I open this message with a little story I came across....
A truck loaded with thousands of copies of paper back dictionariescrashed, losing its entire load in the street. Witnesses gathered and were stunned, startled, shocked, surprised, awed, dumbfounded, flabbergasted, astounded, amazed, astonished, overwhelmed, speechless, perplexed, aghast, wide-eyed and awestruck. Meanwhile, those waiting to receive the shipment of dictionaries were at a total loss for words.
Sometimes that’s what I feel when a scripture just comes alive and on fire within my spirit! I want to begin with one of those scriptures....thathad me stunned, awed, astounded, amazed, wide-eyed and awestruck.....
Romans 11:17 (New Living Bible) “But some of these branches from Abraham’s tree—the lineage of Israel—have been broken off. And you Gentiles, (non-Jews) who were branches from a wild olive tree, (outside the covenant) have been grafted in. So now you also receive the blessing (miracles, signs and wonders) God has promised Abraham and his children, sharing in the rich nourishment and provision from the root of God’s special (covenant) olive tree”.
My message today is titled “Grafted Into The Branch”.... We are by nature the product of a wild vineplanted by the sin of our first parents, Adam and Eve, which produces bitter and sour grapes. We are by nature, sinners, who cannot please God. But the good news is that...
Jeremiah 23:5 tells us...“Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, 'that I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; a King shall reign and prosper, and execute judgment and righteousness in the earth'" When we received Christ, the Holy Spirit cut us off from the wild branch of Adam and grafted us into the true branch, Jesus Christ. As long as we are joined to Jesus Christ, we will receive of His life. Just like the root of the tree sends out all that is needed into its branches, so Christ Jesus sends all that is needed, flowing from Himself and into us. But, just as when you cut a branch off of the main trunk, it shrivels up and dies unless it remains grafted in.Just the same way, we would wither and lose our eternal lifesource, if we were separated from Christ. Our blessingswould wither and fall off. Our flowers which are the promise of things to come, and the fruit which is the product of our divine connection, would fall off. John 15:5 “I am the vine (the source) you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit, but apart from me you can do nothing”.
What’s so powerful to me, is that we are being told here, that the life, the resources, and full provision of the vine, now flows into whatever is grafted into it.... Wow!! Wow!! Wow!!
Jesus is wholeness.... that same wholeness now flows into all who are grafted into Him, through salvation.... Jesus is righteousness and Holiness....and now His righteousness and Holiness flows into all who are grafted into Him, through salvation.... No sin or anything of the Devil could be found in Him, and now that very same spirit, flows into all who are grafted into Him, through salvation....
Romans 8:11 “If the same Spirit (divine life force) that raised Jesus from the dead, dwell in you, He shall quicken (dzo-op-oy-eh'-o... re-animate, restore, energize, re-vitalize, and empower) our mortal bodies also”
In the natural realm, You cannot ingraft, outside of a species or biological family..... for example, apples must be grafted to apple trees, Oranges to citrus trees, peaches to peach trees.....You can’t graft mangoes to Avocado and get a “man-acado”.... melons must stay with melons, citrus to citrus, apples to apples...etc.
But in the spiritual realm, you can have every type of race, gender, ethnicity, genetics, personalities, talents or intellect all grafted into one spiritual family, called Christian, with its many expressions, and manifestations, yet with one common source which is Christ. Amazingly, that common denominator, over-rides and brings together, all the things that make us different, and makes us one spiritual family....flowing from a common spiritual source.
Romans 12:3 “For through the grace given to me, I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith. 4 For just as we have many parts in one body and all the body’s parts do not have the same function, 5 so we, who are many, are one body (grafted) in Christ, and individually parts of one another. 6 However, since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to use them properly. 10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love, give preference to one another in honor, 11 not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, 13 contributing to the needs of the saints, and practicing hospitality”.
No matter what your race, culture, or other factors, it is said that we all bleed red! But in Christ, it goes beyond that and we all share one common Spirit, one common faith, one common family....
Turn to someone and tell them, “Wow, we all resemble our daddy”...
Now tell them,....”How can I help you?” (that’s what hospitality sounds like)... “How can I help you?”
Notice that with the ingrafting process, we are grafted into all the promises that have been made to others who came before us....
Romans 11:16 If the dough offered as firstfruits (the shew bread in the holy place) is holy, so is the whole lump, and if the root of the tree is holy, so are (the ingrafted) branches.
