Revelation 3:15-17 says, "I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing' - and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked..."
What does the cost of discipleship have to do with being a lukewarm Christian? As I was meditating on the word "lukewarm", it made me think of the many times I had to get bath water ready for my babies. If it was too cold, that would make them uncomfortable and if it was too hot - not only would they be uncomfortable but they would also get hurt. As mothers, we want that water to be lukewarm - just comfortable for them.
One of the signs of biblical prophecy is the "lukewarmness" of Christians in our churches. My definition of a "lukewarm Christian" is someone who wants to live a comfortable life - staying within their comfort zone. Maybe it's staying within the four walls of your church or staying within the circle of your Christian friends. However, "the cost of discipleship" is choosing to obey God's call on our lives by living an "uncomfortable life". How do we do that? By getting out of our comfort zones - getting out of our "boxes".
Think of the disciples in the Bible who literally turned the world upside-down with the Gospel! They were not lukewarm Christians. They all operated outside of their comfort zones! Being uncomfortable means that we are going to make the choice to not be comfortable or lukewarm when it comes to walking in obedience to the Word of God. We may even "get burned" for our obedience and for sharing the Gospel with others. In fact, aren't we called to offer our bodies as "living sacrifices"? (Romans 12:1) That doesn't sound like a lukewarm life to me!
So, does the thought of singing Gospel songs on the street corners make you uncomfortable? Does visiting someone in prison make you uncomfortable? Does passing Gospel tracts out to unbelievers or talking with them about the Lord make you uncomfortable? Does it make you nervous to think about inviting a stranger into your home to have a place to eat and sleep? Does it make you nervous to speak to a homeless man on the street or to buy him a meal? Knowing I am responsible for making my God and King nauseated to the point of vomiting when I choose to remain in my comfort zone (remaining lukewarm) - that thought alone is enough for me to make myself uncomfortable for the sake of the Gospel and for the Kingdom of my Lord and King. So, what is the cost of discipleship to you?
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Friday, August 13, 2010
The Sabbath Day and Colossians 2:8-22
First of all, this chapter has nothing to do with the Ten Commandment law of God, as many of us have been taught. In Colossians 2:8 it refers to "the traditions of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ." Towards the end of the chapter, in vs. 20 it again refers to "the basic principles of the world, why as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations..." Verse 21 says,"Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle." Notice these are not part of the Ten Commandments, either. And then verse 22 puts the "top on the sandwich" by stating "which all concern things which perish with the using - according to the commandments and doctrines of men." Again, notice it did not say commandments/doctrines of God. Sandwiched almost in the middle of these verses is verse 14, "... having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross."
If we continue to look at the context, verses 11-13 are right before verse 14, and are referring to circumcision versus uncircumcision. Now, along with the context of verses - we also have to think about the culture at that time. Both in Acts 15 and in Galatians, we find a conflict between the Jewish believers in the Messiah and the Gentile believers in the Messiah. This conflict was about the Jewish believers who were circumcised thinking that the Gentile believers were unclean if they were not circumcised. Paul was telling them in Col. 2:11 that when the Gentile believers came to Christ - Christ circumcised them by "putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ."
So, after looking at both the context and the culture - we better understand verse 14 that Christ has "wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross." The "requirements" had to do with being circumcised in order to be a true believer in the Messiah. Being circumcised was a picture of "cutting off the flesh". But Christ, through His death on the cross, has "cut off our flesh" from us, so we have been circumcised through Him spiritually.
Col. 2:16 & 17 are really exciting verses now that we know the context and culture of this chapter. Paul is actually speaking to the Gentile believers in the Messiah and telling them they have just as much right to join in the Jewish "festivals with the new moons and the sabbaths" as the Jewish believers in the Messiah do! "So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths..." Paul was telling them that because they are physically uncircumcised, that does not make them unclean and unable to worship with their fellow Jewish believers! (By the way, if you go back to Leviticus and Deuteronomy - "new moons and sabbaths (not the 7th day Sabbath) were part of Jewish festivals - and still are today.
So what about verse 17 "...which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ."? As Isaiah 66:23 states, "And it shall come to pass that from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, all flesh shall come to worship before Me," says the Lord. Also, Zechariah 14:16 says, "And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles."
