Monday Sept 21st 2009
GOD’S GLORIOUS CHURCH Part 1
Matt 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. (KJV)
See Message: " A Church so expansive with energy that not even the gates of hell will be able to keep it out."
We’re going to find out what sort of Church we ought to be. An invincible Church, a loving Church, A Glorious Church, A Holy Church, A Powerful Church, The Church that Jesus meant us to be:
Eph 5:27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. (KJV)
As you approach many towns, cities, even villages, (before sky scrapers anyway), the first building you noticed was the church/cathedral! It was the highest, most glorious building of them all; Typified what the Church should be. Head & shoulders above everything else.
Can you imagine the impact if in reality the most predominant group in any town were the people of God, a people built together as living stones to be a place where people could encounter God. That it was impossible for someone to visit our town and not know there is a spiritual Cathedral of people here?
LET’S BE THAT CHURCH! (Think Bigger)
Its hard work to be that Glorious Church – the devil will fight you all the way. Cp Neh 4;1 When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews…..
Someone said" The greatest waste in the world is the difference between what we are and what we could be".
Never more true than of the Church. So often a tatty selfish inward looking travesty of what God intended His church to be!
If we keep doing the same things, get the same results. (insanity to expect something different!)
cp Eph 5;27. Now look at the Church!
The Church – AS A WHOLE has not risen to be what Jesus wants it to be! And I’m talking about Britain; In many countries of the world, the Church is growing faster than the birth rate. eg. Argentina. There are churches of over 1m members – Arg, Korea, etc. (Small is beautiful? Acts – 1000s!)
In UK we are fragmented, divided, apathetic, unbelieving. Yet worldwide the Church is stronger now than at any time in last 2000 yrs! (Estimated 60m Pentes)
Jesus is coming soon: for a GLORIOUS CHURCH (See Eph 5;27 in Message).
Can you imagine a church so powerful that it is the first thing people notice in a town?; People ask "Where’s Renovate. I’ve come to be healed/delivered.”
On Central TV; When Ken gave testimony of healing; ‘This could be the end of the Health Service’. Well, someone needs to do something, when people are taken 200 miles to have a baby, or for treatment. Alternative Medicine flourishing; Why not Divine Healing!
We won’t get that with nice comfy predictable hymn sandwich type services.
We HAVE to move with the times: be up to date in our worship, our outreach, or living: (eg Moravians in USA; Still live as did in 17th Century. How powerful are they? Just a living museum, gradually dying out.) But don’t throw out the baby with the bathwater!
The world regards the Church as antiquated, out of date, and powerless. WE’RE NONE OF THESE! cp Church poster: "Repent ye."
Matt 28;18-19 18 And Jesus came and spoke unto them, saying, All power(authority) is given unto me in heaven and in earth. (How much does that leave the devil?) 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: (KJV)
Until we have this proper, God given authority and power in place, the Church will drift and lack the ability to fulfil the commission;
(TV’s detective Columbo; scruffy – ignored, till takes out authority. Realise who we are!)
We can wave our papers – the Bible? Our forms, our traditions, signifying our authority, but if we haven’t got the power to back it up and deal with the forces ranged against us we will get nowhere.
Faith looks backwards to the finished work of Calvary.
Hope looks forwards; ‘I hope this works!’
AN INVINCIBLE CHURCH
I will build my church – gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
2Pet 1;3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: (KJV)
God has given us everything we need to live life to the full: But it doesn’t just fall on us! By faith we have to get up and go get em! So many Xtns just sit around and wait for something to happen.
Everything above has been given, but you have to do something about getting it. We have to make things happen. Most popular tapes and books are how to succeed.
Success comes when we realise what we have, who we are and what abilities we have. And then go and use them.
NB “pertain unto LIFE and GODLINESS" ie Natural and Spiritual. God is interested in us as whole people. He never separates the two. He wants us to succeed in both; 3 John 2. Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. We are both; We have a body in the natural and a Spirit in the Spiritual.
Some ‘switch off’ natural when get saved… No! Use it for God. Use talents for God. What has God given you?
Now let me turn it round: What have you got? God has given – but did you ever unwrap it? Have you ever taken them?
