Last week here , after lengthy communication regarding eternal purpose regarding the summing up of all things in Jesus, and the place of believers corporately as “the church, which is His Body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all (Ephesians 1:23), I mentioned that you, like myself when my understanding of this perspective was opened, might have questions. Like, “Why has it not been shared more frequently, or why isn’t the church given to exhibiting this eternal purpose?” And, I suggested I might address my thoughts on those questions with a look at where we may choose to dwell: Egypt, the Wilderness, the Promised Land, ….or in captivity in Babylon.
Before I address that in some detail, let me say it could be simplified into saying, for the most part, we are much more comfortable with soul-ish (mind, will, and emotions) rote religion and religious activity than we are with having to live in the Spirit (walking by faith) hearing and taking direction from our Head, Jesus, by the Spirit. We might say “Just give me the rules and regulations, and what is required, and let me perform. I can do that! But, I really don’t want to have to be on call as Lord’s servant all the time. That would mean having to listen for His voice and do what He asks in the moment.”
It’s a bit like the rich young ruler (Mark 10:21, Luke 18:22) who could do or had doon the rote law when Jesus told him to keep the commandments, but could not do the now word to him from Jesus in the moment to “sell all you have and give to the poor, then you will have treasure in heaven, and come follow me” Much is generally made of the fact that he was rich and didn’t want to give it all up. However, I believe the real issue was that he was a ruler and used to calling the shots. The part of Jesus’ instructions he couldn’t hack, was come follow me. If he had been willing to follow letting Jesus direct what he was doing and where he was going, selling all and giving wouldn’t have been a problem.
Unfortunately today, we still want, and are more comfortable with, rote rule and regulation ie: religion where we can perform works, than we are comfortable with a relationship with the Lord where we follow, listen to, and co-labor with Him in what He is doing.
Or, we are a bit like Israel (1st Samuel 8:4-20) telling Samuel they wanted him to appoint a King to judge them. The LORD told Samuel to go ahead and give them a King; but to warn them that he would take their sons and daughters, and a tenth of all they had or produced, and they would not be happy. They got Saul as king, and we know how that worked out. All because they did not want the Lord to be King, or to listen to Him. They wanted a man instead. So, they rejected the Lord as King and got Saul.
[1Samuel 8:6-7 NASB95] 6 But the thing was displeasing in the sight of Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the LORD. 7 The LORD said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them.
Unfortunately today, most believers would still rather listen to, and be directed by, a king/leader giving direction, taking their kids, and a tenth of all they have in religion, rather than simply listen to, follow, and serve the true King. But then, the heart of man has been this way in the people of God since Moses (Deuteronomy 5:23-27, Exodus 20:18- 21).
We are more comfortable practicing religion and “going to church” and doing what is expected of believers by leaders, or through and by our own preconceived expectations or desires and understanding in religion . We are more comfortable building a temple of our own design and in religion. We are far less comfortable with being built into a temple of living stones of His design and for His habitation, with worship through Jesus filled and directed by the Spirit.
[1Peter 2:4-5 NASB95] 4 And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
[Ephesians 2:19-22 NASB95] 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner [stone,] 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.
Having laid the foundation of eternal purpose last week, and here outlined a simplistic approach for reasons this perspective has not been more prevalent. Let me turn this exhortation a bit more pointed toward our focus on wanting and our wanting to be leaders instead of servants. And, our choice of a dwelling place. Particularly choosing to be captive in Babylon; Babylon the place of man trying to reach God on his own terms… AND to make a name for himself. (I will warn this will be a bit more lengthy but hopefully edifying and, perhaps, challenging.)
Recently I had reason to look back over some writing from years ago I did regarding Ephesians 4:11-14 regarding Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers (APEPT). At the same time, in some of the considerations of scriptures, I was drawn to look at some scriptures regarding The subject of so-called “leaders” or “leadership” in the church.
Without exposition or discussion of Ephesians 4:11 here, I did find researching that “Leaders/Leadership” are terms you really do not find much in the scriptures of the New Testament. You can find references to leaders in the Old Testament. The only New Testament references regard “the leader of the Synagogue” in locations in Acts 18. And, a few times in Hebrews. So, it appears to be a Jewish concept to some degree.
The original disciples wrestled with who would be greatest or leader among them. (See Matthew 20:20-28, Mark 10:35-45 & 9:33-37, Luke 9:46-48 & 22:24-27). However in each of these places the Master/Jesus made it clear there would be no greatest among them, no leader(s), no hierarchy. Only servants. Here are his responses:
[Matthew 20:25-28 NASB95] 25 But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and [their] great men exercise authority over them. 26 “It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, 27 and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
[Mark 10:42-45 NASB95] 42 Calling them to Himself, Jesus said to them, “You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them; and their great men exercise authority over them. 43 “But it is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant; 44 and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all. 45 “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
[Mark 9:35-37 NASB95] 35 Sitting down, He called the twelve and said to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.” 36 Taking a child, He set him before them, and taking him in His arms, He said to them, 37 “Whoever receives one child like this in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me does not receive Me, but Him who sent Me.“
[Luke 9:46-48 NASB95] 46 An argument started among them as to which of them might be the greatest. 47 But Jesus, knowing what they were thinking in their heart, took a child and stood him by His side, 48 and said to them, “Whoever receives this child in My name receives Me, and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me; for the one who is least among all of you, this is the one who is great.”
