Living at the Feet of Jesus

There are many things that can only be learned and gained at the feet of Jesus. 

Throughout the book of Luke, we see people’s lives transformed as they come to the feet of Jesus. We also see those whose lives were touched and changed, and so they threw themselves as the feet of Jesus.

1. If Jesus has what you need and you really want to be transformed- come to the feet of Jesus.

2. If Jesus has been so good to you, and He has set you free from your junk- come to the feet of Jesus.

(Hebrews 13:8): Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Just as the characters we have read about and will study got miracles and all kinds of needs met at the feet of Jesus, we too can! And, just as He has been worthy of people falling at His feet to worship, He is still worthy today.

When we read in the book of Luke of people coming to Jesus’ feet, Jesus was on Earth in a physical body during that time, so you had to go to where He was to be at His feet. This often meant a long, hard journey- which took intentionality, and at times you had to even aggressively fight through crowds to even get near him.

Today, Jesus has ascended to the right hand of God, and we can come to His feet anytime, from anywhere. But, just because He’s so accessible, doesn’t mean- we take full advantage.

We too need to be determined, intentional, and at times aggressive, to find yourself at the feet of Jesus. We have to fight through the crowds of our own distracting thoughts and busy schedules, and push our way to the feet of Jesus.

I learned a song long ago that says, “Down at your feet oh Lord, is the most high place….”

I can’t think of a greater privilege than to be at the feet of Jesus, as we will see…so much happens at His feet.

– If being at the feet of a sleazy politician is what some consider a privilege, how much more being at the feet of the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.

– If being at the feet of some egotistical superstar is what some consider a privilege, how much more being at the feet of the Bright and Morning Star!

Honestly, I don’t want to be at anyone’s sweaty and smelly feet. But, what a privilege to be at the feet of Jesus.

Does His feet smell? Yes. Like heaven.

MIRACLE CATCH (Luke 5:3-11)

– Jesus uses Peter’s business as a resource to get His Word out. Since, He didn’t have a microphone. Next thing you know. Jesus turns around and blesses His business. But Peter questions Jesus. Yet, reluctantly obeys and catches so many fish. What took 2 weeks was done in 10 minutes. What was usually done at night, was done in the day time.

Peter falls and says, “I am so unworthy, even to be in relationship with you!”

Peter’s eyes opened to what always was. He was getting too familiar with Jesus. Taking Him for granted. Even questioning Him. On that boat, His eyes were opened to see who Jesus really was:

He is greater than you!

He is Creator, we are creation! (Holding all things together)

He’s the Son of God who came to bring salvation to the world!

He is the one whose Kingdom there will be no end!

We too become too casual with Jesus. We may even dare to question Him because we forgot who He is.

– JOB 40- Job has questioned God for many chapters. Then God appears and says, “Job, I’m God, you are not…You may think you have better ideas for running this universe, but you don’t have a universe that you created….You are creation…I question you…Job is speechless and says, “I’ll shut up.”

– When you get to heaven…some of us think, “I’m going to go right up to the throne and say…”JESUS WE NEED TO TALK…HOW COME YOU DIDN’T…No, when you see Him you (Like John in Revelation 1), will fall at His feet as a dead man. Realizing He is greater than you.

That’s what it means to fall at His feet. It’s honoring the fact that He is greater than you! In India, when a high official comes, the people bow low and touch there feet. It’s an honor thing. Let’s not become too casual with Jesus.

You only act familiar (buddy buddy) with Jesus if you don’t know Him.

At the feet of Jesus, something happens to Peter, He has the courage to walk away from that which was His source of security and identity!

– Walk away from people.

– Walk away from habits and addictions.

Peter was empowered to walking into Jesus was calling Him to do.

When Peter went three days without being at Jesus’s feet, as Jesus was crucified, dead, and buried. Peter went back to fishing. He went back to His old life. He no longer had the courage to do what Jesus had called him to do.

Apart from the feet of Jesus, you will backslide. You will lack the courage needed for your calling.

Freedom from Religion

“Often they reject religion for one simple reason: They have had firsthand experience with it…” – Bruxy Cavey

People have found religion to be boring than exciting, burdensome rather than freeing.

We don’t want to go to a religious church, and Jesus says, “Me too.”

Yet, to hate religious people is to become religious yourself. To be proud about not being a Pharisee is already becoming a pharisee. Zealous, adamant, yet loveless and arrogant.

Bruxy Cavey points out with insight about Jesus: He’s a Rabbi to the Jews. A Prophet to the Muslims. An enlightened one to the Buddhists. A Wise Man to the secularists. Yet, also a friend of sinners. Who else could be all this?

Take one look at church history and you will see that Christianity needs to hear the message of Jesus as much as or more than most religions.

Loving Fearlessly

When empowering relationships are in operation, the result is fearless relationships.

God taught Adam the function of relationships, which is empowerment. God took Adam through Relationship Training School (see Genesis 2:19-20), and taught Adam that you are to never look down to people, but reach down to them. Then, you are to invest time, and be genuinely interested in what’s on the hearts of people. Lastly, you must help people to believe that they are more than they are in the present.

Men, we are to protect our women and help them to understand their value and beauty. We are to speak destiny over them. Adam named his wife according to the destiny he perceived (Genesis 3:20). He called out her destiny, prior to the fall. He called her the mother of all who live, even before she had children. We need to see the potential of people, even before they are manifesting it, and then start calling it out. 

Women, you were designed to help men fulfill their God-given purpose, not to pull them down. A man needs a woman’s touch to maximize productivity.  

As Adam and Eve practiced empowering relationships, they were “naked and unashamed…” (Genesis 2:25) There was no fear in their relationship. Shame is a child of fear. No fear, no shame. Instead, they were able to be themselves.

