The Ultimate Partnership

Together in partnership.  That can be through a work relationship, a friendship, a marriage, a family, endless possibilities for partnering with another.
During Sunday’s sermon we heard that we’re stronger when partnering.  Working together in such a way that the team wins.  Putting aside our egos, thinking beyond ourselves.  The beautiful partnership between people and relationships.
Cheryl Bacelder in her video of The Design of a Leader, suggests that we are to make helping others our personal ambition.  To view the workplace, or wherever we find ourselves a place to serve other people. It’s our opportunity to influence.  First it begins at home. Pouring into those closest to us.  Helping someone to grow in their values, find their strengths.  To cast a vision for the people they could become.  She has a definition of Our Design that reads, He designed you for a particular set of roles, with particular talents and skills, aimed at a particular goal.  Each of us is unique  We have people in our lives who help shape us into who we are and continue to offer guidance & encouragement, and we should do the same to others.
 
So, if we are to pour into another, in remembering last week’s study, who is pouring into you? Who are you following?  Who are listening to?  Who are you partnering with?
 
In this week’s message from John 3:1-17, is an account of Nicodemus coming to Jesus to ask questions of him.
Nicodemus wants to partner with Jesus.  Why would Nicodemus a Pharisee and a member of the Sanhedrin Council, come to Jesus to find answers to his questions?  We heard in the sermon that we are to be willing to learn from the unexpected, to be open, get curious.  Perhaps that’s why Nicodemus approached Jesus.
 
Who is Jesus?  In the video The Real Jesus, four men shared on different aspects of Jesus, in who he is.  First know that without him Christianity wouldn’t exist.  Mike Andrus, shared on the attributes of God, in Jesus is God.  He states that Colossians 2: 9 is the strongest claim “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form”.  Jeff Louie spoke on the Trinity and worship. In Ephesians 3, Paul the Preacher to the Gentiles, writes of the Spirit of God, the wisdom of God,  and the eternal purpose of Christ, that in him and through him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.  It’s there that the three persons of God are mentioned, the Doctrine of the Trinity.   Erwin Lutzer gave evidence of Jesus as the God Man. God became flesh, the Incarnation.  God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself.  Thabiti Anyabwide shared that what happened on the cross, to pay the penalty for sinners, to take our place and make reparations with God, was Jesus, the Son of Man. A spirit could not have been nailed to the cross, nor shed blood.  You have to become like that of what you want to redeem.  We are washed clean.  We are free of sins hold on us.  Jesus is Alive!  Father God accepted Jesus’ death on the cross, God raised him from the dead , what Jesus did satisfied the Father.  The triumph of Jesus over death, over our sin and one in which we get to participate, for someday our body will be like his.  He gives us the right to be called children of God.
 
In response to this week message on The Ultimate Partnership, we went deeper in Face to Face with Jesus by R.C. Sproul.  There were twelve different experiences of real people with real experiences of coming Face to Face with Jesus. 
These are people who either were authority figures, people living life in the trenches, people who were confused with the things of life, people who wanted to do the right thing, who wanted healing, who wanted to know this Jesus deeper. Much like you and me.  Wanting to meet this Jesus who ultimately will turn our lives upside down.  So how can we today come face to face with Jesus, into The Ultimate Partnership?
 
R.C. Sproul concluded his series Face to Face with Jesus by sharing that we do this:
1. By reading Scripture.  Mouth to Word, verbal communication.  Not to just read as an external Bible experience, reading its stories much like a good book.  But to instead taking it internal, after all it is the Good Book. A cognitive understanding, the heart and soul awaken – but not without the aide of the illumination by the Holy Spirit.
2. A proper Worship and understanding of the Sacraments, coming face to face visibly.  A close fellowship of intimacy. Christ promises to meet us in that experience through Communion, a Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper.   The Divine nature of God, we are meeting Him in His whole nature.  Where He bridges the gap of heaven and earth.  Communion is a unique opportunity to have a taste of heaven.  In Matthew 26:29 “I tell you; I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father’s kingdom.”
Everyone is going to have a Face to Face with Jesus.  Just as it is appointed for man to die once, there upon we will stand before the judgement seat of Christ – to see Him as He is, the vision of Christ in His Glory.
 
This is the Ultimate Partnership, one with the Triune God.  The Father God who redeemed us to himself, the Jesus who became man, who reconciled us, the Spirit of God who illuminates our understanding.  It’s this partnership that Nicodemus was searching for, asked questions of, and chose to follow.  How about you?
 
Larry & Darlene