JESUS (WHO IS LOVE) MANIFESTED IN THE FLESH

Mike Blume
August 11, 2004



Esther 1:10-12 KJV
(10)  On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven chamberlains that served in the presence of Ahasuerus the king,
(11)  To bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, to shew the people and the princes her beauty: for she was fair to look on.
(12)  But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king's commandment by his chamberlains: therefore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned in him.


Esther 2:13-15 KJV

(13)  Then thus came every maiden unto the king; whatsoever she desired was given her to go with her out of the house of the women unto the king's house.
(14)  In the evening she went, and on the morrow she returned into the second house of the women, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king's chamberlain, which kept the concubines: she came in unto the king no more, except the king delighted in her, and that she were called by name.
(15)  Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her for his daughter, was come to go in unto the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king's chamberlain, the keeper of the women, appointed. And Esther obtained favour in the sight of all them that looked upon her.



  Message:

 
We will turn to 1 John in a moment, but let me introduce this message by saying 1 John speaks of the spirit of antichrist.
  • That spirit denies that Jesus came in the flesh.
  • Bro Simmons preached a great message in El Campo this year, and probably here, about how antichrist is denying everything about the supreme deity being incarnate in flesh.
  • Let's back up even further than that into this thought.
  • Let's go back even more.
  • The incarnation of God in flesh in all His supreme deity is also the truth of all that is OF GOD being in flesh -- and we know GOD IS LOVE.
  • And this is the reason John speaks so much of LOVE when he speaks of the spirit of antichrist and the spirit which is of Christ.
Let us start with the thought we started with on Sunday.
  • It leads up to this idea.

Esther from the start obtains favour because she manifested a totally different spirit than Vashti did.
  • Esther is SELFLESS and does not obtain what SHE wants to obtain for herself, but seeks only what the chamberlain appointed.
  • The others are given what they desired for themselves to have.
  • They took what THEY desired.
  • Esther was different.,
  • She allowed Hegai to tell her what she should wear, because she sought the pleasure of the king and not her own pleasure.

The we read another self-less spirit in Mordecai as well as Esther.

Esther 2:21-23 KJV
(21)  In those days, while Mordecai sat in the king's gate, two of the king's chamberlains, Bigthan and Teresh, of those which kept the door, were wroth, and sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus.
(22)  And the thing was known to Mordecai, who told it unto Esther the queen; and Esther certified the king thereof in Mordecai's name.
(23)  And when inquisition was made of the matter, it was found out; therefore they were both hanged on a tree: and it was written in the book of the chronicles before the king.

They sought the betterment of the king.

Haman enters the scene and is self centred, like Vashti.

Esther 3:1-6 KJV
(1)  After these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him, and set his seat above all the princes that were with him.
(2)  And all the king's servants, that were in the king's gate, bowed, and reverenced Haman: for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence.
(3)  Then the king's servants, which were in the king's gate, said unto Mordecai, Why transgressest thou the king's commandment?
(4)  Now it came to pass, when they spake daily unto him, and he hearkened not unto them, that they told Haman, to see whether Mordecai's matters would stand: for he had told them that he was a Jew.
(5)  And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence, then was Haman full of wrath.
(6)  And he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone; for they had shewed him the people of Mordecai: wherefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai.


And Mordecai tells Esther she needs to go into the king's inner chamber.
  • Esther is tempted with self-protection.
  • So the entire story shows two spirits.
  • Self centred opposed to selfless.
This goes back to Genesis, where the whole world became filled with something self-centered due to the sin of Adam and Eve.

Genesis 2:9 KJV
(9)  And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

Genesis 3:3-6 KJV
(3)  But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
(4)  And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
(5)  For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
(6)  And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

Notice there was ONE INGREDIENT that was not in all the others trees, while two ingredients were in all the other trees.
  • Pleasant to sight was in them all -- Gen 2:9.
  • Goodness for food was also in them all.
  • But MAKING ONE WISE was not.
And what happened was that they ate it and John said the entire world became full of the first two things twisted from good things into lusts, and the third one.

1 John 2:15-16 KJV
(15)  Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
(16)  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

Pleasant to sight became lust of eyes.
  • Goodness for food became lust of the flesh.
  • And the pride of Life was the differing factor that poisoned the other two.
  • It was the killer.
You could say that tree was ANTICHRIST.
  • Christ was like the tree of life.
  • He was the way, the truth and the Life!
John 15:1 KJV
(1)  I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.

If there is a true vine, there is a false vine as well.

