Empty Building Part III; The Way
People build for themselves religions. People build for themselves places to gather together, learn, perform and exercise their beliefs. People have the choice to follow or lead, to believe or disbelieve, to gather or to scatter. The world has seen its fill of religions, of ideas and of methods to either get closer to the notion of God or to avoid that notion altogether.
What about you, what / who do you say God is?
“But what about you?” He asked. “Who do you say I am?”
Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
Yeshua replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven.”
- Matthew 16:15-17
I believe Yeshua said Peter was "blessed" because Peter's response was something revealed not by men, but by some One. This is elsewhere mentioned as "your good confession" and holds a powerful declaration on its own, but let us consider the response in lifestyle of Yeshua's followers. What was the lifestyle they chose to pursue after walking with this 'Son of the living God?' What was their attitude towards all that they have known and to the world in general?
But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Yeshua my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ - the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ - yes, to know the power of His resurrection and participation in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.
- Philippians 3:7-11
What a profound message is written in this letter to the congregation, especially this small portion. Does it sound like the author has a death wish? Or does the author wish to die to their former lifestyle and to the world's ways? Why would they desire to do such a thing? Seems like they have realized a bigger picture to life and the promise of life eternal ( resurrection from the dead ). It is mentioned as a 'surpassing worth' in there. What could be worth more than all the gold, all the honor and all the glory one could achieve for themselves in this world?
I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
- Philippians 4:12-13
Did those who walked with Christ continue their prior occupations?
If you believe and know that eternal life has been promised to you, what would you spend doing with your life from that point on? What would compel those who walked with Christ to renounce what so many people in the world run after? Did they go mad? Something surely seems to have happened to them which for many is an absolute mystery. What would compel you to leave all things behind?
The world's religions have buildings that are empty, yet there is a 'building' which God desires to have filled.
You are that building.
What about you, what / who do you say God is?
“But what about you?” He asked. “Who do you say I am?”
Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
Yeshua replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven.”
- Matthew 16:15-17
I believe Yeshua said Peter was "blessed" because Peter's response was something revealed not by men, but by some One. This is elsewhere mentioned as "your good confession" and holds a powerful declaration on its own, but let us consider the response in lifestyle of Yeshua's followers. What was the lifestyle they chose to pursue after walking with this 'Son of the living God?' What was their attitude towards all that they have known and to the world in general?
But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Yeshua my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ - the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ - yes, to know the power of His resurrection and participation in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.
- Philippians 3:7-11
What a profound message is written in this letter to the congregation, especially this small portion. Does it sound like the author has a death wish? Or does the author wish to die to their former lifestyle and to the world's ways? Why would they desire to do such a thing? Seems like they have realized a bigger picture to life and the promise of life eternal ( resurrection from the dead ). It is mentioned as a 'surpassing worth' in there. What could be worth more than all the gold, all the honor and all the glory one could achieve for themselves in this world?
I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
- Philippians 4:12-13
Did those who walked with Christ continue their prior occupations?
If you believe and know that eternal life has been promised to you, what would you spend doing with your life from that point on? What would compel those who walked with Christ to renounce what so many people in the world run after? Did they go mad? Something surely seems to have happened to them which for many is an absolute mystery. What would compel you to leave all things behind?
The world's religions have buildings that are empty, yet there is a 'building' which God desires to have filled.
You are that building.
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