Masterpiece 45
There in His Own
Image Reflecting God.
January 29th, 2006
Pastor, Brian Kocourek
1. Today we will read from Brother Branham’s sermon called
THE MASTERPIECE
and we will pick up at paragraph 68. “The foundation was laid by the patriarch,
but the body was built by the Word, which was the prophets. And here comes the
Head of all of it; Jesus came on the scene. There when this Headpiece was put
upon it, we find in Him the entire handiwork of God. We find in Him the perfect reflection of the Word, for He was the
Word, the fullness of the Word. Now, again God has the perfect Masterpiece
again, as Isaiah said, "Behold My
Servant, My Masterpiece that I have portrayed through all the ages of this
perfect One coming. And here He stands right before Me, a perfect..." There in His own image reflecting God,
for He said in
2. This morning in reviewing this paragraph we notice
that brother Branham tells us that Jesus was the perfect reflection of the
Word. And then he tells us “There in His own
image reflecting God,” And then finally he quotes Jesus saying, When you see Me, you see the Father.
3. Now, categorically what we are hearing brother
Branham tells us is that Jesus was a perfect reflector of God who is the Word,
and that is why Jesus could say “when you see me you see the Father”. Then what we
are talking about is that Jesus reflected God and God is the Word. Thus the
same Word that is God is what Jesus was reflecting. And that is why He could
say, “I and my
Father are One”, because they were One by the same Word.
4. Now,
I know that there are many who would disagree with that statement but that is
the truth. In fact William Branham said just exactly that in his sermon called, Baptism Of the Holy Spirit
58-0928M 94 Jesus, He said, "I and My Father are One. My Father dwelleth in Me."
No one could read that any plainer. They said, "Why don't You show us the Father, and it'll satisfy us."
John 14:8.
He said, "I've been so long with you and you don't
know Me?" He said, "When you see Me, you see My Father."
As a lady once jumped up, she said, "Why, Brother Branham," she said,
"the Father and the Son are one, just like you and your wife are
one." I said, "Oh, no they're not." I said, "Do you see
me?" She said, "Yes." I said, "You see my wife?" Said,
"No." I said, "Then they're not the same kind of one.
Jesus said, 'When you've see Me, you have seen the Father. The Father
dwelleth in
5. Now, that is the key to understand
what Brother Branham meant when he uses this story about the confrontation with
this woman. He said, "Then they're not the
same kind of one. Jesus said, 'When you've see Me, you have seen the
Father. The Father dwelleth in
6. And from
his sermon called Palmerworm Locust Caterpillar
59-0823 140 God Almighty,
the Father, dwelt in Him. At the day of the baptism, when He received the Holy
Ghost on the day when John baptized Him, John said, "I beheld and saw the Spirit of God like a Dove descending from
heaven, and a Voice saying, 'This is My beloved Son in Whom I'm pleased to
dwell in.” Jesus said that God was with Him, "I and My Father are One. My Father dwells in Me.” Not Jesus, and being one with God; but God was in Christ,
reconciling the world to Himself. 143 And you Oneness brethren, many of you get off the wrong track when you
try to think that God is one like your finger is one. He can't be His Own Father. He can't be.
7. Now, Brother Branham is letting us
know that God and Jesus were one in that God was indwelling the Body of His
Son. But I also want to show you that this Oneness between God and His Son was
more than God indwelling His Son, but in fact Jesus and God were One because God
is the word and Jesus was One with the Word in the same sense that God was One
with His Own Word. And to further verify this understanding, Jesus prayed in
John 17 that we might be one with God even as he was One with the Father.
8. From Brother Branham’s sermon HARVEST TIME 641212 87 034 brother Branham said, “Jesus said, "That they might be one, Father, as You and I are one." Not for some man to be over something, it never will
work; one denomination wants to take over the other, and one man over the
other. But that you might be one with God, like Christ and God was one;
that's what the prayer is. That... He was the Word, and Jesus prayed that
we might be the Word, reflecting Him. That's His prayer to be answered.
See how Satan scruples it up in the carnal mind? But that wasn't Jesus' prayer,
at all, that we might all congregate together and all have a certain creed and
so forth. Every time they do it, they go further and further from God.
He wants us to be one with God, and God is
the Word. Each individual in his heart must
be that one with God.”
