Looking at the Church Through the Eyes of God
By Pastor James May
July 26, 2011
How does God see his church today? What is the main factor in the mind of God when he looks at the church?
There are a lot of things that come to my mind as I look at the church.
1) I see a lot of churches that are filled with people who love God and yet are faced with nearly impossible situations every day. Sometimes the circumstances of life nearly choke the life out of even the most sold out Child of God. No matter how much we want to serve the Lord; or what vision we may have; there are times when we seem to lose faith and wonder what God is doing in us?
2) I see churches that are caught up in listening more to the voice of men than the voice of God, embracing the methods that have made other ministries and churches grow to vast numbers and tremendous financial resources, with outreach programs that meet the needs of so many people. These churches are bursting at the seams, unable to build fast enough to keep up with the crowds who attend. (But when we try to use their methods; it creates little more than a small pop and then it fizzles out)
3) I see churches whose focus is on pleasing men rather than God; whose image among those of the world is a primary focus and they love the praises of men. Their desire seems to be more focused on what the news has to say about them than what God has to say.
4) I see churches who love the Word of God; in fact they love the scriptures so much that they are fully focused on soaking up any teaching that they can get. The problem is that they often consider the words of the preacher or teacher who wrote the commentary, to be more important than the Bible itself. How many doctrines in the church have come from the teachings of a man and not of the Word of God itself?
5) I see the small churches, like all of those in our district, who are struggling to make ends meet; and whose greatest desire is to be led by the Holy Ghost, filled with the power of the Holy Ghost and preachers who are fully committed to preaching the truth to a lost and dying world; and yet the world relegates those small churches to the ranks of the unsuccessful and irrelevant because their impact is so limited.
Who can deny that the church of these last days is a very diversified and divided group? Jesus gave us a snapshot of the differences in his church in the Book of Revelation, chapters 2 and 3. Where do we as a church; and you as a part of the church fit in his description of the Seven Churches of Asia?
We have those who can be identified with the Laodicean Church; a rich church that doesn’t want or need God’s help to operate their programs; who can fulfill the desires of the flesh for all who attend, but there is no gospel going forth to change the hearts of the people and turn them to a life in Christ.
Some identify with the Ephesian Church because they are bearing the name of Christ, holding onto the gospel and preaching the truth, yet they are slowing losing the anointing of the Holy Ghost because of the lack of a personal relationship with Jesus.
There are those who are like the Church of Smyrna that Jesus names in Revelation 2:8. They are poor in this world’s goods, without stately sanctuaries or ornate buildings, but they are rich in the presence of the Holy Spirit. While there are some of these in America, I would have to say that the majority of these “Spiritually Rich Churches” are found in foreign lands where there is no access to the wealth of this world, and they have to fully rely on God. Many of them face persecution as great as anything mentioned in the Bible.
Like someone said a few days ago, “We in America don’t know what persecution is. Our idea of persecution is to have someone snicker at us when we are saying a blessing over dinner at a restaurant.”
Some of our churches identify with the Church at Pergamos. Their great works among men are knows around the world, but they aren’t holding on to the fullness of the truth of God’s Word and are casting a stumbling block before men because they are teaching that a doctrine of universalism where all men will be saved even if they don’t give up their idols.
Others are more like Thyatira Church whose works are also very great and very good. Their people are committed to serving those in need and every member is taught to use their “Spiritual Gift” in service to God and man. They speak a lot of “Christianese”, but their works far outweigh their faithfulness to Jesus. The worst part is that there is never a message on true repentance coming from the pulpit. The people of the church leave the church week after week with the weight of sin still upon them, but they feel good about themselves because they have been busy working for the Lord. Someone needs to tell them that all the good works in the world won’t wash away sin.
One of the most prevalent types of church in our world today are those like the Church at Sardis. They speak of the anointing of the Holy Ghost. They talk about the Holy Spirit being in their services. They claim to have a relationship with Jesus. But if you look closely, you will find the word “Ichabod” written over the door as you walk in. Neither the Holy Ghost, nor the Lord Jesus, have been in their church for a long time. They are spiritually dead, having a form of religion but no power.
Then there are a blessed minority of our churches that are more like the Philadelphian Church. Their works are Christ centered; their ministry is dedicated wholly unto the Lord; they are listening to the voice of God as he speaks; and God has placed before them an open door into the very presence of God. They are holding on to the truth of the gospel, preaching sound doctrine, and lifting up the name of Jesus for the whole world to hear. I believe that this church, more than any of the others, is the church that is watching and waiting, preparing herself for the coming of the Lord to take his church away. I want to be a part of this church. I hope and pray that we all are in this number.
