A Prepared Bride 15 - Under Authority

I have had a running theme through many of these essays dealing with the New Jerusalem. If you would like to catch up, you may do so by checking the archives for any listing with the title of “A Prepared Bride”. The subject of this posting is discipleship which is the third of the four walls in the illustration that I am using.

In closing his account of the Gospel, Matthew records these words of Jesus,

"All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matt 28:18-20 NIV

Before we can discuss discipleship itself, we must gain an understanding of authority, for it is by the authority of Jesus that we can fulfill His command.

At one point, as Jesus is entering the city of Capernaum, He has an encounter with a Roman centurion.

When Jesus had finished saying all this in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum. There a centurion's servant, whom his master valued highly, was sick and about to die. The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal his servant. When they came to Jesus, they pleaded earnestly with him, "This man deserves to have you do this, because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue." So Jesus went with them.

He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to him: "Lord, don't trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it." Luke 7:1-8 NIV

“As the name implies, hekatontarches or hekatontarchos, kenturion, Latin centurio, was the commander of a hundred men, more or less, in a Roman legion. Matthew and Luke use the Greek word while Mark prefers the Latin form, as he does in the case of other words, seeing that he wrote primarily for Roman readers. The number of centurions in a legion was 60, that being at all epochs the number of centuries, although the number varied in the cohort or speira. The ordinary duties of the centurion were to drill his men, inspect their arms, food and clothing, and to command them in the camp and in the field. Centurions were sometimes employed on detached service the conditions of which in the provinces are somewhat obscure. Men like Cornelius and Julius (Acts 10:1; 27:1) may have been separated from the legion to which they properly belonged for the discharge of special duties. They and other centurions mentioned in the Gospels and the Acts (Matt 8:5; Mark 15:39,44-45; Luke 23:47) are represented by the sacred writers in a favorable light.”*

Peter is sent by the Holy Spirit at a later time to the house of another centurion, Cornelius, who sovereignty receives the baptism with the Holy Spirit. This event forever shatters the separation between Jew and gentile.

Back to Jesus and the centurion. As Jesus was making His way to the centurion’s house to heal his servant, the centurion sent some friends with an amazing statement which is worth repeating here.

"Lord, don't trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it." Luke 7:7-8 NIV

“For I myself am a man under authority…”

The only true way to have authority is to be under authority. Those, in the world, who are not under authority but who usurp authority are despots and dictators – Saddam Hussein, KIM Jong Il, and Col. Muammar Abu Minyar al-QADHAFI. These men have no one to whom they are accountable. Hussein will now be held accountable but the others continue in their megalomania. So it is with every person who does not bow the knee and confess Jesus as Lord and Savior. We are little dictators, little anarchist who want to do want we ant to do when we want to do it. We don’t want anyone telling us what we can and cannot do. After all, one reason for anger is that we did not get our way – watch any five year old!

Jesus lived under the authority of His Father. Paul describes to us in his letter to the Philippians how Jesus emptied Himself of His right to act as God and became a man so that we might follow His example. For a more in depth study of that passage in Philippians 2, read “Loving Yourself 1”.

Here are a few verses were Jesus speaks of His relationship with the Father.

"I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. John 5:19-20 NIV

Jesus was in such close relationship with the Father that He could see what the Father was doing then He would simply do it.

"When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am [the one I claim to be] and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him."

John 8:28-30 NIV

Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. John 14:10-12 NIV

Even the words He spoke were not His own, but by virtue of His relationship with the Father, He spoke what He heard the Father saying. That is functioning under authority. Jesus did not do these miracles because He was God. He was able to do these works because of His relationship with the Father. He was under authority, therefore He had authority. Unbelievably, so can we!

Continuing a quote from Jesus from the above passage, He goes on to say,

Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. John 14:11-14 NIV

The Lord says here, “Believe my words that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me or if you won’t believe my words by themselves then believe them because my words were demonstrated with actions, actions that you call miracles!”

What is even more amazing is that Jesus states that those who have faith in Him will do the same things that He is doing. Not just the same things but greater things because He is going to the Father.

It is a chain of command. Jesus is submitted to the Father from whom He received all authority, power and honor. Read Matt 11:27; John 3:35, 13:3, 17:1-2 for proof of this statement. We, in turn must submit ourselves to God. Isn’t that what the whole “Lord and Savior” thing is all about? Jesus not only saves us from our sins but establishes His rule and reign in our lives. He is King. He is Lord. In fact, every human who has lived, is living or will yet live shall one day proclaim Jesus as Lord. It is just a matter of when.

“Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Phil 2:9-11 NIV

Every dictator, every beggar, every noble, every peasant, every Christian, every idolater will one day acknowledge that Jesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father. The only difference is that if we take Him as Lord now, He is also our savior. If we wait until that final day, after death and before the throne, we will recognize Him as the one and only true Lord but because we refused to serve Him here, we will receive only judgment.

To be a maker of disciples, we must first be a disciple. If we want to have authority, we must first be under authority. Jesus stated,

"All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations…”

The word translated “authority” is exousia which denotes "freedom of action, right to act"; used of God, it is absolute, unrestricted.* Jesus received the authority, the right to act from the Father and in doing so, He gave a command. This command carried with it the right and the ability to be carried out.

Therefore, when Jesus commanded, “Go and make disciples”, He not only had full authority with which to issue that command but He gave full authority to those who believe to carry out that command. We have received a royal edict, a divine directive to go, first of all, which is the opposite of sit. Secondly, we have received the right, ability and power to make disciples, the import of which will be laid out in greater detail in postings to follow.

For today, I leave you with this, if we will submit ourselves to God as James directs us, (James 4:7) then as a people under authority, we have the authority to say what the Father is saying and do what the Father is doing in the same way that Jesus did and we can expect “divine intervention” that which we call miracles, as we fulfill what has come to be know as the Great Commission.

*(from Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, Copyright (c)1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers)

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Dead men don’t wear plaid! Romans 6:6

For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin- because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. Rom 6:6-7 NIV

I would like us to take a look at these two verses on phrase at a time.

For we know that our old self was crucified with him...

The rule and reign that sin had in and over our lives was crucified, put to death when Jesus died. Before Jesus died on the cross, we all had to sin. There was no alternative.

Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.
Rom 6:12 NIV

The purpose for the Jews continually offering sacrifices was because they continually sinned. Every year it was the same thing – offer up the lamb as a sacrifice as the propitiation of our sins.

And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. 1 John 2:2 KJV

By explanation of the use of the word “propitiation”, I offer this from Vine,

Through the "propitiatory" sacrifice of Christ, he who believes upon Him is by God's own act delivered from justly deserved wrath, and comes under the covenant of grace. Never is God said to be reconciled, a fact itself indicative that the enmity exists on man's part alone, and that it is man who needs to be reconciled to God, and not God to man. God is always the same and, since He is Himself immutable, His relative attitude does change towards those who change. He can act differently towards those who come to Him by faith, and solely on the ground of the "propitiatory" sacrifice of Christ, not because He has changed, but because He ever acts according to His unchanging righteousness.

The expiatory work of the Cross is therefore the means whereby the barrier which sin interposes between God and man is broken down. By the giving up of His sinless life sacrificially, Christ annuls the power of sin to separate between God and the believer.*

Paul explained it this way.

All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 2 Cor 5:18 NIV

Through the word of Christ’s death, we can once again have a relationship with God. We come back to Him.

It reminds of a story of an elderly couple driving down the road together. He’s behind the wheel and she is over next to the passenger’s door. They see a young couple drive by and the young lady is snuggled up against the driver and they are being all lovey-dovey. The elderly wife turns to her husband and says, “Why don’t we do that any more?” He replies, “I didn’t move!”