The shew bread, in the temple, was made according to the instructions given unto Moses, in order that it could be placed in the temple, and be worthy of representing Christ, the bread of life, from which the lumps, (that is us), could be taken.... The oil in the tree with branches, represented the Menorah, which was the symbol of Christ with all the branches that are grafted in, as the oil flows from the main trunk into all of us....
Galatians 3:26 For you are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as have been baptized (grafted into)Christ are now in Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for you are all one, as you are (grafted) into Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the (ingrafted) promise”.
Before Abraham, there was Christ. Christ was the word made flesh. He was forever and always is, the promise made flesh. That promise came into the world, to offer all people of earth the opportunity to be grafted into the God life, and all the resources that come with it, as we remain grafted into Him.
Galatians 3: 14 “That the blessing of Abraham might come on the (ingrafted) Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith”.
The promise of the Spirit, is the fruit of the Spirit, and the Gifts of the Spirit, and the offices of the Spirit, and ministry in the Spirit.... John 14:12 “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes (is grafted) in me, and will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father”.
Why, because we know it is not us, but it is the life of God that flows in and through us that is the source. We are just the branch of the Menorah that the divine oil of the spirit is flowing through. If we could really get a hold of this, it would shake our world!!
The disciples were amazed as they returned with this testimony....
Luke 10:10 “After this the Lord appointed and sent seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. 2 He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few...... 16 “Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; but whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me.” 17 The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.”
What happened to these 72 folks who had never experienced any of these things before.... They were grafted in by faith in Jesus....and the source of power and authority, began to flow through them...
When I was in Lothian Maryland, we had a fellow who was a millionaire, who would attend our church there. Bill didn’t like to dress up, and loved spending time in his shop. So I would drop by, to just sit and chat. He always had coffee on, and would grab an old stained, unwashed, chipped cup, and fill it with coffee. He never washed them, just swished some water in it. He would always say, “the coffee is great, just don’t judge it by the cup!” I said some extra prayers as I drank it, and hey, I’m still alive!!
That statement stayed with me all these years....Sometimes we get so caught up with the appearance of the cup, that we can’t enjoy the coffee.... We can get so focused on appearances that we don’t let the oil flow.... or we can get so caught up with people’s past, that we don’t let the ingrafting process work... Everyone has some chips and stains and places that are pretty worn out....But if we stay grafted in, something transformative and supernatural will happen!
Lucy, Charlie brown, Linas, and the gang were playing baseball. Lucy ended up in the outfield. Charlie Brown pitched the ball and Linas made a solid hit. The ball was headed straight for Lucy, and she got underneath it, but as it came down, she missed it. When Charlie Brown, asked what happened. She said, well, I started remembering all the times I had fumbled the ball, let it bounce out of my glove, or just totally missed it, and I let my past get in my eyes.....
Satan loves to do that, but I want you to know... God knew what He was doing when He chose you, and He never makes a mistake....
If He grafted you in, then His life, His power, His resources are now flowing through your life, your situation, and your outcomes....
Listen to who you are as you’re grafted into Christ....
Acts 17:28 “For in him we live, and move, and have our being”
The YOU before Christ, is not the same YOU, THAT’S GRAFTED INTO CHRIST!
2 Corinthians 5:17 “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (say that’s mine) In Christ Jesus you have become a new creation and an expression of God.
Ephesians 2:6 “God has raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus”. (say that’s mine)
2 Corinthians 1:20 “All the promises of God find their full expressionin Christ” God’s yes and amen, now finds expression in you.... (saythat’s mine)
Philippians 4:19 “My God will supply all my needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus”. (say that’s mine)
Philippians 4:7 “The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus”. (say that’s mine)
The roots determine the fruit.... Notice something important here... it is no longer the roots of your past, the roots of your present situation, or the roots of what you or anyone else thinks about you... All that now happens is not about your past roots of insufficiency, insecurity, fear, or past failure....it is now about being grafted into Your new source, which is Christ....
A divine exchange has taken place.... “Not I, but Christ in me, the hope of glory!!!!
When God now looks at you now, He looks for Christ in you....
You are loved because of Christ in you now.... He is crazy about you, You can love others, because Jesus now loves them through you...
You are chosen because of Christ in you now....
You are forgiven because of Christ in you now...
You are blessed because of Christ in you now... so be a blessing! You can put up with other folks, and give them mercy and grace, because of Christ in you now....
