A PROPHETIC WORD FROM JESUS – Pearls Before Pigs – Part 27

Creative, Causative, Prophetic, Instructional

“Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, because they will trample them underfoot and turn to attack you and tear you to pieces.” – The Words of Jesus, Matthew 7:6

Holy refers to that which is sacred, physically pure, morally blameless or religious, ceremonially, consecrated – most holy one or thing; A follower of Christ, The Word or deeds of God.

The “pearl” as mentioned here, comes from a proverb, meaning to thrust the most sacred and precious teachings of the gospel upon the most wicked and abandoned men, incompetent as they are, through their hostility to the gospel, to receive them, and thus to profane them.

A dog, universally despised in the East, comes from the Greek word ‘kyon‘ literally, a scavenging canine; figuratively, a spiritual predator who feeds off others.  A loose dog was disdained in ancient times – viewed as a “mooch pooch” that ran about as a scavenger.

The swine was forbidden as food by the Levitical law, ( Leviticus 11:7 ; 14:8 ) the abhorrence which the Jews as a nation had of it may be inferred from (Isaiah 65:4). Swine were considered ceremonially unclean and naturally filthy animals.

They were also associated with demons (Mark 5:11-13), and another time swine and dogs are mentioned together (2 Pet. 2:22), they are associated with “false prophets”, who, like Balaam, knew the way of God but had “forsaken the right way”, men who had “known the way of righteousness”, but chose to “turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them”, showing they were Hebrews who were never saved (1 John 2:19).

This might raise questions. Why would Jesus, on the one hand, tell His disciples to “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to follow all that I commanded you” and, on the other hand, “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs”?

Is this a contradiction or a controversy, or is there a distinction?  The answer to these questions must be found by considering ‘the dogs’ and ‘the swine’ as representing, not men and women as such, but the passions of this kind or that which make them brutish. So long as they identify themselves with those passions, we must deal cautiously and wisely with them, as one would with an aggressive dog or a swine.

The dogs and swine of these verses represent those people who are hardened and altogether incapable of receiving evangelic truth, and to whom that which is holy is utterly foreign and distasteful. The capacity to discern, distinguish, or to discriminate the source of a spiritual manifestation — whether it emanates from a good or evil spirit (i.e., a ‘dog’ or a ‘swine’), is the gift and ability of discerning of spirits which is bestowed by the Holy Spirit to Christian believer.

One certain way to discern a spirit is that “Anyone who confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God”. (1 John 4:15). Conversely, they do not know Him and are not from Him.

EXAMPLE:  I became friendly with a man and his wife from our neighborhood. He was suffering from Parkinson’s disease. Having known them for several months, I asked him if he believed in God. He said He did. I then asked if I could pray for him. He assented. After praying, I told Him about having a saving relationship with Jesus. This man began to frown and became enraged. I asked him what I had said that made him so angry, and he told me to get away from him and stay away. (His wife, later, apologized, saying she had no idea why he was acting that way.)

EXAMPLE:  I once counseled a man who claimed to be a Christian, who had been charged with acts of sexual deviancy. At one point in our discussions, he told me that God understood his weakness toward sexual matters, had forgiven him, and that he could now continue to behave in that manner with impunity from God.

I felt a degree of compassion toward this man, knowing that this behavior would make his life a living hell and would destroy his chances in life. So, I told this man that his attitude and behavior demonstrated a complete lack of understanding of salvation and a severe addiction that required extensive therapy, and that he most likely was not a Christian and was in rebellion toward God and His Word.

He became defiant and angry and hostile.

I ended our meeting. This rather obvious example led me to ‘discern’ that I was right to “not give dogs what is holy, and not to throw pearls before swine, because they will trample them underfoot and turn to attack me and tear me to pieces”.

Tragic? Yes. Difficult Yes. Necessary? Also, yes. The takeaway? “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, because they will trample them underfoot and turn to attack you and tear you to pieces.”

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

(PS: It makes me sad to give these examples).

PREVIOUS:  A PROPHETIC WORD FROM JESUS – Judge Not – Part 26

NEXT:  A PROPHETIC WORD FROM JESUS – Ask, Seek, Knock – Part 28

(Please bookmark this page or subscribe for future episodes).