Shyness did not keep their personality from shining. When we are enjoying fearless relationships, it’s a taste of heaven on earth. This was the culture they were to pass on.

When fear rules your relationships, it’s hell on earth. Terrorists are spreading hell’s culture on earth. When sin came into the world, God’s purposes for relationships were derailed. Relationships went from functional to dysfunctional. Relationships went from helpful to hurtful.

Instead of Eve helping Adam, she temped Adam to fail. God had given to Eve the gift of beauty and influence, and she is using it to seduce Adam into failure. Instead of Eve helping her husband to do God’s will for his life, she is pushing him away from God’s best, into the enemies traps. Then, Adam blames Eve. Now, he’s pointing out the shame of her past, not calling forth the purposes of God in her future.

Men innately love to be productive. Eve made Adam counter-productive. Women innately love to be beautiful. Adam made Eve feel ugly and terrible. This was the beginning of the dysfunctional family on earth.

Dysfunction is easily passed on from one generation to another. Cain and Abel should have empowered each other. God created each of us with different gifts, not to show off, but to serve each other, not to compete, but to complete each other. Cain was gifted in the area of agriculture. Abel was gifted in the areas of livestock. They had different areas of passion, and their passion drove them to their expertise.

The reason Cain failed in his relationship with God was because he did not offer an animal sacrifice. From the day God sacrificed an animal in order to cover Adam and Eve, God made it clear that the way to worship was through a blood sacrifice, not through the result of their toil. It was a foreshadow of Jesus Christ, since our salvation would not come from our self-striving, but our trusting in the sacrificial death of the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ.

Yet, Cain rejected empowering relationships. He saw his brother as his competition, instead of his teammate. All Cain needed to do was to trade his veggies for a young, unblemished lamb from Abel’s flock (Genesis 4:7). Yet, Cain didn’t want to share his gift, and he didn’t want to benefit from Abel’s gift. It’s selfishness that doesn’t want to share with others. It’s pride that doesn’t want to receive from others. Neither is empowering.

You may know how this story ended, Cain killed his brother out of jealousy and asked God, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Genesis 4:9) Truth be told, God made it our responsibility to empower our brother…so yes, you do have responsibility for his well-being. God created us to be inter-dependent, so yes, you need to serve your brother.

To even think that you don’t need keep or help your brother is a loveless lie from the pit of hell. To think that you can just keep to yourself and everyone should keep to themselves, is outside of God’s design. Even today, some think, as Cain did, that it is perfectly fine to profess a zeal for God, but apathy towards people- which is a dichotomy from hell. It makes no sense in light of God’s Word (see 1 John 2).

When we don’t understand the purpose of relationships, which is empowerment. Instead if we think it’s all about competition, we end up envious. Cain ended up destroying his own legacy. When we reject empowering relationships, we will find envy and trash our own legacy. You will go down in history as a murderer, maybe you didn’t use a sword, but you did use your tongue.

Those who reject empowering relationship will be unhappy. Cain knew the frown very well (Genesis 4:6). God even commented on it. When we fail to love, we are unhappy with others and ourselves.

When the Scriptures teach us that it is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35), it’s not just talking about money, but love.

A heart that freely loves people is a free heart. A heart that hates is already bound. The happiest person on earth, is not the one who is most loved, but the one who is most loving. To love is to live life the way it was intended, according to the Creator’s design. Failure to love is abusing others and yourself self.

Some would say, “It’s so scary to love.” In fact, it’s scary not to love. Those who don’t love are in darkness, able to fall off a cliff or trip on a rock anytime (1 John 2:11). To love is to think clearly. This may be the most depressed generation, yet it probably is the most selfish one. When the love of many grows cold, man grow depressed. Joy is in loving. Depression is in failure to love as we should. When you are sad, love more people, love more radically.

Why are we afraid to love?

We are afraid to love because we don’t want our love to be unreciprocated, hence leaving us feeling rejected. Yet, when we know how to love like the Lord, not like the world, we don’t even care about what’s reciprocated or not. We love because it’s our nature to give our love (John 3:16).

We don’t give love to get love. We give love out of overflow. When others don’t return it, we don’t breakdown. When people don’t know how to reciprocate our love, we must realize they need more love, not less of it. When they get more, they may change. We overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21). Rejecting a person with a battered heart and self-image, is not the way to heal them. Love heals. The pharisees did not heal one single broken heart.

On your journey to love all. We may face a Judas. In fact, statistically, it’s probable that out of twelve people you get really close with and love sacrificially, one will betray your love. But don’t be afraid to love. For every one Judas, God will secure you eleven good friends. Come on now, how can we be like Jesus if we have never had to love even a Judas. We are just like sinners to only love those who love us (see Matthew 5:46). That’s WWSD, what would sinners do? We need to live WWJD, what would Jesus do?

Also, I’ve found that although there is some pain to relationships gone sour, it keeps us in the place of prayer. Our love can’t grow unless it’s resisted and tested, just like muscles. Love is a muscle too. Some people will give you quite the workout.

God uses difficult people to grow your heart. I’ve spent much time in prayer after my heart was hurt by people I loved. Those times of prayer drew me closer to the Lord, who is love. Thus, making me more loving. Hence, every hurt should make you more loving.

You are not responsible for how people love or hate, bless or hurt you. You are responsible for how you love and bless people. I’m not in charge of people’s attitudes towards me, but I am in charge of my attitude towards people.

Start loving today.

You have nothing to be afraid of.

You have nothing to lose, but so much to gain. Gain the joy of loving fearlessly.

