Christ
is the Mystery no. 3
“Dedication”
June 2, 2012
Brian
Kocourek
This evening we will
examine paragraphs 3 through 8 of Brother Branham’s sermon Christ is the Mystery of God Revealed,
And in these paragraphs although it seems they deal
specifically with the dedication of an infant of 4 months old, we will also
find that br. Branham speaks on the dedication of children. Now, although the
title is Christ is the Mystery of God revealed, yet we will find this theme of
dedication throughout this sermon. So let’s begin reading tonight beginning at
paragraph 2.
2 Gracious heavenly
Father, we are approaching Thee again this morning for mercy and for guidance of the Holy Spirit today,
as it's dawned upon us that we should meet together this morning, and to teach Thy Word, and that we might know how to live in this
present day, and what is the time of day that we're living. We'd ask Thy holy guidance to our thoughts, our
hearts today, that You would direct
us to every word that is necessary for us to know; that You'd open our
mouths freely and our hearts also to
receive and that which You would speak to us, and would close our mouths to
the things that are not right, knowing that only You can reveal the Word of God.
Now, I would like to
stop here for a moment just to reaffirm this statement which brother Branham is
making, because he says that Only God can reveal His Word to us, yet so many
think that revelation comes from a prophet or teacher and that is not true at
all. The revelation comes to the prophet and then through the prophet but it
comes from God. God alone reveals.
Because we read in 2 Peter 1: 15, “Moreover I will endeavor that ye may be able
after my decease to have these things always in remembrance. 16 For we
have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the
power and Parousia of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eye witnesses of his majesty. 17 For
he received from God the Father honor and glory, when there came such a voice
to him from the excellent glory, saying, ‘This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased’.
18 And
this voice which came from heaven we heard it ourselves when we were with him
in the holy mount. 19 We have also a more sure word
of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, ‘as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and
the day star arise in your hearts’: 20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man:
but holy men of God spake as they were moved by
the Holy Ghost.”
So it is evident that prophecy came by God who moved
upon men to speak what he spoke to them. In other words they were special built
men who could only echo what God already said. It was not men moving God, but
God moving men. Just as the Scripture says in Romans 9:16 So then it is not of
him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
Just as the Scripture
declares to us that in Philippians 2:13 For it is God which worketh in
you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
And again as the apostle Paul said in Hebrews 13:20 “Now the God of peace, that
brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep,
through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21 Make
you perfect in
every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing
in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
So you see if God is
not doing it for you and through you, we have no assurance that what we are
doing is pleasing in his sight. And the Scripture also tells us in Psalms 127:1
Except the LORD build the house, they labor
in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman wakes but in
vain.
So he is talking about
dedication of a child here but I think is we are spiritual we will catch the
point concerning our coming to God and dedicating ourselves as His Children to
Him. So let’s continue to read from paragraph number 2 in Christ is the Mystery of God Revealed.
And now, as I have to leave the little
church right away now for the other parts of the world, I'm committing them to Thee, Lord, which they are part, the apple of my heart--as to say. They
are the ones that's been begotten to You by the Spirit and by the Word of truth. I pray that
You'll bless them, Lord, and keep them closely knitted together by the bonds of the love of Christ.
Now, we find in these
words a certain relationship between Br. Branham and
those Children of God that he has begotten to Christ by the Word and Spirit of
God and therefore a certain affection is shown here when he speaks of these
people. Now, let’s finish this prayer before we take our text this evening.
3
Bless our dear beloved pastor, the shepherd. We pray that You'll anoint him with the Holy
Spirit of Thy Word and reveal to
them and feed the flock. And once... Just awhile ago when You showed the vision that the little tabernacle here... But
to store up the food, that there would come a time when this would all be
needed... When we seen Brother Sothmann and Brother
Wood ready to cross over into another country to... But You
said, "Store
up this food here for the time." Lord, reverently I've tried to do that. And now, this morning in
this lesson that we have thought of, I pray that You'll
cap it all off, Lord, to show that You're God, and this is Your Word and Your Truth. Grant it, Lord, that the people
might feed thereon and grow fat as it was in the grace of God, that they'd see
that it's God's great mercy to us in this day. Bless all that's present and
those who would like to be present, Father, and get glory to Thyself;
for we ask it in Jesus' Name. Amen.
4
The Lord bless each and every one of you now. And I
believe just before we start, we have a little baby here, Collins. I met the
father just a few moments ago, and he had a little baby he wanted dedicated;
and we want to do that now, if Brother or Sister Collins, one, will bring the
little one forward so we can have the dedicational service for this little
fellow. 5
Leaving, you know, why, it causes... As these are loyal members of the Body of Christ... You notice, I never said of the Tabernacle, “of the bodies of
Christ, this body here, part of His body”.
If you will permit me
to stop here and make a comment about what he just said, because there is too
much within the sphere of this Message, where churches and ministers do not
consider anyone outside of their little piece of terf
called their local assembly to be in it. It seems that if you don’t go to that
church over there or this church over here, that there is an attitude that you
are an outsider and you are not in the picture at all.