It is impossible to have a "shadow" without having the "real thing" close by. The sabbaths, the Jewish Festivals, and the 7th day Sabbaths today are like a "rehearsal for a play". We take part in them, even though the Messiah is not physically here yet, because some day soon, the King is coming and He will be setting up His Kingdom here on earth in Israel - with His throne in Jerusalem. Then, it won't be "a shadow of things to come" but will be the real thing when Christ is here - "tabernacle-ing" with us once again!
So as Gentile believers in the Messiah (Jesus Christ) - my husband and I have decided to take part in these "shadow-rehearsals" so we're ready for the King's appearing which seems to be getting closer every day. Hope this little study has been helpful. We tend to forget that the Bible is a very Jewish book about a very Jewish Messiah. Jesus was a Rabbi and an "observant" Jew, which means He followed the teachings of the Torah (the first 5 books of the Bible) completely.
If you are interested in learning more about your "Jewish roots", there are many Messianic websites, including this one: http://www.jeremystorch.org/
If we continue to look at the context, verses 11-13 are right before verse 14, and are referring to circumcision versus uncircumcision. Now, along with the context of verses - we also have to think about the culture at that time. Both in Acts 15 and in Galatians, we find a conflict between the Jewish believers in the Messiah and the Gentile believers in the Messiah. This conflict was about the Jewish believers who were circumcised thinking that the Gentile believers were unclean if they were not circumcised. Paul was telling them in Col. 2:11 that when the Gentile believers came to Christ - Christ circumcised them by "putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ."
So, after looking at both the context and the culture - we better understand verse 14 that Christ has "wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross." The "requirements" had to do with being circumcised in order to be a true believer in the Messiah. Being circumcised was a picture of "cutting off the flesh". But Christ, through His death on the cross, has "cut off our flesh" from us, so we have been circumcised through Him spiritually.
Col. 2:16 & 17 are really exciting verses now that we know the context and culture of this chapter. Paul is actually speaking to the Gentile believers in the Messiah and telling them they have just as much right to join in the Jewish "festivals with the new moons and the sabbaths" as the Jewish believers in the Messiah do! "So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths..." Paul was telling them that because they are physically uncircumcised, that does not make them unclean and unable to worship with their fellow Jewish believers! (By the way, if you go back to Leviticus and Deuteronomy - "new moons and sabbaths (not the 7th day Sabbath) were part of Jewish festivals - and still are today.
So what about verse 17 "...which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ."? As Isaiah 66:23 states, "And it shall come to pass that from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, all flesh shall come to worship before Me," says the Lord. Also, Zechariah 14:16 says, "And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles."
It is impossible to have a "shadow" without having the "real thing" close by. The sabbaths, the Jewish Festivals, and the 7th day Sabbaths today are like a "rehearsal for a play". We take part in them, even though the Messiah is not physically here yet, because some day soon, the King is coming and He will be setting up His Kingdom here on earth in Israel - with His throne in Jerusalem. Then, it won't be "a shadow of things to come" but will be the real thing when Christ is here - "tabernacle-ing" with us once again!
So as Gentile believers in the Messiah (Jesus Christ) - my husband and I have decided to take part in these "shadow-rehearsals" so we're ready for the King's appearing which seems to be getting closer every day. Hope this little study has been helpful. We tend to forget that the Bible is a very Jewish book about a very Jewish Messiah. Jesus was a Rabbi and an "observant" Jew, which means He followed the teachings of the Torah (the first 5 books of the Bible) completely.
If you are interested in learning more about your "Jewish roots", there are many Messianic websites, including this one: http://www.jeremystorch.org/
Monday, August 9, 2010
Apostasy and the Great Commission
I've been thinking about how many of our churches are "falling away"
from reaching the lost in the cities God has placed them in. It seems in
the past few years there are more cruises, conferences, church
breakfasts, brunches, banquets, and even craft classes - all being held
BY Christians FOR Christians. We are quite content to stay INSIDE with
our Christian circle of friends instead of GOING OUTSIDE to the lost all
around us.
Years ago I found this poem and would like to share it with you. It's
rather lengthy, but I pray it will touch all of our hearts to get out
of "The Barn"!
THE FIELD, THE BARN, AND THE NEW FARMHAND
I was called out to a farm one day.
I knew that I'd belong.
But when I arrived, from what I saw,
Something was surely wrong.
The crops were looking ripe that year;
It looked like a pretty good yield.
But you know what caught me by surprise
Was that so few were out in the field.
Now mind you it was mid-afternoon,
And there was lots of work to be done,
But I looked and looked for workers there,
And strangely I saw only one.
So I wandered over to talk to him;
He was reaping in a row.
