By William P Goff
Well here we are brethren, already past this years feast of Unleavened Bread and now counting to our day; the day of Pentecost. Time sure is flying by for the members of the church of God. In John 1:14 we are told: “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”
When looking up the word “flesh” in my Funk & Wagnall’s International Dictionary, we read that this word flesh is defined as: “Mankind in general” “The Human Race” “Human Nature; specifically, the carnal nature of man as affected with evil inclinations.”
Now if we look up the Greek word translated “Flesh” in Zodhiates’ Greek lexicon we read the following when it speaks of the “Word” becoming Flesh: “He became man (or took human nature upon Himself) and became subject to suffering and mortality. Also, the infirmity of human nature; the corrupt nature of man subject to the filthy appetites and passions.”
Just how human was this Jesus?I want to speak a little today about “Jesus The Man”. We need to have a good understanding of just how human Jesus was when He walked this earth because we are instructed to become like Him and follow in His footsteps. Both Peter and Paul admonish us to conform to His ways, that He is our chief corner stone. But is it possible brethren for us to walk this earth as He walked? Is it possible for us to be like Him when He put on the form of a servant made in the likeness and fashion of man and walked this earth nearly 2,000 years ago? Or was there too much God in Him for us to mimic?
We need to know the answer to this question because we are approaching the time when our opportunity to walk this earth as He walked will be over. We are approaching the time when our chance to change from our old sinful ways and walk in His righteous ways will have ended. Brethren, we are approaching the most important time in the history of the church of God, “our day” the day of Pentecost and the establishing of the Kingdom of God up in heaven at the end of this age, and then the ushering in of that Kingdom to this earth. Dan 2:44. Lev 23:17, 20.
Our time to be prepared and ready to meet our Lord and Savior in the clouds at His return is rapidly approaching. If there was ever a time for the church of God to wake up and smell the roses brethren, it is now, as we approach the time when the most catastrophic events in the history of mankind are about to be unleashed upon both the heavens above and the earth below.Fables and Myths
There are a lot of fables and myths going around within the church of God, concerning just how human Jesus was, and how He was able to walk this earth in such an upright and sinless way. We, as members of the body of Christ, the church, need to comprehend exactly how He was able to accomplish that, because in order for us to fulfill our calling to be Kings to rule & Priests to teach, and to qualify to sit with Him in His throne, we need to walk this earth as He walked. We need to overcome the ways of this world, the lusts of the eyes, the lusts of the flesh, and the pride of life, just as He overcame them. Yes, Jesus was tempted in all of those ways, just like you and I are Heb 4:15.
Love of the Truth
We need truth, and a deep love for it, because the time is coming like we are told in 2nd Ths. 2:10-11 that God shall send strong delusion to those who have no love for the Truth, that they should believe a lie. What are your loves wrapped up in brethren? Are you a lover of “Truth” – “The Word of God”? Or does your love linger more around physical things like sports or some hobby? Maybe you are a collector like many out there who like to collect things like guns, or coins, or cars. Brethren, don’t allow the physical perishable corruptible material things like guns, coins, silver, or gold, or any other perishable item blur your view or deny you of the True riches that are still within reach of each and every member of the body of Christ, because soon, they will no longer be within our grasp Isa 55:6. Now let’s begin to take a look at Jesus the Man, and see just how human He was when He walked this earth nearly 2,000 years ago, as He went around healing the sick, raising the dead and preaching about the soon coming Kingdom of God. Let us see if mere human men like you and me can walk this earth as He walked.
From glory to flesh
Let’s go to John 17 please, and take a look at something that Jesus said to His Father after that last meal that He ate with His disciples before being taken, when He prayed directly to His Father while sitting there with His disciples. This is the same prayer where Jesus specifically mentions you & me to the Father in His prayer (That’s in Verse 20) But for now, I want to read Verse 5 of John 17, because that Verse speaks about “Jesus the Man” Jn. 17:5: “And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.”
Before Jesus became flesh, born of Mary in the Town of Bethlehem, before becoming a mere man, He was the Glorified Word of God up in Heaven Jn.1:1. But as we are told in Phil. 2:8, after being found in the appearance and form of a man, He humbled Himself. “And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”
Now today, Jesus is no longer a mere man like you and me. That prayer that Jesus prayed to the Father that evening was answered. He is now a Glorified God Being up in Heaven with His Father. That Glorification, that acceptance, that exaltation, was fulfilled on the Wave Sheaf offering day.
The Wave Sheaf Offering
We need to take a look at the Wave Sheaf Offering Day; because it’s not only the day that Jesus became a Glorified God Being up in heaven, but that day also had much significance for His disciples concerning some mighty power that they were given. It also sheds some light on events that are soon to transpire for the members of the body of Christ, the church.
