God and the Church

I love most of the songs that Chris Tomlin writes. One of my favorites is I Will Follow You.

The chorus of this song says:

Where You go, I’ll go

Where You stay, I’ll stay

When You move, I’ll move

I will follow You

Who You love, I’ll love

How You serve, I’ll serve

If this life I lose, I will follow You

I will follow You

The idea is that we are to follow Jesus no matter the circumstances that we find ourselves in.

The invitation that Jesus offers us, as He did to Andrew, Peter, James, John, and Matthew, is to follow Him.

In Luke 9:23 Jesus said that to follow Him we have to deny self and take up our cross daily.

The question is how do we do that when everything in this fallen world tends to separate us from following Jesus and tries to convince us that life is about us, not Jesus.

The Holy Spirit provides all we need to effectively follow Jesus.

In Genesis 24 Abraham sends his servant to find a wife for his son Isaac.

There were two guidelines that Abraham gave the servant.

First, that she was not to be from the Canaanites, but she would come from Abraham’s kindred.

Second, that he was not to take Isaac back to the land they had come from, but the servant would bring the women to Abraham’s tents.

The servant agrees and proceeds on his journey to find a wife for Isaac.

When the servant gets to where Abraham’s family lives, he prays for God’s guidance to direct him to the right woman.

God answers and brings the woman to the servant. She takes him back to her family. They agree to let the woman, Rebekah, to go with the servant back to Abraham. The next day when the servant is ready to go. Rebekah’s mother and brother ask that she could stay for ten more days. The servant is wanting to start back and so Rebekah’s family tells him to ask Rebekah.

In Genesis 24:58 Rebekah simply says, “I will go.”

The servant then takes Rebekah and her servants back across the desert to Abraham’s tents.

I know your are asking, “What does this have to do with the Holy Spirit empowering us to follow Jesus?”

I believe it is a picture of the Holy Spirit leading us.

Abraham is a symbol of God. He is the father who is seeking a bride for his son.

In Genesis 2:18 God establishes a principle that it is not good for man to be alone. Jesus was 100% God and 100% man. It was not good for Jesus to be alone. The Father provides a bride for Jesus: the church.

The church started with the twelve whom Jesus chose to follow Him. In Ephesians 2:20 we are told that the church is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Jesus as the cornerstone.

God the Father envisions the church.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is allowing God to be the authority that directs our lives.

Isaac is the son of the father. He symbolizes Jesus.

Isaac was the son of the promise. Abraham and Sarah were too old to have a child, but God empowered them supernaturally to produce a son, Isaac. Isaac would be the beginning of God fulfilling His promises to Abraham.

Jesus was not born through human effort but by the power of the Holy Spirit in Mary.

It was in and through Jesus that all of the Father’s promises are fulfilled.

Jesus establishes the church.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is us finding our fulfillment in Jesus and Jesus alone.

The servant symbolizes the Holy Spirit.

The servant is sent by the father to get a bride for his son.

The Holy Spirit births the church in Acts 1. It is through the Holy Spirit that the church receives the gifts and resources to become the bride of Jesus, the Son.

The Holy Spirit empowers the church.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is allowing the Holy Spirit to fill and empower us.

Rebekah symbolizes the church.

She is the bride that the Father desires for His Son and that the Holy Spirit brings to the Son.

The church trusts the Holy Spirit to lead her to the Father.

The church trusts the Holy Spirit to unite her to the Son.

The church trusts the Holy Spirit to provide and protect her.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is the church trusting the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

With the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Raising the Roof and

Removing the Walls,

Joe

Worshiping the One True God

I love to worship Jesus. I know some people view heaven as boring because it will revolve around worshiping Jesus. I can think of nothing as exciting as worshiping Jesus all the time with no distractions.

In the Old Testament, worship was very structured. It revolved around a system of animal sacrifices. These sacrifices were described in detailed and the way they were to be sacrificed was also described in detail.

The purpose of this precise description was threefold.

First, to teach the people of God obedience.