The Beauty of the Scriptures

“They are shallow enough for a babe to come and wade in without fear of drowning and yet deep enough for theologians to plummet their depths without ever touching the bottom” – St. Jerome.

Dangerous Church Traditions

Church is not a Building 

(Mark 7:3-13)

Because they were stuck on their traditions, they made the Word of God powerless in their lives. 

They weren’t living out God’s will for their lives because they were indoctrinated by their traditions. 

Tradition is what is passed down from generation to generation, it’s beliefs and practices that have been around so long, it is no longer questioned.

Could it be that we have “traditions” ourselves?

Could it be that there are things that we believe and do, not because it’s in God’s Word or will for our lives but we have been blinded by traditions?

Could it be that the Word of God has been buried by our traditions?

Jesus was awesome at setting people free from man-made traditions and leading them into truth…and if those people would just humble themselves as study the Scriptures themselves, they would find that what Jesus was teaching was actually Scriptural, while those traditions were developed by their forefathers, but were not of God.

Could it be that we also have traditions passed down to us by our Christian forefathers, that are not of God, and not in accordance with the Word of God? And if we would take a closer look at the Scriptures, we would see this?

Could it be that we are unknowingly upholding tradition above the Word, so the Word cannot be powerful in our lives?

Could it be that these traditions have made us into modern-day pharisees?

It’s true that there is nothing knew under the sun.

Now we may think, “We are not a traditional church, we have guitars, keyboards, cool lights, and our pastor dresses normal…” Yet, we can be playing our electric guitars and beating our drums and wearing our skinny jeans and tattoos, and still be bound by tradition.

We may have Traditional mindsets that aren’t Biblical:

# 1) Church is a building. 

# 2) Church is an event.

We have kept God’s people powerless by this tradition, along with other traditions.
We are going to dive into history to see where this tradition actually came from, because it’s not from the Bible.

Now it is really going to take the power of the Holy Spirit to set us free from these mindsets, because they are actually over 1,700 years old. Then, fortified generation after generation.

I’m so guilty of fortifying this tradition as well.

We totally fortify this one by the way we talk, we say:

– We drive by a huge building with a cross on it and a parking lot like Walmart and say, “That’s a huge church!” 

• Sometimes, we pastors say from the pulpit, aren’t you glad to be in “church” today?
  • We are saying church is a building! 

– “I went to church on Sunday…” 

• “Oh, I missed ‘church’ last week.”
  • We are saying church is an event!

That’s tradition.

But, the biblical truth is that the church is not a place it’s a people group!

The biblical truth is that church is not an event, it’s a family!

# 1. Nowhere in the Bible is church referred to as a building. 

In fact, the Bible tells us that you are God’s house if you are a true believer in Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 3:16).

We think that “church” is God’s house, so we wouldn’t dare fornicate in the four-walls of the church or cuss in the sanctuary, but as soon as we get out, we think it’s now OK to get hammered by sin…it’s because we thought that was God’s house…but the truth is, you are God’s house…You are the holy sanctuary of God…therefore we must keep sin out of our lives…24/7, not just for two hours on Sunday.

Let’s make this clear, “You are not at church, we are the church.”

You are at the South Bay Dance Center on Western and Lomita, right on the border of Lomita and Harbor City. We are the Church!

Church in the Greek word “Ekklesia”, which means: A people who are called out for a special purpose. 

The church is a people who have been called out from the world by Jesus Christ for a special purpose. This purpose is not to just have potlucks and bingo- even though I’m not against that.

The Ekklesia in Jesus’s day was Caesar’s senate. They had a three-fold purpose:

1. To give council.
2. To make laws.
3. To shape culture.

They had great authority. They had a noble position.

We too have been called out from the world, to serve our King Jesus in this way! You aren’t just peasants, but as senators! That is why we are seated with Him in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6)!

1. So we as the church, pray.

We listen and speak to our King. That is why we have so many prayer meetings, we are the senate…we need to keep coming together and binding and losing with our prayers! (See Matthew 16:18-19). We hear from the King’s heart and then we speak to Him! The coolest thing is that He hears us…because we His Church! He hears our requests as long as our requests aren’t way out there (see 1 John 5:14). The King shared with us that He wanted us to move out of 205th St, and come to the Lomita/Harbor City area…there was a problem, we were still on contract until March of 2015. Yet, He revealed His heart to us, so we prayed accordingly…and I got a prophesy, that in the next 30-40 days, that someone would come and take over the lease. It happened just as He said, we moved our offices and prayer center two blocks from here! The King started sharing with us that He wanted us to move into a 300 seat auditorium to accommodate the growth He would give us. Back then, we met somewhere that sat maybe a 100 people at most….and we had about 75 people. We started declaring the 300 seat auditorium to come into being, which is very difficult to find, because it’s not easy to find somewhere at has a permit- yet, out of nowhere, this place opened up and the owner e-mailed Leo and invited us to be here on Sundays. In the last few months, since August, we have been here, we have been able to grow very quickly. It all came about as we had a meeting with the King. We were being the church at those prayer meetings!

1. We we as the church, make decrees. You can say, “Satan you cannot come near my bedroom tonight, get your hands off my kids, I command this sickness to leave…” I remember when we started the church, a friend of ours had a co-worker whose little son was having night terrors. He would literally see demons and freak out. Getting really violent. We were called in, and we walked into the house (like the Ghost-busters), and we commanded those demonic powers to be broken, we declared the blood of Jesus to cleanse the house, and we worshipped and praised. That night, the boy went sound to sleep, and never had those night terrors again, we even checked months in. As the church, we have more authority than we realize. That night, we were being the church! The family thanked us over and over….but they did not want to come to our facility on Sunday because of wounds from past experiences. (We don’t have authority to dominate people’s wills, but we do have authority over evil spirits). 

