Masterpiece Number 33

The Vision, the Pattern, and the Fulfillment

November 19, 2005

Pastor, Brian Kocourek

This morning I would like to continue in our study of Brother Branham’s sermon on the Masterpiece but since we have been away from this series for a couple weeks, I would like to refresh your mind with the last paragraph we read which is paragraph 33. So let’s read from paragraph 33.

THE MASTERPIECE 64-0705 33 But this masterpiece that Michelangelo had made, it cost him something to do that. He was a great man. And it cost a big part of his life, because he was many, many years in carving out. Just take a rock of marble and kept carving it. And to see... Only the man, the sculptor himself has in his mind what he's trying to do; he's the one. You might walk up and say to him, "What are you pecking on that rock for?" To the outsider who doesn't know what's in his heart, oh, it's nonsense. But to the man, the sculptor himself, he's got a vision in his mind, what he's trying to make, and he's trying to reproduce what he has on his mind in the form of a monument. And that's the reason he's picking it out of the rocks.

Now, if you will recall we spoke from this paragraph a preached number “28 Counting the Costs”, and then number 29 called “The Foreknowledge of God in Predestination”. Now, we had to read paragraph 33 in order for you to understand paragraph 34. So let’s pick up this morning at paragraph 34, as we continue in our study of this wonderful sermon from brother Branham called the Masterpiece. Now, to catch the flow let’s read again the last thought in paragraph 33 and then go right into paragraph 34. “But to the man, the sculptor himself, he's got a vision in his mind, what he's trying to make, and he's trying to reproduce what he has on his mind in the form of a monument. And that's the reason he's picking it out of the rocks.”

THE MASTERPIECE 34 And this to do, you have to start off right at the beginning, and you have to follow the pattern. See? You can't get a little piece to start off: "We'll make it this way. No, I believe..." No, he's got to have a exact pattern. And in his mind he's got that pattern. And he cannot vary from that pattern. Now, in order to do this he had to draw in his mind. Because we have no real pictures of Moses, but he had to get a mental picture in his mind of exactly what Moses was.

Now, there are three important points that brother Branham mentions here in this paragraph. First he says, that the sculptor had to have a vision in his mind, and then he tells us that this vision in his mind was the pattern by which he would sculpt out his statue. And then he said that the sculptor can not deviate from that pattern. So then let’s break down these thought into three points.

Number 1. The sculptor had a Vision in His Mind.

Number 2. The Vision was the pattern of what he wanted the statue to look like.

Number 3. The Sculptor then is bound to sculpt only what the pattern is.

Now, why is point number 1 so important? If the sculptor doesn’t have a vision in his mind, then where is he going to begin? He must know before he even begins what form the sculpture will take on, you know, its shape, and height, and depth and width, and other critical dimensions. And then the sculptor must know what material to make the sculpture from, and where the chipping should begin at and where the chipping will end.

All these questions and more must first be reconciled in the mind of the Sculptor before he even begins or else, he will not know when he begins where he is going with the sculpture. Because if he just begin to design something and has no idea what he is designing, then he may never come to a place where His design would become actual or manifested.

So the vision in the mind of the Sculptor is the most important thing, for the Scripture tells us in Proverbs 29:18 Where there is no vision, the people perish:

Now, according to the Hebrew definition of the Hebrew word that was translated for the word perish, it actually means come to nothing. So in reading this: with the translation honed, it would say, Where there is no vision, the people come to nothing.

And the sculptor without a vision can not sculpt anything. What’s he going to sculpt? Now, a sculptor is not a whittler. A whittler does not necessarily know what he is whittling when he begins. He just knows that he has a knife and some time on his hands, and he begins to just cut off piece after piece of the wood, until he either gets an idea or the piece begins to look like something and strikes an idea or mental vision.

That is why I can not stand the paintings of Picasso and people like him. To have his kind of painting in his mind to begin with would show that the man had to be insane. And to enjoy looking into the mind of an insane person you would also have to be insane. But to look at the work of a man like Michelangelo, you see his genius everywhere in his paintings and sculptures. And you think of that great mind that could envision the sculpture or painting in his mind to begin with and then have the skill to bring it into manifestation. That is greatness if here is such a thing as greatness.