God didn’t move but He provided a way for us to once again “snuggle in close”.

so that the body of sin might be done away with...

This is best understood by translating the phrase “might be done away with” as the more appropriate “rendered powerless”.

As long as we are alive, we will be in a battle with our flesh. Being human, we are spirit which is born anew or born again when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior to be eternally alive rather than eternally dead. By this we are saved!

We are soul and mind, which is being renewed.

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Rom 12:2 NIV

Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed-not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence-continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. Phil 2:12-13 NIV

In this, we are being saved! This is the process of sanctification about which I shall write in greater length at a later time.

And we are body which shall yet be saved.

And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you. Rom 8:11 NIV

Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed- in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory." 1 Cor 15:51-54 NIV

That day shall come when these mortal bodies shall be redeemed and we shall be like Jesus – immortal.

Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 1 John 3:1-3 NIV

But until that day or until we die we are in mortal combat.

No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. 1 Cor 9:27 NIV

Paul is not in some masochistic ritualism here. He is saying that he delivers his flesh and its desires a knockout punch so that his spirit is in charge not his appetites. He brings his hunger, his thirst, his sex drive, etc. all under submission to God’s word and His will. He tells of the struggle in one particular passage.

So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God-through Jesus Christ our Lord! Rom 7:21-25 NIV

And again,

For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. Rom 8:13-14 NIV

Therefore, this body of sin is rendered powerless; this need to sin has had its power revoked, this propensity to disobey is like a lion with no teeth. It makes a lot of noise but it can do no harm – unless we give it life.

It is without life, without breath this need to sin and yet we do. Each time we choose to sin, to disobey God, to not do what His asks, it is as if we are reanimating a dead body. We are carrying around this reanimated corpse. We have this zombie on our backs and rotting flesh stinks. Therefore, each time we sin, we stink! Who wants to hang around with putrid flesh?

...that we should no longer be slaves to sin

We cannot serve two masters. Jesus said it about money and Paul stated it with greater clarity about sin.

Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey-whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. Rom 6:16-18 NIV

It doesn’t matter what you say, how many times you say it or what words you use. Actions speak louder than words. What you do indicates who your master is. If you sin, sin is your master. If you obey, then you demonstrate that Jesus is indeed your Lord. The results are vastly different.

Sin results in death!

Obedience results in righteousness!

...because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.

Whether dead men wear plaid or not, I don’t know. But this I do know - dead men do not sin! It is that simple.

For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. Col 3:3 NIV

I die every day-I mean that, brothers-just as surely as I glory over you in Christ Jesus our Lord. 1 Cor 15:31 NIV

"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. Luke 9:23-24 NIV

The bottom line, we are freed from sin. It no longer is our master. Our need or propensity to sin is powerless to make us sin. Therefore, if we sin, we made the choice.

As Jesus said once said, “Go and sin more.” You have that freedom!

*(from Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, Copyright (c)1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers)

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Of Putting Off and Putting On

In order to highlight the point of this essay, I must return to some previous writings to lay a foundation. John the Revelator records in part of his the vision he received that there was a one point a great noise in heaven. A great host is shouting praise to God with these words,

"Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns.
Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory!
For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.
Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear."
(Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.)
Rev 19:6-8 NIV

It has been and continually needing to be stressed that this bride made her ready. She prepared herself for her wedding. For more on this, please read “A Prepared Bride”.

Below is a list of verses containing the words “put off” or a similar translation all of the same Greek word - apotithemi, "to put off, lay aside," denotes, in the middle voice, "to put off from oneself, cast off."*

The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness Rom 13:12 NIV

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; Eph 4:21-24 NIV

Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. Eph 4:25-26 NIV

But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Col 3:7-8 NIV

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Heb 12:1 NIV

Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. James 1:21 NIV

Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. 1 Peter 2:1-2 NIV

The action here in the Greek is the middle voice or reflexive which simply means that in each of the verses above, we are to do these actions ourselves. Just as we dress ourselves when we are changing clothes after working hard so we put of these works of our flesh. We “pit off” the dirty smelly clothes before we shower. We are to put off the deeds of darkness, the old self and falsehood. We are to rid ourselves of anger, rage, malice, slander and filthy language. We are to get rid of moral filth and deceit, hypocrisy, envy and evil.

These are things that we must do, decisions that we must make, choices that are ours. The Holy Spirit is not going to make us. There is no prayer that will mystically cause these things to fall off. Nor is there any ritual of exorcism that can cast these things out of us.

We choose not to speak falsely or slander. We decide not to have sex before marriage or with another’s spouse. We hold our tongue rather than say something we would regret.

But it is more than just putting off. We must also “put on”. Let’s look at some of the above verses in context as well as a few others.

The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Rom 13:12-13 NIV

Put off darkness but put on light. You cannot create darkness. Darkness is the absence of light. Therefore if you put on light, you automatically put off darkness.

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
Eph 4:22-24 NIV

Again, we decide to not give in to our own desires while at the same time we choose to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. This is a choice!

Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.
Eph 6:11 NIV

Just as a soldier would vest himself with the armaments of battle, we are to put on, dress ourselves in the vestments of spiritual war.

For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Gal 3:27 NKJV

When we are water baptized, we put on Christ. We are clothes, covered in Christ so that the Father no longer sees our sinful old self but He chooses to only see us as He looks through the redemptive work of Christ on the cross.

It is time to make some choices – to put the old and put on the new! You decide!

*(from Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, Copyright (c)1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers

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New Blog for the family

Just wanted to let you know that we have started a new blog about our family. This will include photos and news of the day. I am hoping that my wife, Erica, will enjoy making entries as well.

You can visit the family blog at The Sojourner.

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Manure or Minimum?

Where no oxen are, the trough is clean;
But much increase comes by the strength of an ox.
Prov 14:4 NKJV

Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty,
but from the strength of an ox comes an abundant harvest.
Prov 14:4 NIV

In the spring of 1977, I began pastoring a group of people who wanted to grow themselves into a church. I was as green as they come and found myself making many mistakes. I also discovered that I did not come by the heart of a pastor naturally. There are some folks who are care givers by their very nature. They have infinite patience and a capacity to nurture that I was lacking.

One morning in prayer, I was asking the Lord to forgive me for causing so many problems and questioning His wisdom in choosing for me to pastor this growing group. In reply, He directed me to the above verse. I was encouraged as the Spirit began to speak to my heart regarding this ox.

The phrase that is translated “the trough is clean” and “the manger is empty” can also be translated as “the stall is clean.” I took this to mean that if you have no oxen, you do not have to shovel any manure.

However, the verse goes on the say that much increase or an abundant harvest comes from the strength that the ox provides. The Lord encouraged me by letting me see that if the people wanted the benefit of my giftings and talents that they would have to learn to shovel some manure as well.

I was not and am not perfect. I am being perfected or completed in Christ Jesus but the process continues even after these almost 30 years in ministry. I make mistakes even today. I get angry at overt stupidity. I cannot abide injustice or gossip. I will not tolerate hypocrites or those who have hidden agendas and I do not always deal with these situations with the greatest of tack or diplomacy.

It must be recognized, though, that I bring experience, wisdom, giftings and insight to the table that may be difficult to otherwise locate. It was the Father’s good pleasure to grant these gifts, to design these experiences that I might be more like His Son and better fit to accomplish His desire. This is not arrogance. It is fact. There was a TV show in the late 60s called “The Guns of Will Sonnet”. It starred Walter Brennan among others. He had a catch phrase that he used throughout the show.

