APOSTOLIC PURITY

INTRODUCTION

 

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DISCIPLE AND APOSTLE?

SO IF YOU BELIEVE JESUS TO BE YOUR LORD AND SAVIOUR THEN YOU ARE A DISCIPLE. AN APOSTLE WAS SPECIFICALLY CHOSEN BY JESUS TO SPREAD THE GOSPEL AFTER HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION. THE TWELVE APOSTLES MENTIONED ABOVE WERE JESUS’ CLOSEST DISCIPLES.

 

APOS·​TLE Ə-ˈPÄ-SƏL. : ONE SENT ON A MISSION

 

PURITY COMES FROM THE LATIN PURUS MEANING: “UNMIXED”.

 

THOSE THAT FOLLOW JESUS, AS TRUE DISCIPLES, AND KEEP HIS WORD ARE THE BRIDE AND JESUS IS GLORIFIED IN THEM:

JOHN 3:22

AFTER THESE THINGS CAME JESUS AND HIS DISCIPLES INTO THE LAND OF JUDAEA; AND THERE HE TARRED WITH THEM, AND BAPTIZED.

JOHN 3:27

JOHN ANSWERED AND SAID, A MAN CAN RECEIVE NOTHING, EXCEPT IT BE GIVEN HIM FROM HEAVEN.

 

JOHN 3:29

HE THAT HATH THE BRIDE IS THE BRIDEGROOM: BUT THE FRIEND OF THE BRIDEGROOM, WHICH STANDETH AND HEARETH HIM, REJOICETH GREATLY BECAUSE OF THE BRIDEGROOM’S VOICE: THIS MY JOY THEREFORE IS FULFILLED.

JOHN 3:34

FOR HE WHOM GOD HATH SENT SPEAKETH THE WORDS OF GOD: FOR GOD GIVETH NOT THE SPIRIT BY MEASURE UNTO HIM.

JOHN 17:6-10

I HAVE MANIFESTED THY NAME UNTO THE MEN WHICH THOU GAVEST ME OUT OF THE WORLD: THINE THEY WERE, AND THOU GAVEST THEM TO ME; AND THEY HAVE KEPT THY WORD.

7: NOW THEY HAVE KNOWN THAT ALL THINGS WHATSOEVER THOU HAST GIVEN ME ARE OF THEE.

8: FOR I HAVE GIVEN UNTO THEM THE WORDS WHICH THOU GAVEST ME; AND THEY HAVE RECEIVED THEM, AND HAVE KNOWN SURELY THAT I CAME OUT FROM THEE, AND THEY HAVE BELIEVED THAT THOU DIDST SEND ME.

9: I PRAY FOR THEM: I PRAY NOT FOR THE WORLD, BUT FOR THEM WHICH THOU HAST GIVEN ME; FOR THEY ARE THINE.

10: AND ALL MINE ARE THINE, AND THINE ARE MINE; AND I AM GLORIFIED IN THEM.

 

  • GLORIFICATION COMES WITH THE ACTS OF SERVICE. BELIEVERS GO THROUGH SALVATION, SANCTIFICATION AND THEN SERVICE.
  • GOD IS GLORIFIED IN OUR WILLING OBEDIENCE TO THE WISDOM OF HIS COMMANDMENTS. TO BELIEVE IN GOD IS TO TRUST HIS WORD, AND TO TRUST HIS WORD IS TO OBEY AND FOLLOW IT. OTHERWISE, WE ARE PUTTING OURSELVES ABOVE GOD, JUDGING HIM, AND INSISTING THAT WE CAN DO BETTER WITH OUR LIVES.
  • THE BREAKING OF THE BREAD IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF SERVING. THE BREAD IS BLESSED, BROKEN AND SHARED TO OTHERS JUST AS WE GO THROUGH SALVATION, THE BROKENNESS OF THE PROCESS OF SANCTIFICATION AND THEN BLESSING OTHERS IN OUR SERVICE TO THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.

LUKE 22:19

AND HE TOOK BREAD, AND GAVE THANKS, AND BRAKE IT, AND GAVE UNTO THEM, SAYING, THIS IS MY BODY WHICH IS GIVEN FOR YOU: THIS DO IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME.

MATTHEW 26:26

AND AS THEY WERE EATING, JESUS TOOK BREAD, AND BLESSED IT, AND BRAKE IT, AND GAVE IT TO THE DISCIPLES, AND SAID, TAKE, EAT; THIS IS MY BODY.