He said, "Welcome to our farm, my friend."
I said, "Where'd all the workers go?"
"Well, they're often in the Barn," he said.
"They're always on a break.
But what they say confuses me,
That they're in there for Jesus' sake."
So I thanked my friend and let him go.
As I left, he warned, "Take care.
If you go into the Barn, you know,
They'll try to keep you there."
As I neared the Barn I heard great noise,
And I knew that I was tardy.
For the sound I heard from in the Barn,
Why it sounded like a party.
"Oh, joy of joys a new farmhand!"
They met me at the door.
I said, "Hold on a second friends.
What happened to the chore?"
"Well, we're not so sure the harvest is ripe."
They answered back to me.
"Yes, four more months," another group said.
"Oh, surely that's the key."
They said, "And we're not mature enough yet.
We've got so far to go."
I said, "Maturity comes in the field.
Do you really want to grow?"
"Our work in here is very important."
Another bunch shouted my way.
"Besides we don't have the right motivation,
To do field labor okay."
"You've got to get in the spirit," they said,
"Before you go out in the field."
"We'll get into the spirit first,
And then we'll surely yield."
"And there's bullets flying around out there.
The unseen enemy lives.
Do you really want us to go and die?"
They asked me, "Friend, what gives?"
So I thought to myself. I quietly mulled.
I didn't understand.
"We need more workers out there, " I cried.
"Can no one lend a hand?"
"While the harvest rots," I spoke again.
"And no one sheds a tear."
"Why, you'd never know so many were dying,
By what's going on in here."
Well, the barn was quiet as quiet can be.
And no one there was phased.
I suppose I had asked for volunteers,,
But not a single hand was raised.
I left the Barn that very same day,
Though they asked me to hang around.
The work they do inside the Barn,
It's nothing like what I've found.
For by the grace of God I labor now,
With my friends out in the field.
Though the bullets fly and I'm wounded some,
I'm safe behind my shield.
For my shield is strong, a shield of faith,
And my sickle's the sword of God's Word.
The harvest - some sheep without a shepherd
Of those who have never heard.
And the Spirit's there, out in the field,
His presence comforts me.
The Lord of the Harvest is out there too,
By my side He'll always be.
New folks come down the road somedays,
All kinds they come, women and men.
Most go off to that place, I'm sorry to say
And are never seen again.
And the Barn sits off in the distance now.
When I look there I want to cry.
Why do they all remain in the Barn
When millions and millions die?
(Author unknown)
from reaching the lost in the cities God has placed them in. It seems in
the past few years there are more cruises, conferences, church
breakfasts, brunches, banquets, and even craft classes - all being held
BY Christians FOR Christians. We are quite content to stay INSIDE with
our Christian circle of friends instead of GOING OUTSIDE to the lost all
around us.
Years ago I found this poem and would like to share it with you. It's
rather lengthy, but I pray it will touch all of our hearts to get out
of "The Barn"!
THE FIELD, THE BARN, AND THE NEW FARMHAND
I was called out to a farm one day.
I knew that I'd belong.
But when I arrived, from what I saw,
Something was surely wrong.
The crops were looking ripe that year;
It looked like a pretty good yield.
But you know what caught me by surprise
Was that so few were out in the field.
Now mind you it was mid-afternoon,
And there was lots of work to be done,
But I looked and looked for workers there,
And strangely I saw only one.
So I wandered over to talk to him;
He was reaping in a row.
He said, "Welcome to our farm, my friend."
I said, "Where'd all the workers go?"
"Well, they're often in the Barn," he said.
"They're always on a break.
But what they say confuses me,
That they're in there for Jesus' sake."
So I thanked my friend and let him go.
As I left, he warned, "Take care.
If you go into the Barn, you know,
They'll try to keep you there."
As I neared the Barn I heard great noise,
And I knew that I was tardy.
For the sound I heard from in the Barn,
Why it sounded like a party.
"Oh, joy of joys a new farmhand!"
They met me at the door.
I said, "Hold on a second friends.
What happened to the chore?"
"Well, we're not so sure the harvest is ripe."
They answered back to me.
"Yes, four more months," another group said.
"Oh, surely that's the key."
They said, "And we're not mature enough yet.
We've got so far to go."
I said, "Maturity comes in the field.
Do you really want to grow?"
"Our work in here is very important."
Another bunch shouted my way.
"Besides we don't have the right motivation,
To do field labor okay."
"You've got to get in the spirit," they said,
"Before you go out in the field."
