Christ Church Paarl

What comes to mind when I say the word church?

Sadly, for many it conjures up negative images and words like boring, irrelevant and out-dated.  In our Post modern world all traditional values and  structures are seemingly being rejected on a large scale.  The church is sadly one of the victims of this so called ‘enlightened’ thinking.  For many, church is no longer a priority but has rather become something we simply squeeze into our weekly program or merely accommodate in our lives.  We often see people trying to re-define the church as loosley as possible to suite their likes and wants!

The accumulation of many negative experiences has led to a knee jerk reaction resulting in some very dangerous thinking in what is now termed “the emerging church” thinking.

Many so called emerging church Pastors are questioning the idea that the local church is the plan of God. They advocate a movement away from the traditional way of doing church and go as far as to even suggest that a Christian does not need the church to grow and truly experience God.

Listen to what ones of these so called emergent pastors has to say as he advocates a new kind of Christianity:  “It may be advisable in many circumstances to help people become followers of Jesus and remain within their Buddhist, Hindu, or Jewish contexts… Is our religion the only one that understands the true meaning of life? Or does God place his truth in others too? …The gospel is not our gospel, but the gospel of the kingdom of God, and what belongs to the kingdom of God cannot be hijacked by Christianity and the church”

This type of thinking is absolute nonsense! I do not believe that you can be a Bible believing Christian and not have a high value of the local church.   A recent quote sums it up beautifully, “You can be committed to Church but not committed to Christ, but you cannot be committed to Christ and not committed to church”

Martin Luther stated “Anyone who is to find Christ must first find the church. How could anyone know where Christ is and what faith is in him unless he knew where his believers are?”
It is imperative that we understand that the local church was not just a good, man made idea that someone came up with.  It in fact, lies at the very heart of God’s salvation plan for the world!   The apostle Paul has an incredibly high view of the church and it permeates all His letters but very specifically in Ephesians 2: 11-22

As we read this passage we see the movement from God choosing a nation as His “treasured possession” in Exodus 19, to creating in Christ, one new humanity displayed and visible in the local church.  A movement from exclusion to inclusion!!

Peter in fact, picks up on this in  1 Peter 2:9  when he states, “But you (the church) are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”

As I read Ephesians 2 : 11 -22 I pick up some key ideas about the church….

1]   Firstly,  What we once were…(v1 – 10)

Note that Paul’s understanding of the church is grounded in God’s plan of salvation for the world.  He describes in the first ten verses what has taken place in our lives. We were once dead in your sins (v1), subject to the cravings of sinful man (v2), by nature objects of wrath (v3) BUT God in love moved and did something in our lives!  He made alive in Christ (v5), saved us by His grace (v5), raised us with Christ  and seated us with Him in heavenly places (v6).  It is by grace we have been saved!

God salvation plan for us calls for a response which we find in (V11) “Therefore….”

Remember what you once were!   We as Gentiles, or scornfully known as the ‘uncircumcised’ were “separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.”  Hendickson describes it perfectly saying we were “Christless, stateless, friendless, hopeless and godless”.  In Ephesians 2, Paul wanted Gentile believers to remember their former state, in order to contrast and emphasise the glory of who they now were.  We need to remember who we once were, in order to fully appreciate who we have become in Christ.

God has moved and changed our position in and through Christ (V13)

2]    Secondly, What Jesus Christ has done (v13 – 18)

“But now in Christ Jesus, you who were once far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ” (v13)

What an incredible verse, the death of Jesus on the cross has brought you and I near, made it possible for us to be children of God through Christ alone!!

Notice two things that Christ’s death on the cross has done:

Firstly, (v14-15) He has destroyed the divisions between men and created one new humanity!

“destroyed the barrier, dividing wall of hostility” this is a symbolic reference to the temple.  The  Inner court was divided from the outer court for gentiles by a huge wall – in Christ that division no longer exists.   Jesus “abolished in His flesh, the law with it’s commandments and regulations” v15.

The purpose for this was to create “one new man” or “one new humanity” in Christ.
You and I this morning as the church are part of that “one new humanity”

Secondly, (v16-18) He reconciles both Jew and Gentile to God.

Same cross that put to death the hostility between men also reconciles them to God.
Both have access to The Father through one Spirit. Through the death of Jesus we are united to one another and reconciled to God. We have become one new humanity united to God.

The Ephesian church and any Bible believeing,  gospel preaching church today represent the goal of salvation – a new community united with each other and reconciled to God through Jesus.

