Wilderness-Forty-Majesty

So guys, we'll continue with the series we started on two weeks ago.

So we've been doing this series called Wilderness 40.

Wilderness 40.

And today we'll talk about majesty, because we said,

we ended last week saying that the starting point for all confidence is

majesty. And so we'll talk about that.

So we continue with the series.

So here's what we've been doing for those who don't remember.

We are following the Holy Spirit into the wilderness,

preparing for the soon coming post-COVID world.

Most companies are, most nations are, most governments are, airlines are,

everybody's preparing for the post-COVID world,

because it'll be different.

Perhaps the people that aren't preparing for the post-COVID world are the church.

And so we've been following the Spirit into the wilderness,

preparing for the soon coming post-COVID world.

And so over the last few weeks, or at least over the last two weeks,

the plan has been to draw a side.

And in drawing a side, our intent is,

in drawing a side, our intent is that we become Spirit dependent.

In drawing a side, our intent is that we become Spirit dependent.

And by drawing a side, it means different things to different people.

Some of you, and I marvel at this, eh,

that some of you are actually spiritually quarantining yourself.

Some of you are fasting.

Some of you are practicing spiritual disciplines

that you had not paid much attention to in the past.

So I marvel at how seriously you are drawing a side,

locating the Holy Spirit, and being affected by Him.

I didn't expect that.

And so bless you for that.

As I hear stories of what you're doing and how you're setting yourself aside,

awesome, man.

Because truth is learned through practice and repetition.

Truth is learned through practice and repetition.

Truth is not learned through hearing.

Hearing is the first step,

but thereafter it's learned through practice and repetition.

And so the plan is to draw a side.

Why draw a side?

Because just like the Holy Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness,

over the next six weeks we are following the Spirit of God into the wilderness

so that we may draw a side.

And once you do that, you will come back, spirit dependent,

you'll come back with an overwhelming revelation of God,

an overwhelming revelation of God.

Because anyone who is led by the Spirit to go into a time

where you draw a side, I go into the wilderness,

they always return having encountered God

in a way they've never encountered Him before, and we talked about that.

And we are drawing a side so that we may return,

so that we may return with power.

To do what?

To restore and to seed the earth

that awaits us when COVID lifts.

If corporate institutions and governments can prepare themselves

for a time such as this, where they begin to think along the lines of,

so once COVID lifts, how do we restore things?

Or what does normalcy look like?

How do we once again begin to seed our clientele in a way that will bring back returns?

In the same way that God is thinking far ahead of it, eh?

And so if we can begin to see what God wants us to do,

the church can begin to position itself.

Because there is, and we won't talk about this today,

but there is something called a post-COVID landscape that awaits us.

And the post-COVID landscape will only be taken by a church or by churches,

and God wishes that every church do so, by churches who position themselves.

Otherwise, the only thing that will come out of COVID for most churches

will be a better live streaming system.

That just sucks if that's all that comes out of it.

Any questions?

Any questions, guys?

No?

Okay.

Guys, remember, there has never been a time like this.

There has never been a time like this.

I keep repeating that every time we meet this way.

There has never been a time like this when the entire earth came to a standstill.

It is not a God thing.

God does not create Sabbaths for the earth by removing a few hundred thousand from the face of the earth.

He does not create Sabbaths by sending diseases that affect 20 million.

It is not God.

That's not God's way of creating rest.

I'm categorically stating it.

Because that's the other thing that's happened with churches across the earth.

We either have distorted views of what is happening,

or we are echo chambers of the person that we listen to most.

And yet we have to look at the nature of God to figure out what is really happening.

And so if this is one of those world-stopping events,

then trust me, man, when God goes to play,

he'll play for big keeps now that it's his turn.

And so a post-COVID world awaits.

And if churches can position themselves well,

they begin to reap dividends for the next 10 or 20 years.

And over the next four or five weeks,

we'll set ourselves up so that we are standing correctly in terms of what God wants to do with us.

And when I say us, I'm talking about anybody who's listening

and the other churches that we're connected with in different parts of the world.

Because I'm having these conversations with India, with South Africa, with the UK,

with different places right now.

So today we start with this idea of governed by his majesty.

As in, if one of the things we have to do as we get ready for whatever God plans,

and it's not like whatever God plans, God has a plan.

Our intent is to get a hang of it and then begin to work it out.

So this is not kaisara-sara.

God has a plan. We've already had glimpses of it.

We know what awaits. Over the next few weeks, we lay it out so that it becomes plain.

So this is very deliberate. It's very intentional.

And so one of the things we want to look at today is how do we get to a place where we are governed by majesty?

As in, can we get to a place where what controls our life is the majesty of God?

You'll be surprised at how critical that is to our existence, to our walk, to the way we see things.

To be governed by majesty, where we can say that we serve at the pleasure of the King

and we speak and act on his behalf, that we do not take our cues from the world.