9. Therefore those that teach the
Oneness or Unitarian concept of the Godhead could never believe that we (God’s
other Children) could be One with God “AS”
Jesus and God were One, because they believe that God was Jesus and Jesus was
God, and not two beings inhabiting the same body. But Jesus in his prayer said, JOHN 17:11
¶ And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come
to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given
me, that they may be one, “AS” we are. And how is it
that we might be One “AS” Jesus and His Father were One? First of all this word “as” that jesus used
was translated from the Greek word “Kathos” which means “in the same manner as”,
or “even
as”.
10. Now, this same word “kathos”
was used by the apostle Paul in the Book of Ephesians when speaking to Husbands
showing them how to love their wives.
11. Ephesians 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of
the body. Now, here we see that the word “even as” means in the
same way or in the same manner.
12. Ephesians 5: 25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; Again
we see the word “even as” meaning that husbands are to love their wives in the
same way or the same manner that Christ loved the church.
13. Ephesians 5: 29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but
nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as
the Lord the church: Again we see that this word “even
as” means that the husband is to cherish his wife in the same way or in
the same manner that Christ cherished the Church.
14. Ephesians :5: 33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular
so love his wife even as himself;
and the wife see that she reverence her husband. Again in this usage
we see the Apostle Paul use the words “even as” in regards to a man loving his
wife in the same way or in the same manner that he loves Himself.
15. Now, in all of these
usages we see a common occurrence in that they all speak of equality. That a
man loves his wife in an equal manner as he loves himself, or as Jesus Loves
the church. So you see the word “kathos” which is used in all these
Scriptural references speaks of equality, sameness, etc.
16. Notice how it is used in Luke 6: 40 The disciple is not above his master: but every
one that is perfect shall be as
his master.
17. And again in Matthew
10: 25 It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house
Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?
18. And in Matthew 12:
13 Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he
stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other. Notice here it speaks of one hand
that had been withered being restored to the same condition as his other hand.
19. In Matthew 17: 2 We
see the story of how Jesus was transfigured before God in such a way that His
clothing was white as light, and his face shined as brilliant as the Sun. And was transfigured before them: and his face
did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.
20. And in Matthew 13: 43 we see that
the elect will shine forth like the sun in the same manner as Jesus shined like
the sun in the last passage we read about his transfiguration.. Then
shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who
hath ears to hear, let him hear.
21. Now, in getting back to Jesus Prayer in JOHN 17:14 Jesus said in his prayer, “I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them,
because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Here
Jesus tells us that we become One with God by receiving the same word he
received and thus became One With God. He also let’s us know that when we
receive that same Word we also will be hated as he is hated by the world. JOHN 17:20 ¶
Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me
through their word; 21 That they all may be one; AS thou,
Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us:
that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. 22 And the glory which
thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are
one:”
22. Therefore
it is very apparent that we are one by receiving the same Word which brings us
into the same Glory or the same mind as the Father. And
the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even
as we are one:
23. So contrary to what the Unitarians Oneness believe,
Jesus and God were not One like your finger is one, but rather God indwelt His
Son, and thus the two beings occupied one body, and in like Manner God wants to
occupy your body and my body that we two also may share our bodies with him,
and that makes us One with God even as Jesus was One with Him.
24. From the Message ATTITUDE AND WHO IS GOD? 50-0815 015 brother Branham said,
"And we're taught in the
beginning, that the Logos, or the Son of God went out of God. Now, I do not
believe in eternal sonship. That's even radical to even mention such a thing,
eternal sonship. How could He had an eternal sonship...?... He had to have a
beginning. See? 016 So He first was God, Jehovah. And out of Him... Let's just
picture now as a little drama so you can get it. Let's see coming out of space
where there's nothing, let's make it a little white Light, like a mystic Light, like a Halo. And that was the Logos that went out of God in
the beginning. That was the Son of God that came out of the bosom of the Father.
That was what was in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and
the Word was God. And the Word was made flesh and dwelled among us. In the
beginning was God. And then out of God came the Logos, a part of God that went out of God.
25.Notice, brother Branham told us it was only a part of God that went out of God. And
we know as with any child born, it is a part of the father in him. Brother
Branham said from the Message, GO TELL MY DISCIPLES 53-0405S 170,
he is a part of God, (if) he's an offspring of God.
26.Hebrews 1: 1-5 ¶ God, who at sundry times
and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2)
Hath in these last days spoken unto us in [his] Son, whom he hath appointed
heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the
brightness of [his] glory, and the express image of his person, (The
expressed image... or the out-raying or etching of God.) and upholding all
things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat
down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; 4) ¶ Being made so much better
than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than
they. 5) For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son,
this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he
shall be to me a Son?
