 The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” 13 Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. 14 Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died, 15 and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” 16 So Thomas, called the Twin,[b] said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”

  • Your struggle doesn’t have to end in death, but it may take you through death.

  • He stayed away 2 days longer because he loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus?!

Question: Why might Jesus, the Son of God, not immediately intervene on our behalf?  What does this say about his nature?

  • Jesus is the light that shines the truth of the kingdom of God on our struggles. This helps us see the end from the beginning, giving us faith to persevere through them.

  • This displays his omniscience as the Son of God.

  • Jesus sometimes allows our situations to become impossible (with man) so that when he delivers the miracle, our faith will rest on God alone. He alone will receive the glory.

Illustration of delays bringing greater impact

 

God cries (John 11:17-37)

Though God knows all things and plans to redeem all things, he is deeply  moved with sorrow for us and anger toward sin by the pain on our path.

Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. 18 Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles[a] off, 19 and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. 20 So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. 21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” 23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life.[b] Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”

28 When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” 29 And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him. 31 When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. 32 Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved[c] in his spirit and greatly troubled. 34 And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Jesus wept. 36 So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” 37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?” 

  • God is not emotional or weak. However he IS deeply moved with compassion and sorrow for his creation’s pain.

  • God’s compassion and sorrow displays his tender love and empathy with us even though he is sovereign over all things.

  • Jesus not only wept over Lazarus’ death, but had anger over the consequences of sins effect on the world, with death and hell being the ultimate consequence.

  • To mourn as God mourns is part of genuine faith.

  • Psalm 116:15

    • Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.

  • 1 Thessalonians 4:13

    • 13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.

 

Question: What are some things that you now know God weeps over? Do you weep over them as well?  Do you have hope as you weep?

Jesus IS the resurrection and the life (John 11:38-44)

He does not only give life and perform resurrection, he IS life and the light of the world.  When we walk with Jesus Christ, sin and death are temporary trials that have no hold on us.  

Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” 40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” 41 So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” 43 When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” 44 The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go." 

  • 4 days indicated that Lazarus was truly dead. He had no water or food for 4 days proving he was not sleeping.

  • According to some old Jewish beliefs, the soul hovered over the body for 3 days and then departed. Jesus is claiming authority over all traditions and beliefs, including the after life.

  • Jesus’ delay caused MANY Jews to show up in Bethany (house of affliction), creating a greater crowd to witness and believe.

  • Jesus intends to do much more than we ask or can imagine. (Ephesians 3:20)

  • We want what we believe Jesus has to offer…but Jesus tells us ‘I am’ what you are asking for. When we have Jesus we have everything.

  • Jesus’ ‘I am’ statement is one of his clear claims to deity, echoing The LORD at the burning bush when Moses asks “Whom shall I say sent me?”

  • We ask questions in time, Jesus answers in ultimate and eternal terms.

  • Revelation 21:4

    • He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.

 

Question: What are you praying for that you may possibly be misunderstanding Jesus’ answer because he’s answering MORE than you are asking?

 

Question: What situations and relationships do you not want to “take away the stone” because of the “odor”, meaning they seem impossible or too much trouble to deal with?

The takeaway and our response

Jesus wants to be the resurrection and life for  you, your family, and your community in 2022 and most importantly, for all eternity.   (John 17:3)

And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

  • As he said to Martha, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?”, he says to us as well.

  • This challenge to have faith in Him is for his glory, our good, and the world’s healing.

  • Will you follow him into the impossible mission of making disciples of all nations until He returns AND believe that along the way he will work miracles deepening our trust in him alone?

 

Pray and Act: Lord Jesus, you are the resurrection and the life that the world and I need.  I give you the impossible things in my life today.  Use me this year as your witness like you did Lazarus and those who witnessed your glory.  Please do this so that others may know you and experience your glory and salvation as well.  In Your name, amen.

 

Second City Church - Associate Pastor: Cole Parleir 2021

Majesty: True Worship

 
 
 
 

Majesty: True Worship

Pastor Rollan Fisher

Focus: We will come to worship Jesus fully when we distinguish between his communicable and his incommunicable attributes. 

As humanity is made in the image of God (Imago Dei) there are communicable attributes of God that humans can also possess, albeit to a finite extent.  

These communicable attributes give every human being value, worth and contribute to the sanctity of all human life, whether fully formed or in process.  

