An updated repost from April 2019 that is even more relevant today in the midst of the Covid-19 crisis.
Jesus entered Jerusalem and came into the temple; and after looking around at everything, He left for Bethany with the twelve, since it was already late, Mark 11:11.
Scripture tells us Jesus cleansed the Temple twice. Once at the beginning of His ministry and again at the end. The very fact that He did this twice should get our attention. The second time was during the last week of His earthly life. He went directly to the Temple and looked around at everything. Jesus was looking, listening, inspecting and checking everything out. What was He looking for? What was He listening for? Was He pleased with what He saw and heard? We know from what He did that He wasn’t pleased at all. What He heard and saw made Him righteously angry. Some have such an unbiblical view of Jesus they cannot even visualize Him angry upending tables and causing a complete disruption in what man has made out of worship and the purpose of our gatherings.
Does He do the same today? Is He looking around at everything today, listening and watching? Yes, He is. Have we ever asked the question; Is Jesus pleased with our meetings? We may be pleased, but does that mean He is? I think we assume that He is if we are. The reverse could also be true. Just because we aren’t happy with our gatherings doesn’t mean He is. So, is He pleased with our music, worship, offerings, messages, programs, events, outreaches, etc.? When Jesus looks around at the condition of the church, ekklesia, is He pleased with what He sees? Are we being and doing what He expects?
The question we must have an answer for is what does He want from us when we meet together? When He walked into the Temple what was He looking for? What was He listening for? If we do not know the meaning of what Jesus said He would build, an ekklesia and not a church, we cannot answer the question correctly. The very fact that so many Christians do not even believe it is important to meet together reveals they do not understand what Jesus said He would build or the purpose for it.
In the Book of Revelation, Jesus told the Apostle John to write seven different letters to seven churches, ekklesias. John saw a vision of Jesus holding seven stars and He was walking among seven lampstands. Jesus then explains to John what the stars and lampstands mean.
Revelation 1:16 says this; In His right hand He held seven stars, and out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword; and His face was like the sun shining in its strength. Then in verse 20 Jesus explains to John the meaning of the seven stars and the seven lampstands. “As for the mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches ekklesias, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches ekklesias. (emphasis added)
The angels are the messengers, not spiritual beings. They are the apostolic leaders of the congregations. Jesus holds these messengers in His right hand, the hand of power and authority as well as intimacy. With these messengers in His right hand He walks among the churches, ekklesias. Do we even realize this is happening? Where does scripture say Jesus is walking? I do not know of a scripture that says Jesus is walking in my living room or around my office. We know He is with us at all times but there are no other scriptures like this one that tells us He is walking among us in the context of a gathering, an assembly, the ekklesia. He is walking with the apostolic leaders in His right hand as we are assembled together as the ekklesia. Jesus had these seven letters written for purpose. He is telling us what is important to Him in our meetings. It is not a secret. Read these letters. Notice what He mentions but, also notice what He doesn’t mention.
Some things we think are important and make a priority in our meetings Jesus doesn’t even mention. Amazing!
We are being reset and repositioned.
Joe Nicola
King's Gate 