“No brag, just fact.”

The Apostle Paul gave us this admonition.

Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.
Rom 12:3-4 NIV

Many would take that to mean that that we must be self-deprecating, that we must not acknowledge who we are in God, or how He has blessed us. Paul also wrote the following,

If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless.

But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ-the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. Phil 3:4-11 NIV

Paul knew well who he was and what made him the unique vessel that he was, but he also recognized that outside of God and knowing Jesus who he was and what he had accomplished were not worth anything.

We are given gifts by God and have received calling from God which He will not revoke. (Roman 11:29) He has made us uniquely who we are for a specific purpose which He knew before we were born. Read Psalm 139. Paul also weighs in on the predestination issue very clearly.

For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
Rom 8:29-30 NIV

Returning to the analogy of the ox, there are several other references that I would like us to look at.

In majesty he is like a firstborn bull; his horns are the horns of a wild ox.
With them he will gore the nations, even those at the ends of the earth. Deut 33:17 NIV

In this verse, Moses is pronouncing a blessing upon the tribes of the children of Israel. Specifically, he is blessing Joseph’s progeny by comparing them to a wild ox. In our hemisphere, this would be equivalent to the bison.

The Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament has this to say about the sons of Joseph.

“All the sons of Joseph resembled oxen, but Ephraim was the most powerful of
them all. He was endowed with majesty; his horns, the strong weapon of oxen, in
which all their strength is concentrated, were not the horns of common oxen, but
horns of the wild buffalo (reem, Num 23:22), that strong indomitable beast (cf.
Job. 39:9 ff.; Ps 22:22)”*

In an article from the State Museum of Illinois, we read

Although some accounts of successful domestication do exist (Dary, 1974; Belue,
1996; Roe, 1972), they are few relative to those of failures. Schoolcraft (1820)
wrote:
The attempts which have been made to domesticate this animal, have
not been attended with success. Calves which have been taken in the woods and
brought up with the tame breed, have afterwards discovered a wild and
ungovernable temper, and manifested their savage nature by breaking down the
strongest enclosure, and enticing the tame cattle into the woods.

This wild ox or bison cannot be domesticated, cannot be tamed and should not. They very value comes from being a wild ox. For a fairly complete list of how the Native Americans utilized this wild ox, visit Bison Central here.


For surely your enemies, O LORD, surely your enemies will perish; all evildoers will be scattered. You have exalted my horn like that of a wild ox; fine oils have been poured upon me. My eyes have seen the defeat of my adversaries; my ears have heard the rout of my wicked foes. Ps 92:9-11 NIV

In this passage, the phrase “You exalted my horn like that of a wild ox, fine oils have been poured over me” is interpreted as follows,

The hitherto oppressed church then stands forth vindicated and glorious.

The primary passages for figures taken from animal life are Num 23:22;
Deut 33:17. The horn is an emblem of defensive power and at the same time of
stately grace; and the fresh, green oil an emblem of the pleasant feeling and
enthusiasm, joyous in the prospect of victory, by which the church is then
pervaded (Acts 3:19).*

This wild ox or buffalo, as it is translated in Spanish, represents the victory won through its strength to defend. When attacked, it will not be overcome, will not be tamed, will not be enslaved. So it is with me. So must it be with you. So must it be with all of us as the church.

Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey-whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. Rom 6:16-18 NIV

If we want the benefit of having the ox around, if we want a great harvest, sometimes, just sometimes, we are going to have the shovel some manure? However, all too often, we want our Christianity, our church services and our relationships to nice and neat and orderly. Why do you think that God called the prophets in the Old Testament? To shake up the status quo, to wake up the sleeping, to mess up their nicely ordered universes!

It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Eph 4:11-13

These five offices are called to prepare God’s people. Perhaps at a later date I will expound this passage further but suffice it to say that included in this grouping are the prophets. We can rest assured that God the Father is prepared to do what ever is necessary into to have a bride prepared for God the Son and it will inevitably required the calling forth of the prophetic by God the Spirit.

Be prepared to shovel some manure. But be equally prepared to reap a great harvest!

*(from Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament: New Updated Edition, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1996 by Hendrickson Publishers, Inc.)

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Tower of Babel 3 – Building a Spiritual House

"Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth."
Gen 11:4 NIV

The inhabitants in the plain of Shinar decided to take it upon themselves to build a tower. They had two stated reasons for wanting to do this.

To make a name for themselves – notoriety and fame, i.e. pride, arrogance and an inflated ego.
To promote and provide for unity – outside and in spite of God.

Both of these reasons illustrate the fallen man at his best (worst?). The devil himself was so arrogant as to think,

"I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God;
I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High." Isa 14:13-14 NIV

Therefore, they were simply acting according to their nature, their human nature, their fallen nature, their sinful nature.

“You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” - Jesus
John 8:44 NIV

However, their desire for unity is a God-given desire that was perverted.

Understand this, the enemy, satan, is a creation. Therefore, he cannot create. He can only mimic, counterfeit and pervert. Music is God’s creation. Much of what we hear today is a perversion of its intended purpose. Sex was God’s idea as well but between one husband and one wife. What we see in society today is fornication (sex between people who aren’t married), adultery (sex between people who are married but to someone else), pornography and all forms of sexual relationships that are a counterfeit or corruption of the original purpose.

Looking at this need for unity, we can find a number of references in Scripture that indicate that this is God’s desire but within God’s kingdom. Let us begin with a prayer uttered by our Lord Jesus.

"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” John 17:20-23 NIV

We must recognize that Jesus’ was praying the perfect will of His Father – that we would be one in Him. But it must also be recognized that there was and is a purpose behind this unity – to let the world know that the Father did send Jesus and loves the world.

According to the translation of a tablet by George Smith in 1876, this Tower of Babel was constructed with

small temples or chapels dedicated to the various gods of the Babylonians. On the East were 16 shrines, the principal of them being dedicated to Nebo and Tasmetu, his spouse; on thee North were two temples dedicated to Ea. (Ae) and Nusku respectively; on the South was a single temple to the two great gods, Anu and Bel (Enlil?). It was on the West, however, that the principal buildings lay-a double house with a court between the wings 35 cubits (Smith: 58 ft.) wide. These two wings were not alike in dimensions, the erection on one side being 100 cubits by 20 (166 ft. by 34 ft.) and on the other 100 cubits by 65 (166 ft. by 108 ft.). In these western chambers stood the couch of the god, and the golden throne mentioned by Herodotus, with other objects of great value. The couch was stated to have measured 9 cubits by 4 (15 ft. by 6 feet 8 inches).*

Therefore it was to be a place of worship and sacrifice to false gods.

We, as believers, “like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 2:5 NIV

Paul writes several times that we are the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 3:16; 6:19) and that we are the temple of the living God. (2 Cor. 6:16)

In his letter to the Romans, Paul urges the church “in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship.” Rom 12:1 NIV

Jesus explained to the women at the well in Samaria that the Father is actually seeking those who will worship Him in spirit and in truth. (John 4:22-24) The write of the bok of Hebrews encourages us with these words.

“Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise-the fruit of lips that confess his name. Heb 13:15 NIV

Let’s conclude by list the comparisons between the Tower of Babel and the church one last time.

1. They were of one language – Through the Spirit, we can speak one tongue.
They were unified in mind and purpose – It is Jesus’ prayer and therefore God’s will that we be one body. If it is His will then He supplies the grace to make it happen.