"We'll get into the spirit first,
And then we'll surely yield."
"And there's bullets flying around out there.
The unseen enemy lives.
Do you really want us to go and die?"
They asked me, "Friend, what gives?"
So I thought to myself. I quietly mulled.
I didn't understand.
"We need more workers out there, " I cried.
"Can no one lend a hand?"
"While the harvest rots," I spoke again.
"And no one sheds a tear."
"Why, you'd never know so many were dying,
By what's going on in here."
Well, the barn was quiet as quiet can be.
And no one there was phased.
I suppose I had asked for volunteers,,
But not a single hand was raised.
I left the Barn that very same day,
Though they asked me to hang around.
The work they do inside the Barn,
It's nothing like what I've found.
For by the grace of God I labor now,
With my friends out in the field.
Though the bullets fly and I'm wounded some,
I'm safe behind my shield.
For my shield is strong, a shield of faith,
And my sickle's the sword of God's Word.
The harvest - some sheep without a shepherd
Of those who have never heard.
And the Spirit's there, out in the field,
His presence comforts me.
The Lord of the Harvest is out there too,
By my side He'll always be.
New folks come down the road somedays,
All kinds they come, women and men.
Most go off to that place, I'm sorry to say
And are never seen again.
And the Barn sits off in the distance now.
When I look there I want to cry.
Why do they all remain in the Barn
When millions and millions die?
(Author unknown)
Friday, August 6, 2010
The Last Days & The Lost Word of the Lord
In Amos 8:11-12 the Lord God says, "Behold, the days are coming that I will send a famine on the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of HEARING THE WORD OF THE LORD. They shall wander from sea to sea, and from north to east; they shall run to and fro, seeking the word of the Lord, but shall not find it."
In Jeremiah 23:30-31 the Lord says, "Behold I am against the prophets who STEAL My words every one from his neighbor. Behold, I am against the prophets who use their tongues and say, 'He says.'"
Our pastors and preachers today are the ones supposedly giving out the Word of the Lord to the people in their churches and congregation. How many of us have sat in a church service and had a pastor tell us that "I believe that GOD HAS GIVEN ME a message for you today"? Then, all of a sudden, we are given a power-point presentation where the 7 points in his message ALL start with the same letters and/or words, etc. It's just so perfect - almost like it came off the internet........hmm?
Do you realize that you can get free sermons online? Do you realize that Christian bookstores carry many books with sermons for pastors to use? Do you realize that when a pastor makes a statement like the one above to his congregation, but he didn't actually get it from God but from a book or from a sermon website - that pastor has just told his congregation A LIE, according to God's Word?
Ezekiel 22:28 God says, "Her prophets plastered them with untempered mortar, seeing false visions, and divining LIES for them, saying, 'Thus says the Lord God', when the Lord had not spoken." Many of our pastors and teachers are "STEALING words from one another" - that's breaking Commandment 8 of the Ten Commandments. Since lying is always "the 2nd sin" - these same pastors and teachers turn right around and tell their people that "this is the Word that God gave them". Lying is breaking Commandment 9 of the Ten Commandments.
So, when did it become acceptable to our Lord and King - for a pastor or teacher to take sermons and messages from OTHER PEOPLE and then tell their church congregations that these are actual messages that God gave to them? Why do you think many pastors are doing this in these last days? One answer maybe that, "This is what I was taught to do in Bible college/seminary." My guess is that they would answer that question with the answer, "I don't have the time." Well, if that is their answer - then they have also just broken Commandment 1 of the Ten Commandments which is "Thou shall have NO OTHER GODS BEFORE ME".
If you are in the ministry and reading this post today, it's my prayer that you will choose to honor God and His commandments with your life and ministry. Stop "stealing" your messages from other sources. Stop "lying" to your congregation that God "spoke to you" when He didn't - because you just got the sermon out of a book or off the internet - and not from God's Word for yourself. Lastly - Stop the "idolatry" of putting other things or people before God in your life. If you have time for the newspaper, TV, internet, sports events, etc. - you have time for God. It's just a choice of which one gets first place in your life and ministry. There is a famine in the land today of HEARING GOD'S WORD - and your congregation NEEDS YOU to be God's messenger of TRUTH to them - and to set the example for them to follow in regards to keeping a personal relationship with God in this busy world we all live in.
In Jeremiah 23:30-31 the Lord says, "Behold I am against the prophets who STEAL My words every one from his neighbor. Behold, I am against the prophets who use their tongues and say, 'He says.'"
