At the Feet of Transition

 

Ezra 3:10-13

10       And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, they set the priests in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise the LORD, after the ordinance of David king of Israel.

11       And they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks unto the LORD; because he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever toward Israel. And all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid.

12       But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers, who were ancient men, that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice; and many shouted aloud for joy:

13       So that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people: for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard afar off.

(KJV)

 

Gen 3:15

15       And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

(KJV)

Regarding the subject of leadership; the attitude and historical practice of the world is upside down, opposite, than it should be in the church.

• World utilizes control, fear, intimidation, and tactics to gain advantage. The higher you go in an organization the more power, flexibility and authority you have. Perks and treatment improve as you move up in the organizational structure. Authority flows from the top down.
• Spiritual church the power flows from the bottom up. Servitude leads. The greatest shall be the least. The first shall be the last.

Jesus said:

 

Matt 20:25-28

25       But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.

26       But it shall not be so among you (Just as much a commandment as Acts 2:38!): but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;

27       And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:

28       Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

(KJV)

It is difficult for us to submit ourselves to one another.

It is in our nature to want others to submit to us or to our will, because our carnal nature and carnal mind is enmity against God (Romans 8:7), it is antichrist. The flesh wars against and resists submission to the spirit (Galatians 5:17).

The Bible uses the relationship between a husband and his wife as a metaphor to highlight the relationship of Christ to His church.

 

Eph 5:21-33

21       Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

22       Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

23       For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.

24       Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.

25       Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

26       That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

27       That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

28       So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.

29       For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:

30       For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.

31       For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.

32       This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

33       Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

(KJV)

 

Col 3:18-19

18       Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.

19       Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.

(KJV)

Submit: 5293 hupotasso (hoop-ot-as’-so);from 5259 and 5021; to subordinate; reflexively, to obey:

KJV– be under obedience (obedient), put under, subdue unto, (be, make) subject (to, unto), be (put) in subjection (to, under), submitself unto.

Bitter: 4087  pikraino (pik-rah’-ee-no);

from 4089; to embitter (literally or figuratively):

KJV– be (make) bitter.

True leadership in the marriage relationship means to lead her by doing and by example. The wife will be reflexive, and she will return the same unto the husband.

Do not lead her by dominating her. If you dominate her you will destroy the person and potential God wants her to have.

• Love her and you will get love in return
• Serve her and you will be served
• Praise her and you will be praised
• Honor her and you will be honored
• Care for her and she will care for you
• Protect her and her character and she will return the same
• Minister to her needs and she will minister to minister to yours
• Listen to her and she will listen to you
• Open up to her and she will open up to you

She will be reflexive and respond in kind.

Love her as Christ loved the church!

• He gave His life for the Church
• He died . . . self-sacrificing
• He manifested humility
• He shared His inheritance with the Church
• Give and it shall be given unto you!

Acts 1:8 we can all quote, but do we really know what it means?

Acts 1:8

8          But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

(KJV)

 

Power: 1411 dunamis (doo’-nam-is);

from 1410; force (literally or figuratively); specially, miraculous power (usually by implication, a miracle itself):

KJV– ability, abundance, meaning, might (-ily, -y, -y deed), (worker of) miracle (-s), power, strength, violence, mighty (wonderful) work.

We like that! Power! It appeals to the nature of the carnal man. But it also says that we shall be witnesses unto Him. What does that mean?

Witnesses: 3144 martus (mar’-toos); of uncertain affinity; a witness (literally [judicially] or figuratively [genitive case]); by analogy, a “martyr“:

KJV– martyr, record, witness.

Reflexively . . . there it is again . . . Jesus modeled what He expects of us. We lay down our lives for the brethren, which are the Church. (1 John 3:16)

Become a servant to her needs and desires, the needs and desires of the Church, and she will minister to yours.

Be to her what you want her to be.

But to manipulate her, or to control her, would be wrong!

Every major principle of God recurs all through the Bible. This theme keeps repeating itself over and over again in the Word of God.

1 Samuel 8:4-20 tells how that Israel demanded the aging prophet Samuel to give them a king to rule over them.

 

1 Sam 8:4-20

4          Then all (unanimous decision) the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah,

5          And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge (Shaphat: pronounce sentence for or against, punish, govern, litigate, condemn, execute judgement, rule, judge) us like all the nations. (Make: If you can make an idol, you can make a king. Notice that they demanded a leadership organizational structure patterned after the world around them and not according to the plan of God!)