1. So we as the church, shape culture.

This is what Jesus meant by us being the salt and light of the earth!

Yesterday morning, a group from our Women’s ministry gathered together to do an outreach, they went to all the all the neighbors in this plaza…they made 17 beautiful gift baskets and visited 15 stores.

They prayed for a few of the managers, and people were touched by their love…I read, someone came to receive the Lord, and our women were so fire-up by what God did through them! That’s the church being the church!

We are called out of the world, for a special purpose! That purpose is more than singing songs and listening to a good-looking preacher on Sunday.

No building for 300 years

The church did not own a building for the first 300 years. They mostly met in homes, and sometimes they rented a large facility to gather together, like Solomon’s porch at the temple. Yet, they were winning the world for Christ, without a building! They just had the gospel and the power of the Spirit.

When I went to seminary and read books, they said that an essential ingredient  to build a church by having a nice, visible, easy to access building. I no longer believe that. We just need to be the church and the church will grow!

There was a time under Emperor Valerian, around 200 A.D. when the Christians had all the property confiscated. Yet, the church kept growing!

Today, the under-ground church in China is probably the fastest growing church in the world, and they meet quietly in homes and businesses. They don’t have any big buildings or big events- yet countless numbers are coming to Christ every day!

I read in one book, that persecuted Christians would have to hide in the homes of their relatives, and they would get their relatives saved, then they would all flee and go to another relatives house, and get them saved. The great harvest of souls is coming in, without big buildings or big events.

I’m not saying we would never have a big building or do big events, but I’m saying that we don’t ever have to depend on those things, we need to focus on being the church!

So how did we get our church buildings?

When did this tradition of church being a building you go to start?

In 324 AD Constantine became the Roman Emperor and wanted to win popularity with Christians. Constantine claimed to be a Christian, but he was still an idol worshipper to the day he died, and also a murderer- killing even members of his family. I believe his conversion was more a political move than a true conversion.

Constantine built these massive, gorgeous buildings and called it church! These seats had a large seat, which looked more like the throne, for the Bishop/our equivalent of the pastor. While Christians were used to seeing each others faces when they met in homes and shared a meal, not they are looking at the back of each others heads…just like watching a sporting event. Constantine designed churches after theaters. He would hire professional musicians to open the “service” to be followed by a message from the orator, and the people would just sit and watch, then go home.

That’s when Christianity started to become a spectator sport.

It went from a family reunion to a show.

It went from being communion with brothers and sisters, to a concert.

That’s not real church!

Now church became a place, not a people.

The Jews had their sacred synagogues, the pagans had their sacred temples, and now the Christians had their sacred “churches”. The Christian faith was so unique in that in thrived without a sacred building, and it was sacred buildings that started weakening the church.

No more was the church being relational as when it first started. They would come to “church” like coming to the movies. They didn’t have much time to pray for each other, encourage each other, or give to each others needs- instead they would just sit side by side, and enjoy the show!

Now the church was becoming more passive than when it started. Back in Paul’s day, they were so excited about using their spiritual gifts, Paul had to coach them to not get too carried away. Now, the Christians were just there to fill a seat and stay quiet.

Spectator and consumer Christianity will make Christians spoiled and obese, and will make the “professional” performers crumble under the pressure. A recent statistic showed that 80% of professional, paid pastors are depressed and discouraged. We will talk more about that next week.

As long as spectator and even consumer Christianity is on the rise, Christianity will be on the decline because we are just going to “church” verses being the church.

# 2. Nowhere in the Bible is church referred to as an event.

In Acts 14:27 and Acts 15:30, they gathered the church together, that means they rounded up the family. Immediate family and extended family all joined together!

I remember hearing a mega-church pastor scold his congregation saying,

• “Do you know how many hours our band spent preparing for you this Sunday?”
• “Do you know how many hours I spent praying and preparing this sermon just for you?”
• “Do you know how hard our volunteers worked?”
• “Do you know how much money goes into keeping the lights on in this building?” Then, how can you even think of not coming to church?

He was fortifying a misconception- a false tradition! Accelerating the lie. Church isn’t a performance or an event.

When the church used to meet in homes, it totally felt like a family, not a concert!

It’s easy to ditch a show, it’s hard to ditch your family. 

The show gets old after a while, but the family doesn’t. 

Statistics are showing that more and more, younger unchurched people don’t want to go to church, in fact only 17% are willing to go to a church service. 60% of young adults said they are willing to study the Bible with a friend if asked. Then about 50% said they would attend a small group to learn more about Jesus and the Bible. Less and less is the next generation interested in a show. More and more they are craving relationships. If we keep making it about a show, we will miss an entire generation. 

When the church used to meet in homes, it totally felt like a family, not a concert! Every time they met in a home, it kept being fortified that church is family.

In China, they meet in homes, and are constantly reminded that church is family…not a Sunday event. The early church start taking the shirt off their back for one another, because church was family, not a show.

“44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:44-47)

1. They made time for each other: 

Paul was probably the most powerful Christian in the last two-thousand years. Yet, even Paul was always with other believers. Sometimes he would write letters to churches, but most of his time, he was always with other believers. He partnered with Barnabas and Silas, and He mentored a bunch of young men in their twenties. There were no seminaries back then…they were all tried the Jesus way, in relationship…not classroom only.

Was Paul betrayed by dear brothers? Yes. (2 Timothy 1:15) Stabbed in the back until there were no more places to make holes. Yet, he kept engaging in relationships (2 Timothy 1:16-18). That’s one of the ways he stayed refreshed and finished strong! Yes, people will not treat us right, but we must not give up on the church!