Jesus walks in the midst of his church all of the time, just looking to see where we are spiritually; hoping to hear someone call out his name in prayer, in praise, in worship and in the preaching of the Word of God. After all, unless the name of Jesus is preached, how will souls be saved?
Now when we, as mortal men who are called of God, look at the church, we often focus on what’s wrong instead of what’s right with the church. While this is not necessarily a bad thing because we are every on guard to keep the gospel message pure, let us also pray that we not forget how Jesus looks at his church.
Yes, Jesus looks at the church, like he did in Revelation, and points out the wrongs. He never condones sin in the church. He never whitewashes what’s wrong. He points out the problems, but I do not get the sense in Revelation that he is condemning the church. Jesus is walking in our midst today, showing us the things that need to be fixed, but never cursing his church for the evils that exist.
I believe that Jesus is looking at his church with tears in his eyes saying, “Please repent of the wrongs. Do that which is right. I don’t want to condemn you in the end.” Jesus desires that all of his children, no matter what label they may put on their door, would turn to him in repentance. The sign on the church building isn’t important. What’s important is the Jesus in your heart. He is ever waiting, reaching out in love to bring them home. Jesus is a picture of the father just waiting patiently, hoping with all his heart, that his wayward sons and daughters would come home again. He stands there, with a ring in his hand; not a ring for your finger; but a ring that forms a Crown of Life and a Crown of Righteousness that he just wants to present to you. Jesus died for us all; even the people of God who have turned their backs on him and started walking away.
I believe that the Lord wants you to see just how he feels about his church, even with all of its troubles, faults and failures. Let’s look over the Song of Solomon chapters 1 and 2 for a few minutes. In the first chapter we see where the church is represented as we speak to our Lord whom we love so much.
Song of Solomon 1:6, "Look not upon me, because I am black, because the sun hath looked upon me: my mother's children were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards; but mine own vineyard have I not kept."
Song of Solomon 1:7, "Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon: for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions?"
Can you see the attitude of the true church of Jesus in these verses? Here we are right now because we truly love the Lord with all that is in us. Our greatest desire is to know him, and for Jesus to call us his own true and faithful servants. But who among us feels worthy of Christ’s love? Who among us can say that we are ever good enough; or have ever done enough to deserve anything that Jesus gives? We look upon ourselves as the most unworthy people in the world and we know that it is only by God’s grace and mercy that we are a part of the family of God.
Like the bride in verse one says, “Lord, I’m not worthy for you to look upon me. I am filled with darkness for no matter how much I try, I still have things in my life that are not pleasing to you. Like Paul said, “those things I would; I do not, and those things I would not; that I do.” Our constant cry is, “forgive us Lord, cleanse our hearts again. Renew within us a right spirit and create within us a clean heart, very day.”
We marvel at the fact that God allows us to even be in his green pastures, and yet David said in the 23rd Psalms that this is exactly where God leads his people. How God could choose us, out of all the people in the earth, to be the one who belongs to him is beyond our comprehension.
There is an old song that says, “I don’t know why Jesus loved me. I don’t know why He cares. I don’t know why, he sacrificed his life. Oh, but I’m glad, so glad he did!”
That’s the view of the church. That’s how we often see ourselves when we compare ourselves to our perfect, righteous, holy, omnipotent God, Our vision is limited because of the sin around us. Our view of who we are in God is obscured by the things of the flesh.
Jesus does not deny that we have problems. He knows that we are but frail human flesh. He knows our weaknesses, and he also acknowledges his position and power that is above anything we could hope to attain.
God’s view of himself is found in Song of Solomon 2:1, "I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys."
Jesus can be compared to a rose for its color and smell; to the red rose for its color that can signifies his suffering and death that he may purchase his church. At the same time he can be compared to the lily, white and pure to signify his holiness and righteousness. As the rose and the lily give of a sweet odor, so does the grace and mercy of God.
It is said that the ground around Sharon was a ground filled with rubbish, but out of this rubbish grows the sweetest smelling roses in the whole world. Jesus then, is the greatest Rose of all, rising from among men, to be the perfect sacrifice.
Then Jesus is the Lily of the valleys, signifying that he also dwells and grows in hearts of men, in lowly and humble flesh as he walks among his church.
Yes, the church has its problems, and Jesus is greater than all; and we will never reach the fullness that is in Christ as long as we dwell on this earth. But that doesn’t stop the Bridegroom from loving the Bride.