2. Being of one mind, there was nothing that they could not accomplish – I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

3. They used fired bricks to build a strong enough tower. - We are called to be baptism with the same baptism as Jesus-fire- and drink from he same cup from which He drank-suffering-in order to be purged, purified and prepared as a bride for her bridegroom.

4. The tower of Babel was built as a place of worship and sacrifice – We are being built as a spiritual house, the dwelling place of God who offer up spiritual sacrifices – the fruit of our lips and all of our lives.

I leave you will this verse from John the Revelator’s writings.

I saw the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Rev 21:2-5 NIV

*(from International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, Electronic Database Copyright (c)1996 by Biblesoft)

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The crucible – a fellowship of suffering

cru·ci·ble
Pronunciation: 'krü-s&-b&l
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English corusible, from Medieval Latin crucibulum earthen pot for melting metals
1 : a vessel of a very refractory material (as porcelain) used for melting and calcining a substance that requires a high degree of heat
2 : a severe test
3 : a place or situation in which concentrated forces interact to cause or influence change or development Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary

As I was preparing to graduate from Bible College in 1977, we were asked to choose a verse that would appear along side our picture in the year book. I did not have a moment’s hesitation but selected a passage from Paul letter to the Philippians.

I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. Phil 3:10-11 NIV

This has been my heart’s cry and life’s pursuit – to know Jesus more and more. The more I know Him, not just know about Him but develop a relationship with Him, the more I will be like Him.

Now there are many who would gladly embrace that next phrase – the power of His resurrection. This is the power that Jesus spoke of when He told His disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit.

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you…” Acts 1:8 NIV

That word “power” is translated from the Greek word – dunamis meaning force or miraculous power as opposed to “authority” - exousia meaning freedom of action, right to act, or delegated authority as when Jesus said,

"All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations…” Matt 28:18-19 NIV

As humans, we want power. We crave power. We will literally sell our soul to obtain power but as Lord Acton as been quoted,

“Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

If we want to experience the power of Christ’s resurrection, we must embrace the fellowship of His suffering.

There were two of Jesus’ disciples who hungered for positions of power, authority and recognition.

Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. "Teacher," they said, "we want you to do for us whatever we ask."

"What do you want me to do for you?" he asked.

They replied, "Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory."

"You don't know what you are asking," Jesus said. "Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?"

"We can," they answered.

Jesus said to them, "You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared." Mark 10:35-40 NIV

Their arrogance was matched latter by all the disciples and especially by Peter until they came to understand the significance of the cup that they were to drink and the baptism with which they would be baptized.

James was the first of the twelve to receive this baptism.

It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. Acts 12:1-2 NIV

God spoke through the prophet Isaiah regarding the condition of Israel and the resulting consequences of her disobedience.

See how the faithful city has become a harlot!
She once was full of justice; righteousness used to dwell in her-- but now murderers!
Your silver has become dross; your choice wine is diluted with water.

I will turn my hand against you;
I will thoroughly purge away your dross and remove all your impurities.
Isa 1:21-22, 25 NIV

Because of her sin, Israel had become mixed with the impurities of sin. The allegory here is of both silver and wine neither of which is of any value if not pure. For this sake of this article, I will be concentrating on silver.

When John the Baptist spoke of Jesus’ coming he said,

"I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire."
Matt 3:11-12 NIV

Being of a charismatic flavor, we get all excited at the prospect of the baptism with the Holy Spirit – the speaking in tongues, the demonstration of power, etc. But we all tend to either explain away or castrate this baptism of fire.

In prophesying about Jesus death, Zechariah spoke these words.

"Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered, and I will turn my hand against the little ones. In the whole land," declares the LORD, "two-thirds will be struck down and perish; yet one-third will be left in it. This third I will bring into the fire;
I will refine them like silver and test them like gold.
They will call on my name and I will answer them;
I will say, 'They are my people,' and they will say, 'The LORD is our God.'"
Zech 13:7-9 NIV

In these verses, he speaks of refining them like silver or testing them like gold. For more on this refining process, please refer to a previous post “Fired Bricks”. This testing of the gold is an examination, a proving to detect impurities and ascertain value. The purer the gold, the higher the price per ounce.

David cried out,

“Test me, O LORD, and try me, examine my heart and my mind.” Ps 26:2 NIV

And again,

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
Ps 139:23-24 NIV

Malachi wrote this regarding those days in preparation for Jesus’ return.

“But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner's fire or a launderer's soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the LORD will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness…” Mal 3:2-3 NIV

Jesus is returning for a prepared bride, a bride without spot or wrinkle, a bride who has sanctified herself, set herself apart of Him. A bride who has allowed herself to be examined, proven by the Holy Spirit, cleansed by the washing of the Word. A bride who is holy as her Groom is holy.

To arrive at this placed of readiness; to be prepared she must drink deeply from the cup of suffering, participating in the fellowship or communion of His suffering. Jesus gave His disciples instructions on how they were to remember Him in this midst of the Passover. Regarding the cup, He said,

"This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.” Luke 22:20 NIV

This cup which was the cup of redemption in the Passover meal was to forever after be remember as His blood poured out for our salvation. His suffering was our redemption.

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. Isa 53:5 KJV

Moments before his arrest, Jesus found himself in the midst of the supreme struggle – to obey His Father and drain the cup of suffering dry by His death or refuse to drink.

Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, "Sit here while I go over there and pray." He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me."

Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will." Matt 26:36-39 NIV

It is this cup of which we must drink if we are to experience all that God has prepared for us and if we are to be prepared for Christ triumphant return. Without this baptism of fire, with drinking deeply from this cup, without fellowshipping in His suffering, we cannot be trusted with the power of His resurrection nor are we conformed to His death.

Water baptism is the outward symbol of this while being much more than just a symbol.

Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
Rom 6:3-4 NIV

Unless we willingly embrace the whole expression and experience of Christ’s work in us, we can never fulfill our destiny. We can never finish the race. We must allow Him to place us in the crucible of tribulation, of persecution, in order for the impurities to rise to the top. This process is not to condemn us but to bring to light the dross, the sin, the ungodliness in our lives so that we can repent and be cleansed. The Spirit of God turns up the heat so that this stuff will rise to the top where He can remove it. Thus we are purified.

If we don’t do it now, it will happen later. This is the message that is not getting out. It we allow God to examine us now, if we allow Him to baptize us with fire, if we will drink deeply of the cup that He offers now, we will be tested by fire after we die. Then our works will be proven as to their worth whether the wood, hay and stubble of self-interest or the gold, silver and precious stones of selfless service. (1 Cor. 3:12-15)

This purging, this cleansing is for our sake as well as His. We never learn, we are never changed while on the mountain tops. The mountain tops, the times of rejoicing, are to refresh us, to allow us to heal. Our character is proven, we are stretched, while in the valley.

Submit to the crucible. Embrace the flame. It will pass and you will be more like Jesus for having done so!

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My kids, Cody and Alissa, Christmas 2002. Happy Father's Day to all you dads! 

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New every morning

As I awoke this morning, a chorus from long ago was running through my head from the book of Lamentations.

Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him."
Lam 3:22-24 NIV

The Lord's compassions or mercies are new every morning. He cooks up a new batch with each sunrise.

By His mercy, my sins are forgiven.
By His mercy, I wake up each morning.
By His mercy, I have a wonderful, loving wife.
By His mercy, I have two great kids.
By His mercy, I have freedom to do His will.
By His mercy, I am washed by the water of His Word.
By His mercy, I am released from my own stupidity.
By His mercy, I don't get what I deserve.
By His mercy, I do receive peace in the midst of trials.
By His mercy, in Him I live and move and have my being.
By His mercy, I have a clean start with each new day.
By His mercy, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

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Our story - A Journey in Obedience

There may be some who are curious as to who I am and why I am writing this blog. Well, I thought I give you a chance to read the story of the journey my family and I have taken over the last 30 years.