We do not take our cues from the world, but we serve at the pleasure of the King and we act and speak on his behalf.

Let me say that again because one of the things that's going to happen as we go further and further into the year

is that the world will tell us what cues to follow.

They'll tell us how things are going to happen, what we should do.

And I'm saying to you, the point is not defiance.

The point is to hear what the God of heaven says about things and then take our orders from him

and speak and act on his behalf because God needs to speak and he speaks through a people.

Show me one incident in the Bible, be it the flood, be it when they entered the promised land,

be it when the Holy Spirit came, be it when Jesus ascended, be it before he died, be it after he died.

Show me one place in the Bible where there was an event that was earth-changing, where God did not announce his intent.

One place in the Bible, in the Old Testament or the New Testament, where God did not announce his intent.

He always announces his intent and he announces it through his body.

And it's not a mixed message. It's a very clear clarion call as in this is what I'm doing.

Now, you want to join me?

Any questions?

Okay. So let's look at Psalm 8. We'll start at Psalm 8.

Psalm 8.

It starts with the opening line,

And the first, O Lord, is actually Yahweh and the second Lord is Adonai.

So what the Psalm writer is saying is, O Yahweh, our Lord, how majestic is your name.

He starts with this idea of majesty.

And then as we go further down the Psalm, you'll begin to kind of grasp what majesty looks like.

Psalm 8 starts with, O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth.

And the word used is Yahweh. And Yahweh basically means the self-existent one.

The self-existent one. Unrivaled, undefeated, from whom all things source life.

Everything that exists is sustained, is sourced, originates, has life.

Everything, everywhere depends for life on him.

This is how sovereign he is, eh?

So it's very deliberately that the word Yahweh is used there.

The self-existent one, who if he wants can think and cause existence to cease.

He does not even need to speak.

He can bring things into non-existence, sheerly by thinking it, leave alone speaking it.

One of the songs that tries to capture it is Alpha and Omega.

You are Alpha, as in you are the first, and Omega, as in the last, and everything in between.

That comet we saw will come back 6,800 years from now.

Because it has an orbit that is so large that it will take 6,800 years to come back.

And the universe isn't even touched in terms of its outer expanse.

This is a God who sits far above, far beyond, far more expansive than the universe we can think of.

And then the writer says, oh Yahweh, self-existent one, unrivaled, undefeated,

from whom everything, everywhere seeks and finds and depends for life on.

That is who we are talking about.

Because we don't necessarily think so, we miss out on majesty, guys.

Just because our minds cannot comprehend majesty is not a good enough reason not to comprehend majesty.

This is the problem with instruction manuals from IKEA, right?

You look at it and you think, not even worth it.

You can do that with IKEA, you can't do it with IAM.

Right, Tuni?

So what is majesty? What is majesty?

It's so hard to explain.

What is majesty?

It's so hard to take a word or a line and say this is majesty.

Let me give you an example.

Some of the lines from the song, So Will I, give you an idea of majesty.

I mean, sing along. We'll sing it along.

Sing it twice and you'll get an idea what majesty is.

Just one glimpse and we'll talk about a few other things.

One of the things this song is able to capture is this idea of majesty.

So, I'll just let us sing it and you can sing along.

You can sing along.

You might have to wing it on your own.

God of creation, there at the start before the beginning of time

With no point of reference, you spoke to the dark and fleshed out the wonder of light

God of creation, there at the start before the beginning of time

With no point of reference, you spoke to the dark and fleshed out the wonder of light

