The Unseen
“…You have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to the countless thousands of angels in a joyful gathering. You have come to the assembly of God’s firstborn children, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to GOD HIMSELF, who is the judge over all things. You have come to the spirits of the righteous ones in heaven who have now been made perfect. You have come to JESUS, the one who mediates the new covenant between God and people…”
– Early Christian Sermon, Hebrews 12:22-24
This being toward the end of a powerful sermon on perseverance, I am amazed at the awkwardity (a new word a good friend mentioned to me and is working to get it into Webster’s!) of the circumstances surrounding this sermon. These Christians, possibly 12-15 men and women are huddled together in a small room of a multi-housing apartment complex. Some have lost their homes because they’ve been rejected by their Jewish parents or their pagan husband. Others have been beaten, lost their jobs, and lost their property (Heb. 10:34).
And yet this is how the preacher-man talks to them? Talking of high n’ mighty mountains, angels, and being in the presence of GOD HIMSELF?!? If I were one of these persecuted, low-life Christians, I’d be just about ready to walk over to the preacher jabbering on about such nonsense and smack him upside the head. The NERVE! And yet these words somehow made it into the Holy Writ.
Maybe its because Christians…the true followers of Christ who were hunted down for their beliefs, knew that it was precisely in their not seeing their earthly power and glory in the following-Christ lifestyle that they saw all the more how amazing was their God of the unseen world. Throughout the sermon, the author of Hebrews prefers the “unseen, unshakable” reality as opposed to the “world that will fall away”.
In the Roman and pagan world of the first century, temples lined the streets, and each of them were embellished with visible reminders of the gods watching over everyone. The simpler, the less adorned, and the humble gatherings of Christian worship that were blatantly lacking icons, idols, and bloody sacrifices may have been what was most inspiring about the early Christian faith. Many non-Christians at that time suspected Christianity to be a simple philosophy, others saw it as a dangerous cult. No one who stood outside the circle understood exactly what this little movement was all about.
Today, Christianity in America has taken on the aspects of many of the pompous pagan religions of the first century. We build bigger and bigger sanctuaries, and have more and more elaborate worship services designed to attract the overindulged, and over-entertained consumer. And we do it well. We truck them in by the thousands, and give the preachers of these mega-temples salaries that well surpass those of their pagan forefathers…TV air time, book signing deals…the works. We’ve bought into the lifestyle that kept so many first century Romans (Jews, and others as well!) so inoculated to the Truth – that this is not about a flashy event; its about a way of life.
We have not come to what is seen, to stages, praise bands, multi-plexes, and unchanged, unfulfilled, mediocre lives; but we have come to what is unseen: to a simple collective of friends who love their Lord, love each other, and are convinced that they are on a mission with their Lord to save the world. When we stop to think of the idiocy of it all: no leader but Christ, no temple but our hearts, no sacrifice but ourselves, worshiping our Lord God may seem simplistic. But do not be deceived. We have come to a mountain that is far more real than anything we can see with our eyes, we have come to the mountain of the LORD GOD.
rob horton 2:25 am on July 26, 2006 Permalink
Mark – this is a solid post. I love your thoughts on the communal reality of the Creator. This is something so incredible regarding the Triune God. I love how this speaks of God being able to create us and relate to us in a free and full way. God is love and He does not need anything outside of the Godhead to express this. Within the Godhead is a dance of giving love and receiving love. This is something Islam can not offer. Allah needs something outside of himself to express his mastership – he needs servants/slaves. I don’t believe many believers are apt at communicating God’s reality – but I see in what you are writing – a very apt portrayal of God’s reality. Excellent work!
Mark 6:37 am on July 26, 2006 Permalink
Thanks for your thoughts and encouragement Rob. It is a little scary writing about such things like the nature and reality of our Lord God. Although he is primarily and innately communal, there is a deep mystery about him that will never be fully revealed until we meet him face to face. Until then, we make educated guesses. I appreciate Islam because it respects the solidarity of God, and mankinds dedication to him. This is a portion of God that I believe followers of Christ could do well to remember.
Curtis 4:19 pm on July 26, 2006 Permalink
“And I (Allah SWT) created not the jinn and mankind except they should worship Me (alone). I seek not any provision from them nor do I ask that they should feed Me. Verily, Allah (SWT) is the All-Provider, Owner of Power, the Most Strong.” (Surah Az-Dhaariyaat 51:56-58)