1. They kept each other in check: (Hebrews 3:13)

Sometimes we wonder, “Is the Christian life and living holy supposed to be so difficult?” Well, maybe we are trying to be Rambo, when we are to have our shields interlocked?

Becoming a follower of Jesus is like joining a football team- we all have our unique positions and need one another. Some people think being a Christian is like being a body builder. You are on the football field and you are acting like a body builder, you will get creamed!

Maybe we aren’t to be under that much pressure…you are no Bruce Lee. I know it’s not as glamorous to be a soldier pushing forward with your shields up. But, your pride can kill you. Jesus sent them two by two. Paul ministered with a team. Even Jesus spent most of His life in community. If anyone was Rambo, wouldn’t it be Jesus?

Sometimes we hear sermons and get so frustrated that we can’t live it. Maybe because we aren’t in fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ.

We are not called to be an island. We cannot be victorious in our lives as long as we are rebellious towards God’s prescription for the Christian life, which is being relationally connected.

1. We need each others prayers.
2. We need each others presence.
3. We need each others encouragement.
4. We need to have spiritual leaders who watch over our souls (Hebrews 13:15)
5. We need to be bringing a younger believer up in the ways of God, asking them to follow us as we follow Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1).

3. They won the favor with people, they were so attractive: 

That’s family…when we can be a real family…now this group is too big, so we are making smaller families, there will be something so attractive about it. A few weeks ago, one of our Word Encounter Groups was studying the Word and praying for each other at a cafe in Old Torrance. Someone just watched them and wanted to join them. She was attracted to the church, just being church…it wasn’t a concert…it was just a few sisters doing life together, sharing their hearts together! She rededicated her life to Christ.

I had lunch with Justin on Friday, and we were sharing our testimonies and just having great fellowship in the Lord. I told Justin,

“I used to think that speaking to large crowds is what was truly fulfilling. I spoke to about three to four thousand people in one sitting last year…my face was on these gigantic screens, I had a cool microphone, and the people laughed and cried as I spoke, but what we are doing now, is more fulfilling to me than that…because this is more family…”

I don’t want to be a good performer, I want to be a good brother and a spiritual parent (3 John 1:4). Be a spiritual parent, and find yourself maturing with that responsibility…become stronger and stronger and you serve and serve! It’s not easy work, but it’s incredibly fulfilling.

I’m watching those who were infants when they got here, now they are talking, even walking a little bit, there is nothing cooler than that. To know I invested in them…is very special.

Genesis 1:28) Matthew 28:19) are sister passages.

Adam and Eve weren’t to fill the earth by having a zillion babies. But, they were to have some and raise them up, and their babies were to as well…That’s how the great commission is to be fulfilled…not through mass crusades….but through every member of the church being the church….all of us doing the work of evangelism and discipleship.

 

Pastors on Pedestals

Only three times in the New Testament we see the word “priest” and it has to do with all believers. Only once do we see the word pastor (Ephesians 4:11), which comes from the word “Shepherd” which implies someone who is gifted and motivated to care for people.

The churches were led by elders, who were the overseers of the church. The church was not run by a man on the throne, but a company of people who were appointed. Bishops were overseers. Religions all over the world have their own medicine man, the shaman, the miracle worker, the witch doctor, the wise man, and the priests. They are very special people. Of course, there couldn’t be too many of them, or that would make them less special. One time the Spirit fell on all the leaders of Israel and they all began to prophesy and Joshua got so jealous for Moses…Moses said, “I wish they were all prophets.” Moses was a humble man. He didn’t want to be the only one who was gifted. Unfortunately, in the Old Covenant, God only worked through a few people He picked…but in the New Testament, even our sons and daughters will prophesy because the Spirit is in all of us.

It’s sinful nature that wants a holy man, to be our mediator to God (Exodus 20:19), while we live a compromised life. Remember when Israel wanted a King? (1 Samuel 8:19)? Samuel warned them, saying that he will use you for his own benefits. There are many preachers who are using their parishioners for their own benefit. To feed their ego. To help them feel significant. To get special perks. Ditrephes wanted to be a “somebody” and therefore tried to take control of the church. It’s pride that makes of possessive (3 John 9-10).

Leaders were appointed according to their servant hearts and their spiritual maturity, not because they went to seminary…there was no seminary back then. Paul mostly referred to the church as brothers, not my parishioners or members or even children. A few times he referred to himself as a spiritual parent, but most of the time, he was just a brother. Often, Paul would appoint his spiritual sons and daughters, those he invested much in, to take lead of the churches that he started. It was not a glamorous position, but one of much sacrifice. They were to be honored, but it was because their work wasn’t easy. In 107 AD Ignatius elevated the bishop (or pastor) above the elders, and moved from a group of leaders to just one single figure…and was teaching that you ought to treat the bishop as the Lord Himself and see Him as a type of the Father and do nothing without him. Sickening. Ignatius made it clear that only the bishop was able to baptize or serve communion, when before it was happening all the time. Of course, only the bishop was able to preach sermons and approve marriages. The picture was that the bishop was in the place of God and the elders were like the twelve apostles. He meant well, thinking that this was the best way to protect the church from heresy and strife. That’s when church became a one-man show. Only the bishop decided where the money would go, and the people passively just listened to the bishop.

Clement of Rome, who died in 100 AD was the first one to distinguish clergy from laity- he believed that the Old Testament priesthood needed to be transferred over to the Christian church. Tertullian also used the word “clergy” often. So there are those who do ministry, and those who receive ministry. By the 3rd century, the bishop was a fixed office. Bishops were called priests by the third century…and every church had it’s own bishop.  Cyprian started teaching the people that the bishop was only accountable to God. By the forth century, bishops became superstars, loaded with privileges. Bishops then began ruling over regions and then they elected a bishop of all of Rome who became the first Pope. The early church was driven by lay people.