It was a cold October night at Elim Bible Institute in Rochester, NY. Of course, in upstate New York, anything past August is cold. It was Joe's first ever Missions Conference. He was a freshman at the school, planning on going back to Pittsburgh, PA and pastoring a church around the area where he grew up. As they say, “But God…”! At the end of one the evening meetings, the speaker gave an invitation to answer the call of God to go the foreign mission field.

Although he was not opposed to it, Joe had always envisioned himself as a pastor but God had other plans.

As he sat, waiting for the invitation to end, that still small voice asked Joe a question.

“Would you go to Mexico if I asked you?”

Surprisingly, after just a moment's consideration, he said, “Yes!”

Again the voice asked a question, “Would you go anywhere in Latin America if I asked you?”

With even less hesitation, Joe responded, “Well, Lord, if I would go to Mexico, what's the big deal about Latin America, of course I'd go!”
Then came the revelation that the entire world belonged to God and that he should not limit Him in any way.

The following Monday, Joe changed his major from pastoral studies to missions and so it began. Ironically, upon graduating from Elim, Joe was scheduled to go to Manila in the Philippines to help set up a Teen Challenge. He had already spent one summer in Mexico, assisting another student in reestablishing a mission work his father had started. Joe asked for the opportunity to spend the summer with his parents before leaving and embarked on a road of destiny that would take 15 moves and 28 years to complete. Before the end of that summer, Joe had been asked by a group of people trying to form themselves into a new church to be their pastor. It was the leading of the Spirit and so he stayed for seven years. He met and eventually married his lovely wife Erica Niehaus, daughter of one of the elders of the church called Chapel Fellowship.

The greatest and most difficult process Joe went through during those years was having the heart of a pastor birthed in him. Some men are born with the heart of a pastor and are naturally compassionate. Joe went through the traumatic but necessary birth process. It was during this time also when both he and Erica developed their gifts for leading worship together.

From Pittsburgh, Joe and Erica moved to Newnan, GA, 20 miles south of Atlanta. Here they helped a little church learn to worship and set up home groups. They were also able to be a support for the pastor and his family during times of difficult transition. While in
Newnan, Joe took a job as a general manger for a health club where he received certifications as an aerobics instructor. He and Erica also got their “Openwater” scuba certification.

After a little more than three years, Joe and Erica felt the need to return to Pittsburgh. It was timely to do so in that the church back home was in the midst of some very tough times. Staying long enough to see the church off to a new start with his dad, Joe, Sr. as the pastor, Joe and Erica answered an ad in the back of a scuba magazine for employment on cruise ships.

Packing off in the middle of the night on a train bound for New York City, they again answered the call when the Spirit spoke. If they hadn't gone to Georgia and Joe hadn't worked at the health club here they were able to get aerobic and scuba certifications, they wouldn't be on the ships. See a pattern developing?

On the cruise ships, they traveled all over Central and the northern part of South America, as well as two summers in Alaska. Joe and Erica worked as fitness instructors, then snorkeling and scuba instructors, then shore excursion managers and finally with Joe as the Assistant Cruise Director. That was what paid the bills but what the Lord opened up was an opportunity to be the Chaplain on board every ship they were on.

Joe held two to three services each week, special services for Christmas, Good Friday and a Sunrise Easter service. The cruise staff on board was young Americans (18-22 yrs.) to whom Joe and Erica were dad and mom, even though Erica wasn't that much older than them. Joe also began to hone his skills as a disc jockey. After 3 ½ years and 77 cruises, the Father once again brought Joe and Erica home to Pittsburgh. While continuing to assist the local church, Joe started his career as a professional DJ, mostly mobile gigs at first but “Studebakers”, an oldies theme club, then hired him. This experience opened the door with a Nashville talent agency to hire him as the lead DJ in a new theme club called “Coco Loco”. Not a few people had a problem with this, but Joe and Erica knew it was God. They just did not know why.

Eventually, this agency in Nashville asked Joe (often called “CJ” by this time) to travel to Memphis, TN to set up a club for them. God so blessed that the hotel told the agency that if they didn't get CJ as their DJ, the deal was off. They made CJ and Erica a deal they almost could not refuse. They did, however, feel this was the hand of the Lord.

Not long after moving to Memphis, CJ and Erica started attending a growing church called Christ the Rock. Having been invited out for lunch one day with the pastor, Fred Bennett, and his wife Valerie, the discussion turned to the needs of the church. Fred asked if CJ and Erica saw any areas where the church might be lacking. Immediately, and as always, CJ's heart turned to missions. The pastor said that he realized that that was true but their most immediate need was in the single adult ministry. CJ became the pastor for the single adults.

While working with this group, they become good friends with a young lady named Kamala who eventually came to work at the Department of Social Services and was instrumental in helping CJ and Erica adopt Cody and Alissa.

Now follow me on this. They are on the cruise ships working with young adults where Joe develops the skills to DJ. These skills allow him to work in clubs filled with young adults most of whom are not being reached by the conventional church where he can not only live his life before them but share the truth and love of the Father. This DJ gig moves him and Erica to Memphis where Erica begins a rewarding and challenging career in the hotel industry. Joe pastors single adults one of whom opens the door for them to be blessed with two wonderful children. Are we catching on, yet?

After five years with the singles, the ministry is turned over to others. Over those years, Memphis had seen its Latino population grow from only a few thousand to almost 100,000 or 10%of the population. With that call always on his heart and the blessing of
Christ the Rock, Joe (“CJ”) establishes an outreach to the Latino community. In the middle of this, the Burgan's feel released from Memphis but are not sure where the Spirit is leading next.

Several months before, Joe and Erica had attended a conference in Myrtle Beach, SC. As they were waiting on the Lord for His guidance, it seemed that He was leading them to the beach. Nah!! Really!! Being called to the beach!! Sometimes it is easier to go where the Spirit leads if the way seems harsh or difficult because we forget that the Father loves us so much that He wants to do good things for us.

Arriving Easter Week 2000, the Burgans jump right into assisting another local church, New Harvest, by leading worship. It wasn't too long after moving to the beach that Joe began to feel the unction to start a Spanish work, reaching out to the growing Latino population.
From that unction was born “My Father's House/El Hogar de Mi Padre”- a bilingual fellowship. Each meeting was conducted in both English and Spanish with Joe doing both.

This opportunity, as well as a job with a masonry company where he was the only “gringo”, quickly stretched Joe's skill with the Spanish language. After 1½ years of worshiping, praying, teaching and talking literally out of both sides of his mouth- English and Spanish- Joe is quite fluent.

Again, they reached that place of saying, “God, why are we in this place at the time?” Joe and Erica had been instrumental in starting a very life-giving support group for homeschoolers. They had been faithful to reach out to the community and especially the Latinos with My Father's House. When they originally moved to South Carolina, they thought that maybe this would be an opportunity to start traveling and sharing their gifts and experience with other churches in the U.S. and eventually assisting missionaries overseas. Then, literally, out of the blue, Joe receives an email from his brother Tim about a mission work in Mexico that is looking for a director.

Suffice it to say that after hearing of the opportunity in Mexico in October, the Burgan’s arrived on site in San Luis Río Colorado, Sonora, Mexico on May 1st, 2003. Joe and Erica spent a year and a half establishing a training center for teen boys, working with an orphanage, a Bible school, a church and a feeding program.

