Behold you Wonder & Perish

Paul preached Christ to the Jews at Antioch in Acts 13v14-43.

This passage tells us how Paul recounts the history of Israel and teaches the people that everything in their history was leading to one seminal and pivotal moment, namely, when God raised up Jesus, from the seed of David, to be a Saviour to Israel. v23.

The tradegy was, that in spite of Jesus coming to His own people, as their Messiah, they rejected Him. John 1v10-12.

27“For those who dwell in Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they did not know Him, nor even the voices of the Prophets which are read every Sabbath, have fulfilled them in condemning Him.

The very words of the prophets - like David, Isaiah, Micah etc who prophecied about the first coming of Christ - that were read every Sabbath, were not recognised or understood by the religious leaders and in fact, they fulfilled them by instigating the death of Jesus.

Here in lies the lesson.

We can hear the word of God each Sabbath. We can sit and listen but never receive it into our hearts.

You see the religious leaders were just that, leaders and proponents of religiosity but not oracles of truth, who understood what God was saying.

They didn't know the time of their visitation.

They were blind leaders of the blind.

Awh yes, they went through the whole religious rigmarole and thought they were God's representatives and custodians of truth but Jesus' unflattering but accurate assessment of them, was that they were of their father the devil and they were doing his works and bidding. John 8v44

What an indictment but it is as true today as it was 2000 years ago.

Religion, in whatever form it may take, still rejects the Suffering Servant, the gospel of Christ and His claims upon the lives of those who would take up their cross and follow Him.

In the words of Shakespeare, what masquerades as representative of Christ, can be summed up in the phrase, "Much a do about nothing".

If man is in control then Christ is not in control. He is the Head of His body, the church or ekklesia (Ephesians 1v22&23) but has His headship been acknowledged and respected in much of what has been done in His name today?

In Isaiah 4v1 we read,

1¶And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying,

“We will eat our own food and wear our own apparel;

Only let us be called by your name,

To take away our reproach.”

These 7 women can represent the 7 churches in Asia Minor (modern day Turkey) that we read about in Revelation 2&3.

You see this is so symptomatic of much of Christianity today.

It wants to be known by His name but it will not come under His headship.

It cloths itself in religious carb, much like the Pharisees, with it's long robes, round collars and expensive suits but refuses to be clothed with the beautiful garments that are bestowed upon those who submit to Christ's headship and with power from on High.

It has a semblance, pretence or form of godliness but denies the power of the Holy Spirit and the headship of Christ. 2 Timothy 3v5.

It provides it's own food and sustenance,through man made doctrines and traditions, creeds, edicts and ritual which have no basis in scripture, while rejecting the bread of life and the manna from heaven.

And yet we love it to be so.

Why?

Does it satisfy or religious conscience?

Religion in whatever form is a stench in God's nostrils.

At the heart of religiosity is an unwillingness to receive and honour Christ as Head of the body and a total rejection of His Word.

In John 8, Jesus tells the religious leaders, that His word has no place in their hearts and that they cannot hear or receive His word.

It is the same today.

The glaring evidence that religion denies Christ, is it's rejection of the revealed word of God. Man's wisdom, intellect and inventions have replaced the revelation, inspiration and anointing of the Holy Spirit.

It can be summed up in Frank Sinatra's song, "I did it my way".

The thing is, God will let us do it our way but there is a consequence.

"There is a way that seems right unto man but the end thereof is death". Proverbs 16v25

Spiritual death that stinks. It is easily discerned in the religious setting because there is no life, freedom, liberty or true expression of Christ's life and heart.

Is it any wonder that the youth of today seek for life somewhere else.

The sad thing is that they should be able to find it in the very place that purports to represent Christ but the temple is so desecrated with the money changers tables and those who sell doves to profit of the poor and needy, that the Lord has left long ago.

I love the account in Matthew 21v12-16.