6          But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD.

7          And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them. (The people did not want a Theocracy . . . they demanded a monarchy!)

8          According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee. (It was and has been their pattern . . . their legacy. A king to them is the same as an idol god, except they know they can hear from a king.)

9          Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them. (Can’t say that God didn’t try to warn them.)

• And Samuel told all the words of the Lord unto the people that asked of him a king.

11       And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots. The strength of the warriors will be absorbed by his needs, not Gods. Chariots and horsemen propelled his kingdom forward, similar to money in the secular world. They will spend more time fundraising than reaching souls!)

12       And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots. (His programs will be a burden upon you, and he will organize everything to accomplish tasks dedicated to his purposes in building up his kingdom, not the things of God.)

13       And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers. (Attention of the women diverted from home and family and child-bearing, a type of new-born converts, and their attention would be used for fundraising such as Ladies Auxilliary).

14       And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants. (He will demand you to give unto him until your children’s inheritance will be given over to those that serve the king)

15       And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants. (He will place a heavy influence on the tithe, and as king he will demand it, but there will be no store-house. It will all be used by the king’s purposes)

16       And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work. (They will be put to his work, not God’s. He will take those with the most ability and utilize their strengths for his purposes)

17       He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants.(Focus still on tithing . . . so much so that God had to mention it twice)

18       And ye shall cry out in that day (Just as Israel did under the Egyptian bondage. You will cry out for freedom!) because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; (Because you will get what you ask for) and the LORD will not hear you in that day. (So you will wander in the endless circles of the wilderness. Offering to offering, program to program, campaign slogan to campaign slogan . . . but God is no where near to even hear your cries!)

19       Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us; (What is right and what God wants does not matter. Not His will be done, but our will be done.)

20       That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge (Shaphat: pronounce sentence for or against, punish, govern, litigate, condemn, execute judgement, rule, judge)  us, and go out before us, and fight our battles. (They demanded a hero of the camp. The had to have a man so they could boast of his superior leadership abilities over those of other kingdoms. He would get credit for everything done in the name of the Lord. Even the churches would be recognized by his name, not God’s!)

(KJV)

• Israel’s ultimate idea/wish was to have a king to rule over them so they could be like the other nations
• Not a God that was invisible to lead them, but a man king
• Someone to set the rules
• Someone to tell them what to do
• And this creates a desire in some to be that king or leader
• Because it is easier to have a king than it is to have a relationship!

 

That is why God hates the law!

• The law is a representation of our carnality
• A representation of our innate desire to be governed by rules, regulations and restrictions placed upon us by someone in authority.

But God wants us to be governed by sensitivity to His Spirit, guided by His Word written in the fleshly tables of the heart.

• Willingly . . . reciprocating His love toward us . . . because we want to!
• Take for example the issue of modesty . . . God wants us to define modesty.
• Led by Holy Ghost, God-inspired convictions because we as individuals are sensitive and submitted to the Spirit of God.
• But that would be hard . . . because that would require an intimate relationship with Jesus . . . and would require an internal, self-imposed desire to do that which pleases Him.
• So we demand a king to tell us what to do . . . to set the rules . . . because it is easier to trust in another man’s rules than it is to trust in our relationship with God.

 

In the Old Testament (a type and shadow of things to come) . . . when people did not have a king, God allowed them to go into bondage, into slavery.

• Because they needed a king in order to serve God!
• And woe be unto them if the king was an ungodly man!
• They insisted on it . . . because Israel had a slave
• Because they failed to have a relationship with God!
• All Moses had to do was go away for 40 days . . . never mind that he was in the presence of God . . . and the people began to serve an idol that they had made.
• And the man that formed the golden calf for them was the man that they would come to call their high priest!
• Without a king every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
• In other words . . . given just a little time and God was not to even be considered.

And when Jesus came . . .

• They rejected Him as king
• Because His leadership style freaked them out!
• It was not one of dominance but of servitude
• He went to wash Peter’s feet . . . and Peter said NO!
• He healed their diseases
• He calmed their storms
• He opened their blinded eyes
• He raised their dead
• He fed the hungry multitudes
• He walked, talked and taught among them
• He was close to them . . . not separated as a king would have been
• He turned the other cheek
• He ministered to their needs
• He answered their questions

 

So They Killed Him Because He Refused to be Their King!