27. AMPLIFIED = Hebrews
1:1-5, In Many separate
revelations, - each of which set forth a portion of the truth, - and in
different ways God spoke of old to our forefathers in and by the prophets. But
in the last of these days, He has spoken to us in the person of a Son, Whom he
appointed heir and lawful Owner of all things, also by, and through Whom, He
created the worlds, and the reaches of space, and the ages of time, - that is,
He made, produced, built, operated, and arranged them in order. He is the sole expression of the Glory of God, -
the Light-being, the
out-raying of the Divine, - and He is
the perfect imprint and very image of God's nature, upholding, maintaining, guiding, and propelling the universe
by His mighty word of power. When He had, by offering Himself, accomplished our
cleansing of sins and riddance of guilt, he sat down at the right hand of the
Divine Majesty on High. Taking a place and rank by which He, Himself, became as
much superior to angels as the glorious Name which He has inherited is
different from and more excellent than theirs. For which of the angels did God
ever say, "You are My Son, today I have begotten you, And Again, I will be
to Him a Father, and he will be to Me a Son."
28. BELIEVE FROM THE HEART 57-0623
E-46 Jesus was a witness of God. He become so full of God, till him and God
was One. God dwelt in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, the very
expression. A man's work declares
his character. Christ was God's work. And Christ declared God's character,
His feeling for the sick, His longing for saving of souls, till even He gave
His own life. God's work... God's character was declared in Christ.
Therefore, we see that He was the very expression of
God. This first light that God brought forth was the Logos which was a part of
God coming forth into an expression which God
called His Son, and then through this expression, or expressed
Word, or Manifested Word, God brought forth all of creation. ROMANS 11:36 For of him, and through him,
and to him, [are] all things: to whom [be] glory for ever. Amen.
29. But, remember, it was not the Son creating, but God
was in the Son doing the work.
Jesus the Son of God said, JOHN
5:19
Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you,
The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what
things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.
30. EPHESIANS 3:9 And to make all [men] see what [is] the
fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid
in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
31. COLOSSIANS 1:15 Who is
the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 16 For by him were all
things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and
invisible, whether [they be] thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or
powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17 And he is before all
things, and by him all things consist.
32. Now, how was it that God in-dwelt his Son? The
scripture tells us it was a mystery how that God was in Christ. I TIMOTHY 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of Godliness
(God-like-ness): God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the
Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world,
received up into glory. The only way
that God could make Himself known, was to live in His Son, Christ Jesus, suffer
death and temptation for all human race. And He had all the qualities of the
Father was in Him.
33. II CORINTHIANS 5:19 "To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world
to Himself". So all the great qualities of the Father was in Christ Jesus
the Son when He was here on earth. All the Father has was His.
34. Now, Jesus was not just a mask like the oneness want
to believe. He was a man, just like you and I with his own body, soul and
spirit. But then God came into that man which made him the God-man, and this
made him a dual person.
35. HIDDEN LIFE 55-1006A When God was here on earth, He occupied a three room House, the Soul, Body, and Spirit of Jesus Christ.
36. JEHOVAJIREH 56-0429 053 "That's the reason
people couldn't understand Him. Sometime it was Christ speaking... or was the
Son speaking. Other times it was the Father speaking. He was a dual Person.
He was one Man, the Son. God was in, which was tabernacling in Him. But
what did He do? Did He go around saying, "I'm the Healer." Very
contrary, He said, "I'm not the Healer." He said, "It isn't Me
that doth the works; it's My Father that dwelleth in Me." And in Saint
John the 19th chapter when He was questioned for passing a whole bunch of
crippled, lame, withered, halt, blind people, healed one man laying on a
pallet, the Father showed Him to go there and heal. Walked away and left the
rest of them laying there, they questioned Him. A man packing his bed on the
sabbath. Listen to what He said.
37. LET US SEE GOD 131 59-1129 …I said, "He was more than... God was in
Him. He was a man, but He was a dual Person. One, He was a man; the
Spirit in Him was God." I said, "God was in Christ." She said,
"Aw, no." I said, "Look, lady, I'll take your own Scripture. He
was a man, but He was a God-man. When He went down to the grave of Lazarus, He
did weep like a man. That's true. But when He stood there, straightened His
little stooped shoulders up, and said, 'Lazarus, come forth,' and a dead man,
that'd been dead four days come to life again, that was more than a man. Man
couldn't do that. That was God in His Son."
Now, this duality of being did not begin when He was
in the flesh. We see in the very beginning God birthed Himself a Son as we have
already established and then God worked in that Son to create all things.
