Walking in Agreement
John 20 v 17
‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God'.
• hugely important statement
• why? Jesus constantly referred to Yahweh as His Father. This was blasphemy to the religious leaders of the day. God was holy and unapproachable by people, only the High Priest on one day of the year after being purified.......He could not be known by someone as in a Father/child relation - it was absurd
• Jesus systematically taught His disciples what His Father was like, and demonstrated to them and those who would listen and watch, His Father's character, nature and personality, and what this meant to them. This was hugely insulting to the religious leaders
• John 14 v 6-14
• the way to the Father
• if you've seen me you've seen the Father
John 20v17 - my Father and you're Father! He's now your Daddy!
The suffering and death of Jesus on the cross, followed by His resurrection, is the turning point of humanity! Now people can truly know God, and not only what He is like. The response of the disciples to what Jesus taught them was - how can we live like this; it's impossible. The whole point was that knowing Daddy and being filled with the Spirit makes it not only possible but actual!
This is extraordinary! Use your creative imagination - get your sanctified creative juices flowing.
• God who created all things is now my Daddy
• He who placed each star in it's place is my Daddy
• He who raised Jesus from the dead in now my Daddy
• You're His son or daughter - not empty phrase but full of meaning and releases life.
Walk in agreement
Matthew 18 v 13-35
Agree = sumphoneo - to sound together, be in accord or harmony.
cf symphony - agree in prayer that is concordant.
Not a matter of just saying I agree. It has to be an issue of hearts joining together. Then what we agree will have been loosed to us in heaven, and from heaven to earth in the domain in which we live, in the here and now.
Gen 11v1-9 - Tower of Babel
Key issue here - they wanted to build themselves a name. Pride and arrogance - not from humility and love for one another.
They were in unity of purpose together in what they wanted to achieve. These were not people who we are told believed in God or followed Him. But notice that God had to scatter them so that they developed different languages and could no longer understand each other in solving the problem.
Acting in agreement/unity is massively powerful. Now imagine a group of Christians being in agreement in purpose, and in heart! And now add into that mix a group of Christians who also know their heavenly Daddy!
What incredible power!
Not only is their human endeavor one in purpose, but because they are in symphony with one another, all of the authority of heaven is in agreement.
