Rabi Gunaratnam's Blog - Posts Tagged "church"

The church is not a building or an organization. Church is a community. The original church as described is Acts 2:44-47 met regularly in homes and worshipped at the Temple every day. They shared and had everything in common. Their reason for doing this was that there were many poor people among them who needed help.
Perhaps this is not necessary today, particularly in the developed world. But this is only in regard to material things. I think we still need the same level of contact with each other, time to worship God together, to help each other out, and to live as a loving and supportive community into which God would love to keep adding more believers as we freely shared the good news.
The church is also an influence for good. Jesus said that the church is the salt and light of this world. With institutionalisation, the creation of various types of hierarchy, and by neglecting to observe all what the Bible teaches, we have lost some of this ability to be a strong influence. If we get back to the basics of the faith our relevance will be immediately observable; and will be acknowledged by all.

The word church is immediately associated with religion. Religion is unfortunately becoming a dirty word because of its links to violence, abuse, hypocrisy and control.
We have also made church to mean a place that we go to on a Sunday.
Actually the word church refers to a collection of people who follow Jesus Christ and not to the place where they meet. For those who have read about Jesus—His teachings, miracles, love and acceptance of all people, His love for people who are child-like and not like the religious people of His day, His compassion, etc.—following Jesus would be considered a good thing because such people will be a help and not a hindrance to enjoying life. But the followers of Jesus too have been misled by the ‘establishment’ into believing things that are not true or are half-truths. This is the real issue. Those of us who are true followers need to understand the truth, unadulterated by centuries of wrong teachings.
Once we get the truths right, following Jesus becomes a wonderful thing. The followers will enjoy a wonderful freedom that Jesus came to give us. The Apostle Paul wrote “for freedom that Jesus has freed us” (Gal. 5:1 paraphrased). That does not mean that the followers can do what they like. They are still bound by what is right. But they are no longer bound by rules, regulations, practices and rituals.
Once we get the truths right, we will know how to approach God, to worship Him and to adore Him, to receive His love and to correctly share this love with others.
I urge you to know the truth by studying the Holy Bible. The Bible can be studied and understood by the ordinary person. You do not need a degree in Theology or similar. There are many helps such as Bible Dictionaries, Commentaries and other books to help us understand the Bible and most of all we have the help of the Holy Spirit.

According to the New Testament every believer in Jesus belongs to a royal priesthood of believers (1 Pet. 2:9). Every believer can access the throne of grace with confidence because we have a High Priest in heaven—Jesus—who understands our weaknesses and will extend mercy and grace in time of need (Heb. 4:14–16). There is thus no need for a layer of priests or others to be intermediaries. In the New Testament church there were however offices: elders (or bishops) and deacons. There were also people with special gifts: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers (Eph. 4:11). These people could be elders or deacons or other believers. But over time some church elders took on extended roles—roles not supported in the New Testament—to administer opinions, judgments, and decrees. This layer of people who took on this extended role of elders stood between God and the believers. According to some scholars these people because of this kind of teaching and practices are referred to as the Nicolaitans. This over time has expanded into the clerical system—the systems of clergy—that we see in some established denominations. According to the letters to the churches found in Revelations, the introduction of the clerical system is displeasing to God (Rev. 2:6, 15).

Jesus had words to say about the religious leaders of His time. Luke 20:45–47 says, “Then, with the crowds listening, He turned to His disciples and said, "Beware of these teachers of religious law! For they like to parade around in flowing robes and love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces. And how they love the seats of honour in the synagogues and the head table at banquets. Yet they shamelessly cheat widows out of their property and then pretend to be pious by making long prayers in public. Because of this, they will be severely punished" (NLT). This was true of the teachers of the law then and it bears similarities to what we find today.

Contrast this with the way Jesus acted towards His disciples and the instructions He gave them as found in John 13:12–17, “After washing their feet, He put on His robe again and sat down and asked, "Do you understand what I was doing? You call Me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and you are right, because that's what I am. And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other's feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. I tell you the truth; slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the One who sends the message. Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them” (NLT).

