The New Covenant Life and Church - Part 1 — Zac Poonen

The New Covenant Life and Church - Part 1 — Zac Poonen

So yesterday we were looking at the fact that the root of all sin is to be centered in oneself. And it's from that sin that Jesus has come to save us. And the more we are saved from that, the more we become like Jesus.

And then the more we will be able to be integrated with others in the body of Christ. Why is the church called the body of Jesus Christ? Because if you look at the human body, Israel in the Old Testament was never called a body.

In the Old Testament they were called God's people. We are also God's people. They were called a kingdom, priests, the bride of Jehovah. All these names are given to the church also. But one name Israel was never called.

They were never called a body. Because a body is different from a kingdom. A kingdom is a nation where the king is not connected with each person individually. A kingdom is a nation where the king is not connected with each person individually.

They are subject to the king. But they are not connected to him. And they were called the house. They are also not connected. But a body, every part of this body, even the small nails are connected to the head.

But a body, every part of this body, even the small nails are connected to the head. Israel was not like that. They didn't have any connection with God. They had a connection with their leader Moses or the high priest.

They didn't have any connection with God. They had a connection with Moses or the high priest. So the church is different. Every individual, the newly converted person and the most mature person have a connection with the head.

Every individual, the newly converted person and the most mature person have a connection with the head. So if you build a church where everybody is just connected to the pastor, So if you build a church where everybody is just connected to the pastor, that is like an old covenant congregation.

In the new covenant, every individual, even newly converted, must have a direct connection with Christ. In the new covenant, every individual, even newly converted, must have a direct connection with Christ.

That connection must never be broken. If that connection is kept well, they will be able to work with each other. If that connection is kept well, they will be able to work with each other. See, for example, a person playing a keyboard or a piano.

See, for example, a person playing a keyboard or a piano. There are so many things that work together. All the ten fingers, the eyes, the ears listening if the music is right. All the ten fingers, the eyes, the ears listening if the music is right.

Now, how is it that these ten fingers are working together? Many people say that if you spend a lot of time with each other, then you will have a better friendship. Many people say that if you spend a lot of time with each other, then you will have a better friendship.

But husband and wife who spend a lot of time with each other, still fight with each other. So, it's not spending time together. How is it these ten fingers work together? It's not because every day for one hour they hold each other like that.

How many of you spend even, when you pray maybe, but otherwise how many times do you spend? You may never hold hands together even one minute. Yet you can play the piano perfectly. It's not because they spend time together.

It's because each finger is connected to the head. And as long as they are connected to the head, they work perfectly. Because if the head says, okay, right finger, small finger of the right hand, click that key, and a good pianist even can shut his eyes and play.

Because of the control of the head, the brain has registered where the keys are. Have you seen a blind person playing the piano? They don't need to see the keys. So, it's all got to do with connection to the head.

No, supposing one day this right hand is paralyzed. Then it's hanging there. You can lift it up and make it hold hands with the left hand. But it still won't be able to play the piano. Why? No matter how much time it holds together with the other.

That's what I said, two people can spend a lot of time together and still not work together. Even if they don't spend time together, if they're connected to the head, they'll work perfectly. So, if one hand is paralyzed, the head says, come on, play that note.

It can't play. You think this brother is not cooperating with this brother. No, that's not the problem. This brother has lost the connection with the head. That's why he can't work with the other brother.

I've seen people, sometimes I meet them after one year. Within one minute, we are in perfect fellowship. Why? Because all that one year he was in touch with the head, all the one year I'm in touch with the head.

And there are other people whom I see regularly in Bangalore, I don't have very close fellowship with them. Even though they attend our church. I can't guarantee that everyone who comes to our church is walking with the Lord in daily with a good conscience.

A church is not a gathering together of people, believing the same thing. That is a congregation. Churches have a doctrinal statement, we believe in the Trinity. We believe Christ is the only way of salvation.

You can sign all that and still fight with each other. It's got nothing to do with doctrinal statement, it's got to do with connection to the head. You can have a church of 500 people or 1000 people. That looks very impressive.

