Romans 1:16-17 Part 3
It is the Power of God
I. The Gospel is the Eternal Display of God’s Power and Wisdom!
Exodus 9:16 The LORD in His confrontation of Pharoah before the 7th plague, “But indeed for this purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My Power in you,, AND THAT MY NAME MAY BE DECLARED IN ALL THE EARTH.” This is the first mention of “The Power of God” in scripture. While it is on display throughout Genesis, the word “power” is not ascribed to God until this incident.
NOTE: In delivering Israel, His people, from Pharoah–displaying His Mighty Power, His Name to all the nations (Deut. 4:5-8; I Sam 17:42-47; Ezek 36:16-23), God gives us a grand object lesson of the deliverance of His Heavenly people from that old Pharoah, Satan. This deliverance, this gospel work, is the display of His great Name, His Power and Glory and Wisdom to not only the nations, but also to heavenly hosts. (Eph 3:8-11; Mark 16:15)
Hebrews 2:14-15 The “exodus” then, is the context and purpose of this pivotal passage in Hebrews. “Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime SUBJECT TO BONDAGE.” Until the God/Man, we have spent our existence making bricks with no straw!
This then is the outline and meaning of human history, the display of the Name, Power, and Wisdom of the Lord of Heaven and Earth to all creatures on earth and in the heavens!!! Remember that Hebrews begins with the introduction of the Son of God/Son of Man, the Appointed Heir of all things, through Whom God made the worlds, Who is the Brightness of God’s Glory, the Manifested Image of God’s Person, and Who upholds all things by the Word of HIS POWER!!!
Hebrews 7:15-17 Remember Satan’s power that was destroyed in Heb 2:14? His power was the power of death, the control he still holds over fallen humanity. But the Son of Man Reigns continually for His people as their King/Priest as 7:16 tells us, “ACCORDING TO THE POWER OF AND ENDLESS LIFE.” Vs 24 states the HE CONTINUES FOREVER and since that is true, (Vs 25) He is able to save to the uttermost (eternally) those who come to God THROUGH HIM, since He LIVES FOREVER (His ultimate POWER since He is God) to make intercession for them.
This is the Power and Purpose of the Gospel, the Display of Him Who wedded our humanity to His Deity; bore our sin on the cross, that is, every claim that old pharoah, the Devil, had upon us; bore the punishment that God’s Perfect Righteous Wrath required, carried it all into his grave; but Praise God, was raised from the dead by the Glory of the Father, ascended to the Place of all Power, the Right Hand of the Majesty on High (Heb 1:3) where His People are eternally saved by His Intercession (7:25), the Display of His Finished Glorious Work for them, Eternally before the Glorious Father and His Holy Angels.
Ephesians 3:8-11 “The fellowship of the Mystery.....(vs 10) to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known BY THE CHURCH (the redeemed of the earth) to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
II. And what did God accomplish in Christ Jesus our Lord?
I Chronicles 29:10b-11 This is David’s praise to God in presenting his offering of the materials for the temple of God that Solomon would build. Contemplate the significance of this:
“Blessed are You, LORD God of Israel, our Father, for ever and ever. Yours, O LORD, is the Greatness, THE POWER AND GLORY, the Victory and Majesty’ for all that is in heaven and earth is Yours; YOURS IS THE KINGDOM, O LORD, and You are exalted as Head over all.”
Matthew 6:9-13 Here are the Words of the One Who would ascend the throne of David, the Head and Fulfillment of the Temple! “Our Father in Heaven, Hallowed be Your Name. Your Kingdom come....on earth as it is in Heaven........For Yours is the Kingdom and THE POWER AND THE GLORY forever. Amen” Do you see the Old Testament root to our Lord’s “Kingdom Prayer”?
Acts 10:37-38 This is from Peter’s words to Cornelius–“That word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with POWER.”
Romans 1:1-4 Paul was “separated to the Gospel of God” which “concerns His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, Who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh,” now notice carefully, “and declared to be THE SON OF GOD WITH POWER ACCORDING TO THE SPIRIT OF HOLINESS, BY THE RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD.”!!!!!!!!
