Experiencing, Enjoying, and Expressing Christ (3)
Message Nine
A Vision, Experience, Enjoyment, and Expression of Christ as the Supreme Treasure for a Genuine Church Life
THE EXTRACT OF THE OUTLINES
Scripture Reading:
1 Pet. 1:7 So that the proving of your faith, much more precious than of gold which perishes though it is proved by fire, may be found unto praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
19 But with precious blood, as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot, the blood of Christ;
I. Believers in Christ should have a change in values—1 Pet. 2:7: (Monday, Tuesday)
A The believers’ proper values are seen in their estimation and evaluation of Christ and all aspects of His full salvation—1 Pet. 2:7.
B We need to ask the Lord to give us light so that our values may be thoroughly changed—Mark 9:7-8; 1 Pet. 1:8.
C If you bring forth the precious from the vile, you will be My mouth—Jer. 15:19.
D We must value the Lord’s word above all earthly wealth, so that we may speak God’s oracles and dispense Christ’s unsearchable riches as the bountiful grace of God—Psa. 119:72, 9-16; Eph. 3:8; 2 Cor. 6:10.
———————————————————————————————————————-
II. Peter saw that Christ Himself is precious to those who believe into Him—1 Pet. 2:7; Phil. 3:8: (Wednesday)
A Peter was captivated by the Lord to such an extent that although he was rebuked by the Lord many times and failed greatly, he still followed the Lord steadfastly as his Shepherd until martyrdom—John 21:15-22.
B The precious stone for God’s building is Christ Himself—1 Pet. 2:4, 6-8.
C God has allotted the same precious faith to all believers—v. 1; Rom. 12:3.
D The precious testing of our faith is through various trials that come through hardship—1 Pet. 1:6-7.
———————————————————————————————————————-
III. Isaiah saw a vision of Christ in glory in his frustration—Isa. 6:1-8: (Thursday)
A The period in which Isaiah lived was an evil age, which is seen in the Lord’s warning words—Isa. 5:20.
B Christ as the Lord, the King, and Jehovah of hosts is still sitting on a high and lofty throne in glory—Isa. 6:1-5.
———————————————————————————————————————-
C When Isaiah saw this vision, he was brought to an end, realizing that he was a man of unclean lips and lived in the midst of a people of unclean lips—v. 5. (Friday)
———————————————————————————————————————-
IV. The transcendent Christ in His supreme preciousness appeared to Daniel as a man—Dan. 10:4-9: (Saturday)
A Christ appeared as a Priest in His humanity and as a King in His divinity—Dan. 10:5.
B Christ appeared in His preciousness and honor for His people to appreciate—Dan. 10:6.
C We must redeem the time and enjoy Christ as God’s supreme treasure, so that we may be constituted with Him to become precious persons and His own treasures—1 Pet. 3:4.
OPENING WORD OF THE PROPHESYING MEETING
Reading the verses in each day.
Reading the main points in the outlines.
Pray-reading the verses:
Coming to Him, a living stone, rejected by men but with God chosen and precious—1 Pet. 2:4.
Thus says Jehovah, …If you bring out the precious from the worthless, you will be as My mouth…—Jer. 15:19.
…I saw the Lord sitting on a high and lofty throne, and the train of His robe filled the temple—Isa. 6:1.
Word of Appetizer
What change in values should believers in Christ have?
The believers’ proper values can be seen in their estimation and evaluation of Christ and His full salvation in the following aspects:
The evaluation of the Lord Jesus as the cornerstone for the church’s building.
The evaluation of the Lord Jesus versus their relatives.
The evaluation of Christ as the treasure of righteousness versus earthly treasures.
The evaluation of the knowledge of Christ versus all things.
We need to ask the Lord to give us light for a thorough change in our values, so that we may constantly choose Christ and all that He is as our excellent portion.
Spiritual Burden
We must redeem the time and enjoy Christ as God’s all-surpassing treasure, so that we may be constituted with Him, becoming precious persons as His own treasures; when we live in His precious presence, enjoying Him as our portion, just as He enjoys us as His treasures, He will build Himself into us, making us His spiritual temple and His holy, royal priesthood to fulfill the desire of His heart.
