God's end time redeemed community - Part 2

Hi again, In part 1 I looked at the restorative work of God in us as Christians both as individuals and as a community (church). I looked at the fact that no-one can be redeemed/become a child of God/saved/born again (or whatever other Biblical adjective for salvation you may find!) unless we get to know the truth found in the Person of Jesus Christ. We are saved by Grace through faith and even the faith God gives is a heavenly gift to us! The Grace of God is where God doesn't treat us as our sin deserves but rather through the scandal of the Gospel provides a means of redemption (literally where he 'pays our price') for us. He cleanses, He rescues, He delivers, He brings us to Himself... We also commented how the truth needs to be owned and proclaimed as a believer to a dying world (a world in the grip of ignorance or neglect of the truth found in the Person and work of Christ) and finally I addressed our need as believers to allow truth to meet life in our own personalities and character and

to allow the work of the Gospel to penetrate beyond superficial acknowledgement of truth into the deeper layers and recesses of our being, and to bring forth fruit for the King as His Kingdom comes

. Now I want to look at a second way in which I see God working restoratively in His redeemed community at this time, 2. The church is full of priests, with only One High Priest: OK so many of us are led to believe that, if we attend church (which in itself is a confused concept since redeemed believers ARE church, who gather), that there is one guy who is the professsional who kind of does everything. At best there is a small select committee of zealots who are the cake-bakers, carpet choosers, chief cook and bottle washers, speakers, children church workers and so on! Well, guess what? God is blowing this myth clean out of the water! Yes sir. Its like boooom. Nuclear submarine time. The church is not to be a collection of merely pew warmers (although it is always pleasing to see the congregation warming a pew rather than warming their beds!)The church is an army. The church is a body and Paul taught us that each member has vital significance (try walking far without your little toe...errr...children do not attempt this at home!) The church is to be a mobilised community of faith. We are mobile arks of the covenant

, Presence carriers, people called beyond the four walls of church to make an impact - yeah, go on Praise God its Monday! You can. Every day a Sunday would be safer but it would be OH SO BORING! This is how the Bible describes us in 1 Peter 2v9,

But you 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.

We are priests who bring spiritual sacrifices of worship and service to God (never sacrifices to gain salvation or approval), we minister as priests of encouragement to one another in love, and we are to serve in the priestly office doing and bringing life to a dying world - GOOD NEWS!

I attend too many churches where corporate meetings are a closed shop affair

. I am all on for organisation of who is going to preach or lead out in worship but I must say that

I am AGAINST the idea of church being a spectator sport or a kind of concert that we attend

. The New testament paints a picture of a church where all can be involved, provided that God is leading them to contribute something and that it fits in with whats happening there and then....reading meetings is one of the more difficult tasks of Elders but just because some 'nut-job' once made a fool out of us all by spoofing insanities from the front should not and MUST not become our excuse for NON-USE of the priesthood functioning in a Biblical manner, welcoming and releasing the Kingdom! Indeed the Bible makes it clear that there will be times when unbelievers come into meetings, see cool stuff form God happening, and fall on their faces in worship...Yeah, thats a church I want to be part of ! Sure, kissing our brains good-bye is also not on my menu last time I checked! If you know Christ as your Saviour, then know this - you are a royal priest. A functioning priesthood is also not just for church meetings! Husbands are to be Godly and loving priests to their wives, we are priests in our place of work and so on....

We have both the privilege and responsibility of using your talents productively (Matthew 25)and of not wasting your life. I know this sounds a bit strong but its meant to be. I would also say that if you are part of a church that doesn't make any room for you to be a priest or never encourages you to be a priest in the world, then you are being sold short. You have one life opportunity to sow 'who YOU ARE' to the Spirit, and to release the fragrance of the Kingdom in and through your life. Even that cup of water you serve in His Name will not want for an eternal reward! JS