Tehillah Generation Chapel
Daily Manna | Friday, April 6, 2018 | Reading: Exodus 33:1-11, Exodus 4, Gen 3:1-21
Topic: The Tabernacle of God 401
Scripture: But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say not of this building. (Heb 9:11)
Note: Matt 16:18, “And I say also to you, You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” One of the most glaring departures from the triple mandate given to the Church is the fierce rat race for preeminence within the ranks of various Church leadership. The call to servanthood in service has been relegated basically to new entrants into the Ministry. What we have today in many churches in terms of hierarchy, has nothing to reflect in common with the mandate given to the Church.
The call to service with the qualification being the heart of the lowliest servant, has now been turned into a tool for control of others in the Church. At a time when we should be emulating Jesus in serving one another in lowliness of heart and mind, seeking to build one another up in humility and love, we’re more preoccupied with our grand agenda of how we can manipulate and capitalise on the weaknesses of others in order to advance our parochial agenda. Earthly reasons for self aggrandizement have become the prime motive for what’s supposed to be a spiritual agenda.
Multiplicity of factors, most of them not very different from the interesting hypocritical lifestyle of the Pharisees, when they became obstacles in the way of Jesus, have become the same traps that have bedevilled the Church of today. Real life stories abound in the literal fierce wars that are witnessed anytime leadership of various churches are going through a transition for reelection of new leaders. The fierce confrontations, the comic drama, the underhand dealings behind the scenes, are the common happenings when they should rather be praying and waiting on the Lord for directions. Their actions could be the envy of people strategically vying for political positions. These are some of the legacies that have slowly masked Christ’s mandate for the Church.
Lowly hearts have skillfully morphed into giant hearts with grand agenda that goes beyond the simple mandates of Jesus. Parochial interests, fuelled by sheer greed, desire for fame, power and control, have become the new identities that are holding the Christ’s body hostage from a Spirit led, Spirit controlled and Spirit empowered Church taking her rightful position in the Kingdom of God, to demonstrate God’s love, God’s grace and God’s power on earth.
Food for thought: When God’s Spirit leads, we shall see the fruit and power of the Spirit.
Declaration: Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another. Galatians 5:26
©Author: Rev Fred Aboe
