There was a glorious day coming when Jerusalem would be the
splendor of all the earth and God’s people would be holy. We know that this day is an eternal day and
that it awaits the end of days but we know that it is nonetheless true. We will see Jerusalem as no one has ever seen
her before and we see that Jerusalem in Revelation 21 after the spirit of
judgment and the spirit of burning has passed over the earth and it is
renewed. We also know there is no
darkness in that Jerusalem as the Lord is the light of the city, His presence
dwelling within her walls constantly and in Him there is no darkness at all.
Matthew tells of two demon-possessed men while the other
accounts mention only one. They are
described as being so fierce that no one could pass that way yet in the end
when the men are restored to themselves, delivered from the demonic forces, the
people who couldn’t pass that way beg the one who delivered them to leave. They knew first hand that the power within
Jesus was more fearsome than anything they had ever experienced. If He could command those demons He was
someone to be feared. They knew
something of what the disciples had seen on the lake when Jesus commanded wind
and sea. His power knew no limits at
all. We can easily lose sight of the
power within Jesus when we see Him submit to earthly powers in the crucifixion
but perhaps that is the greatest display of His power in some ways. We know
that this need not be but He willingly allows it in order to give us greater
hope in the resurrection. This day,
however, that power is clearly displayed and the reaction is fear.
What does it mean to grow up in the faith? We have to come to an understanding of what
it means to be a disciple of Christ to answer that question. The purpose of being a disciple was to learn
from the teacher and ultimately to become like him in order to carry on his
ministry when he is gone. The teacher’s
job was to transfer not only information but his way of thinking about life
through the Word of God. Disciples
expected to be able to do all that the teacher did, they were to emulate him in
all things. To grow up in faith was not
simply to know but to do the works that the master does. The role of the fivefold leadership in the
church is to equip the saints for the work of ministry, not simply to give them
information and so we need all the fivefold gifts in order to do that job. We need those who can teach and those who can
do mission as well, no one person, other than Jesus, is all those things. His power has been given and diffused into
the church by the power of the Holy Spirit to all of us. To be the body of Christ requires us to know
our gifts and our part in the body and then step into it and use those gifts
that the body is whole and healthy.
O quickly come, sure Light of all
for gloomy night broods o'er our way;
and weakly souls begin to fall
with weary watching for the day.
O quickly come, for round thy throne
no eye is blind, no night is known.
for gloomy night broods o'er our way;
and weakly souls begin to fall
with weary watching for the day.
O quickly come, for round thy throne
no eye is blind, no night is known.
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