At the beginning of 2005, Joe and Erica, having done as much as they could to help that particular organization, stepped out on their own, as the Lord led. In the months that have followed, they have begun to help a newly planted church in one of the poorer sections of the town in Mexico. They serve as advisors on the leadership team and lead the praise and worship for both the Thursday and Sunday services.

Though unsure of what the Father has in store for them next, they make the best of the time afforded them. Erica homeschools their two children while Joe discovers new music to be learned and taught. He has also begun a blog which he is using as an opportunity to write down the teachings he has given and revelations he has received in over thirty years of ministry.

By no means conventional, Joe and Erica continue to serve God in whatever capacity or through whatever opportunity is presented to them.

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Changes in format

Please note that as of yesterday's post, I have made some changes in the format.

Rather than continuing to post lengthy entries on the main page of this blog, I will be including simply the first portion to make browsing through the entries easier. At the bottom of each post will be a link to the article written in its entirty should you be inclined to read it.

Thank you for taking the time to read my posts. I trust and pray that you have found and will find them to be challenging and encouraging.

For many years, I kept a bumper sticker on the front door to my home that simply posed the question,

"Why be normal?"

The normal Christian life is neither normal by the world's standards nor nominal by the church's standards. Therefore, why be normal?

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The Tower of Babel 2 – Fired Bricks

Continuing with some observations about the Tower of Babel,

"Come, let's make bricks and bake them thoroughly." They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar. Then they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth." Gen 11:3-4 NIV

Peter tells us that we are being built, as living stones, into a spiritual house.

As you come to him, the living Stone-rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him- you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 2:4-5 NIV

Paul teaches us that we are the temple, the dwelling place, of God.

Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him; for God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple. 1 Cor 3:16-17 NIV

For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people." 2 Cor 6:16 NIV

Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. Eph 2:19-22 NIV

John the Revelator records this statement.

Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. Rev 21:3 KJV

That tabernacle is the dwelling place of God, His habitation. God no longer dwells in structures made with human hands. He does not inhabit the Holy of Holies behind the curtain in the temple because that veil was rent when Jesus died to symbolize that man could now be reconciled to God.

With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.

The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, heard his cry and saw how he died, he said, "Surely this man was the Son of God!" Mark 15:37-39 NIV

God does not dwell in anything constructed with human hands. He only dwells within His creation which we are. As Peter stated, we are building built together as living stones into the dwelling of God in very much the same way that those at Babel were using bricks. They, however, fired their bricks in order to make them as hard as stone.

Here in Mexico where we live, there are many who make a living by making bricks. They haul in dirt and manure, mix it with the sand that is everywhere and water. They lay out the forms on the ground and fill them, four at a time. When these bricks are firm enough, they are stacked on end and allowed to air dry. In many cultures, this type of brick is used for building and is known as adobe. However, as with the builders of the tower, these bricks are then stacked in a particular way to allow them to be fired. The Mexicans use anything they can get their hands on the burn – pallets, construction scrap and tires. The smoke is black and acrid. The bricks come out warped and discolored nothing like the solid, uniform bricks manufactures in the States.

The point here is in the “firing”. It takes the brick from clay to stone. Although, I hope the bricks they used at Babel were of better quality than those produced here. Anyway, back to the “firing”.

There is a “firing” under which we as Christians must pass as well.

For you, O God, tested us; you refined us like silver. Ps 66:10 NIV

The word “refined” used in theis verse is explained in this manner:

tsarap, "to refine, try, smelt, test." This root with the basic meaning of smelting and refining is found outside the Old Testament in Akkadian, Phoenician, and Syriac. In Arabic an adjective derived from the verb means "pure, unmixed," describing the quality of wine. Tsarap has maintained the meaning "to refine" in rabbinic and modern Hebrew, but lost the primary significance of "to smelt" in modern Hebrew.

Tsarap is also used metaphorically with the sense "to refine by means of suffering." The psalmist describes the experience of Israel in this way: "For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver is tried. Thou... laidst affliction upon our loins.... We went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place" Ps 66:10-12. God's judgment is also described as a process of refining: "And I will... purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin" Isa 1:25. Those who were thus purified are those who call on the name of the Lord and receive the gracious benefits of the covenant Zech 13:9. The coming of the messenger of the covenant (Jesus Christ) is compared to the work of a smith: "But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire.... And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver..." Mal 3:2-3. The believer can take comfort in the Word of God which alone on earth is tried and purified and by which we can be purified: "Thy promise is well tried, and thy servant loves it" Ps 119:140, RSV; cf. Ps 18:30; Prov 30:5.*

One of the benefits of the “smelting process” is that we are purified, sanctified if you will.

For the Philippians, Paul prays this prayer.

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ-to the glory and praise of God. Phil 1:9-11 NIV

He prays that they may be pure - eilikrines signifies "unalloyed, pure"; (a) it was used of unmixed substances; (b) in the NT it is used of moral and ethical "purity,"*

Unalloyed – having no foreign substances or impurities that would affect the quality or value. That is what the Father wants of us and therefore He brings fire! Fire to test – will we obey? Will we be faithful? Fire to cleanse - as the heat rises, so do tempers and frustrations.

Summer is in full swing here in Mexico. We are in the Arizona-Sonora Desert, the second largest desert in the world – second only to the Sahara. The temperatures are just starting into the hundreds, but it gets the hottest not at noon but at 6 or 7 in the evening. Fortunately, it still cools off into the high 70s at night but soon we will be having 120º days and 100º nights. We have able 345 days of sunshine a year. Now, those of you in the North might think that’s wonderful but day after day of unrelenting heat and unyielding sunshine wears on you. You get irritable very quickly. Tempers flare. Frustrations run high and that’s before you mix in dealing with the Mexican culture!

Then you mix into that whatever the Lord happens to be dealing with you on and “Welcome to the mission field!” However, we recognize that this comes to purge, to purify, to cleanse our hearts, reveal our motives and lay bare our souls before the One who can and will cleanse, who longs to be gracious, who seeks out a people who will worship Him in spirit and in truth.

In his letter to the church at Corinth, Paul gives us this analogy of building and testing.

By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames. 1 Cor 3:10-15 NIV
You must understand that this was written to Christians about Christians. Paul is not speaking of the judgment of the sinner but of the believer – how well he or she built. In other words, how are we living are lives? Are we walking in obedience, seeking to do His will or are we doing whatever we feel is best and the least uncomfortable? Remember, Jesus came to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable!

Are we building His kingdom by serving others or are we building our own empire by serving ourselves?

Are we implementing Jesus’ words?

"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. Luke 9:23 NIV

Or do we pursue our own goals and toys?

Do we “press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” Phil 3:14 NIV

Or are we pressing on toward retirement and the chance to finally “relax”?

One day, all will be revealed by fire. Personally, I believe that this is what we encounter when we die. Paul told us that when we are absent from the body, we are present with the Lord. (2 Cor.5:8-9 NIV) Unlike other denominations, I do not believe in a holding place or waiting until “the Day of the Lord”. Immediately after death, we stand before God.

Scripture tells us that our "God is a consuming fire." (Heb 12:29 NIV) Nothing unholy or impure can abide His presence; therefore this testing by fire that Paul speaks of must take place as we arrive before God. We face the terrible judgment of God for

“It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” Heb 10:31 NIV

You might ask the same question that some asked of Jesus.

"Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?"

To which He replied, "Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to.” Luke 13:23-24 NIV

The word that is translated “make every effort” is agonizomai; to struggle, literally (to compete for a prize), figuratively (to contend with an adversary), or genitive case (to endeavor to accomplish something)** Look familiar? It is the root of our word “agonize”.