I Corinthians 1:22-25 “For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, CHRIST THE POWER OF GOD, AND THE WISDOM OF GOD!!!!!!!
II Peter 1:16 Peter’s defense of the Apostolic message, “For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you THE POWER AND COMING OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, but were eyewitnesses of His Majesty.”
Revelation 12:10 Here is the prophetic triumph spoken of in Hebrews 2:14-15, “Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven ‘Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and THE POWER OF HIS CHRIST have come, for the accuser of our brethren who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.’”
Ephesians 1:15-23 This is one of Paul’s glorious prayers for those who name the name of Christ. He prays for the Ephesians (and us), “that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of Glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding (I John 5:20-21) being enlightened: that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the EXCEEDING GREATNESS OF HIS POWER TOWARD US WHO BELIEVE, according to the working of His MIGHTY POWER which He worked in Christ WHEN HE RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD AND SEATED HIM AT HIS RIGHT HAND IN THE HEAVENLY PLACES,” and on and on for two more verses.
Here’s the point! This same Jesus, the One Who ascended upon the throne of David, this same Jesus Who defeated that Old Pharoah the devil to deliver His people from the bondage of death, this same Jesus has been declared to be the Son of God with power by the Holy Spirit’s raising Him from the dead, this same Jesus lives as perpetual intercession as our Great High Priest Who ministers unceasingly through the Power of an Endless Life. And wonder of wonders, God has worked this Power toward us WHO BELIEVE.!!! So this is my question. Do you believe the testimony of the scripture set before you today? Do you believe that CHRIST JESUS IS THE POWER AND WISDOM OF GOD? Do you bask in the Eternity, The Power, of your Redeemer, your “Elder Brother? May the Holy Spirit of God increasingly give us the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. Christ Jesus is more than just the message of the Gospel, He Is the Gospel, for He is the Power of God unto salvation to everyone WHO BELIEVES.
It is the Power of God
I. The Gospel is the Eternal Display of God’s Power and Wisdom!
Exodus 9:16 The LORD in His confrontation of Pharoah before the 7th plague, “But indeed for this purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My Power in you,, AND THAT MY NAME MAY BE DECLARED IN ALL THE EARTH.” This is the first mention of “The Power of God” in scripture. While it is on display throughout Genesis, the word “power” is not ascribed to God until this incident.
NOTE: In delivering Israel, His people, from Pharoah–displaying His Mighty Power, His Name to all the nations (Deut. 4:5-8; I Sam 17:42-47; Ezek 36:16-23), God gives us a grand object lesson of the deliverance of His Heavenly people from that old Pharoah, Satan. This deliverance, this gospel work, is the display of His great Name, His Power and Glory and Wisdom to not only the nations, but also to heavenly hosts. (Eph 3:8-11; Mark 16:15)
Hebrews 2:14-15 The “exodus” then, is the context and purpose of this pivotal passage in Hebrews. “Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime SUBJECT TO BONDAGE.” Until the God/Man, we have spent our existence making bricks with no straw!
This then is the outline and meaning of human history, the display of the Name, Power, and Wisdom of the Lord of Heaven and Earth to all creatures on earth and in the heavens!!! Remember that Hebrews begins with the introduction of the Son of God/Son of Man, the Appointed Heir of all things, through Whom God made the worlds, Who is the Brightness of God’s Glory, the Manifested Image of God’s Person, and Who upholds all things by the Word of HIS POWER!!!
Hebrews 7:15-17 Remember Satan’s power that was destroyed in Heb 2:14? His power was the power of death, the control he still holds over fallen humanity. But the Son of Man Reigns continually for His people as their King/Priest as 7:16 tells us, “ACCORDING TO THE POWER OF AND ENDLESS LIFE.” Vs 24 states the HE CONTINUES FOREVER and since that is true, (Vs 25) He is able to save to the uttermost (eternally) those who come to God THROUGH HIM, since He LIVES FOREVER (His ultimate POWER since He is God) to make intercession for them.