Jesus has just entered Jerusalem on a donkey, thus fulfilling the prophecy of Zechariah (the triumphant entry) to be greeted by worshippers who cut down palm leaves and cry "Hosanna to the Son of David, blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord".

The first place that Jesus goes is to the temple, the house of God, the place where God said He would put His name and identify Himself with it as, the place He would meet with His people.

Now God incarnate, God in the flesh, enters the place that is called by His name but He finds that instead of it being a house of prayer for all nations, it has become a den of thieves.

How much is done in the name of Christ in our day that has desecrated His house and made it a den of thieves, from the Vatican, to the prosperity movement, who's antics bring shame to the name of Christ and much like the money changers and dove sellers get rich of the back of religion.

Don't get me wrong, there are good, sincere, people in the religious system but that doesn't make it acceptable to God.

His admonition is

"Come out of her my people lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues."

It's clear and unequivocal. Revelation 18v4.

This kind of message is not liked but the reality is that the time is coming when we will be asked to make a stark choice, religion or Christ.

The Covid scam should have revealed the true heart of the religious system, gullible, deceivable, directionless and devoid of providing God inspired guidance and truth.

Pulpits that were purveyors of lies and deception. An easily controlled institution, that succumbed to fear and in some cases bribes from government, in the form of payouts.

You're going too far Stephen.

I'm I?

Check it out. Church leaders from every denomination were participating in secret meetings with government officials including the Health Minister, Robin Swann.

We need leaders who take their orders from the Head not from government.

I have news for us all today.

Jesus is going to make a glorious entry very soon, when he comes with the clouds of heaven and with power and great glory. Matthew 24v30

How will he find His temple when He comes back?

Will it be like it was in that day when He came into Jerusalem 2000 years ago?

A den of thieves or a house of prayer?

That which he finds, that does not align with the pattern and purpose, will be judged with fire. Mystery Babylon will be mercilessly judged and rejected. Revelation 17.

My prayer is that He will find a true remnant, a Holy temple of living stones that is a habitation of God by His spirit. Ephesians 2v20.

In Matthew 21, after cleansing the temple as a result of the zeal for His Father's house, we read how the blind and lame come to Him and He heals them and the children cry, Hosanna to the Son of David. v14&15.

You see that is how His temple should be, a place of healing, the miraculous and of adoring worship, from those who have a babe spirit and are worshipping in spirit and in truth.

How did the chief priests and scribes react?

"They were sore displeased" v15 i.e. they were happier with the tables and seats of those who were profiting from God's people and the temple being a den of thieves.

The religious cannot hide their true colours or evil hearts.

In Acts 13v40&42 Paul speaking to the Jews, issues a warning from Habakuk 1v5

40“Beware therefore, lest what has been spoken in the prophets come upon you:

41‘Behold, you despisers,

Marvel and perish!

For I work a work in your days,

A work which you will by no means believe,

Though one were to declare it to you.’ "

Paul tells them to beware and take heed, lest they fulfil the very word that the Lord had spoken by the prophet Habakuk all those years earlier.

Could our generation do the same.

Of course.

If that which calls itself Christianity, whether that be Catholicism or Protestantism, rejects, despises and refuses the word of God and the Headship of Christ, then it is apostate and the judgement of God rests upon it.

Israel and it's religious leaders did not know the time of their visitation and could not discern or understand what God was doing in their day in sending Jesus as their Messiah.

They despised the One God had sent and ultimately perished, even though the very Son of God declared it unto them.

We need to take heed in these days, when the return of Christ is so close, they we do not fall into the same trap of being so caught up with religiosity that we miss the time of our visitation with the eternal consequences that accompany such folly.

Do not think that church going or membership equates to being accepted by the Lord Jesus at His return.

Only those who have denied all to follow Him, irrespective of the cost, will hear those words well done good and faithful servant enter into my rest.

Luke 18v8b

"Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”

Revelation 3v12

12“He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.

13¶“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’