A PROPHETIC WORD FROM JESUS – Judge Not – Part 26

Creative, Causative, Prophetic, Instructional

“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” – The Words of Jesus, Matthew 7:1-5

Jesus has been teaching us how we must begin to clear all the ‘interference’, that is, the sin, from our spirit, our soul and our body, so we can focus our hearts and our minds on the spiritual. He is starting with the basics of becoming ‘perfected’, teaching us to have a clear mental slate, so He can write His words upon our hearts and minds. This must happen before we can expect to receive from Him and to begin the transformation from the rebellious child to the mature disciple of Christ.

We have been told to lay up treasures in heaven, for where our treasure is, there our heart will be also, and it is from the heart that spring the issues of life. In other words, change our focus and our mindset from earthly and temporal to those things above, to the Kingdom of Heaven and of eternal things.

Next, Jesus has told us to guard what we set our sights on and to guard what comes into the focus of our eyes, as they are the ‘lamp to our bodies’.

Jesus has taught us about being single-minded. He is saying to clear away the clutter of double-mindedness. The Apostle James warns that the double minded person is unstable in all his or her ways and should not expect they will receive anything from the Lord. (James 1:5-8).

Lastly, in our previous episode, Jesus taught us that we are to focus on things of an eternal nature instead of the temporal; “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness” and do not be distracted with worries about necessities of the world because God will provide.

Now, Jesus is warning – yes, warning us – once again about our focus. This time He is admonishing the believer not to be the judge or a judge, for only God is able to judge. When He says, “For with the judgment you pronounce”, He is using the Greek word, ‘kríno’ which is a judgment emphasizing a result of everlasting damnation and torment for the unredeemed. This carries with it the action of condemnation with eternal results. Also note, that Jesus is referring to a brother in the faith, “Or how can you say to your brother”, and the eternal benefits that come from the Lord’s judgment is always in favor of the redeemed. We have read, in Matthew 5:21-22, Jesus said, in a like manner, “But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother (without cause) will be liable to judgment; whoever says ‘Raca’ to his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.”

This admonition against making yourself a judge, is one of the most solemn indictments against the self-righteous, and one of the greatest obstacles to being a disciple of Jesus: You are in effect replacing God as the Judge and falsely making yourself decider of people’s eternal fate.

The answer to this error is to “first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly”.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

PS: Don’t be confused about ‘judging’. You are told to use discernment and to judge behaviors and intentions. “But realize this, that in the last days, difficult times will come. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, slanderers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; avoid such people as these.” (2 timothy 3)

PREVIOUS:  A PROPHETIC WORD FROM JESUS – Do Not Be Anxious – Part 25.

NEXT:   A PROPHETIC WORD FROM JESUS – Do Not Give Dogs What Is Holy – Part 27.

(Please bookmark this page or subscribe for future episodes).

Picking Daisies, Chasing Butterflies

I have been a youth soccer coach. One of my most interesting times was helping with a group of five-year-old girls. The trick when it came to teaching these little girls the game of soccer, as I learned, was to slip in some soccer tips between the flower picking, butterfly chasing and girl-chats.

If you are the type of coach who must have the player’s attention and demand they follow your instructions, this is not the team for you. These are little girls, first, and they are out there for a good time.

Don’t get me wrong. They like to kick the ball and run up and down the field, but they are easily distracted by the wonders around them. If you keep these things in mind, and enjoy the experience with these kids, you will go away with some great memories.

Things change as kids get older, though – or one might think. It is especially true when it comes to achievement and competition. The successful ones can be both competitive and achievement oriented, and somehow hang on to the gift of wonder.

Not everyone will agree with my previous statement, but later in life, when our bones, bodies and minds grow a little more brittle, and we are forced to slow things down, you will see what I mean.

There will come a time when you either lose interest or ability, and then all you have left is your memories. It is then that you will either have the ability to enjoy the remaining wonders of life, or you will just wonder – you will wonder what just happened!

I see it every day. The ‘great divide’ between those who have lived a long life and are still able to enjoy their remaining years, enjoying the remaining wonders of life; and those who have become old, resentful and cranky about, well, about just about everything. They are especially cranky about their loss. They will have lost the only thing they ever had – the ability to achieve and compete.

