Rebuilding the Church 1. Seeing it as it Is City Church of Christ 23.4.17
Key Text: Hebrews 12:18-29
Introduction
Humanly speaking no one could be optimistic about the future of the Australian Church. Older established denominations are ageing whilst many of the growing groups are very compromised with the world. Younger Christians are commonly ignorant of the Bible and even large congregations struggle to sustain regular prayer meetings. The collapse of Christian marriages is no longer surprising and thousands have abandoned the institutional Church because of hurt. I know lots of people who are praying for revival, but Jesus warned that if you put new wine in old wineskins both the skins and the wine will be ruined (Mark 2:22). Few people seem to realise that our spiritual situation is so dire that we need a new way of seeing what it means to be Church; we need a transformation of identity which will bring our thinking and living into alignment with the New Testament understanding of the people of God.
Let me begin this transformation process with the passage in John chapter 3 where Jesus says to Nicodemus, “unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.””, but then Jesus goes on to say, “If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things.” (3:12). Any unbeliever can see the Church in its natural mode, its building, people, programmes and so on, but you need the power of the kingdom of God to “see” the spiritual dimensions of the Church. Here is another example to illustrate what the religious leaders in Israel could not spiritually see (cf. Mark 4:11-12).
When Jesus was in dispute with the religious leaders of Israel in Mark he quoted the Old Testament about himself as the foundation of God’s new people, ““Have you not read this Scripture: “‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone;”” (Mark 12:10). The Jews who heard Jesus could only imagine he was claiming that he would take over their positions of leadership in the nation (cf. John 2:19-21). This is why they had him killed. Behind Jesus’ words is a prophecy in Isaiah that helps us understand that Jesus and the Jewish leaders were thinking on different planes; “thus says the Lord God, “Behold, I am laying in Zion a foundation stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation: ‘Whoever believes will not be in haste.’” (Isa 28:16 cf. Rom 9:33; 10:11; Eph 2:20; 1 Pet 2:4, 6). The Zion where this foundation stone is laid is not in Jerusalem but in heaven, as our today’s text from Hebrews says, “you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem” (12:18ff. Cf. John 4:21, 24). The cornerstone of God’s spiritual house has been laid not is not on earth but in God’s heavenly presence (1 Pet 2:5).
The primacy of the invisible over the visible and the heavenly over the earthly penetrates every layer of New Testament revelation. Ephesians says, “the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ…has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places….raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus (1:3; 2:6). Quite contrary to our normal mode of thinking whenever the book of Revelation uses the expression “those who dwell on earth” it means unbelievers under the wrath of God (Rev 1:5,7; 3:10; 6:10,15; 8:13; 11:10; 13:8,14; 14:6; 16:18; 17:2,5,8,18; 19:2,19). True believers are “those who dwell in heaven” (Rev 13:6). The Church is an intensely spiritual reality. Our understanding of this will become clearer if we ask the basic question, “What is the Church?”
What is Church?
To put it most simply, Church is the assembly of God’s people around Jesus. He promised he would be present with us on earth, “where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”” (Matt 18:20). But where is the most intense presence of Jesus? …. In heaven. This is why the biblical writers have such an elevated understanding of Church. After extolling Jesus’ majestic status Hebrews 2 :12 explains that Christ is sharing God’s word with the saints in heaven, ““I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the ecclesia = congregation/church/assembly I will sing your praise.”” (Heb 2:12; Psalm 22:22). This same reality of Christ with his people is described in the glorious throne room scenes of the book of Revelation where the Lamb is at the centre of universal worship (ch. 5 etc.). Why were these apocalyptic scenes so important to the Church of the first century?….The tiny groups of believers persecuted by the might of Rome needed reminding they were situated at the centre of the real power and glory of the cosmos. Since we are surrounded by an increasingly anti-Christian culture we need such heavenly insight and encouragement today.
The New Testament pictures of the Church turn our natural way of thinking upside down. The local church is tremendously important but it is the visible counterpart and expression of the heavenly fellowship of all believers gathered around Christ. A revelation of the glory of the heavenly Church is vital to the spiritual growth of the Church we see with our natural eyes. It’s like Paul says, “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” It is crucial that we pray for insight into the glorious character of the heavenly assembly to which we already belong (Col 3:1-2). This is why we must pay close attention to today’s reading from Hebrews.
What’s there to See?
