Faith to live Christ like

Grasping reality is impossible when you sleep, and it is a difficult challenge when you wake up. Truthfully, Jesus came to wake us up. He did not come to be admired. He did not work to be a goal or ideal. He did not live to become a religious icon that brings you comfort. He certainly wasn't born to be your choice for a swear word. Jesus came to wake you up. He came from heaven to raise you up from a slumber that leaves you unaware of reality. Jesus did not do what he did because he was special. Jesus did not teach what he taught, he did not heal what he healed, he did not exercise power over demons, walk on water or multiply food because he was the only begotten Son of God. Listen to what Paul wrote: (Christ Jesus),though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death  even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:6-8, NRSV)

The Scriptures say Jesus emptied himself. He did not empty himself of his nature or character. Instead, he emptied himself of his prerogatives as God. He emptied himself of the divine authority he shared with the Father. He humbled himself. He became human, dependent, reliant, and vulnerable, like you and me. He shared fully in our limitations and was submissive.

Jesus healed no man as the unique son of God. He healed people as a common son of man. In Hebrew, the word man and Adam are one and the same, so that Jesus healed people as the genuine son of Adam. Jesus carried the call of Adam. Jesus carried the authority of Adam.

Jesus exercised the rule of Adam unhindered by Satan's deception and distrust. Indeed, St. Paul called Jesus the Last Adam, because a new humanity, indeed, a restored humanity comes from him, humanity in final form.

Jesus is the way you are to go. Jesus is the truth of who you are. Jesus is the life you're intended to live. Jesus did not come so that you would worship him. He came so that you might live as you were created to live. He came to model for you. He came to motivate you. He came to make you what you were created to be. He came to wake you up from spiritual death.

He acted fully like you were created to live, as a son of Adam reliant on God. Listen to Jesus'words:

I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. (John 5:19-20, NIV)

Jesus depended upon his relationship with the heavenly Father to heal. Isn't that true for us? When you cry out in prayer for someone's healing, aren't you telling God you are depending on him to heal? Aren't you depending on God to respond to you? Jesus partnered with his Father in healing people. He was the physical presence for his Father to hear and heal people.

Isn't that what you are supposed to be? If we are the body of Christ, then aren't we the physical presence for God to heal? Listen again to Jesus:

Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. (John 14:10-12, NIV)

 Believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these. Having read and heard this, what do you believe is Jesus'expectation for you and me?

I understand from Jesus'teaching that there are many things we are capable of doing if we have faith to pursue and persist. Listen to a few of the things he said.

To a man whose young son could not speak, hear and suffered horrible seizures, Jesus said:  Everything is possible for him who believes (Mark 9:23). To dispirited disciples who wanted to know why they couldn't heal that young son, Jesus said:

Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there'and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you (Matthew 17:20, NIV).

To apostles who asked Jesus to help them grow their faith, Jesus replied: If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,'and it will obey you. (Luke 17:6, NIV)

There is one amazing omission in what Jesus said. The word God is missing. Why? Remember, that these words are coming from God living and working in Jesus. What is God saying to us? Why didn't Jesus add the word God? Why didn't he answer,  If you have faith in God as small as a mustard seed, this mulberry tree will obey you ?

Jesus understood that as children of Adam and Eve, we have been given awesome authority over the creation. Our blessings carry power. Our curses carry power. Our decisions alter life. This power has been given to us whether we are walking with God or not. We rule when we have faith to act and keep acting. This is exactly why the godless at times accomplish stunning achievements. Faith!

However, in many cases sickness, illness and injury involve the need for redemption from spiritual forces that have legal rights to operate through human sin. Consequently, our partnership with God is critical to understanding the how of healing. If you read the gospels, you'll discover that the how of healing took place in a variety of ways. Jesus spit, made mud, had people wash, laid hands, prayed, announced healing, commanded healing. He did all kinds of things, including on occasion, absolutely nothing. People received amazing healing.

I've told you today that we can heal based on two things. First, we have awesome authority from God as children of Adam. Your potential as a human being is limited primarily by your faith in who you are. Being human is a wonderful gift for which we must give thanks. It is never an excuse. Every time that you say  I'm only human, you slap God in the face.  I'm human, wow, thank you God! Say it with me:  I'm human, wow, thank you God! (Please project!) Second, in Jesus Christ, we have fellowship with the Father and power from the Father to free broken humanity from the evil that befalls them. We are God's ministers of healing& just like Jesus! He is the way, the truth and the life! He is our way, our truth, our life! You and I are to live as his disciples. You and I are to walk as his apprentices, so that we do what he did.

Because he healed no one as the son of God, because he exercised authority over disease as the son of man, he expects us to do the same. Now do you have the faith to pursue and persist in this authority and fellowship? Brothers and sisters, where there is faith to pursue and persist, where people trust the words of Jesus and seek to heal with God's counsel, a lot of healing occurs. Will you believe what Jesus says and walk as his apprentice, as his disciple?