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Catalysts to maturity: meditation and seeing in the spiritual realm Aim Priority #2 To produce mature & stable believers. (Our Commitment to God). We need all of these Christian practices (below) to be active in our lives to help us grow and mature. Prayer; personal and communal Bible study and walking in the Spirit-see next slides. Stop taking the Lord for granted. Thanksgiving , Praise, and Worship Fellowship with believers. Recognising and operating in your own gifts We will now focus on two of the above activities for growth, one  which is a  type of  bible study, and the other Walking in the Spirit. Clean animals and clean Christians Leviticus 11:1 And the Lord spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying unto them, 2 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, These are the beasts which ye shall eat among all the beasts that are on the earth. 3 Whatsoever parts the hoof, and is cloven-footed, and chews the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat. Animals which are cloven-footed, and which also chew the cud are called clean animals and can be eaten by the Israelites. There is an interesting parallel between the clean animals and clean Christians  for if we chew the cud and learn how to be in two places at once then these things can accelerate us maturing. Catalysts to maturity 1. Chewing the cud: Meditation Psalm 1:1 Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, or set foot on the path of sinners, or sit in the seat of mockers. 2 But his delight is in the Law of the LORD, and on His law, he meditates day and night. The best way to gain maximum benefit from your bible study is to learn how to meditate on God’s word. Christian meditation is a biblical practice encouraged in both the Old and New Testament. Christian meditation helps reinforce the truth of God's Word in believers' hearts so that they remember it and live by it. The purpose of Christian meditation is to bring a believer into closer fellowship with God through a greater understanding of his Word and a deeper commitment to his will and his ways. Bible teacher Roger Price likened  bible meditation  to the process of how cattle chew the cud. Cows have 4 stomachs and as chewed grass is regurgitated back up into the cow’s mouth the cow begins to chew on it again to get the absolute maximum nutrition from it. In the same we should revisit each portion of scripture we are studying to get the maximum benefit from it. In this way the truths of scripture are absorbed into our being which cause us to grow and mature. Meditation is a practice that should occur daily according to Psalm 1. The words of Scripture are not merely to be read but to be heard  and are meant to go to our heart! Muttering: Psalm 1 opens with a blessing on the man who “meditates day and night” on the law (Ps. 1:2). The word the psalmist uses for “meditates” means “to mutter.” St Augustine translated verse 2 with the catchy phrase “on his law he chatters day and night.” From this we understand that biblical meditation requires the use of both mind and mouth. Personally applied, this tells us that along with our systematic reading of the Bible, we ought to select especially meaningful passages to reverently mutter over (can be a verse or passage). Catalysts to maturity 2- Bilocation We need to become aware that believers live in two places at once i.e. in the spiritual realm and also in the natural realm.  Ephesians 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, What I mean is that our lives are lived and governed in two places which are firstly in heaven and secondly on earth. We need to walk in both places. Some believers are so earth-bound that they are not aware of the spiritual realm in heaven. They forget that they need to walk in and live the heavenly realities as well such as all believers are seated in heavenly places. Spiritual truth may appear to contradict natural truth. When you are seated in your local church, you are also seated in heavenly places in Jesus Christ. Amen Chariots of Fire 2 Kings 6:15 And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” 16 So he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” 17 And Elisha prayed, and said, “Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. Elisha was walking in two dimensions, but the servant’s eyes could only see the natural circumstances. Elisha had been reading the Psalms, particularly Psalm 91. The servant lacked the information that Elisha had. You might not be able to see the angels guarding the people of your local church family at present, but they are with you right now. Lord open our eyes that we may see all your protection and provision. We get our facts about the spiritual realm from the bible. We need to realise that the things that the Lord says about the spiritual realm in the bible are just as true, if not more so than what we can learn from our five senses. We need to be real about the spiritual realm as well as the natural realm and this will help us to grow and mature. Amen Personal Prayer Acknowledgement This study is a modified version from the following bible studies. Roger Price Fellowship Life Series Aims and Vision TaFLS 05. Roger Price  Special Topics Series   Christian Maturity  STS 141.

