The New Testament Church_part 3

The first Christian church discovered recently in Megiddo, Israel reveals that the Lord’s Supper was central to the early church’s service. The uncovered mosaic showing two fish held the communion table and was situated in the center of the room. All activity seems to have revolved around it leading one to wonder just how the first church really functioned?

The Church is the gathering of the ‘called out ones’, the fellowship of true believers in Jesus Christ. But, it is much more than that for it is also a place of communication; God to mankind and mankind to God. While we are always to be in prayer, there is a special place for corporate prayer. Paul writes to Timothy –

I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; - 1 Timothy 2:1

Praying and giving of thanks was so important that it was to be done ‘first of all’. God wants to bless His people and Jesus gives the formula for receiving, “Ask and you shall receive.” (Matthew 7:7) but Jesus also explained that there are some requirements –

If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. – John 15:7

We must abide in Him and respect the Word of God. God wants all men to be saved, but He waits for us to ask for it in prayer. I know of a certainty that my life has been shaped by prayers for my salvation. I remember when as a young man I overheard my Grandma and Uncle praying for my salvation. And I know my mother has prayed many long years for God’s grace in my life and many others as well. There are few prayers more acceptable to God that those of parents for their children. After all, God is a ‘family man’ and children are His heritage and His reward to parents. He delights to hear parents calling out for His help in training their children up in the fear and admonition of the Lord!

Paul also explains a great secret to Timothy about prayer and government –

“For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.” – 1 Timothy 2:2

Our prayers can make a difference in the government we live under. Few nations on earth showcase this fact more than the United States. When the church in America submits to God and prays, it has been blessed with good government but as the church has drifted away from the truth of God’s word, prayer has been outlawed from our schools, public prayer in the name of Jesus Christ has been declared ‘unconstitutional’, a spirit of murder has been released upon the land, and government has practiced dishonesty and corruption more than honesty and truth.

But God wants to speak to His people in the church as well. Paul explains –

How is it then, brethren? When ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying. – 1 Corinthians 14:26

This verse makes it very clear that God wants speak into our lives by His Holy Spirit. Several points become very clear about the format of these fellowship meetings. Everyone is to be involved! It was not the ‘leadership model’ used by most of the church body today; a few leaders up front and pews full of spectators, always receiving and never giving out, which is a recipe for constipation! Did they have leaders? Yes, they had Elders (or Bishops), from which came the apostles, evangelists, prophets, teachers and pastors, and they had Deacons appointed to serve. But these never usurped the moving of the Holy Spirit and His various gifts poured out on all the members. They had singing. The Psalms were mostly sung and they had hymns as well. They had doctrine, teaching by the elders, and they had messages from the Holy Spirit delivered through the gifts of prophesy, messages in tongues and interpretation, revelations which included dreams and visions. All this was done in good order and for the purpose of building up the individual members.

They also had one other feature which both explains their existence and their foundational purpose for meeting, the Communion of Christ’s body and blood.

For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come. – 1 Corinthians 11:23-26

God knew how quickly man forgets so He instituted the Feasts of the Lord in the Old Testament to remind them of His promises as well as coming prophetic events. Jesus exhorts the churches of Revelation many times to ‘remember’. What we refer to as the Lord’s Supper was really part of the Feast of Passover. It reminds us that God was faithful to send His Passover Lamb for us. It also reminds us of the blessings He bought for us on the Cross. It reminds us that we have entered into a covenant relationship with God. When the devil assails us, we do not stand alone, Jesus is with us and Satan can no more defeat us than he could Jesus. But, perhaps even greater, it reminds us that when we stand before the final judgment of God to be judged for our sins, which we all have committed, Jesus stands with us and says, “Father, he (or she) has repented and My blood paid the blood debt for his sin.”

This is the church.

The Month Before Christmas

T'was the Month before Christmas

 

T'was the month before Christmas when all through our land, not a Christian was praying nor taking a stand.

See the PC Police had taken away the reason for Christmas - no one could say.

The children were told by their schools not to sing about Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.

It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say December 25th is just a ' Holiday'.

Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!

CDs from Madonna, an X BOX, an I-Pod something was changing, something quite odd!

Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa in hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda.

As Targets were hanging their trees upside down at Lowe's the word Christmas - was no where to be found. 

At K-Mart and Staples and Penny's and Sears you won't hear the word Christmas; it won't touch your ears.

Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-si-ty are words that were used to intimidate me.

Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzer on Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton!

At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter to eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.

And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith, forbidden to speak of salvation and grace.

The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded, the reason for the season, stopped before it started.

So as you celebrate 'Winter Break' under your 'Dream Tree' sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.

Choose your words carefully, choose what you say; shout MERRY CHRISTMAS, not Happy Holiday!

Please, all Christians join together and wish everyone you meet MERRY CHRISTMAS! Christ is The Reason for the ‘Christ-mas’ Season!

Author unknown

Christmas and the Church

The Christmas season is once again approaching and I already see stores setting up displays of Christmas trees, bright lights, and isles filled with toys and other items related to the season. It is with great sadness that I read about the White House no longer erecting a Christmas tree but a ‘holiday’ tree because either they don’t believe in Christmas or they are afraid of offending Muslims and others. While Islam is un-ashamedly declaring they will take over the world and every knee will bow in submission to Allah, Christians are mostly silent on the reason we celebrate Christmas, or perhaps it’s just because most don’t know why Christmas is important.

Just what is Christmas anyway? Is it Santa and a sleigh full of presents for every child? Is it a time of celebration and family get-togethers? Or is it a time for retailers to make up for lagging sales throughout the year?

While all these things might be done during the Christmas season, they are not what Christmas is about! The true meaning of Christmas can be summed up in a verse from the Book of Isaiah:

“For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.” – Isaiah 9:6, 7

Christmas is really about God re-affirming His government on earth. This government was officially re-established nearly 2000 years ago with the birth of the Christ Child, Jesus. To Isaiah it was revealed that His government would increase and have no end. To king David God revealed –

“..I have set My King on My holy hill of Zion. …Now therefore, be wise O kings; be instructed, you judges of the earth, serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.” – Psalm 2:6-12.

Satan’s forces claim they will rule the world but it is always through fear, intimidation and violence that they try to achieve their goal. God’s plan is for the government of Christ to be established with “judgment and justice”. It is not forced on anyone but each is given a free choice. We all have sinned in some way and so have earned the reward of death but because of God’s love for us, He made a way to be reconciled through the free sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. His mercy makes a way for all who will choose it.

How are judgment and justice brought forth? Those who follow Jesus, the Christ, are having their senses exercised to discern good and evil. His innocent blood shed for us on the cross cleanses us from sin and guilt. The Holy Spirit, Jesus sends to every believer who asks, is training us to judge every situation, every temptation by holding it up to the light of God’s Word. When we choose God and His standards, true justice is established. We are not only cleansed by the blood of the Lamb but it also gives us judgment, the act of discerning between the good and evil. When we testify of the good, the truth, (and that means act on it) God’s justice is lifted up like a light in the darkness. When we give place to no fear but the fear of God – we overcome. Our prayer rises like sweet smelling incense to God.

Christmas is about God making a way to save us from our self-imposed destruction. As each individual person responds to the free offer of salvation through Christ Jesus, the government of Christ grows.

Christmas is about establishing the government of Christ Jesus in our individual lives. We do that by turning from ideas and actions that will destroy us to the ideals that Jesus and the Word of God teach us. This process is called repentance. Contrary to popular thought, repentance is not just feeling sorry but it is changing from bad to good. It starts with individuals. But when individuals change they can affect their families. And when families change they can affect their communities. And when communities change they can affect their states. And when states change they can affect their nation, and so on. So, every individual has the potential to affect nations for the good!

We celebrate Christmas because it commemorates the birth of the Christ Child. The time God stepped into man’s history with the answer to his problems. The time when God began to bring forth His government on earth that will only increase and have no end.

No matter how bad the world situation looks or how much evil seems to hold sway over mankind, I can celebrate Christmas with joy because it reminds me that Christ is still on the throne of God’s government on earth and it will yet rule all. How can I be sure of this? Because the “zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish it!”