Alan Bennett
1Peter 2:1-12 Song on CD – “Living stones in the house of God” (firm of faith, alive in the Spirit)
These “living stones” are the major tool in God’s overall plan to unite all things in Jesus Christ his Son. The church is the temple or body of people who God has been forming and through which he has been acting down through the ages. It has roots that go back to the OT It’s mission stretches forward into all remaining history and into eternity.
That story is the churches historical dimension. Much has been recorded and written and postulated. Sadly the church in history and even today has partly lost or ignored that mission.
Slide 2. “Shut in upon itself, the great concern of the Christian community is to preserve it’s immunity and safeguard it’s existence” (Abbe Godin)
But this space-time world is really part of a larger spiritual realm in which God reigns. Jesus spoke often of the “kingdom of God” or “The Kingdom of Heaven” being among us. The church is the body given to Christ through his redemptive work on the cross and glorious resurrection. God has chosen to put the church with Christ at the very centre of his plan to reconcile the world to himself. This is where you and I come in, the living stone members of His body, chosen by God for our time and empowered by His Spirit, the Holy Spirit of power and authority to carry on in the world the work of the Kingdom which Jesus began.
We don’t need to be reminded that we follow in the train of those 12 original insecure ordinary men who having spent 3 years with Jesus almost blew it, almost that is until the anointing came upon them at Pentecost. Ever-since the Holy Spirit has empowered ordinary men and women in every age to do exploits in His name. And so, now it is our turn. Are we ready? (pause for response) Do we know what we are to do ?
Slide 3 “ The church is a mixed society. It is not a community of saints and dedicated persons but a society of sinners at every variety of spiritual development” (Max Warren)
“The church’s task is not to save itself – Christ has already done that. It is rather to give itself in love and service- in fact to die for the world”. (Tullip Vinay)
I put it to you this morning that our mandate for being church is no different from what Jesus set Himself to do when he elaborated on the Kingdom of God by reading out loud in the synagogue in Nazareth quoting from Is. 6 as recorded in Luke 4…
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me…”
To preach good news to the poor ie those without hope. “I am the way etc”
To proclaim freedom for the prisoners -- actual, in mind, disability, abuse, poverty
To give recovery of sight to the blind literal, all sickness, spiritual, ignorant, arrogant
To release the oppressed -- injustice, satanic bound, drugs, marginalized
To proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour --actual God’s love, blessing, revival, recovery
This then is the churches mandate or mission for now and into the future. Jesus himself set this in motion. How well we act on this in both quality and quantity as a church today will determine the size and scope of the church tomorrow. I believe it will also determine the quality and quantity of our life as a nation. Church history is a record of the measure of God’s blessing upon the nations that have followed and adhered to and upheld the Gospel call. Let’s be selfish for a moment. If you and I want an ideal environment for our children and grandchildren to the 3-4 generation then we need to act now.
Slide 4 “ While women weep as they do now, I’ll fight; while little children go hungry, I’ll fight; while men go to prison as they do now, in and out, in and out, I’ll fight; while there is a drunkard left, while there is a poor lost girl upon the streets, where there remains one dark soul without the light of God – I’ll fight. I’ll fight to the very end”. (General Booth) don’t you love that?! Echoed by Winston Churchill perhaps!?
But we don’t act out of a selfish motive Ultimately it does not rest with either a future national or labour government or an MMP mix of major and minor parties.. God has chosen His church, you and me, as individuals with Holy Spirit gifts to act together as His church to these ends. And because Jesus has redeemed his church for this very purpose, the church will be victorious, His Kingdom will come. – Amen, !! Hallelujah !!
You see, as good Presbyterians we must go along with the sovereignty of God and the way the most insecure and blunt of those original 12, Peter, recorded his understanding of the church in the passage read.- 1 Peter 2:9-12
You are a chosen people You are a royal priesthood You are a holy nation
You are a people belonging to God….. These are the 4 links that bind us to the body of Christ, that keep us worshipping our sovereign God and His work of redemption.
Slide 5 “Once a man is united to God how could he not live forever? Once a man is separated from God, what can he do but wither and die?” (CS Lewis)
“You are a people taken out of darkness, now in the light of God. You had no mercy but now you have received mercy You are aliens, strangers in this world.” …. These are the 3 big changes that have taken place in those who have come to know Christ.
1. Gentile pagans who knew not God – now with a new life in God.
2. Lived to themselves, selfish, oblivious of others needs, now having tasted.
3. Now no status in the world. Scary perhaps!, not conforming. Worldly standards “war against the soul” the spiritual battle behind so many behavioural issues.
Therefore abstain from sin, live good lives, look for God’s visitation. These are the 3 big commands the Bible leaves us to follow through on today and everyday while we have breath. “That they may see” better – “that they may gain insight”
Slide 6 “We shall rest and we shall see, we shall see and we shall love, we shall love and we shall pray, in the end which is no end”. (Augustine of Hippo)
“God’s visitation” can come at any time.
1. The final judgment. 4:7
2. Christians suffering more 4:17
3. Revival comes through preaching 4:6
All 3 are true and relevant for us today. The final judgment of this world is certain. Christians here and around the world are suffering, often with their lives. . By prayer, and preaching the Good News, the Holy Spirit will come before this, because God is still calling people to repentance and faith. Yes, the church has a future as long as the Word is proclaimed and we are open and prepared for more of His Spirit.
Conclusion… I want to back track a little in closing. There may be someone here this morning who has NOT yet “tasted that the Lord is good” There may be someone here this morning who is still in darkness is not part of this church, this ministry we have been talking about. You need to come to our head stone, our corner stone, the one who has given us a reason for life today and a hope for a sure tomorrow. I want to invite you in a few minutes to join with a church member at the back of the auditorium for prayer and further explanation of how to know Jesus as your Saviour to.
Prayer. And Benediction
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