This is the Power and Purpose of the Gospel, the Display of Him Who wedded our humanity to His Deity; bore our sin on the cross, that is, every claim that old pharoah, the Devil, had upon us; bore the punishment that God’s Perfect Righteous Wrath required, carried it all into his grave; but Praise God, was raised from the dead by the Glory of the Father, ascended to the Place of all Power, the Right Hand of the Majesty on High (Heb 1:3) where His People are eternally saved by His Intercession (7:25), the Display of His Finished Glorious Work for them, Eternally before the Glorious Father and His Holy Angels.
Ephesians 3:8-11 “The fellowship of the Mystery.....(vs 10) to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known BY THE CHURCH (the redeemed of the earth) to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
II. And what did God accomplish in Christ Jesus our Lord?
I Chronicles 29:10b-11 This is David’s praise to God in presenting his offering of the materials for the temple of God that Solomon would build. Contemplate the significance of this:
“Blessed are You, LORD God of Israel, our Father, for ever and ever. Yours, O LORD, is the Greatness, THE POWER AND GLORY, the Victory and Majesty’ for all that is in heaven and earth is Yours; YOURS IS THE KINGDOM, O LORD, and You are exalted as Head over all.”
Matthew 6:9-13 Here are the Words of the One Who would ascend the throne of David, the Head and Fulfillment of the Temple! “Our Father in Heaven, Hallowed be Your Name. Your Kingdom come....on earth as it is in Heaven........For Yours is the Kingdom and THE POWER AND THE GLORY forever. Amen” Do you see the Old Testament root to our Lord’s “Kingdom Prayer”?
Acts 10:37-38 This is from Peter’s words to Cornelius–“That word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with POWER.”
Romans 1:1-4 Paul was “separated to the Gospel of God” which “concerns His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, Who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh,” now notice carefully, “and declared to be THE SON OF GOD WITH POWER ACCORDING TO THE SPIRIT OF HOLINESS, BY THE RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD.”!!!!!!!!
I Corinthians 1:22-25 “For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, CHRIST THE POWER OF GOD, AND THE WISDOM OF GOD!!!!!!!
II Peter 1:16 Peter’s defense of the Apostolic message, “For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you THE POWER AND COMING OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, but were eyewitnesses of His Majesty.”
Revelation 12:10 Here is the prophetic triumph spoken of in Hebrews 2:14-15, “Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven ‘Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and THE POWER OF HIS CHRIST have come, for the accuser of our brethren who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.’”
Ephesians 1:15-23 This is one of Paul’s glorious prayers for those who name the name of Christ. He prays for the Ephesians (and us), “that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of Glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding (I John 5:20-21) being enlightened: that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the EXCEEDING GREATNESS OF HIS POWER TOWARD US WHO BELIEVE, according to the working of His MIGHTY POWER which He worked in Christ WHEN HE RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD AND SEATED HIM AT HIS RIGHT HAND IN THE HEAVENLY PLACES,” and on and on for two more verses.
Here’s the point! This same Jesus, the One Who ascended upon the throne of David, this same Jesus Who defeated that Old Pharoah the devil to deliver His people from the bondage of death, this same Jesus has been declared to be the Son of God with power by the Holy Spirit’s raising Him from the dead, this same Jesus lives as perpetual intercession as our Great High Priest Who ministers unceasingly through the Power of an Endless Life. And wonder of wonders, God has worked this Power toward us WHO BELIEVE.!!! So this is my question. Do you believe the testimony of the scripture set before you today? Do you believe that CHRIST JESUS IS THE POWER AND WISDOM OF GOD? Do you bask in the Eternity, The Power, of your Redeemer, your “Elder Brother? May the Holy Spirit of God increasingly give us the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. Christ Jesus is more than just the message of the Gospel, He Is the Gospel, for He is the Power of God unto salvation to everyone WHO BELIEVES.