And remember, when we are dealing with this sermon called the Masterpiece, brother Branham is using this particular sculpture of Moses that Michelangelo had made, to illustrate for us the workings of the Mind of God and how God brought forth His Uniquely born Son in to the world.

Therefore in point number one, we see that the Sculptor must first have a vision in his mind of what he is going to produce. And we see also that God Himself had a vision in His Mind even before the foundations of the world were framed, and we see in Revelation 13: 8 what that vision was concerning His only begotten Son, “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” So we see that God had in His Mind in a vision even before he framed the worlds that His Son would be a sacrificial lamb. And so God set firth a plan and purposed in His own Heart to bring that vision and plan into manifestation.

We are told this very thing by the Apostle Peter. 1 Peter 1: 18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, So here we see the Vision in God’s mind was before the worlds were even framed and yet the manifestation of that vision did not take place until that hour, 2000 years ago.

And Jesus Himself said, John 17: 24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.

Jesus could not have run from what God had ordained for him even if he had tried. 1 John 3: 8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. And He did.

And if Jesus was ordained by God to come and take on the role of a lamb that would be slain to free men from their sin, then there had to be men in sin to be freed. And the apostle Paul tells us that we also were a part of this vision of God before the very foundations of the world. Ephesians 1: 4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him.

And notice that if God envisioned it before the foundations of the world, then it is up to Him to bring to pass the fulfillment of that vision. In the case of this Son, His purpose and plan was to bring him into the world to die for our sins, as an innocent lamb is taken to the slaughter for the sins of the people.

Now, look, even before a lamb was created by God, God had already envisioned His Own son to come into the world like a lamb comes into the world, and even before the Levitical Law was set in order by God, God had already envisioned the slaying of the lamb to atone for the sins of His people. Where there is a deep call, there is a deep to respond. And before you were even brought forth into this world, God had already made the way for you to be freed from your sinful birth and had made the way for you to receive the new birth.

And that brings us to point number two which is that this vision is the pattern in which the sculptor must proceed. Now, then its one thing to have the vision of what the sculpture is going to look like, but then there must be a plan to bring that vision into reality. And that is what God’s purpose and plan is all about.

In Ephesians 1: 4 The Apostle Paul said, According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, (Now, watch what He envisioned before the world was framed) that we should be holy and without blame (Now, that is the pattern and that is the condition, but notice what else the apostle says,) before… That means in His presence. And then Paul says, Ephesians 1: 5 Having (that’s past tense, that means This is what He has already done) Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, (Now, look, if God has already predestinated us to the adoption of children according to his own good will, and if he has also foreordained that we should be holy and without blame in His Presence, then it’s a done deal. What are you worried about. Just let go and let God. Get out of God’s way so he can finish the good work in you that he has already begun before you were even born into this world with your sinful nature. But it says, that we were past tense predestined to the adoption of children. So if God had a pattern in His mind for you, then there is nothing you need to do to become that pattern. You already are in the process of becoming what God ordained for you to become. So just get out of His way. Let God and let God.

Brother Branham said “the greatest gift is to get yourself out of the way”. Now, brother Branham established here that the pattern is what the vision is. So the pattern for Jesus was to become the lamb slain. He was ordained for that purpose.

John 12: 27 Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour. Now the word Jesus used when he said for this cause was translated from the Greek word “dia” which not only means “cause or occasion” but more specifically it means the channel of an act. In other words, the act actually falls within the conduit and therefore there is no getting out of that act for it is the sole purpose of existence. When you have reached that conduit, you can not go backwards and you can not go forwards. But you are destined for that position in that spot at that appointed time.

And Jesus said, but for this very channel of the act came I unto this hour. In other words, His life in predestination had led him to that very hour, and for that very purpose. The only way he could have gotten out of it was for God to not have envisioned it to begin with. There was nothing that Jesus could have done to change the fact that He was there at that very moment waiting for the final act in His short life to take place. Jesus could not have changed the purpose and plan for Himself any more than you can change the purpose and plan that God has for you.