So many Xtns say, "O I wish I could live for God". "I wish God would meet my needs", I wish I wish;
Read 2 Pet 1;3 again; ALL THINGS (Vine; Radically means ALL) Strongest possible word – NOTHING missed out.
Health, Happiness, Joy, Life abundant, you name it! Yet some question; does Faith in God really work? Did it work for your salvation? Then it will work in every other area of life: ALL.
How does it work – I don’t know, I know that God has promised ALL: & has given us his promises to back it up.
2Pet 1;4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
nb; ‘That hath called us by His Glory and Virtue; "I’m just a poor miserable sinner" NO YOU ARE NOT! See what God has called you to:
NOW NOTE; KJV ‘CALLED US TO’. nkj ‘by’ niv ‘by his own’… Now that totally changes the sense! He called us through, by means of, His Glory & Goodness. "Oh well, we can never make it…." YES we Can! What do these two words mean?
GLORY: doxa ^1391^ primarily denotes "an opinion, estimation, repute"; in the NT, always "good opinion, praise, honour, glory, an appearance commanding respect, magnificence, excellence,
Now that is how God sees you! God has given you everything you need to be that! But we so often crawl around in the dust; let the devil sit on us. Accept the sickness he gives us instead of throwing it back at him, "By His stripes I’m healed" – here, have it back. This is the way faith works; Heb 11;1 ‘substance of things not seen’. ‘Confession of your faith’.
So many of us have allowed the devil to steal from us what God has given us; TEXT! ALL THINGS
2Pet 1:3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: (KJV)
It is time we started standing up and taking back what the devil has stolen from us! This is WAR! Start saying; "God gave that to me – it’s mine – GIVE IT BACK!"
As Kenneth Hagin says "Faith takes". Now I discovered something while studying for this: Mark 11;24 Therefore I say unto you, All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye RECEIVE them, and ye shall have them. (ASV)
That word lit means; ‘take’, ‘lay hold of’. Same as used in; Matt 5:40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. (KJV) Matt 14;19; took the 5 loaves and gave them..
Its time to start TAKING what is ours – TAKE IT BACK from the devil! Develop those faith muscles so you can hang on to what’s yours.
Let’s start getting mad at the devil – he’s had his own way too long. He’s deceived the church too long! Realise that God wants you to be glorious! Excellent etc (see above) – now look at;
VIRTUE; Eminence, renown, excellence
Realise who you are in God;
"I WILL BE who God wants me to be"
"I WILL HAVE all God wants me to have"
"I WILL TAKE what belongs to me in Jesus"
"I WILL have all that God promised me in His Word".
Devil, you’ve pushed me too far – I’m not going any further – HERE I STAND!
Me as kid of 11; Bullied; One day I had enough – I hit him! Did I ever! Knocked two of his teeth out! He never bothered me again!
In Jesus we are INVINCIBLE!!!
DISCIPLINED
What come to Church for? To get powered up to go out and take this world!
The greatest waste in the world is the massive under use of people’s gifts. "Go & make disciples;"
For years the Church has ignored that command: The Minister has done all the work; Goes back to dark ages, when ministers wanted to rule people. Lil’s comment last week showed just how little of what I have been preaching for the past 2 /3 years has sunk in. "You’re the pastor. You HAVE to go". The implication being that of the old idea, drop everything;
Church is a BODY; Not just an organisation you visit on Sundays
We need to be committed in 3 ways:
To the People; Otherwise Church is just another club.
To the Life: we should be on active service not just takers.
To the Vision; The Church should be a people with a clear sense of purpose; what to do and how.
Its time we taught discipline as a part of discipleship; (PAULINE – didn’t agree with pastor, so started own little church – 6 old ladies)
If committed to the People, Life and Vision, we would be working for the greater vision…
The Church often like school playground; Remember how they picked teams – Always the most popular picked first, then, down to dozy donna, fumbling freddie; who were hopeless at games!
Shouldn’t be so in Church; We ALL have at least ONE gift: – What’s yours? 1 Cor 12;7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to EACH ONE for the profit of all: (NKJ)
1 Cor 12;11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to EACH ONE individually as He wills. (NKJ)
A UNITED CHURCH
In His prayer in Jn 17;21 My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you.