When Constantine stepped in, being a clergy was a good paying job, you became a celebrity with good pay! No wonder the church started becoming corrupt. They even got tax benefits. Many all of a sudden felt a “call to ministry”.

A false dichotomy began to form. Karl Barth said, “The term ‘laity’ is one of the worst in the vocabulary of religion and ought to be banished from the Christian conversation.” So now there is a huge gap between a sacred profession and an ordinary one. They were the “holy men”.

In Paul’s day, the elders would automatically emerge. Others begin to see that leadership on people and they emerge. It was more organic. Showing forth what has already been happening. It was blessing what God was doing. It was done publicly by the laying on of hands by the apostolic workers.  The laying on of hands was an endorsement. The first-century leaders were those who served among the people (Acts 20:28, 1 Peter 5:2-3).

The reformation no longer upheld the priests as those who can magically turn wine into blood. They also said that everyone had access to God. They said the clergy can marry. The reformers however kept the clergy and laity distinction. The priesthood of all believers was promoted in salvation, but not in church life. The ideal that the “ministry” is just for the clergy, is poisonous. Even after the reformation, the reformers believed that only those who were trained and ordained could preach, baptize, and lead in communion. Luther and Calvin and Own believed that the pastors were the only competent professionals to share God’s Word and therefore they had to go through extensive academic training. John Calvin did not like using the word “priest” to refer to ministers, so he used the word “pastor” instead. Calvin’s intent was to make the pastor the New Testament bishop. Luther used the word for clergy “preacher, minster, and pastor”. The reformers loved the word “Preacher” and that’s what the clergy were called. Which is strange in itself because we are to all to preach to gospel aren’t we? Calvin believed that the pastoral office was more necessary to preserve a church than the sun and water was to daily life. What a responsibility! I thought Jesus causes the church to grow and He is building it. The reformers believed that God spoke through a “Preacher” and that he was the greatest gift on earth to them. Luther believed that the church was primarily a preaching station. Luther believed that church was a place people came to hear preaching. Luther said, “The ears are the only organs of a Christian…” Therefore it was the pastors job to do the counseling and the ministry to hurting people. In the first-century church, the responsibilities of care never of an individual but a group of elders.

Some think that because the pastor is the minister, he is to do all the serving. But, that’s not true. There are no first-class and second-class Christians. The Christian is not someone who fills a seat, takes sermon notes, and passes the offering plate. The Christian is to obey the words of Jesus and make disciples. We are to be changing culture. Your job is not to just sing songs on Sunday and listen attentively so the pastor can feel important.

But the pastor is the trained professional, like a doctor or lawyer. But, we are all called to ministry!

A survey of 500,000 paid pastors in USA reveal:

81 % of pastosr have insufficent time with their spouses.

80% believe their pastoral responsibilities effect their family negatively.

70% don’t have someone they consider a close friend.

80% are discouraged and deal with depression.

Every month, 1400 pastors are forced to resign. Pastors are expected to be cheerful, spiritual, and never restful. It’s lonely at the top right? But, are we to be at the top, that is Jesus’ spot. Yet, it’s the best to serve and give yourself for others.

1. Love one another. (Romans 13:8)

2. Care for one another. (1 Corinthians 12:25)

3. Serve one another. (Galatians 5:13)

4. Edifiy one another.(Romans 14:19)

5. Bear one another’s burdens. (Ephesians 4:2)

6. Exhort one another. (Hebrews 3:13)

Church planters never wanted the church to be dependent upon an individual, but entrusted the church to Christ. Paul left a church after starting it, five months to eight months later. The church wasn’t to depend on a big shot, but the Lord Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit.

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Reaching Young People

Posted on November 27, 2014by Daniel H. Park

According to Ed Stetzer, Richie Stanley, and Jason Hayes in their book “Lost and Found” more younger people would rather read an inspirational book than go to church. Only 1 out of 6 would go to church. But 9 out of 10 have a close Christian friend. Hence, Neil Cole observes, “instead of reaching the 17 percent who would look for guidance at an organized church, why not go after the 91 percent that have a relational connection with a Christian?” (Cole, Church 3.0)

90% of young adults with no church affiliation is willing to listen to someone share their testimony and 60% are willing to study the Bible with a friend. 50% are willing to check out a small group.

More and more young adults are turned off by what they call organized religion. Yet, they are open to God. 90% of young adults believe you don’t need church to have a close relationship with God. While only 10% think you absolutely need church involvement for meaningful spiritual growth.

Church is not a Building

Church is not a building, but an influential people group. Ekklesia meant the law-making party of the land, the culture builders. That word Ekklesia never means building. It wasn’t until 150 years later after the church was born in Acts 2, that the Ekklesia was referred to as a meeting place. It was used by Clement of Alexandria and it was used to referring a private residence where the church came to worship. The church did not have a buildings for the first three hundred years. Yet, grew very quickly!

In the early church, there were no special priests, no “holy” buildings, and of course- no sacrifices. They believed in the priesthood of all believers, that they were the temple of the Holy Spirit individually and a spiritual house corporately, and that Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice for our sins.