In 1 Samuel 15:22 Samuel says, “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifice, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.”

Sacrificing what God prescribed for each sacrifice was good, but only if it was done in an attitude of wanting to obey God. So, obeying is always better than just sacrificing.

Second, each sacrifice and the way it was to be sacrificed showed the people a truth about God.

Hebrews 10:1 says, “For since the law was but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near.”

The sacrifices were not an end in themselves but a way to point to the perfect sacrifice that was to come. A sacrifice that could make perfect those who drew near.

Third, it was a reminder to the people that everything they had came from God.

Psalm 50:10 says, “For every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills.”

Everything in all creation was created by God and belongs to God. He is gracious and lets us as His human creation use all that He has created for our benefit.

The sacrifices reminded the people that showing gratitude to God is very important. It was acknowledgement of their dependence of God.

In the New Testament, worship becomes an even more important element of our lives.

Worship is now a 24/7 thing.

It is not done at certain times but it is done all the time.

We don’t have a temple or tabernacle where we go to offer sacrifices. According to 1 Corinthians 3:16-17, our temple is our body. So, wherever we are, we can worship. 

Worship is not done in a certain place.

Worship can and should occur at:

Homes

Workplaces

Schools

Golf Courses

Parks

Lakes

Any place is a place that we can worship God.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is worshiping God 24/7 wherever we are.

Worship is to be done in spirit and truth.

John 4:24 says, “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

We worship at the level of our spirit connecting with Him.

Worship is not just the:

Words We Sing

Verses We Quote

Prayers We Lift Up

It is the intimate connection we have with Jesus where we experience His presence as we sing, quote, and pray.

We are to worship Jesus in truth.

We don’t fake the worship.

We don’t just go through motions of worship.

We worship Jesus with:

Sincerity

Authenticity

It is easy to just do worship out of habit without thinking about who we are worshiping.

True worship is focusing our worship on Jesus.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is worshiping Jesus with an intimate, authentic focus.

The thing that both Old Testament and New Testament worship had in common was the object.

The object was Jesus.

Old Testament worship centered on the coming of the perfect sacrifice -Jesus.

New Testament worship centered on the celebration of the perfect sacrifice that had come – Jesus.

Raise the Roof and Remove Walls is focusing our worship on the person of Jesus.

Worship is not a ritualistic activity with a remote God. It is to be a living relationship with the living and personal God.

Worshiping and Raising the Roof and Removing Walls with Jesus,

                                                 Joe

Redemption

In Leviticus 27 God gives Israel the laws regarding giving vows regarding animals, houses, and land. The price to redeem these things back is outlined in this passage.

This passage also outlines the price to redeem people. The highest value was placed on males between the ages of twenty and sixty. The lowest value was placed on females between the ages of one month and five years.

The value of the person was based on how useful they were to the overall health of the nation of Israel. If they could work or defend the nation or bear children, they were valuable. The very young and the very old were the least valued.

God does not love the old or young, the very useful or the not useful any differently. According to 1 John 4:8 and 16, God is love. His love is no different for any person regardless of gender or race or any manmade designation. God simply loves His human creation.

We as humans value other humans based on many different things.

God places highest value on every human.

When the Israelites went to redeem a person, what they had to pay to redeem a certain person was based on their age.

When Jesus came to redeem us, it cost the same for each of us:

The blood of Jesus given and His life in place of ours.

The law could provide for the physical redemption of people but not the eternal redemption of people.

Paul shares the truth of Jesus’ eternal redemption of us.

Romans 3:21-25

But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it – the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by His blood to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness because in His divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.

This passage shows that God redeemed us:

Apart from the law

Because there is no distinction because all have sinned

By grace through faith

Because Jesus was our atoning sacrifice for sin

Our redemption is not based on who we are, but on what Jesus did.

When we disobey God one time or disobey just one command it makes us a law breaker. God does not judge based on the number of sins or even the kinds of sins. He simply looks at the sin and through Jesus provides the solution.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is looking to Jesus and no other source of redemption.