By Staff Blogger Steve Green   Dear Kenny, Thanks for your letter and your honesty, when you shared  “I don’t think anyone can be sure about God’s existence.” I can relate to this, there was a time in my life when I had doubts about God’s existence. During this period,  I experienced a series of significant personal setbacks. Things I held dearly, were slipping away from me . When I was at my lowest ebb and in considerable pain, I cried out to God, wondering if anyone would hear my cry. God heard my cry and responded.  Why on that particular day did God heard my cry ? . CS Lewis says, “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world” (1) . With the chaos and pain in my life, God was able to speak directly to me, certainly that was how it felt. I felt God say, I should read John 3, a well-known chapter in the Bible, which speaks of having an entirely fresh start in life, once you accept Jesus as your saviour. Jesus says in John 3:17 “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” The words of Jesus became real and alive to me, from that moment on, my belief in God was unshakable. Whilst my belief is based on my personal experience and relationship with God, I take comfort in the fact the Bible contains no scientifically incorrect statements. There are also numerous examples of the Bible referencing science, thousand of years before man understood the science. Pleiades In Job 38:31 , God is talking to Job about his creation and omnipotence, he says: “Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades ? Can you loosen Orion’s belt ?.” At the time, this statement would have made little sense. Pleiades also known as the Seven Sisters is a gravitationally bound star cluster, which means, the stars of Pleiades move through space together due to their mutual gravitational influence . Galileo Galilei was the first man to view Pleiades using a telescope and commented “the galaxy is nothing else, but a mass of innumerable stars planted together in clusters ” (2). However God knew the stars in Pleiades were held together by gravity  or as God described it at the time “Chains.”  Unlike Galileo, God knew exactly how many stars are in the sky, as God made a promise to Abraham that his dependents would be as numerous as the stars in the sky (3). Orion’s belt is an unbound asterism, a group of stars with no gravitational attraction or as God put it, “loosened Orion’s belt” as the stars freely move apart. God documented this scientific phenomenon in the Bible, thousands of years before Scientist became aware of the same phenomena. I am unable to explain how the Bible documented the movement of Pleiades, thousands of years before humans became aware that Pleiades was a bounded system, without reference to God and his omniscience.   The water cycle is the process by which water is continuously transferred between the surface of the earth and the atmosphere. The Met Office describe the Water Cycle (4) as: The sun warms the water on the surface of the planet; the water then vaporises and rises into the Earth’s atmosphere. The Water vapour will then return to liquid water or some variation (snow, ice, hail, or sleet) and fall to the Earth, where the water will gather in rivers and be transferred back to the sea. I have in very simplistic terms described the Water Cycle, which was first documented by Bernard Palissy in 1580 (5). Yet thousand of years before this, God wrote in the book of Ecclesiastes “All streams flow into the sea, yet the sea is never full. To the place the streams come from, there they return again.” (6), How could the book of Ecclesiastes give a very brief overview of the Water Cycle, thousands of years before Bernard Palissy first documented the process ? I believe that only God had this knowledge at this time.   I find the Scientific discoveries referenced in the Bible fascinating and interesting discussion points; However they may not be the conclusive proof you require. You have doubts about the very existence of God and that can only be addressed by communication between you and God. If you will get down on your knees and pray words to the effect of “God, you know my heart, you know the doubts I have, if you do exist then I want you in my life. God please come and change my heart and lead me on a path where I can learn more about you. The Bible says you are “Gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.” Lord be gracious and have compassion on me and change my life forever.”   If sincerely prayed, your request will determine the issue. If God does not exist, your prayer is a sincere request to the atmosphere and heard by no one else. However if God does exist, you are about to begin the most wonderful life transforming journey, beyond your wildest expectations. As Jesus comes into your heart, the same promises he made in the Bible chapter John 3, will become available to you. A new start full of hope, a love that changes you and a true purpose in your life.   My friend, take your doubts to God in prayer and let him reassure you, as a loving Father would do with a doubting child.   You will remain in my prayers daily.   Your friend   Steve   Citations (1) C.S. Lewis, The problem with pain. “We can ignore even pleasure. But pain insists upon being attended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world....No doubt pain as God's megaphone is a terrible instrument; it may lead to final and unrepented rebellion. But it gives the only opportunity the bad man can have for amendment. it removes the veil; it plants the flag of truth within the fortress of the rebel soul.” (2)– Galileo Galilei, Sidereus Nuncius 1610. (3) Genesis 15:5 He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” (4) Met Office Website - https://weather.metoffice.gov.uk/learn-about/weather/how-weather-works/water-cycle (5) Bernard Palissy, Discours Admirables (1580). (6) Ecclesiastes 1:7

Aim 1. To  show your love for the Lord. (Our Commitment to God). Aim 2. To produce mature & stable believers. (Our Commitment to God). The first pair of aims #1 and #2 are to show our love for the Lord and to produce stable and mature Christians. These  show our real  commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ. And that comes tops. That is the first thing. Remember, please, that  we are here for His pleasure . We are here to love Him. We are here to worship him. We are here to adore Him. The head is here to receive from the body all that it ought to receive. Our primary function is that of our first commitment to God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. Explanation of the priorities [God-Church-World]  of the Aims You will notice in the Bible  that this is the order [God-Church-World] that is given in many places. In John 15 where Jesus spoke about the vine, he said I am the vine. If you read that carefully, You'll notice the first part He deals with abiding in him. It is about being in fellowship with the Lord and really having a strong relationship with him. And after he is dealt with that, he then goes on to talk about our relationships with one another. And then having dealt with our relationships with an another, he then finally goes on to the testimony to the world. [God]  John 15:4 KJV Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. [Church] John 15:12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. [World] John 15:26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. 27 And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning. Correct priority order in Colossians Do you know the first half of the book of Colossians is all about with the person of Christ? It is how glorious he is, how wonderful he is, you know, how everything centred in him, how all our vision has got to be of Him. It goes right through into chapter 3:1  says if you then be risen with Christ, seek those things that are above, get occupied up there. Do not get occupied down here. He is the head of the body, the church who is the beginning, the first born from the dead, that in all things he might have the pre-eminence. In all things, He has got to have the pre-eminence in everything. Jesus has got to come first. In everything in our lives, He's got to be the first one. He has got to be considered before anyone else. in Colossians 3:12 that you start dealing with our relationships with one another : Put on, therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering for bearing one another, forgiving one another. If any man have a quarrel against you, even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And what he is saying is in our relationships with one another think about Christ and when you see how Christ works so it will look influence your life . Then finally in Colossians 4.:3-5, you get testimony to the world. The order here [GOD-Church-World] is in the correct order of priority. [God] Colossians 3:1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. [Church] Colossians 3:12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another… [World] Colossians 4:3 meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains, 4that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.5 Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time.  A similar order can also be found in Ephesians. Q. How do we know the correct order of our aims ?  A. We find it in various scriptures. First and greatest commandment is about how we ought to love the Lord God with our whole beings. Matthew 22:37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” The Shorter Westminster Catechism below shows the chief aim of humankind, which is to glorify God. He is our number one priority.                         Westminster shorter catechism: Q1. What is the chief end of man? A1. Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever. Amen Personal Prayer In Part 3 we discover two catalysts for Christian maturity. Acknowledgement This study is a modified version from the following bible studies. Roger Price Fellowship Life Series Aims and Vision TaFLS 05. Roger Price  Special Topics Series   Christian Maturity  STS 141.