God appeared unto Paul at the exact right moment in Paul’s life for one purpose, and that was that Paul would become a witness of His Appearing. Acts 26: 16 But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;

William Branham could no more have gotten away from His calling to be a Witness of the glorious Appearing of Jesus Christ in this hour than Jesus could have gotten away from his own calling to be the Lamb slain which was in the mind of God before the foundations of the world.

From his sermon, Anointed ones at end time 65-0725M P:193 he said, Now, I want you to know this is sure. And you that listen to this tape, you might have thought today that I was trying to say that about myself, being that I was packing this Message. I have no more to do with it than nothing, no more than just a voice. And my voice, even against my better judgment... I wanted to be a trapper. But it's the will of my Father that I declare to do, and determined to do. I wasn't the One that appeared down on the river; I was only standing there when He appeared. I'm not the One that performs these things and foretells these things that happens as perfect as they are; I'm only one that's near when He does it. I was only a voice that He used to say it. It wasn't what I knew; it's what I just surrendered myself to, that He spoke through. It isn't me. It wasn't the seventh angel, oh, no; it was a manifestation of the Son of man. It wasn't the angel, his Message; it was the mystery that God unfolded. It's not a man; it's God. The angel was not the Son of man; he was a messenger from the Son of man. The Son of man is Christ. He's the One that you're feeding on. You're not feeding on a man. A man, his words will fail, but you're feeding on the unfailing Body-Word of the Son of man .If you haven't fed fully on every Word to give yourself strength to fly above all these denominations and things of the world, will you at this time do it, while we pray?

Now, what made William Branham change his mind. He said I wanted to be a trapper. What changed his mind from being a trapper to being a witness to that great Light of His Glorious Appearing? Well, he tells us in the series he preached on the book of Hebrews.

Hebrews Chapter 7 part 1 P:59 Then what difference does it make here, whether we have anything or whether we don't? Whether we're young or whether we're old, what difference does it make? The main thing, are you ready to meet Him? Do you love Him? Can you serve Him? Have you sold out to the things of the world? Have you met Melchisedec since the battle was over? Bless God. About twenty-one years old I was, and one day I had a battle with this, that, and the other; I couldn't make out whether I wanted to be a fighter, or whether I wanted to be a trapper, or a hunter, what I wanted to be. But I met Melchisedec, and He give me communion, and since then it was settled forever. Hallelujah. I've went on His side. I've been rejoicing on the road. And when it comes to the end of the road, and death stares me in the face, the way I feel now, I'll never dread it. I want to know--walk into the face of it, knowing this, that I know Him Who's made the promise (That's right.), that I know Him in the power of His resurrection. When He calls from among the dead, I'll come out from among them (That's right.), knowing Him in the power of His resurrection. What difference does it make whether I'm old or whether I'm young? whether I'm little or whether I'm big? whether I'm full or whether I'm hungry? whether I got a place to lay down or whether I haven't? "The birds has the nests, and the fox have dens, but the Son of man has not a place to lay His head," but He was the King of glory.

And notice that he said, I couldn’t make up my mind what I wanted to be. I thought I wanted to be a trapper, and I also thought I wanted to be a fighter, and I also thought I wanted to be a hunter, but I really didn’t know what I wanted to be. And then I met Him and it was settled forever. Why? Because God ordained before he even brought forth the world into existence, that William Branham would be the witness to the Great Light of God’s glorious Appearing in this hour. Just as he ordained Jesus to be the lamb slain, and Paul to be the witness in Alpha of His Glorious Appearing, so too in this hour, He ordained William Branham to be the witness of the Omega Appearing of Jesus Christ.

God spoke to Jeremiah and said Jeremiah 1: 5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. Notice God said before I formed thee, and before thou came forth, I knew thee and ordained thee. When? Before the foundations of the world, that’s when.

And what then about you? He said through the Apostle Paul, Ephesians 1: 11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

And in Romans 8: 28 we are assured, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

So it is to the purpose of Him who envisioned you in your role even before the foundations of the world. Like brother Branham said, “in order for there to be a fish with a fin, God had to ordain water for him to swim in. Then in order for there to be an adoption of Children, God had to ordain who would be His children, and who He would adopt, and give inheritance to. And if He said, “in love he predestinated us, then it is all because of His great Love for us. That is why Jesus had to come and die for us. For God so loved the world He gave us His only begotten son. So the Lamb slain was an expression of the love of God and so is your adoption as children.