Washing of each other’s feet symbolises serving each other in a humble way. Paul expands on this in his letter to the church in Philippi (See Phil. 2:2–11).

In summary, Christianity was not meant to be a religion where people are expected to follow a set of rules, regulations and rituals administered by an elite group of individuals. Christianity is a way of life, lived like Jesus in fellowship with God and with man.

When I ask people about fasting I receive one of three standard responses. Some agree that fasting and praying should be part of the Christian life. Some speak about the health benefits of fasting, and others say that in New Testament times fasting is unnecessary.

Praying is something every Christian does, especially, asking for things that affect us. When it comes to fasting and praying there is some confusion and disagreement. In this brief article we will look at a small selection of Scriptures in order to understand fasting.

When is fasting necessary?

When We Face a Difficult Challenge
When the disciples could not heal the boy with Epilepsy they asked Jesus why they were unsuccessful. Jesus’s first told them that they did not have faith, and followed it by saying, “However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting" (Matt. 17:21 NKJV). Jesus indicated by this statement that fasting got the Father’s attention and that difficult cases needed more of the Father’s help, besides the person receiving spiritual strength and insght.

Jesus Fasted to Gain Spiritual Strength
Immediately after Jesus’s baptism, He was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil, where he fasted forty days and forty nights. It was at this time that the devil came up with the three temptations and was soundly beaten by Jesus (see Matt. 4:1–11). Instead of weakening His will, fasting had strengthened Him spiritually. After all He need not have fasted. God could have fed Him in the same way that He fed Elijah (1 Ki. 17:1–6). But, fasting was called for by the Spirit in this instance.

The Right Motives in Fasting
In Matthew 6:16–18 Jesus taught the multitudes that unlike the Pharisees who fasted just to show others that they were a pious lot, real fasting should only be for the Father’s eyes. He assured them that the Father will reward them.

When we are Seeking Direction
The church in Antioch had prophets and teachers. Barnabas and Saul had just returned after fulfilling their ministry in Jerusalem. Acts 13:2 suggests that they were worshiping and fasting to seek the Lord’s direction, and the Holy Spirit asked them to set apart Barnabas and Saul for a special work. They received what they were seeking—clear direction.

Commissioning People for Special Ministries
Acts 13:3 suggests that they fasted and prayed before commissioning Barnabas and Saul by the laying on of hands. We see the church gaining further confirmation as to where they should go, and possibly also earnestly requested success in ministry and protection, through fasting and prayer (Acts 13:4).
We must do the same in our churches today with regard to the ministries that we ought to start and in the selection or setting apart, and commissioning of people for these ministries. This is what Barnabas and Saul (now referred to as Paul) did in the selection and appointment of Elders in every church that they planted. This is recorded in Acts 14:23 as, “So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed” (NKJV).

Fasting and Prayer Should be Done Responsibly
We are warned in 1 Corinthians 7:5 to do this in a responsible and sensible way. Although Paul is writing about abstaining from sexual relations during a time set aside for fasting and prayer as agreed between husband and wife, it applies in most situations where Satan can use this opportunity to tempt us. Remember that Satan started tempting Jesus when he had fasted and was very hungry. We too need to guard ourselves against the one who is our adversary—the devil—who walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour, so that he might not ‘have us for lunch’ (see 1 Pet. 5:8).

In summary, we learn from these passages that when we are facing a tough challenge or seeking direction, as prompted by the Holy Spirit we must fast and pray in a sensible way. We are assured that God will reward us.

To support the statements above I quote a personal story from my book “Time to Wake Up Church!”