He Refused the Role That They Insisted Upon Imposing on Him!

 His style was that of a friend, a brother, and a servant.

But the people were demanding for a KING!

 

They placed palm branches in His path and shouted “Hosanna! Blessed is the king of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord!” as He entered into Jerusalem.

Sounds good, but it was done out of outright rebellion!

• Palm branches were their rebel flag
• Hosanna means “Oh Save!”
• Not from their sins, but from Roman rule!
• They were saying, “Here comes our miracle worker! He will be as Moses was with pharaoh and Jesus will overthrow the king in Rome! He will become our king! He can’t refuse the peer pressure! Oh, save us king! Incite our long-awaited rebellion. We’ve been waiting on another savior, a deliverer. Rule over us! We demand a king for ourselves!” 

That is why Jesus wept at the tomb of Lazarus.

• They all said . . . “Lord if you had only gotten here in time you would have done our bidding and your friend, our brother Lazarus would not have died!
• Because they wanted a king to take care of their dilemmas!

Jesus was leading them to a kingdom, but it was not of this world!

• His kingdom does not come by power (carnal force, strength and ability) and might (army, numbers, programs or band of men) but by His Spirit.

Rom 14:17-18 

• 17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
• 18 For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.

His law and His kingdom was by submission and servant-hood . . . not physical conquest and power. The people could not understand why Jesus refused to use power to gain the throne.

• Peter cut off the ear of Malchus . . . and Jesus put it back on and told Peter to put up his sword, we don’t do it that way.
• Judas betrayed him . . . but not before Jesus served Him one last time by washing His feet. Jesus called Him friend!
• They wanted to sit on His right hand and on his left . . . and He said there was nothing like that in His kingdom to offer them.

 

Jesus was trying to re-establish a theocracy . . . but they were demanding Him to take over the kingdom by force and establish His monarchy.

He desired a kingdom that was governed and led by spiritual birth and relationship . . . but they demanded a king to rule over them.

Even at the time of His temptation in the wilderness . . . the devil tried to tempt Jesus with power.

1. Command these stones to become bread
2. Throw yourself down from the pinnacle of the temple and charge (command) your angels to catch you before you hit the stones below.
3. Wouldn’t you like to rule all the kingdoms of the world and receive glory from them?

But Jesus refused it all! That wasn’t His purpose!

His kingdom was completely different, and He came to model the way for us!

That is Why Dear Pastor’s and Church Leaders …Perhaps it has not You’re your Fault. Perhaps the Greatest Pitfall for Pastors and Church Leaders is That the People Demand of you to be Their King!

And That Fits Our Carnal Nature to do It.

Because . . . it is easier for them to have a king to rule over them, than it is for them to have a relationship with the invisible God!

The political, military, religious and business worlds have evolved our church structure of today into a form that fits the mode of operations it has defined, but is incapable of fulfilling the role of the church as declared in the scriptures.

For years the church has patterned itself to be more like them . . . than Him. Our business meetings follow “Roberts Rules of Order” more than God’s order for the structure and operations of the church.

But . . . the deep stirrings that we are feeling in our conferences and meetings . . . ARE the moving of the Holy Ghost . . . trying to turn our hearts back to the Lord . . . to a theocracy built on the love of God that WILL lead to end-time global evangelism.

Our nature is to demand a king! And our weakness is to allow ourselves to become kings!

• The question is not who has been or who gets elected, but the question is Do I Know Him?

Let us look at an Old Testament illustration:

• Ezra, Nehemiah and Jeremiah were contemporaries.
• They are a type and shadow of what is happening in our world today.
• They were slaves before, during and after the building of their temple.
• Their king released them to rebuild the temple at Jerusalem.
• The task was accomplished mostly with people from Levi (priesthood) and Judah (praisers).
• Their temple represented a restoration of praise and worship.

 

The first temple of Solomon was built by overburdening and overtaxing the people with heavy taxes.

• When Solomon died they asked his son (King Rehoboam) to lighten their load. After listening to the unwise counsel of his friends, he declared “My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add thereto: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.”
• When Rehoboam sent Hadoram to collect the tribute they stoned him to death with stones! (10:18)

We are hearing the same cries of displeasure today . . . IF we have ears to hear.