Our pastors and preachers today are the ones supposedly giving out the Word of the Lord to the people in their churches and congregation. How many of us have sat in a church service and had a pastor tell us that "I believe that GOD HAS GIVEN ME a message for you today"? Then, all of a sudden, we are given a power-point presentation where the 7 points in his message ALL start with the same letters and/or words, etc. It's just so perfect - almost like it came off the internet........hmm?
Do you realize that you can get free sermons online? Do you realize that Christian bookstores carry many books with sermons for pastors to use? Do you realize that when a pastor makes a statement like the one above to his congregation, but he didn't actually get it from God but from a book or from a sermon website - that pastor has just told his congregation A LIE, according to God's Word?
Ezekiel 22:28 God says, "Her prophets plastered them with untempered mortar, seeing false visions, and divining LIES for them, saying, 'Thus says the Lord God', when the Lord had not spoken." Many of our pastors and teachers are "STEALING words from one another" - that's breaking Commandment 8 of the Ten Commandments. Since lying is always "the 2nd sin" - these same pastors and teachers turn right around and tell their people that "this is the Word that God gave them". Lying is breaking Commandment 9 of the Ten Commandments.
So, when did it become acceptable to our Lord and King - for a pastor or teacher to take sermons and messages from OTHER PEOPLE and then tell their church congregations that these are actual messages that God gave to them? Why do you think many pastors are doing this in these last days? One answer maybe that, "This is what I was taught to do in Bible college/seminary." My guess is that they would answer that question with the answer, "I don't have the time." Well, if that is their answer - then they have also just broken Commandment 1 of the Ten Commandments which is "Thou shall have NO OTHER GODS BEFORE ME".
If you are in the ministry and reading this post today, it's my prayer that you will choose to honor God and His commandments with your life and ministry. Stop "stealing" your messages from other sources. Stop "lying" to your congregation that God "spoke to you" when He didn't - because you just got the sermon out of a book or off the internet - and not from God's Word for yourself. Lastly - Stop the "idolatry" of putting other things or people before God in your life. If you have time for the newspaper, TV, internet, sports events, etc. - you have time for God. It's just a choice of which one gets first place in your life and ministry. There is a famine in the land today of HEARING GOD'S WORD - and your congregation NEEDS YOU to be God's messenger of TRUTH to them - and to set the example for them to follow in regards to keeping a personal relationship with God in this busy world we all live in.
Monday, August 2, 2010
The Sabbath Day: Division in the Body of Christ
This past week, the Seventh Day Baptists came to Springfield, Missouri for their General Convention. (see: http://www.seventhdaybaptist.org/) It was a real pleasure to be able to worship with 500 other believers who believe in all Ten Commandments. This is a denomination that has been in existance since the 1600's - yet so few people have even heard of them. They have churches planted all around the world as well as here in the U.S.
When my husband and I first realized that God never changed the Sabbath Day to Sunday - but that it was done by the Romans out of anti-semitism towards the Jews - we started worshipping with a Messianic congregation on the Sabbath Day. At that time, we were excited to think that God was starting a movement through the Messianic Jews - to bring His people back to worshipping on the seventh day Sabbath. In March of this year, we were told about the Seventh Day Baptists and realized this move of the Spirit is something much bigger than just the Messianic Jewish movement! Not only is God at work bringing Jewish believers in the Messiah (Jesus Christ) together to worship on the seventh day Sabbath - but there is also a movement among Gentile believers to return to worshipping on the day that GOD appointed mankind to worship Him on as well.
So, I thought I would just throw out the question, "Why do you think this is?" First of all, we need to review a few things:
1. Jesus (God in the flesh) was born into a Jewish family. He is a Jew.
2. Jesus (God in the flesh) has a title: King of the Jews.
3. Jesus (God in the flesh) has a country: Israel
4. Jesus (God in the flesh) has a country with a capital: Jerusalem
5. Jesus (God in the flesh) is coming back some day very soon to the Mt. of Olives in Israel!
6. Jesus (God in the flesh) is coming back to set up His kingdom on earth where He will reign for a million years.
7. Jesus (God in the flesh) is going to set up His throne in Jerusalem.
8. Jesus (God in the flesh) has citizens in His kingdom: Jewish and Gentile believers in Him as their Messiah/Lord.
9. Jesus (God in the flesh) will have His laws (the Ten Commandments) still in place.
10. Jesus (God in the flesh) is going to have all nations of the world come and worship Him in Jerusalem.
We all know that you cannot have any form of government without laws. Without laws, people would live in chaos and anarchy. We also know that there is to be no division in Christ's body, which is made up of both Jewish believers in Christ and Gentile believers in Christ.