3]  Thirdly, What we have become …(v19 – 22)

a)  We have become God’s Kingdom (v19a)

“Consequently” as a result of the work of Christ (a contrast to v11) we are “no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people” – corporately as a local church we now belong to a new kingdom.  We are part of God’s kingdom, we have a new set of values, beliefs and a new eternal persective on life.

b)  We have become God’s Treasured possession in Christ…

“The true Israel has become the church and the church has emerged as the true Israel.” John Piper.  You and I today, as a body of believers have become heirs to the promise to Abraham, the true Israel.  John Stott says, “We belong to a new international God ruled community”.  The church in Christ becomes the “chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God” 1 Peter 2:9 – kingdom of God in this world

If we want to witness the kingdom of God at work, here and now… find a local church where Christ is preached!!   The greatest legacy we can leave in the lives of our children is our love for Christ and His bride the local church!  Sadly, for many children and teens, their parents apathy and low view of the church rubs off and becomes their attitude to the church.  In our families and community we demonstrate that our citizenship is not of this world but of the world to come by meeting as the body of Christ.

c)  God’s family (v19b)
A more intimate picture is painted as “members of God’s household” – the Family of God.
We are God’s household, if you want to belong to the family of God, you have to belong to the local church, where the gospel is preached and God’s word is taught faithfully!

We cannot isolate ourselves and expect to grow in Christ.  We cannot love God and yet choose to distance ourselves from His family. The bride of Christ.  Amazing how when the gospel gripped the heart of the early church, there was an instant desire to meet together and commit to one another in fellowship, the breaking of bread, the apostles teaching, worship and caring.  (Acts 2)

In our self seeking, humanistic world that says,  “It’s all about me and what I want and enjoy” Paul says “No!” It’s about Jesus and others!

Today, it has become very popular to have family time… but what about this family, this household? What is it that we model to our children!?  Church gets put on the backburner because of time, business, complacency, Sunday lunch, family… the list is endless!

We need to once again realise that the bdoy of Christ is important! It is a priviledge to belong to a local church because it is “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone”  (v20)

Jesus Christ sets the foundation and lines up the building – we cannot remove Christ or the teaching of the Bible – it is foundational if we are to call ourselves the family of God!!

We can move to a more ‘emergent experience’ a more ‘relevant experience’.  We can have all the worship, lights and the “Show”  but if our churches are built on the personality of the Pastor, the worship, the hype…. we lose the very foundation Jesus Christ and His word!!

As the Body of Christ, we do need to be relevant and culturally sensitive but we cannot ever sacrifice the truth of Scripture just because we don’t want to be offensive. We cannot do away with the gospel, and the teachings of Jesus, because they are the very things that mark us as the family of God!!

It is a sad day for the church when Pastors desire to be more user friendly to the world and lose the very foundation of our faith, that which makes us the family of God.

d)  God’s temple (v20 – 22)

“In Him whole building is joined together become a holy temple in the lord” (v21) the church becomes the new temple of God. No longer is God’s presence restricted to the holy of holies! But He is found in the body of believers meeting together. Individually and corporately.  (V22)  “ In him you too are being built together to become a dwelling place in which God lives by His Spirit”

We are one new humanity and the dwelling place of God.  As we meet together walk through our church doors, meet in our home groups, men’s group, youth, junior youth, women’s Bible study, outreach ….something supernatural is happening….God is dwelling there by His Spirit.

It is not just another service, something we do, a program in the week but … the very dwelling place of God.   If you want to experience the presence of God in a community? Find a gospel preaching Bible teaching local church!

Joined together, we rise together in Christ! How can you not value and love your local Church?

The movement in Ephesians 2 is from being Christless, stateless, friendless, hopeless and godless to becoming the very place where our God lives through His Spirit….all through and because of Jesus Christ! How on earth could we ever want to ‘emerge’ from that?!

May you look around you and see that this “one new humanity” is the very goal of salvation, and lies at the very heart of God’s plan to save the world.

When Minister Joe Wright was asked to open the new session of the Kansas Senate, everyone was expecting the usual generalities, but this is what they heard:
“Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance.
We know Your Word says, “Woe to those who call evil good”, but that is exactly what we have done.  We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values.

v  We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery.

v  We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare.

v  We have killed our unborn and called it choice.

v  We have shot anti-abortionists and called it justifiable.

v  We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self-esteem.

v  We have abused power and called it politics.

v  We have coveted our neighbor’s possessions and called it ambition.

v  We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it
freedom of expression.

v  We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it
enlightenment.

ü  Search us, Oh, God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin
and  set us free.  Amen!”

The response was immediate.  A number of legislators walked out during the
prayer in protest.