“In 2008, we were in the process of opening the Glen Waverley Healing Rooms. We had the team trained and everything was ready except for a suitable venue for the Healing Rooms. After having looked at many options over a period of six months and spoken to several people, it was a case of the places being unsuitable or we were unwelcome there. I was beginning to wonder whether it was the Lord’s will for me to start the Healing Rooms. I decided to fast and pray. In the first hour of my fasting and prayer, the Lord spoke in an audible voice the name of a pastor. I heard Him say “Call Pastor John Temby.” I located Ps. Temby by looking up the white pages, phoning his office and getting his mobile phone number. We knew of each other through a mutual friend, Richard Brohier at whose 60th Birthday we had both said a few words. When I called John he had gone for his usual morning walk (and probably prayer). When I explained what I was seeking, his answer was immediate. He said yes we can have it at their church, but he would speak to the elders and confirm it by evening. I continued the fast and it was now past 4.00 pm and I had not heard back from John. I said to the Lord “Father, is it a yes or a no? What are you saying through this delay?” At that very moment the phone rang and John confirmed that the elders were all in favour. The following week we opened the Glen Waverley Healing Rooms to the public and continue to hold it at St Matthew’s Anglican Church to date.
When we did open the Healing Rooms, this experience of waiting on God had given a boost to my faith and confidence that God was with us. If God is with us, we are sure to see Him perform great miracles of healing and deliverance. On the opening night a believer who was being tormented by evil spirits and sickness came for ministry. The ministry team drove away the spirits in Jesus’ Name and the man was completely freed and healed instantly. Praise the Lord for His faithfulness.” (Chapter 10 – We Need to Exercise Faith).

I would strongly encourage churches to follow the practice of the early church in all matters, including fasting and prayer to see God work in and through us.

Christians are seen as weak and ineffective because of a mistaken belief that even when they see extreme injustice or wrongs they need to be meek and not allow their real feelings to be expressed.

Isaiah 42:1–4 prophesied that God’s servant Jesus would not shout or cry out, or raise His voice in the streets, He will not break off a bruised reed or snuff out a smouldering wick, but He will establish justice on earth.

"Look at My Servant, whom I strengthen. He is My Chosen One, who pleases Me. I have put My Spirit upon Him. He will bring justice to the nations. He will not shout or raise His voice in public. He will not crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle. He will bring justice to all who have been wronged. He will not falter or lose heart until justice prevails throughout the earth. Even distant lands beyond the sea will wait for His instruction" (Isaiah 42:1–4 NLT).

When we look at the life of Jesus in the Gospels through the eyes of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, we see this to be true with two exceptions when He did things that appeared to be out of character:
• He became physically violent in the temple. He chased out the traders and overturned the tables. He said that His Father’s house should not be turned into a den of thieves. This was because the Father’s house was used for profiteering while cheating the poor and the vulnerable (see Matthew 21:12–13).
• He insulted the Pharisees by calling them blind guides, hypocrites, vipers and whitewashed tombs that were full of all sorts of uncleanliness. These religious leaders were hypocritical and were placing burdens on people that they themselves would not keep (see Matthew 23:23–35).

In both these instances Jesus’s scathing actions and remarks were against the leaders of the religious establishment of His day.

Like Jesus we need to have a zeal for the body of Christ and the kingdom. This zeal should result in us breaking down the walls of denominational separation and clean out the hypocrisy, intolerance and wealth generating programs within the church.

As believers we need to be like Jesus in our attitudes towards religious hypocrisy and the use of the church as a means for some to gain power and wealth. Our calling is to share the Good News, feed the hungry, look after the needy and to heal the sick (Matthew 25:42, Matthew 10:8).

During Jesus’s time the Romans were ruling over the Jews and the people did not like it. However, when Jesus was asked whether the people should pay taxes to Caesar, He told them to give to Caesar what belongs to him, and to give to God what belongs to God (see Matthew 22:15–22). He indicated that His followers ought to give to the government what is rightly theirs by paying the correct taxes and also showing them the honour and respect they deserve. But He added that His followers needed to give to God what belongs to God.

It is expected of the believer to obey the laws of the land unless it conflicts with what God wants (Rom. 13:1–7; 1Pet. 2:13–17). When the two realms are in conflict, Christians are to follow God (Acts 4:18–20; Acts 5:28–29)—and this, only in relation to propagating the Good News.

As Christians we need to vehemently protect the Kingdom values and the House of God from being used for personal or political gain by religious leaders.