Concluding Word of the Prophesying Meeting
The Revelation of the Truth
Believers in Christ should have a change in values.
Peter saw that Christ Himself is precious to those who believe in Him.
Isaiah in his discouragement saw a vision of Christ in glory.
The surpassing Christ appeared to Daniel as a Man in His all-surpassing preciousness, and this vision provided Daniel with appreciation, consolation, encouragement, and strengthening.
The Experience of Life
The precious blood of Christ has redeemed us from a vain manner of life.
Our God and Savior, Jesus Christ, has given us precious and exceedingly great promises; by calling on the Lord’s precious name, we are enabled to drink of Him as the cup of salvation, enjoying Him as the reality of all God’s precious and exceedingly great promises, with the goal for God’s building.
Seeing God transforms us, because when we see God, we gain God, receiving His elements into us, and our old elements are discharged; this metabolic process is transformation; the more we see God, know God, and love God, the more we loathe ourselves and deny ourselves.
Practice and Application
We must value the Lord’s word above all earthly riches, so that we can speak the divine oracles and dispense the unsearchable riches of Christ as the various graces of God.
If we want to see a vision of the enthroned, glorious Christ, we need to pay attention to Isaiah’s warning words, exercise our spirit to pray, ask the Lord to open our inner eyes, and soften our hearts, causing our hearts to turn to Him, so that we may receive His inward healing, removing our blindness and sickness.
In our personal universe, Christ must be first and preeminent; today, Christ as the preeminent One must be the center and circumference of our church life, family life, and daily living.
PROPHESYING TOPICS—TWELVE TOPICS PER WEEK
Day 1
T1 Every believer has a characteristic, which is a definite change in values (Psa. 118:22, 1 Pet. 2:4).
( Please illustrate that the way a person measures the value of anything often depends on how much knowledge he has concerning that thing.)
T2 A change in values (Psa. 118:22, 1 Pet. 2:4).
( Please illustrate that both Psalm 118:22 and 1 Corinthians 1:18 speak of a change in values.)
Day 2
T1 The result of a change in values for the people of God (Matt. 10:37-38, Jer. 15:19).
( Please illustrate that what is the result of a change in values for the people of God.)
T2 An example of a change in values (Phil. 3:7-8).
( Please illustrate that according to Philippians 3:7-8, Paul also changed his values.)
Day 3
T1 Peter was so captivated by the Lord that, although he was rebuked all day, he still followed Him steadfastly (Mark 16:7).
( Please illustrate that Peter denied the Lord, but the Lord did not forget him; this shows how the Lord captured Peter.)
T2 Precious promises embodied in the divine Word (2 Pet. 1:16).
( Please illustrate that every part of the New Testament is a promise, promising that The Triune God will do everything for us so that we may enjoy Himself as the divine nature.)
Day 4
T1 No matter how corrupted God’s people may be, Christ still sits on the throne in His glory (John 12:41).
( Please illustrate that the people of Israel fell, but Christ and His throne remained the same in His glory.)
T2 Isaiah loved God and also loved God’s chosen people, Israel (Isa. 6:1, 5).
( Please illustrate that in what situation Isaiah saw the vision of Christ in glory.)
Day 5
T1 Pay attention to our lips, pay attention to our speaking (Isa. 6:4-5).
( Please illustrate that regarding the vision of Christ in glory, Isaiah’s reaction was, “Woe is me! For I am undone!” What is its spiritual significance?)
T2 Isaiah was once cleansed, but he saw that he was still unclean (Isa. 6:4-5).
( Please illustrate that no matter how many times we have been cleansed, we are still unclean.)
Day 6
T1 The transcendent Christ is the center and pervasion of God’s move on earth (Dan. 10:5-6).
( Please illustrate that in what capacities the transcendent Christ, who is the center and pervasion of God’s move on earth, appeared to Daniel.)
T2 Christ, as the King, rules over us (Dan. 4:26).
( Please illustrate that because the heavens are ruling, Christ is with us in all our situations; this shows what three things we all need to learn to know.)