And as you speak, a hundred billion galaxies are born

In the vapor of your breath, the planets form

If the stars are made to worship, so will I

And as you speak, a hundred billion creatures catch your breath

Evolving in pursuit of what you said

If it reveals your nature, so will I

And as you speak, a hundred billion failures disappear

Where you lost your life so I could find it here

If you left the grave behind, you so will I

And as you speak, a hundred billion galaxies are born

In the vapor of your breath, the planets form

If the stars are made to worship, so will I

And as you speak, a hundred billion creatures catch your breath

Evolving in pursuit of what you said

If it reveals your nature, so will I

And as you speak, a hundred billion failures disappear

Where you lost your life so I could find it here

If you left the grave behind, you so will I

And as you speak, a hundred billion galaxies are born

In the vapor of your breath, the planets form

If the stars are made to worship, so will I

And as you speak, a hundred billion galaxies are born

In the vapor of your breath, the planets form

If the stars are made to worship, so will I

If the stars are made to worship, so will I

Mark 15, 16-20

Here's what it says

This is majesty

The soldiers led Jesus away into the palace

And called together the whole company of soldiers

They put a purple robe on him

Then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on him

And they began to call out to him, Hail, King of the Jews

Again and again they struck him on the head with a staff and spit on him

Falling on their knees, they paid homage to him

They mocked him, they took off the purple robe, put on his own clothes on him

And then they led him out to be crucified

This is what majesty looks like

Majesty also looks like Isaiah 6

In the year of King Uzziah, I saw heaven open

And I saw the Lord seated on his throne

The train of his robe filled the temple

There were angels flying around

And the place shook and was filled with smoke

And I heard a voice saying, Holy, Holy, Holy

The Lord God Almighty, heaven and earth are filled with his glory

Oh, don't you for a second think that is not majesty either

This is why you can't take a word, a phrase, a sentence

And put it together and create this majesty

It is so many things put together, man

And the more you become aware of it, the more you recognize

The length and breadth of what the King of Kings can do on the earth through you

You look at Revelations 4.10

And you begin to have an idea of what it really looks like now

Revelations 4.10, it says

They laid their crowns before the throne and they said, You are worthy

It starts in verse 1

After that I looked and there before me was a door standing open in heaven

And the voice I first heard speaking to me said, Come up here and I'll show you

At once I was in the spirit and there before me was a throne in heaven

With someone sitting on it

Then we go to verse 10 and it says

They lay their crowns before the throne and they say, You are worthy our Lord and God

To receive glory and honor and power for you created all things

By you were they created and by you do they have their being

Go to Revelations 5.10

And in Revelations 5.10 you see again

You

Then I looked and I heard the voice of many angels

Numbering thousands upon thousands and ten thousand times ten thousand

They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders

And in a loud voice they sang

Worthy is the lamb who was slain to receive power, wealth, wisdom, strength, honor, glory, praise

Then I heard every creature in heaven and earth

Under the earth and in the sea and that is in them

Singing to him who sits on the throne

And to the lamb be praise and honor and glory and power forever and ever

How do you capture this majesty man?

You got to put all this together before you begin to fathom majesty

And this is a real place, there is a throne

There is the majestic voice

In Hebrews chapter 8 verse 1

Hebrews 8:1

It says so in Hebrews in 2nd Peter 1 17 it says so in Hebrews 8 1

Here's what it says

That there is an actual place and Jesus went there

Hebrews chapter 8 verse 1 it says

Hebrews 8:1

The point of what we are saying is this

We do have such a high priest who sat down at the right hand of the throne of majesty in heaven

As in there is God the father

He does dwell on a throne

And there is the right hand of majesty

You go to 2nd Peter 1 17

This isn't some fiction 2nd Peter 1 17

No 2nd Peter

Yeah 2nd Peter 1 17 and here's what it says

For he received honor and glory from God the father

When the voice came to him from the majestic glory saying

This is my son whom I have called Jesus

When the voice came to him from the majestic glory saying

This is my son whom I love with him I am well pleased

There is this voice that comes from the place of majesty man

That if you and I can listen

It will give us the kind of courage that you and I cannot have in any other way

Listen in

It's not a thundering voice

Sometimes it's a whisper but you can hear

Sometimes you are so flippant with

Yeah I think the Lord said to me

No man this is the majestic voice from a place called the throne of God

That sometimes speaks to you

Yes he spoke this and people wrote it

But if you think God has stopped speaking

That's so sad we just dumbed God down

He actually still does

So when people tell you it's good to sing and spend time before God

It's not because he wants a couple of songs before he speaks

It is because when you enter this place of majesty

It is natural to break out in spontaneous worship

Catch a glimpse of him before you sing

To sing before you catch a glimpse of him is like sawdust

To catch a glimpse of him and then sing is like nightingale

Or whatever fancy bird that sings

Catch a glimpse of him before you sing

Catch a glimpse of him before you speak

And it changes everything

Praise and worship in a church should never be a time where people come in

And the worship leader gets them going

So that they can catch a glimpse of God by the last song

You should come here having caught a glimpse of him

And come here saying why doesn't Jane begin

Because I can't wait

And it doesn't matter then whether the sound is ready or the piano is playing right or Jane singing well

Hebrews 1-3

It says that Jesus Christ is the radiance of the invisible God

The exact image of the invisible God

And that he having sustained the universe with his words

And having made purification for our sins

Sat down at the right hand of majesty

Again there's this whole thing of sitting down at the right hand of majesty

And then he says, I'm going to sing

Again there's this whole thing of sitting down at the right hand of majesty

But that's not the good news

That's just where he dwells

The good news is this

That in Ephesians 2-6 it says

And now Jacob you are seated with him in heavenly places

This axis is real guys

It's real

It's real

If you believe that there is a throne

That the father sits on

If you believe that there is at his right hand a place where Jesus sits

Then you must also believe that

That there's a place there for you

And that people in the body of Christ must learn

How to live heaven towards earth instead of earth towards heaven

We're always looking up for crumbs

When you can actually be sitting with him

And seeing what he wants done

These are the kinds of churches that will really thrive in a post-COVID landscape

Any questions?

So why be governed by majesty?

Why be governed by majesty?

Because if you want to function on earth

You have to be like Christ himself

And Christ was a king and he was a priest

Why be governed by majesty?