38. ATTITUDE AND WHO IS GOD? 50-0815
018 There He puts the first Bible. Oh, back in the
days of--ancient days, they looked at those things. Today, He's got His Bible
wrote here. But He wrote It in the heavens, that man would look up and realize
that Jehovah the Creator lived above. And then I can see Him, He looked at
that...I can see Him speak to this world hanging there as an icicle, whatever
it was, way away. And He moved it over here. I can see this little Light go
out. Now, WE GOT TWO NOW. The Father, and out of the
Father came the Light, the Son. And I can
see that Light moving over here and pulled the earth over near the sun to dry
it off. And begin to...?... raise the water up, separating the land, earth from
the water, and so forth.
39. Now, this in no way makes it two Gods. There is One
God and he has a Son. The Scripture calls Him the "Son of God", never
does it say he is "God the Son".
40. QA ON GENESIS13-13 53-0729 007
Well now, if you'll notice close now, in Genesis
1:26, let's get the first part first. God said, "Let us..." Now,
"let us," us is a... "Let us make man in our own image."
Our, 'course, we realize He's talking to someone; He was speaking to another
being. "Let us make man in our own image after our likeness, and let
them have dominion over the cattles of the field." If you notice in
creation, the first thing that was created, of course, was light. You come on
down through the creation; the last thing was created was what? A man. And
woman was made after man. All right, the first... Last thing that was created
of God's creation is mankind.
41. SIRS WE WOULD SEE JESUS 57-1211 021 Now, Jesus was born for one purpose, that was for God to
manifest Himself through that body. God was in Christ reconciling the
world to Himself. He was a body that was made physical, that men and women
could see what He thought, and His expressions to the people in His gratefulness.
And His attitude towards all mankind, He expressed it through Christ. Christ
seemed to be a dual personality. He would speak sometimes and they'd
scratch their heads; and they didn't understand Him. He'd speak one thing one
time, look like, and something else another time. What it was, was Jesus
speaking, and then Christ speaking. Jesus was the man. Christ was the God that
was in Him. "Not Me that doeth the works: My Father that dwelleth
in Me, He doeth the work." See? God will not share His glory with no
one.
42. BALM IN GILEAD 61-0218
080 You know, Jesus right at the end of His ministry,
His disciples couldn't understand Him. No one understood Him. How that... How
many know that they couldn't understand Him? Sure. Why? They thought He had
a dual personality. No. Sometime it was Jesus talking, sometime it was
the Father in Him talking. See, see? That was it, the man...
43. THY SEED SHALL POSSESS GATE 62-0121M 086 Why did
David say, "I will not see My Holy--let My Holy One see corruption (My
Holy One see corruption.), neither will I leave His soul in hell?" David
said that. See, both soul, body, and spirit was created of God by Him.
The woman was not a mother; it was a woman. I believe she was a good holy
woman. Absolutely, she'd never been a incubator. God would've never chose no
dirty incubator (Lord willing, I'm preaching on that tonight) but an old dirty
incubator to bring His--to bring His Son to the earth in. He chose a virgin,
knowing not a man, neither did she have any sperm discharge or anything else
when the Holy Ghost overshadowed her, because God in His immaculate,
infinite way created in her: soul, body, and Spirit of Jesus Christ. That's
right. He was a virgin born Son of God. What did that do? It broke the gate of
the enemy. Hallelujah. Whew. This is getting good to me.
44. MATTHEW 3:16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up
straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he
saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: 17 And lo
a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
45. Brother Branham taught us that God did not indwell
Jesus Christ in the flesh until He was baptized in the
46. INTER VEIL 56-0121 E-58
You're living in a house, soul, body, and spirit. That's the way God
lived in Jesus Christ, both soul, body, and spirit. "Not Me that doeth
the works, the Father that dwelleth in Me." You see?
47. Notice, Jesus was anointed with the Holy Ghost. ACTS 10:38 How God
anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and
with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of
the devil; for God was with him.
48. IT BECOMETH US TO FULFILL 61-1001M 039 See, Aaron, the high priest, before he could ever be
anointed, he had to be washed with water. Therefore, when Jesus, before He
could be anointed our High Priest, He was washed with water. And then not
anointing oil poured upon Him to anoint Him, like Aaron was anointed with oil; He
was anointed with the Holy Ghost. "For John bare record, seeing the
Spirit of God descending like a dove, and going upon Him, and a Voice saying,
'This is My beloved Son in Whom I am pleased to dwell in.'" So the Bible
said that, "Jesus was anointed with the Holy Ghost, went about
doing good things." See, He was anointed.