No vision Many Christian fellowships are not sure what direction that they are travelling. If we aim at nothing, we will hit it every time! I am sure you will agree that you in your own Christian fellowship will want to be involved in the fulfilment of the aims and vision of your local fellowship. To help us in our own fellowships we need to get our aims and priorities correct and be working together to bring in God's aims and vision for our local church fellowship. Aims and Vision definitions. Aims= in a natural sense these are our goals in life e.g. to get a better job, a better house, or car etc. These are often quite materialistic and even selfish, but the Lord also has godly aims for each of our lives. Vision = when we mix God’s aims for our lives with faith these aims turn into a vision. We all need a vision to live our best lives for God. God will empower your faith-filled vision and bring it into being eventually. Most people have some natural life aims but often fail to fulfil them which can lead to disappointment. Proverbs 29:18 KJV “Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keeps the law, happy is he.” Without a long-term plan—without a vision—people are doomed to wander aimlessly. This is talking about a prophetic message from the Lord that causes us to add faith to our God given aims and produces that prophetic vision. This verse emphasizes the extraordinary value of God's Word and the revelation of God and His law as given to us. It is talking about the importance of having a vision and a revelation of God's will, which was communicated to the people through prophets before the Bible was complete. Six Godly aims of effective Christian Churches 1.To show your love for the Lord. (Our Commitment to God). 2. To produce mature & stable believers. (Our Commitment to God). 3. To incite Christians to love and good works.(Our commitment to one another). 4. To care for the poor members. Widows, orphans & poor. (Our commitment to one another). 5. Preach the Gospel. (Our Commitment to the World, Jesus Died to save). 6. To do good in the world. (Our Commitment to the World, Jesus Died to save). God has his aims for every Christian church; these aims help us form God’s vision for our local church > In time God  will make sure that it tour vision comes to pass if we stay faithful. These six aims can be neatly split into 3 pairs (numbers 1 and 2, numbers 3 and 4, and 5 and 6.  The split into three  pairs is  performed on a strict priority basis . In other words, we must be doing aims 1 and 2 , before we can progress onto 3 and 4, and then move onto 5 and 6 when the first four are working. Churches that function outside the given order (above)  by say putting evangelism as their top priority will usually fail. Achieving our aims/visions in the correct order is vital. Amen Personal Prayer In Part 2 of this study  we explore our top two aims in order of priority   Acknowledgement This study is a modified version collated from the following bible studies. Roger Price Fellowship Life Series Aims and Vision TaFLS 05. Roger Price  Special Topics Series   Christian Maturity  STS 141.