If you are a young adult or middle-aged, you still have time to adjust your course if needed. I won’t go through some serendipitous, feel-good list of things you can do, like ‘stop and smell the flowers’ or ‘watch a beautiful sunset with someone you love’. I will leave that to you.

But what I will suggest is just one of the principles which will lead you to a new world of wonder and reward.

Give that which you want to receive. The secret here is to give freely. In other words, you cannot get the benefits of giving if you are expecting something in return.

Give unconditional kindness.

Give unconditional goodness.

Give unconditional respect.

Give honor without conditions.

Give your love without conditions.

Give your time.

There is an ancient and proven saying that advises, “Give, and it will be given to you. Give and others will pour into your lap a good measure; it will be pressed down, shaken together, and running over, until there is no space left for more. It is by the standard of measurement you use when you do good to others, that it will be measured to you in return.”  (See Luke 6:38)

This is not a magic formula. It is more like a seed. A seed you are patiently and carefully planting. Sometimes the ground will be hard and rocky and dry. But you plant anyway. Carefully, deliberately and patiently. You turn the soil. Water and fertilize the planting. Then one day you will stand in wonder and amazement as your giving begins to yield its fruit. Some a hundred times what you have sown; some sixty time and some thirty. (See Matthew 13:8).

There may be times that you want to doubt. But stay with it. It will bear fruit in its season. Believe me. (Or believe the thousands upon thousands who have discovered this secret of secrets to be true and have lived their lives out in the satisfaction of wonder and true success.)

And, believe me, the benefits will far outweigh your efforts.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young.

(who is still in the process of trying to get this right).

THE THING ABOUT CROWDS – AND JESUS

It is interesting and telling that the Bible mentions the word CROWD or CROWDS, in relation to Jesus, 143 times in the New Testament (NASB version).

THE CROWDS GREW and followed Jesus everywhere. Here are just a few examples from the 143 mentions of crowds following Jesus:

“Large crowds followed Him from Galilee and the Decapolis and Jerusalem and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan.” Matthew 4:25.

“When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him.” Matthew 5:1.

“When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching;” Matthew 7:28.

“When Jesus came down from the mountain, large crowds followed Him.” Matthew 8:1.

“But when the crowds saw this, they were awestruck, and glorified God, who had given such authority to men.” Matthew 9:8.

“After the demon was cast out, the mute man spoke; and the crowds were amazed, and were saying, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.” Matthew 9:33.

“And large crowds gathered to Him, so He got into a boat and sat down, and the whole crowd was standing on the beach.” Matthew 13:2.

THE DYNAMICS OF THE CROWDS

The second thing interesting and telling about the crowds that followed Jesus is the dynamics.

There are 16,435 sermons on the subject of CROWDS at sermon central.  One message struck a chord with me.  The speaker described crowds, to include gangs.  He spoke of why and how crowds form, the intentions of crowds, the makeup of crowds, the psychology of crowds, the effect of crowds and the different types of crowds.

Toward the end of the message, the speaker remarked, “And Christianity is one of the largest CROWDS in the world.  In fact, it is almost like a “GANG”.

You see, “GANG members” have their own titles, their own logos and symbols they wear.  They have their own music style, their way of dressing and acting.  And, sometimes, GANG members can be intimidating, just like Christians.

“But, Christians have even more.  They have their own buildings, artwork, radio and televisions and broadcast stations and satellite networks.  They have their own banking systems, clothing lines, banks and religious centers.”

INTERESTING AND TELLING

After I read these passages, I wondered.  “HAVE I BECOME A GANG MEMBER?  Or part of the CROWD?”

After you read this letter, I’ll ask you, also, “Have you become a gang member?  Or part of a crowd?

Watch carefully as the Crowds in the Bible, who followed Jesus around, go from

• Inquisitive to
• Amazement and
• Adoration, and then become
• Angry – every time.  Every time.

THE THING ABOUT CROWDS

I am giving just a few examples here, how crowds acted and reacted to Jesus following the pattern of Inquisitive to Amazement & Adoration, to and then Angry:

INQUISITIVE

Matthew 4:23, “Jesus was going throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people.  (v24)  The news about Him spread throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all who were ill, those suffering with various diseases and pains, demoniacs, epileptics, paralytics; and He healed them.  Verse 25.  Large CROWDS followed Him from Galilee and the Decapolis and Jerusalem and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan.

