Revolutionary
Through the journey of life, our Heavenly Father will prepare us for the path that he’s foreordained that we should walk. The reason we assemble together as like minded believers is to encourage and lift up one another as we journey together according to the way that he has prepared for us. Life is only difficult when we struggle to give up our pride. When we give up ourselves we allow the Lord to help himself to our lives.
Mary was an example of humility. She said, “be it unto me according to thy word.” What was God thinking when he called this humble virgin girl? God’s ways are not our ways and his thoughts are not our thoughts. God said, “As high as the heavens are higher than the earth, so far are my thoughts higher than your thoughts and my ways than your ways.” Therefore, humble thyself under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due time.
Luke 1:46-50 is the account of Mary’s “Magnificat.” This is her out pouring of her heart of joy and gratitude because of the message she heard from the Angel Gabriel.
46. “And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, 47. And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
48. For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
49. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.
50. And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.”
Mary’s “Magnificat” was a song of joy to God for counting his humble handmaiden worthy to bear God’s son. Her heart had been revolutionized. Mary’s son Jesus Christ himself, was a revolutionary. He came to make fundamental changes and to revolutionize society, governments and world orders. A revolution is a sudden, radical and complete change. According to Corinthians, Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things have passed away, all things are become new.
Revolution starts with a revolution in hearts and minds. It’s only by the grace of God that we’re called to repentance…to turn our hearts to the Lord. 2 Timothy 3: 1-5 is about the “perilous times” that Jesus talked about. Cultures will rise and fall. Our own culture is disintegrating and world orders area changing.
Sometimes material abundance is a curse. Abundance in our society promotes “choices.” Because of multiple choices, many in our society pursue the wrong choice. They chose the wisdom of this world which is earthly, sensual, and devilish. We need the holy spirit’s help to chose the wisdom from above. This true spiritual wisdom is peaceable, approachable, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Regarding material abundance, we need the holy spirit’s help to chose to be good stewards of that which he’s entrusted to us.
Jesus came to bring about three types of revolutions. Christianity is death to pride. According to Philippians 2, God resists the proud and gives grace to the the humble. Mary identified herself as the Lord’s humble handmaiden. Jesus Christ humbled himself and made himself of no reputation and took upon himself the form of a bond servant…one who serves others from a heart of love. His ultimate act of love is that he was obedient even unto death. On the cross he became God’s perfect sacrifice for sin on our behalf. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
When we were born we were subject to our sin nature and ruled by the world’s system of the natural desires of the flesh and the devil. The devil will appeal to selfishness, vengeance, pride, anger, and bitterness. He will tell you “take revenge because you’re morally justified to seek retributution.” However, lies and deceit are the language of the devil. Lies are the native language of those who follow the doctrines of the world.
God delivers us from the law of sin and death. “To those who fear, love honor, and respect him, he will satisfy their hunger with good things.” As Jeremiah said, “Thy words were found and I did eat them…and they were the joy and rejoicing of my soul.” God will satisfy the appetite of those who are hungry for the word of the Lord… And they shall know the truth and the truth shall make them free.
Jesus Christ, the “hound of heaven” will pursue us to want to be a “man of God.” Jesus’ question to Peter was, “do you love me?” He came not to condemn the world but that the world through him may be saved. He came so that we would “hunger and thirst after righteousness”…. To bring us to the point that our prayer is. “Lord make me the man you created me to be.”
The revolution starts with a revolution in our hearts and minds. It begins with the power of the Holy Spirit.
The second revolution is economic. A secular economy is an economy of “scarceness.” The world’s economy says, “my riches at your expense.” It’s “survival of the fittest.” However, God’s economy is one where no one dares to have too much while our brother has too little. God’s economy says, let him that stole steal no more but rather let him labor working with his hands the thing which is good that he may have to give to him that needeth. The need is for the power of God’s Holy Spirit. The blessing is in giving by grace. God’s economy is an economy of abundance… Of abundant blessings. As the scripture says, take heed and beware of covetousness for a man’s life consists not in the abundance of things that he possesses. The irony is that we’re richest when we give it away…no one can out give God. As the scripture says, “give and it shall be given unto you pressed down, shaken together and running over. When we give, God will abundantly bless us back.”
The third revolution is a social revolution. Social norms will pit social factions against each other. Factions are political, economic, educational, racial, and religious. However, the ground is level at the foot of the cross. Jesus was the revolutionary because he came to make peace. Peace is the result of reconciliation. Reconciliation means to “bring back together that which has been separated.” You can’t have peace until you have the prince of peace. Jesus said, “my peace I leave with you. My peace I give unto you. Not as the world giveth give I unto you….let not your heart be troubled neither let it be afraid.”
Ye are slaves to whom you obey. Whose slave are you? As we celebrate the birth of Christ, May this Christmas season be a celebration of new birth within our hearts…. That we may desire to become a “man of God.” His calling is to “take my life and let it be, consecrated Lord to thee.” Fundamental change starts with a revolution. Jesus Christ living in our hearts is the revolution.
May God richly bless you,
Your brother in Christ,
Michael