Pastor Paul's Message of the Month - December 2017

The church functioning the way God intended.

 

In the Middle Ages when people talked about “the Church” what they meant was the “system” the priests, and bishops, cardinals and the Papacy.  The ordinary people who turned up for Mass did not really count – they supplied the money and attended the vast buildings and kept the system going but had no other part in what had become the great global, powerful political organisation which was called “The Church” - ruled by the clergy.

 

In some people’s thinking it’s not that different today. The Church is still an ORGANISATION almost set apart from the people.  In fact as a Pentecostal pastor there were times when I would visit members of the church who might have been unhappy with something and they would say - “The church should be doing this - or the church should be doing that” and what they meant was “YOU and the leaders” should be doing this.  In my youthful frustration what I wanted to reply (and maybe should have said) was “OK do it - because YOU are the church” or maybe more politely and accurately I should have said, “OK I hear what you are saying, but WE are the church – you and me, so let’s look together at how we can do better.”

 

When Jesus said “I will build My Church” He was not saying “I will establish this WORLDWIDE MEGA ORGANISATION that will be so mighty that nothing can stand against it.”  He was talking about His ecclesia of PEOPLE called out from the world to be totally different from the world - a growing group of PEOPLE who have found truth, righteousness, holiness and love and are living that out in the world. His ecclesia – His Church - His PEOPLE are followers of Christ Who is the Way, the Truth and the Life and Who is the only One that can enable people to come to God the Father (John 14:6).

 

As my friend Terry Parks points out in his teaching on the word ecclesia (see the "Ruling Class" on the Resource Page).  That word ecclesia which we translate as “church” comes from the Greek concept of the elite ruling class of citizens called together as an assembly to govern, to take leadership, to have dominion. That is the calling of the ecclesia of Christ, to take authority in the spiritual realm, to bring the Kingdom of God into situations – the rule and reign of Christ in our world.  PEOPLE who are obeying Christ and living according to His word, the true church (ecclesia) that Christ is building, have authority in His name to bring His rule and reign into individual, family, local, national and even international situations.

 

So for example, whether I agree with everything our government is doing or not, I can and do pray for our Prime Minister and those around her to make wise decisions, to be strengthened, to be successful, to do the right thing for our nation.  In the eyes of the world I’m nobody special but in Christ as a member of His ecclesia of called out ones, along with other members of the ecclesia who are doing the same, we can make a difference because of the vast authority Christ has given us in the spiritual realm.

Hebrews 12:22-23 says we belong to something powerful and spiritual - the heavenly city, the ecclesia of the Firstborn (that is position and privilege), we are registered in heaven (we are recognised there – this gives us access and authority). Jesus said that the gates of hell will not prevail against these PEOPLE who are His ecclesia.

 

Within the gates of an ancient eastern city there would be an area in which the city elders would sit, where they would make judgements that would affect the lives of all who came within those walls.  The city gate was also the place where decisions were made, where transactions and trade and business were done. Jesus assured His ecclesia that all the evil wicked plans of the powers of darkness would never prevail against them – because His PEOPLE have far more power and authority than they have! But so often we are weak and ineffective which is why the writer to the Hebrews in the same place says “strengthen the hands that hang down and the feeble knees… for we are part of a Kingdom that cannot be shaken.” (Hebrews 12:12, 28)

 

His Church, His PEOPLE are the ones who have power and authority in the spiritual realm…

 

So why don’t we exercise it?

 

Let the real church stand up.

 

Let’s take Him at His word.

 

We are called out as the ecclesia, the elite ruling class of PEOPLE to take authority in His name – together.  To bring the Kingdom of heaven into our world, into our families, our workplaces, our towns and cities and nations – today!  So...

 

WILL THE REAL CHURCH PLEASE STAND UP!