Why Did the Churches Close?
Notes
Transcript
Why Did the Churches Close?
Why Did the Churches Close?
21 And having an high priest over the house of God;
22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Nine: The Superior Sacrifice (Hebrews 10)
On the Day of Atonement, the high priest could not enter the holy of holies unless he had the blood of the sacrifice (Heb. 9:7). But our entrance into God’s presence is not because of an animal’s blood, but because of Christ’s shed blood.
7 But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:
Because of the Savior, our High Priest - over the house of God vs. 21, we have boldness to enter in and draw near to God...
The OT - old covenants, this was not allowed, but by one man, one time a year and only with the right sacrifice… but in the New Testament - under the New Covenant - we can come boldly… into the presence of God...
Our High Priest is over the House of God...
vs. 21
Now that the church doors have been closed, there are a lot of second guessing on the decisions that have been made about the churches closing - it’s a hoax, it’s no bigger than any other issue… it didn’t ring true with all of the models, predictions, etc…
With that… why did we close?
did we close out compliance to a State order?
Did we cower to the pressure and persecution that other christians are facing daily around the world???
Why did we close when...
25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
Did we cower
Did we compromise?
I want to address this issue to allow you to see what the motivating factors were and how we are going to respond to them...
The answer is NO, we did not compromise...
This started out as a health care concern...
Covid 19 has been sold as a virus that was going to kill millions of people...
All communities were going to be affected -
Mobile hospitals,
Mobile morgue’s
thousands upon thousands of ventilators...
ICU beds… on an on...
Out of care and concern for our:
Church - the people
Community
we voluntarily complied and were often pre-emptive in closing - just because of the danger we were hearing...
37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
This is where the “golden rule” comes from...
I don’t want someone to endanger me or my family and loved ones, neither do I want to endanger anyone else...
Community care is a Christian philosophy...
So the closing of the churches was not out of compromise or failing in our convictions of Hebrews 10.25…
It was simply a decision that was made to help our fellow man and protect our people and the community in which we live...
fast forward to today...
As I announced on Sunday night, BBC will be opening it’s doors on 5/31… Sunday Morning...
We will have 2 services on Sunday Morning,
9:00 am
11:00 am
These services will be onsite and online… but the church is opening back up...
With this, we will open up in phases and will be mitigating perceived dangers -
for our people
for our community
for our risk management in the current environment in which we live...
Details will be coming out on how we will open,
Process
Procedures
Prudence
What are some guiding truths that we can follow in these days?
1. Let us DRAW NEAR
1. Let us DRAW NEAR
21 And having an high priest over the house of God;
22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
a. Spiritual Growth is needed
don’t feed too much on fox
don’t feed too much on the cdc
don’t feed too much on John Hopkins covid site
b. Spiritual Maturity
not just doing, being...
are we growing in this time?
seeking the Lord
Praying
In our bible
LET US DRAW NEAR
2. Let us HOLD FAST
2. Let us HOLD FAST
23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
LET US DRAW NEAR
LET US HOLD FAST
3. Let us CONSIDER ONE ANOTHER
3. Let us CONSIDER ONE ANOTHER
24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
people’s conscience
1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.
3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:
4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.
5 Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.
25 Then came one and told them, saying, Behold, the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people.
26 Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence: for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned.
27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them,
28 Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.
29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
people’s fears
9 But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.
10 For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol’s temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols;
11 And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?
12 But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.
13 Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.
We have seen how this situation with COVID-19 had turned into a power grab / political leverage both nationally and locally.
I have spoken to:
Our Assemblyman
Our Sheriff & Under-Sheriff
3 of our 5 County Supervisors
Individuals in the office of the bi-county Health Department & I have an appointment with Dr. Luu on Monday… Our Bi-County Health Officer...
I have had a conversation with many people about not only the threat of the coronavirus, but also how it has shifted to a threat against our constitutional freedoms...
I have been given a voice to be able to meet with our Local Health Officer in order to address the needs of churches to come back online and how to do so in a safe and logical way...
No matter what we think about the situation, we have been placed here for “such a time as this”...
The Lord knew what our opposition would be - just as He knew what the situation is for believers in closed countries...
I am thankful for the churches who are joining us in opening up on 5/31...
It was just a few, then it went to 500, 1,000 and I heard yesterday that over 3,000 churches in Cali are opening up on the 31st...
We have to remember that there are people in our communities that are fearful...
they have no hope
they have no light...
they have no promise and assurance of heaven - death is fearful...
we do not want to lose the opportunity to minister to our community...
we do not want to lose the opportunity to witness to them -
They fear churches opening, businesses opening as a personal attack… bringing death to them - spreading this virus...
so many modes of media have created this fear...
Illust:
yesterday I went into our bank to make a deposit - the tellers all had masks on, spit shields...
the bank President greeted me when I came in - (he wasn’t wearing a mask)
he asked me if I met the new teller - I replied that I had not - I can’t see anyone’s face… she smiled...
I told him - that If I walked into the bank w/ a mask on like they are wearing - 2 months ago, you would have pushed the alarm - thinking I was a criminal...
Now - I walk into the bank, business w/o a mask and people look at me like I’m a criminal...
Why? fear...
people are fearful...
for the believer - it get’s better from here… for the person w/o Christ, it’s an unknown...
LET US DRAW NEAR
LET US HOLD FAST
LET US CONSIDER ONE ANOTHER
4. Let us ASSEMBLE
4. Let us ASSEMBLE
25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
CHURCH - ekklesia
called out assembly...