AMAZED.

Matthew 7:28, “When Jesus had finished these words, the CROWDS were amazed at His teaching;

Matthew 8:1, “When Jesus came down from the mountain, large CROWDS followed Him.

Matthew 9:8, “But when the CROWDS saw this, they were awestruck, and glorified God, who had given such authority to men.

Matthew 14:19, “Ordering the people to sit down on the grass, He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up toward heaven, He blessed the food, and breaking the loaves He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the CROWDS, verse 20, and they all ate and were satisfied. They picked up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve full baskets.

Verse 21. “There were about five thousand men who ate, besides women and children.

ADORED.

Matthew 21:9, “The CROWDS going ahead of Him, and those who followed, were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David; BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD; Hosanna in the highest!”

ANGRY.

John 6:24 So when the CROWD saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they themselves got into the small boats, and came to Capernaum seeking Jesus.

Verse 51. “I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh.”

Verse 53. “So, Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves.

Verse 54. “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.

Verse 55. “For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink.

Verse 66. ” As a result of this, many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore.

Matthew 26:55, “At that time Jesus said to the CROWDS, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me as you would against a robber? Every day I used to sit in the temple teaching and you did not seize Me.

Matthew 27:20, “But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to put Jesus to death.

What has been your pattern while following Jesus, so far?

• Were you, initially, INQUISITIVE?
• Have you come to be AMAZED by Him?
• Do you ADORE Him?

BEWARE:  The next step in this pattern is ANGER.  It doesn’t flare up all-at-once.  It is gradual and progressive.  As long as you think you are getting what you expected, you are full of wonder and amazement, showing adoration for God.

But then, perhaps the music at church, has become less than what you expect, and you become annoyed.  Maybe the sermons aren’t ‘feeding you’ just right, so you have become dissatisfied.  Maybe the sermons are too ‘hard’ or about Bible subjects you don’t like, such as sin or hell, and they bother you so you miss a Sunday here and there.  And maybe, on one of those missed Sundays, nobody from the church called to see about you, and you feel neglected or ignored, so you get angry.  Yep.  ANGER sets in and the patter is complete.

Now, you should ask yourself, are you following Jesus as His disciple?  Or, are you just following Him around – as part of the CROWD?

This is what can happen when you become part of the CHURCH CROWD.

Jesus did not call us to be THE CROWD.  He called us to BE THE CHURCH and to BE HIS DISCIPLES who go and make other disciples.

We are NOT to be part of the church gang, following after the conferences, the church programs and becoming just a weekly attendee of the religious services (aka, worship services).

Finally, regarding the dynamics of these crowds of people who were following Jesus is that when Jesus began to make clear that there is a difference between just following Him around and actually FOLLOWING HIM – the crowds began to thin.

And He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of people.” Matthew 4:19.

“And another of the disciples said to Him, “Lord, allow me first to go and bury my father.” But Jesus said to him, “Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead.” Matthew 8:21-22.

“And the one who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.” Matthew 10:38.

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me.” Matthew 16:24.

Jesus said to him, “If you want to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” Matthew 19:21.

And He summoned the crowd together with His disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me”. Mark 1:17.

“Another also said, “I will follow You, Lord; but first permit me to say goodbye to those at my home.” But Jesus said to him, “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” Luke 9:61-62.

It was becoming clear, to many, that there is a cost associated with following Jesus as a disciple – the crowds began to thin.

Matthew 14:15 – crowds

Matthew 14:19 – crowds

Matthew 14:22 – crowds

Matthew 14:23 – crowds

Matthew 15:30 – crowds

Matthew 15:39 – crowds

Matthew 19:2 – crowds

Matthew 21:9 – crowds

And in the end, when the pressure to follow Jesus in any circumstance, it came down to one:

Matthew 14:22, “Immediately afterward He compelled the (twelve) disciples to get into the boat and to go ahead of Him to the other side, while He sent the crowds away. Verse 23. After He had sent the crowds away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone. Verse 24. But the boat was already a long distance from the land, battered by the waves; for the wind was contrary. Verse 25. And in the fourth watch of the night, He came to them, walking on the sea. Verse 26. When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear. Verse 27. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”

Verse 28. “Peter responded and said to Him, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” Verse 29. And He said, “Come!” And Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water, and came toward Jesus.