I went to two camp meeting services in a row . . . in two different states, where the offering was taken up for over two hours because a goal was set and they would not stop until they reached it. I watched people walk out. I saw weary laborers sit there and listen to the offering instead of enjoying their one night at camp meeting to hear good preaching.

I would have left the first one but I had ridden with someone else.

I did leave the second one when it was almost ten and the preacher I came to hear still had not been given the pulpit.

This is not my complaint, these are a few of my recent experiences . . . but I am challenging our leaders to get out and hear the cry of God’s people. They are hungry for a REAL move of God!

When the second temple was built, mostly by the leaders of Judah and Levi . . . the funds were provided by the earthly king . . . the secular world of their day.

God changed the finance structure so that the people could concentrate on the labor and not the fundraising!

Now listen to me . . .

• Worship and praise have been and are being restored all over the world.
• Judah and Levi (so to speak) have been at work trying to re-establish praise and worship among God’’ people.
• We are feeling it in our gatherings.

But There is a Greater Work Yet to be Done. A Work That Goes Beyond the Building of the Temple!

• Praise and worship did all they could do by themselves.
• It enabled them to build the temple.

And please bear with me as I speak of the 20^th century church . . .

• We can say that our buildings, our programs, and the security of our elected positions are not our priorities, but . . .
• To whom you give yourself to it becomes your master . . .
• Where much of our emphasis has been . . .
• Where our offering thrusts have been . . .
• And where over 80% of most of our elected efforts have been . . .
• Where our slogans and advertising has been directed . . .
• Has been to build buildings and programs that have taxed the resources of the people and in often inefficient manner resulted in quenching evangelism more than fueling it.
• It has proven to not be the answer to what we are looking for!

 

But the Spirit is dealing with us about a new level. There is a greater work to do than to wander in the same circles we have wandered in for so long!

The focus of the king was to build a temple and buildings. When it was destroyed in the captivity the focus turned to rebuilding it.

A Littlle over 60 years after the temple was rebuilt, the needs of the people had never been ministered to.

• They were still in sad shape
• The city and its walls were still broken down!
• The remnant of the people in the province were in great affliction and reproach!
• The Gates that had been burned with fire still lie in ruins!
• Because the focus and priority had been on the Temple! Programs, resources and money were poured into the Temple, not the people!
• This was just the opposite of Jesus’ ministry. He went into their temple and declared that he came to minister to the needs of the people.

So it is Time to Transition into the 21^st Century Church

Jesus established the pattern for us.

In Ezra’s day . . . when the foundation of the temple was laid . . . elders and young men all wept and shouted for joy.

You could not discern the noise of the weeping from the noise of the shouting.

Because . . . It Was Transition Time!

From those that had seen the former temple (the one raised by taxation)

To those that were building a new temple . . .

But the transition was that this was a signal that something else . . . something greater was yet to come.

That is where we are at right now . . . A mixture of:

• A few elders that weep
• And some young men shouting for joy

But the cacophony of sounds is pressing us toward the future to a place beyond where we have been before . . .

What has been done is done.

We MUST press on!

Some 64 Years After the Temple was Finished..A Slave…Nehemiah..Had Enough!

He was in bondage to a King and he repented in his heart and obtained permission To seek the welfare of the Children of Israel (God’s People)

• Not their temple!
• Not their programs!
• But the good of the people!!!!!!!

And in Nehemiah chapter 3 he used the funding provided by the world around him, Led by a common, shared, uniting vision. With total involvement and united commitment to a purpose by all of the people. Not to work on a building .  Not to work on another program . . .

But to rebuild the walls and gates of Jerusalem in a way that would enable the people to live in Peace!

Nehemiah took it out of the hands of the few. And in Nehemiah 3 he put it into the hands of the many. Teams, families working together toward a common vision and with mutually supporting goals . . .

Each with a tool in one hand (the carnal, physical, secular works that are essential) and a weapon (the things of the Spirit, the weapons of our warfare) in the other hand . . .

And they rebuilt the walls in only 52 days because all of the people had a mind to work!

One mind . . . one accord . . . united they worked together.

And that my dear brethren is a portrait of the future of God’s glorious church!