“When Christianity was born, it was the only religion on the planet that had no sacred objects, no sacred persons, and no sacred spaces.” – James D. G. Dunn, The Responsible Congregation, 1 Corinthians 14:26-46

“The Christianity that conquered the Roman Empire was essentially a home-centered movement.” – Banks and Banks, The Church Comes Home, p. 49-50)

Christianity didn’t grow because they had large shrines or festivals. It grew by one on one evangelism. Then the people were brought into homes and discipled as they did life together. In 253-260 AD, Empoeror Valerian had all property owned by Christians to be confiscated (History of the Christian Church). It was common for Christians to remodel their homes to have more people able to attend. In 324 AD Constantine became the Roman Emperor and wanted to win popularity with Christians. Constantine claimed to be a Christian but he was still an idol worshipper to the day he died, and also a murderer- killing even members of his family. Constantine built these massive cathedrals and of course built a huge stage, so there was a difference chasm between clergy and laity. Even worse, Constantine’s cathedrals had a large seat, which looked more like the throne, for the Bishop. Before the clergy just wore normal clothes. Now, under Constantine’s rule, the clergy had to wear special garments. Constantine was mixing paganism with Christianity.

They had professional, dramatic, and ceremonial music, done by professionals. Which was part of Roman culture. Then the professional clergy performed the acts of worship, while the laity looked on as spectators. That’s how spectator Christianity began.

Martin Luther came on the scene and began saying “The Church is not a building” but for 1000 years, it was believed otherwise.

The reformers turned the table into the pulpit. Now the main purpose of gathering was to hear good preaching.

Churches still had steeples, because they were rooted in churches being built tall, so people would think that it was the gateway to heaven.

The pulpit was always placed above the people. Putting preachers on an unbiblical pedestal. Also, the pew was designed to keep us from looking at each other, no longer the family reunion that church should have been, but a spectator sport.

“Every building we encounter elicits a response from us. By its interior and exterior, it explicitly shows us what the church is and how it functions.” – (Viola and Barna, Pagan Christianity).

We aren’t to say, “Are you glad to be in church today?” But rather, “How happy are you to be with your brothers and sisters?” Instead of saying, “Be reverent in the house of God”, we should say, “Be holy for you are the sanctuary of the Lord…”

When the church needed to gather, they found a public facility that was large enough to accommodate everyone…they often used the porch of Solomon outside the Temple for such occasions (Acts 5:12, Acts 15). They didn’t call the porch “church”. They didn’t go to church, they were the church.

The church was a family of brothers and sisters, not bricks and cement. The early church saw “church” as their identity, not somewhere they go to on Sunday.

The Church God Sees

We become part of the body of Christ when we get saved, which means, we need to be connected to each other in order to fulfill our function.

Becoming a follower of Jesus is like joining a basketball, baseball, or football team- we all have our unique positions and need one another. Some people think being a Christian is like being a golfer, body builder, or a boxer.

Some have this idea, “It’s me against everyone…I fend for myself.” Or, “I work alone, I go on stage all by myself, and flex my muscles…” Some think it’s all about going into the ring all by yourself.

The Bible tells us that we are all stones that God is joining together to build a house (1 Peter 2:5). You are not the house. We need to think corporate, not just individualistic. The presence, the power, and the blessing of God is poured upon a community of believers, who are doing life together (Psalm 133). Together, we are able to show the world a glimpse of heaven.

Often times, we hear message preached about “You and God” (Personal) and we go and try to live it and can’t, and are further frustrated. It’s because when we aren’t living “Us and God” (Corporate) we are missing an essential key. We are not called to be an island. We cannot be victorious in our lives as long as we are rebellious towards God’s prescription for the Christian life, which is being relationally connected.

We need each other to pray for us. We need someone to encourage us and we must be encouraging somebody. We must have somebody share their gift with us and we in return share our gift with them. We need to have spiritual leaders who watch over our souls (Hebrews 13:15) and we need to be bringing a younger believer up in the ways of God, asking them to follow us as we follow Christ. God believes in the church, and as long as you don’t, you are not walking with God as you should (Amos 3:3).

There is no success as long as we are trying to be a body builder on a football field. We are practicing our golf swing on the baseball field. We are boxing on the basketball court. Get with the program…God’s program.

Paul was probably the most powerful Christian in the last two-thousand years. Yet, even Paul was always with other believers. Sometimes he would write letters to churches, but most of his time, he was always with other believers- in partnership and in mentorship. He always had other Christians around him, in relationship. Was Paul betrayed by dear brothers? Yes. Stabbed in the back until there were no more places to make holes. Yet, he kept engaging in relationships. That’s one of the ways he stayed refreshed and finished strong.

Sometimes we wonder, “Is the Christian life and living holy supposed to be so difficult?” Well, maybe we are trying to be Rambo, when we are to have our shields interlocked. Maybe we aren’t to be under that much pressure…you are no Bruce Lee. I know it’s not as glamorous to be a soldier pushing forward with your shields up. But, your pride can kill you. Jesus sent them two by two. Paul ministered with a team. Even Jesus spent most of His life in community. If anyone was Rambo, wouldn’t it be Jesus?

Old verses New Testament

Some have brought the Old Testament ways into a New Testament era. They are playing the wrong sport.

1. In the Old Testament, prophets needed to be infallible. But, in the New Testament, prophets need to be judged. In the Old Testament, if you rebuked Moses you got lepersy. In the New Testament, Paul, a newer Christian rebukes Peter to his face. There is no Pope in the New Testament, even Peter is afraid of what the other Christian leaders think, since he was not the absolute ruler.

2. In the Old Testament, there were those called to be priests, who would be the assigned minister to God, but in the New Testament, we are all priests. That thick wall between clergy and laity is no longer present. Paul crosses over and works as a tent maker, and normal lay people are leading churches.

