Welcome, friends, to another
broadcast of Morsels for Zion's Poor. Most often the conception
of men is that men have the power to form a church or join a church
or even build one. But this concept is not taught
in the scriptures. The apostles never planted churches,
organized them, nor did they in any wise build them. True
churches are established by him who is the head of the church.
The church is spoken of as a living organism which has its power
in cohesiveness, not in its rules, structures, covenants, or creeds,
but in Christ himself, and hath put all things under his feet,
and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, which
is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all.
A true New Testament church cannot function without his daily presence,
nor can it be sustained without his constant supply. The Apostle
John was given a vision of stars and candlesticks. The mystery
of the seven stars, which thou sawest in my right hand, and
the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels
of the seven churches, and the seven candlesticks, which thou
sawest, are the seven churches. It is interesting that the churches
gathered in the various cities are likened unto candlesticks
and not candles. All that a candlestick is, is
a holder for the candle. In this illustration, Christ
is the candle, for he is indeed the light of his people. This
is never demonstrated more clearly than here in the book of Revelation
where he issued warnings to these churches and reminded them of
his way and doctrine. Then history records that none
of these churches are still around today. So we will learn from
that that whenever he removes the candle from the candlestick
that it will cease to be a church. How utterly dependent the Lord's
true churches are upon him. They can neither go out nor come
in, rise up or sit down without him. The average so-called church
today would never know if the Lord was ever in it or departed
from it because they have an agenda, a plan, and an organization
in place that depends on men to carry it out and does not
need any outside help. They determine who will be a
part of it and clamor to gain new members by whatever means
is at their disposal. He who walks among the candlesticks
has taught us that the glory of the church is Christ. He is
the head of the body. Colossians 1.18 says that in
all things he might have the preeminence. The church exists
for the purpose of magnifying the glory of his person. The
church can add nothing to him who is worthy of all praise,
but is merely the stage in this world where it is plainly demonstrated
that the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our
Lord and of his Christ. And he shall reign forever and
ever to the intent that now under the principalities and powers
and heavenly places might be known by the church, the manifold
wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose, which he purposed
in Christ Jesus, our Lord. The Church does not exist for
the exaltation of preachers, but for the glory of Christ alone.
Woe be to that man or group of men who would attempt to be lords
over God's heritage, who love to have the preeminence by exalting
their position above that of a mere servant. Through the years,
there have been many who have turned their role as an under-shepherd,
sent to watch over God's flock, into a position of kingship over
them. There is but one head of the
church, and he does not share his glory with any, nor has he
established any hierarchies among his people. He hates those who
would subjugate those whom he has delivered from all dominion
but his own. The light of the Church is Christ,
for God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has
shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of
the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. The New Testament
Church and the Gospel are inseparably linked. Wherever you find one,
you will find the other. There can be no preaching of
the Gospel where there is not a clear message of Christ as
the absolute Savior of His people. Where the gospel is preached,
one will always hear that Christ has finished the work that he
came to do. He has obtained eternal redemption
for his elect bride. The true gospel knows of no cooperative
effort between men and Christ. The life of the church is Christ.
Though the church is a living organism, it has no life of its
own, but is kept alive only by the constant supply of the life
which he supplies. When he no longer walks among
the candlesticks, supplying fire and light, that gathering of
people are but Ichabod, the glory is departed, regardless of their
programs or plans for perpetuity, nor how long they may have existed
up until that time. I am the vine, ye are the branches.
He that abideth in me and I in him, the same bringeth forth
much fruit, for without me ye can do nothing. For a free CD
containing 15 of these radio broadcasts, send an email to
forthepoor at windstream.net.