Because to function on earth

The body must have the nature of the king priest

The body must have the nature of the king priest

Every person on earth has to have the nature of the king priest

Everything we do is because Jesus did it

On earth, everything we become

Everything we do is because that is how Christ walked the earth

And therefore that is now his expectation

Of how his body will walk the earth

I know it's hot guys but

Try and listen and somehow survive

And then you can go home and listen to it again

But if you want to function

Not if you want to function

There's a demand on us to function as the body of Christ

Just like the head, the Christ function

How did he walk the earth?

That is what God's expectation is of the body

That listen, if Jesus walked the earth

This is my expectation of you

And Jesus walked the earth as a king priest

So if you look at Psalm 110

You'll find it in the Old Testament

You'll find it in the New Testament

Psalm 110, verse 2 and 4

Psalms 110:2

It's speaking of him

And it says in Psalm 110, verse 2

Psalms 110:2

It says the Lord will extend

And this is David talking about Jesus

The Lord said to my Lord

It's David talking about Jesus

And so in verse 2 it says

The Lord will extend your separate body

And you will have a separate body

And you will have a separate body

And it says the Lord will extend your sector from Zion

You will rule in the midst of your enemies

Verse 4

The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind

You're a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek

There is this need for us to grasp the fact

That if the body of Christ is to function the way

It's supposed to function on the earth

Then it has to be both king and priest

And we'll expand on that later

But this is something we need to understand

Because if we are not governed by majesty

We do not know what it is

Look at Hebrews 7, 1

Hebrews 7, 1

Talking about Jesus again

Hebrews 7, 1

This Melchizedek was the king of Salem

And the priest of God most high

He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings

And blessed him

And Abraham gave him a tenth of everything

First his name means king of righteousness

And the king of Salem

Without father or mother, without genealogy

Without beginning or end of life

Like the son of God, he remains a priest forever

God sent Jesus to walk the earth

Both as a king and a priest

In the likeness of Melchizedek

Who was a king and a priest

Let's look at Revelation 1, 6

Because if Jesus is like that

Does he demand that of us?

Revelation 1, 6

I know it's easier to listen to teaching

When there's no scripture

But unfortunately this one has a whole lot of scripture

Revelation 1, 6

Let's start at

Yeah, 1, 6

It says there

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins

By his blood

And he has made us to be kings and priests

To serve his God and father

To him be glory and power forever and ever

So now we're talking about the body of Christ

And it says, hey, I've made you kings and priests

Let's go to Revelation 5, 11

Revelation 5, 11

5, 10

Or 5, 9

And they sang a new song

You are worthy to take the scroll and open its seals

Because you were slain

And with your blood you purchased men

And this is talking about the body of Christ

Men for God from every tribe, language, people and nation

You have made them to be kings and priests

To serve our God and they will reign on earth

Let's look at one more

Look at 1 Peter 2, 9

1 Peter 2, 9

Famous scripture

1 Peter 2, 9

But you are a chosen people

A royal priesthood

Priesthood, a holy nation

I'm glad he's inviting us to step into this place, man

And it's not a new idea

It's not a New Testament idea

It's an Old Testament idea

Exodus 19, verse 5

Exodus 19:5

Exodus 19, verse 5

Exodus 19:5

Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant

Then out of all the nations

I love this

He's saying this to Israel

Israel didn't make it

So now he turns to us and says

Hey, you guys can make it because I live in your midst

And he says

Out of all the nations you will be my treasured possession

Although the whole earth is mine

You will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation

He said that thousands of years ago, man

This is what he's inviting us to step into

By the way, when Adam was created

Majesty is what God clothed Adam with

It says that I gave him glory and honor

The way the message puts it in Hebrews, chapter 2, verse 7 and 8

Hebrews 2:7

Is that he clothed Adam with Eden's dawn light

Clothed Adam with

He clothed Adam bright with Eden's dawn light

Hebrews, chapter 2, verse 6 to 8

Hebrews 2:6–8

That was what he clothed Adam with

Why? Because Adam was supposed to be his vice regent

He was supposed to be his deputy here on earth

He was supposed to steward the earth on God's behalf

This isn't something he's holding on to himself for

This was what Adam and Eve were clothed with

With honor

With glory

With bright light

With glory

With bright Eden's dawn light

How we've been robbed, man

How we've been robbed

I was watching on BBC

I was watching this documentary on slums in Manila, Philippines

How's...

It was so painful to see

It's not like I haven't seen slums

I grew up in India

But it was so painful again to see slums

And the dignity of man reduced to nothing

There was one woman who gave birth

Or miscarried and gave birth to a six-month-old baby

And now she wants the baby blessed before she can bury it

And she's carrying the baby in a bag that we would probably go to TNT with

Because she does not have a box

She's scared to tell her parents because her parents may not like the fact that she was a teenager and got pregnant

So she's carrying it in a bag

You would think she went shopping

She's going from place to place wanting to have the baby buried

First prayed for, blessed before it's buried

The questions that are being asked of her is

Why didn't you put it in a box?

