Ephesians; 1:5 – Christ is the first fruits of the sons of God, therefore we are to be like Him, part 2.

The sons of God do the will of their Father.

We noted in the parable of the two sons that Christ manifested His authority and Person through the works that He did, and He said that John the Baptist did the same.

Christ, being our first fruits and we being called to conform to His image, must do the same. We are to do the works that the Father has willed for us to do, and by their manifestation, witness of the power and authority of God.

Eph 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;

Eph 2:9 not as a result of works, that no one should boast.

Eph 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Mat 5:13 "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how will it be made salty again? It is good for nothing anymore, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.

Mat 5:14 "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.

Mat 5:15 "Nor do men light a lamp, and put it under the peck-measure, but on the lampstand; and it gives light to all who are in the house.

Mat 5:16 "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

God educates us to the ease and naturalness of all duty. Yet only when we are willing to go.

Joh 10:37 "If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me;

Joh 10:38 but if I do them, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father. "

Joh 10:39 Therefore they were seeking again to seize Him, and He eluded their grasp.

He also told the disciples to believe the works.

Joh 14:11 “Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me; otherwise believe on account of the works themselves.

And, we are to be like Him:

Joh 14:12 Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go to the Father.”

Jesus’ work, to put it very briefly, was to reveal the Father and deliver mankind from sin, and the disciples would reveal the Father to many more men in many more places, delivering them from sin through the gospel.

But if the twelve were only like the first son, saying he will go, but having no intention to, then no works would have been done by them. If Paul, Peter, John, and Matthew don’t go, there are no letters from them in the Bible and the church would have the Gospel of Mark, maybe Hebrews, the Book of James, and the Book of Jude. Think of how that would impact the church and your own life.

Should we be sons of God by professing only? We are to be the same as Christ.

1Jo 3:13 Do not marvel, brethren, if the world hates you.

1Jo 3:14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death.

1Jo 3:15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

1Jo 3:16 We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

1Jo 3:17 But whoever has the world's goods, and beholds his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?

1Jo 3:18 Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue [first son in the parable of the sons], but in deed and truth [second son].

1Jo 3:19 We shall know by this that we are of the truth, and shall assure our heart before Him,

1Jo 3:20 in whatever our heart condemns us; for God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.

1Jo 3:21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God;

1Jo 3:22 and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.

1Jo 3:23 And this is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us.

1Jo 3:24 And the one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And we know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.

Therefore, Jesus told the parable of the two sons in order to show the priests that His authority came from heaven because He did the work that only came from heaven.

1Th 4:1 Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that, as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you may excel still more.

The first son would seem to believe that his verbal agreement was enough to please his father.

2Ti 2:1 You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

2Ti 2:2 And the things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, these entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.

2Ti 2:3 Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.

2Ti 2:4 No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier.

2Ti 2:5 And also if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules.

2Ti 2:6 The hard-working farmer ought to be the first to receive his share of the crops.

2Ti 2:7 Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.

2Ti 2:8 Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, descendant of David, according to my gospel,

2Ti 2:9 for which I suffer hardship even to imprisonment as a criminal; but the word of God is not imprisoned.

2Ti 2:10 For this reason I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it eternal glory.

The priests and elders spent their lives in professing to be God’s people. Their day was filled with religious services. They had no secular business at all; they were identified with religion; their whole life was a proclamation that they were God’s servants, and a profession of their willingness to obey. And yet the failed to do the one thing they were there to do. They heard John the Baptist’s teaching, they knew it was the voice of God, but they refused to prepare their hearts and understandings, as he taught them, that they might recognize Christ. John commanded them to do one thing, to prepare for and receive the King, they failed to do it.

In every generation there are many men who are like this.

All of us in this ministry are exceptional at reading the scripture and hearing it explained. We must never think that with this our work is done.