When Jesus chose us, he lifted us out of the miry clay of sin, gave us a brand new heart, opened our mind to know the things of the Spirit and we were adopted as sons and daughters of God; brought into his own house.
Song of Solomon 2:4, "He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love."
It was the Love of God that reached out to us when we were so undeserving. It was the Love of God that brought us into the House of God. God did not label us as sinners. He did not label us as “red-headed step-children”. He did not label us as servants only. His label over us was Love – the unlimited, pure, perfect Love of God!
Song of Solomon 2:6, "His left hand is under my head, and his right hand doth embrace me."
Can you see the picture – the picture of a loving God, holding a newborn Christian in his hands, supporting the back of your head so he could look you in the eyes through his eyes of love; and then holding your back with his hand to keep you from falling and pulling you every closer to his heart? What a wonderful picture of the love that God has for his church.
Then we have an even greater picture of how much God not only loves his church, but how much he desires to be in our midst.
Song of Solomon 2:8-9, "The voice of my beloved! behold, he cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills. My beloved is like a roe or a young hart: behold, he standeth behind our wall, he looketh forth at the windows, shewing himself through the lattice."
Have you ever thought of Jesus like that before? Have you seen him in the spirit as being so excited to see you that he jumps from mountain to mountain, skips over the hills of Glory, running like a deer as he comes with joy to meet you and to be with you? Even though he may be partially hidden from our eyes, as the lattice implies, yet Jesus wants you to know that he loves you and that he’s standing right next to you, just watching over you, waiting breathlessly for you to respond to him! He speaks, and waits for an answer. He speaks of love and hopes you will speak the same to him.
Jesus looks at the church today, with all of our problems, and he still loves his people. It is still his greatest desire that all of us, every member of the church worldwide, would make ourselves ready for his coming. Jesus is standing at the door, knocking, waiting for an answer. Will we serve him? Will we answer? Will we love him in return and forsake all other; keep ourselves wholly unto him? Many in the church world are chasing after rainbows; seeking to fulfill their heart’s desire through chasing the idols of this world. But Jesus’ Love is still reaching out, ever trying to draw them back. In his great love, he desires that not one of his people would be lost.
Jesus loves his church so much that he will not go on for long without having us with him at all times. The Bridegroom is getting ready to take his Bride home forever.
Song of Solomon 2:10-13, "My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land; The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away."
Jesus is saying today, “Come away my fair one”! He is calling his church to make herself ready and be prepared to leave. The time of temptations; the time of troubles; the time of doubt and fear; the time of feeling like he will never come; the rain of sickness, disease and death will soon be over. We will leave this old world behind.
The flowers are always blooming in Heaven, and a new heaven and new earth are waiting for our arrival. There is a time coming when the birds, (the angels and saints in Heaven), will sing a new song of victory. The voice of the turtle dove (a sound of peace and love) will fill the streets of gold. We will enjoy the fruits of righteousness and we will forever be connected to the True Vine and there will nothing but joy and peace forever more.
Jesus is calling to the church that he loves so much that he died for it, saying, “Come Away! Come Away! Come Away my Love, my fair one, the joy of my heart! Come away and let us be together forever!”
Take this message to heart tonight! Think of how much God loves you. You are his church; His Bride; His fair one! Jesus is coming to soon; coming to take you home to be with him.
Yes, the church has troubles. All of us face trials, tests, frustrations and concerns. And there are a lot of people in the church who are facing in the wrong direction.
But let us pray for one another. Let us exhort one another to do good works. Let us lift up one another. Let us focus on how much God loves us; and then transfer that love to one another as well.
Jesus wants all of his church to be saved, not just a remnant. Let us pray, let us seek his face, let us love one another, let us serve the Lord, let us make ourselves ready, so that we may not be one who will break the heart of God when he has to finally condemn those who refuse his love and are blotted out of the Lamb’s Book of Life. In this hour, Jesus looks upon his church through eyes of Love; but the day will come for those who are not a part of the true church, when his eyes will be eyes filled with wrath because of sin.
Where do you fit in this picture tonight? Which of the churches we mentioned in the beginning describe your relationship with Jesus? Will you finally look into his eyes of mercy and see the Love of God; or will he not know you in that day when we all must stand before him in judgment?
Jesus says, “Come away, my fair One!” Will you come? Will you give Jesus your heart and your life? Will you come away from sin; from the things of this world; from selfish desires; from serving Satan or the things that have become idols in your life? Will you come away and be one of Jesus’ fair ones? Now is your chance!