Don't you have enough sense to put it in a box?

She's bleeding

She's just had this dead baby in her arms

And they're asking her questions like that

I'm watching it and I'm thinking

Father, where is the dignity of man?

And I've read the scripture which says that you clothed us with honor and with glory

Oh my God, what have we lost?

Eden's dawn light was what we were clothed with

Which is why in Hebrews chapter 2, verse 6 to 8 it says

Hebrews 2:6–8

For a while you have been made lower than angels

And everything was put in your charge

You were given dominion

It's a Genesis charge

And then it says Christ came and he lived right

And a time is coming when we will once again

Become like the one we behold

1 John 3, 2, thank God it's coming

1 John chapter 3, verse 1 and 2

1 John 3:1

Or verse 2 and 3 says

But a day is coming when we will be changed

And we will possess the same glory that he has

And anyone who thinks like this purifies himself

That even thinking of what we were and what we will now become

Purifies you

Let's actually read it

1 John 3

2 and 3

Or 1, 2 and 3

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us

That we should be called children of God

And that is what we are

The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him

Dear friends, now we are children of God

And we are called children of God

Dear friends, now we are children of God

But what we will be has not yet been made known

But we know that when he appears

We shall be like him

How do you think Adam and Eve had the ability to walk with God

In the cool of the garden?

And why does it say that we cannot approach him

Because he lives in unapproachable light?

Because things changed

But it's going to come back to where it used to be man

And then it says in verse 3

Everyone who has his hope in him

Purifies himself just as he is pure

Beautiful, eh?

So how can I be governed by majesty this week?

How can I be governed by majesty this week?

Guys, if you want to be governed by anything

Good or bad, eh? Doesn't matter

Your pick

Either good things or bad things

If you want to be governed by majesty

Or governed by evil

Or governed by shame

Or governed by confidence

Whatever you want to be governed by

First by beholding

And then by being

Both these proceed doing

Most people go for the doing first

They say, alright, I've got to become this

I've got to go do

No, you do not become anything till you behold

And once you behold, you become

And once you become, you do

So how can I be governed by majesty this week?

By beholding and being

What does that look like?

Colossians 3.1 is where we can start

Colossians 3.1, and here's what Paul says to the church in Colossus

He says, hey guys

Set your mind and set your heart on things above

Because that's where the action is

That's how the message puts it

The NIV puts it plainly

And yet carries a whole lot of weight

Colossians 3.1

Since then you have been raised with Christ

Set your hearts on things above

Where Christ is seated at the right hand of God

Set your mind on things above

Not on earthly things

So one of the first things we do guys

If you want to go down this route

Is you have to deliberately set your mind

And your heart on things above

How do you do that?

By beginning to like what you are running after

You cannot set your mind and heart on anything

That you don't really want or you don't really like

My heart and mind is set on 7.30 p.m. today

Why?

Because I want them to go up three zip

So if you have a meeting with me at 7.30 today

You can sit there but you won't have my heart and mind

Because it's set somewhere else

You set your heart and mind

It's a very intentional, very deliberate action

Do you want to be governed by majesty this week?

Set your heart and mind on where the action is

As the message says

Set your heart and mind on things above

As in oh God I want to begin to comprehend

What majesty is this week

Comprehend what majesty is this week

Colossians 3.1 is where you start

And then thereafter you go to 2 Peter 1.16-18

2 Peter 1.16-18

There's someone I'm supposed to meet at 7.00 p.m. today

They must be watching and thinking

Shucks, he's not going to be paying attention

Don't worry, I'll finish the meeting in half an hour

2 Peter 1.16-18

Oh shucks, I got a text too

I thought we were meeting, not watching hockey

Yeah, 2 Peter 1.16-18

Talks about how the disciples, Peter, John and James

Were eyewitnesses of his majesty

And they heard the voice of God

They climbed the mountain with him

They were eyewitnesses to his majesty

And they heard the voice of God

Climb the mountain this week, man

Which mountain? Not Grouse

Climb the mountain as in

Go climbing up the word literally

And say, Father, I want to both see you and hear you through the word

One of the ways we can see Jesus this week

Is read him in the Gospels

Majesty is revealed through the Gospels

Because majesty is revealed through Jesus

Jesus is the invisible image of the invisible God

This week, do one of two things

Either begin to read different portions from all four Gospels

Or decide that I am going to take the book of John

And over the next seven days

Finish reading it from chapter one to chapter 20

21

20, 21? 21

Chapter one to chapter 21

Three chapters a day

Or 21 chapters a day

Seven times over, it's up to you

But begin to read it

Because in the Gospels you will see Christ

The anointed one, the Prince, the Majesty

The King of Kings revealed

And that is one way to catch who God is

You and I can't go up the mountain of Transfiguration anymore

But you and I can go up the mountain of Transfiguration

With Peter, James and John

And come back with a greater understanding

That Peter, James and John did

Because they wanted to build them tents

Up on the mountain

And say, do you, Elijah and Moses want to stay here?