Things to remember when your faith is hanging by a thread or your faith candle is smouldering out As Christians we all appear to go through times when we seem to be getting overwhelmed by the circumstances or by the difficulties in our lives. Disappointment, rejection, apparent failure, illness, stress, family and financial problems to name but a few of the things that come against God's people. This may give us a feeling that God is somewhat distant, uninvolved or uncaring or at worst he has forgotten about you. But is this true? How does God feel about us when we are hanging by a thread? Let us turn to His word to see how God feels and how God deals with His people when they feel that they are hanging by a thread. Isaiah 42:1 Behold my servant, whom I uphold; my elect, in whom my soul. delights: I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgement to the Gentiles. 2 He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. 3 A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgement unto truth. 4 He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he has set judgement in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law. Jesus, your Jesus, my Jesus, our Jesus, mild and yet so strong, not seeking to draw attention to himself. Quietly going about his father’s business, not striving by his flesh for the weapons of his warfare are not carnal but mighty. through God to the pulling down of strongholds. Jesus is patient and kind. towards his own, and you are his own! When we are crushed and bruised, he sets a limit. Precious spices and ointments need to be crushed to give their aroma! He never allows us to be tempted above. our measure. Remember the story of Joseph and his brothers. When your faith flame is only smouldering, he will not put it out, he never intended to, quite the opposite. The devil means to break us and snuff out our light (this little light of mine) but Jesus wants us to be whole and to burn brightly with a pure light. Matthew 12:17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying, 18 Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall show judgement to the Gentiles. 19 He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets. 20 A bruised reed shall he not break , and smoking flax shall he not quench , till he sends forth judgement unto victory. 21 And in his name shall the Gentiles trust. Jesus shows power and grace in bearing up the weak and the suffering, to produce perseverance, but never to kill or destroy our faith in him. Sometimes, God needs to deal with the comfort in our lives to confront and destroy our pride of life, complacency, self sufficiency, wrongful dependence on others. Ultimately whatever we go through it is for our benefit as it says in Romans 8:28. Although a wonderful truth this does not make it easy for us but produces confidence that in the end it will be for our benefit and blessing. In his name the Gentiles trust, are you trusting him today in your particular situation? The reed is made up of long strands or filaments but when enough of them are. bruised or broken the reed just snaps in two and is no use for its purpose. Reeds can made into papyrus which as you know was the ancient world’s version of paper. God wants to heal your broken strands so that he can write his gospel message of love on you and in you. You are God's perfumed living love letter to your fellow. man and woman! Amen God does not kill or destroy his own wounded. He binds up the broken-hearted and restores us to wholeness. Do you remember Elton John’s song ‘candle in the wind’, In the song the woman's flame is tossed to and fro with absolutely no control. However Jesus tells us that we are the light of the world…and yet it seems that problems and difficulties in our lives seem to cut off the either the air or the flow of wax vapour. In the case of the flax, smouldering is the final stage before the flame is extinguished. When we feel we are hanging by a thread or our faith is about to smoulder out, Jesus comes to strengthen and breathe his life into us again. At school, in the chemistry class, the test for oxygen was that it relit a glowing or smouldering taper. So the awareness of the presence of Jesus Christ by his spirit relights our love and faith in God. We just need to get into his presence and allow the oxygen of his love to re-ignite our hearts . We must remember all his precious promises to us! Then we can go on to be once again Gods love letter, living and perfumed. epistles to our fellow man and bring the light of the world into the hearts of the unbelievers. Jesus does not just want to keep you hanging by a thread or smouldering but wants to bring you back into fullness, whole and burning brightly! Strong and gentle Jesus! Make us whole and burning brightly for you today. Amen Prayer

Things to remember when you are hanging by a thread. As Christians we all appear to go through times when we seem to be getting overwhelmed by the circumstances or by the difficulties in our lives. Disappointment, rejection, apparent failure, illness, stress, family and financial problems to name but a few of the things that come against God's people. This may give us a feeling that God is somewhat distant, uninvolved or uncaring or at worst he has forgotten about you. But is this true? How does God feel about us when we are hanging by a thread? Let us turn to His word to see how God feels and how God deals with His people when they feel that they are hanging by a thread. Isaiah 42:1 Behold my servant, whom I uphold; my elect, in whom my soul. delights: I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgement to the Gentiles. 2 He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. 3 A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgement unto truth. 4 He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he has set judgement in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law. Jesus, your Jesus, my Jesus, our Jesus, mild and yet so strong, not seeking to draw attention to himself. Quietly going about his father’s business, not striving by his flesh for the weapons of his warfare are not carnal but mighty. through God to the pulling down of strongholds. Jesus is patient and kind. towards his own, and you are his own! When we are crushed and bruised, he sets a limit. Precious spices and ointments need to be crushed to give their aroma! He never allows us to be tempted above. our measure. Remember the story of Joseph and his brothers. When your flame is only smouldering, he will not put it out, he never intended to, quite the opposite. The devil means to break us and snuff out our light (this little light of mine) but Jesus wants us to be whole and to burn with a pure light. Matthew 12:17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying, 18 Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall show judgement to the Gentiles. 19 He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets. 20 A bruised reed shall he not break , and smoking flax shall he not quench , till he sends forth judgement unto victory. 