I Dream of a Church (27)

Living Stones

In masonry, a living stone is one that is easily workable, to chip into shape and fit a particular wall space.

“Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 2: 4-5 NKJV)

I dream of a church where each member is workable, fitting in well with the team.

Personal Growth

A growing Christian is a blessing to all.

“Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.” (2 Peter 1:5b-7 NLT)

I dream of a church where individual growth in every member is visible.

False Teachers

False teachers denigrate the Bible as merely the will of men filled with private interpretations. Peter contradicts that kind of blubber.

“knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of private interpretation. For no prophecy ever came by the will of man: but holy men of God spoke, being moved by the Holy Spirit.” (2 Peter 1:20-21 WEB)

We should not be shocked. Such things were foretold.

“But false prophets also arose among the people. In the same way, false teachers will come among you. They will introduce destructive opinions and deny the master who bought them, bringing quick destruction on themselves. Many will follow them in their unrestrained immorality, and because of these false teachers the way of truth will be slandered. In their greed they will take advantage of you with lies. The judgment pronounced against them long ago hasn’t fallen idle, nor is their destruction sleeping.” (2 Peter 2:1-3 CEB)

I dream of a church that believes that the Bible is God-breathed, not mere human opinions and is therefore not deceived by false teachers.

Xenophobia

Prelude

An angry hatred of immigrants is popular, sadly even in the church, and gets in the way of the Gospel to all nations. Purpose: Jesus’ neighbors had forgotten God’s promise to Abraham that in him all nations would be blessed. Plan: Let’s see how Jesus challenged xenophobia in Luke 4:21-30.

No Acceptance

And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” So all bore witness to Him, and marveled at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth. And they said, “Is this not Joseph’s son?” He said to them, “You will surely say this proverb to Me, ‘Physician, heal yourself! Whatever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in Your country.’ ” Then He said, “Assuredly, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own country. (Luke 4:21-24 NKJV)

Familiarity breeds contempt in countries and families (Matthew 13:57). The words “physician heal yourself’ is similar to our saying that charity begins at home, or people who only give to local charities, but God loves other nations too. Even Christians can be offended at God’s word in regard to treating foreigners well.

Foreigners Favored

But I tell you truly, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a great famine throughout all the land; but to none of them was Elijah sent except to Zarephath, in the region of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.” (Luke 4:25-27 NKJV)

Jesus reminded them of Elijah and Elisha, where God provided for a foreign widow and a diseased foreigner before their own people. Do we too want God’s favor just for us? Jesus’ words sounded like national betrayal, contradicting their understanding of Isaiah. Does it offend us that God’s plan includes foreigners? Foreigners can even have more faith than us. Yet, we see xenophobia, a fear and hatred of foreigners among Christians too.

Angry Xenophobia

So all those in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, and rose up and thrust Him out of the city; and they led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw Him down over the cliff. Then passing through the midst of them, He went His way. (Luke 4:28-30 NKJV)

Love Foreigners

What does God’s word say about how we treat a foreigner? The Bible says “love him as yourself” (Leviticus 19:34), include foreigners in community life (Deuteronomy 16:14; 26:11), provide for them from both national poor funds and individually (Deuteronomy 14:28-29; Leviticus 23:22; 25:35), show them hospitality (Hebrews 13:1-2; 3 John 1:5-8), true sheep care for foreigners, but goats bound for hell do not (Matthew 25:31-46).

What about obeying national immigration laws? Christians ought to obey the law and pay taxes (Romans 13:1-7). However, if any national laws contradict God’s word, then “We ought to obey God rather than men.” (Acts 5:29)

Why were Jesus’ neighbors so angry? Why are even Christians so angry about immigration instead of loving foreigners as God does? There is no place in Christianity for ignorant prejudice and fear. Cowardly bigotry and hatred hinders the message of the Gospel which must go to all people.

Does Jesus cater to our prejudices? Are we also angry that God’s word is different from our opinions? What is our mission? Jesus commissioned the apostles to be His witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). The church is not an inward-looking nationalistic social club but looks outward to the whole world. Does that offend us too?

Postlude

Are we willing to follow Jesus and tell the truth, even if it makes people angry? Hatred of foreigners is as popular now as it has ever been, even in the church. Let’s set aside all xenophobia. Let’s courageously embrace foreigners and boldly accept the Church’s mission which has never been just local or even national but has always been worldwide.

I Dream of a Church (26)

 Religion

The word religion is misused in popular Christianity. People forget that James encourages religion.

“Religion that pleases God the Father must be pure and spotless. You must help needy orphans and widows and not let this world make you evil.” (James 1:27 CEV)

I dream of a church that does not avoid religion, but practices pure religion.