After speaking of all that is in the world, John speaks these words:

1 John 2:17-20 KJV
(17)  And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
(18)  Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
(19)  They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
(20)  But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.

The world with all the lusts that is in it will pass away.
  • God told Adam he would die if he ate of that fruit.
  • And all the world and that fruit itself, with it's lusts, will die - or pass away.
  • All that will be left is the tree of life and the people who've "eaten" of it.
A true church of Jesus Christ must have the LIFE in them that Jesus Christ was.

As the tree of knowledge proposed a self-centred spirit, the tee of life did not.
  • It was selfless.
  • In fact, I believe the cross is our tree of life today.
  • And everything about the cross that gives us life was about self sacrifice.
  • No man took Jesus' life, but He gave it in love.
  • And the fruit of life that hangs from the tree of the cross of life is the body and blood of Jesus Christ, which He said would give us eternal life if we would eat it.
John 6:35 KJV
(35)  And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

John 6:41 KJV
(41)  The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven.


John 6:47-51 KJV
(47)  Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
(48)  I am that bread of life.
(49)  Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.
(50)  This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.
(51)  I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

John 6:53 KJV
(53)  Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.

John 6:54 KJV
(54)  Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.

And if we are what we eat, and that is most surely the case in light of how the world became the very things that the fruit of knowledge was comprised of, then we become SELFLESS LIKE JESUS when we eat of His flesh and blood.

And John said WE HAVE AN UNCTION.
  • We KNOW all things.
  • This is important, because deceivers were denying that Jesus came in flesh.
  • But WE KNOW BETTER, because WE HAVE SOMETHING DIVINELY ALIVE IN US!
  • AN UNCTION!
  • A power influencing us!
  • The world can say all that it wants about no Jesus in flesh, but the LIFE INSIDE OF US which was the same as when Jesus came in flesh in Bethlehem, IS REAL!
  • It's supernatural!
1 John 4:1-19 KJV
(1)  Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
(2)  Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
(3)  And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
(4)  Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
(5)  They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.
(6)  We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
(7)  Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
(8)  He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
(9)  In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
(10)  Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
(11)  Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
(12)  No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
(13)  Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.
(14)  And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.
(15)  Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.
(16)  And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
(17)  Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.
(18)  There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
(19)  We love him, because he first loved us.

Confessing something is the key point here.

John started out wit h this idea.

1 John 1:1-3 KJV
(1)  That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;
(2)  (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)
(3)  That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.

He saw and heard, and DECLARED IT.

He personally saw Jesus!

He knew what he spoke about when he spoke about Jesus, while such false deceivers tried telling people Jesus did not come in flesh as almighty God.

And although we never saw Jesus like John did, we can still see and confess.

1 John 4:(12)  No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
(13)  Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.
(14)  And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.

We may not have physically seen HIm, but we have seen HIm in a way that is just as powerful, because JESUS IN FLESH is God's LOVE manifested to us.
  • (9)  In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
  • And if we have something of the same LOVE God had in the flesh in dying for us, then God is in flesh again, only this time IN OUR FLESH.
(3)  And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
(4)  Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

Notice that John responds to the spirit of antichrist that confesses Jesus DID NOT come in flesh by saying we overcame those deceivers already, because GREATER IS HE THAT IS IN US than he that is in the world.
  • In other words, His POWER is inside us.
  • We LOVE FORTH a divine and supernatural love that is not of the flesh.
  • It is of God.
  • And when it comes out of our lives, THAT PROOF IS GREATER THAN ANY WORDS deceivers might speak to the contrary.
  • They say Jesus did NOT come in flesh, but greater is He that IS IN US ALREADY!!!
Antichrist is manifesting in t he world.

Jesus is manifestation not in the world, but in FLESH of people who are His new creation!

It's what is in the FLESH OF THE WORLD opposed to what is IN THE FLESH OF THE CHURCH.

Compare:

(7)  Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

(13)  Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.

LOVE IS OF GOD.

And if we have THAT LOVE in us, He has GIVEN US OF HIS SPIRIT.
  • We have the same thing that is of God in our flesh!
  • HIS LOVE.
(9)  In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
(10)  Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
(11)  Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
(12)  No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
(13)  Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.
(14)  And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.

God was manifested in flesh TO LOVE THE SOULS OF THE WORLD.
  • This love is not that we loved God, but THAT HE LOVED US!
  • It's unselfish love.
  • Love not motivated by wanting anything in return.
  • ANd although no man has seen God, when we love each other they are seeing GOD IN OUR FLESH.
  • That loving is the result of GOD BEING IN US.
  • And this is how we know that we are in HIm and He is dwelling in us.
  • We have something OF HIS SPIRIT IN OUR FLESH!
  • AND THIS IS HOW WE HAVE SEEN AND DO TESTIFY, as John did, THAT JESUS CAME!!!!
(17)  Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.
(18)  There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
(19)  We love him, because he first loved us.