  • FURTHERMORE, WE ALL HAVE THE SAME CALLING: TO GLORIFY GOD IN EVERYTHING WE DO. THIS IS WHY WE ARE HERE. SCRIPTURE SAYS GOD CREATED US FOR HIS GLORY (ISA. 43:7) AND INSTRUCTS US TO “DO EVERYTHING FOR THE GLORY OF GOD” (1 COR. 10:31).

BUT HOW? HOW CAN WE GIVE GLORY TO “THE KING OF GLORY” (PS. 24:8)? GLORY BELONGS TO GOD (JOHN 17:5; ACTS 7:55). GOD REVEALS HIS GLORY (EX 24:17; 40:34; PS. 19:1). WE CAN OBSERVE HIS GLORY (JOHN 1:14). BUT HOW DO WE GIVE HIM GLORY?

  • TO GLORIFY GOD IS NOT TO BESTOW GLORY ON GOD OR ADD TO HIS GLORY, BUT TO RECOGNIZE AND ACKNOWLEDGE HIS GLORY. THE BASIC MEANING OF THE WORD GLORY IS “HEAVY IN WEIGHT.” IT IS THE “WEIGHTY IMPORTANCE AND SHINING MAJESTY THAT ACCOMPANY GOD’S PRESENCE.”
  • THE VERB GLORIFY MEANS “TO GIVE WEIGHT TO” OR “TO HONOR.” THUS, TO GLORIFY GOD IS TO RECOGNIZE GOD FOR WHO HE REALLY IS AND TO RESPOND APPROPRIATELY.

WE ARE IN THE BEGINNING STAGES OF ISAIAH 60

 

VERSES 1-2

 

“ARISE, SHINE, FOR YOUR LIGHT HAS COME,
AND THE GLORY OF THE LORD RISES UPON YOU.
2 SEE, DARKNESS COVERS THE EARTH
AND THICK DARKNESS IS OVER THE PEOPLES,
BUT THE LORD RISES UPON YOU
AND HIS GLORY APPEARS OVER YOU.

ACCORDING TO THIS, PLEASE NOTE:

  1. THE WORLD IS GETTING DARKER AND MORE GROSS (IT WILL INCREASE)
  2. THE GLORY OF THE LORD WILL RISE UPON THE CHURCH.
  3. WHEN JESUS RETURNS (IS THE GREAT AND TERRIBLE DAY OF THE LORD).
  4. GREAT FOR THE FOLLOWERS OF JESUS AND TERRIBLE FOR THOSE WHO DONT LOVE THE LORD.
  • ISAIAH 60 IS A COMMAND!! IT DOES NOT SAY TO WAIT FOR THE GLORY TO COME. ARISE AND SHINE IS A COMMAND!
  • CHRIST IN YOU IS GOING TO RISE UP – WE CANNOT HAVE A PART ON ANGER, HATRED, RACISM, DIVISION, STRIFE, ETC.

WHAT SHALL WE DO?

HOMEWORK: READ ACTS 3 AND ACTS 4

 

PAUL SAID…

1 CORINTHIANS 11:1

FOLLOW MY EXAMPLE, AS I FOLLOW THE EXAMPLE OF CHRIST.

HOW DID THEY FOLLOW OBEDIENCE TO THE LORD?

ACTS 3:1

ONE DAY PETER AND JOHN WERE GOING UP TO THE TEMPLE AT THE TIME OF PRAYER—AT THREE IN THE AFTERNOON.

ACTS 3:2

NOW A MAN WHO WAS LAME FROM BIRTH WAS BEING CARRIED TO THE TEMPLE GATE CALLED BEAUTIFUL, WHERE HE WAS PUT EVERY DAY TO BEGFROM THOSE GOING INTO THE TEMPLE COURTS.

  • THE BEGGAR WAS WAITING AND GOT HEALED AT THE GATE.

ACTS 3: 4-5

PETER LOOKED STRAIGHT AT HIM, AS DID JOHN. THEN PETER SAID, “LOOK AT US!” 5 SO THE MAN GAVE THEM HIS ATTENTION, EXPECTING TO GET SOMETHING FROM THEM.

  • THEY TOLD THE BEGGAR “LOOK AT US” WHILE THE BEGGAR WAS AT THE GATE.

PSALM 24:9

LIFT UP YOUR HEADS, O YOU GATES; LIFT THEM UP, YOU ANCIENT DOORS, THAT THE KING OF GLORY MAY COME IN.

 

PLEASE NOTE THAT…

 

  • WE HAVE TO RISE UP IN THE POWER AND GLORY OF GOD.
  • WE ARE CALLED TO DO HIS WORKS AND MANIFEST HIS NAME, BUT FIRST WE HAVE TO BE FORMED TO THE STATURE OF CHRIST THROUGH SANCTIFICATION AND PURIFICATION.