In Love He predestinated us unto the adoption of Children unto Himself, and He did so according to the good pleasure of His own will.

Its nothing you asked for. Its what he ordained before the world was even framed. Look, it wasn’t your asking God to send a prophet to help you understand the Scriptures. It was God sending a prophet because He knew you would have a need to understand His Word in order for you to understand your roles as obedient Sons and daughters of Him. It’s nothing you did, it’s what He ordained for you from before the foundations of the world. Its “not him that willeth, nor even him that runneth or puts forth an effort, but it s God that shows Mercy.”

Romans 9: 11 (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)

Therefore its just knowing your place in the scriptures. You see Christ was ordained as the lamb slain, and He was sent to redeem you in order to bring you back to your rightful position. Therefore he is the center of it all. Everything in the family of God then revolves around the Uniquely born first born son. Then your role is understanding how your life evolves around His Life. Colossians 3:4 For when Christ who is our Life shall Appear, then we shall also Appear with Him in doxa, in the same mindset.. Ephesians 3: 10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, 11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:

And notice that it is not only all done according to God’s will and good pleasure, but He worketh it to His will and good pleasure. Ephesians 1: 11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: That’s why all things work together for your good. Because God is the one working it to your good.

Now, where you and I have got to come is to believe that God is in supreme control of your destiny, because God is in charge of the destiny of all men. Paul told us in Romans 9: 17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. God did not raise up pharaoh to exalt pharaoh. He raised up pharaoh to exalt himself. And that is the key for us to be happy. I remember years ago reading where Brother Branham said, “If it would please God to send me to hell, then I would be happy to go there.” Now, that is a tremendous statement because it shows a complete understanding of the sovereignty of God.

Now, that brings us to point number three. The Sculptor then is bound to sculpt only what the pattern is.

Notice, if God saw you before the foundation of the world then he is obligated to bring you to that place where he envisioned you to be at. As brother Branham said, “the visions never fail”. And neither can the mind of God falter one iota. Now, you might say, “then why am I not in that perfect place of perfection now? And the answer is found in the book of Ecclesiastes.

Ecclesiastes 3: 1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

Now, the vision of God will not fail. What God envisioned before the foundations of the world is more sure than the world itself.

Lamb's book of life 56-0603 P:51 The 12th chapter of I Corinthians said, "By one Spirit we're all baptized into one body and become members of that body." And then it's not what I've done, what I am, who I was, or nothing about it; it's what God has done for me in Christ. And we are perfected with our Sacrifice. He makes no mistakes. He wouldn't bring you in, if you wasn't worthy. He knows your heart. That's right. He knows what you are. He knows your motives. He knows what you are. There's traps all along the road. Sure. The devil will cause you to stumble, and you say, "God, I didn't mean to do that. God, You know it." You're still perfect, because there's a perfect Blood offered for you everyday, and a bleeding Sacrifice hanging before the throne of Almighty God. That's right. Now, how did you get in there? God, by foreknowledge... Now, God said that Jesus... Now, put on your caps. Get open your heart. Look. The Bible said Jesus was the Lamb slain from the, where? Foundation of the world He was slain. Why? God, the Father, when He looked down and seen how... Jesus never come just to die a haphazard death. He never come, say, "Well, maybe somebody would have pity when they see the way I die and everything." No, it wasn't. God don't run His business like that. God runs His business perfect. That's right. He knowed exactly what was going to take place. That's where He could fore say. He knows exactly what He... He's not willing that any should perish. He's not willing. But if He's infinite, He knows who will and who won't. Therefore, you can rest assure. If you have received God and been filled with the Holy Ghost, you're anchored to your eternal destination. Correctly. See, He foreknows.

Wisdom verses faith 62-0401 P:182 Satan knew it; he knew the Word. Now, he could quote that Scripture, boy, just like a walking Bible, he could just quote It like that. See? [Brother Branham repeatedly snaps his fingers--Ed.] But Jesus just stood still, for He knew where He was standing. He knowed that He was predestinated, was the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world; He knowed He was that Person. Oh, brother! "He that has an ear let him hear." He knowed that He was predestinated for that, and that's the way He knew the Word. See? And It worked. Sure! Satan knew It by wisdom; it failed. He quoted the same Word Jesus quoted, same Bible. He quoted from Psalms. "He'll give... It's written," Satan said, "He'll give his Angels charge concerning you, lest any time you dash your foot against a stone; they bear thee up." He said, "And it's also written." See?