Gal 3;28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Way back in OT God loved Unity; Ps 133;1 How good and pleasant it is
when brothers live together in unity!
If the devil can get us at each others throats he has won!. (Divide & Conquer)
"United we stand". I know you remember the rest – "divided we fall."
Rescue unites God’s people. When believers, when a church, when a ministry is focused on rescuing the dying, whatever it takes, there’s no time to battle with each other. They’re too busy battling for the lives of lost people around them. Cp emergency services.
Anger turns hard very quickly, and that gives the devil an opportunity to enter a marriage, a relationship, a friendship, or a church. If you examine a marriage break-up there has probably been an issue that was once a small one, but it was not dealt with immediately. At the core of a broken relationship, a hurting friendship, or a divided church, there are people who didn’t sort the problem out, when it was still small and relatively easy, so it led to a terrible outcome. The devil got in and did what he does best – destroyed.
A LOVING CHURCH
This follows on from the last two;
In a committed loving, caring, growing, Church, we care for each other. "A new commandment I give you.. Love one another"
So many commandments about loving – how do we get away with not doing it?
Love not an emotion:
AGAPE: based on God’s love (AGAPE) for us;
God so AGAPED the world:
1 Cor 13; (Old word charity…)
1Cor 14;1 Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, (Message) – ‘Go after love as if your life depended on it!’
This is a love OF THE WILL; OF THE SPIRIT;
John 13;35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love (agape) one another."
That’s why Jesus gave a commandment: DO IT!
So Often we think of love as the slushy sentimental nonsense; (Fall in love….)
Disciples are disciplined; DO IT!
Its time for the Church to become the Church Jesus intended: A LOVING Church. More of this later.
But let’s just go a step further; The early church was nothing like today.
the early church did not sit in rows ‘theatre style’ watching as one or two elite professionals in special clothes did everything, in the early church members were participators not spectators. It’s good to see this happening here in Renovate.
- The early church met in homes,
- Romans 16:3-5 Greet Priscilla and Aquila greet also the church in their house.
- Colossians 4:15 Give my greetings to…Nympha and the church in her house.
- Philemon 1:1-2 Paul to Philemon and to the church that meets in your home.
This was not surprising seeing that there were no church buildings for the first three hundred years of the churches history. When church buildings were erected they were greatly influenced by the architecture of heathen temples.
They usually ate together when they met. Indeed the Apostle Paul told the early arrivals not to ‘scoff the lot’ as others were coming later to the gathering. Church history teaches us that this was often the only decent meal that some of the slaves enjoyed in a week.
What a difference! Maybe we ought to think more about this?
A HOLY CHURCH
Eze 47;9 "And it shall be that every living thing that moves, wherever the rivers go, will live. There will be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters go there; for they will be healed, and everything will live wherever the river goes. (NKJ)
The pure river flowed from the Temple: The Church; God does not live in temples built with hands any more: Why He had the Temple destroyed? Never wanted it built in the first place! (Said to David – I’ve lived in Tents all these years!)
Rev 22;1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 3No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him.
River from the Throne is pure; not contaminated by our traditions, ideas, ambitions, theology, and lack of faith.
WE are the temple: 1 Cor 6;19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? (NKJ) We are HOLY: 1 Cor 3;17 God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple.
The river flows out of US!
John 7:38 "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." (NKJ)
John 7;39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. (NKJ)
To some, the building is more important than the people and their relationships. (B’pool church – £500k repairs – KNOCK IT DOWN!!!)
God’s priority is not bldgs but the living temple where he looks for sustained growth in holy living and loving relationships.
What sort of water is flowing from YOUR temple?
God is calling us to move further upstream where the water is pure.
The water of blessing from God is making us fresh so that wherever we go, people are influenced; People are attracted to God’s water flowing in and out of us, like the fish in Ezek are attracted to the new fresh water from the Temple;
The world is sick and tired of the turgid muddy waters issuing from the church – lets take out the fresh living water of the Spirit of God – come and get filled; "Out of his innermost being will flow rivers of living water’.
Come and get filled.
Come and be part of the Glorious Church that Jesus is coming for!