This reminds me of Esther.

She had to come boldly before the throne of the king to see mercy for the jews.
  • And she was tempted with the spirit in Persia of SELF CONCERN and self exaltation.
Esther 4:11 KJV
(11)  All the king's servants, and the people of the king's provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law of his to put him to death, except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live: but I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days.

She had to fight that.
  • And the way she did it was as follows:
Esther 4:16 KJV
(16)  Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.

THREE DAYS AN D NIGHTS was what prepared her to go boldly into the throne room.

LOVE FOR OTHERS IS WHAT SHE HAD TO COME TO.
  • And the three days and nights of fasting -- of self denial -- would accomplish that.
  • There is a self love in us all, in our flesh, that we must beat down so that the love of God for others might shine through.
  • The self love is a fleshly human love, but unselfish love for others IS DIVINE and OF GOD.
The three days and nights is the work of the cross.

She would lose her fear when she fasted 3 days and nights.
  • She denied self in fasting, and this is linked to the thought of the cross so perfectly.
  • Fasting is self denial.
  • And it is associated wit the cross where Jesus performed his greatest feat of self denial.
  • Greater love has no man than giving his life for his friends.
  • And there is that LOVE FOR OTHERS again!
  • It is associated with self-denial.
  • To really get a revelation of the cross is to really experience SELF DENIAL.
Colossians 3:1-6 KJV
(1)  If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
(2)  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
(3)  For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
(4)  When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
(5)  Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
(6)  For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:

The cross is a message that WE ARE DEAD and OUR LIVES ARE HID WITH CHRIST IN GOD.
  • Do not be self-centred, "Esther, fast three days and nights and get rid of that."
  • That is like us considering the truths of the cross and realizing by doing so that we are dead and our lives are now hidden with Christ in God.
  • It's not me first but it's God's will and others first.
  • Death with Christ is associated with OUR lives hidden. and NOT in the forefront, with Christ.
And Paul said this is ABOVE THE WORLD.

What is all that is in the world?
  • SELF CENTRED symptoms of the forbidden fruit!
  • And we are ABOVE THAT.
Colossians 2:20 KJV
(20)  Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,

He speaks of being dead to the world.

Colossians 3:1-7 KJV
(1)  If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
(2)  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
(3)  For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
(4)  When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
(5)  Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
(6)  For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:
(7)  In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.

And then he says we should be involved in things ABOVE THE WORLD -- above lust of eyes, flesh and pride of life!
  • OUR lives are hidden with Christ.
  • SELF is not our concern any more.
And when Esther went through those 3 days of fasting in self denial, as we deny self when we get a revelation AGAIn of the cross and our lives crucified with Him, SHE PUT ON HER ROYAL APPAREL.

Paul said that WE ARE SEATED WITH CHRIST ABOVE THE WORLD.

(1)  If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

That right hand is the THRONE.

Verse 5 noted members on the earth -- part so four lives that are BELOW and should not exist.
  • When our members, or parts of our lives, are UPON THE EARTH, it is as though we are OF THE WORLD.
  • But we're not supposed to be OF THE WORLD.
  • If parts of our lives are still upon the earth, we need to realize FOR WHICH THINGS' SAKE THE WRATH OF GOD COMETH ON CHILDREN OF DISOBEDIENCE.
So let's get rid of them.
  • Let's kill and mortify them, since we were supposed to be dead with Christ towards the world anyway!
  • If anything of you is left still on the world, then kill it!

Colossians 3:8-15 KJV
(8)  But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
(9)  Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;
(10)  And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
(11)  Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
(12)  Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
(13)  Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
(14)  And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
(15)  And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

Put on royal apparel --- 
  • (12)  Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
  • (13)  Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
  • (14)  And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
  • (15)  And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
Esther PUT SOMETHING ON.

1 John 4:(17)  Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

Hebrews 4:16 KJV
(16)  Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Hebrews 9:12 KJV
(12)  Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

His blood speaks of his death of self denial, and thereby he went into the Most holy place.

Hebrews 10:19-20 KJV
(19)  Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
(20)  By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;

So we draw near with his same blood IN OUR SELF DENIAL.
  • His death of self denial is our death of self denial, so HIm taking His blood in his self denial is like us taking His blood BUT IN OUR self denial.