In 6 short weeks, Central Christian Church, where Rev. Wright is pastor,
logged more than 5,000 phone calls with only 47 of those calls responding
negatively.

The church is now receiving international requests for copies of this prayer
from India , Africa and Korea .

Commentator Paul Harvey aired this prayer on his radio program, “The Rest
of the Story,” and received a larger response to this program than any other
he has ever aired.

With the Lord’s help, may this prayer sweep over our nation and
whole-heartedly become our desire so that we again can be called: “one
nation under God.”

Are you struggling with guilt? Battling with condemnation? Faced with the hoplessness of your own sinfulness? then Hebrews 4: 14 – 5: 8 is definately a passage for you!

Chapter 4 : 12- 13 the author of the letter of Hebrews reminds us that, “God’s word is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. ¹³ Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”  As we read these verses, we suddenly realise that if our lives and motives were laid bare for all to see, we would all be in serious trouble!   The thought of standing before God one day and giving account for our lives can be a terrifying thought … and that is exactly why you and I desperately need a great high priest who steps in as a mediator on our behalf.

In Chapter 2: 17 the author has already alluded to this – “For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people”

John also picks up on this great truth of the gosple by declaring in 1 John 2 : 1-2 “But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. ² He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.”  Notice, to those who are in Christ, He becomes our advocate, our defence lawyer… not our prosecutor!  He is our atoning sacrifice and also faithful and merciful high priest.

So what does the Bible really mean when it says we have Jesus as our High priest?  As the author takes us through the next few verses, the charactersitics of our High priest become very clear!

1]         Our High priest has ascended into heaven (4:14)

“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.”

Jesus “ascended into heaven” or as some translation state, He has “Gone through the heavens”.   He is now seated at the right hand of the father interceding for us – our advocate in our defence before God (1 John 2:2).  Jesus is no longer here on earth but is with the Father preparing a place for us!    

John 14 : 3 “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. ⁴ You know the way to the place where I am going.” 

John 17: 4-5  – “I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. ⁵ And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.”   Jesus our great high priest is glorified in the presence of God.  Amazingly though, He does not leave us as orphans but sends His Spirit to dwell in us as a “deposit guaranteeing our inheritance” (Eph 1:14).  In fact, He promises His disciples that when the Spirit is poured out on them, “I will come to you” (John 14:18)  The amazing truth of Scripture, Christ exalted at the right hand of the Father but also Christ in us right now!

2]         Our High priest is able to empathise with us (4:15)

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.”

Jesus faced all the struggles that we as human beings have to come to terms with every day.  The excuse is often used that, “Jesus was God, so it was easier for Him”.  NOT!   Imagine having the power available to change things, the power to overcome and transform anything at any time, deal with all the pain and grief, the power to at any time end the suffering of the cross and yet… He had to subject all that power to the will and purpose of God “not my will be done, but Yours”.  Trust me Jesus knows the agony of temptation!

In describing a High priest (5:2) “He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness.”

Jesus had to be fully human, subject to humanity in order to deal with us gently!

Take for example, we organise a massive gathering in one of our local townships to celebrate the struggle for freedom in South Africa.  The guest speaker is a wealthy young British aristocrate, who gets up and begins to speak of the hardships and struggles of the average twonship family within our country….. it simply won’t work!  The skepticism and accusation would soon arise, “what does he know about the struggle?”  If Jesus never left eternity, laid down His majesty and became one of us; if he never got down into the trenches with us… the accusation could easily be levelled against Him, “what does he know about our struggle as human beings?”.  The fact is, Jesus does not call us to anything that He himself has not experienced.

In (v7) we see Jesus passion for His people,  “During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, He offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverent submission”

Our Great High priest cries out fervently for us. Because of His willing submission to God’s plan and purpose, He is heard.

3]         Our High priest represents us in matters relating to God (5:1)

“Every high priest is selected from among the people and is appointed to represent the people in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.”

Jesus represents us as our High priest in our relationship with God in all “matters relating to God”.  He offered Himself as a sacrifice of atonement for our sins – 1 John 2: 2.  There is only one man appointed to be able to bring reconciliation between you and God – Jesus Christ!    Ephesians 1: 7 “In Him we have redemption, through His blood the forgiveness of sins in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he has lavished upon us!”  That is why Jesus could declare in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No man comes to the Father but through me!” 

Christ becomes is both our High priest and our perfect sacrifice!

(v7) “During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, He offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.”  No one else can represent us in matters relating to God besides the appointed High priest!