The church is the bride . . . it is the body of Christ.

Perhaps the greatest problem in today’s church has been its refusal to build a headless body!

But it has to be that way!

Jesus was, is and always will be the Head of the Church!

But wait a minute . . . Childs . . . what about the ministry?

Where does it fit in?

What about the apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, and evangelists?

What about governments, helps, works, administrations, workers of miracles?

Where does the ministry fit in?

Aren’t we the under-shepherds?

No . . . that is not a biblical term, just as the word trinity is not a biblical term!

Don’t we sit on His right hand and on His left hand in the kingdom? NO!

Then what part of the body does the ministry fulfill?

First allow me to read . . .

 

Eph 2:19-22

19       Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;

20       And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;

21       In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:

22       In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

(KJV)

• Foundation: something put down (Greek)
• Jesus is and always will be the Head of His church.
• The ministry is represented by the feet of the Body of Christ.

The purpose of the feet is to take the body where the head wants it to go!

That’s why the woman anointed Jesus’ feet with costly spikenard and tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her submitted head!

She was demonstrating our role my fellow laborers!

Jesus said that she did it for His burial. And Judas despised her for it . . . because he held the bag of coins that he had reaped in the earthly kingdom.

He could only see the earthly things . . . he could not perceive the kingdom of the Spirit.

Pastors . . . you and I can’t afford to allow tithing and offerings to buy our ticket to hell!

It is to be put to the work of the Lord . . . into the ministry of the body to enable it to build the vision that God has for His glorious church!

Yes that includes providing for the laborer that is worthy of his hire . . . but it is mainly for propagation of the kingdom.

It is not for you and you alone to have dominion over!

We talk about being servants . . . but we really do not know how . . .

Because the people have tried to make us kings!

• And they give us the strength of their young men
• And their young women
• And they bring us their tithe and their offerings
• And we decide how to use it in our kingdom

Our job, our calling, is to bless God’s people! Minister unto them. To enable them to do what God has called them into His kingdom to do.

Nehemiah and his counterparts brought the resources from the king and released them to the people to build the vision that God gave for His people.

We need to release ministries, gifts, and talents into the body of Christ, not center them just around the building and the ministries confined to it.

In the 20^th century we became keepers of the aquarium.

In the 21^st century we must return to being fishers of men.

We can’t catch enough fish doing it with a pole and playing games with one at a time. We need to cast our NETS.

• The net is the organizational structure of the church body.
• A net can catch many fish!

 

1 Pet 5:1-4

1          The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:

2          Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;

3          Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.

4          And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

(KJV)

• That is why Jesus told us to wash one another’s feet!
• Feet get dirty as they carry the body through this world.
• We need a ministry to each other.
• We need humility!

 

Heb 2:8

8          Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.

(KJV)

1 Cor 15:25-27

25       For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.

27       For he hath put all things under his feet.

(KJV)

Our feet must be shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.

 

Rom 16:20

20       And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

(KJV)

Rom 10:15

15       And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

(KJV)

Acts 4:35 . . . things were sold and the money was laid at the apostle’s feet and they distributed it to minister to the needs of the people.

John 13 . . . When Jesus washed the disciple’s feet, He said, “The servant (minister) is not greater than his lord (the one he is serving). I (Jesus, the greatest) have washed your feet (I led you by example), ye ought also to wash one another’s feet.”

• He washed their feet!
• He washed the feet of Judas Iscariot . . . knowing it was already in his heart to betray him for 30 pieces of silver!
• But they never bowed to wash either. His or each others feet!

 

They only did it in teachings after the Day of Pentecost!

Because they were thinking that his kingdom would be like the kingdom’s around them. In kingdoms and organizations of men the higher you go the more important you are! In organizations of man there is room for the foibles of man . .

• Ego
• Self-gain
• Manipulation
• Political gain
• Recognition
• Fame
• Prestige
• Glory
• Chief Seats
• Honor
• Titles
• Perks and benefits

 

Because in the kingdoms of men . . . the higher you go the more important that you are, and the more authority you have.

That is why in the organizations of men . . .