Now, forgive me for
speaking out against that form of thinking but I have to say what I have to
say, and that to me is one of the most damaging heresies we have in the body of
Christ.
The Apostle Paul found
this kind of behavior also among the early church. It is not the behavior of
the Holy Spirit, but rather it is the nature of flesh which is the nature of
self.
And Paul called it a
carnal spirit.
KJV 1 Corinthians 3:1 And I,
brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. (look
these people had a real flaw in them. They didn’t seem to understand the
picture that was presented to them, and so in their yet carnal minds they
proceeded to do what carnal people do, and that is “to pit one against the
other” for some advantage.
What Paul is saying here is I'm
completely frustrated by your unspiritual dealings with each other and with
God. You're acting like infants in relation to Christ, capable of nothing much
more than nursing.
He then tells them in verse 2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat:
for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
(what he is saying here is)Well,
then, I'll nurse you since you don't seem capable of anything more.
And then he tells them why they need to be nursed
along. He says, 3 For ye
are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you
envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as
men? 4 For while one saith, I am of
Paul; and another, I am of Apollos;
are ye not carnal?
Look at the condition of this group of believers in
the Message of the hour in the alpha ministry of Christ. Envy among them, strife
among them, divisions among them, and so he says, are ye not still carnal? The Message Translation puts it this way…As long as you grab for what makes you feel good or makes you
look important, are you really much different than a babe at the breast, content
only when everything's going your way? When one of you says, "I'm on
Paul's side," and another one says, "I'm for Apollos,"
aren't you being totally infantile?
And is not that what the flesh does, it looks to self
and self interest? Why is it that men can not se what
God is doing in this hour? Why is it that men are so focused on self that they
can not see the greater picture?
Why is it that men choose not to try to get others to
Christ and to maturity but rather seek to keep the people like children sucking
at their breast? You’ve seen these women
who still nurse their children at five years of age. That child will never grow
up to be a man if he doesn’t learn to eat his own food. And neither will the
church grow up if the So called Five Fold ministry
keeps them focused on them and their ministry instead of focusing on Christ and
the pattern to be conformed to.
The Apostle Paul said
in Ephesians 4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets;
and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For
the perfecting of the saints, (that means for the
equipping of the saints, for the maturing of the saints) for the work of the ministry, for the edifying (or building up) of the body of Christ: (but why do we
se the people being torn down and made to feel so inferior from the ministers
as though the minister is somebody to recon with? Who do the ministers think they are anyway? )
Paul said in 1
Corinthians 3: 5 Who then is Paul, and
who is Apollos, but
ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?
To quote The Message
Translation, Paul says here: Who do you think Paul is, anyway? Or Apollos, for that matter? Servants, both of us are servants,
servants who waited on you as you gradually learned to entrust your lives to
our mutual Master. We each carried out our servant assignments. I planted the
seed, Apollos watered the plants, but God made you
grow. It's not the one who plants or the one who waters who is at the center of
this process but God Himswelf who makes things grow.
Planting and watering are menial servant jobs that pay minimum wage. But what
makes these jobs worth doing is the God we are serving. You happen
to be God's field in which we are working, that’s all.
And so the job of the
true five fold ministry is as Paul says in Ephesians For the perfecting
of the saints, (that means for the equipping of the saints, for the
maturing of the saints) for the work of the ministry, for the edifying (or building up) of the body of Christ: 13 Till we all come in the unity of The Faith, (and notice here he does say revelations as
though there is more than one, but rather he says, THE Faith, as He says
earlier in chapter 4, there is One Lord and One revelation, and here he calls
it The Revelation, and the five fold are to get you to That Revelation which is
the Revelation of Christ.) and of the knowledge
of the Son of God, (which then that will bring you) unto a perfect man, (unto a mature
and stable Son of God) unto the measure of
the stature of the fullness of Christ:
Now, I know there are
some who claim to be five fold ministers who teach this is where the bride
comes to the place where is the fullness of the Godhead
bodily, but that is not what it says, and if that were even possible, do you
think God would entrust His fullness in the hands of a five-fold ministry? No,
this tells us that we are to come to the measure which was translated from the
Greek word “metron” which means the
limited portion of the stature or character of the fulfilling of Christ. That’s it. The five fold ministries job is to
get you to the doctrine of Christ, which is the Revelation of Christ and to the
knowledge of the son of God, so you can see the pattern for sons which was
manifested in Christ Jesus. And it is by stepping into that pattern that we
become conformed to the image of the first born son.
That is why the
Apostle Paul continues, in Ephesians 4:14 That we henceforth
be no more children who are tossed to
and fro and who are carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the sleight
of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they actually
lie in wait to deceive;15 But the True five fold
ministry by speaking the truth in love, do so in order that you may grow up into him in all things, which is
the head, even Christ: (It is God’s desire that that his children grow up
into the character of Christ thus fulfilling Christ.) 16 From whom the whole body fitly joined
together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the
effectual working in the measure (limited portion) of every part, making increase of the body (How
does the body increase? By adding up the sum of the parts) unto the edifying
of itself in love.
