Building the house of God in troublesome times

Ezra 5:2 - Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God which is at Jerusalem: and with them were the prophets of God helping them.

Building the house of God arises from God’s revelation, 5:1.
  a. Haggai 1:1 

  b. Zechariah 1:1

Building the house of God requires leadership and cooperation, 5:1-2.
  a. Men of God rise up and encourage God’s people to work. Haggai 1:4-5, 7; 2 Timothy 4:2
  b. Leaders stand with God’s men (e.g. Zerubbabel, governor; Jeshua, priest) 5:2
  c. Workers started and did not cease, 5:5

Building the house of God incites opposition, 4:1-2, 5; 5:3.

  a. Zechariah 3:1

Building the house of God emphasizes the servant nature of the workers. Phil. 2:5ff.; Matt. 20:25-28; John 15:5; Zech. 4:6.
  a. Names are unimportant, 5:4, 10-11; Gen. 24:2, 9-10, et al.

Building the house of God exhibits the sovereignty of God, 5:12-13; 6:14, 22; Zechariah 4:6. God uses the wicked, indifferent, and others as:
  a. instruments of judgment, 5:12
  b. resources of blessing, 5:13-14

1 Timothy 3:15 - but if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

Matthew 16:18 - And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

1 Corinthians 3:9 - For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.

The Rod of God and Moses

Moses and the call of God

• Exodus 4:2-4, 17 There is a rod in Moses’s hand
• Exodus 4:20 Moses’s rod is also the rod of God

The rod is associated with Moses’s stretched out hand, and Moses’s stretched out hand is associated with the stretched out hand of God. (Cf. Exodus 7:19; 8:5, 17; 9:22; 10:12, 21; 14:16, 26)

God uses what we have, and what we have belongs to God.

Moses and Aaron before Pharaoh

• Exodus 7:9-13 The rod becomes a serpent
• Exodus 7:14-20 The rod and rivers to blood
• Exodus 8:5-6 The rod and frogs
• Exodus 8:16-17 The rod and lice
• Exodus 9:22-23 The rod and hail
• Exodus 10:12-13 The rod and locusts
• Exodus 10:21-22 The rod and darkness

God judges Egypt and its gods. He demonstrates his sovereignty and power, using Moses, Aaron, and the rod of God and Moses.

Moses and the journey into the wilderness

• Exodus 14:15-28  The rod, Moses, the Israelites, and the Red Sea
• Exodus 17:5-6 The rod, Moses, and the water from the rock in Horeb
• Exodus 17:8-13 The rod, Moses, Joshua, Aaron, Hur, and the Amalekites
• Numbers 20:7-11 The rod, Moses, and the water from the rock, the second time

God divides the Israelites from the Egyptians. The God who brings them out will bring them through (Hebrews 7:25). God quenches the thirst of his people, both physically and spiritually (John 7:37). The rod of God and Moses demonstrates the work of unity. We are laborers together with God (1 Corinthians 3:9). We can and do misuse what God has given us. With greater light comes great responsibility (Luke 12:48).

Concluding thoughts

In Moses’s hand, God used a dry stick. The rod was not a magic wand, but a demonstration of the power of God. God also answered prayer, instead of Moses using the stick. Compare Exodus 10:18-19, for example, where God answered Moses’s earnest prayer with a miracle. Put what we have in our hand in the hand of God. Shamgar had an ox goad (Judges 3:31). Ehud had a dagger in his left hand (Judges 3:15). Gideon and his army had only trumpets and lamps (Judges 7:19). Dorcas had a needle and thread (Acts 9:39). Ezekiel prophesied to dry bones and they lived (Ezekiel 37:1-14)

Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts. Zechariah 4:6

Applying the towel

Six leadership points found in The King Who Led with a Towel – Jesus the Servant Leadership Role Model and The King Who Led With a Towel – Jesus’ Servant Leadership Values. (See also The King Who led with a Towel – The Servant Leader Applying The Towel. By Rick Sessoms and Colin Buckland)

• Jesus’ use of the “towel” represented His whole life and leadership.
• Jesus’ use of the “towel” revealed His perspective on positional power.
• Jesus’ use of the “towel” teaches us to serve God by serving others.
• Jesus’ leadership was established upon a relationship with his followers.
• Jesus’ leadership was activated by influence, not coercive power.
• Jesus’ prioritized His followers’ potential over His own benefit.

When he ascended up on high

Ephesians 4:8-13 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

In Ephesians 4:8-13 Paul references Psalm 68:18 (Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them.) He proceeds with commentary on the work of the ministry/service (ἔργον διακονίας) and the gifts thereto purposed.

Three characteristics of ministry

1. Christological (of or relating to Christ). The ministry or service of the church and the Christian is founded in Christ. It proceeds from Christ – “When he ascended up on high, he gave gifts…” “He fills all things.”
2. Charismatic (gifted; related to or based on charisma/χάρισμα/a gift of grace, which leads back to charis/χάρις/grace). Ministry flows from Jesus giving gifts unto men (Paul uses charisma elsewhere to speak of spiritual gifts, but here the words “gave gifts” are ἔδωκεν δόματα). “He gave gifts unto men.” Ministry is above and beyond the natural talents and inclinations of mankind.
3. Comprehensive (of large scope; of various kinds; inclusive; multifaceted; diverse). Ministry is diverse, it comprehends various kinds of gifts. No one person or one gift is the be-all, end-all, of Christian service. “He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers…”

Three-fold task of ministry

1. Perfecting of the saints (maturation)
2. Work of the ministry (application)
3. Edifying of the body of Christ (edification)

Three spheres of ministry

1. In the kingdom (manifestation; Ephesians 1:5-20; Ephesians 2:6)
2. In the world (mission; the manifestation of the kingdom of God to the world, Cf. Ephesians 5:13-16; Ephesians 6:12, for example)
3. In the church (education; Ephesians 3:3-5; Ephesians 3:10)

1. When he ascended up on high

(First on the cross Christ had to die;)

He captive led captivity,

Receiving gifts, he gave freely.