21 And in his name shall the Gentiles trust. Jesus shows power and grace in bearing up the weak and the suffering, to produce perseverance, but never to kill or destroy our faith in him. Sometimes, God needs to deal with the comfort in our lives to confront and destroy our pride of life, complacency, self sufficiency, wrongful dependence on others. Ultimately whatever we go through it is for our benefit as it says in Romans 8 28. Although a wonderful truth this does not make it easy for us but produces confidence that in the end it will be for our benefit and blessing. In his name the Gentiles trust, are you trusting him today in your particular situation? The reed is made up of long strands or filaments but when enough of them are. bruised or broken the reed just snaps in two and is no use for its purpose. Reeds can made into papyrus which as you know was the ancient world’s version of paper. God wants to heal your broken strands so that he can write his gospel message of love on you and in you. You are God's perfumed living love letter to your fellow. man! Amen God does not kill or destroy his own wounded. He binds up the broken-hearted and restores us to wholeness. Do you remember Elton John’s song ‘candle in the wind’, In the song the flame is tossed to and fro with absolutely no control. However Jesus tells us that we are the light of the world…and yet it seems that problems and difficulties in our lives seem to cut off the either the air or the flow of wax vapour. In the case of the flax, smouldering is the final stage before the flame is extinguished. When we feel we are hanging by a thread or our faith is about to smoulder out, Jesus comes to strengthen and breathe his life into us again. At school, in the chemistry class, the test for oxygen was that it relit a glowing or smouldering taper. So the awareness of the presence of Jesus Christ by his spirit relights our love and faith in God. We just need to get into his presence and allow the oxygen of his love to re-ignite our hearts. We must remember all his precious promises to us! Then we can go on to be once again Gods love letter, living and perfumed. epistles to our fellow man and bring the light of the world into the hearts of the unbelievers. Jesus does not just want to keep you hanging by a thread or smouldering but wants to bring you back into fullness. Whole and burning brightly! Strong and gentle Jesus! Make us whole and burning brightly for you today. Amen Prayer

Jesus was declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. 1 Corinthians 15:29 “What will they do who are baptized for the dead, if the dead do not rise at all? Why then are they baptized for the dead?” Derek Prince says that there is no absolutely guaranteed explanation of this verse, but his understanding of this is a situation in which a person is saved through faith in Jesus but cannot be baptized, as for instance a criminal awaiting execution. The man is led to the Lord in the execution area, but he cannot be baptized so another person can, by proxy, be baptized for him. Prince says that is his theory.  But Paul says, “If there is no resurrection, why do we bother about this man that has been executed. Just let him be die.” This verse causes me to think of the practice of the LDS (Mormon) faith who routinely are baptised for countless dead people over many years. 1 Corinthians 15:30 “And why do we stand in danger every hour? I affirm, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.” The Apostle Paul did not unduly worry about all the many dangers constantly in his life because he was certain that after death he would be resurrected. 1 Corinthians 15:35 “But someone will say, ‘How are the dead raised up? And with what body do they come?’” 36 “Foolish one, what you sow is not made alive unless it dies. And what you sow, you do not sow the body that shall be, but mere grain—perhaps wheat or some other grain. But God gives it a body as He pleases, and to each seed its own body.” So, the resurrection is like putting a grain of wheat or other seed into the ground. The body that you bury is not the body that is going to come up. There is a relationship but there is more difference than there is similarity. And when you put that precious form into the earth, you are sowing it, but it is going to come up altogether different, something glorious! 1 Corinthians 15:38 “But God gives it a body as He pleases, and to each seed its own body. 39 All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one kind of flesh of men, and another flesh of beasts, another of fish, and another of birds.” 40 “There are also heavenly bodies and earthly bodies; but the glory of the heavenly is one, and the glory of the earthly is another. 41 There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differs from another star in glory.” Daniel 12:2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, Some to everlasting life, Some to shame and everlasting contempt. 3 Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, And those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever. v.38 So there are different kinds of flesh. We are buried with one kind of flesh. We are raised with a different kind of body. And Paul says there are different kinds of bodies.  So, in the resurrection there are going to be many different kinds of stars. Some will be brighter and more glorious than others. The resurrection predicted in Daniel chapter 12:2-3. So, Paul is referring to that when he says, “As stars different from one another in magnitude and glory and brightness, so will be the resurrection.” Every one of us will have glory, but those who have turned many to righteousness will shine as the stars forever and ever. One thing we need to bear in mind is God is a Rewarder. We do not work for rewards, but there is a reward. We are not working for the sake of what we get but what we get will be in exact proportion to our faithfulness in this life; every one of us including you and me. The resurrection body shows 5 major changes. 1 Corinthians 15:42 “So also, is the resurrection of the dead.     1]The body is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption.”      2] v43 “It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory.”      3] “It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power.”      4]  v44 “It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body.”     v53 “For this corruptible must put on incorruption, [we have already seen that]      5] and this mortal must put on immortality.” Change 1: Corruption means it is perishable. It decays. The body that is buried is a decaying body. The body that will be resurrected does not decay. It is incapable of decay. It will last for eternity. Change 2: Really there is nothing honourable about a human corpse. Let us be honest. It is not something we want to think about or dwell on. It is the result of human sin. It is sown in dishonour but praise God it is raised how? in glory! Amen. What a change from dishonour to glory. Change 3: How weak we are. The strongest of us is so weak. And when we pay our last debt to sin, we die, that is the ultimate expression of weakness. There is nothing weaker than a dead body. “It is sown in weakness, but it is raised in power.” Change 4: There is a natural body and there is a spiritual body. Now unfortunately the English translation is misleading. The word that is translated natural is directly derived from the Greek word for soul. It is sown a soulish body; it is raised a spiritual body. Natural does not tell us anything. Soulish is what we need to know. It is sown a soulish body; it is raised a spiritual body. Change 5: That is a change from mortal which is subject to death to immortal which is not subject