What is the church? And what can we liken it to in in Joseph as we see him amidst the Egyptians?
"And his master observed that Yahweh was with him, and everything that was in his hand to do Yahweh made successful."
"And the chief of the prison put all the prisoners that were in the prison into the hand of Joseph. And everything that was done there, he was the one who did it. The chief of the prison did not worry about anything in his hand, since Yahweh was with him. And whatever he did Yahweh made it successful."
We've talked about the church being witnesses. We've talked about the church being aliens. We've talked about Yahweh being with His church. So this might feel a bit redundant though i'm hoping for nuanced.
What gives our witness power, what opens the door for more specific witness, what makes us seem alien to them, is our obedience to the Law of Love that Yahweh has laid down for us in Christ Jesus. Love God with all you have, all you are, all you hope for and love each other as Christ loved the church and laid his life down for her. Then, love your neighbors, those whose need God blesses you to be able to fill, serve your neighbors with respect and love as if serving Christ Himself, for you are. For we can be aliens by just acting weird and no one will care to know the God who gave themselves up for them. We can be servants without love and no one will trust us. We can be at peace with our neighbors but never know them. We can be lights under a basket. We can be salt without saltiness. And the world will not know that God has come to dwell with them.
"For the one at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure, is God. Do all things without grumbling and disputing, in order that you may become blameless and innocent, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine as stars in the world, holding fast to the word of life..." Philippians 2
The church is a light which shines on Christ.
Showing posts with label obey. Show all posts
Showing posts with label obey. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 28, 2017
Tuesday, March 21, 2017
What is the church? Glorified and glorifying.
What is the church? And what can we liken it to in Genesis 22?
" And he said, “Take your son, your only child, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains where[a] I will tell you.” And Abraham rose up early in the morning and saddled his donkey. And he took two of his servants with him, and Isaac his son. And he chopped wood for a burnt offering. And he got up and went to the place which God had told him."
We touched on it yesterday. But look, what do you see? When God told Abe he was going to destroy a wicked city or four, Abe had the temerity to argue with God. To talk him down, to bargain for the lives of people he did not know. When God told Abe he was going to be a father some day, Abe asked how it could be and even took matters into his own hands with one of his servants. But here, Abe has matured enough to know that this is a time to just listen and do. He knows this God. He has been through deep waters with Him. He loves and trusts and fears Him.
"And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, for those who are called according to his purpose, because those whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he should be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined, these he also called, and those whom he called, these he also justified, and those whom he justified, these he also glorified."
When we do these things, when the church hears and obeys, God always moves them into the best position to see the good He has planned, to conform us not to the pattern of this world, but Jesus Christ, the visible Glory of God.
"Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?”" John 11
" And he said, “Take your son, your only child, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains where[a] I will tell you.” And Abraham rose up early in the morning and saddled his donkey. And he took two of his servants with him, and Isaac his son. And he chopped wood for a burnt offering. And he got up and went to the place which God had told him."
We touched on it yesterday. But look, what do you see? When God told Abe he was going to destroy a wicked city or four, Abe had the temerity to argue with God. To talk him down, to bargain for the lives of people he did not know. When God told Abe he was going to be a father some day, Abe asked how it could be and even took matters into his own hands with one of his servants. But here, Abe has matured enough to know that this is a time to just listen and do. He knows this God. He has been through deep waters with Him. He loves and trusts and fears Him.
"And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, for those who are called according to his purpose, because those whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he should be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined, these he also called, and those whom he called, these he also justified, and those whom he justified, these he also glorified."
When we do these things, when the church hears and obeys, God always moves them into the best position to see the good He has planned, to conform us not to the pattern of this world, but Jesus Christ, the visible Glory of God.
"Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?”" John 11
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