Month: August 2019

~Written by Stephen McClelland. For more free teachings, visit his website by clicking here. Be greatly blessed and encouraged!

A very famous and rich man was going to die with no heirs. He knew his end would come soon, but he still had some time. Wanting to entrust his fortune and his great work to someone who would do good things with it he set out to find several capable individuals that had the potential to successfully manage his great fortune. He found four.

He sent each of them invitations to come and learn from him. Plain white paper within plain white envelopes. “My time is short. Please come and learn from me. I will sustain you and your family during your studies. Upon my death it must be that someone will assume my responsibilities.”

The first man received the letter. He spat and mocked the rich man’s word’s. “He lord’s his wealth over others even in his death. What arrogance he displays by thinking my contributions are not good and just without his instructions. I will not go. If he is a good man let his great wealth be distributed equally to all men and let them decide what is good for themselves.”

This man was ignorant, a word which comes from Greek, meaning to be without proper knowledge. He made incorrect assumptions on the intentions of the offer and of the character of the man offering. The rich man had selected him because of his good works and had intended to increase his understanding and ability to enrich the lives of others in a way far more valuable than simply giving them money.

The second man received the letter with joy. He wrote back, “While I mourn your end, we all must die. Nevertheless I applaud your life and generosity toward myself and others. Regretfully, important matters require my attention and I will not be able to attend to your instruction. If you have found me capable I would still accept your fortune and with it do my best to fulfill your wishes.”

The rich man crossed out his name. This man was an idiot, from the Greek word which means to be unlearned or without instruction. He could not have fulfilled the desire and responsibilities without proximity. Without instruction, how could he understand the purpose, the justifications, the motives, the passion, the proven methods? How could he take the place of a man without knowing the man whose place he would be taking?

The third and fourth man accepted the invitation and moved their families to be with the rich man. They lived together, ate together, traveled together, etc. The rich man spent every remaining day of his life pouring into them everything he knew. He considered his greatest riches to be that which he had inside him. His character, his wisdom, and his desire to serve others. He died leaving these to the two men, as well as all his earthly possessions.

The third man proved to be inobservant. He rejected some of the rich man’s teachings, preferring his own character and wisdom to that which he had learned. He proved unfruitful in fulfilling his position despite having knowledge and instruction. He chose not to follow another and to follow himself.

The fourth man was ridiculed by many for being an imitator of the rich man. “You act just like him. You’re trying to talk just like he talked; do you even try to walk just like him too? If we asked you your name, would you use his instead of your own?” But the fourth man didn’t care. He felt honored to be chosen. He was happy to live the rest of his life in the manner requested. The rich man had given him so much and this was all that he had asked for in return. He considered it the most wonderful bargain.

Have you not known of the goodness of Jesus? Then you are truly ignorant.

Have you accepted His invitation but are still unaware of how He instructed His followers to live? Then by the purest definition, you’re an idiot. Someone who has not been taught.

Have you been learning about Him but haven’t really applied it to your life? Another way to call someone inobservant is to call them a fool. The wisdom of proverbs says that a wise man will hear instruction and do it and become wiser still, while a fool will reject instruction and go his own way.

Finally, the word imitate actually comes from the Greek word for disciple. Are you trying to imitate Jesus, to be his disciple? It is also true that you might be ridiculed for it. Even the term “Christian” itself shows this. It means “little Christ” and was originally used as a way of mocking disciples because they were behaving like Christ Himself behaved.

Jesus preached the kingdom, and repentance. Jesus cast out devils and healed the sick. Jesus was connected with His Father in heaven and empowered by the Holy Spirit on earth. Didn’t His disciples also have and do these things?

Brothers and sisters, stop being students of Christ only. With love let me say: you were called to be imitators also.

Image by Adam Derewecki from Pixabay

~Written by: Stephen McClelland. For free sermons and resources you can visit his ministerial website by clicking here <3 Be most blessed!

This morning I was reading in Romans where Paul compared Jesus to Adam. By one man’s transgression many were made sinners, and in the same way the obedience of one man, Jesus, many would be made righteous.

It reminded me of the things that the Lord had shown me comparing the ministries of Moses and Elijah to Jesus. Jesus had compared Himself to Jonah and Solomon, saying that one greater than them was here.

So I asked for more.

Lord if the Old Testament is filled with types and shadows, how does Jesus mirror and outperform Joseph?

Now in some ways it’s obvious, but I still asked.

He answered! In answering He connected a lot of things that I had never thought of or heard preached.

——

Joseph was his father’s favorite son. His brothers resented and rejected him, even more-so because he spoke of them bowing to serve him. He had dreams of even his parents bowing down to serve him.

To get rid of him and to redistribute their father’s favor among them, his brethren sold him to foreigners. He was falsely accused and judgement was executed against him. After being put in prison, he was quickly put in charge of it. Nothing happened in the prison without his knowledge and oversight.

Eventually he was delivered from prison and seated next to Pharaoh. Pharaoh said that Joseph would be ruler over his house. Pharaoh would be greater only in the throne. Everyone was made to bow before Joseph.

He became the savior of Egypt, and then the savior of all the surrounding nations. Finally, when Jacob and his sons saw their own lack, Joseph became the savior of the very brethren that rejected him. He told them what they had meant for his harm, God in His greatness had worked for their good.

—–

Jesus was the Father’s favorite. His brethren resented and rejected Him. They hated Him even more because He was presented as the Messiah, the one whom they were to bow down and serve. Jesus responded to the critics asking them why David prophesied of the Messiah, calling him Lord, if the Messiah was to be one of David’s sons. That’s the direct equivalent of Joseph’s second dream.

In their jealousy they gave him over to foreigners. They begged the Romans to get rid of Him. He was found not guilty of any crimes but executed anyway. Then Jesus showed up in the underworld, the prison where the dead were awaiting final judgement. The moment He arrived He took over. He took the keys of death, hell, and the grave.

Three days later He came fully alive out of prison of the dead. He ascended to heaven where He was seated at the right hand of God the Father. The Father has given Jesus all authority in heaven and in earth. He rules the whole house. God the Father is greater in name only, as Jesus is God the Word, and has been from the beginning. Jesus being in the form of God considered it not robbery to be equal with God. At His name every knee will bow, those in heaven, those in earth, and those under the earth.

He has become the savior to the Romans that put Him in the prison of death. He has become the savior of all nations on earth. Scripture speaks of a time where all Israel will return and receive this great salvation. Caiaphas prophesied by the Holy Spirit that it would be expedient for one man to suffer so that whole nation wouldn’t perish. Caiaphas was one of the ones that resented Jesus and worked to have Him killed. What they had meant for evil, God in His greatness has worked for the good of all men forever.

—–

If you are lacking the substance of life you need to seek out this Jesus. He holds the keys to the storehouses of heaven.

Joseph distributed grain out of Egypt’s barns to the hungry. Jesus distributes Himself because He is the bread of life.

Joseph was given an Egyptian name: Zaphnath-Paaneah which means “Treasury of the glorious rest.”

Jesus said, “Come to me all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Jesus is the glorious rest. He opens up heaven’s treasury to all those that seek Him.

What are you waiting for?

Top image by Free-Photos from Pixabay