[Luke 22:25-27 NASB95] 25 And He said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who have authority over them are called ‘Benefactors.’ 26 “But [it is] not this way with you, but the one who is the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like the servant. 27 “For who is greater, the one who reclines [at the table] or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines [at the table?] But I am among you as the one who serves.
Obviously the disciples had issues, and couldn’t or, at least had difficulty, getting the servant and service aspect of His teaching in their thinking. This Luke 22 passage is recorded at the Passover Last supper. In John13 in his account of the supper He doesn’t record these words, but he does record Jesus girded Himself with a towel and washing their feet. Traditionally this task was left to the lowest servant or child in the Jewish household. None of the twelve had considered themselves low or servant enough to take the task. It may be assumed that they had been discussing who was greatest by the Luke account. So, Jesus humbly did it! As He was among them as one who serves.
So it is to be in the church/ekklesia. He is still among us as one who serves and ministers from humility. There is no leader, no first, no first among equals (whatever that is). There are only brother/sister servants under the Lordship and Headship of Jesus who move in love to serve at His direction. There is one Head/Lord/Leader of the church. Jesus! The rest of us, as His Body, are simply followers, going where He leads, doing what He is doing, when He wants us to do it.
This raises the question: “Why is this so hard to comprehend among believers? Why do men seek position, authority, the spotlight, among us? Why do saints/believers want a “leader” so badly, and want to follow men and put them on pedestals?
I see, and I think it is from the Lord, that the issue today is one of choosing our dwelling place
I, and others have shared in times past that believers can choose to dwell in three places. I believe it was Frank Viola I heard sharing, a while back, that believers may choose to dwell in Egypt (the world), the Wilderness (a place of passage for trial and testing), or they can choose the promised land (the place of God’s provision and security).
The World: It is easy to get distracted and return to Egypt, the place of the world and its system, and its ways. Egypt/the world is where God’s people are seen, but are forced to work as slaves making bricks and building someone else’s kingdom. Not His.
The Wilderness: We can choose to dwell in the wilderness which is intended as a place of passage. God never intends for us to dwell there. Being in the wilderness He may teach you to trust Him and rely on Him for a period of time. But, it is meant to be transitional taking you from Egypt to the promised land. If you choose to dwell there, misery will be extended, and the taste of milk and honey and the promise and provision of God will not be found.
The Promised Land: You can enter the land of promise and dwell there. It is a place of God’s provision and security… a place of resting in Him, and co-laboring with Him…not for Him.
But, I suggest, because I personally discovered sometime back, that there is one other place, a fourth place, the people of God can choose to dwell and stay. That is Babylon. It is a place of captivity. It is the place of religion. And by religion, I am talking about what Paul called “self-made religion (Colossians 2:23). Contextually Paul was referring to self abasement and “touch not taste not” type rules which have the “appearance of wisdom” and he calls them out as that which is in “accordance with the commandments and teachings of men”. But I think such self-made religion really comes down to simply trying to impress God, and mostly others, on your own terms by doing this or that or, sometimes,… by not doing this or that. At Babel, in Genesis 11, men built with brick, not stone, to erect a tower to reach god…. and more importantly make a name for themselves.
[Gen 11:3-4 NASB95] 3 They said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks and burn [them] thoroughly.” And they used brick for stone, and they used tar for mortar. 4 They said, “Come, let us build for ourselves a city, and a tower whose top [will reach] into heaven, and let us make for ourselves a name, otherwise we will be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.”
During the Babylonian exile of Judah there was no temple. So, there was no temple worship, and no animal sacrifice. This gave rise to the synagogue. Again, it was built by man and by his plans. The synagogue was a substitute for the temple for the reading of Torah, with explanations and expositions by teachers or rabbi’ (Platform to spectator hierarchy first established). Out of this focus on the reading and teaching of Torah came the production of the Talmud to explain/exposit and interpret the Torah/Law. And that was instrumental in putting heavy religious burdens on people to perform to please God and appease their own conscience. The trappings of this exile continued even after the restoration of the Temple in Jerusalem. And continue around the world today. Yes, Jesus taught and read at synagogue in his day. But it was not the temple. This tacit endorsement in His time should not be misconstrued as God’s design.
Babylon always speaks of man trying to reach God on his own terms… and to make a name for himself.
