A Crucified Life - - Is Scattered Abroad

 

2 Corinthians 9:9

As it has been written: "He has scattered abroad, He has given to the poor: His righteousness abides to the age."

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 4650

Scattered Abroad: dispersed, distributed

From the word 'skorpizó' (pronounced skor-pid'-zo):  One who dispenses blessings liberally (generously, abundantly, extensively, etc.); to put to flight

Psalm 112:9

He has scattered abroad His gifts to the poor; His righteousness endures forever; His horn will be lifted high in honor.

    Five times this word is used in the New Testament:

-Matthew 12:30

-Luke 11:23

-John 10:12

-John 16:32

-2 Corinthians 9:9

    The born again believer is a gift to be scattered abroad across the nations. We carry the Good News of redemption, repentance and revival within us. We are the light that shines in the darkness of men's lives that the Light of God's Love may shine in their hearts, transforming the old life into the new. 

    While some of us choose to go where and when we are sent, many more are driven to other nations through persecution. It is not a new thing for the born again believer to be under attack from those who do not want to hear about God and Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. 

    As it was in the early days of the New Testament church, so it is now in these later days, these last hours, of the New Testament church. We follow a Leader who informs us we would be scattered abroad to the nations. Not only that, but how we would be dispersed.

(1) Matthew 24:9-14 (2) Mark 13:9-13 (3) Luke 21:10-19 and:

    Acts 1:8

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

    Acts 8:3,4

But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison. Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. 

    And what are we delivering? The message of reconciliation with the Father through His Son Jesus Christ Who died on the cross, wherein He paid the penalty for our sins; Who rose from the dead and walked out of the grave into newness of life. 

    We preach Jesus Christ and Him crucified, as the apostle Paul wrote to the church in Corinth in his first letter to them (1 Corinthians 1:18-25). We preach the Truth and the Love of God (1 John 4); discernment and wisdom. 

    Wherever we go we go with God for He has said to His people that He would never leave us, nor forsake us. So we go in His strength, in His power, in His righteousness, in His victory. Every battle we fight we win, for Christ has gone before us and overcome all our enemies. We're just following His lead, trying to catch up to Him and bring as many folks as we can with us.

IN THE DISPERSAL 

Where You'll Find Me - First15 Worship

Though You Slay Me - Shane & Shane

Every Wave - Summit Sounds

Break - Nikki Mathis

Seek First - Jason Upton

You've Already Won - Shane & Shane

Walk With You - Michael Bethany

I Let Myself Be Broken

To the ones who broke my heart, I let myself be broken. While it made you feel powerful and superior, I allowed myself to be humbled and humiliated.

God said, “Present your body a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” [Romans 12:1] My heart is part of my body. Therefore, I let myself be broken.

God said, “Rejoice, inasmuch as you are partakers of Christ’s sufferings (partaker: share in, receive, have a portion of); that, you may be glad also with exceeding joy. If you are reproached for the Name of Christ, happy are you; for the spirit of glory and of God rests upon you: on their part He is evil spoken of, but on your part He is glorified. But do not allow yourself to suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evil-doer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? and if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? Wherefore, let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to Him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator. [1 Peter 4:13-19] Christ let Himself be broken for me, and you. When you revile me for trying to be what God is telling me I need to be, I let myself be broken.

God said, “And whether one member (of the body) suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it.’ Whether it is our physical body that suffers, or our spirit man that suffers, we suffer together. The persecuted church is us. All of us. While some attacks on the body of Christ are made known to the world, most will never be heard until judgment day. The body of Christ was broken in the courtyard and on the cross. He surrendered to God’s will for His life, as should we. We need to let ourselves be broken. Not for our glory, but for God’s. 

You who persecute God’s people beware: we are praying for you. We are praying for your salvation. We are praying for your sanctification. We are praying for your souls to be given to God through His Son Jesus Christ. We are praying. And there is nothing you can do to stop us. We have let ourselves be broken. I let myself be broken. And someday many of you will let yourselves be broken, too.