This raises the question about the Sabbath Day. Will the "King of the Jews" say that it is all right for us to worship Him on "whatever day WE choose to worship Him"? OR will "The King" stand by HIS own commandment, "But the 7th day is the Sabbath day to the Lord your God. On it you shall do no work..."?
We can be very sure that the Jews will refuse to worship "The King" on any other day but the Sabbath Day! However, most Christians today refuse to even think about worshipping Him on the Sabbath Day. If one of these groups doesn't change their way of thinking - there is going to be a great division in the coming millenial Kingdom of Christ!
But, praise God! He is at work through His Holy Spirit in these last days to bring unity into His Body and Kingdom regarding the 7th day Sabbath! There WILL BE a uniting of these two groups of believers in Christ (Jews & Gentiles) because Isaiah 66:23 says, "'And it shall come to pass that from one New Moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, ALL flesh shall come to worship before Me,' says the Lord." When "The King" gives the call to worship to His people, according to this verse - we will be worshipping corporately and in unity on HIS holy day - the 7th day Sabbath. Why wait until Christ comes again to acknowledge His Lordship over the day He has chosen for us to worship Him? We need to start today!
When my husband and I first realized that God never changed the Sabbath Day to Sunday - but that it was done by the Romans out of anti-semitism towards the Jews - we started worshipping with a Messianic congregation on the Sabbath Day. At that time, we were excited to think that God was starting a movement through the Messianic Jews - to bring His people back to worshipping on the seventh day Sabbath. In March of this year, we were told about the Seventh Day Baptists and realized this move of the Spirit is something much bigger than just the Messianic Jewish movement! Not only is God at work bringing Jewish believers in the Messiah (Jesus Christ) together to worship on the seventh day Sabbath - but there is also a movement among Gentile believers to return to worshipping on the day that GOD appointed mankind to worship Him on as well.
So, I thought I would just throw out the question, "Why do you think this is?" First of all, we need to review a few things:
1. Jesus (God in the flesh) was born into a Jewish family. He is a Jew.
2. Jesus (God in the flesh) has a title: King of the Jews.
3. Jesus (God in the flesh) has a country: Israel
4. Jesus (God in the flesh) has a country with a capital: Jerusalem
5. Jesus (God in the flesh) is coming back some day very soon to the Mt. of Olives in Israel!
6. Jesus (God in the flesh) is coming back to set up His kingdom on earth where He will reign for a million years.
7. Jesus (God in the flesh) is going to set up His throne in Jerusalem.
8. Jesus (God in the flesh) has citizens in His kingdom: Jewish and Gentile believers in Him as their Messiah/Lord.
9. Jesus (God in the flesh) will have His laws (the Ten Commandments) still in place.
10. Jesus (God in the flesh) is going to have all nations of the world come and worship Him in Jerusalem.
We all know that you cannot have any form of government without laws. Without laws, people would live in chaos and anarchy. We also know that there is to be no division in Christ's body, which is made up of both Jewish believers in Christ and Gentile believers in Christ.
This raises the question about the Sabbath Day. Will the "King of the Jews" say that it is all right for us to worship Him on "whatever day WE choose to worship Him"? OR will "The King" stand by HIS own commandment, "But the 7th day is the Sabbath day to the Lord your God. On it you shall do no work..."?
We can be very sure that the Jews will refuse to worship "The King" on any other day but the Sabbath Day! However, most Christians today refuse to even think about worshipping Him on the Sabbath Day. If one of these groups doesn't change their way of thinking - there is going to be a great division in the coming millenial Kingdom of Christ!
But, praise God! He is at work through His Holy Spirit in these last days to bring unity into His Body and Kingdom regarding the 7th day Sabbath! There WILL BE a uniting of these two groups of believers in Christ (Jews & Gentiles) because Isaiah 66:23 says, "'And it shall come to pass that from one New Moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, ALL flesh shall come to worship before Me,' says the Lord." When "The King" gives the call to worship to His people, according to this verse - we will be worshipping corporately and in unity on HIS holy day - the 7th day Sabbath. Why wait until Christ comes again to acknowledge His Lordship over the day He has chosen for us to worship Him? We need to start today!
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