Look, that is why brother Branham defined the greater
works of John 14:12 two different ways, He said, the sum of all the works
throughout the body of Christ is greater than it was in the one man Jesus
Christ. And he also let us know that God did more in
his own ministry than He did in his own sons ministry. So you can not make him
say what he did not say. And we are told to believe all that the prophets have
told us. Not to go off half cocked with our own versions of the doctrine to
make our own statements seem to be right. Say what the tapes say and only what
they say, that was our command for this hour.
And so in
getting back to 1
Corinthians 3:6 the Apostle Paul said, “ I have planted, Apollos watered; but it was God that gave the
increase. 7 So
then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth is
anything; but it is God that gives the increase. (Its God that is the
author of life. It is God who ordains the life to come. The sower of the seed
and the one who waters the seed are only doing what they are told to do) 8 Now
he that plants and he that waters are one, working together as one for one
purpose: and every man shall receive his own reward according to
his own labor. 9 For
we are labourers together with God: ye are God's
husbandry, ye are God's building.
Then in verse 10 Paul begins to be a little more
specific. Here he says, 10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me,
as a wise master builder, I have laid the foundation, and another is building
there on. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
The MESSAGE translation Or, to put it another way, you are God's
house. Using the gift God gave me as a good architect, I designed blueprints; Apollos is putting up the walls. Let each carpenter who
comes on the job take care to build on the foundation!
11 For other foundation can no man lay than that
is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
The Paul says, Take particular care
in picking out your building materials. Eventually there is going to be an
inspection. If you use cheap or inferior materials, you'll be found out. The
inspection will be thorough and rigorous. You won't get by with a thing. If
your work passes inspection, fine; if it doesn't, your part of the building
will be torn out and started over. But you won't be torn out; you'll
survive—but just barely.
12 Now
if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious
stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13 Every man's work shall be made
manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire;
and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. 14 If any
man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a
reward. 15 If
any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. 16 Know ye not that ye are the
And then brother
Branham goes into the dedication of the little child. As we read his words
listen to his message to the parents. And they got a little fellow here they want dedicated. And
this is always a job I think my--my wife envies me of: to hold the babies.
Brother Neville, if you'll come forward, if you will.
6 What
is your first name, brother? This is Brother and Sister Clyde Collins; he's the
brother to our precious brother here, Reverend Collins, Wilbur. And they've had
a increase in the Collins’s here; I see, and a very
cute little fellow. How old is he, Sister Collins? Almost four months. And
what's his name? Mark David. That's a very fine name. And he look
like a very fine boy. Say, he's kind of a big boy too. Now, I know the mother
here, and certainly do appreciate this little fellow here. Isn't that a doll?
Oh, as we bow our heads now...
7 Heavenly Father,
as this young father and mother comes with this little precious lump of human
flesh that's been given to their union,
placed into their hand for keeping for the Lord God, they reverently bring
this little Mark David here for dedication to the Almighty, Who has give this
precious little boy fine health and a fine boy into their care to be raised for
the glory of God. Lord, bless the father and mother, and may
the barrel never be empty at house or the cruse ever run dry.
(Now, notice there are three things Br. Branham says here that are
things for the parents to do in this dedication of their child and themselves.)
No. 1 to the Father) May the father be
well and able, Lord, to work and to make food for the little fellow. No. 2
to the mother) May the mother be well and able to prepare
it, and No. 3 to both parents) their
hearts prepared, Lord, to teach the little fellow, to raise him in
the admonition of God. Grant it, Lord.
8 Now, from
their arms to mine comes this lovely child, little Mark David. And I present
him with the Elder of the church here to You in the
Name of Jesus Christ for a life of
service. Grant it, Lord. Get glory
out of his life. May he live a long life, even to the coming the Lord
Jesus, if that be pleasing to You. And if so, may he come to pack the message of the Lord
God in the age that is to come. Grant it. Keep him healthy, happy, and may
his heart always be set on doing the things which is right before God. In the
Name of Jesus Christ we offer the child to You in
dedication. Amen. God bless you. God bless you, Sister
Collins, he's a fine boy, and you, Brother Collins. God be with you.
"Bring Them
In," all of us just...
Bring them in, bring them in,
Bring them in from the fields of sin;
Bring them in, bring them in,
Bring the little ones to Jesus. I
like that.
See, bring them to Christ before the Devil even has a chance. They're
already presented to Him then for a life of service.
Let us bow our heads
and our hearts in prayer…
Dear Father we thank
thee for your Word this evening, and for this understanding of the ministry and
how it is to help us to see the bigger picture, the Son of God, the eldest
brother in a vast family of brothers and how that you have ordained us to be
conformed to the image of the first born son in a vast family of brothers.
Thank you Father for Your presence among us, and we ask now that you would
bless the communion and foot-washing portion of our service as well in Jesus
Christ’s name. Amen.