The same word in used in these verses.
Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 1 Tim 6:12 NIV

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day-and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing. 2 Tim 4:7-8 NIV

The write of Hebrews encourages us to “let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” Heb 12:1-2 NIV

And again,

Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, 28 so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. Heb 9:27-28 NIV

And this from Paul,

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. 2 Cor 5:10 NIV

Yet, it is after this purging, the cleansing this judgment that we will hopefully hear these words,

'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' Matt 25:23 NIV

After this we enter into that place where “God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." Rev 21:3-4 NIV

Timothy received this useful advice.

In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work. 2 Tim 2:20-21 NIV

We choose to cleanse ourselves. We give ourselves over to the fire of God’s Spirit to be made pure, to be unalloyed, unmixed – no ungodliness, no worldliness.

John the Baptist warned the people of his day and us as well,
"I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.” Matt 3:11-12 NIV

Do you want all of God? Then expect the fire!

Send Your fire, Lord!

*(from Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, Copyright (c)1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers)

**(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright (c) 1994, Biblesoft and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

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Michael Spencer has a site called the Internet Monk and his has an interesting essay on his take on the current condition of the Pentecostal/Charismatic movement as someone outside the movement. It is worth the read.

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There has been an interesting announcement from Adrian Warnock concerning the Blogdom of God. It is worth a read if you are interested in finding other Christian bloggers.

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The Tower of Babel 1 – The Antithesis of the Church

At that time all mankind spoke a single language. As the population grew and spread eastward, a plain was discovered in the land of Babylon and was soon thickly populated. The people who lived there began to talk about building a great city, with a temple-tower reaching to the skies-a proud, eternal monument to themselves.

"This will weld us together," they said, "and keep us from scattering all over the world." So they made great piles of hard burned brick, and collected bitumen to use as mortar.

But when God came down to see the city and the tower mankind was making, he said, "Look! If they are able to accomplish all this when they have just begun to exploit their linguistic and political unity, just think of what they will do later! Nothing will be unattainable for them!

Come, let us go down and give them different languages, so that they won't understand each other's words!"

So, in that way, God scattered them all over the earth; and that ended the building of the city. That is why the city was called Babel (meaning "confusion"), because it was there that Jehovah confused them by giving them many languages, thus widely scattering them across the face of the earth. Gen 11:1-9 TLB

As I mentioned in a previous entry, judgment came to the people at Babel for several reasons.
They refused to obey God and scatter throughout the planet to fill and have dominion or rule over it.
They sought unity and power outside of God and His plan for them.
They were arrogant and defiant, self-serving and egotistical.

There are a number of observations that I would like to make regarding this bit of history.
1. All the people were of one language and at this point had all descended from Noah’s 3 sons – Shem, Ham and Japheth and their wives. It follows, then, that at this point the whole world was one race as well.
2. They developed a detailed plan in which they would defy God. They worked hard at being disobedient.
3. The people used the best materials at hand in an attempt to preserve their monument – burnt bricks and asphalt.
4. God recognized that their unity of language brought about a unity of purpose that made them nearly invincible.
5. Once the languages were “confused”, the people scattered themselves throughout the known world according to their new dialect which incidentally had nothing to do with race in that at this time they were all from the same three sets of parents.

What is the meaning and what are the implications of the word redemption?

“The idea of redemption in the Old Testament takes its start from the thought of property (Lev 25:26; Ruth 4:4 ff). Money is paid according to law to buy back something which must be delivered or rescued (Num 3:51; Neh 5:8). From this start the word "redemption" throughout the Old Testament is used in the general sense of deliverance.

In the New Testament the idea of redemption has more a suggestion of ransom. Men are held under the curse of the law (Gal 3:13), or of sin itself (Rom 7:23 f). The Redeemer purchases their deliverance by offering Himself as payment for their redemption (Eph 1:7; 1 Peter 1:18).

In trying to discern the meaning of redemption from sin, toward which the entire progress of Biblical and Christian thought points, we may well keep in mind the Master's words that He came that men might have life and might have it more abundantly (John 10:10). The word "life" seems to be the final New Testament word as a statement of the purpose of Christ. God sent His Son to bring men to life.”*

Jesus gave his life to redeem that which was lost. He was the ransom paid for sin. Through His sacrifice, mankind can be redeemed and creation will be redeemed.

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope-the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. Titus 2:11-14 NIV

We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Rom 8:22-24 NIV

Through His sacrifice, Jesus prepared the way by which man could return to the relationship that God originally intended to have with him before Adam fell.

All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. 2 Cor 5:18-19 NIV

From before the beginning, it was God’s purpose to have a people who would praise Him just for who He is, who would choose to love Him, who would, by an act of their will, seek a relationship with Him. For this reason, He created Adam. But Adam rebelled. Adam chose not to serve His creator. Still God had a plan, a way to redeem mankind so that they could still have the opportunity to choose life or death.

In the same way that all of humanity as well as creation has been bought with a price (1 Cor. 6:19-20), so it is that we can see the principles of the Tower of Babel redeemed.
First, man was of one language.

During the time of Christ, all the world was unified with one language – Koine Greek. It was the language of commerce. It did not matter if you were Roman, Phoenician, Jew or Greek, if you wanted to conduct business internationally; you spoke Koine Greek, the lingua franca of the day. God had ordained this development in order to allow for the Gospel to be spread quickly.

In today’s world, the lingua franca is English. You can go to nearly any country and be able to communicate. However, I do not see this as the language that brings unity as in the days of Babel.

The inhabitants of the earth in those days were of one tongue, one idiom which brought them unity. Unity that was so strong that even God said they could accomplish anything they set their mind to. Christians, today, have been given a language that brings us into perfect unity with the Father. It allows us to speak directly to God without the interference of our minds and flesh or of the enemy’s schemes and devices. It is called “tongues”. Unfortunately, most denominations have cheated their adherents out of the gift through reasoning and false teaching. That does not negate either the truth of its existence or the power of its working.

"Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well." Mark 16:15-18 NIV

One of the signs that will follow those who believe is that they will speak in new tongues.

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Acts 2:1-4 NIV

Jesus told the disciples that they would be baptized with the Holy Spirit and that when this occurred that they would receive the power [dunamis - force (literally or figuratively); specially, miraculous power (usually by implication, a miracle itself]** when the Holy Spirit would come upon them. This power had a purpose –

and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:8 NIV

The power of the Holy Spirit, through the baptism with the Holy Spirit, is an explosive force by which we can lay down our lives and one of the tools in the arsenal of God’s army is tongues. If you are a soldier preparing for battle and you are presented with an array of weaponry to use to defeat the enemy, to advance and set captives free, wouldn’t you be a fool not to choose the best weapons, learn to use them and then enter into the fray fully equipped?

Speaking in tongues affords us a definite advantage over our enemy. Just as the “Code Talkers” during WWII used the Navajo language to communicate to HG to give information and receive instructions, so it is that we are “Code Talkers” for God in that His Spirit in us talks directly to God in a language that only God can understand and communicates our concerns that are to deep for words.

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will. Rom 8:26-27 NIV

In Paul description of the armor of God, with which we are to be vested each day, he includes this mandate.

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Eph 6:18 NIV

Jude writes this encouragement.

But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. Jude 20 NIV

Paul, in 1 Corinthians 12 presents a discourse on the differences between prophecy and tongues. They each have their place but tongues exist, among other purposes, to edify the individual. In other words, we can speak or pray in tongues when we don’t know how or what to pray, when we are afraid or worn out from praying in a known tongue or when we are feeling low and need encouraged.