to death. When we are resurrected - no more death. Moving on from 1 Corinthians Chapter 15 we now turn to Romans. Romans 1:1 Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God 2 which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, 3 concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, 4 and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. v.3 Jesus Christ naturally speaking was the son of David or the son of Man but after the resurrection the Father calls him the Son of God. God sent his son Jesus Christ into the world born of a woman with a natural family tree of the seed of David and was born under the Law. This Jesus Christ was obedient to Father God through all his short life even unto his sacrificial death on the cross but when God raised him from the dead, he was declared to be the Son of God. v.3+4 show the hypostatic union, Jesus is both man and God. v.4 At the moment of resurrection, God the Father and God the Holy Spirit fully endorsed him as the only begotten Son of the Father giving Jesus Christ a unique status and hence mighty power. The Resurrection is God’s solemn ‘Amen’ to the tremendous claims which Christ had made (McLaren’s Commentary). And now moving to 1 Thessalonians 1Thessalonians 4:13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. Paul is reassuring the Thessalonian Christians about what happens to believers who die before the return of Jesus Christ. Unlike the unbelievers, who have no hope of seeing their loved ones again, those who trust in Christ are only temporarily separated (1 Thessalonians 4:13). The hope of life beyond the grave rests firmly upon the belief that Jesus conquered death by rising from the dead. Amen Personal Prayer     Materials Consulted Alexander McLaren’s Commentary Derek Prince The Resurrection https://www.derekprince.com/sermons/331

A study of 1 Corinthians 15-the Resurrection Chapter The most puzzling thing about the resurrection of Jesus Christ is why Christians tend to only speak about it at Easter. This was not the case when the Apostle Paul was preaching. The Church is increasingly changing the expression Easter to Resurrection, e.g. Resurrection Sunday etc. I welcome this. Jesus is the risen King who is victorious over death, recognized by His disciples, validated by Scripture, and enthroned over all creation. That truth changes our faith, theology, and life. The resurrection also changes our practical living. The resurrection is not just a doctrine to believe, but a truth should change our behavior. Prophecy about the Resurrection Hosea 6:1 Come and let us return to the Lord; For He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up. 2 After two days He will revive us; On the third day He will raise us up, That we may live in His sight. (NKJV) Hosea chapter 6:2 says specifically the third day, and it says not merely that He will be resurrected, but that we will be resurrected because His resurrection is the guarantee of our resurrection. Commentators apply various themes to this passage. However, many (including Derek Prince) believe this is talking about the resurrection by which believers will live again in the presence of God. Possible other analogies to the Resurrection include 3 days in the belly of the great fish (Jonah) etc.     We now turn to the Resurrection chapter of the Bible i.e. 1 Corinthians 15. 1 Corinthians 15: 3 “For I delivered to you first of all [or as the first importance] that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.” Notice the highest single authority for the resurrection is the Scriptures. That is always the highest authority for any truth. And Paul says twice, according to the Scriptures, according to the Scriptures. And the final authority is the Scriptures. Amen 1 Corinthians 15:5 “And that He was seen by Cephas [that’s Peter] then by the twelve [apostles]. 6 After that he was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. 7 After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. 8 Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time.” According to Jewish law two dependable male witnesses are sufficient to attest the truth of any. And God has given us far more than two dependable witnesses. On top of the witness of the Scriptures we have the witness of the people who actually saw Jesus after He was risen from the dead, more than five hundred persons. 1 Corinthians 15:12 “Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some of you say that there is not resurrection of the dead? [This was a false teaching which had already crept into the church in the time of Paul that there is no resurrection.] 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. 14 And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is vain, and your faith is also vain. 15 Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up—if in fact the dead do not rise. 16 For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. 17 And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!  18 Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.” Faith in the resurrection is essential for salvation. If you do not believe in the resurrection, you are not saved, and you cannot be saved. Remember that Romans 10:9 (says) that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 1 Corinthians 15:22 “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. [All will be resurrected eventually.] 23 But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, [that’s number one] [number two] afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming. [Number three] 24 Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father...” The Resurrection has abolished death. Hallelujah!So, there are three successive main phases. Number one is Jesus the firstfruits, the guarantee of our resurrection. Number two those who are Christ’s at His coming. When He returns, they will be caught up to meet Him in the air and will be with Him forever. And finally, as described in Revelation chapter 1 there is the judgment of the Great White Throne when all the remaining dead are called forth to appear before God and answer for the lives that they have lived. Amen Personal Prayer In Part 2 we consider the changes that occur with the resurrected body. Materials Consulted Alexander McLaren’s Commentary https://www.lifeway.com/en/articles/sermon-resurrection-changes-everything-luke-24 published by LIFEWAY. Derek Prince The Resurrection https://www.derekprince.com/sermons/331

