People of Faith

Of all the apostles, John was the closest to Jesus (He “leaned” on Jesus in John 13:23). He was there at the Mount of Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-3) and at the Garden of Gethsemane for Jesus’ final prayers prior to Calvary (Matthew 26:36-50 where the disciples slept while Christ prayed which forever tells the story of a suffering Savior and sleeping saints. Is that the story still?). And, John was one of the first to the empty tomb (John 20:1-10 as love “John” beat zeal “Peter” to the tomb but zeal entered first). At the feeding of the 5,000! On the boat with Jesus! Entrusted with Mary at the cross! Of all the great moments John had, perhaps greatest was recorded in one of his five New Testament books (John which tell us how to get saved. 1 John which tells us that we are forever saved. 2 John and 3 John that tell us about the life of the saved. And Revelation which tells us about the future of the saved). In this book, John sees the people of faith who have run Christ’s race (Hebrews 12:1-2) who are gathered in glory to praise Jesus with crescendo after crescendo of “Worthy is the Lamb!” If God had a favorite church, which church would it be? Spurgeon’s Metropolitan Tabernacle in London, England? An early church? A modern-day church? A big church, a small church, or a mediumsized church? If you could name God’s favorite church, what church would that be? If Revelation 4-5 has anything to do with it, God’s favorite church is not any individual church down here on earth. History’s greatest church and God’s favorite church is the combined church in heaven that stands before Jesus and shouts these words of praise: “Worthy! Worthy is the Lamb Who was slain!” Perhaps, this church is God’s favorite church because we, like Jesus, will be there with God in heaven. In review, of all the churches in Scripture, I have some favorites: a). the Church at Jerusalem, in Acts 2:41-47,because they were first. They pioneered the movement. They lived in resurrection power and relied on the enablement and empowerment of God’s Holy Spirit. They were a church that God blessed with unity, praise, and growth. We need to be like that church. b). the Church at Antioch, in Acts 11:19 -13:1-3, because they sent out workers in the fields that were white already to the harvest. c). the Church at Berea, in Acts 17, because they were always in the word. They were a Word-Centered church. d). the Church at Thessalonica, in 1-2 Thessalonians because they had a biblical balance, a commitment to Christ, and a “sky-watching” view. e). the Church at Smyrna, in Revelation 2:8-11, because they stood strong for Jesus – even during persecution. And f). the Church at Philadelphia, in Revelation 3:7-13, because they reached out for Christ. They were a soul-winning, evangelistic church. We need more like them. I like those churches but my all-time favorite church is not one of those. It is the church that is totally healthy and finally gets it right. It is God’s Church in Heaven, just following the rapture, which is comprised of saved sinners from Corinth and grouchy people from Philippi and messed up saints from Derbe and faithful believers from Thessalonica, Sardis, Philadelphia, Berea, and all those other wonderful churches. And, this church in heaven is a church, with Jesus, that stormed the gates of Hell and ended up in glory. That is the church that returns with Christ at the end of the tribulation, that uses the kingdom’s keys to shut the devil’s door and experiences the final victory through Jesus Christ our Lord. If you know Christ as Savior now, you will be there in heaven numbered among the members of God’s favorite church shouting with the rest who are there: “Worthy is the Lamb Who was slain!” Do you see yourself there? Do you hear yourself praising the name of Jesus and worshiping the Lamb for sinners slain?