They also distinguish humanity as the crowning achievement of God’s creation, with the ability to steward the rest of God’s creation with care and grace.  

 

Some of these communicable attributes include:

  1. Love

  2. Goodness

  3. Kindness

  4. Knowledge

  5. Wisdom

  6. The ability to interact with and verify truth

These are all attributes that humanity has been given the privilege to share with God, albeit to a lesser extent. 

The incommunicable attributes of God speak of his holiness, how he is altogether different, higher and far above his creation.  

It’s in the incommunicable attributes of God that we see an even grander picture of his majesty, which is the basis of our worship of God. 

The incommunicable attributes are those characteristics that God can not share with his creatures. 

The incommunicable attributes explain why we worship God alone.  

 

What about Jesus?

Though one-hundred percent human, the historic Jesus of Nazareth was also one-hundred percent God, a phenomenon known as the hypostatic union.  

In Jesus Christ were found not only the communicable attributes of God in perfection, but also the incommunicable attributes of God which were shared with no other human being. 

Thus we worship Jesus as God and savior (Titus 2:13). 

 

John 1:1-5,14

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

 

Titus 2:11-14

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

All of God’s incommunicable attributes begin with his self-existence or his aseity. 

This means that God is uncreated and is the source of all things providing their beginning, present existence and continuance.  

 

Genesis 1:1

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

 

Exodus 3:13-14

Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” God said to Moses, “ I am who I am.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘ I am has sent me to you.’”

They continue with:

Nine of the Incommunicable Attributes of God:

  1. Sovereign

  2. Omnipotent

  3. Omniscient

  4. Omnipresent

  5. Transcendent

  6. Immanent

  7. Immutable

  8. Infinite

  9. Eternal

 

An Intervarsity article written by Jonathan Rice helps shed light on each of these attributes.  

 

Sovereign

“God is the Supreme Being of the universe. God precedes and is “above,” as it were, all things. And everything that exists is under God’s rule and authority. Since God is sovereign, we cannot praise ourselves for our salvation. Indeed, everything in our lives is a gift from God.”

-Jonathan Rice

Acts 4:24-31

And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit, “‘Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed’ — for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.

“Look at the life of King David. He strayed from God’s will and suffered much, but he still trusted in God’s sovereignty, and God used David to bless people. 

Our believing God is sovereign gives us confidence that all things in our lives will work for good, despite our suffering.”

-Jonathan Rice

 

Omnipotent 

“God is the most powerful Being in all existence, able to accomplish his will, though unwilling to do anything contrary to his nature. We have a divine helper who enables us to persevere. As Paul wrote in his letter to the Philippians, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).

Our believing God is omnipotent gives us strength, for we are not alone in our weakness.”

-Jonathan Rice

 

Omniscient

“God knows everything of the past, present, and future. God knows everything actual and potential. Not only does God know all things; God also cares about everything and everyone.

The book of Proverbs tells us, “The eyes of the LORD are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good” (Proverbs 15:3).

Our knowing that God is omniscient gives us peace when facing life’s uncertainties. 

Our believing God is omniscient assures us that God knows us and loves us.”

-Jonathan Rice

 

Omnipresent

“God is always present in all places. But God is not in all things, a concept called pantheism. Christian theology has traditionally asserted that the person of God and the nature of created things are distinct: God is not in a tree or in a drop of water. And God is not in a person—until that person is born anew of God’s Spirit through faith in Jesus Christ. This claim that God’s Spirit is not within all humans until they are born anew through God’s self-initiated act contradicts the religious concept that we are sparks of the divine, potential deities. Biblically speaking, we are all created in the image of God, but we are not little gods.

The psalmist speaks of the omnipresence of God when he writes, “Where can I go from your Spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there. If I take the wings of the morning and settle at the farthest limits of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me fast” (Psalm 139:7-10).

Our believing God is omnipresent gives us the joy that God is with us always.”

-Jonathan Rice

 

Transcendent

“God transcends all creation and is unknowable apart from his self-initiated revelation. What we know about God comes only through God’s revelations, both general and special. 

The first words of the Bible record that the transcendent God created the heavens and the earth, which is described as a formless void covered by darkness. Then God said, “Let there be light. . . . And there was evening and there was morning, the first day” (Genesis 1:3-5). God stands above and outside creation. And all that God creates is good.