The Poor

Dishonoring the poor is still common practice in our world. Yet, we Christians are to be different.

“God has given a lot of faith to the poor people in this world. He has also promised them a share in his kingdom that he will give to everyone who loves him.” (James 2:5b CEV)

I dream of a church that honors the poor as equals.

Living Faith

Many Christians seem to have a dead faith and some evangelists encourage an “easy believism” without repentance. Yet, faith that saves has fruits.

“What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and filled,’ without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, ‘You have faith and I have works.’ Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” (James 2:14-18 ESV)

I dream of a church with a living faith, seen in its good works.

The Flapping Tongue

Many churches have been ruined by gossip.

“Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity” (James 3:5-6a KJV)

I dream of a church where people can hold their tongues and keep gossip under control.

Overcoming Evil

People often wonder about how to overcome the devil. It’s not complicated.

“Submit therefore to God. But resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7 NASB)

I dream of a church that submits to God and resists the devil.

Anointing

How often do modern Christians practice anointing the sick? In some churches it’s just not known.

“Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord.” (James 5:14 NIV)

I dream of a church where there is faith to anoint the sick.

I Dream of a Church (25)

 Tithing

There is no direct command to tithe given to the church. Jesus did tell the scribes and Pharisees who were still under the law, that they should tithe (Matthew 23:23). However, the priesthood changed from Melchizedek to the Levites and is now given to Jesus.

“The priests who collect tithes are men who die, so Melchizedek is greater than they are, because we are told that he lives on.” (Hebrews 7:8 NLT)

I dream of a church that does not need a command, but is of a willing heart that generously tithes to bless Jesus’ ministry on earth, because we recognize His priesthood.

“You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.” (vs 17b)

Faith

When we speak of a community of faith, we look at those who have gone on before us (Hebrews 11). We acknowledge them.

“... we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses” (Hebrews 12:1 WEB).

I dream of a church that believes and trusts God as they did.

Support Your Leaders

Oh how joyful it is to be in a church where the leaders are loved and encouraged, and how stressful and sorrowful it is when self-willed rebels ruin a church.

“Obey your spiritual leaders, and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this with joy and not with sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit.” (Hebrews 13:17 NLT)

I dream of a church where the whole congregation supports a unified vision given by God to its leaders.

Temptation

We are all tempted, but we don’t all give in to it.

“But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.” (James 1:14-15 ESV)

So, the process is simple: lust allowed to fester brings sin and sin allowed to fester brings death. I dream of a church that is learning to stop temptation in its tracks before sin is conceived.

Doers

The Bible is practical, not just theory.

“You must be doers of the word and not only hearers who mislead themselves.” (James 1:22 CEB)

I dream of a church that puts the Bible into practice.

I Dream of a Church (24)

 Liturgy

What should be some main points in a church’s outline of service?

“Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching.” (1 Timothy 4:13 ESV)

I dream of a church that includes these simple points in its liturgy or service outline.

Scripture

While many churches use the Bible like a menu, picking and choosing what they can agree with, Paul had a different view.

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17 NIV)

I dream of a church that actually believes the Bible is God’s Word, all of it, that understands different genres, but does not use that as an excuse to dilute it.

Elders

In the early church overseer and elder were synonymous. Again Paul reiterates God’s instruction that the elder must be “the husband of one wife” (Titus 1:6 NASB)

I dream of a church that takes God’s Word at face value.

Dissenters

Every church has probably experienced divisive and disruptive people.

“Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition, knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned.” (Titus 3:10-11 NKJV)

I dream of a church that is not afraid to curtail such people.

Rest

Though a day off is good for body and soul, our Sabbath rest is no longer in a day but in Jesus Christ (Matthew 11:28-30). Under Moses, a generation of Sabbath-keeping Israelites did not enter the land of rest, because they rebelled. Under Joshua, the following generation of Sabbath keepers entered the land of rest, but he spoke of another day of rest (Hebrews 3-4).

“So there is a special rest still waiting for the people of God.” (Hebrews 4:9 NLT)

I dream of a church that focuses more on our eternal Sabbath rest, than a letter-of-the-law day.

A Knowledgeable Church

Too many Christians today are ignorant of their Bibles. The anonymous writer of Hebrews was also disappointed with early Christians.

“In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!” (Hebrews 5:12 NIV)

In a world where many churches only preach short sermons filled with empty platitudes a proper foundation was never laid.

“... the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.” (Hebrews 6:1b-2 NKJV)

I dream of a church that reads and discusses the Bible and where Bible classes are packed with eager students.