Matthew 14:29 “And He said, “Come!” And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus.”

After all the crowds of people saw Jesus and saw the miracles, only ONE believed enough to take the risk and get out of the boat!

I ask one last time: “What has been your pattern while following Jesus, so far?”

Were you, initially, INQUISITIVE?

Have you come to be AMAZED by Him?

Do you ADORE Him?

Do you believe Him?

Will you actually follow Him?

BE the ONE and answer His call.  Turn this world BACK upside down in Jesus Name!  BE THE ONE – Now, go and rescue just ONE.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

MORE?  Go here:   ONLY ONE.

THE EMBRYONIC CHURCH – AND NOW IT BEGINS

Luke Chapter Nine – Ministry of the Twelve Disciples of Jesus.

Luke 9:1, Now He called the twelve (disciples) together and gave them power and authority over all the demons, and the power to heal diseases. Verse 2. And He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to perform healing. Verse 3. And He said to them, “Take nothing for your journey, neither a staff, nor a bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not even have two tunics. Verse 4. And whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that city. Verse 5. And as for all who do not receive you, when you leave that city, shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” Verse 6. And as they were leaving, they began going throughout the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.

Luke Chapter 10 – The Seventy (two) Sent Out by Jesus.

Luke 10:1, Now after this the Lord appointed seventy-two others, and sent them in pairs ahead of Him to every city and place where He Himself was going to come. Verse 2. And He was saying to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore, plead with the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. Verse 3. Go; behold, I am sending you out like lambs in the midst of wolves. Verse 4. Carry no money belt, no bag, no sandals, and greet no one along the way. Verse 5. And whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house.’ Verse 6. And if a man of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him; but if not, it will return to you. Verse 7. Stay in that house, eating and drinking what they provide; for the laborer is deserving of his wages. Do not move from house to house. Verse 8. Whatever city you enter and they receive you, eat what is served to you; Verse 9, and heal those in it who are sick, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ Verse 10. But whatever city you enter and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, Verse 11, ‘Even the dust of your city which clings to our feet we wipe off in protest against you; yet be sure of this, that the kingdom of God has come near.’ Verse 12. I say to you, it will be more tolerable on that day for Sodom than for that city.

The Joyful Results

Luke 10:17, Now the seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name!” Verse 18. And He said to them, “I watched Satan fall from heaven like lightning. 19Behold, I have given you authority to walk on snakes and scorpions, and authority over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you. Verse 20. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven.”

Matthew Chapter 10 – The Twelve Disciples; Instructions for Service

Matthew 10:1, Jesus summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every sickness.

Verse 2. Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew; and James the son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Verse 3, Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Verse 4. Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, the one who also betrayed Him.

Verse 5. These twelve Jesus sent out after instructing them, saying, “Do not go on a road to Gentiles, and do not enter a city of Samaritans; Verse 6, but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Verse 7. And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Verse 8. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those with leprosy, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give. Verse 9. Do not acquire gold, or silver, or copper for your money belts, Verse 10, or a bag for your journey, or even two tunics, or sandals, or a staff; for the worker is deserving of his support. Verse 11. And whatever city or village you enter, inquire who is worthy in it, and stay at his house until you leave that city.

There have been and there are influential and powerful people in the Church who have said and will say that what Jesus did as it is recorded in Matthew chapters ten and eleven and in Luke chapters nine and ten was NOT a model for future missionary evangelism. They say it was just a record of Jesus sending His disciples and followers to the Jew only; or they say it was simply Jesus laying the groundwork for future missionary and evangelistic efforts, which, by necessity, would change and evolve with the changes in technology, social norms and advances in education.

To these ideas I say, nonsense!

WHY, OH WHY?

Why would God record ‘temporary and unimportant information or events’ in His Word (The Bible) – which is meant to be eternal? Are we just being entertained?

No. He would not, He did not and He does not.

Every word in the Bible, all scripture is God-breathed, given by divine inspiration, and is profitable for instruction, for conviction of sin, for correction of error and restoration to obedience, for training in righteousness, that is for learning to live in conformity to God’s will, both publicly and privately—behaving honorably with personal integrity and moral courage; so that the man (or woman) of God may be complete and proficient, outfitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work. (see 2 Timothy 3:16-17).