Our believing God is transcendent gives us the understanding that our Creator is not limited by the natural laws of this world. God can do miracles”

-Jonathan Rice

 

Immanent

“God is active in this world and in our daily lives. God cares about every aspect of our existence and invites us to welcome his guidance, grace, and love.

Speaking of Jesus Christ, Paul wrote to the Colossians, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible. . . . He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:15-17).

Jesus, the very person of God, walked on this earth. Today, God’s Spirit is among us, present in his people, immanent and active among the nations, changing the world. Our believing God is immanent in this world gives us assurance that God is with us, despite the evils and sufferings we see in daily life.”

-Jonathan Rice

 

Immutable

“God is complete and perfect. Therefore, God does not need to mature or grow better at being God. 

“Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change” (James 1:17).

Our believing God is immutable gives us the certainty that our world is essentially meaningful, for God is unchanging in his person and will not act unjustly.”

-Jonathan Rice

 

Infinite

“God is unlimited. As Jesus said, “With God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26). We are created with great potential for growth, individually and in community. 

Our believing God is infinite gives us faith that our lives have a larger purpose than our years on earth.”

-Jonathan Rice

 

Eternal

“God is not confined to three-dimensional space or time. God never had a beginning; God will never have an end. 

The psalmist says of God: “Long ago you laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you endure; they will all wear out like a garment. You change them like clothing, and they pass away; but you are the same, and your years have no end” (Psalm 102:25-27).

Since we are created in the image of the infinite God, we have an eternal destiny. 

Our believing God is eternal gives us eternal hope.”

-Jonathan Rice

 

This is now the eternal life into which God now invites us. 

John 3:16

16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

 

Through repentance and faith in the substitutionary work of Jesus Christ at the cross, we can be forgiven our sins and once again walk in fellowship with the only majestic God.  

 

Second City Church - Pastor Rollan Fisher

Majesty: Hidden Majesty

 
 
 
 

Associate Pastor: Cole Parleir

Focus: When we see God’s humility in Jesus Christ as his majestic love for humanity, we will be healed. 

 

Today we will see how The Majesty of Christ was revealed in humility to some but remained hidden to others.  We will look at how and why God chose to reveal himself to the humble, weak and despised.

  • Hidden Majesty

  • Majestic Partnerships

  • Majesty Incarnate

Hidden Majesty 

God’s majesty is hidden in humility. 

“Majesty” 

Greek

  • megalósuné. (divine) majesty, greatness.

  • From megas; greatness This is where we get the word MEGA.

Hebrew

  • gaah. To rise up. (Redemption), majesty, pomp, pride, proud, *swelling.

The advent is the seed of God’s majesty. This gospel in seed form will continue to swell and grow bringing eternal redemption to those who receive it by faith. 

This is majestic love. 

This is the only way that God’s beloved can know his majestic and redeeming love for them.  For we can not ascend to him for he is holy.  He must descend to us in order to raise us up with him. 

Only God can give true love. 

We humans need love, yet only God can give it purely because only he has no needs he is trying to fill. This allows him to truly suffer, which is to truly love. 

He does for us what we cannot do for ourselves. 

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭13:4-7‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”

Majestic Partnerships

The Majestic God partners with the humble to bring his majesty to the world.  He heals those he partners with in the process. 

Luke 1:5-25 ESV (Birth Of John The Baptist Foretold)

“In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord.

But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years. Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him.

But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”

And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.”

And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in the temple. And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he kept making signs to them and remained mute. And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home. After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying, “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.””

Observations of the above scripture:

  • Zechariah and Elizabeth were faithful to God’s word nationally and personally though God had not spoken in more than 400 years as evidenced by the date of the last Old Testament prophetic writing of Malachi.

  • They were both blameless in God’s sight and were qualified to receive all the promised blessings…including children.

  • Zechariah as a priest had prayed consistently for the fulfillment of God’s promise to send a Messiah to save their people from oppression. He as a husband had prayed for children as well, with a clear conscience as evidenced by his status as blameless. 

  • The world says ‘The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results.” God says that this is the definition of faithfulness when done in expectation of his promises. 

  • God’s delay in answering the prayer for a child while they were young was because he wanted to use the child not only to bring joy and gladness to them personally but to move forward his plan of redemption for all people.