They were pretty dull, man

The third way is in Colossians

Sorry, 2 Corinthians 3, 18

Again, it's the whole idea of beholding

2 Corinthians 3, 18

It says, And we with unveiled faces now behold him

And as we behold him we are changed

From one brightness to the other

One glory to greater glory by the Spirit

And we begin to reflect his majesty

Guys, in your worship this week

I know we're doing different homework every week

This week's homework is

Hey, let's catch a glimpse of his majesty

Let's do it by beholding and becoming

And let's do it through the Gospels

And let us do it through going to him and saying

Okay, as I wake up right now

I want to behold your majesty

Guys, whatever you behold you become

Either to your restoration or to your ruin

Whatever you behold you become

Either to your restoration or to your ruin

When you wake up in the morning

What is the first thing that you behold?

What is the first thing that you think of?

It is what you become

If you think of shame, if you think of fear

If you think of your debt

If you think of how difficult life is

If you think of whatever is ailing you

Then over the day you begin to be changed

From shame to shame, pain to pain

Not glory to glory but fear to fear

Who do you behold?

Learn the practice of beholding him

In your pain, in your lack, in your confusion

Learn to behold him

Learn to behold him

Because what you behold is what you become

Which is why in Isaiah

God keeps saying to Israel

Hey, you keep beholding those idols that you have made

You will become like them

This is why one of the conditions of idolatry

Is deafness, dumbness and dullness

They have become dumb like their idols

Nations that have idol worship

Will always have a cloud of dullness, dumbness and deafness

When it comes to things of God

It is one of the hardest things to penetrate

It's almost catatonic where people are not able to understand

And break out of the dullness

Because of years and years of idol worship

Any questions?

I still have time guys

I hope that watch is right

Hey, did he tell you this goes on forever?

He didn't, eh?

Evan, you should have told them

It doesn't go on forever but it goes on for long

The worship leader takes forever

Any questions?

Okay, what does it look like to live out majesty on earth?

What does it look like to live out majesty on earth?

What does it look like to live out majesty on earth?

One of the best ways to look at what it looks like

Is to look at Jesus

When you look at Jesus you realize, ah shucks

So this is what majesty looks like on earth

It's strange

Here is the one who lives in unapproachable light

Here is the one they call Yahweh

The self-existent one

And yet in Isaiah 53 verse 2

Isaiah 53:2

It says, He had no beauty or majesty in Him

How odd man

How does this

How does He who is so majestic

That He cannot be approached

Come to the earth

And when He comes to the earth

They say of Him

That He had no beauty or majesty in Him

And there was nothing attractive about Him

That's the first thing you need to know

Majesty does not mean attractiveness

It has nothing to do with the outer appearance

Which is why the only people who saw Him in His brilliance

Were Peter, James and John

The ones closest to Him

Because He knew He could trust them to keep it quiet

And they did keep it quiet

With God

With God, majesty and meekness are inseparable

There are two sides of this divine coin

With God, majesty and meekness are inseparable

There are two sides of the divine coin

You cannot separate it

Graham Kendrick

Most of you don't know him

Because he used to write brilliant songs

Before you were born

Like, Shine Jesus, shine

That's exactly what I said

That's exactly what I said

You wouldn't know

So he writes this song called

Meekness and Majesty

And I've just taken some lines out of it

Listen to this, hey

Meekness and Majesty in perfect harmony

Kneels in humility and washes our feet

Lord of infinity, stooping so tenderly

Lifts our humanity to the heights of His throne

I'll read it again

Brilliant words, man

Meekness and Majesty in perfect harmony

Kneels in humility and washes our feet

Lord of infinity, stooping so tenderly

Lifts our humanity to the heights of His throne

Graham Kendrick

In Matthew 21 verse 5

Matthew 21:5

You see this happening, eh?