I am a simple thinker; possibly hampered, being a linear thinker, for the most part. But I also consider myself  a critical thinker. I like to try, when reading credible sources which suggest they offer insight to truth into our ever devolving world, first, to take what I read at face value wherever and whenever possible. I then try analyze available facts, evidence, observations, and arguments in order to form a judgement by the application of rational, skeptical, analyses and evaluation.

Please note, I am telling you these things about me because I am not alone. Everyone has a standard – a believability plumbline – by which they measure and observe the things they see, hear and read for its veracity. So, everyone will be biased in some fashion to some degree. It is unavoidable if one is to form and draw their own conclusions. Therefore, some might say that I am biased because I filter all that I read and consider through the lenses of the Bible – on of the oldest and most carefully studied, critiqued and guarded documents in existence. The Bible is a record of history and of faith, which has shaped our world. I, by no means, discount secular world history, but it has been written, debated and disputed by brilliant minds who regularly disagree on many issues and points, depending on the points of view taken. Mine is the Bible.

Therefore, I refuse to stray too far from the obvious when it is framed within the context of the whole. And the obvious face value reading of Matthew chapters ten and eleven and Luke chapters nine and ten, say that Jesus called the twelve (disciples) together and gave them power and authority over all the demons, and the power to heal diseases. and to proclaim the kingdom of God and to perform healing. He told them to take nothing for their journey, (neither a staff, nor a bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not even have two tunics), and whatever house they would enter, they were to stay there until they left that city.

THE EARLY CHRISTIAN CHURCH

“The early Christians believed that Jesus is the very presence of God. They believed that the body of Christ, the church, constitutes a temple. When the Lord Jesus was on earth, He made some radically negative statements about the Jewish Temple.’

“The one that angered many Jews most was His announcement that if the Temple was destroyed, He would build a new one in three days! (See John 2:19-21.)

“Though Jesus was referring to the Temple that existed in the architectural sense, He was really speaking of His body. Jesus said that after this temple was destroyed, He would raise it up in three days.

“He was referring to the real temple—the Ekklesia—which He raised up in Himself on the third day (Ephesians 2:6).

“Since Christ has risen, we Christians have become the temple of God.

“At His resurrection, Christ became a “life-giving spirit” (1 Corinthians 15:45). Therefore, He could take up residence in the believers, thus making them His Temple, His house. It is for this reason that the New Testament always reserves the word church (ekklesia) for the people of God. It never uses this word to refer to a building of any sort.” (Excerpts within quotation marks are from Frank Viola & George Barna’s book, “Pagan Christianity”, Tyndale Publishing, 2002, 2008)

“When Christianity was born, it was the only religion on the planet that had no sacred objects, no sacred persons, and no sacred spaces.

“Although surrounded by Jewish synagogues and pagan temples, the early Christians were the only religious people on earth who did not erect sacred buildings for their worship. The Christian faith was born in homes, out in courtyards, and along roadsides. For the first three centuries, the Christians did not have any special buildings!

“As one scholar put it, “The Christianity that conquered the Roman Empire was essentially a home-centered movement.”

“Meeting in homes was a conscious choice of the early Christians.” It was a coming together in a more intimate setting, a ones’ home. Very little could be hidden in such an environment.

THE DRIFT BEGINS – 391 A.D.

The Church was barely out of its infancy when the religious spirit of innovation appeared, in the late second and third centuries, and a shift occurred.

“Christians not only adopted sacred spaces, they also had created sacred objects. (They would soon develop a sacred priesthood.) It might seem they had forgotten Moses and the golden calf.

“In all of this, the second and third century Christians began to assimilate the magical mind-set that characterized existent pagan thinking.

“These factors made the Christian terrain ready for the man who would be responsible for creating church buildings. In AD 327, Constantine began erecting the first church buildings throughout the Roman Empire, some at public expense.’ In so doing, he followed the path of the pagans in constructing temples to honor God. Augustine of Hippo (later, sainted by the Catholic church), began his work of making the Christian Movement ‘legitimate’ by government and Catholic standards.

“Interestingly, he named his church buildings after saints — just as the pagans named their temples after gods. Constantine built his first church buildings upon the cemeteries where the Christians held meals for the dead saints. (I ask, WHAT WOULD YOU CALL AN ACT LIKE THAT?)