But if it's not a body, it's a congregation. Earthly people are impressed, wow, 10 ,000 people in that church. But they are not a body. If you go to these medical colleges, there is an anatomy laboratory.

There are so many parts of the body lying around there. Legs and stomachs and hands and all that. Hundreds of them. It's not a body. They are parts of a body, but they are not a body. It's all dead. There's got to be a connection for it to work together.

Building the Church as a Living Temple

And the purpose of our coming together is to build that close connection. See, the church is called the temple of the Lord. That means we are built together. I think in Singapore also houses are built like in India.

In America they build with wood. The whole structure is made of wood. And then they put some type of plaster and that's how a house is built. In India we build with bricks. Wood and olive will be eaten up by all the termites in hot countries.

So the way a house is built is they bring about 10 ,000 bricks and dump it by the side of the road. And then one by one they build a wall and cement and bring it together. Think of these as individual believers.

If an individual brick wants freedom, then it will remain in that pile. I don't want to be joined up with one brick on top of me, one this side, one that side. It's very inconvenient. In a wall, a brick doesn't have much freedom.

It can't go where it likes. It's stuck with bricks on all sides. So there are believers who want to be a part of a church but they say, I want my freedom. I'm not going to be here. A pile of bricks is a congregation.

When it's built together it becomes a house. Now the danger of just lying as a pile of bricks is... In India, little by little the number gets reduced every day. Because in the other street somebody else is also building a house.

And at night some of these bricks, they don't walk away. These bricks don't walk away but someone else is taking them away. This is how Satan is taking away believers who shouldn't be united. But you can't steal a brick that's been built in a building.

Some people say, a new church has come and stolen our sheep. Suddenly he broke one brick on my wall and took it out. Have you ever seen that happen? Somebody is building a house and he breaks your wall and takes one brick out.

They take from a pile of bricks. It's very dangerous to be in a church where you're not built together. That's not a body. That is a congregation. There is a lot of difference between a congregation and a body.

A congregation is an old testament thing. And you have to have a strong leader like Moses to keep it together. If the leader is not strong, the congregation just breaks up. Big churches all over the world, they need a strong pastor.

Then only they can keep 10 ,000 people. It's a body. You don't need a strong preacher or a strong pastor or any such thing. It's a congregation. It will not grow unless you have a powerful preacher up there in front.

But think of a small baby, so weak. Fingers don't drop off even though it's so weak. When there's a body, you don't need a strong preacher or a strong pastor. If they are connected to the head, Jesus Christ.

They can be very weak like the fingers and legs of a baby. But it's a body. Even if it's weak. That is what Jesus came to build. The tragedy today is in so many churches, they don't have that type of connection.

The Church Is More Than a Mutual-Aid Club

Some churches are like clubs. That means they help one another. There are many worldly clubs where they help one another. There are groups called Lions Club. And Freemasons. They help one another tremendously.

Even financially. Even communists, they have groups where they help one another. That's a club. Some people like to be there because if I'm in trouble, they'll help me. We shouldn't join a church because, oh, if I'm in trouble, they'll help me.

That's not the reason for joining a church. I joined a church because I want to be connected with others who are connected with Jesus Christ. So the primary job of every member in the body is not to be related to each other, but to be related to Christ.

If you are related to Christ, you will automatically be related to each other. Otherwise, there will be no connection. So, very often, when we come together as a new church, we think, oh, we must be related to each other.

We must meet each other often and all that. That's good, but that's not primary. You take care of your connection with Christ, your connection with others automatically. But you will not have a connection with that person if he's not connected to Christ.

My body has no connection with this brother's fingers. Because he's not connected to my head. How much I may spend time with him, there won't be a connection. So that's why the New Testament church is called a body.

Seeking the Glory of Christ Rather Than Our Own Interests

And the other thing is, when we are all connected to the head, what happens is, there's not a single member of this body that's living for itself. You know the human race, everybody lives for themselves.