The Status and Responsibilities of Citizens in the Kingdom of Heaven: Ambassadors for Christ 1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvellous light; 10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. In the same way that Queen Esther obtained royalty for such a time as this so that we as the church of Jesus Christ have also obtained royalty for such a time as this. Let us examine the key phrases in 1 Peter 2:9: 1. Chosen Race : Being part of a “chosen race” means that God selected His people for a special purpose. This is not about ethnicity but about belonging to God’s family. 2. Royal Priesthood : This signifies that believers have direct access to God. We are called to serve Him and represent Him to the world. 3. Holy Nation : As a “holy nation,” we are called to live according to God’s standards, setting an example for others. 4. People for His Own Possession : This indicates that we belong to God. Our lives are not our own; they are meant to glorify Him. 5. Proclaim His Praises : The ultimate purpose of our identity as described in this verse is to share the good news of Jesus Christ with others. 2 Corinthians 5:18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. 2 Corinthians 5:20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ , as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. 21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. An ambassador lives in the foreign country, but he/she absolutely, in every way, represents his home country. Ambassadors must live, behave, and speak to remarkably high standards as they represent their home nation at all times whilst they are in another country. If ambassadors attend a royal event, they will wear the absolute best clothes and have the best cars e.g. a Rolls Royce. Why does everything need to be the best because they are representing their country. Now, if that is true of us in the natural, how much more is it true of us as far as the Kingdom in God/heaven is concerned? How much more should the Church today represent the Kingdom of God here on this earth? We as ambassadors of The Kingdom of God need to face up to our responsibilities and do nothing to give a bad witness to the people of this world. Perhaps suggesting the Church of Jesus Christ is anything but glorious, victorious, and powerful body of people. As ambassadors we ought to be continually thrilled by what King Jesus is saying about his kingdom and church. And only say that about the church and the gospel which Jesus says. Amen Even a sales representative today will only show you his/her best products and services. We have received the Spirit of Adoption Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. Note the balance in the Kingdom of God, if we suffer with Him, we may also be glorified together. May the Kingdom of God be seen is us and through us. Kingdom Prayer Abba Father, we come to you in the precious name of Jesus Christ and thanking you for being part of your church (your called out ones). We thank you that you have made us citizens of your Kingdom.     Lord, we thank you for making us part your glorious church and that you have made us a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation.     Lord, we thank you that you have entrusted us with wonderful ministry of reconciliation of the lost and indeed you have made us ambassadors for Christ.     Abba Father help us to be faithful in all that you have called us to and to bring glory to you in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen Personal Prayer

The resurrection changed everything Perhaps the most puzzling thing about the resurrection of Jesus Christ is why Christians tend to only speak about it at Easter. This was not the case when the Apostle Paul was preaching; Acts 17:16 Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him when he saw that the city was given over to idols. 17 Therefore he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and with the Gentile worshipers, and in the marketplace daily with those who happened to be there. 18 Then [ b ] certain Epicurean and Stoic philosophers encountered him. And some said, “What does this babbler want to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign gods,” because he preached to them Jesus and the resurrection. Paul mentioned the resurrection and Jesus so much that these pagans thought he was talking about two Gods, one called ‘Jesus’ and the other ‘Resurrection’! An American pastor has rightly said ‘ the resurrection changed everything’ ! After the resurrection Jesus’ ramshackle band of disciples began to ‘turn the world upside down’. There are perhaps different approaches we can take when we consider the resurrection. Today I want to focus in on a few scriptures that give insight into its meaning and purpose. Death the last enemy has been destroyed by the resurrection of Jesus Christ 1 Corinthians 15:20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. 23 But each one in his own order: Christ the first fruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming. 24 Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. 25 For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. 26 The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. 27 For “He has put all things under His feet.”[ a ] But when He says “all things are put under Him, ” it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted. 28 Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all. Effects of Denying the Resurrection 1 Cor 15:29 Otherwise, what will they do who are baptized for the dead, if the dead do not rise at all? Why then are they baptized for the dead? 30 And why do we stand in jeopardy every hour? 31 I affirm, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. 32 If, in the manner of men, I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantage is it to me? If the dead do not rise, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!” Paul is saying if there was no resurrection then we are simply wasting our time and we would be as well simply leading natural lives the same as the unbelievers. The Father God has declared that Jesus Christ is His Son by resurrecting Him from the dead. Romans 1:1 1 Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God 2 which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, 3 concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, 4 and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. Jesus Christ naturally speaking was the son of David or the son of Man but after the resurrection the Father calls him the Son of God. God sent his son Jesus Christ into the world born of a woman with a natural family tree of the seed of David and was born under the Law. This Jesus Christ was obedient to Father God through all his short life even unto his sacrificial death on the cross but when God raised him from the dead, he was declared to be the Son of God. At the moment of resurrection God the Father and God the Holy Spirit fully endorsed him as the only begotten Son of the Father giving Jesus Christ a truly unique status and hence power. That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection Philippians 3:4 though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: 5 circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; 6 concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. 7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection , and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Please note that Lazarus was resuscitated i.e. he came back to a natural life and eventually died. Jesus Christ was resurrected into a new type of life which would never see death again and conferred various supernatural powers such as being able to appear in locked rooms. v10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection , Paul longed to progressively and intimately come to know Jesus Christ (the Greek word for know is ginosko and was used to describe the relationship between a husband and wife) and the power of his resurrection. This power was much more than needed to simply resuscitate someone like Lazarus i.e. simply recombining his spirit and body to form a living soul but the power to raise Jesus Christ from the dead into an indestructible and everlasting life. If the resurrection power of God is still available to God’s people then just think what this level of power might be able to achieve in other areas of our lives such as in failed relationships, healing of the body and mind, and to bring all sorts of dead situations back to life! What do you think? Amen Prayer