“Constantine brought peace for all Christians.'” Under his reign, the Christian faith had become legitimate. In fact, it had risen to a status greater than Judaism and paganism.

“For these reasons, the Christians saw Constantine’s rise to emperor as an act of God. Here was God’s instrument who had come to their rescue.

“Christianity and Roman culture were now melded together.” (Again I ask, WHAT WOULD YOU CALL THAT?)

“The Christian building demonstrates that the church, whether she wanted it or not, had entered into a close alliance with pagan culture.’ As Will Durant, author of The Story of Civilization (a sweeping, eleven-volume work on world history that earned him a Pulitzer Prize), put it, “Pagan isles remained in the spreading Christian sea.”

“This was a tragic shift from the primitive simplicity that the church of Jesus Christ first knew. The first-century Christians were opposed to the world’s systems and avoided any contact with paganism. This all changed during the fourth century, when the church emerged as a public institution in the world and began to “absorb and Christianize pagan religious ideas and practices.

“As one historian put it, “Church buildings took the place of temples; church endowments replaced temple lands and funds.”

“Under Constantine, tax-exempt status was granted for all church property.

“Consequently, the story of the church building is the sad saga of Christianity borrowing from heathen culture and radically transforming the face of our faith.

“To put it bluntly, the church buildings of the Constantinian and post-Constantinian era essentially became holy shrines. The Christians embraced the concept of the physical temple. They imbibed the pagan idea that there exists a special place where God dwells in a special way. And that place is made “with hands.”‘ (Once again, I ask, WHAT WOULD YOU CALL AN ACT LIKE THAT?)

“As with other pagan customs that were absorbed into the Christian faith (such as the liturgy, the sermon, clerical vestments, and hierarchical leadership structure), third- and fourth-century Christians incorrectly attributed the origin of the church building to the Old Testament. But this was misguided thinking.”

“Most Americans are struggling to clarify their identity. They tend to see themselves as unique individuals, Americans, members of their family, occupational professionals, consumers, and then as followers of Christ — in that order of priority.

“In the minds and hearts of most Americans — even those whose beliefs classify them as “born-again Christians”— their identity as a follower of Christ pales in importance in comparison to the other roles they embrace. (WHAT WOULD YOU CALL THAT MINDSET?)

“Oddly, most of the born again Christians consider themselves to be servants of God and to have been transformed by their faith in Christ.

“Clearly, there are some missing connections in this self-evaluation. Perhaps the confusion is due to the enormous number of inter-actions and responsibilities that people take on each day.

“Maybe it has to do with the disjointed, topical teaching that most of us receive from our churches. It may even be attributable to the lure of competing perspectives and images bombarding us from the ever-present media.

“The bottom line is really quite simple: You are a priest of God, a minister of the Lord Jesus Christ, and a member of His glorious body. Through your declaration of allegiance to Jesus and your stated desire to live with Him forever, you have a responsibility to be a functioning priest, minister, and member of the Body .

“The organized church has moved down a winding path over the past two thousand years. The only way to get it back on track is for each of us to begin prayerfully exploring the original plan that God had for His people, and then to be willing to respond faithfully to that plan. (Excerpts from Frank Viola & George Barna’s book, “Pagan Christianity”, Tyndale Publishing, 2002, 2008).

I say, “enough of this dangerous game of creative re-imaginative religious realignment.

I would like to suggest that we break the current man-made rigid religious molds. That we break these chains of manmade traditions that are binding us. I suggest that we go back to the beginning. The beginning of what Jesus taught and modeled and re-learn something old, making it new.

It is time we stopped ‘going to church’ to be served (i.e., to get what we want), and start assembling as the Church in order to serve God by finding OUR PURPOSE AS THE CHURCH by doing the works of Jesus!

Click the following link, and begin to pray for God’s Wisdom and discernment.  An invitation.

I humbly offer this after fifteen years of prayer, study, seeking God, asking for His Wisdom to know and follow His Call. I sincerely and prayerfully urge you to do the same.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

“I assure you and most solemnly say to you, unless you repent, that is, change your inner self–your old way of thinking, live changed lives and become like children trusting, humble, and forgiving, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives and welcomes one child like this in My name receives Me.”

Matthew 18:3-5