30th Mar 26 | 13:54
Studies by Book
Luke 23 06-17 THE LORD WATCHES 07 Luke 23 11 We reign with Jesus
📖 Luke 23:6-17
Sun21Nov2021 – We reign with Jesus - Luke 23:06-17 - THE LORD WATCHES (07) - Bible reading: Acts 4:23-31
The Lord has given the church to reign with Him. We must keep this in mind, even when the church is being persecuted and being treated with contempt. Our position with the King does not change.
Luke 23:11 Then Herod, with his men of war, treated Him with contempt and mocked Him, arrayed Him in a gorgeous robe, and sent Him back to Pilate.
This was how Herod and his people treated Jesus. It was by mocking Jesus and treating Him with contempt. This was the treatment that our Lord received at the hands of the Jews and from the Gentiles.
These were all prophesied to take place.
Isaiah 53:3-5 He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. (4) Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. (5) But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.
The chastisement of our peace was upon Him. He took all the effect of sin, that is seen in the behaviour of man, on Himself. Jesus went through this so that we would have the comfort of God. It is also in all the sufferings that Jesus went through, that we are healed. Healed in body, soul, spirit.
Jesus had a conversation with Peter, James and John, as they were coming down from the mountain of transfiguration.
Mark 9:9-13 Now as they came down from the mountain, He commanded them that they should tell no one the things they had seen, till the Son of Man had risen from the dead. (10) So they kept this word to themselves, questioning what the rising from the dead meant.
The disciples did not understand the statement, ‘rising from the dead'. They knew that this was connected with the coming of the Messiah and the restoration of the kingdom of God. Therefore, they raise this doubt with Jesus.
(11) And they asked Him, saying, "Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?" (12) Then He answered and told them, "Indeed, Elijah is coming first and restores all things. And how is it written concerning the Son of Man, that He must suffer many things and be treated with contempt? (13) But I say to you that Elijah has also come, and they did to him whatever they wished, as it is written of him."
The Lord is explaining that the coming of the Messiah and the restoration of His kingdom are all tied up with the suffering that the Lord will have to go through. The Lord is confirming that Elijah, (John the Baptist), has come. The Messiah too has come and all that is written about His suffering, will take place.
The treatment that John the Baptist and the Lord received from the people of the world is what will happen to the church.
After Peter and John were severely threatened by the Jewish leaders, not to teach in the name of Jesus, they were let go. Peter and John came to the church.
Act 4:23-31 And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. (24) So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: "Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, (25) who by the mouth of Your servant David have said: 'WHY DID THE NATIONS RAGE, AND THE PEOPLE PLOT VAIN THINGS? (26) THE KINGS OF THE EARTH TOOK THEIR STAND, AND THE RULERS WERE GATHERED TOGETHER AGAINST THE LORD AND AGAINST HIS CHRIST.' (27) " For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together (28) to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done .
The church was able to see the complete picture. The matter that Peter, James and John were not sure about, earlier, was now clearly understood by the early church.
The suffering, mocking and contempt that the world placed on Jesus was what will come upon His church. We ought not to be angered or recoil at the suffering that will be inflicted upon the church. We must know that we reign with Jesus . The world may think that they have caused injury to the church but this is the place for our victory.
Acts 14:22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, " We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God ."
The world is refusing the message of the church. They know that this message is the only hope for humanity, yet, they are determined to reject the Good News of Jesus Christ, to their own hurt.
The church will share the message of Jesus, whatever the world may do to us, for we reign with Jesus.
(29) Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word,
This is the prayer of the church. We are not praying that God should take away the suffering or the persecution. We are affirming that the Lord watches. We are asking the Lord to fill us with boldness. Boldness because we reign with Christ.
Boldness combined with love, for we will be a blessing to the world, whatever the world may do to us.
(30) by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus."
This prayer of the church, for boldness in the time of persecution, was answered by the Lord in an overwhelming way.
(31) And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.
Thought to ponder
Are you conscious that you are reigning with Jesus?