As such It is soul-ish worship! It is always putting the spotlight on man, his mind – intellectual understanding, his will – reaching God in his way and doing what he thinks God will bless, his emotions – warm fuzzies or sensationalism. Western church expressions are full of it and, I believe, are still taken captive by it. They are captive in Babylon. And, if a certain expression isn’t captive to it. Many believers, unfortunately, are
For some years, I thought the mainline liturgical and evangelical traditional church expressions and denominations were only those that had fallen prey, and most susceptible, to being captive in Babylon’s religious grasp of performance based self-made religion.
But, in recent years I have come to comprehend that many of my charismatic/Pentecostal/full gospel brothers and expressions are just as captive in Babylonian religious tentacles. And, particularly, because of their exalting APEPT ministry gifts to pedestal positions. There is often hierarchical order, or sometimes to gifts alone, that replace the voice of the Lord and guidance of the Spirit.
I believe this is a large part of the reason so many believers are drawn to following, or chasing after, the “next great move” of God, or gifted men, instead of being desirous of knowing and following Jesus. It is easier to follow someone else or the crowd if they feed the intellect, the emotions, and just leave my will to me, than it is to follow the Spirit under the Headship of Jesus.
When Jesus said “it shall not be so among you”. He was not encouraging spotlight seeking leaders. But, servants, and a community of servants.
I often think He and the Holy Spirit must be grieved at the condition of the church in our times. That does not mean He has given up on it or has decided to discard it and start over. It does mean that we may want to ask ourselves some very hard questions about enabling forms that continue this functional process of “spotlights on leaders and leadership”, instead of forms that lead us to functions of open participation and ministry as His body, following Him.
Platform ministry in the spotlight and following men has, in many ways, I think has resulted in usurping the Headship of Jesus in the church, and perhaps thwarted the release of the priesthood of believers equipped to minister to other saints and the world around them. All because of men seeking position/authority (to be the greatest) and the church/saints being willing to let them have it (give us a king to judge us/you go speak to Him for us). And, thereby saints shirk their responsibility to serve and minister (even washing feet) in, and as, Christ and by the Holy Spirit in them.
In the scriptures there are three prevailing analogies from Genesis to Revelation that create images of the people/family/church of God. They are the Bride, the Temple, and the Body. All give tangible identity to which we can relate regarding what God desires in us corporately as His own. He desires us to be a Bride for the Son, He desires us to be a Temple for His habitation, and He desires us as a Body to be the physical manifestation, as a corporate man, of the Son to affect the world around us and give testimony to principalities and powers above us.
Note the focus of all this is not specifically on us, outside of His love for us and desire for relationship with us. It is about Him.
In regards to building a house or a temple the psalmist in Solomon wrote.
[Psalm 127:1-2 NASB95] 1 A Song of Ascents, of Solomon.
Unless the LORD builds the house, They labor in vain who build it;
Unless the LORD guards the city, The watchman keeps awake in vain.
2 It is vain for you to rise up early, To retire late, To eat the bread of painful labors; For He gives to His beloved [even in his] sleep.
Note: the LORD builds. We can be laborers WITH Him and in His purpose. But, we must be working with, not FOR, Him and under His direction, not from our initiative or building from our plans, or it will be vanity.
Also note the “religious” activity mentioned here to accomplish anything is vain. Rising up early, retiring late, eating the bread of painful labors (works). If we are working with Him there will be time enough, time without pressing for more time and never finding enough. We will find all we need in rest, even in sleep as He supplies. This comes as, or because, we are building with Him, under His leading and direction and by His plan and designs, not for ourselves and our reputationto make a name for us before Him or men.
Contrast that again with the original tower of Babylon
[Genesis 11:3-4 NASB95] 3 They said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks and burn [them] thoroughly.” And they used brick for stone, and they used tar for mortar. 4 They said, “Come, let us build for ourselves a city, and a tower whose top [will reach] into heaven, and let us make for ourselves a name, otherwise we will be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.”
At Babylon they had to organize, they had to plan, they had to make brick. Brick is what man builds with for uniformity. God uses stones. Living ones. Cut at quarry and laid in place, one in relationship to the other. And, their purpose at Babylon was to reach into heaven (God) and make a name for themselves.
Please be prayerful and aware of the seductive power of Babylon to cause you to build with brick and develop synagogues that He never called for, planned, or desired. Places for worship that are the result of captivity and developing self-made religion and placing hard burdens of performance on people. Not the temple which fully represents true worship and the sacrifice of, and freedom that is in, Jesus.
[Hebrew 10:19-25 NASB95] 19 Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21 and since [we have] a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled [clean] from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; 24 and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, 25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging [one another;] and all the more as you see the day drawing near.