How the angel came to me 55-0117 P:8 And I believe that God knew before the foundation of the world, chose His church in Christ, and slayed Christ before the foundation of the world. The Scripture said so, "He was the Lamb of God slain from the foundation of the world." See? And Jesus said that He knew us before the foundation of the world. Paul said that, "He knew us and predestinated us unto the adoption of the children by Jesus Christ before the world was ever formed." That's God. That's our Father. See? So don't worry, the wheels are turning just right, everything's coming just in time. The only thing is, get in the turn. And that's the good part about it, then you know how to work when you're getting in the turn. Now, notice now, "The gifts and calling without repentance," that's the only way that I could Scripturally place my calling in the Lord. And trusting that I'm with friends tonight who will surely understand this and not think it's personal, but that you might have an understanding and know just what the Lord has said that He would do, and find something moving, and then follow in it.

Abraham's seed 59-0423 P:20 Well, that's the way it is with us. We're imperfect, no good, borned in sin, shaped in iniquity, come to the world speaking lies. We're no good to begin with. But God don't look at you; He looks at the sacrifice. He looks at the Lamb. He doesn't see you, because He sees Christ. Jesus died for you. Now, if you can find some fault with Jesus, then your healing might not be right. But if you don't find no fault with Him, it's perfect. Sure. God called you by His grace, not that you would, but if God would. The Scripture said He was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. That was God's Word. When God speaks, it's as good as finished right then. So how you going to stamp out the baptism of the Holy Ghost? How you going to stamp out the gifts? How you going to stamp out the Church? You can't do it. God spoke it, and it's going to be. That settles it. Certainly. It'll materialize somewhere.

Now, notice in all that I have read to you, point number three is so important because the sculptor is bound to sculpt only what the pattern is. And God is obligated to His own Word. God is not obligated to your word, or your desires. He is obligated to what He envisioned before the foundations of the world. We read about the false prophets in the old testament, and we hear what God says about them in the book of Jeremiah. Jeremiah 23: 16 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD. Notice he said, they make you vain. That means that by listening to them that prophecy their own words, that what they say does absolutely nothing for you. They make you vain he said. And the word vain means of no use. So their words are of no use to you. And their words will add nothing to you. They can’t help you, so why would you listen to someone false. It’s a waste of your time.

Jeremiah 14: 14 Then the LORD said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart. Again we see that God says, what they say is nought, it is nothing, and means nothing.

And in the Book of Isaiah 29: 11 we read, And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed: And what use is there to try to read something that is sealed. Oh, you can guess all day long, but if it is sealed then you can only guess what is inside. And you can’t judge a book by its cover, and to try to understand the Bible when it is sealed and closed to you is only surmising and guessing, and comes to nothing. Thus we see that these three points that brother Branham made in this paragraph are essential in that if you were not envisioned by God before the world was framed, then you will never be there. As brother Branham said, “if you did not have representation before the foundations of the world, you never will have it.

Thus when we look at these three points, Number 1, The sculptor had a Vision in His Mind. Number 2, The Vision was the pattern of what he wanted the statue to look like. And number 3, The Sculptor then is bound to sculpt only what the pattern is. And if any of these three things was not set forth by God concerning you, then forget it, you haven’t chance. But if God saw you in Himself, if God envisioned you, and set forth the pattern for you to come, then God is obligated to fulfill that Pattern. Philippians 1: 6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

Let’s bow our heads in prayer. Gracious and Loving Father, we are so thankful to know that you have everything under control and that all that you envisioned and spoke must come to pass. We are thankful because you said there would be a children that would receive inheritance from you and we believe that we are among those whom you called and justified, sanctified and filled with your Spirit. Thank you Father for showing us these things through the mouth of Your Prophet and to allow us to tap into the conduit of your very mind, for we ask it in the name of Your Beloved firstborn son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.