Sermons
The Foundation and Basis of Relationship with God
Series: Such a Time as ThisLink to sermon video: The Foundation and Basis of Relationship with God - L Siegle
Such a Time as This…
(Matthew 16:13-20)
Thesis: The Importance of our spiritual identity for ‘Such a time as this.’
INTRODUCTION
1. The title of this series is Such a Time as This. is, The Foundation and Basis of Relationship with God
2. The Biblical narrative is the story of battle, conquest, victory, over defeat, the forward motion and movement of the
plan and purpose of God!
a. The book of Joshua is a chronicle of the entrance of Israel into the land of promise, followed by a southern military campaign (Josh. 6-10), and then movement into a northern campaign (Josh. 11)--finally there was “rest” as Israel received her “inheritance” (Josh. 11:23).
b. The detailed “list” of victories for Joshua is found in chapter 12 of Joshua.
c. People look at what took place and see how “cities” and “peoples” and “nations” had be targeted by God through Israel “doomed by the Lord to destruction” (Josh 6:17)--“devoted to destruction” (17 times in the OT)--and ask
why would God do such a thing?
3. The righteous actions of God are traced by to the three accounts of sin and rebellion in Gensis 3, 6, and 11.
a. When the heavenly beings came into the daughters of men (Gen. 6:1-4)--the end result was the Nephilim--the “giants” as the “children” born to this unholy union.
b. The Israelites encountered the descendants later during the wilderness wandering (Num. 32, 33).
c. They were “fearful” of the “sons of the Anakim” (Deut. 1:26-28)
d. The military campaigns of Joshua were designed to cleanse the “land” of the remaining descendants of what had
taken place in Genesis 6:1-4 (Josh. 11:20-23).
e. Sihon and Og had been defeated, as the “remnant” (remaining ones” of the descendants of the Nephilim, which took place in Bashan--cities of Edrei and Ashtaroth (Josh. 12:1-5), including Mount Hermon.
4. The name “Bashan” are the northern region, east of the Jordan river in the north was the “headquarters” for the
worship of Baal and other “gods”--and the entire area was seen as the “realm of the dead”--Baal was seen as the “lord
of the dead”--an attack on this region represented a Divine assault upon “gods” of the “nations”--a conquest and
victory over these deities.
a. In the language of the surrounding “nations” Bashan was pronounced at BaTHam, meaning “serpent” (Gen. 3)--
land of the “serpent”
JESUS TRAVELS TO THE LAND OF THE SERPENT
1. When we look at the ministry of Jesus, from the very beginning, His first encounter after the time of His baptism was
where and with whom?
a. He was lead “into the wilderness” for an encounter with Satan (Matt. 4:1-10).
b. The prophecy of Isaiah 9:1,2 was being fulfilled--those “in darkness” in Galilee of the Gentiles “the land of the
shadow of death” (Matt. 4:15-17)--the “kingdom” was “at hand” and Jesus was leading the conquest over
wickedness and sin.
c. Jesus encounters those possessed by “unclean spirits” (Matt. 8:28, 29)--(Mark 1:21-23; Luke 4:31-34)--the
“unclean spirits” understood who Christ was, and knew what their destiny was going to be.
2. Shortly before the time of His crucifixion, Jesus takes the disciples upon to Caesarea Philippi (Matt. 16:3-20)--and there, in that location, right in the very region alluded to earlier--the “land of the shadow of death” Jesus
proclaims that He will “build” His church, and the “gates of Hades” (the realm of the dead) would not “withstand”
it--victory over “death” (separation) was coming through “resurrection” and the events that were to follow over
the course of the “last days” (Acts 2:16-21).
3. The work of Jesus was devoted to the events that at taken place, from the beginning (Gen. 3, 6, 11) and to reverse what had taken place and to gain victory in His conquest as had been represented by the conquest of Joshua in
the promised land.
a. The spiritual forces of wickedness did not understand the extent of what Jesus was going to accomplish through
His death (I Cor. 2:6-8).
b. The battle that occurred following the death of the cross would be significant (Eph. 6:11; 2:2).