BEING TRIED AS GOLD…

1 PETER 1:7

“PURE GOLD PUT IN THE FIRE COMES OUT OF IT PROVED PURE; GENUINE FAITH PUT THROUGH THIS SUFFERING COMES OUT PROVED GENUINE. WHEN JESUS WRAPS THIS ALL UP, IT’S YOUR FAITH, NOT YOUR GOLD, THAT GOD WILL HAVE ON DISPLAY AS EVIDENCE OF HIS VICTORY”.

JOB 23:10

“[HE HAS CONCERN FOR IT, APPRECIATES, AND PAYS ATTENTION TO IT]. WHEN HE HAS TRIED ME, I SHALL COME FORTH AS REFINED GOLD [PURE AND LUMINOUS]”.

  • RAW GOLD APPEARS BRASSY YELLOW, BUT FIRE REMOVES THE IMPURITIES OF IT TO MAKE IT REFINED (PURE). RAW GOLD IS USUALLY NOT PURE. IN FACT, ON AVERAGE, A CHUNK OF GOLD FROM THE GROUND IS ABOUT 60% PURE GOLD. SO, 99.9% PURE GOLD IS DEFINITELY WORTH MORE.
  • THE PURPOSE OF OUR FIERY TRIALS IS TO REMOVE ALL IMPURITIES, REFINE US AND TO STEP IN THE VALUE AND IDENTITY THAT WE WERE CREATED FOR.

 

WE SEE A GREAT PARADOX OF PURITY PRESENTED TO US IN 1 JOHN 3:2-3:

  • BELOVED, WE ARE GOD’S CHILDREN NOW, AND WHAT WE WILL BE HAS NOT YET APPEARED; BUT WE KNOW THAT WHEN HE APPEARS WE SHALL BE LIKE HIM, BECAUSE WE SHALL SEE HIM AS HE IS. AND EVERYONE WHO THUS HOPES IN HIM PURIFIES HIMSELF AS HE IS PURE.
  • IN THE WELL-KNOWN BEATITUDES, JESUS USES THE WORD “PURITY” IN A WAY THAT CHRISTIANS OFTEN DON’T CONSIDER. THERE JESUS STATES, “BLESSED ARE THE PURE IN HEART, FOR THEY SHALL SEE GOD” (MATTHEW 5:8). JESUS IS NOT POINTING TO A SEXUAL PURITY OR EVEN A MORAL PURITY. INSTEAD, HE IS POINTING US TO A SPIRITUAL PURITY, OR A PURITY OF HEART. ONCE YOU START LOOKING FOR THIS IN THE BIBLE, YOU SEE IT ALL OVER ITS PAGES. BUT WHAT EXACTLY DOES JESUS MEAN BY BEING PURE IN HEART?
  • THE BEST WAY TO THINK ABOUT PURITY OF HEART IS TO CONSIDER THE WAY PURITY DESCRIBES ANY OTHER PHYSICAL THING. THE BIBLE USES THE TERM “PURE” TO SPEAK OF GOLD (REVELATION 21:18). WHILE THIS INDEED SPEAKS TO A LACK OF BLEMISH, IT DEALS WITH SOMETHING FAR MORE MOLECULAR THAN THAT. FOR SOMETHING TO BE PURE GOLD MEANS THAT IT’S GOLD—AND NOTHING ELSE. THERE IS NO OTHER ELEMENT WITHIN IT. IT’S 100% GOLD. IT’S WHOLLY GOLD.
  • SO PURITY COMMUNICATES WHOLENESS. NOT PARTIALLY ONE THING AND PARTIALLY ANOTHER. WHOLENESS.

ACTS 3 –

JOHN AND PETER WERE ON THEIR WAY TO A PRAYER MEETING. THEY WERE CARRYING SOMETHING THATS MISSING TODAY.

  • THE ACTS CHURCH WAS BIRTHED IN PRAYER.
  • ACTS 2 – THEY CONTINUED STEADFASTLY IN PRAYER.
  • ACTS 3 – ON THEIR WAY ON A PRAYER MEETING
  • ACTS 4 – THEY GATHERED TOGETHER AND PRAYED.
  • GOD HAS PREACHERS IN BARS, TATTOO SHOPS. YOU DONT KNOW WHERE THEY ARE BUT GOD HAS THEM.
  • WE NEED PURIFICATION IN THE CHURCH! GOD WILL NOT SHARE HIS GLORY WITH ANOTHER. WHY DO YOU LOOK AT US?!