Paul’s conclusion regarding tongues is this,

So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind. 1 Cor 14:15 NIV

I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. 1 Cor 14:18 NIV

I believe that if the church was “firing on all cylinders” and the people of God were praying in the Spirit as the Word commands that there would be a great deal more unity in the Body of Christ. I believe this because the one of the purposes of the Spirit is to empower the believer and the church to accomplish the will of God. The prayer of Jesus recorded in John 17 reveals one aspect of that will –

“that all of them may be one…” John 17:21 NIV

It is God’s will that we be one. Jesus is coming back for a Bride who is without spot or wrinkle. Division would be one huge tear in the wedding dress, don’t you think?

More next time on the Tower of Babel.

*(from International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, Electronic Database Copyright (c)1996 by Biblesoft)

**(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright (c) 1994, Biblesoft and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

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A Prepared Bride 14 - Loving Your Neighbor 2 – Fellowship

"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. John 17:20-22 NIV

In this prayer, Jesus is asking for the Father to make those who would believe in Him to be one – one mind to obey His Word, one heart to fulfill His destiny and calling, one Body to do the work of His kingdom.

At one point in human history, man was of one mind and purpose but without God.

Now the whole world had one language and a common speech. As men moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar and settled there.

They said to each other, "Come, let's make bricks and bake them thoroughly." They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar. Then they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth."

But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower that the men were building. The LORD said, "If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other."

So the LORD scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. That is why it was called Babel--because there the LORD confused the language of the whole world. From there the LORD scattered them over the face of the whole earth.
Gen 11:1-9 NIV

Man had refused to obey the edict of God which was,

"Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground."
Gen 1:28 NIV

As is our penchant without Christ, and all too often with Christ, we want to do what we think best, what seems right to us, what we have decided is the best course of action.

The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice.
Prov 12:15 NIV

There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.
Prov 14:12 NIV

So it was with mankind at Babel. Rather than dispersing throughout the world, filling and subduing it (having dominion over it), they chose narcissism, love of self over worship or love of God. They purposed in their minds to erect a monument to establish their place in history and around which they could rally to prevent their being scattered. They were therefore constructing a symbol of their defiance of God.

“The real motive therefore was the desire for renown, and the object was to establish a noted central point, which might serve to maintain their unity. The one was just as ungodly as the other. For, according to the divine purpose, men were to fill the earth, i.e., to spread over the whole earth, not indeed to separate, but to maintain their inward unity notwithstanding their dispersion. But the fact that they were afraid of dispersion is a proof that the inward spiritual bond of unity and fellowship, not only "the oneness of their God and their worship," but also the unity of brotherly love, was already broken by sin. Consequently the undertaking, dictated by pride, to preserve and consolidate by outward means the unity which was inwardly lost, could not be successful, but could only bring down the judgment of dispersion.”*

As the author of the previous statement pointed out, God had originally established a spiritual bond of unity and fellowship, a unity of “brotherly love” but which was broken by sin. As it is that Jesus came to reconcile man back to God (2 Cor. 5:18), so it is that He came to bring unity, a true oneness among His people.

We read His prayer in John 17; it is the undeniable will of God for His children, those who answered His call to be disciples, those who have accepted Him as Savior and Lord
“that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you.” It must be recognized that there is a specific purpose for this oneness - that the world may believe that you have sent me.” John 17:21 NIV

The unity of the body of believers, this fellowship, this “breaking off a little piece of ourselves and sharing with others” is a sign to the unbeliever, an evidence that Jesus was sent from the Father! How incredible is that and at the same time how damning! If we function as we were created, in unity, then the world will know that Jesus is the Christ sent from the Father. However, the adverse is also true. If we are territorial, building our own empires rather than the Kingdom of God, if we back-bite and slander one another, if we fight over nonessential doctrine which we have created, then those looking on will simply call us fools and will not believe.

Paul needed to address this issue even with the first century church.

I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought. 11 My brothers, some from Chloe's household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. 12 What I mean is this: One of you says, "I follow Paul"; another, "I follow Apollos"; another, "I follow Cephas"; still another, "I follow Christ." Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul? 1 Cor 1:10-14 NIV

Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly-mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men? For when one says, "I follow Paul," and another, "I follow Apollos," are you not mere men?

What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe-as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building. 1 Cor 3:1-9 NIV

Paul states here that these believers were worldly and incapable of receiving mature teaching because of their divisiveness. When Paul wrote the letters that we now have as the books of our New Testament, he wrote to one church in the city. For instance, the book that we refer to as Romans was written by Paul to

To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Rom 1:7 NIV

He, indeed, wrote to one church because all the different gatherings throughout the city considered themselves part of one church, one Body, one family – the church at Rome. If Paul were alive, in the flesh, today and he wrote a letter to, let’s say, the church in Chicago, or the church in Sao Paulo or the church in London or the church in Bucksnort, KY, who would get the letter? The local ministerial association would have to have an emergency meeting to discuss the matter and review the letter. After dissecting it, each according to their own understanding, all references to judgment would have to be toned down or eliminated, especially those referring to sodomy or perversion. Several groups would take issue with the baptism by immersion verses. The inherent evil of the sinful nature would be taken to task by yet another. One faction would certainly stand up to proclaim that the letter was written specifically to them because they had the “Word of God”. Yet, another would discount it completely because it didn’t come from Peter or his duly appointed successor! By the time it reached the people, if it ever reached the people and was stalled in committee, one would have no idea what Paul’s original intent let alone what his original words were!

The condition of the church today is deplorable. Denominations and neo-nondenominations are all convinced that they have the answer and more dangerously that only they have the answer. Whether it has been around since the first century or is has just sprung up in the last, there is little evidence of what Jesus prayed for. No wonder the world laughs in our face.

Fellowship, the true communion of the believers is characterized by laying down our lives for each other,

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. John 15:12-13 NIV

by putting our brethren ahead of us,

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Phil 2:3-4 NIV

by service.

When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them. "You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them. John 13:12-17 NIV

Many are establishing their own empire in the name of the Lord, but the day will come when they will have an epiphany.

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!' Matt 7:21-23 NIV

You may think that this speaks of the unsaved but I warn you that this speaks to those who use their gift for their own purposes under the guise of ministry.

Returning to fellowship – without this kind of true, spiritual bond, we cannot grow, we cannot reach our potential in God.

Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. Rom 12:4-5 NIV

The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body-whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free-and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.

Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. 1 Cor 12:12-14 NIV

If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.
1 Cor 12:26-27 NIV

We are a body. If you continue to read in 1 Corinthians 12, you will see that Paul saying that one body part cannot say that it doesn’t need another part. We each need the other. You cannot “be all that you can be” unless you are part of a living, growing, thriving entity.

Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. Eph 4:14-16 NIV

The body grows as each part does its work! This is fellowship! This is communion! It is me doing what I am called and equipped to do, not necessarily want I want to do and you doing what you are called and equipped to do. If everybody is doing what they are supposed to do, that is want we call “Revival”. Revival is no more than everyone repenting for not doing what they should or for doing what they shouldn’t and getting about the Father’s business.

Then the world sees the unity and the love of the brethren and is drawn to that love and therefore to the love of the Father!

To return to story of the Tower of Babel, judgment came as a result of trying to achieve unity outside of God and refusing to obey His command. However, God did say,

"If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. Gen 11:6 NIV

Now, He has given us one language by His Spirit and nothing that He has planned for us shall be impossible!

*(from Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament: New Updated Edition, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1996 by Hendrickson Publishers, Inc.)

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