During our first series together, we’ve been rethinking this idea of church. We’ve discussed what it looks like to be a citizen in God’s kingdom – someone who is available, teachable, and faithful. We’ve discussed how important it is for everyone to participate in the calling God has for them and God’s economy—if we follow Him, His plans will never fail.
Processing all these concepts can be overwhelming and feel rather heavy on a person, which can lead us to ask where God is in all this work, as it can certainly feel as though we are the ones on the front lines. Jesus answers that question perfectly while preparing the disciples for His departure. Read John 16:1-15.
Nobody enjoys facing the cold, hard light of reality. I can imagine this conversation wasn’t fun and I’m sure there were plenty of tears. With Jesus preparing His exit, the disciples were going to have to navigate a new reality that would be a huge challenge to fulfill. To help, Jesus shared some wisdom with them that I think is relevant for us as we conclude this series – Rethinking the Church.
The Problem of Antagonists
This is a bitter pill to swallow, but one that we simply must accept: the world hates Christians because the world hates Jesus. Jesus provided a nice focal point while he was on earth, but the reality is that God is, and always has been the central piece and ultimate focal point of the world. Evil hates Him and the wise fear Him.
Be ready; God promises that those who follow Him will face persecution (2 Tim. 3:12). There is certainly a lot to face in the world, but He who overcame and ascended did not leave us empty-handed.
The Advantage of the Helper
Coming to terms with what Jesus said must have sounded crazy! Despite how the world will treat us, we need not be sad or down-trodden, but excited and ready to take up our cross and participate in the harvest. The key to our advantage is that it isn’t us doing the difficult work; the Helper will come and work in the world for us. It is the Spirit that does the heavy lifting (or working in the hearts of others):
He is our advantage because He can be everywhere and speak into anyone’s heart. The Holy Spirit does the work. It is not our job to convict people of their sin, or anything else. Our job is to love them and live a Christ-filled life in front of them (faith is personal but not private). The Holy Spirit does the work in their hearts and minds. The Holy Spirit also does some work in us.
The Power of Truth
The Holy Spirit speaks into us and fills us through the process of regeneration and sanctification, empowering us to use our lives to glorify the Father – living as the light others would see. The Father gives us everything – literally, His presence living in us which gives us the ability to live as He calls us to.
God is glorified, sin is defeated and the love of Christ is shared – all through the power of the Spirit – like the Energizer bunny, we are vessels for the real power – no longer outside in one person at one place in time, but in us and through us.
SO WHAT?
God is the leader in this work; the One doing most of it. You are invited to join with Him. Some thoughts as you do that:
- Prepare for spiritual warfare
- Stay in your lane – let the Holy Spirit do His job
- Respond to the work the Holy Spirit is doing in you and around you
God is on the move, working all over this world. He has invited us to join Him – the invitation is in your hands. Will you “rethink church” and join in God’s mission where you live, work, and play?
Comments are closed