I say there are two characteristics of the human race. One is described in Romans 3. The entire world was 318. Fear of God in their eyes. That's number one characteristic of the human race. Even those people of different religions who say that we fear God, it's not real fear of God.

They are afraid of God's judgment. Why do people say we are afraid of the police? It's not the man. It's because he can punish you. There's a lot of difference between you know, once that police has retired from the police, you're not afraid of him anymore.

Same man, but you're not afraid now because he's lost the power to judge you. When a lot of people say they fear God, they're actually afraid of his judgment. That's not the fear of God. There are two types of fear of God.

One is the fear God will hurt me. The other is the fear that I might hurt God. Which is the fear you have? Are you afraid that God will hurt you, or are you afraid that you might hurt God? Take a child for example.

One child is afraid the daddy will hurt me. The other child is afraid I might hurt my daddy by something I do. That is the right type of fear of God. Or something I do may hurt your heart. But the fear of God's judgment is what most people have.

The other characteristic of the human race is Philippians 3 .21. They all seek their own. Everybody. They seek their own, like I said yesterday. What will benefit me? 2 .21, yeah. They all seek their own.

That means I'm thinking, what benefit can I get out of this? What benefit can I get out of being part of this group? Will they help me? Will they do something for me? Always it's me, me, me. Or you go to some church because there is a great preacher there.

I will get something. Will Christ be glorified more if I listen to this message? That's seeking the glory of Christ. Can I glorify Christ more by being here or by being here? Can I glorify Christ more by being here or by being here?

Most Christians in the world, I would say more than 90 they are in the church in which their father, grandfather and all were. They know whether they are Catholic or Methodist, their father, grandfather was usually in that church.

Whether they are Catholic or Methodist, they know what their grandfather's church is. 90 Even religions. A guy is a Hindu or a Muslim because his father, grandfather were all Hindus and Muslims. 90 is not personal choice.

Because religion is not important for them. But if you see which school that child is going, But if you see which school that child is going, he is not going to the same school as his grandfather went to.

Why is that? Because the father says there are better schools today, why should I send them to my grandfather's school? Or if there is a sickness in the home, that wife is not being admitted in the hospital the grandfather was put in.

Why not? Because there are better hospitals today. So, why do people become selective when it comes to school and hospitals but not church? Because they value education. They value good medical treatment.

But when it comes to spiritual things, anything will do. That is the reason why many Christians never grow spiritually. They value education and health a hundred times more than they value God. I say, if you select the best school and the best hospital, why don't you select the best church as well?

Oh, I don't want to offend my parents, I don't want to offend the priest, I don't want to offend the pastor. Are you going to please your grandfather by sending your child to the same school he went to?

I don't care if my grandfather is upset, I want a good education for my son. The fact is, most Christians value these earthly things more than they value God. And they wonder why they don't grow spiritually.

For a hundred years they will not grow spiritually. God says, you will seek me and find me when you search for me with all your heart. The first words in the Bible are, In the beginning God made the heaven and the earth.

The first words are, In the beginning God. That's how the Bible begins. That's how our life must begin also. That's how every day must begin. In the beginning of the day, God. In the beginning of your life, God.

In the beginning of every decision you make, God. How many people live like that? Those are the only people who are true Christians. What does God think about this? Let me take a decision based on that.

Even a simple thing like television. Will Jesus like to watch this program? He doesn't want it? In other words, If you are sitting watching it and Jesus is sitting there, he will get up and walk away when you are watching that program.

He says, I am not interested in that. So you say, okay Lord, see you later. I am not interested in this. I will see you now when I am reading the Bible or something. But right now I got it. This is interesting.

Do you think such a Christian is serious about his life? He is using Jesus for his convenience. When I am sick, I have to run to him. When I have a problem, I run to him. I don't want him to be with me all the time.

There are a lot of things I want to do which he may not be interested in. This is the main reason why God cannot use many people. I believe God, if every Christian were wholehearted, the church will be such a powerful force for God.