• A general in the military has more power and authority than a sergeant
• A president in the government has more power and authority than a congressman
• A CEO in a business has more power and authority than a manager

Just remember this . . . an organizational structure is only a tool. It is not and never can be a holy thing. It is amoral. It is only used to funnel your talents and resources to reach a common, shared vision. If you are reaching your vision with your organizational structure, fine, just tweak it and improve it as needed. If you are not reaching your vision, and your vision is correct, then change your structure.

We are in a time of transition . . . not of elected offices, because that is only the pragmatic side of the financial and legal institution . . . it is not synonymous with the church . . . because the church is a kingdom not of this world.

A time of spiritual transition . . . and God will bring it to the birth.

A sovereign move of God is shaking and re-shaping the structure of the church so that it can facilitate end-time global evangelism.

 

Gen 38:7-10

7          And Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD slew him.

8          And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother’s wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother.

9          And Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in unto his brother’s wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest that he should give seed to his brother.

10       And the thing which he did displeased the LORD: wherefore he slew him also.

(KJV)

Why did God slay Onan?

• Because the purpose of his going in unto his brother’s wife was to propagate a child.
• And he went unto her for her pleasure and his.
• If he didn’t get her pregnant, he could go back to her again and again.
• But the purpose of his going in was to produce life!

 

The 20^th century church learned to preach to the crowd.

• We stroked the crowds and the crowds stroked us.
• But we missed the purpose of the relationship!
• It was not for our benefit, but it was to produce new life!

 

The early church did it too.

• The Apostles developed an attitude
• It is not meat that we should leave the Word of God and wait on tables
• So they chose seven men with servant hearts to serve
• Stephen, Phillip, Barnabus
• And we read more of these men’s ministries than some of the Apostles!
• Stephen preached the greatest sermon beyond Acts 2
• Phillip left a fervent revival, preached to the Ethiopian eunuch and was translated to another place
• Barnabus went on missionary travels with Paul

 

And a lot of preachers have died because they forgot what the ministry was all about!

It is to put life-producing seed into the woman, the church, so it can bring children to the birth!

• She is not our bride but she is the Lords!
• We are not there for her pleasure or our pleasure but for His purpose!

 

Abraham built seven altars in his journeys through different places . . .

1. Separation
2. Revelation
3. Consecration
4. Dedication
5. Sacrifice
6. Worship
7. Relationship (Covenant relationship)

 

The church of the 21^st century will have relationship with Him!

God only has relationship with the spirit of man.

The ministry will have relationship with the bride in a way that honors His purpose . . . not ours.

2 Cor 1:21-24

21       Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God;

22       Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.

23       Moreover I call God for a record upon my soul, that to spare you I came not as yet unto Corinth.

24       Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand.

(KJV)

• The ministry does not have dominion over God’s people, but they are helpers of their joy!
• Remember the rulers of the gentiles exercise dominion and authority over their people, but we cannot do that over God’s people. (Matt. 20:25-26)

 

2 Cor 2:1-2

1          But I determined this with myself, that I would not come again to you in heaviness.

2          For if I make you sorry, who is he then that maketh me glad, but the same which is made sorry by me?

(KJV)

• Smiles and laughter are still O.K.
• We can’t always just drain people with our offerings and programs. These things at times produce a spirit of heaviness.

 

Prov 24:27

27       Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thine house.

(KJV)

• Put God’s work first . . . but there will come a time to place a priority on your needs. Don’t feel guilty about it when that time comes.

So, what is the purpose of the ministry? What are we trying to achieve?

 

Eph 4:11-16

11       And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

12       For the perfecting (complete furnishing) of the saints, for the work of the ministry (attendance as a servant; aid; service, especially of the Christian teacher), for the edifying (architecture, building, structure) of the body (slave) of Christ:

13       Till we all come (arrive at) in the unity (oneness, unanimity) of the faith, and of the knowledge (full discernment) of the Son (kinship) of God, unto a perfect (complete in various applications of labor, growth, mental, moral character and completeness) man, unto the measure (a limited portion) of the stature (maturity) of the fulness (what is filled as a container) of Christ (the anointed):

14       That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

15       But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

16       From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

(KJV)

• We are at the feet of transition!
• The greatest challenge of the 21^st Century Church is to build a headless church.
• The church is a body . . . the Body of Christ.
• Jesus is and always will be the Head of the Church.
• The ministry is the body’s feet.

And to become that means that our kingdoms must fall . . . our crowns cast at His feet . . . and He is to be declared King of kings and Lord of lords!