ACTS 3:12

WHEN PETER SAW THIS, HE SAID TO THEM: “FELLOW ISRAELITES, WHY DOES THIS SURPRISE YOU? WHY DO YOU STARE AT US AS IF BY OUR OWN POWER OR GODLINESS WE HAD MADE THIS MAN WALK?

  • GOD GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.
  • FAITH IN JESUS MADE THE BEGGAR WHOLE.
  • FAITH IS A GIFT THAT COMES FROM JESUS.
  • APOSTOLIC PREACHING – VERSES 19- 23.

ACTS 3:19-23

“REPENT, THEN, AND TURN TO GOD, SO THAT YOUR SINS MAY BE WIPED OUT, THAT TIMES OF REFRESHING MAY COME FROM THE LORD, 20 AND THAT HE MAY SEND THE MESSIAH, WHO HAS BEEN APPOINTED FOR YOU—EVEN JESUS. 21 HEAVEN MUST RECEIVE HIM UNTIL THE TIME COMES FOR GOD TO RESTORE EVERYTHING, AS HE PROMISED LONG AGO THROUGH HIS HOLY PROPHETS.22 FOR MOSES SAID, ‘THE LORD YOUR GOD WILL RAISE UP FOR YOU A PROPHET LIKE ME FROM AMONG YOUR OWN PEOPLE; YOU MUST LISTEN TO EVERYTHING HE TELLS YOU.23 ANYONE WHO DOES NOT LISTEN TO HIM WILL BE COMPLETELY CUT OFF FROM THEIR PEOPLE”.

ACTS 3: 25-26

“AND YOU ARE HEIRS OF THE PROPHETS AND OF THE COVENANT GOD MADE WITH YOUR FATHERS. HE SAID TO ABRAHAM, ‘THROUGH YOUR OFFSPRING ALL PEOPLES ON EARTH WILL BE BLESSED.’[B] 26 WHEN GOD RAISED UP HIS SERVANT, HE SENT HIM FIRST TO YOU TO BLESS YOU BY TURNING EACH OF YOU FROM YOUR WICKED WAYS.”

 

WHAT IS BLESSING YOU?

  • TURNING YOU AWAY FROM YOUR INIQUITIES.
  • GOD WANTS TO BRING REPENTANCE AND HOLINESS INSIDE THE CHURCH.
  • THATS WHEN THE TIMES OF REFRESHING COMES!

 

PETER – WITHOUT THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WE ARE TOO AFRAID TO PREACH. PETER WAS JUST LIKE YOU AND ME.

 

  • FAITH LOVE AND BOLDNESS TO DO THE WILL OF GOD, IT TAKES THE HOLY SPIRIT.
  • PEOPLE ARE NOT OUR ENEMY.
  • THEY ARE PRISONERS OF WAR THAT WE HAVE TO PRAY FOR.

THE BODY OF CHRIST HAS TO GET TO THE PLACE OF ACTS CHAPTER 4

 

  • TO EVANGELIZE AND DO THE WILL OF GOD.
  • THEIR PRAYER WAS OF EMPOWERMENT TO BE ABLE TO OBEY HIM, THEN THEY WERE FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT AND BOLDNESS.

ACTS 4:31

AFTER THEY PRAYED, THE PLACE WHERE THEY WERE MEETING WAS SHAKEN. AND THEY WERE ALL FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT AND SPOKE THE WORD OF GOD BOLDLY.

WHY THE EARTH SHOOK?

GOD SENT MILLIONS OF ANGELS DOWN TO THE CHURCH.

EXAMPLE: AN ANGEL DESCENDED TO ROLL AWAY THE STONE AND WHEN THE ANGEL LANDED, THE EARTH SHOOK! ANGELS CARRY THE PRESENCE OF GOD. WHEN AN ANGEL STANDS BESIDE YOU, YOU GET FULL OF THE PRESENCE OF GOD. THEY ALSO DO THE MIRACLES. THE ANGELS DO THE MIRACLES!

MATTHEW 28:2

SUDDENLY AN ANGEL OF THE LORD CAME FROM THE SKY, AND THERE WAS A HUGE EARTHQUAKE. THE ANGEL WENT TO THE TOMB AND ROLLED THE STONE AWAY FROM THE ENTRANCE.

  • PETER TURNED FROM A COWARD TO A LION – THIS IS CALLED SUPERNATURAL BOLDNESS.

 

WHAT IS HEAVEN ON EARTH?

GREAT POWER AND GREAT GRACE.

WHAT IS GRACE?