4]         Our High priest is appointed by God himself (5:4)

“No one takes this honour upon himself; he must be called by God, just as Aaron was. ⁵ So Christ also did not take upon himself the glory of becoming a high priest. But God said to him, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father. ⁶ And he says in another place, “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.”

The high priest was called by God – Aaron was chosen by God, Jesus was Chosen by God!

He did not take on this glory for Himself!  Notice, “God said to Him…”  God has appointed and sent Jesus to be the sole representative of the gospel!

No other human being can appoint themselves in the position of High priest!  Verse 10 reminds us that He was designated by God to be the only High priest.

5]         Our high priest is the only source of salvation (5:8-10)

“Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered ⁹ and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him ¹⁰ and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.”

Philippians 2 : 6- 11  “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, ⁷ but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. ⁸ And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, ¹⁰ that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹ and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Jesus becomes the source of eternal salvation –    John 17 : 1  “ Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. ² For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. ³ Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. ⁴ I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.”

There is nothing outside of Jesus to salvation.  We are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone!  What a relief!  It is not about how good I am, or how strong I can be! My faith is not dependant on my choices and righteousness, but is totally dependant on the perfect sacrifice made by our High priest, that is now offered to us a a gift of slavation and life.

So what then is our repsonse to our Great high priest ?

1]   Hold firmly to our faith

(4:15) “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens,  Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.”

Hold firmly to faith:  Become intentional about being in Christ!  Run to Him and cling onto His grace alone.  Continuing in Christ is a visible sign of faith …. the moment we consider giving up we have to ask ourselves are we truly saved? Do we really get it!

Our only hope is the gospel (Romans 1:16-17) as it is the power of God unto salvation.  Let us hold onto and “fix our eyes on Jesus”, as the author encourages us in chapter 2: 1 “do not drift away” but let us hold fast to our faith!

2]  We have freedom to approach God’s throne with boldness and confidence!

The Lord’s prayer begins with a very personal approach, “Our father in heaven….” In Christ we have a father in heaven.   We can therefore “approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (4:16).   There should be no fear and uncertainty and trembling and anxiousness because we have one who stands in our defence!  We can access His grace, mercy and forgiveness as we approach His throne.  Notice we do not approach with arrogance and self assuredness but with confirdence… not in our own goodness and ability but confidence in Jesus alone, our great High priest!

If you are struggling with guilt and sin?  Receive His grace and mercy today.

This years youth camp was an amazing testimony to the growth that has taken place over the year in our youth group.  We had 65 teenagers on camp this year and six leaders to oversee all the activities, parent, teach, encourage and survive for a week with the the excitement and adrenaline that had built up for the camp.

Our convoy of vehicles and trailers were indeed a sight to behold as we made our way out to Leopard trail camp site, just outside Ashton!  Once all the tents were pitched and camp was set up, the fun began.  The teens were divided into teams and had to do all their own cooking for the week.  Each team was given two army ‘trommels’ of food and utencils and the rest was up to them.  There was the added bonus of not having electricity, so all the cooking had to happen over open fires or gas stoves!  Needless to say, we had some very creative and colourful meals and combinations….

During the day we had some hectic team building activities, that stretched every young person and tested their ability to work and function in a team.  It was amazing to see that by the end of day two, all barriers and divides had disintergrated and young people who never knew each other where suddenly talking and laughing like old friends! The unity that has been built over this week is amazing!

Around the campfire under the stars at night, we had awesome times of praise and worship and great Bible teaching.  It is amazing how open to God’s word you become when  surrounded by the beauty and majesty of creation.  It was great to see God moving in the lives of our teenagers.  Our youth leaders did a great job of sharing and teaching. We are really blessed to have such a wonderful leadership team.

Late nights where occupied by an age old tradition called ‘stalk the lantern’.  Young people try to stalk and capture a lantern hidden in the undergowth and protected by the youth leaders, each wielding a sock filled with flour to ‘bop’ the attacking hoards! Needless to say after two hours of running around in the dark, the lantern prevailed and once again a year has passed without the lantern being captured! Leaders rule!

The last morning of the camp we climbed to the top of the mountain and had devotions overlooking the beautiful valley below us.  It is always an amazing moment of humility as we look out at the world around us and realise how small we really are!  God certainly touched the hearts and lives of everyone on camp!

As I reflect on all that God has done over this week, I can only rejoice in the amazing group of teenagers that God has brought together….. but over and above that, I can simply marvel at the grace of our heavenly father.  I pray that the memories of this camp will carry our young people into the rest of the year and I believe that these moments become testimonies in our lives of the wonder and joy of serving Jesus!

Great article by John Piper

1) The hook of constant curiosity