Have We, the Church, Masked the Power and Presence of God?
"11 Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called "uncircumcised" by those who call themselves "the circumcision" (that done in the body by the hands of men)-- 12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. 19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit."
My mind cannot help but filter back to this passage this morning, because God is speaking to me about something I cannot ignore. Do you remember when the Berlin Wall was destroyed? The wall itself represented hostility toward communism and the free world, and it was a huge step to destroy it. Can you imagine if they destroyed it only to build it back up again? All the joy from it being brought down and all the work that went into it would seem a waste! That's how conflict in the church feels. Through the death of Jesus, the dividing wall of hostility was destroyed and Jews and Gentiles were called to be one new man! There was no reason for such division in the church.
Paul goes on to say that there is a new "building" being built on the foundation of the prophets and apostles (the New Covenant). Except this building is not built with wood... rather it is built with people! This "building" serves no ordinary purpose, its purpose is to be the dwelling place of God! What is this "building"? It is the Church! Now while I believe the Scriptures teach that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit... He resides in every believer, I also believe that there is a corporate entity to the manifestation of the Holy Spirit! It is the Church! When the people of God gather together in the name of Jesus, there ought to be power present because we become a corporate temple which God dwells by His Spirit! The Church is different... or at least ought to be!
We have an enemy! I am firmly convinced that the enemy continues to rebuild the walls of hostility within the local church and among other local churches. Don't misread me! I am not saying that doctrine doesn't matter, and that we should get rid of all doctrinal differences among churches, but I do believe that there are some petty differences that keep us from unifying in the name of Jesus to impact this world with the Gospel! I do believe that there are churches who are not preaching the gospel and quite candidly are spiritually dark... they have a form of godliness but are void of any power. BUT for the most part, most churches believe the Gospel at its core, yet local churches squabble against each other to a point that it has become divisive!
The walls of hostility are being built by the enemy! I haven't even talked about the hostility within its own walls! Listen, the Church is called to be better than that! Jesus died to bring unity among His followers. Yes I know... that is not the primary reason for His death, but it is one of the reasons none the less. His death destroyed the walls of hostility! He brought peace or unity among His people! Where is this unity seen?
The power that the Church possesses is that it is the dwelling place of God, but will the Holy Spirit reveal true power among a people so divided? Have we masked the power and presence of the Holy Spirit because of personal preferences or personality conflicts? The Church has been called to rise above the attempts of the enemy to divide, and seek the purposes of God as ONE! Lets not give in to a crafty foe within our local gathering of believers or from without! Ask God for discernment to know when to speak and when to shut up, ask God for the grace to be a person of grace, ask God for the courage to mend relationships that are casualties of conflict, and ask God to give you a spirit of unity among His people.
Eph. 2:11-22
My mind cannot help but filter back to this passage this morning, because God is speaking to me about something I cannot ignore. Do you remember when the Berlin Wall was destroyed? The wall itself represented hostility toward communism and the free world, and it was a huge step to destroy it. Can you imagine if they destroyed it only to build it back up again? All the joy from it being brought down and all the work that went into it would seem a waste! That's how conflict in the church feels. Through the death of Jesus, the dividing wall of hostility was destroyed and Jews and Gentiles were called to be one new man! There was no reason for such division in the church.
Paul goes on to say that there is a new "building" being built on the foundation of the prophets and apostles (the New Covenant). Except this building is not built with wood... rather it is built with people! This "building" serves no ordinary purpose, its purpose is to be the dwelling place of God! What is this "building"? It is the Church! Now while I believe the Scriptures teach that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit... He resides in every believer, I also believe that there is a corporate entity to the manifestation of the Holy Spirit! It is the Church! When the people of God gather together in the name of Jesus, there ought to be power present because we become a corporate temple which God dwells by His Spirit! The Church is different... or at least ought to be!
We have an enemy! I am firmly convinced that the enemy continues to rebuild the walls of hostility within the local church and among other local churches. Don't misread me! I am not saying that doctrine doesn't matter, and that we should get rid of all doctrinal differences among churches, but I do believe that there are some petty differences that keep us from unifying in the name of Jesus to impact this world with the Gospel! I do believe that there are churches who are not preaching the gospel and quite candidly are spiritually dark... they have a form of godliness but are void of any power. BUT for the most part, most churches believe the Gospel at its core, yet local churches squabble against each other to a point that it has become divisive!
The walls of hostility are being built by the enemy! I haven't even talked about the hostility within its own walls! Listen, the Church is called to be better than that! Jesus died to bring unity among His followers. Yes I know... that is not the primary reason for His death, but it is one of the reasons none the less. His death destroyed the walls of hostility! He brought peace or unity among His people! Where is this unity seen?
The power that the Church possesses is that it is the dwelling place of God, but will the Holy Spirit reveal true power among a people so divided? Have we masked the power and presence of the Holy Spirit because of personal preferences or personality conflicts? The Church has been called to rise above the attempts of the enemy to divide, and seek the purposes of God as ONE! Lets not give in to a crafty foe within our local gathering of believers or from without! Ask God for discernment to know when to speak and when to shut up, ask God for the grace to be a person of grace, ask God for the courage to mend relationships that are casualties of conflict, and ask God to give you a spirit of unity among His people.
Comments