  • When God delays his personal promise to you, it is because he’s partnering with you to bring out his promise of redemption to the whole world.

“The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” - 2 Peter‬ ‭3:9‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Why did God choose Zechariah and Elizabeth?

  • It was his sovereign choice, but here are some observations we can glean from if we want to be used by God in his plan of redemption: 

  • Be faithful to God and obey him in the circumstance you find yourself born into or that you become responsible for. (Zechariah was a Levite and Elizabeth was of the house of Arron meaning temple service was a family obligation as well are lawful obedience that he did not forsake)

  • If you’re married, love your spouse in their ‘barrenness’ and ‘reproach’ (whether physical or spiritual) as Christ loves the persecuted and hurting church. What started with Elizabeth’s barrenness and shame became Zechariah’s as he stayed committed to one wife, sharing in her shame until God healed her.    

  • Make yourself available to serve him when your ‘lot’ is chosen. This could mean stay in fellowship with brothers and sisters in Christ in worship while waiting so you know what the needs are when they arise.

 

Question: 

*What’s the “BUT” that keeps you up at night, as barrenness did Elizabeth?

You’ve tried to walk blameless, yet there’s a legitimate BUT in your life that keeps you from fully enjoying or trusting God.  This BUT may even be a cause for shame among others (Psalm 127:3-5).  

God uses BUTS to fulfill his big picture prophetic fulfillment in bringing Christ to those around us.  What is your BUT? Singleness? Perceived lack of education?   Income?  Family affairs thrusted upon you?  Barrenness?  Children you didn’t ask for?  God has a big plan and uses intimate details in our lives to bring it about.  

*God transforms BUTS into Blessings that overflow onto those around us.

Regarding the angel telling Zechariah “the child will bring joy and gladness"

- What was your duty, will become your delight and will cause others to rejoice in God. 

- God took away Elizabeth’s reproach, giving her joy for sadness, as he moved forward his plan of bringing redemption to the world through her.

 

Majestic Manger

The majesty came at a time that was unexpected and will come back in the same way. 

The majesty came at night, in a stable, and rested in a feeding trough. 

Question: Have you recognized the majesty of Christ? Have you made room for him in your heart and life?  When he comes back or calls us to account, will you be prepared?

Majesty revealed to those in darkness. 

When we recognize the majesty of God we will overflow with worship. 

Luke‬ ‭1:46-56‬ ‭ESV‬‬

The Magnificat: Mary’s Song Of Praise

“And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.” And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home.”

Born To Die

For you and I, the Majesty was born to die.

We must remember that because of his great love for a lost, weary and Hell bound world, he humbly came as a baby for the express purpose of dying the death of a sinner though he alone was righteous. 

In his majestic power and love, he would put death to death and shame to shame through an open display of his suffering love for his beloved on a Roman cross. 

Ephesians‬ ‭2:4-10‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

Yet, because of sinful pride of the human heart (the opposite of humility) the world has despised the majesty of the cross. 

1 Corinthians‬ ‭1:18-25‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.”

This Christmas, may the Holy Spirit magnify the excellencies of Christ Jesus as we see the humility of his birth and shame of the cross he chose in love so that our sin and shame could be removed for all eternity.  

Gloria in excelsis Deo (Glory to God in the highest)

 

Pray and Act

Majestic Heavenly Father, you alone are worthy of my devotion and love. You alone are holy. You alone redeem me from sin, death, and shame. Please forgive my pride today.  Open my eyes to see your humility and love for the world and I in Jesus Christ this Christmas. In Jesus name. Amen. 

Second City Church - Associate Pastor: Cole Parleir 2021

Majesty: Revealed

 
 
 
 

Majesty

Pastor Rollan Fisher

 

Focus: We will come to put our trust fully in God when we see that his majesty revealed was both predicted in the Scriptures and fulfilled in the person of Jesus.

  • The Prophecies

  • The Fulfillment

  • The Majesty of Jesus

 

The Prophecies

God prepared us to experience his majesty by predicting the advent of his Son.  

2 Peter 1:16-21

For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,” we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

After the crucifixion, burial and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth, the apostles of the New Testament spread the good news of Christ’s messiahship by appealing to two primary sets of evidence.