Leviticus 23:10-11 says, “Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it.” Now we know brethren that that “Wave sheaf” offering represented Christ, The “first”, of the first fruits. And the actual crop that was waved on that day was the “Barley.” Now the barley and the wheat were both spring crops.
They were both planted first, grew first and were harvested first. But the barley ripened before the wheat, and the barley was picked or harvested first, just before the wheat, and had to be waved by the priest on a particular day. And if you had been there on that day when the priest took the sheaf of the “barley” and waved it to be accepted by God, you would have seen the priest wave it “high over his head.” He waved it high over his head because it represented something that would eventually be fulfilled up in heaven, not down here on this earth. Now until the barley was waved over the priest’s head to be accepted by God, no one could do anything with it. Now let’s go to the New Testament, and see where that Old Testament ritual was finally fulfilled. Lets go to John chapter 20 please. We need to start in verse 1 of John chapter 20 because we want to verify exactly when this took place. We just read in the Old Testament that the “Wave Sheaf” was waved on the “first day” of the Week, and we’re going to see here that the first day of the Week is when it was fulfilled. Jn. 20:1: “The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.” Yes, she went there early on the first day of the week, and saw that the stone was removed, and that Jesus’ dead body was not there in the sepulcher. Now verses 2 to 10 talks about the other disciples coming to the sepulcher, seeing that Jesus was missing, and then, as it states in verse 10, they went home. Now let’s pick up the story in verse 11. Remember we’re looking to see when the Old Testament Wave sheaf offering ritual was finally fulfilled. (We left off in verse 10 where the others went home) John 20:11: “But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, 12: And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. 13: And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him. 14: And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. 15: Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. 16: Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.”
And now let’s read verse 17, because this verse shows the fulfillment of the Old Testament ritual. “Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.” Jesus was no longer a mere man; He was raised from the dead, and not raised back to a “physical being” as a mere man, He was now a glorified spiritual member of the God Family.
Now everything that we just covered here is nothing new to us, we have understood this for many years. But now I want to point out a few other very significant things that happened on that same exact day, and maybe by looking in that direction, we can shed a little light on some things that are yet to come.
We are going to go back to John 20 and see something very significant, but first we need to realize a few things, so first lets go to Philippians chapter 2 please. In this chapter of Philippians, Paul exhorts us to be like Jesus. In Phil. 2:5 we are told to have the same mind as Jesus had. And Phil. 2:7 Is where we are told that Jesus Made Himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.
Well just how close to a man was Jesus made?
Just how close to a mere “man” was this Jesus? After all when you think about it, this Jesus didn’t seem like any ordinary man. In Canaan, He changed water into wine. On the Sea of Galilee He calmed the storm. He even “walked on water.” Let’s be reasonable here brethren, can a mere man “Walk on Water”? I guess Peter wouldn’t have to think twice to answer that question. But still, if Jesus was a mere man, how could He do all these things? Jesus even forgave people their sins, could a mere man do that, Forgive Sins? How could a mere man do that? Where would he get that kind of Power?
Let’s go to Matt. 9 please, for some answers. Mt. 9:1: “And he entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his own city. 2: And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee. 3: And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth. 4: And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? 5: For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk? 6: But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house. 7: And he arose, and departed to his house.”
Yes, there is no doubt that Jesus possessed the power to forgive sins because He did it right there in front of all those people. And it worked, that man sick of the palsy rose up, took up his bed and walked home. But how could Jesus have that mighty power to forgive sins, if He was just a mere man.
The answer brethren, is quite clear, and it’s in the very next verse: 8: “But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, (They glorified God the Father) which had given such power unto men.”
The Power comes from the Father
Brethren, Jesus was a mere man just like you and me. The only reason He was able to perform those mighty works & miracles, was because God the Father gave Him the Power. Of and by Himself, He could do nothing, like He tells us in Jn. 5:19: “Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself.” And in Jn: 5:30 Jesus said: “I can of mine own self do nothing.” Someone else did all those works brethren, someone very powerful.
Lets go back to that last night that He was with His disciples and see a little clearer, just who did all those powerful works. (John 14 please) After that last meal that He ate with His disciples, the Apostle John records the word “Father” being spoken over 20 times in chapter 14 alone. In verse 8 Philip asked Jesus to show them the Father. In verse 9 Jesus says that if you have seen me, you have seen the Father. And in verse 10, Jesus makes it very clear who exactly did all those works that Jesus the man performed. Jn: 14:10: “Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, He doeth the works.”
