When a Master teaches a class it is different…The Master Class 2003/11/07 I had a dream of little boys standing outside the class with our book cases on our backs. We were pushing and shoving and arguing and some tempers were boiling over. Some harsh words were being spoken and some boys pushed in front of others in the line. Then the teacher came out of the class and suddenly we all behaved and lined up without any disorder! I was sure the teacher happened to be Jesus. He just stood there smiling: our behaviour did not upset him. He did not even mention it. It was nothing serious to him. To some of us it was war ? to him it was simply little boys pushing and shoving trying to be first in line. When he told us to come into the class we suddenly walked in orderly. He did not give anyone a hiding. He did not humiliate anyone. His authority was so complete that all of us behaved ourselves. That is what the church should be like. We ought not to have these little arguments and pushing and shoving going of for the sake of position. Jesus is inviting us all into his Master Class today. Who will respond? The Church where there is apostolic authority and prophetic imagination is the master classs of Jesus Christ. The Church is his ekklesia or elect ones to whom he reveals the secrets of his present and future and everlasting kingdom. Radiant Glory The life of Martha Wing Robinson, by Gordon P. Gardiner (1962) Martha Wing Robinson wrote in her prayer dairy: ?And I am wating on God to perfect His work in me, to make me meek and lowly in spirit, fill me with love and patience. I do fail so dreadfullyu; I am so full of myself. I sometimes seem to get worse instead of better. Again I see that it is that I see myself more plainly. Well, the work is in God?s hands. O God, I am still before Thee not jet of service, still under the pruning kniefe. I ask Thee to enable me to keep humble and keep sweeet no matter what the circumstances are. I have a rebellious spirit against uinjustice along certain lines. I cannot bear to be blamed for welldoing or tobe muisunderstood or misjudged. Oh, if I were dead to myself these things would not hurt. Make ne dead, my Lord and my God.? This is the conflict between the Spirit and self-life. This is the process of heart cleansign leading to perfection. God gives us according to our capacity. This is what it is like in God?s training school. We are slow or fast learners ? it depends on how we respond to the training. The Holy Ghost is our teacher. There are two kinds of works of the flesh: the carnal inbred sin to be cleansed by the blood of Jesus and the self-life which is a terrible enemy. Paul?s self-life had a perfect record ? one of which he could boast: Philippians 3:3-11 3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. 4 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: 5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; 6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. 7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, 9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. There is much left of the flesh after we have been cleansed from sin. All the abilities, powers, independence, sefl-righteousness, self-image, self-development, self-motivation, fleshly wisdom that causes strife, envy and brings confusion stand in the way of the spirit. These things have to be crucified not our sins. We are always wise in our own eyes. Our opinions weigh heavily in our favour. We think we are better than others and more sensible. Why can?t others be like us? We do everything the way we want it done. Why can?t others have good common sense to do it our way? Our ways are not God?s ways and our thoughts are not God?s thoughts ? His ways and thoughts are somewhat higher than ours?as high as the heavens are above the earth so God?s ways are above our thoughts. So how can we know His ways and His thoughts? As the rain and the snow comes down from above and waters the earth and makes it bud and bring forth fruit that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater ? so shall my word be that I send out: it shall not return void but shall accomplish my pleasure. It shall prosper in the thing I sent it to do. Isaiah 55:10,11 10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: 11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. The Master Class is a secret closet in your innermost being where you can commune with God alone. That is the secret rendezvous where you and the Master meet. That is where he instructs, corrects, encourages and guides you into the Truth. The Holy Spirit is our teacher and our guide. He shows us things to come. He reveals things to us that need to change. He leads us in paths of righteousness for His Name?s sake and leads us to green pastures and quiet waters. In any form of art or performing arts there are times when the Master gives instruction to the pupils ? not just another lecturer but a Master of the Art. We have programmes on TV in which Andre Segovia holds a Master class for a select group of classical guitarists, Pavarotti teaching chosen opera singers, actors like Gene Hackman addresses performers about his techniques of acting; in Vasari?s book ?The Artists? we read how the great artists tutored the young painters and sculptors until they were worthy of copying them. Eventually some of them painted their own masterpieces. The same applies in the field of business, sport, law, technology, engineering, medicine, religion and politics: there are beginners and there are Masters. There have been many great leaders in the world: but most of them destroyed humanity rather than build it up and if they tried to build up a nation some lunatic destroyed them. Hitler, Stalin, Lenin, Moa Tse Tung, Che Guevarra, Napoleon are hailed as great leaders but what have they accomplished in the end? Gandhi tried to change the tide of poverty and anarchy in India but a madman killed him. Abraham Lincoln abolished slavery and was shot in the back by a coward. John F Kennedy tried to get America to believe they are the greatest nation by going to the moon and another madman killed him and his brother; Martin Luther King was assassinated while he was telling others about his dream of freedom. The greatest life ever lived is the life of Jesus Christ the son of the living God. There are many prophets that people look to and many saints, such as Mohammed and Mother Theresa, Kahil Gabhran, Buddha, St. Francis of Assisi, Joan of Arc, Mary the mother of Jesus, Diana in the book of Acts whom the Ephesians worshipped until Paul the apostle brought the true Gospel of Jesus Christ that overthrew the false worship so that people brought all their books and curios arts and burned them publicly as a sign that they have been reformed. That is the kind of reformation our g