The first was Jesus’ bodily resurrection from the dead in accordance with his own predictions during his earthly ministry.

Matthew 20:17-19 

And as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside, and on the way he said to them, 18 “See, we are going up to Jerusalem. And the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death 19 and deliver him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day.”

The second set of evidence to which the apostles appealed was the enormous volume of fulfilled messianic prophecy in the person of Jesus.

This is why Paul the apostle began his letter to the Romans this way:

Romans 1:1-6 

Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning his Son, who was descended from David  according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ,

Written over a two thousand year period, the Old Testament contains more than three hundred distinct references to the coming Messiah.

In essence, God was creating a URL address so that we would recognize and then follow and worship his designated savior when he arrived.

 

The Fulfillment

The fulfillment of the prophecies point to the majesty of God in displaying his sovereignty over all of creation and human history.

The prophetic writings began with all of the Old Testament foreshadowing the person and work of Jesus Christ. 

As an example, scholar Norman Geisler pointed out that the work and person of Christ brought fulfillment to the Levitical Feasts:

 

The Feast (Leviticus 23) The Fulfillment

  • Passover (April) The Death of Christ (I Corinthians 5:7)

  • Unleavened Bread (April) The Holy Walk (I Corinthians 5:8)

  • Firstfruits (April) Resurrection (I Corinthians 15:23)

  • Pentecost (June) Outpouring of the Spirit (Acts 1:5; 2:4)

  • Trumpets (September) Israel’s Regathering (Matthew 24:31)

  • Atonement (September) Cleansing by Christ (Romans 11:26)

  • Tabernacles (September) Rest and Reunion with Christ (Zech. 14:16-18)

 

In the prophecies and their subsequent fulfillment in Jesus, God was showing his majesty, doing what no other man or woman can do.

God showed his majesty by allowing all things to be a product of his foreshadowing and plan. 

Isaiah 46:8-10 

“Remember this and stand firm, recall it to mind, you transgressors, remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’

 

*Think, if God has this type of control over human history, how much more can you trust him with the intimate details of all aspects of your life!

However, even before that, the fulfillment of prophecy began with the birth of Christ regarding these facts:

  1. Born of the Seed of a Woman (Genesis 3:15; Galatians 4:4)

  2. Born of a Virgin (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18,24.25)

  3. Son of God (Psalm 2:7; Matthew 3:17)

  4. Seed of Abraham (Genesis 22:18; Matthew 1:1)

  5. Son of Isaac (Genesis 21:12; Luke 23,34)

  6. Son of Jacob (Numbers 24:17; Luke 3:23,34)

  7. Tribe of Judah (Genesis 49:10; Luke 3:23,33)

  8. Family line of Jesse (Isaiah 11:1; Luke 3:23,32)

  9. House of David (Jeremiah 23:5; Luke 3:23,31)

  10. Born at Bethlehem (Micah 5:2; Matthew 2:1)

  11. Presented with Gifts (Psalm 72:10; Matthew 2:1,11)

  12. His birth would be accompanied by Herod killing children (Jeremiah 31:15; Matthew 2:16)

Ultimately, the devil could not stop his coming, and Jesus in his advent would bring life to the world.

 

The Majesty of Jesus

The advent of Jesus was given as a gift to display the majesty of God to the world, and invite the world into it.  

The majesty of Jesus was in his pre-existence where he is both co-eternal and of the very same substance as God.

Hebrews 1:1-14 

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs. For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”? Or again, “I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son”? And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God's angels worship him.” Of the angels he says, “He makes his angels winds, and his ministers a flame of fire.” But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.” And, “You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands; they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment, like a robe you will roll them up, like a garment they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will have no end.” And to which of the angels has he ever said, “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”? Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?

All was done for the sake of inviting you back into eternal fellowship with God through Jesus Christ, his sinless life, his substitutionary death on the cross and victorious resurrection from the dead. 

As we celebrate this Advent Season, we celebrate the majesty of God that predicted, fulfilled and forever points to our great salvation provided in Jesus!

If God was faithful to fulfill his promises in the first coming of Jesus, so we can also trust him in the predictions and promises of his return - the second Advent, when we will once again marvel at the majesty of Christ!

 

Second City Church - Pastor Rollan Fisher

 
 

For additional information, email us at info@2ndcitychurch.com