THE EKKLESIA: SEARCHING FOR THE LIVING STONES

Church is not supposed to be a museum for the saints, a cheap grace gathering, a bless me club or a hotbed for temple commerce. God designed His Church to be the living expression of Jesus Christ on earth, to corporately pour forth His rivers of living water.  Church should be a beacon in the world’s darkness, a hospital for the hurting, a refuge for sinners, a place for people to come to know and grow in God. The first century church evangelized the world, without denominations, buildings, organizations, corporate structure, by-laws, formalized training/ordination; etc., relying singularly upon the energizing power of the Holy Spirit. They loved compassionately, obeyed fervently, were passionate about the Father’s heart, and demonstrated radical generosity, sacrificing what little they had with no concern about tomorrow. It was their radical, selfless, outwardly directed lifestyle, focusing on contributing not consuming, that should humble us by comparison. At a time when wearing the “Christian” label could mean torture or death, they openly demonstrated their faith with love. They didn’t just nod their heads at “Love not the world”, they lived it. And God manifested Himself! 

Billy Graham once said if the Holy Spirit were removed from the modern church 95% of the activity would continue unabated. He may have understated the percentage but his point is the point. Man’s church, as typified by the modern church, is formal structure and hierarchy with an over abiding concern for buildings, programs and formulas, form without substance, manmade, scripted and controlled by man. Gatherings are conducted by church leaders who stifle the Holy Spirit with liturgical structure while attempting to placate an “audience” of believers. Creature comforts, seeker sensitivity, and cultural relevance are the watchwords: Make the experience pleasant and people will become members.

God’s church, as typified by the first century church, is unstructured substance without form, God breathed, scripted and empowered by God the Holy Spirit, and aglow with operational unity. Gatherings are conducted by the Holy Spirit who orchestrates the assembly into a beautiful symphony, each person participating in the composition like a living instrument, sharing a song, teaching, exhortation or revelation as living water pouring forth from their innermost being. The presence of God and the power out flowing from His resurrection are the watchwords: Make the experience supernatural and people will be drawn to Christ, submit to salvation and lordship, becoming disciples. And the supernatural manifestations … that’s God’s calling card saying I’m here!

LOVE, SACRIFICE, PASSION, AND OBEDIENCE

THE RULE

NOT THE EXCEPTION

PRAYER OF SUBMISSION

Father, I thank you for Your mercy and Your grace.  Help me to deny my self and allow You the throne in my life.  I acknowledge that I belong to You and was purchased by the precious blood of Jesus.  Lead me by the Holy Spirit, putting to death my mortal nature that I might become all that I can be in Christ.  As a child of God my life is hid in Christ, and I rest and find peace in the finished work of Christ.  Help me to love people, not things, and be a bold witness to the love of Jesus.  I claim spiritual freedom in accordance with the word of God and refuse to submit to the bondage of sin and depression.  I ask that Your will, which is good, acceptable and perfect, be done in my life.  Help me to remember that my physical body is Your temple, that I might be filled with the power and the glory of God.  In the name of Jesus, Amen, So Be It

SANITIZED CHRISTIANITY

Two thousand years later the call to follow our savior has been repackaged as a sanitized, trouble-free opportunity to enjoy life without risk, passion, or sacrifice.  Is this really what Jesus died for?   When Christianity becomes just another religion it focuses on what God requires (rules) and the benefits (blessings) of serving God.  This births a Christian culture that perpetuates itself through the Law of Linearity: There is an action “A” that leads to a results “B”; figure out what “A” is, do it, and you get “B”.  This principle of cause and effect simply put is “follow the rules and you will get the blessings”.  Isn’t it hard to imagine that Jesus would endure the agony of the cross just to keep us in line and bless us?  Jesus did not suffer and die so that we could build for ourselves safe havens - bless me clubs - and enjoy the “good life” of health and material blessings while lost humanity dies all around us.  Jesus didn’t set us free so we can live a life of endless comfort, security and indulgence.  Christ’s redemptive work - His radical compassion expressed - calls us to repentance, pulling us out of our “gutter” and transforming us.  The thing that defines our faith is that we no longer live in our “gutter” but, modeling our savior’s heart, we return to the gutter to fulfill our mission... the desires of His heart.  Jesus died to capture our heart, to consume who we are and give us new... recreated, life that is fueled by His presence and overflowing with raw untamed passion for His heart - that we might expand the Kingdom of His love! 

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE MUSTARD SEED

REBEL WITH A CAUSE

Jesus was and is a rebel, and His invitation is a revolutionary call to fight for the very heart of humanity.  To be “born again” is, literally, to be “born from above” into a war zone here on battlefield earth. His followers are called into an unconventional war using only the weapons of faith, hope and love.  Christ chose the cross, His passion drove Him there, and the cross should ignite a passion in all His followers to follow the heart of their king.  If you are a follower of Christ, then you are called to fight for the heart of your king.  This is not a pristine call to a proper or safe religion.  Jesus beckons His followers to a path fueled by passion - passion for God and passion for God’s people - that is far from the easy road.  “The Way” is all about love, intimacy, passion, and sacrifice, and filled with risk, adventure, uncertainty, and unlimited possibilities. It is unwise to enter into battle without first counting the cost: The cost to truly embrace Christ is nothing less than everything we are, everything we have, and everything we ever hope to be – everything. “Whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.” Wow! No “Cheap Grace” here! Say this to yourself - “He wants everything”!

COSTLY GRACE

COSTS US OUR LIFE

BUT GIVES TRUE LIFE

WHEN HEAVEN INVADES EARTH

God almighty is seated on His throne in the heavenlies, attended by Gabriel and Michael. From within the throne come flashes of lighting and rumbling peals of thunder, and before the throne are the flaming tongues of the seven spirits of God. Angelic seraphim’s surround the throne, eyes covered lest they gaze directly into the Shekinah glory of God, and cry to one another “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come”, the heavens resonating with the intensity of their worship! The twenty-four elders fall prostrate before God, throwing their crowns before the one who lives forever and ever and crying out: “You are worthy, oh Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created.” But suddenly God lifts His hand, commanding in one simple movement absolute silence in the heavenlies.  “What’s that?”  God asks, His voice like crashing waves echoing through eternity.  Standing on the crystal sea before His throne God stretches forth His right hand, still holding the seven stars, and speaks again, “Quiet, I hear something!”  The twenty four elders are frozen prostrate in worship, their crowns at His feet.  The Four Living Creatures are motionless, like statues. An innumerable company of angels and countless millions of Old Testament and New Testament saints, the church of the first born, are frozen in their worship of God. The eternal convocation of heaven is silenced, as God Almighty searches His infinite creation for what has drawn His attention.  In Nowheresville, USA a small group of saints are gathered together worshiping God, hands stretched towards heaven, cheeks streaked with tears of joy.  “It’s the song of the redeemed” shouts God, suddenly locating the source drawing His attention, shaking the foundations of heaven in His excitement. “Michael!  Gabriel!  You guys take care of things up here - I have to go!”

“But you are holy, enthroned in the praises of Israel...” (Ps. 22:3 NKJV). The word “enthroned” is from the Hebrew word “yashav” which means “to cause to dwell, to make to inhabit, to set up house, to sit down.  Since believers today are the spiritual seed of Abraham (Rom. 4:13-17), this passage literally states that God is enthroned upon the praises of His people!  Notice the “to cause to” and “to make to”: the sense denotes a drawing down or pulling down of God as our worship somehow compels a visitation from God. Chew on that for awhile!

WORSHIP COMPELS GOD TO VISIT US