So it is the Father that did those works, through Jesus. Remember, He that cometh from above is above all, and testifieth of things above. The Father did this through Jesus to whom was given the spirit not by measure Jn. 3:31-34.Mighty Power Given To Others
Well how about us in His church today, do we have this power? Can we have this power? Have any other mere men been given this power like Jesus was given? Jn. 14:12: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.” Jesus was able to perform mighty works, but not of and by Himself. He was just a mere man like you and I. It was the Father that gave that power to Jesus; it was the Father that did those mighty works. And Jesus was not the only mere man that was given that power. That power was given to other mere men in the past. Even the mighty power to forgive sins has been given to other mere men in the past, and will be given to some other mere men again in the future. Lets go back to John 20:19 now please, and take a look at when this mighty power was given to other mere men in the past. On that same day that Jesus told Mary Magdalene not to touch Him (The Wave sheaf offering day) Jesus did something else that was very significant. Jn. 20:19: “Then the same day (which day? The Wave sheaf offering day) at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. 20: And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. 21: Then said Jesus to them “again,”
(This repeating that Jesus did here is very significant) Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. 22: And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Spirit. 23: Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.” On that wave sheaf offering day, after Jesus was accepted and Glorified by the Father, He then had the authority to give other “mere men” some Mighty Power, and He did! He gave power to His disciples. He even gave them the power to forgive sins.
That day is coming again brethren, when Jesus and His Father will be giving that power out again to some other mere men. But there is a condition that has to be met first, before He will distribute that power. That condition or requirement is known as “belief” which has to do with conviction, conversion, and faith. Do we possess that faith, brethren, or do we also, like the eleven, need to be “upbraided” for our “unbelief” and “hardness of heart”? Mark 16:14-18. We need to receive His testimony brethren, that He brought from above and certify and attest, that God is true Jn. 3:33. That begins with repentance, baptism, and the receiving of the gift of His holy spirit Acts 2:38, which we also need to be filled with and led with 1Jn. 4:13, Rom. 8:9, 14.Following in His footsteps
Jesus was the “First” of the “Firstfruits” But there are other firstfruits that are to be following Him in His footsteps. Are you amongst those who are trekking along that same straight and narrow path that He Himself blazed for us to follow? Or are you still stumbling along the broad and wide path on your way to total destruction? Lets conclude with one final verse brethren. It’s a verse that should make our hair stand up. “When that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.” 1Cor. 13:10. That verse is speaking about us brethren, the members of the church of God. Those four words “that which is perfect” come from only one Greek word “Teleios” meaning – fully-grown, spiritually mature, complete. The “Teleios” is one who has attained his moral end, the goal in which he was intended, namely, to have put on the same holy and righteous character of God Himself. Are we amongst them brethren? We better be, because those firstfruits who have NOT matured, who have not fully-grown in that holy righteous character of our Father, will soon be “done away.” And the Greek here for “done away” is “Katargeo” (A scary word for the called of God.) Katargeo = to be (render) entirely idle (useless) – abolish, cease, destroy, vanish away, make void.
Brethren, if any of us haven’t found that straight and narrow path yet, we better wake up and make it our top priority, before that gate is closed and locked Mt.7:14, Mat. 25:10. (Let us also pray for our fellow brethren who are still being held captive by the many hierarchal COG organizations.
Those brethren need to wake up and begin to follow the One and only True Head of the church, Jesus Christ Himself. He is the one (and only one) that we are to following, and He is the only one that we are to be pledging our allegiance to – Jer. 17:5; Ps. 146:3. (Enter article link – Who Should We Follow?)
From flesh to glory
The Wave Sheaf offering day was a very significant day. It was the day that Jesus the mere man became a Glorified God Being in the Family of God. It was also the day that Jesus gave His disciples who were just mere men, some mighty power, even the power to forgive people their sins. It’s also the day that we began counting to our day, day 50, the “Wave Loaves” offering day, the day of Pentecost, the day that we will no longer be “mere men” but (like Jesus) Glorified God beings in the Family of God. (And one may also want to note here that the “Wave Loaves” were also waved high over the priest’s head, just like the “wave sheaf” representing something that will also be taking place up in heaven, not down here on this earth.) Will we be there brethren, standing before Him, on that sea of glass? We better be because that is our calling Rv.15:2.The same as you and meSo how different was Jesus from you and me? He wasn’t all that different. O, He was God all right, but God in the flesh of a mere man, struggling to overcome and be accepted by His Father. He succeeded in doing that brethren like we are told in Rv. 3:21.
Now it is our turn to follow in His footsteps and do the same. Hoping to see you up in the clouds brethren where we will be meeting Jesus in the air, and then to head over to that sea of glass where we will be standing before Him singing Great and marvelous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.