Lesson: THE CHRISTIANS AS STAKEHOLDERS IN GOD’S VISION
MEMORY VERSE: Gen. 1:26
TEXT: Eph. 1:3-4
Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, in our likeness. and let them rule over the fish of the sea and tho birds of the air. over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” (NIV)
INTRODUCTION:
A vision is an invisible reality in the mind which, after execution, becomes a mission. God’s vision originally was to extend His administration from heaven (3rd heaven) to earth. As a result, He first of all reconstructed or developed his earth where the representative of His heavenly government (kingdom) will comfortably dwell. (cf. Gen. 1:1-26)
OBJECTIVE: At the end of the lesson, the congregation should be able to see Christians as ministers, ambassadors, divine law enforcement agents and their presence, a satellite heaven on earth.
PRESENTATION:
Step I: THE CHRISTIANS AS MINISTERS
i. God makes Christians Ministers in His government as a way of promoting and placing man above every other creature He made. (cf. Heb. 2:5-8)
ii. All the Christians on earth collectively are called ‘Church’. (cf. Heb. 3:4-6; Col. 1:18, 24; 1Pet. 2:9).
iii. The Church is the spiritual Garden of Eden or Paradise in which believers in Christ have accessed now by their faith in Christ’s message. (cf. Eph.5:3-7,32; 2Cor. 6:14-18).
iv. The Church (group of believers) is also a Ministry or work phase in which believers in Christ serve according to their various gifts. (see Rom. 12:3-8).
Step II: THE CHRISTIANS ARE AMBASSADORS
(cf. 2Cor.5:17-20)
i. We represent the home government of heaven from where we have come to the earth in order to assist all who aspire to do business with our heavenly or home government.
(a) This, we do by making the living policies of our home government known. (cf. 2Cor. 5:17-19; Matt. 28:18-20)
i. I pray for you for grace not to forget to make the reason for your existence here your priority. (cf. Rom.8:28,29)
Step III: CHRISTIANS ARE DIVINE LAW ENFORCEMENT
AGENTS
i. We are expected to guard jealously against the wresting of our King Jesus’ directives where we are. (cf. 2Cor. 11:2-4, 29; Jude 3)
ii. We must be ready to give to our host (the unbelievers) whatever the home government commands with the boldness it deserves (Eph. 6:19: Jn. 16:33; Matt. 10:19).
iii. We must correct as the need arises from time to time. (cf. 2Cor. 10:3-6; 1Cor. 5:1-2, 12, 13; 13:6).
Step IV: THE CHRISTIANS’ ABODE IS EXPECTED TO BE A SATELLITE HEAVEN
i. Among the believers, the host government (the world) witnesses the life of God. (cf. Matt. 5:38-48; Eph. 4:17-20)
ii. The joy and peace within them cannot be found anywhere else. (cf. Jn. 14:27; 16:22)
CONCLUSION:
The Christian is God’s leg, hand and mouth as well as everything the world needs for understanding their God of heaven. Everything about the Christian Faith is programmed to depict God going to man; dwelling with man; talking to man; working in man and for man. You want to know how and Who God is? Watch a Christian. God is pleased to be revealed through the Christians to the world.
EVALUATION:
1. How would you define a vision?
2. What is God’s original vision which He turned into a mission?
3. Why are the Christians divine law enforcement agents?
4. What is the relationship between the Church and the Garden of Eden?
5. In what one way is the Church a satellite heaven?
6. How can the unbelievers discover an invisible God through watching the Christians’ daily behavioural patterns?
PRAYER: Thank God for His Word and pray that no circumstance caused by spirits in the heavens will make you quit your duty post as a stakeholder in God’s dream of saving His mankind.