GRACE IS THE SUPERNATURAL DIVINE ENABLEMENT TO DO THE WILL OF GOD.

WHAT IS THE WILL OF GOD?

THAT I LOVE GOD WITH ALL MY HEART AND MY NEIGHBOR AS MYSELF.

“THEY WERE ALL OF ONE HEART AND ALL IN ONE ACCORD” WHY?

BECAUSE THEY WERE FILLED, GREAT GRACE CAME ON THEM ALL.

THEY DID NOT ASK FOR GOD TO FILL THEM, BLESS THEM, ETC= THIS IS CALLED A SELF CENTERED GOSPEL.

THEN, WHAT DID THEY ASK FOR?

  • THEY ASKED FOR GRACE AND POWER TO OBEY THE LORD= THIS IS APOSTOLIC PURITY
  • GOD FILLED THEM ALL WITH GREAT GRACE AND POWER, WHICH IS HEAVEN ON EARTH. 

ACTS 4:32-33

ALL THE BELIEVERS WERE ONE IN HEART AND MIND. NO ONE CLAIMED THAT ANY OF THEIR POSSESSIONS WAS THEIR OWN, BUT THEY SHARED EVERYTHING THEY HAD. 33 WITH GREAT POWER THE APOSTLES CONTINUED TO TESTIFY TO THE RESURRECTION OF THE LORD JESUS. AND GOD’S GRACE WAS SO POWERFULLY AT WORK IN THEM ALL 34 THAT THERE WERE NO NEEDY PERSONS AMONG THEM.

 

HEBREWS 8:6 TALKS ABOUT A BETTER COVENANT WITH BETTER PROMISES.

NOW, HOWEVER, JESUS HAS RECEIVED A MUCH MORE EXCELLENT MINISTRY, JUST AS THE COVENANT HE MEDIATES IS BETTER AND IS FOUNDED ON BETTER PROMISES.

WHY DID THEY HAVE THE TANGIBLE GLORY OF GOD IN THE OLD TESTAMENT? (READ 2 CHRONICLES 5)

  • ALL OF THE PRIESTS (120) BEFORE THEY WENT TO WORSHIP GOD TO THE SOLOMON TEMPLE, THEY SANCTIFIED THEMSELVES.
  • UNDER THE OLD COVENANT, THEY SANCTIFIED THEMSELVES.
  • EXAMINE YOUR HEART BEFORE THE LORD.
  • TO EXAMINE IS TO TURN YOUR HEART, AFFECTION AND FOCUS TO THE LORD.
  • WE ARE CALLED TO GLORY – THIS IS THE MANIFESTED FULLNESS OF GOD.

 

HOLY HABITATION – HOUSE OF PRAYER – POWER AND EVANGELISM – DISCIPLES LIKE CHRIST (HEALING AND DELIVERANCE HAS TAKEN PLACE IN THE SOUL AND THE BODY)

 

  • DURING THE PROCESS OF APOSTOLIC PURITY, WE LOVE GOD, WE LOVE OTHERS AS OURSELVES, WE SANCTIFY OURSELVES, AND THEN WE BECOME A HOLY HABITATION.

 

EVEN JESUS SAID…

JOHN 17:19

 AND FOR THEIR SAKES I SANCTIFY MYSELF, THAT THEY ALSO MAY BE SANCTIFIED BY THE TRUTH.

  • OBEYING GOD LEADS TO BEING CONFORMED TO THE IMAGE OF CHRIST.

JOHN 17:4

I HAVE GLORIFIED THEE ON THE EARTH: I HAVE FINISHED THE WORK WHICH THOU GAVEST ME TO DO.

 

JOHN 17:6

“I HAVE MANIFESTED YOUR NAME TO THE MEN WHOM YOU HAVE GIVEN ME OUT OF THE WORLD. THEY WERE YOURS, YOU GAVE THEM TO ME, AND THEY HAVE KEPT YOUR WORD

 

  • MANIFESTING HIS NAME IS MANIFESTING THE CHARACTER OF JESUS.
  • HAVING THE CHARACTER OF JESUS MEANS THAT WE ARE QUALIFIED FOR OUR ETERNAL PURPOSE.

CONCLUSION:

 

  • PURIFICATION IS PROGRESSIVE (READ: TITUS 2:11-15)
  • UNITY ACKNOWLEDGES CHRIST (READ: COL 2:2)
  • APOSTOLIC PURITY:
  • “I DESIRE THEREFORE THAT THE MEN PRAY EVERYWHERE, LIFTING UP HOLY HANDS, WITHOUT WRATH AND DOUBTING;”
     (1 TIMOTHY 2:8).