If these things are not happening..... start with repentance that you have allowed Satan’s lie to creep in.... repent that you have allowed, fear, doubt, self love, and unbelief to find a place....
Then invite all that Christ said you are back into your life, and determine not just to do that, but to be that.... 1 Peter 2:9 “You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special (ingrafted) possession, that you may show forth the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.”
We’re not really talking about anything new here.....
We are actually becoming who we already are in Christ.... But if we don’t grasp that, we can’t become that!
How many times are we told what to do, in order to become... But the truth is, we need to identify and embrace our true identity in Christ, and then what we need to do, will flow out of that....
Hosea 4:6 says, “My people are destroyed because they have no knowledge”…
A certain hog farmer refused to have anything to do with the church because of some hypocrites who belonged to it. He always referred to two or three of the attenders when he critized the church and it’s pastor..
One day the pastor of the church came by to buy a hog from him. After looking over the farmer's entire herd, the pastor pointed to a scrawny, sickly, ugly little runt and said, "I want that one."
The farmer tried to change his mind , "Why, Preacher, you don't want that one. He's the scrawniest runt I ever saw. Look, here are some fine hogs over here." "No, no, no," said the preacher, "I want that little scrawny one."
After the purchase was completed, the pastor said, "Now I am takingthis pig all over the county and telling everyone that this is the kind of hogs you raise!"
"Hey wait a minute, Preacher, that's not fair," the farmer protested. "I raise fine hogs. An occasional runt isn’t a true reflection of my whole herd."
"Well, sir, I’m only following your example of condemning a whole church because of the spiritually stunted Christianity, of a few of its attenders," The farmer got the point and eventually attended the church!
Don’t be a stunted Christian, because you don’t know who you are in Christ! Stop identifying yourself by your faults, and failures.... Our identity in Christ is one of those critical truths that, if we grasp it early in our Christian life, it will resolve all kinds of problems and issues later on. God tells us that we are already his, secure in Christ, and that having set us free from the power of sin, he is utterly committed to transforming us into the likeness of Jesus.
Become what you already are in Christ.... We are not going to be delivered, we are the delivered! Scripture says... “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His dear Son”, We are not going to be set free, we are free.... scripture says “Whom the son sets free (present tense) is free indeed”.... Our needs are not going to be supplied... scripture says “Thanks be unto God who supplies (present tense) all my needs according to (not out of) His riches in Glory”....
We are not going to be healed, we have already been healed.... scripture says, “by His stripes, we WERE already healed”
We are not without direction and guidance... scripture says....My steps are ordered of the Lord”. “For He knows the way that I take”....
Begin today believing God has already done it. When Jesus died on the cross, He said, “It is finished” (John 19:30). Jesus is now seated at the right hand of the Father. (Ephesians 1:20) You don’t have to wait for God to do something, He is waiting on you to do something. It is time to believe Him and follow Him. Know His Word, Listen to Him, and Obey Him. YOU HAVE IT!You have been grafted into the source of every blessing....
Romans 8:32 “He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, along with Him, freely give us all things”(Can someone say “All Things”?)
What does “all things” mean for you?
I want to close with some scripture about all things....Guesswhat “All Things” means....it means all things! Ephesians 4:6 “There is One God and Father of all, who is over all things and through all things and in all things”. Colossians 1:16 “For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for Him”. 1 Corinthians 8:6 “For there is one Lord, from whom are all things and for whom we exist.. One Lord, Jesus Christ, for through Him are all things and through Him we exist”.
Closing Prayer.....”Lord Jesus, In this moment You have brought me to, I let go of all thoughts and concerns that have filled up my mind. As I let go, I am able to receive. When my hands are formed into tight fists, I cannot open my hands to receive anything. When I hang onto control, and I close off my heart and my spirit, I cannot receive the blessings You have for me. In letting go, I receive your loving presence around me and within me. When I am feeling overwhelmed, I let go, so that I may receive your peace. When I feel afraid, I let go, so that I may receive love and courage. I let go of problems and challenges in order to receive your guidance and clarity. Lord, I let go because I trust you. You will hold me up, and carry me forth to where I need to be. I let go and trust in the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit, inside of me. Help me to cease my struggle and surrender to You. I gladly receive the freedom, and release of letting you lead me and guide me. When I am weak, You make me strong, when I am confused, you are my way, when I am insufficient, You are my sufficiency. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge, my fortress, my deliverer, my provider, my ever faithful one, my God, in whom I trust. In Jesus name.