In redeeming us, Jesus redeemed us from the curse of the law.

Galatians 3:13

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us – for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree.”

The law was a curse because, to achieve salvation through the law, a person would have to obey all the commandments all of the time. One failure to obey meant you had sinned and the law could not provide salvation.

Jesus fulfilled the law perfectly and then became a curse for us by dying for us on the cross.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is trusting Jesus to remove the curse of the law from us.

Jesus in redeeming us also provided for us to be adopted as sons and daughters.

Galatians 4:4-5

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.

Jesus doesn’t just forgive us of our sin.

Jesus doesn’t just remove the curse of the law over us.

Jesus provides adoption for us to be children of God.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is knowing we are children of God and living that way.

The price for our redemption is the blood of Jesus.

1 Peter 1:18-19

Knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.

The perfect blood of Jesus was the only thing that could redeem us because of the seriousness of sin. God declared our worth when He sent His one and only Son to be the price of our salvation.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is receiving the blood of Jesus as the payment for our salvation.

As a Priceless Child of God, Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls,

                                              Joe

By the Blood of Jesus

I enjoy watching television shows that are medical dramas. I am intrigued by how they figure out how to treat the injures and diseases. The ability that God has blessed us with to heal conditions that just a few years ago were uncurable is amazing.

The one thing I don’t like in these shows is when they show blood. I don’t like to look at blood, mine or anyone else’s. I don’t even like to think about blood.

We are told in scripture that the life of both animals and humans is in the blood. The blood thus belongs to God.

Atonement required blood. God explains that this is because the life of the animal or human is in the blood.

In the Old Testament it was the blood of animals that temporarily covered sin.

In the New Testament it is by the blood of Jesus that sin and the penalty of sin is dealt with. Jesus did not secure our pardon from sin by simply living a sinless life. He died so we could be free. He bled so we could experience the joy of salvation.

Mark 14:24

This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.

Jesus shed His blood for many. He didn’t shed His blood for a select few, but for the many. That many includes you and me.

Romans 3:25

God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of His blood – to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance He had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished.

We receive Jesus’ atoning blood by faith. Faith accepts the truth that it is only by the blood of Jesus that we are given salvation. Our human resources cannot bring salvation.

Hebrews 10:19-20

Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, His body.

Jesus’ blood provides for us a new and living way. The old way was by the blood of dead animals. The new and living way is through the living Savior Jesus, who died and shed His blood, but rose from the dead to life. We don’t have to continue to make animal sacrifices and follow the Law.

Jesus blood provides:

Ephesians 1:7

In Him we have redemption through the blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.

 Redemption and Forgiveness

Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls is experiencing redemption and forgiveness through Jesus’ blood.

Ephesians 2:13

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

Nearness to Jesus

Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls is being near to Jesus by His blood.

Colossians 1:20

And through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through His blood, shed on the cross.

Reconciliation and Peace with God

Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls is experiencing reconciliation with God and His peace through Jesus’ blood.

1 John 1:7

But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus purifies us from all sin.

Fellowship with God and Other Believers and Purification from All Sin

Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls is being in fellowship with God and His people and being freed from the shame of our sin.

Revelation 1:5

To Him who loves us and freed us from our sins by His blood.

Frees us from the Penalty of Our Sins

Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls is experiencing freedom from the penalty of our sins.

Revelation 12:11

They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony for they loved not their lives even unto death.

Victory Over the Devil

Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls is knowing daily victory over our enemy – the devil.

Jesus’ blood and only His blood can do these things for us.

There is no other way – atonement is in the blood of Jesus. Good works cannot cancel our debt of sin. Great knowledge does not move people from death to life. Our only hope for salvation and the forgiveness of our sin is faith in the shed blood of Jesus.

When we as followers of Jesus say it is only through Jesus that salvation is possible, we are not trying to be exclusive, we are just being truthful.

It is truth because Jesus is the only who could die for us.

