A CALL TO ACTION

Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark

"The Lord said to Moses: "Make two trumpets of hammered silver, and use them for calling the community together and for having the camps set out. When both are sounded, the whole community is to assemble before you at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. If only one is sounded, the leaders—the heads of the clans of Israel—are to assemble before you. When a trumpet blast is sounded, the tribes camping on the east are to set out. At the sounding of a second blast, the camps on the south are to set out. The blast will be the signal for setting out. To gather the assembly, blow the trumpets, but not with the same signal. "The sons of Aaron, the priests, are to blow the trumpets. This is to be a lasting ordinance for you and the generations to come. When you go into battle in your own land against an enemy who is oppressing you, sound a blast on the trumpets. Then you will be remembered by the Lord your God and rescued from your enemies. Also at your times of rejoicing—your appointed feasts and New Moon festivals—you are to sound the trumpets over your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, and they will be a memorial for you before your God. I am the Lord your God." Numbers 10:1-10

In Chapter 9, we saw where the Lord led and guided Israel by way of a divine cloud. As Chapter 10 opens, we see where the Lord commands Moses to make instruments that would be used to call the people together or signal them to move out. The instruments? Two trumpets of hammered silver.

The people would know what the Lord wanted by number of trumpets sounded. Scripture tells us that if both trumpets were sounded, then the people would assemble at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. But if only one trumpet was sounded, then just "leaders—the heads of the clans of Israel" were to assemble.

There were also different calls…ones that would come from the trumpets but with a different sound…one that would signal the people to set out. When this different trumpet blast was sounded, "the tribes camping on the east" were to set out. Then at "the sounding of a second blast", "the camps on the south" were to set out. The blast will be the signal for setting out.

And finally, the trumpets were also sounded when the people of Israel were going into battle or rejoicing during "appointed feasts and New Moon festivals"…sounded over "burnt offerings and fellowship offerings."

Today, we’re called into action like the people of Israel were. But our calling is not from a trumpet but from Jesus Himself as he gave His Great Commission. Once again, here are His words:
"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." Matthew 28:19-20

These words were not passive ones. Jesus said to go…make…baptize…teach. These weren’t callings. No, Jesus spoke the words for us to carry them out. He called us all to action…not just a few of us but the entire Christian community to set out and fulfill the Great Commission.
Well, I hate to say this but I have to speak the truth. The church today is missing the mark.
Sure, churches are doing great things within their own walls but where is the unity that the Lord expects from the Christian church? We have allowed ourselves to be fragmented by denominationalism. In fact, too often our identity isn’t as a Christian first but what denomination we belong to (i.e. I’m Baptist or Presbyterian or Methodist or Episcopalian, etc, etc). And denominations have come about because the church couldn’t get along on the common ground of Jesus and God’s word. So they decided to make a denomination that could make Jesus and the scriptures what they wanted it to be. And in doing so, Christians became divided and so did the church.

Friends, this is not what Jesus intended. There were no denominations in the Book of Acts. Only Christian churches that shared one thing in common: the gospel good news of Jesus Christ. Oh, how I long for the day when the church decides to stop competing with itself and instead join hands for the common cause of Christ Jesus. For if we look in the word of God, we will see that it is the will of God for us to be together in the common cause of Christ. Hear these words from the Apostle Paul as he writes to the Ephesians. His words are just as applicable to us today.

Paul said, "As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace." Ephesians 4:1-3

Christ’s Great Commission. It was given first to His disciples who had no denominational connection. They only set out to do His will in accordance with the calling they received.

Indeed, the disciples along with Paul had a common goal: to spread the good news of Jesus to others…witnessing in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and then to the ends of the earth. (Acts 1:8) And as they witnessed and planted churches, increasing the number of believers, the calling never changed. Everyone who were Christians were to be one in Jesus Christ, united by the Spirit in the bond of peace and enlisted to continue to spread the good news of the gospel.
Fast forward to today. Where is our common cause evident? Where is our unity of the Spirit within the Christian church of the 21st century? And I’m not talking about in the comfy confines of any one church family. I’m talking about all Christians joining hands and going forth to fulfill the call of Jesus Christ…the One by which we call ourselves Christian.

Revival in this world is as close to us as the noses on our collective faces. If all Christians unite in the gospel, there will be a movement unlike anything this world has ever seen and the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ will be maximized. Countless thousands and thousands of people will be drawn into the movement because they will want to be a part of this Christian life. And it will be the most exciting, vibrant thing going and it and it alone will move this world closer to peace and love then hatred and conflict.

I hear way too many people condemning this world and its state saying, "I’m sure the end days are just around the corner. I wouldn’t be surprised if Jesus comes back right now." Maybe they’re right but are we doing enough in the Christian church to really do something about the world we live in. Fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, we have a sure calling from Jesus…a call to action. The question is, "When are we going to get started answering it?"

In Christ,

Mark

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