Hebrews 12:22-24
[22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly,]
In the Old Testament the temple was on Mount Zion and it was called to be the home of true worship and the place where God’s people gathered in his presence (Ps 48; 84). The Zion we belong to is in heaven. We have come “to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem”; this is an image that reappears in Revelation, “And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” (Rev 21:2). The beauty of this city is the beauty of the Bride of Christ, the Church (Rev 21:9). Through Jesus we are one with “thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly” (Deut 33:2; Jon 38:7; Dan 7:10). The pure joy of the holy angels comes as they celebrate the victory of Jesus the Lamb of God, with them, to quote Peter we share a “joy unspeakable and full of glory” (1 Pet 1:8). The entire existence of the earthly people of God shares in advance the supernatural life of heaven. (cf. Rev 1:10).
[23 to the church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect]
We have come to “the church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven” our names are indelibly written in the Lamb’s book of life (Luke 10:20; Phil 4:3; Rev 13:8; 21:27) and we possess the full rights of citizens of the heavenly city (Phil 3:21). Anyone who has a revelation of these realities cannot be intimidated by earthly powers. We have come to “God the judge of all” who has already pronounced the saints in heaven with “righteous” and “perfect”. This is God’s verdict of justification which he has already passed on us (Rom 5:1).
We have come 24to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
The expression “blood of Christ” is 3x more common in the New Testament than “death of Christ” but the preaching of the blood is rare today even in Evangelical churches. Our fear of being culturally offensive has dumbed down the preaching of the power of Christ’s blood. Yet it is impossible for the Church to understand its true heavenly identity without a revelation of what it means to be a blood born Body. Hebrews draws a dramatic contrast between the blood of Jesus and the blood of Abel for a powerful reason.
“Blood” stands for violent death and our natural instincts rightly tell us that justice needs to dealt out to those who shed blood. From the blood of Abel crying out from the ground against his murderous brother Cain to the blood of the martyrs in the book of Revelation shed blood always calls for God’s vengeance (Gen 4:10; Rev 6:10; 16:6; 19:2 cf. Matt 23.35). The grand sweep of the biblical story tells us that God’s just vengeance will in the End destroy everything constructed by sinful men who from the days of Cain began building a civilisation for themselves on earth (Gen 4:16-24; Rev 16:6; 18). And this includes many religious structures. In contrast to the perishing things of earth through the power of blood of Christ God has built in the heavenlies something eternal (2 Cor 5:1). The city of God, the new Jerusalem, the heavenly Church is and indestructible because the whole structure is sprinkled clean with the blood of Christ. The power of the blood of the cross transforms the corruptible into the incorruptible (1 Cor 15:52-54; Col 1:20; 1 Pet 1:4).
The letter to the Hebrews tells us, “under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. 23 Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these….Christ…entered once for all into the holy places…by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.” (9:22- 23, 11-12). The notion is almost unimaginable, but the blood of Christ cleansed heaven itself! Let me quote from Andrew Murray on this; “As the blood [of Jesus] was brought in [to the heavenly places], every vestige of a thought of sin was removed; the heavens are now clear and bright, and the love of God can shine out in noonday glory.” If every thought of sin has been cleansed from God’s mind then the heavenlies are completely free from his just vengeance and everything in his presence will stand forever. This means something wonderful for us as part of the heavenly Church.
In the final pictures at the close of the book of Revelation, the angel “showed me (John) the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, 11 having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel…clear as crystal….the city was pure gold, like clear glass…. and the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.” (Rev 21:11, 18, 21). The cities of this world are polluted and corrupted by all sorts of uncleanness and sin but the city to which we have come is perfectly transparent to God’s glory. Let me use an illustration to explain all this more fully.
There is an ancient legend of three architects who brought to an oriental king their models for a temple of the sun he wanted to build. The first was of stone, finely chiselled and richly polished, and the king could only admire and praise the wonderful work. The second was of gold, the polished walls brilliantly reflecting the image of the sun in every angle and facet. But the third architect presented a temple of glass so transparent that at first it was invisible. As the sunlight poured unhindered through the transparent walls it reflected not its own glory but the glorious object in whose honour it was dedicated. It was obvious that this was the true temple of the sun. So it must be for us, the Church exists solely to radiate the glory of God and of Jesus the Lamb (Rev 21:23). And we are able to do this because in Christ we have been purified by the blood of the cross from every stain, blemish, curse and unclean moral pollution in the eyes of God (Eph 5:27; Col 1:22; 1 Thess 5:23; Jude 1:24; Rev 21:27; 22:3). But who today sees the splendour of the Church like this?
