The Resilient Church

Mountains Recap

Mountains were depicted as the dwelling places of deities in ancient Near Eastern thought.

The placement of the king as guardian cherub on the divine mountain equates him with a divine being serving God in His holy dwelling (see note on Isa 2:2).

In many ancient religions, luxurious gardens and inaccessible mountains were considered the home of the gods.

Sometimes these mountains were also known as Ziggurats

In Mesopotamia, the human-made ziggurat was a mountain-temple where the gods met humanity.

Moving mountains is a metaphor for the power of God, or the faith to do what seems impossible

The Fig Tree

Mark 11:12-25 (ESV)

12 On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry.

13 And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.

14 And he said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard it.

15 And they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons.

16 And he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple.

17 And he was teaching them and saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.”

18 And the chief priests and the scribes heard it and were seeking a way to destroy him, for they feared him, because all the crowd was astonished at his teaching.

19 And when evening came they went out of the city.

20 As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots.

21 And Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.”

22 And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God.

23 Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him.

24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

25 And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”

Why Did Jesus Curse the Fig Tree?

Given the context, the reference to casting “this mountain” into the sea could be to the Temple Mount itself.

Jesus then cursing the fig tree

Jesus was looking for fruit.

Talk about the fruit of the spirit.

The discovery of its withered condition here in vv. 20–21,

The temple became just like the world.

Surrounding the temple action described in vv. 15–19,

foreshadow the temple’s judgment and doom.

If the temple establishment has no fruit to offer God, that is, no more than the fig tree had to offer Jesus, then it, too, is in danger of destruction.

What is Church Supposed to Look Like?

Church is the gathering of the Saints

NOT the gathering of people in the marketplace

The Apostle Paul said to forsake NOT the assembly.

Reading your bible at home or watching sermons on Youtube is NOT the same thing as the gathering of like-minded believers.

Church is to be known as a house of prayer

Church is to be a place of worship, fellowship and the reading of scripture

Church is a place where we should come to get refilled, equipped, trained, discipled, and pastored.

We should come to church to learn, discover, receive healing and deliverance!

Lastly, the house of God should be a place where we encounter God and His glory!!!

What Church is NOT Supposed to look like.

The World.

Hipster.

Religious.

Judgemental.

Hyper-grace.

Free of Accountability.

Your pastor should not solely be an evangelist, He must have a pastoral calling.

Your pastor should not be a motivational speaker or life coach.

If your pastor never preaches against sin and hell RUN!!!

The gospel of Christ isn’t according to Andy Stanly, Carl Lentz, Joel Osteen and Ravi Zacheris.

You cant do whatever you want and plea grace!

Church isn’t zoom church!

Church isn’t VR Church (Thanks to Craig Groeschel)

Craig Groeschel doesn't seem to understand the very definition of Church!

Fellowship was meant to be face to face!

You are not meant to be on an island by yourself with no community, accountability and discipleship.

VR/ZOOM Church is a ripoff and a counterfeit!

It promises all the rewards without the commitment!

Super Apostles?

There are many false apostles, prophets and teachers in the world.

Break down the 3 governing offices.

1 Corinthians 12:28 ESV

28 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues.

But there is also a counterfeit trio (Hell’s Toxic Trio).

Don’t be mesmerized by the gifts!

You must look at the fruit and the labor of an apostles.

2 Corinthians 11:5 ESV

5 Indeed, I consider that I am not in the least inferior to these super-apostles.

The so-called elite of Paul’s time.

Paul is living in the trenches doing all the hard work, while these so-called “super apostles” are rising in fame and taking all of the credit!

It’s purely deception

The Resilience of the Apostles

Acts 5:17–42 ESV

17 But the high priest rose up, and all who were with him (that is, the party of the Sadducees), and filled with jealousy 18 they arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison. 19 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, 20 “Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life.” 21 And when they heard this, they entered the temple at daybreak and began to teach. Now when the high priest came, and those who were with him, they called together the council, all the senate of the people of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. 22 But when the officers came, they did not find them in the prison, so they returned and reported, 23 “We found the prison securely locked and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened them we found no one inside.” 24 Now when the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they were greatly perplexed about them, wondering what this would come to. 25 And someone came and told them, “Look! The men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people.” 26 Then the captain with the officers went and brought them, but not by force, for they were afraid of being stoned by the people. 27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest questioned them, 28 saying, “We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.” 29 But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. 30 The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. 31 God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.” 33 When they heard this, they were enraged and wanted to kill them. 34 But a Pharisee in the council named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in honor by all the people, stood up and gave orders to put the men outside for a little while. 35 And he said to them, “Men of Israel, take care what you are about to do with these men. 36 For before these days Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing. 37 After him Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and drew away some of the people after him. He too perished, and all who followed him were scattered. 38 So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; 39 but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!” So they took his advice, 40 and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41 Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. 42 And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus.

What Does Resilient Mean?

Resilient:

able to become strong, healthy, or successful again after something bad happens.

able to return to an original shape after being pulled, stretched, pressed, bent.

capable of withstanding shock without permanent deformation or rupture.

tending to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change.

Exposing the Religious Spirit

The religious spirit will rally allies in offense and anger. The Pharisees were outraged by Jesus’s preaching and ministry, so they began to strategize in secret.

Secrecy is one of the devil’s great strategies.

The enemy slithers around under the cover of darkness.

The prophetic spirit boldly shines the light on hidden devils.

That is why demons hate prophets, prophetic people, and prophetic ministry.

The god of this world has blinded the minds of those who do not believe, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake. - 2 CORINTHIANS 4:4-5

“The gospel brings the light of God on the scene! Light exposes the power of hell. The religious spirit operates with secret councils, secret committees, and backroom deal makers. They met in secret to attack Jesus. This is the game plan of the religious spirit.” - Ryan Lestrange

Bind & Loose

Matthew 16:18–19 (ESV)

18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

What Resilience Looks Like

2 Corinthians 11:24–31 ESV

24 Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; 26 on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; 27 in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. 28 And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches. 29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to fall, and I am not indignant? 30 If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. 31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, he who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying.

The Only Church is the “Resilient Church!”