LAND OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH
1. Psalm 22 is a picture of various elements related to the crucifixion of Jesus, including the extent to which His campaign
of victory would reach.
2. During the three hours of darkness that covered the land while Jesus was on the Cross, He cried out to the Father (Psa.
22:1)
a. The “bulls of Bashan” surrounded Jesus on the Cross--the spiritual wickedness from the “land of the shadow of death”--
b. The “roaring lion” (Satan) was present.
c. The Roman gentile “dogs” took part in the events associated with the cross.
3. From the very beginning it was God’s desire to “reproduce” Himself--His qualities, His “image” through direct creation
(Gen. 1:26-28; 2:7).--God said, God formed, God breathed, and man became.
b. The “heavenly host” (Divine Council) (Psalm 82:1) were present at the time of creation (Job. 38:4, 7; 1:6; 2:1)--
heavenly “sons of God” present with God in His work of creation.
a. Adam was created outside the Garden of Eden and placed inside (Gen. 2:8).
b. Adam and Eve were created “mortal” (I Tim. 6:16)--life and immortality would come through the gospel (II Tim.
1:10).
c. We were created to be “image-bearers” of the person and nature of God (Luke 3:38)
1) In addition to what know as “angels”--the Bible describes those in the heavenly realm as “sons of God”
2) With the creation of Adam and Eve there came into being in the earthly realm “sons of God”--God’s family of
“children” who were designed to love, honor, and obey--yet both within the heavenly realm and the earthly
realm there was ‘freedom of the will’--thus also the possibility of disobedience and rebellion (Rev. 12:4).
4. Because of the entrance of “sin” into the “world” (that spread to “all men”) like a deadly virus, “death” (spiritual
separation) became the consequence (Rom. 5:12; 6:23).
a. The redemptive work of Christ rendered “death” INEFFECTIVE (II Tim. 1:8-10)-- katargeo?--“to render ineffective, to
make powerless”--this “death” would no longer have power over believers because of what Christ accomplished.
b. With John the Baptizer, the “last days” began and with the ministry of Christ, as “second exodus” began as the “assembly” of the “called out ones” (Matt. 16:18) was underway with the preaching of the “kingdom” and the “gospel of the kingdom” (Matt. 3:1; 4:17; 24:14).
5. Do we understand the basis of our relationship with God had to do with conquest? (I Cor. 15:24-28)..
a. The victory over “death” means entrance into life with Christ (John 5:24).
b. We are baptized into His “death” (Rom. 6:3-5).
c. Through faith we enter into relationship with God (Gal. 3:26-29).
d. The “promises made to the fathers” (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob) are now realized in Christ.
6. Jesus went to the very domain of sin, wickedness, and death and the “gods” of the nations, and gave notice to them
that HIS “church” of the “holy ones” would be the overcomers and that victory in the conquest had been assured.
a. It was not simply the confession of Peter, but the location where that confession had taken place.
b. Jesus then takes Peter, James, John and Andrew to the “mount” of Transfiguration (Mt. Hermon)--although it was
Constantine’s wife who decided it was mount Tabor.
CONCLUSION
1. The very basis and foundation of what WE have today as Christians is “rooted’ in what took place through the cross
and was consummated at the “end of the age” when the forces of darkeness were consigned to the “lake of fire” (Rev.
20).
2. Every step we take today as believers is to expand the borders of the kingdom of God--to take back what rightfully
belongs to God
a. We take the victory by the manner of life we lead in our homes, towns, communities, nation and world.
b. People are transformed one heart at a time.
c. We can bask in the victory that has already taken place.
d. We can be the “holy ones” designed to fulfil what started in the Garden of Eden--the dominion mandate remains.
3. God has given us “resurrection-life” and now we can take that life to the people all around us who are dwelling in the
“land of the shadow of death” and bring them into the “land of the living).
