The Church of Kings and Priests

A church madly in love with Jesus paves the way for cultural transformation.

Summary

Contrary to popular belief, it is not times of persecution but times of peace, prosperity and affluence that are the hardest times to be a Christian. Yet it is also a great opportunity, because truly mature faith can handle the responsibility of authority in a manner that demonstrates the true power of the gospel to transform lives.  When the church maitains authentic Christian spirituality, it draws in the kings of the earth.  When there is a union of kings and priests, cultures are transformed.

Outline

1. Last week we described the power of the church throughout the world empowered by the Holy Spirit.
   1. This message is a continuation of last week where we looked at the power of the church full of the Holy Spirit to transform lives and culture.
   2.  The goal was to inspire a conviction, a commitment and a vision.
   3. The first point that I want to highlight is that it is not surprising that the good news of the gospel which turned a wicked world governed by evil upside down met with resistance.
   4. Scripture describes the mission of the Church as a spiritual war over the souls of humanity and over the culture of nations.

1. Almost all believers agree with the 1^st statement.
2. But many would argue against the second statement because they are limited in their view of how God speaks.  They would take this position because they do not see evidence of this in the New Testament itself.
3. The problem is that they are both neglecting the Old Testament and are ignoring the sovereignty of God revealed through Church in history. GIVE EXAMPLES OF OT & CHURCH HISTORY.
4. Cultural transformation is the natural fruit of the gospel.
5. In one sense, by this persecution, we are seeing the cultural birth of Christianity on the world seen just as we saw the cultural birth of Israel as a nation as they came out of Egypt.
6. These 10 major persecutions of the Church were birth pains, just as the plagues in Egypt were birth pain.
7. EACH WERE SEEDS COMING TO MATURITY – The faith of Abraham and the family of the patriarchs came to influence the world through the nation of Israel, and the fall of the Roman empire began a similar influence of the Christian faith on nations.
8. Daniel and the kingdoms again.
9. During those 10 persecutions the Church shined like a light.
10. When persecutions ended, many people became Christians because they saw that God was with the Christians.
11. Polycarp (disciple of the Apostle John) – dream of martyrdom – commanded to deny Christ – 86 years – Fire wouldn’t burn – killed with sword and blood extinguished the flames.
12. Many miracles during times of intense persecution.
13. Disease and famine even hit where persecutions were and it was believers who took care of the unbelievers.
14. One of the most interesting elements of persecution was the rapid growth of the church in the midst of persecution.
15. The hardest time to be a Christian is in times of peace, affluence and prosperity
16. “But greater freedom brought with it arrogance and sloth. We began envying and attacking one another, making war on ourselves with weapons formed from words. Church leaders attacked church leaders and laymen formed factions against laymen, while unspeakable hypocrisy and pretense reached their evil limit. Finally, while the assemblies were still crowded, divine judgment, with its accustomed mercy, gradually started to intervene, and the persecution began with our brothers in the army. In our blindness, however, we made no effort to propitiate the Deity but, like atheists, assumed that our affairs went unnoticed, and we went from one wickedness to another. Those who were supposed to be pastors, unrestrained by the fear of God, quarreled bitterly with one another and only added to the strife, threats, jealousy, and hate, frantically claiming the tyrannical power they craved.”
17. THE TIME WE ARE LIVING IN IS AN INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY.
18. It is not the heretical or apostate church that has an opportunity, but the true Church.
19. How do we overcome in such times?

5. The great commission is a declaration of war – like America’s Declaration of Independence.
6. This battle (Over The Kingdom) is seen in the New Testament and in Church history, we see that the Church is vehemently attacked both externally and internally.
7. Eusebius, in his Ecclesiastical history, records 10 major persecutions of the church during the Roman empire. 

2. I want to look closer at these two types of attacks – The Church was attacked from without.
   1. External Persecution

2. FATE OF THE PERSECUTORS – all of the instigators of persecutions died horrible unnatural deaths, and the people, believers and unbelievers alike saw that God was with believers.

3. Marcus Aurelius Testifies – “But you hound them into trouble by accusing them of atheism and thereby add to their resolve to choose apparent death rather than life for the sake of their own god. They, then, become the conquerors when they sacrifice their lives rather than obey your commands. As to the earthquakes that happened-and are happening—you lose heart whenever they occur and provide a painful comparison between our character and theirs.”
4. THE SANCTIFYING POWER OF PERSECUTION

3. The letter to the Church in Ephesus.
   1. Revelation 2:1–5 (NKJV) — 1 “To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, ‘These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: 2 “I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; 3 and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. 4 Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.
   2. William R Newell in his commentary on Revelation wrote:  “Now the love of Christ and the Church is that of bridegroom and bride. You cannot judge by what you see in the lukewarm churches today of the intense devotion to Christ’s Person into which such assemblies as Ephesus were brought by the Holy Ghost. You may see it in the martyr days, sometimes today on the mission field, and in supremely devoted souls like Samuel Rutherford, Fletcher of Madeley, Madame Guyon, Brainerd, Payson, McCheyne, and Cookman. We regard such cases of devotion as unusual; no, we should say they are normal. Christ has immeasurable love, and that continually, for every redeemed one; and love yearns for love.”^{Total passion, infatuation, devotion, commitment, sacrifice, etc.}
      4. Our First Love: 3 forms of our first love.
         1. Love toward God
         2. Love toward others
      1. John 13:34–35 (NKJV) — 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
      2. C.S. Lewis Chronicle of Narnia (1898-1964) 1950-1956
      3. G.A. Henty 1832-1902 (Dragon and the Raven 1886)
      4. What excites a child does not excite an adult.
      5. To see Jesus is to fall in love again at any stage of maturity.
      6. Think about Polycarp.
      7. My own experience.
      3. Love for the Kingdom and rule of God
      5. When we maintain our first love, God’s throne is revealed on earth.
         1. The problem with maintaining our first love, is that we need to understand that the quality never changes but the content must as we mature.
      2. Rivers of living water.
      5. The impact of maintaining our first love on culture – WHEN THE CHURCH LEARNS HOW TO WALK CONTINUALLY IN OUR FIRST LOVE, WE WILL TRANSFORM NATIONS.
         1. Description of Bede’s Ecclesiastical History of the English People – Character and conduct of monks.
         2. “For in those days the sole concern of these teachers was to serve God, not the world; to satisfy the soul, not the belly. Accordingly the religious habit at that time was held in high esteem. Wherever any priest or monk paid a visit, he was joyfully welcomed by all as the servant of God. And if people met him on the road, they ran to him and bowed, eager to be signed by his hand or receive a blessing from his lips. Whenever he spoke a word of encouragement, he was given an attentive hearing. On Sundays the people flocked to the churches and monasteries, not to obtain food, but to hear the word of God. When a priest visited a village, the people were quick to gather together to receive the word of life; for priests and clerics always came to a village solely to preach, baptize, visit the sick, and, in short, to care for the souls of its people. They were so free from the sin of avarice that none of them would accept lands or gifts for the building of monasteries unless expressly directed to do so by the secular authorities.”
         3. THE UNION OF KINGS AND PRIESTS – Revelation 5:9–10 (NKJV) — 9 And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, 10 And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.”
         4. LSCC and Kings and Priests.
      6. The opportunity of this hour – THE GREAT COMMISSION

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      ^[1] William R. Newell, The Book of Revelation (Chicago: Moody Press, 1935), 38.