John 17
20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
I had lunch with Pastor Scott Wallis this week. We talked about this passage and how it has not yet been manifested..even in the first century if we read 2 Corinthians 11:1-22. He condemns disunity propagated by false teaching and "So Called" apostles.
Pastor Scott made the contention that the first reformation was salvation by grace and a Baptism by Water. Time of Luther. A passover reformation.
The second was a reformation of Sanctification by the Holy Spirit and a Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Started in Topeka and spread to Azuza Street. A Pentecost reformation.
The Pentecostal reformation of the last century has now seemed to run it's course.
There seem to have been some new reformational attempts, all failed. New Apostolic Reformation. Reformation in the Prophetic. A couple dozen weak man made attempts by this denomination or another have fallen flat. All work of man's hand, not God.
We have attempted thru teaching to create reformation. That no longer seems to work. My pet theologies or yours do not set people free or release the Kingdom of God on the earth. It must be of the Spirit.
Pastor Scott contends there is a reformation yet to come. One that will be MORE powerful and pervasive than the ones that have already come to pass. The feasts commanded by God are seasons that the Body of Christ has passed thru and is coming to. They are clues to what has been and what is yet to be.
The first reformation was of the feast of the Passover. Communion. Eucharist. In many churches key part of every Sunday worship is the communion cup and bread. There is a unity that looks to Jesus prayer in that, but it falls short of the fullness. That was only the first reformation. Clinging to the old has kept back the "Next".
The second Feast is First Fruits, Pentecost. That is the Reformation that happened in the 20th century. It changed the global Christian world. Most professing Christians globally are now Holy Ghost filled tongue talking believers. Yet, many of those who believe the first reformation was the only one that counted, reject the second feast reformation. Just as those who cling to the pre-reformation Roman faith reject the first reformation. The next move of God is rejected by the last one.
The third Feast not yet manifested is Tabernacles. This is the only feast that so far has not been fulfilled. It is a feast where people come together and celebrate. I have been part of such a feast. It's marvelous. This is a unity that comes in Worship and Generosity toward our God. It's not taught, it's caught. Not Explained, experienced. This will be very different. The prayer prayed at these times will not be the Lords Prayer (our Father), it will be "I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me."
Those of the first and second reformations will reject this third wave for a while. Yet it will be infectious. There will be radio programs condemning this. Books written. Oppositions. People who have made a good living creating division (denominations) will rebel at the idea that these divisions are meaningless.
Yet, the third wave of reformation will be in direct answer to Jesus prayer. ONE.
I spend time with saints of God who report glimpses of these things. Apostle Christy Minger tells me of times spent in countries who do not welcome Christianity where believers gather together in unity. People of every faith, every doctrine, every confession and in one voice worship the living God. There is no difference when the pressure is on. I have a sense that this is what the future will be, when persecution comes, unity will manifest. You will be so thankful to find any kind of fellowship, you won't care the sign over the door.
Dr John Roberts has a call of God on his life to preach unity. I have sat in his living room and heard him talk of this and there is a glimpse of what is about to come. God hates disunity. He loves true unity of the Spirit. Without the outpouring of the Spirit of God unity could not come. Without the reformation of salvation by grace alone the Outpouring of the Spirit could not have come. Each revelation of this builds on the last.
These friends of mine all carry a revelation of the truth. God is no respecter of persons. I find myself most often among people who may not share my beginnings. Most of whom do not have my life's experiences. Yet, the unity is tangible.
I have worshiped and fellowshiped with believers around the world. Europe in several places, China, Japan, Brazil and Mexico. I find unity of the Spirit the key thing even if I don't speak the language well (or at all, yet when we speak in Tongues, it's clear).
The future of the Body of Christ is the Christ and his prayer. It will be answered. We will be part of it. We can make a choice to stand on the sidelines as many from earlier reformations did and be left out, or we can embrace the move of God on the earth and the reformation of His Church into the image of HIS dear SON.
And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:18
This WE means YE and ME. We are being transformed (reformed) into HIS likeness.
ONE::
For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism and one God and Father, who is over all and in all and living through all. Ephesians 4:4-6
Now as Jean-Luc Picard would say, "Make it So"
1 comment:
I am usually suspicious of the application of the feasts to times in history, but this one is interesting.
The Feast of Tabernacles was not just about unity. The people went and lived together for the feast. If we have a permanent Feast of Tabernacles, we will need to commit to living together.
This would dramatically improve our witness. When I go to work, people see my witness. When Tim Tebow plays sport, people see his witness. This is good, but what they really need to see is the witness of the body of Christ, living out Jesus commandment to love one another. The can only happen if Christians live in close proximity to each other.
In the modern world, the church only functions as a body when we “go to church on Sunday” This is a poor witness, as those who need to see the witness of the body are not there. It is also a cop out for love. Love is not really tested when you only see your Christian brother or sister for an hour on Sunday.
When people ask me where I go to church, I say, “Church is not something that you can go to. Church is something you be, where you live.” Accordingly, my book on the shape of the church is called “Being Church Where We live.
The world is waiting for a full witness of Jesus love. Our worship does not impress them. They do not care that much about our unity. They would sit up and take notice if they saw the body of Christ demonstrating Jesus new commandment in the communities where they live.
If people want to call that a Tabernacle Reformation, fine, but we need to get on and do it.
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