2. The churches’ history gifted is:

Apostles, prophets, evangelists,

Pastors, teachers – all to see

The saints to full maturity.

3. Within the body building up

On knowledge, stature, grace and love.

For the work of the ministry,

Till we all come to unity. 

(Some points inspired by E. Earle Ellis in Pauline Theology: Ministry and Society)

Pastor the people who are there: reprise

On the third on February I blogged about pastoring the people who are there rather than the imaginary people who are not. Two weeks ago I heard a prominent radio pastor unknowingly acknowledge this very thing. He spoke of his first church having only a "handful" of people on Sunday mornings -- 150! He complained that on bad weather days they might only have 75. Then he proudly stated that God showed him that this was not it. That is, that was not really what God had for him to do. He had bigger and better things in store for him. Now he pastors a church with a membership of around 15,000 and weekly worship attendance of about 5000 (not sure where the missing 10,000 are).

How sad for the poor "handful" of 150 church members that "God" and this preacher were not interested in! He was only biding his time there until he found the people "God" had not not given him yet. How much sadder that this scenario is replicated over and over again in modern American churches.

Pastor the people who are there

We live in a time when many pastors are not pastors but hirelings. They evaluate and accept a call on its temporal merits, including how much income it provides. Many young men hope to build a legacy -- or at least get started up the ladder -- by taking a small church and growing it. Aside from the fact that this ignores that it is God who gives the increase, it also approaches the pastorate with a priority finding new people/more people to attend church. I told someone just the other day that if a man doesn't want to pastor the people who are already there, then they don't need him as a pastor. This is not that we don't want more people/new people to come, but a pastors first responsibility is to pastor the people who are already there and not some imaginary people that he wants to be there. 

A few days after thinking about writing this, I ran across 4 Ways to Become a Horrible Pastor by Andy Flowers. One of the four ways (of becoming a horrible pastor) that he mentions is to "Love church growth more than the church." He said it better than I can (and first), so I want to quote him.

• A pastor who sees the church as a means of growing his little kingdom here on earth is a horrible pastor. He looks right over the needs of the people in the pews in an attempt to attract new people.
• There are things that a pastor can do to attract more people to the church building that have little to do with the gospel.
• A horrible pastor will love the imaginary people who don’t go to his church more than the real people who are already there.

Don't be a horrible pastor. Forsake love of money, your personal agenda, and self aggrandizement. Preach the word (2 Tim. 4:2). Feed the sheep (Acts 20:28). Equip the saints (Eph. 4:12).

The Life that Sings

Psalm 104:33 I will sing unto the LORD as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.
Psalm 146:2 While I live will I praise the LORD: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being.

I've heard the expression "the life that sings", but don't know the source. I'm thinking maybe a poem or book title. But I want to use it today as a metaphor for joyful and hilarious service to the Lord, as opposed to mere dutiful and mechanical service.

As with the hymn writer S. R. Penick, I hope I can truly say "My soul's delight has been to sing..." It wasn't always that way. I was raised in a home and family where singing was as essential as the the warp and woof of woven fabric. If there was a singing in the area, we would most likely be there participating. As a small child this was merely an unquestioned normal part of life. As I grew into a teenager I realized there were other things to do and that most other people were doing those other things. My life became not "a life that sings," but one that wanted to be somewhere else doing something else. Physically I was present; begrudgingly I was there. Finally a time came when the choice was mine, and I no longer attended and participated in singings. Then, with neither plans nor expectation, in a few short years my whole life changed. Like a boomerang I came back. I can't pinpoint a particular experience or trigger, but imperceptibly it all came back to me. I settled into "a life that sings" by choice, in exhilaration, and with love. I want these lines inscribed upon my tomb: "Here lies the dust of R.L.V., his spirit sings at home."

Every Christian is not a singer. Not only are there literal "lives that sing," but also spiritual lives that sing. That person may be tone deaf to earthly sounds of music, yet lives a life to joyfully and hilariously serve God. Not because he or she has to, but because they want to. Not just for duty, but for love.The "life that sings" is one that serves from a love springing deep within the heart. What duty is, the heart wants. We can and ought to be obedient children, faithful spouses, dutiful church members and sincere Christians. But does your life sing?

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.


Without love we are nothing. With love, the life sings.

Now shall my inward joys arise,
And burst into a song;
Almighty love inspires my heart,
And pleasure tunes my tongue.
(Isaac Watts)

True Servant

Heard this on the radio from Charles Stanley:
"Based on those words, many churches have made foot washing an obligation. They believe this act shows Christlikeness and demonstrates willingness to 'serve'. Perhaps that’s true for some believers. But, many perform the ceremony solely out of obedience. Jesus’ message to the disciples and to modern believers is not literally to wash dirty feet. He wants us to serve one another with humility and love."

John 13 -- The true servant
The true servant does not wait to be asked to serve (sensitive to needs; volunteers)
The true servant does not criticize others who don't serve (doesn't compare with others; not looking for recognition).
The true servant serves without expecting reciprocation (not giving to receive)
The true servant learns to receive as well as give (pride not only keeps us from giving, but from receiving as well).
The true servant serves those who reject him (Judas, e.g.)

On the first quote, I don't completely agree because I don't think it has to be either/or. The five points on the true servant seem valid and true to the text/context.