Jesus was called a friend of sinners and a wine bibber (see Luke 7:34). Against the traditions of His day, He mixed with people from all walks of life and in all sorts of circumstances.

We must be like Jesus—we need to be in pubs and other places to befriend people. We need to invite those who are labelled ‘sinners’ to our church programs and services so that they can hear the Good News.

We must be like Jesus—not afraid of man but have an awe and a fear of God. We need to use our authority over the hypocritical people and leaders and be willing show our displeasure. Do our church leaders stand for truth, justice, and kingdom values? If not, we need to take a stand against their hypocrisy.

We must be like Jesus—in standing up for truth and justice. We must refuse to comply when what is asked of us is against what God wants of us.

Jesus’s statement “ If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me” is recorded in all three of the synoptic gospels (Matt. 16:24, Mark 8:34, Luke 9:23) and is not one that can be ignored. Jesus made this statement shortly after explaining to the disciples the need for Him to go to Jerusalem to suffer many terrible things at the hands of the enemies of truth, and to be killed. His enemies were the elders, leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He implied that if He was to take up His cross, as followers we too must be willing to do the same.

After He called the twelve and gave them authority to cast out evil spirits and to heal every kind of disease and illness, amongst several other things He said, “And he who does not take up his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me” (Matt. 10:38 MKJV).
Jesus urged His disciples to do three things: (1) deny self, (2) take up his cross, and (3) follow Him.

The ascetic denies himself. This is not enough—we need to also take up the cross and follow Him. Taking up a cross means to be committed to the extent that one is willing to die for the cause. Jesus’s mission was to reconcile the world to God. Following includes telling people the good news that we can have a father-child relationship with God through Jesus, and demonstrating our belief through good works. From the experience of Jesus and that of His disciples it is clear that telling and doing comes at a cost—getting out of our comfort zone, being inconvenienced, taking risks, foregoing what we want for ourselves, denying the pull of materialism, facing persecution, and in some countries risking our lives.

According to the apostle Paul each of us has a unique race to run (Heb. 12:1–2). So we must stop imitating others and listen to the Holy Spirit to guide us to run our race and take up the cross that we are to bear.

What does it mean to follow Jesus? Some people think that it is going to church, attending Bible study, praying, and reading the Bible. This is far from the truth. We need to do all of these and in addition be active in doing things for the kingdom of God. We need to do this work by:

Adopting Jesus’ attitude and behaviours: Forgiving, accepting, welcoming, tolerant, serving instead of being served, hating religious hypocrisy, doing the Father’s will, loving instead of condemning, being full of mercy and compassion.

Using only Jesus’ methods: Paul who is an imitator of Christ put it this way in 2 Cor. 4:2, “We reject all shameful deeds and underhanded methods. We don't try to trick anyone or distort the word of God. We tell the truth before God, and all who are honest know this” (NLT).

Adopting Jesus’ ways: Calm under pressure, willing to drop everything to address a need, willing to be inconvenienced, standing for truth and justice.

Doing what Jesus did: “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons. Give as freely as you have received!” (Matt. 10:8)

We are also to die to sin, the flesh, and the world, and to live a life that is productive for the kingdom of God.

How does the church of the twenty first century fare against this expectation? Are we following Jesus or our misguided interpretation of what God wants? Of course we cannot neglect ‘living’ altogether. Life has to be lived. We need to earn a living to feed the family and to educate our children. We need to find time for rest and recuperation. We need to put aside money for our retirement. Jesus did not want us to neglect life. But we also need to let God “make His appeal through us” (2 Cor. 5:20) for “… God has given us this task of reconciling people to Him” (2 Cor. 5:18). This is where the rubber hits the road and we must take up the cross and follow Him.

Your calling maybe different: to forsake personal comforts, social enjoyments, earthly ties, grand ambitions, material riches, and even life itself.

Jesus's words make us wonder how we can really believe that it is all right for us to live in luxury and ease. How can we justify the materialism, selfishness, and coldness of our hearts? Jesus’s words call us to lives of self-denial, surrender, suffering, and sacrifice.
Time to Wake Up Church!