Life Learning Series

The following Scripture contains a very serious indictment that the people of Israel placed upon themselves.

When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it.

 Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.

 (Matthew 27:24-25)

With that answer, the religious hierarchy of Israel walked away from its place of being the generation that would present the Kingdom of God, to man. They had no excuse for this failure; for, they were aware of the prophecy that indicated that Israel had been chosen for a ministry to the world.

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– Explore Collateral Damage and the Heart of God: Part Thirty-five –

During a certain conversation with an inquisitive individual, the Lord Jesus Christ addressed the matter of; being attentive to the needs of non-aligned individuals. In this conversation, Jesus stressed the internal character of the person; as opposed to, the title that had been placed on an individual. This is that conversation.

And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.

But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.

Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?

And he said, He that shewed mercy on him.

Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.

(Luke 10:30-37)Go, and do thou likewise: in giving the people this commandment, Jesus was using the strongest means of un-defining collateral. The strong mean is this: include everybody in the same group. By doing this, there is no external component that can be considered to be, expendable in support of some greater mission. In the full application of this doctrinal principle, the entire race of man will be the greater mission. The great king, Solomon, announced the nature of the group that will accommodate such a massive portion of God’s collateral. In this group, our captivity is in; our willingness to be contained in, and constrained by, the world’s doctrine, as we hold to true dedication to the Law of God. Here is the record of a time, when Israel would have to navigate these two, seemingly adversarial, allegiances.

 

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– Explore Collateral Damage and the Heart of God: Part Thirty-four –

In the dawn of the New Age, new potentials were set in the world. Among those potentials is this: for us to abide in a place of undefined collateral. This is not a place of confusion; rather, it is the expansion of this place.

Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.And all that believed were together, and had all things common; And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.

(Acts 2:41-45)In that environment, we will quicken our pace toward perfect peace. This is the spiritual place of being in perfect peace.

 

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– Explore Collateral Damage and the Heart of God: Part Thirty-three –

The life and ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ is the envelope for the consolidation of worship of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. It is a consolidation that has overtaken the entire world, in some form. Wherefore; either by adherence, or by criticism, we are all a part of the church of God, in Christ. Consider this wisdom of the apostle Paul.

Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will: The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds: But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel.What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice. For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.

(Philippians 1:15-20)In that blessed envelope of consolidation, the witness of Jesus Christ, is contained the entire world that is outside of Israel. In that envelope, there is also a place for all of Israel, in the LORD.

The wider world is Christ’s inheritance:

Israel is Christ’s gift from the LORD God, the Father.

The gift is cherished and respected, with the same vigor as the inheritance.

 

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– Explore Collateral Damage and the Heart of God: Part Thirty-two –

As we take our place in the wind of witness for the LORD, let us hold this, here, as being the pattern for our internal communion with the LORD; regardless of the pressure that the world sends our way . . .

And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen. (Revelation 7:11-12)This is the window that shows the wider participation that makes up the mission of the Lord Jesus Christ. It would seem that, this work could easily be done by an extension of the branch that started with the twelve disciples, only as stationed in Jerusalem. Well, God had a different method that was set in motion. To understand why this was done, let us review the limitation of the seed of Israel, as represented by the Jews of the Bible days.

In the seed of Israel of Jesus’ time of earthly ministration in the not fully regenerate flesh, there was a strong strain of arrogance. The arrogance was expressed as an insistence on the recognition–as bordering on praise–of their uniqueness as being from Abraham. This arrogance in Israel was in full, open display during this time, as directed toward the ministry of humility of Jesus of Nazareth.

 

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– Explore Collateral Damage and the Heart of God: Part Thirty-one –