Why Don’t We See This?
When the Father looks at those who are in Christ he has no wrath towards us because he sees us complete in his Son (John 13:10; 15:3; Eph 1:4; Phil 1:10; Col 1:12; Jude v. 24 etc.). Hebrews tells us that, “by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.” (Heb 10:14), and, “we have confidence to enter the holy places (i.e. in heaven) by the blood of Jesus….let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from a guilty conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.” (Heb 10:19, 22). But we commonly refuse to see one another as God sees us. Someone rang me recently to see if I was offended by something she had said, I wasn’t, but Church members often take offense at one another because we don’t believe in the power of the blood of the cross. If the offended conscience of God has been satisfied by the blood of the cross how dare we hold grudges against each other (cf. Matthew Henry “nothing less will pacify an offended conscience than that which satisfied an offended God.”).
The way the Church presents itself is often extremely dishonest. This has become scandalously apparent through the revelations of the Royal Commission into Child Abuse. But I can think of lots of times known to me when a church leader has (been) moved on, for lying, stealing, sexual immorality or something else and the full truth hasn’t been made known to a congregation. When the Church covers up or pretends about its sins this is a sure sign of a deep problem of shame and guilt. The Bible says that the devil is the accuser of the brothers but we talk about one another, often behind people’s backs, as if they were objectively guilty before God, as if the blood of the cross was not perfectly effective (Rev 12:10). Such a denial of the true power of the cross explains why we so rarely see the radiance of the glory of God streaming through the Church into the world (Rev 21:11). And we have many other problems.
Scripture teaches that we “have died to the elemental spirits of the world”, we have been crucified with Christ to those powers that control the form of this present perishing universe (Col 2:20; Gal 6:14). How then can any church treat earthly success as a spiritual goal? The self-centred “How to Have Your Best Life Now” message contradicts the heavenly nature of the Church. Hebrews warns us; “Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. 13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” (Heb 3:12-13). When the heart is hardened its “eyes” cannot be “enlightened” to see “what are the riches of God’s glorious inheritance in the saints” (Eph 1:18). Without the power of the sprinkled blood of Christ to cleanse the conscience hardened hearts and blinded eyes will always judge other believers of falling short of the glory, our glory (Heb 9:13-14; 1 Pet 1:2). The good news is that through the blood of Christ we are guiltless before God (Rom 3:21-26; 5:1; 8:1). God’s Spirit can help us see one another as a shining part of a heavenly glorious assembly gathered around the Lamb of God.
Conclusion
If you know Jesus you and I are already members of the heavenly family, citizens of a heavenly city and part of a heavenly church (Eph 2:20; Phil 3:20; Heb 12:23). We will enjoy more of these things in the future but it is more of what we already enjoy in the presence of the jubilant angels and the perfected saints and the reigning Christ. We however see so little of the true glories of the Lord in the Church the Church talks about itself too much and it needs to talk about Christ so much more (Eph 3:20-21). The booming megachurches talk themselves up and the tiny microchurches talk themselves down. But the Father raised the lowly Jesus up from the dead making him in heaven “the radiance of the glory of God” because as he shed his blood on the cross he had no word to say about himself no word to speak on his own behalf or for his own glory (Heb 1:3). (I may have more to say about this when I speak next.) We must see everything through the lens of the cross.
Whilst to the natural eye as a local congregation you may look weak, feeble and insignificant your heavenly significance is totally opposite (1 Cor 1:26-30). Paul describes his apostolic commission and the calling of the church like this, “to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things, 10 so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.” (Eph 3:8-10). The glorious, eternal and varied wisdom of God’s work in Christ is now being revealed to the demonic powers in the heavenlies through the prism of the Church. This happens not through programmes but as the Church is Church. When Jews and Gentiles and people of vastly different wealth, education, status, age, race and personality come together in a genuine Christ-centred fellowship of love we image on earth what is already true in heaven. This is a powerful testimony that Jesus Christ has conquered all the divisive powers of evil.
In God’s brilliant wisdom he has placed you as a fellowship here in Northbridge to embody this magnificent vision for which Christ died. You are called to radiate the glory of God. Is this what you see in your hearts today? Or do you think of yourselves according to the flesh as a small part of a small denomination on the margins of a culture that denies the Lordship of Christ. Look by faith through the cross and you will see something radically different from any natural and perishable human way of seeing. You will see, speak and live the likeness of Jesus.