Body-Builders
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Issue 3 from |
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In this issue · Introducing “Artios Ministries” · Feedback |
Welcome to Body-Builders! This is a new series of
teaching articles intended to bless and build the Body of Christ. I trust you enjoy this
third issue, and I welcome your feedback. A Merry Christmas and a
Happy New Year to all Artios readers! George Alexander For Artios Ministries |
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Artios Ministries is, in a single statement,
committed to “getting the Word out”.
Having spoken in the past through the prophets at many times and in
various ways, in these last days, Hebrews tells us, God has spoken to us by
His Son (see Hebrews 1:1,2). In other
words, God spoke Jesus — He “got the Word out”. 1In the beginning was the
Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was with God in the
beginning. 3Through him
all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4In him was life, and that life
was the light of men. … 14The Word became flesh and
made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and
Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. Jn 1:1-4, 14 NIV “The Word became flesh” — essentially, Christmas,
the message of the Incarnation, is about “getting the Word out”! In John 1:18 we read, “No-one has ever seen
God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him
known.” He has made Him known in
three ways: As He got the word out, God’s presence
is made known The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among
us. The Word was pre-existent. He was with God, in the beginning; and He
was God. The Word became
flesh. First He was not, and
then He was. He made His dwelling
among us. The word literally says He tabernacled
among us — pitched His tent among us.
This is a strong picture of the Tent of Meeting in the time of Moses,
where God’s presence would be manifest amongst His people. He was fully man.
He did not simply seem to be human, but He actually was
human. And He was fully God. He did not in becoming human cease to be
divine. Yes, He chose to minister as
an anointed man so that He could be a model for us to follow. But He still had all His divine
attributes. What He laid aside was
the independent exercise of His divine attributes, and did only what He saw
the Father doing (see Jn 5:19). Jesus was fully man and fully God. It’s a mystery! Our minds can’t get hold of that or put it together. Poetically, many have tried. Charles Wesley wrote: “Our God
contracted to a span, incomprehensibly made man”; and again “Veiled in flesh the Godhead see, hail the
incarnate deity”. Jesus referred to His body as a living temple filled
with the presence of God. God didn’t
say, “Come into the temple where you will find My Presence”, but
rather He said, “The temple filled with My Presence will come into your
midst.” That’s the
Incarnation! And according to
Corinthians, we’re temples too — our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. This Christmas, and this year as the New Year
breaks upon us, as we get the Word out, let us each operate as a
temple of the Holy Spirit. As we
allow God in us to come through, as individuals and as a corporate
Church, we still make His Presence known.
And who knows but that your example may be the only “Jesus”
someone sees. As He got the Word out, God’s glory
is made known The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among
us. We have seen his glory, the glory
of the One and Only, who came from the Father What is glory anyway? Definitions include: splendour; triumphant honour; resplendent
brightness; honour resulting from a good opinion; God’s manifested
excellence. Hebrews 1:3 tells us that
the Son is the radiance of God’s glory. Jesus revealed His glory in the healings and
miracles and signs and wonders. This, the first of his
miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples
put their faith in him. Jn 2:11 When he heard this, Jesus
said, “This sickness will not end in death.
No, it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through
it.” Jn 11:4 Then Jesus said, “Did I not
tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” Jn 11:40 They beheld His glory at the Transfiguration. Peter and his companions
were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and
the two men standing with him. Lk 9:32 He made God’s glory known in completing the
assigned task. I have brought you glory
on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. Jn 17:4 They glimpsed the glory of Jesus. If we really see Jesus, it’s a jaw-dropping moment
that results in wide-eyed, open-mouthed wonder. Yet as we follow His example, it can be true of us too: people
can glimpse the glory of Jesus even through us. This Christmas, and this year, as we reach out in
faith for healings and miracles and signs and wonders, and see these happen
more and more through us, we make His glory known. And as we do the work God gave us to do, we make His glory
known. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of
darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the
knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. 2 Cor 4:6 In the same way, let your light shine before men,
that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Mt 5:16 As He got the Word out, God’s heart
is made known The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among
us. We have seen his glory, the glory
of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:17 says, “Grace and truth came through
Jesus Christ.” Grace is God’s free, unmerited favour. We can’t earn it, and we don’t deserve
it. It’s the goodness of God
in our badness — it’s the completeness of God in our incompleteness —
it’s the riches of God at Christ’s expense. Truth is the reality of how things are. Truth shines clarity in the midst of
confusion. Truth confronts deception
and pierces tradition. If it’s all grace, things can get fuzzy. If it’s all truth, things are too black
and white. Grace and truth belong
together. Jesus is full of grace and truth, and reveals
these in His teaching and behaviour.
Truth shines through. He
always calls it like it is. He
doesn’t compromise the truth for the sake of guarding feelings or avoiding
offence. Yet He models for us grace—unmerited
favour—a non-judgemental application of truth. The Christian message is a message of grace and truth, not law
and guilt and fear and shame. Jesus
revealed a God of grace and truth. This Christmas, and this year, as we know and
interact with Jesus for ourselves, let’s know His grace and truth. It doesn’t mean we’re passive—we reach out
in faith. But it does mean
we’re released from law and guilt and fear and shame. And as we teach, as we model, as we share Jesus
with others: let’s not be legalistic Christians; let’s not be guilt-mongering
Christians; let’s not be fear-producing Christians; let’s not be shaming
Christians. Let’s be full of grace
and truth. George Alexander December 2003 |
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News and Update
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Last month’s changes seemed to be successful, and more of the e-mails got through. This month, I’ve changed the colour scheme taking account of seasonal
traditions. I try to avoid
migraine-producing combinations, but it’s impossible to be certain. If these colours bother you, please accept
my apologies, and my assurance that it will be different next month! Several people sent me other names to add to the distribution
list. If you have received this
e-mail second-hand and would like to be subscribed, please click here and then click “send”. In case you missed Issues 1 and 2, information introducing Artios
Ministries is included again. More news and developments soon …. Return to top
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Artios
Ministries is a new ministry launched officially in October 2003. The Founder
and Director is George Alexander. For 12 years, George pastored Liberty
Church in Dunfermline, Scotland, before being released in 1997 to a wider
teaching ministry. The
aims of Artios Ministries are:
Artios
Ministries is a charitable trust recognised in Scotland as Scottish Charity
number SC 034194. |
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“Artios” is
a Greek word occurring in the New Testament. It means, “complete,
fitted, completely qualified, with all its needed parts”. It occurs,
together with another word derived from it, in 2 Timothy 3:16,17 “All
scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for
correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may
be complete, equipped for every good work.” RSV |
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Contact Information |
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Difficulties or
Comments? Just click here and let us know. |
Artios Ministries 13 Whinhill Dunfermline Fife KY11 4YZ U.K. |
01383-739537 (+44-1383-739537) |
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