I mean, the sad thing is

Christians choose one or the other

Christians either choose one or the other

Christians either choose

We are kings, we are sons of kings

We are majestic

Look at us, look at us

And then there's the other group of Christians who say

We are just meek, we are weak

We are just made strong in our weakness

And you have either one or the other

And it's neither, it's both

You can't have one or the other

So you got this strength and weakness bunch of Christians

And you got this strength and

How majestic I am, Christians

And it's neither, it's both

One is completely poverty mentality

One is completely prosperity mentality

And both are extremes

You see him in Matthew 21 verse 5

Matthew 21:5

Majesty comes riding in meekness on a donkey

They're shouting

The pilgrims are on their way

Up the ascent to the temple in Jerusalem

And they're taking off their outer garments

And waving palm fronds and placing it before him

And this majesty

And he knows the moment

He knows Zechariah 9, 9

Majesty comes riding in meekness on a donkey

That's how he begins this triumphal entry

That's in 21 verse 5

But then in 21, 13

You see him exerting such authority and power

When he begins to cleanse the temple

Of extortionists and corrupt religious leaders

That's one thing majesty does, say

Majesty cannot stand corrupt religion

You take all the prophets

You take Jesus

You take Paul

They could never stand for religion

Any trapping of religion

They hated it and they paid a cost for it

Ezekiel could have done well

Jeremiah could have done well

Jesus could have done brilliantly

He wouldn't have had to be crucified

Paul could have done well

But none of them would keep quiet when it came to religion

Any trapping of religion

It doesn't matter if that religion had to do with Peter

Paul would still call it out

Have a hatred

For the very thing that put Christ on the cross

And so not only does Majesty now take a whip

And cleanse the temple from extortionists

And the corrupt religious leadership

After that, guess what he does?

After cleansing the temple

He invites the blind and the laymen

That's in verse 14

Where the same Majesty now stoops

Invites the blind and the crippled

And he stoops to heal them

And then in verse 15

It is the young, the children

That are running around

Shouting Hosanna

And they silence the opposition

Let me end

So why me? Why should I be involved in this?

Why should I get involved in this whole Majesty thing?

Because the all-powerful God

Chooses words spoken by his children

As the means of his majestic victories

Let me say that again

The all-powerful God

Who could with a blast of his nostrils

Or with a simple thought

Do whatever he wants to on the earth

That powerful God chooses

The words of his children

Words spoken by his children

As the means of victory

You can't underestimate this

Guys, the thing is

Out of the mouth of babes and infants

You have established strength

To silence the enemies

We are back in Psalm 8

Psalm 8 verse 1 says

Psalms 8:1

Oh Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth

Psalm 8 verse 2 says

Psalms 8:2

Out of the mouth of babies and infants

You have ordained or established strength

To silence the enemy

This God decides that the way

I'm going to thrash the enemy

Is through the words spoken by my children

Regardless how grown up

How mature or immature they are

It is their words I will use to silence the enemy

We talked about this last week

Your spirit man is connected to your vocal chords

Your spirit man is connected to your vocal chords

Do not allow your culture

Your denomination

Your shyness

Your introversion

Your laziness

Your spiritual sluggishness

Prevent you from speaking out

Things on behalf of God

He goes on to verse 5 to 8 in Psalm 8

Look at what he says there

So the first thing is listen

I'll bring an end to the enemy's works

And silence him through the words spoken by babies and infants

And this is a cool thing

Jesus now has children running around

The message in the passion version of the Bible

Is that the word of God is the word of God

And the word of God is the word of God

And the word of God is the word of God

And the word of God is the word of God

The message in the passion version puts it

That the children were running around Jesus

Shouting hosannas and the leaders and the Pharisees

And the scribes came and said

Won't you stop them?

And Jesus said

Out of the mouth of babes and infants

I have ordained strength that will silence the enemy

And guess what happens

The entire religious establishment goes silent

Hey you young guys

And when I say young guys

I'm talking about anyone under 45

You young guys

You need to speak

You need to speak

Because this thing must be carried by you

We older guys are discovering this very late in our lives

You need to speak man

You need to speak during times of worship

You need to speak especially during not times of worship

Because you only worship two hours a week

Because this thing either succeeds or falls based on how we respond

God does not break protocol

When it comes to how we want to do something

He doesn't say shats not working

Let's forget this

Let's go to plan B

God has never had a plan B

Can you imagine that?

He's never had a plan B

You know why he does not have a plan B?

Because he knows what's going to happen

Even before the earth was founded

He knows everything

He never has a plan B

Eden is exactly where we will return to

This earth will be made new and we will stay here

Christ was slain before the foundations of the earth

God does everything new but everything is old

Tomorrow is a new day

But he already knows everything about that day

With regard to every incident

He knows everything about that day

With regard to every insect, every cockroach, every human being

Every leaf, every earthworm, every bird

He knows everything about everyone

Doing everything tomorrow

And tomorrow hasn't yet come

And tomorrow will be a new day like never before

But it is a day that has already existed before the foundation of time

This is nuts man

Speak, you guys have to speak

Verse 5 to 8

You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings

And crowned him with glory and honor

Talking about man

You made him ruler with the works of your hands

You put everything under his feet

All flocks and herds, the beasts of the fields

And the birds of the air and the fish of the seas

All that swim in the paths of the seas

Oh Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth

There is this idea where in verse 6 it says

You made him ruler over the works of your hands

You put everything under his feet

I want you to know that God Majestic will choose to rule the earth again

Through his weak and foolish body of redeemed man

God is not going to rule through the angels

God is planning and he will succeed

Let me assure you of this

God is planning and he will succeed in ruling the earth

Through weak, foolish people like you

So when I wake up in the week that has gone by

And hear God saying, Jacob, you're a life giver

I write it down

And you can ask anybody I prayed for this week

In every prayer you would hear me say

Oh God, you're a life giver and I speak light

Why?