Citizens of the Kingdom of God have direct access to our King Jesus Our Citizenship The Church is a nation. Acts 15:13 And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me: 14 Simeon (Simon Peter) hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. God’s church comes from many nations. The church is not the Kingdom but rather the fruit of the Kingdom. Often the best people to evangelize any nation is usually nationals from that country. The church of Jesus Christ is multinational and together we form a new nation. God has called out his church (ekklésia) to serve his Kingdom. The value of Citizenship in the Roman/Greek Empires Acts 22:26 When the centurion heard that, he went and told the commander, saying, “Take care what you do, for this man is a Roman." 27 Then the commander came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman?” He said, “Yes.” 28 The commander answered, “With a large sum I obtained this citizenship.” And Paul said, “But I was born a citizen.” 29 Then immediately those who were about to examine him withdrew from him; and the commander was also afraid after he found out that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him. Paul states his Roman citizenship repeatedly in Acts of the Apostles. When he does, the reactions of those around him are very telling. When Paul and Silas are released from prison in Acts 16, Paul declares that both he and Silas are Roman citizens. Paul says that the magistrates “have beaten us in public, uncondemned, men who are Roman citizens, and have thrown us into prison; and now are they going to discharge us in secret? Certainly not! Let them come and takes us out themselves!” When Paul’s words are relayed to the magistrates “they were afraid when they heard that [Paul and Silas] were Roman citizens; so [the magistrates] came and apologized to them.” Similarly, when Paul is accused of bringing gentiles into the Temple and arrested, he tells the Roman tribune of his citizenship. Paul is about to be flogged and had been “tied…up with thongs, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, ‘Is it legal for you to flog a Roman citizen who is uncondemned?’” The centurion fetched the tribune who “asked Paul, ‘Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?’ And [Paul] said, ‘Yes.’” The tribune, still suspicious, states that “it cost [him] a large sum of money to get [his] citizenship.” Paul, however, states that he was “born a citizen.” The reaction among the Romans was instant. “Immediately, those who were about to flog [Paul] drew back from him; and the tribune also was afraid, for he realized that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had bound him.” Roman Citizens were of remarkably high status and had various privileges, the highest of which was the right to appeal to Caesar in person! You could even say the right to speak to Caesar! Paul did eventually appeal to Caesar. Citizens of the Kingdom of God NIV Philippians 3:20 But our citizenship  is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,                                           versus KJV Philippians 3:20 For our conversation  is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:              Phil 3:20 citizenship/conversation =  politeuma When we were born again, we immediately had citizenship of the Kingdom of God/Heaven conferred on us. What a privilege! Although the NIV is more accurate for this verse, it is interesting the KJV of Philippians 3:20 reflects well our ability to speak to our King- King Jesus. We can appeal to King Jesus as part of our Kingdom rights and come boldly into the holy of holies in time of trouble! Proof that the Church is a Nation Here are 3 pieces of evidence that the Church is a nation. 1.    It has a king: King Jesus 2.    It has a capital city: Revelation 21:2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. It was prepared like a bride dressed for her husband. Galatians 4:26 but the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all. 3.    All born again believers have citizenship in the Kingdom as in Philippians 3:20. Amen Personal Prayer In Part 3 we explore the believer’s status in the Kingdom of God

The Kingdom of of God and the Church God always has had his witnesses throughout history First, Adam and Eve. Then, individual family members e.g. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. From Genesis 12 due to apostasy, God decides to use a whole nation i.e. Israel. In Acts 2 enters the Church of Jesus Christ. The church did not replace Israel but expanded the reach of God’s witnesses around the nations of the world. The church of Jesus Christ was God’s master plan. Not any one nation or people but God’s chosen people scattered across the nations! Having believers of every nationality helps our evangelism in each nation due to the removal of language barriers. Different views of the Church Acts 15:12 Then all the multitude kept silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul declaring how many miracles and wonders God had worked through them among the Gentiles. 13 And after they had become silent, James answered, saying, “Men and brethren, listen to me: 14 Simon has declared how God at the first visited the Gentiles to take out of them a people for His name.   Matthew 16: 16 Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”17 Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it . 19 And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Many unbelievers think the church is a lonely-hearts club full of losers and misfits, who can’t deal with life or the people in society. Even amongst some believers their view of the church seems to be that the church is God’s last outpost or something which is hanging by a thread from disappearing all together. Others think the church is an organisation that Satan kicks around when he pleases. However, Jesus Christ sees his church as something that is powerful, glorious, mighty, and invincible! The church is the manifestation of the Kingdom of God to the unbelieving world. The Church of Jesus Christ Strong's Greek: 1577. ἐκκλησία (ekklésia ) = Church, or assembly,            Ek = out     Klesia =called Ekklesia  means the ‘called out’ ones. In ancient Greece, the cities often had an ekklésia of citizens who could vote in important matters for the city. They were given a white stone (to vote yes) and a black stone (to vote No). In this way a democratic system of voting was introduced to make collective decisions for the city. Not everyone was allowed to vote. People not allowed to vote in Ancient City Elections 1. Non-Citizen 2. Criminal Record 3. Slave or in bondage Citizenship in the Kingdom of God is wonderful. Our citizenship is much better than the ancient Roman/Greek one because we are a) born again into the Kingdom of God-immediate citizenship b) we have no criminal or sin record because it is all forgiven. c) we are not slaves or are in any bondage because Jesus Christ has set us free. You might want to check out Revelation 2:17 where the believers in heaven are given a white stone. God voted for you and me or at least he has acquitted us! Amen Personal Prayer In Part 2 we discover that the Church is a nation with 3 proofs