Grace World Outreach Church
Pastor Daniel K Norris
It's A New Creation
Rekindling David’s Tent
From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation - (2 Co 5:16–18)
This New Thing! Not just YOU but US… WE (the church) are a new creation (the body)
The NT Church Pillars
Supernatural Expectancy - What are you going to do today?
Authentic Community - Instant family
Prayer and Fasting - Birthed, Built and Emboldened in a Prayer Meeting
Pure Gospel - It’s So Much More!
What is being built on this foundation?
Ac 15:5–21
5 But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses.” (something that looks like the old)
6 The apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter. 7 And after there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. 8 And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, 9 and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith. 10 Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? 11 But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.”
12 And all the assembly fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. 13 After they finished speaking, James replied, “Brothers, listen to me. 14 Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people for his name. 15 And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written,
16 “ ‘After this I will return,
and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen;
I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it,
17 that the remnant of mankind may seek the Lord,
and all the Gentiles who are called by my name,
says the Lord, who makes these things 18 known from of old.’
James listening to the arguments, under then inspiration of the Holy Spirit, makes a declaration that what is being built up this foundation is part of what God spoke in Amos 9:11
“In that day I will raise up the booth of David that is fallen
and repair its breaches, and raise up its ruins and rebuild it as in the days of old,
This NEW THING…was God’s PLAN, Was about God's PRESENCE, and offered us PROXIMITY
THIS PLACE WAS GOD'S PLAN
(2 Sa 6:17–19). And they brought in the ark of the Lord and set it in its place, inside the tent that David had pitched for it. And David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord. 18 And when David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts 19 and distributed among all the people, the whole multitude of Israel, both men and women, a cake of bread, a portion of meat, and a cake of raisins to each one. Then all the people departed, each to his house.
David stood in the place of both KING and PREIST
ref: Heb 7 Melchizedek
David moves the Ark to a tent in Jerusalem while Moses’s Tabernacle is located in Gibeon, both are functioning at the same time
Old rituals continued to take place in a tent where the Glory once dwelt while New relationships were being built in tent where the Glory now dwelt
The religious wanted the church to go back to the old; The apostles realized that Christ was building something new with His church founded on Grace
The plan was always “I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen” (vs 16)
THIS PLACE WAS ABOUT PROXIMITY
I will restore it, that the remnant of mankind may seek the Lord vs 17
Tabernacle of Moses
Built On Law
Mt Sinai
Separated by the Veil
No Access to Holy Place
Daily Sacrifice
Never Finished
Tabernacle of David
Built on Grace
Mt Zion
|No Veil
Full Access to the Holy Place
One Perfect Sacrifice
It Is Finished
(Heb 7:18–19) For on the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness 19 (for the law made nothing perfect); but on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.
THIS PLACE WAS ABOUT PRESENCE
Was David “a man after God’s own heart” jealous
Jealous for the blessing on Obed Edom’s home
Jealous for the proximity of Obed Edom to the Ark
11 Solomon brought Pharaoh’s daughter up from the city of David to the house that he had built for her, for he said, “My wife shall not live in the house of David king of Israel, for the places to which the ark of the Lord has come are holy.” (2 Ch 8:11)
I wonder did David bring the Ark through his home on the way to the tent?
This New Creation means
The Individual, The Family and The church are a dwelling place for God
The Church = “Heaven Here, Heaven Now”
The Church = Offers access
The Church = Brings that presence home
13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. 17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.
(Eph 2:13–22).
UNITE714
Weekly Prayer
20 through 26 September
So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church. Now when Herod was about to bring him out, on that very night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood next to him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his hands. And the angel said to him, “Dress yourself and put on your sandals.” And he did so. And he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.” And he went out and followed him. He did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. When they had passed the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they went out and went along one street, and immediately the angel left him. When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.” When he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying. And when he knocked at the door of the gateway, a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer. Recognizing Peter's voice, in her joy she did not open the gate but ran in and reported that Peter was standing at the gate. They said to her, “You are out of your mind.” But she kept insisting that it was so, and they kept saying, “It is his angel!”Acts 12:5-15 (ESV)
THE PRAYER
Heavenly Father, we thank You for the privilege and the power of coming before Your throne in prayer. We are also grateful for the transformative power released when even two people come before Your throne in unity and agreement. Today, we come boldly into Your presence, not as one person, or even a small group of people. We come before You representing thousands of people around the world from 179 nations. Today, with one unified voice, we ask that this prayer echo through the corridors of heaven and shake the gates of hell.
Lord, eradicate COVID-19, and heal our cities and nations from its ravages.
The early church was in a dire state. James had been brutally murdered. Peter was in a heavily guarded prison. He was hours away from death, and there was no natural hope for his deliverance. Surely the church was laden with sorrow and hopelessness. Yet, they rose up and earnestly prayed in the face of impossibility. Today, we need miraculous deliverance, too. We have been stalked by a brutal pandemic and are isolated from one another through quarantines and lockdowns. Our economies and cultures have been shaken. You are the only answer.
Today, we rise up out of hopelessness and despair, asking You, Heavenly Father, to miraculously deliver our world through a fresh outpouring of Your Spirit.
Peter’s deliverance is a testimony to Your greatness. The angel of the Lord appeared in Peter’s cell. His chains fell off. Until Peter got out of the prison and into the streets, however, he thought he was dreaming. If You can deliver Peter, You can deliver us—and those we love—from anything imprisoning them. United prayer is the key that unlocks prison doors!
Lord, free us from chains of despair, depression, and fear. Only You can set people free from their prisons of sin and death. Revive Your church, we pray, and embolden us to proclaim the gospel.
Heavenly Father, even though we are praying, it is often a battle to keep believing. We are encouraged by the fact that even when Peter was standing at the door of the prayer meeting, those inside praying did not believe it was him. Today, we cry out with one voice, “Lord, webelieve, help our unbelief.” We know that even in our weakness, You are strong. In the name of Your Son, Jesus, hear our prayers.
Lord, we desperately cry out for a revival that will awaken Your church and save millions. Heal our fractured nations. As we all turn to You in repentance and faith, reconcile our divisions.
#UNITE714