Because if God has said it then I must speak it

Because I must agree with heaven

Because God wants to do something through the words that we speak

And he rules on earth in every situation

And tries to steward it, change it

Bring it to his advantage and to your benefit

Through his redeemed body

Through you he does it

This is not dominion

This is not some kind of weird stewardship

It is just a fact of life

This is how God does it

Who brought down powers during the time of Daniel?

Duh, Daniel

Who brought down powers and changed the track of nations

During the time of the prophets?

The prophets

Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel

Who brought the bones in the valley alive?

It is God, but through whom?

Through people

Who brings Ephesus to a standstill?

Paul

Of whom did they say the troublers are here?

They are changing the world around

Christians

They call them the people of the way

Who are these things done through for ages?

Who brought down the iron wall in Russia?

Old grandmas and grandpas who nobody saw

That prayed for 40 years

Some of them include Gisela

Chris' mother

Who brought you into salvation?

God, but through someone

Almost nobody here received a straight vision from Jesus saying

I am he, come now be saved

So that happens too

At the end of the day, the earth is ruled through ordinary people like Brandon, Prashanth

And Rachel

This is how he is ordained

You see this unfold in Moses' life

This is a pattern

Please hold on to this pattern

So Moses now has decided that

I am going to read the Bible

And I am going to read the Bible

And I am going to read the Bible

And I am going to read the Bible

So Moses decided that I am going to retire at 40

I am done with this Prince of Egypt thing

And I am done

So he is taking care of his sheep quite happy

And then he has an encounter with majesty

And this time it is a real encounter with majesty

Because in the middle of a desert

This bush suddenly bursts into flames

And there is a voice that is coming out of the bush

And he knows that he has now encountered majesty

That is Exodus 3, verse 14

Exodus 3:14

The rest of the next chapter, Exodus 4

Is spent haggling with God

I am not the right guy, yes you are the right guy

I am not the right guy, yes you are the right guy

I said you are the right guy, okay I am the right guy

And so Exodus 4 is just spent haggling with God

Go through that

Because sometimes the things that God says

The moment God says something

If you can accept it without any problem

It perhaps is not God

It is usually overwhelming

And so Exodus 4 is spent that way

Exodus 5, Moses decides well

If God is saying so, I will go

So guess what he does

He goes back to Egypt

The results are very discouraging

He goes and speaks to Pharaoh

Pharaoh says no way, Jose

And then, no he says no way, Moses

And then he goes and gives them more bricks to make

And so now they are just making more bricks

And they are very upset

And they tell Moses don't come back here

And so normally, Exodus 6 is spent with Moses

Basically regretting what he has done

And then Exodus 7 opens with such a cool line

Exodus 7, 1

It just is theology that will blow theology away

Here is what God says to Moses

Hey, I want you to know

That you will be like God to Pharaoh

And Aaron, you will be Moses' spade

And then he goes and speaks to Pharaoh

And Aaron, you will be Moses' prophet

That's what God says to him

You will be like God to Pharaoh

Now you are talking about the king

Of the most powerful empire in the world

You are talking about a kingdom

That has some of the most powerful gods

And you are talking about a reluctant, stammering

Retired shepherd who is now sent with words

To dismantle the world's most powerful nation

And the world's most powerful gods

And one by one the plagues begin to unseat the gods of Egypt

Done through a reluctant, stammering retired shepherd

This is the nature of everything God does

Why?

So that 2 Corinthians 4, 7 may come to pass

So that you may recognize that it is the incomparable power of God that is at work

And that you may not be enamored by these jars of clay that are wearing away

2 Corinthians 4, 7

I said I was concluding and I had meant it

This week, guys, discover his majesty

You know, Israel had this cool way of encouraging themselves

Whenever they went on a long journey

Or whenever they went into battle

They would carry the ark on their shoulders

And the ark was a sign of God's glory and majesty

The Philistines were so scared of it

That in 1 Samuel 6 the Philistines say

What are we going to do?

Isn't this the same God that defeated the gods of Egypt?

What are we going to do?

And they begin to panic

In Joshua chapter 6 verse 4

Joshua 6:4

Before Jericho falls, it's the ark that goes out ahead

When the ark is taken by the Philistines

Guess what?

Eli does, he falls and dies

And they name the baby that is born to his daughter-in-law

Eqoboth, meaning the glory of majesty has disappeared, has gone

They knew that the ark or the presence

The presence of glory and majesty that they carried on the shoulder

Was so encouraging during their journeys and during their battles

You begin to grasp these large panoramic views of majesty this week

And when you begin to get governed by it

You will find that you have bread for the journey

And you have a song in your heart during the battle, man

Not a song in your heart, the shout of the king