3. In the Old Testament, there were only a few anointed, in the New Testament, we are all anointed. While in the OT, only the prophets knew God, now we all can know God- from youngest to oldest, richest to poorest, etc. (Hebrews 8:11)

4. In the Old Testament, there were anointed kings who used people for their own selfish good. In the New Testament, the leaders are the ones who lay down their lives for others, and wash feet. The apostles were not superstars, but the scum of the earth (1 Corinthians 4:13). Persecuted by the world, yet God used them. Nobody signed-up to be an apostle because they wanted a “title” or a T.V. show.

What is the same from Old and New Testament is that God wants to take a people group and use them to put Him on display to the world. Israel was God’s nation, and God wanted to bless Israel, give them superior standards to live by, and let them be a light to all the other nations. It’s not that God hated anyone who wasn’t Jewish, but wanted to touch the world through His nation, a nation that was in a covenant relationship with Him. We are the holy nation, we are to be so blessed by the Lord, living by His standards, and so we can be a light to all the people in the world who do not yet know God.

Harmful Traditions

There are some traditions that made the Word of God without effect. That was the sin of the Pharisees, they upheld tradition over the Scriptures. If they would have just gotten back to the Scriptures, they would have been safe. Could it be that today, we uphold traditions more than the Scriptures? We do church the way we do church because that’s how the last generation did it, and on and on and on it goes- for 1,700 years all the way back to when Constantine made church the state religion. Yet, we ignore the real biblical models of church- becoming modern day pharisees, who don’t know the Word or power of God. Perhaps our traditions keep us powerless. While more mega-churches are rising in America, Christianity is declining in this nation. Some of us think, just because we are playing electric guitars instead of organs, we are free from traditional church. Really? Sugar coating a rotten fruit doesn’t make it edible.

Greek Way of Training

In schools, in classes, but the Jesus (Hebraic) way of training was doing life with the instructor. That’s how Paul trained his guys.

System Creates the Monster

1. A maid with twenty spoiled kids will become a monster, because of the stress. When all the ministry is being done by a minister, and the members of a church becomes spectators and critics, the pastor is set to burn out. Instead the pastors job is to train pastors. 2. When church members are “used to” coming to church to enjoy a production every Sunday, to get blessed, but don’t focus on how they can minister to others, it creates a monster. More activity and ministry is to happen outside the four walls, than within the four walls. 3. When a church grows because of a big personality with extraordinary gifting, the church over-depends on the “man of God”. If that man of God took a long vacation, the numbers dip, and people have to be laid off. If that man of God falls because of moral failure, they can’t pay their building fund. Instead, a church should be a company of powerful people, not just a powerful person. If there is only one powerful person, that puts too much pressure on that individual and he becomes a monster. 4.

Self-promotion

Self-promotion is telling God that He is incapable of doing His job. Self-promotion is firing God and hiring the flesh to make your destiny happen. Jesus made it clear, that if you want to be promoted by God, we must choose to serve people and keep going lower. In the Bible, those who pursued positions, were always removed. Haman, Saul, and Herod were removed by God.

Those who loved people, were promoted. Solomon knew which mother was the real one, because one only cared about position, while the other cared about the person. Those who really care about people will care for them, whether they have a position or not. I used to record my Youth Pastor’s sermons and duplicate them, then hand-write the titles and dates, and they distribute them to our youth group. I didn’t care whose name or voice was on those tapes. I never waited for “speaking invitations” to preach the gospel. I always had a full itinerary preaching in nursing homes and on the streets. Paul didn’t need an “Apostle” title before he zealously marched into the streets to argue that Jesus was the Christ.

Jesus Christ, the ultimate model for ministry, did not chase after crowds. He was after His Father and His Father’s heart. Today, many ministers leave the Father and chase crowds. Jesus left crowds to chase the Father. Jesus continually received instructions and did exactly what He was told. He wasn’t afraid to walk away from crowds, or work to thin them out.

Jesus did not promote Himself. John the Baptist promoted Him. Then, after John, the Billy Graham of that era, exalted Jesus, Jesus went into hiding in the wilderness. Then, came out again, and then found His team, with His steps literally ordered of the Lord. He didn’t print business cards, build a website, blast advertisement on social media. He was more focused on His assignment, than His popularity. He loved people, enough to die for them all, hence, He received the highest position known to mankind. He served His gift to people, and then people groups around Him.

No real prophet of God was chasing after fleshly pleasures- wealth and fame. Only false prophets, such as Balaam were after the shallow pleasures. False prophets spoke with the motive to win popularity. The real prophets were presecuted and hated, the real apostles of the early church became the scum of the earth. It was not about position, but obedience to the call of God. They exalted their call over their comfort. Yet, every real prophet walked closely with God. True success is walking closely with God and doing what He says. True success is not found in quantity of people that you touch, but the quality of your walk with God.

I notice that young people get frustrated to see dreams delayed. Yet, they should focus on loving the one that is in front of them. They should be listening God, and hear what He is telling them to do in this season.

Everyone who has gotten into a position through self-promotion, is going to receive divine-demotion in this hour! Only those God promoted, will stay in position, and God will fight against those who fight against His anointed and appointed. Those who schemed their way into position and have run on the fuel of greed will fend for themselves, ultimately to be humiliated.

Go low. Embrace obscurity. Keep pushing others to the front. Love doing good in secret. Only lust after the praises from God, not man. Long to be great in His eternal eyes, not before the eyes of deceived people.

The next wave of leaders that God raises up will be those marked by humility, without insecurity, longing to decrease in order that others will increase, wanting to make silent impact, hidden contributions, laying down his or her life, having many secrets- not hidden sins, but hidden works of righteousness.

I remember hearing Francis Chan once recall his conversation with an underground church leader in China, who said, “In America, the most influential spiritual leaders become famous, in China, the greatest influencers are working the hardest to be hidden.” I think this was due to intense persecution, which is already dawning upon this nation.