The principle of participation was the norm for the church in Paul’s day. The question then is: How did it change, and platform performance to spectators become the norm in our time? It is a deep question. I could oversimplify, with some sense of truth to it, and say it came as saints became insensitive to the Holy Spirit in them doing the work of ministry through them, and preferred to leave “ministry” to the clergy/hierarchy. There is probably more to it however.
As I said before, that principle of “trusting” the man of God, rather than hearing from God, and obedience/doing what he asks or what He leads in has been alive in well in God’s people since Moses (Exodus 20:18-20, Deuteronomy 5:5). And, when they requested a king from Samuel and got Saul rejecting God as their King (1st Samuel 8:8 and following). It has existed since the garden as men chose knowledge of rule and regulation over life in the intimacy of feeding on He Who is life. Choosing to take from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good And Evil instead of choosing to eat from the Tree of Life.
The principle of participation requires listening to Him, and sensitivity to Him in serving others in and through Him.
It has been said that the norm in the ekklesia should be “Participatory meetings, and orderly spontaneity, with the goal of edification”
Edification in its simplest definition means to “build up” or to uplift, enlighten, strengthen, encourage, help to improve. It always has a positive effect. However, it does not necessarily always come from a positive word or action.
The point of our participatory gatherings is edification. 1 Corinthians 14: 26
[1Corinthians 14:26 NASB95] 26 What is [the outcome] then, brethren? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification.
Note the participatory nature of Paul’s instruction. WHEN YOU ASSEMBLE (plural -come together, convene, cohabit, associate with), EACH ONE HAS (every one, any one, each/every man woman) has something to offer or bring. Let it be done to build up the whole assembly and each other.
[1Corinthians 14:12 NASB95] 12 So also you, since you are zealous of spiritual [gifts,] seek to abound for the edification of the church.
In the context, in these two verses, the apostle was dealing with the expression of tongues and prophecy in the church at Corinth. But, he makes it clear that no matter the gift, the outcome and goal is to be edification of the church as a whole and each member. To do this requires a sensitivity to the Spirit, and developing both the willingness to be used by Him, and the control of our self-will to be submitted to Him.
A community of servants functioning under the Lordship of Jesus administered by the Holy Spirit in residence in each of us. Results: Orderly spontaneity given to edification.
Recently I hear and read a lot about what God is doing in the church today. Many point to Apostles and Prophets, in particular, and other four/five fold ministry gifts. I believe in these gifts (what I have referred to in the past as Ephesian 4:11 “ministry gifts”) to the church. Their scriptural purpose is to equip saints for the work of ministry (edification?). Their purpose is not to call attention to themselves or simply stir people up about the latest and greatest “move” or personal endeavor.
Most who think themselves called to one of these ministry gifts knows vs 11 and 12 regarding equipping saints for the work of ministry. But most (not all) , and most of the Body of believers seem to ignore vs 13 which is related to the eternal purpose we discussed last week, and moving us corporately toward manifesting the fullness of Christ.
[Ephesians 4:13 NASB95] 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.
All too often in 50 years in the faith I have witnessed platform ministry stirring people up, but not changing nor edifying them. Nor moving them any way to corporately manifest Jesus. And very often simply lifting up a hierarchy of men with supposed “gifts” and “authority”, but not building up the community of servants that is the Body of Christ and equipping them. The result has been a form of Christianity that is a mile wide and inch deep because it calls people to a move, and a moment, but not to Jesus. Nor is there a call to losing yourself and your identity in Him, or a call to a more costly discipleship that comes from following Him, not men, into laying your life down for others in love and service under His direction.
I long to see the restoration of all things, and the mighty miracle, in the church/ekklesia. But I don’t see it coming through APEPT directed “moves” or platform ministry, but through saints functioning in, and as, a community of servants in participatory gatherings of orderly spontaneity focused on edification of saints and reaching the unbelieving and perishing.
Authentic APEPT ministry is primarily one on one, not from the platform, and builds a community of servants in their relationship to Him/Jesus, and in their relationships of loving others in the Body and sharing life with, and in service to, them. And, to relationships of loving those that are perishing without Him in the world, through practical mission and service to them, again, under His direction and Lordship.
I too believe God is moving in our time to do wondrous things in His church. But it “ain’t gonna be” through flashy platform performance, but in a community of servants that move in Him/Jesus with the earmarks of humility and love in the power of the Holy Spirit that reveals the Father and calls attention to Him/Jesus, not themselves, or their ministry, or office. Jesus turned the world upside down through a very small community following Him. He is still doing so.
I pray, and believe, that we will yet see how He moves through a small remnant that chooses to leave the captivity in Babylon and return to the restoration of a temple of living stones moving to be the fullness of Him that fills all in all.
[Romans 15:2 NASB95] 2 Each of us is to please his neighbor for his good, to his edification.
[Ephesians 4:29 NASB95] 29 Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such [a word] as is good for edification according to the need [of the moment,] so that it will give grace to those who hear.