It is truth because Jesus is the only one who did die for us.

By the Blood of Jesus, Raising the Roof and Removing the Ways,

                                         Joe

Atonement

Atonement means to cover or coat something or to pacify someone.

Biblical atonement is the process restoring right standing with God once sin has occurred. Since according to Romans 3:23 all have sinned and come short of God’s standard, we need something to put us into right standing with God. Something had to cover our sin.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is acknowledging that, despite Biblical knowledge and despite how good we might appear, we have all sinned.

In the Old Testament, an elaborate ceremony took place every year to atone for Israel’s sins. This ceremony is described in Leviticus 16. In accordance with God’s instructions, their guilt had to be covered – their offenses had to be paid for through the shedding of blood.

God’s instructions were very detailed.

Before entering the Most Holy Place, the high priest had to carefully wash himself and put on special garments. A bull was killed to cover the sins of the priest and his household. Then the priest cast lots over two goats – one to be sacrificed and one to become the scapegoat, carrying the people’s sins away from the community. Incense was burned over the ark so that smoke concealed the holiest place, protecting the priest. The blood of the sacrificed bull and goat were sprinkled on the atonement cover, the tent of meeting and the altar. Then the scapegoat was sent off with all of Israel’s sins on its head. Then the priest washed himself and changed his clothes before exiting the tent to burn portions of the offering on the altar. Finally, the remains of the animals were removed and the attendants who removed them – along with the man who led the scapegoat away – had to wash their clothes and bathe themselves. All of this happened every year so that people could be cleansed from all their sins.

The essential component was the shedding of blood. The atonement was showing that it was about the substitution of life for life. The life of the bull and the goat were given for the life of the people. The blood of the bull and the goat were shed to cover the sins of the people.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is acknowledging that our sin has been paid for.

This atonement ceremony in the Old Testament points forward to the atoning sacrifice of Jesus on the cross for our sins.

God gives Jesus as a sacrifice of atonement.

Romans 3:24-26

And are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, who God put forward as an atoning sacrifice by His blood to be received by faith, This is to show God’s righteousness, because in His divine forbearance He had passed over former sins. It was to show His righteousness at the present time, so that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

God shows His righteousness by judging sin through Jesus’ death on the cross and His grace by making Jesus the atoning sacrifice for the punishment we deserve.

Sin was never waved off, disregarded or left unaccounted for.

God upheld His righteousness and the worthiness of His name by having Jesus shed His blood for our sin. God’s justice shines in the fact that He didn’t just ignore sin but dealt with in the only way He could, by the shedding of blood.

God’s grace shines in the way God placed all our sins on Jesus.

2 Corinthians 5:21

For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.

Jesus, the perfect sinless one, became guilty of my sin and I, the sinful one, was declared to be the righteousness of God.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is Jesus becoming my sin and I becoming His righteousness.

Salvation is a free gift by grace through faith in Jesus.

Ephesians 2:8-9

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And that is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Think of grace as the electricity that runs through your house. It is always available, but it does light up your house until you plug in the lamp and turn the switch on. The plugging in and flipping the switch is faith.

When I acknowledge my sin and accept Jesus’ death to pay for my sin and surrender my life to His authority, which is all enabled by grace, I receive forgiveness, which is applied by grace.

Salvation is a free gift for us, but it cost God, the Father the heartbreak of Jesus’ death on the cross.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is all about God’s grace.

In the Old Testament the atonement was a covering of sin.

In the New Testament the atonement is an eternal removing of sin.

In the Old Testament the atonement was through a detailed and involved ceremony.

In the New Testament the atonement is through the crude and ugly death of Jesus.

In the Old Testament the atonement was for Israel.

In the New Testament the atonement is for all people.

In the Old Testament the atonement was by the blood of bull and goats.

In the New Testament the atonement is by the blood of Jesus, the perfect and sinless sacrifice.

Through the Atoning Sacrifice of Jesus, Raising the Roof and

Removing the Walls,

                                                       Joe