It will be burning like a fire. In the Old Testament, we read of Moses seeing a burning bush. A leaf in that bush was burning. It wasn't just one burning branch in all the rest of the bush. Unfortunately, some churches are like that.

One man on fire for God. Rest all cold. That's not the way God intended it. That burning bush, every single branch and twig was burning. That's how every church should be. But why aren't people like that?

Because they think, if I seek my own, life will be better for me. It's not true. It's a lie. Many people, their problem is, when they were first converted, they didn't get converted thoroughly. The Bible says God and the world are in two opposite directions.

1 John 2 .15. Don't love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. If anyone loves the world, you cannot love the Father. You cannot love God, you cannot love Jesus Christ.

You have to make a choice. It's like a woman when she gets married. She may have had some other boyfriend before that. And if she tells her husband, I'd like to love him also along with you. How can that be a marriage?

How can that be a marriage? If he is a good husband, he will say, I am forgetting your past, you should also forget it. You should only love me now. This is what Jesus said. You have been loving the world as your boyfriend for so many years.

I forgive you now. If a wife loves another man, how many husbands will be happy? But what do we think? If we are always interested in other things in the world, Jesus Christ will not find it. What is in the world?

We read in verse 16, lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh, lust of life. When I say lust of the eyes, I have a desire to see certain things. Do you know the number of believers who watch pornography in secret?

Would they ever allow Jesus to sit next to them while they are watching that? They will say, Lord, please get out from here. I am going to watch something which you don't like. Lord, I am going to watch something which you don't like.

Please get out from here. When should she be with Jesus? When should she not be with Jesus? He is correcting them. Why is it wrong? If a man is going to be with you, he is going to be with another man.

I won't blame that man if he divorces his wife and says, I am fed up with you. I don't blame Jesus if he divorces you also and says, I am fed up with you. You want to watch pornography sometimes and some other filthy things on television.

Why are you coming to church pretending to be greatly devoted to me? You are a liar. I want to divorce you. I believe the Lord will be right. Won't you husbands do that if your wife is going around with some other man every alternate week?

You would do that. The Lord is so patient. He hasn't done that yet. But you know, sometimes we don't realize there is a limit to the patience of God with us. In Genesis chapter 6, there is a word we must always remember.

It says the world was so corrupt. Genesis 6 .5. The wickedness of man was great. Every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And look at these sad words. Verse 6 The Lord was sorry that he had made man on earth and it grieved his heart.

It's like a father saying, Why did I have this son of mine? Why did I have this daughter? That's how God felt. Look at these people. Every imagination in their thought, verse 5, is evil. It is all connected with sex or money.

Or advancement for oneself. It is either sex or money or self-promotion. Jesus said, The last days will be like the days of Noah. Men will be interested in sex or money or self-promotion. And when such people become Christians, they will still be interested in sex apart from their wives.

And money will be far beyond what they need. And self-promotion. How are they different from the rest of the world? Only thing they have added one more thing called Jesus. He is not in the center. These other things are what run their life.

And Jesus is like, you take an insurance policy for your house in case it burns down or something. It's a fire insurance. I don't want to go to hell. Premium is I have to go to church on Sunday. Okay, I'll do that.

I'll do that. It's a good fire insurance. It's for eternity. People who go to eternity will be surprised. They didn't protect them. Because the premium is you got to give your whole life. Every day. Every day.

How many husbands will accept a wife who says, 364 days of the year I'll be with you. One day allow me to be with another man. What an unreasonable husband. He doesn't even allow his wife to go one day to another man.

She is not asking for much. One day. And we think that Jesus is like that. If you live for yourself and live indulgent in some sin it's okay. So long as most of the time you are with me it's okay. We haven't understood the relationship with Jesus like a husband and wife.

We haven't understood the relationship with Jesus like a husband and wife. We need to see that very clearly. When the world was like this it says here in Genesis 6 These are the days of Noah. The Lord said My spirit will not always strive with man.

My spirit will not always strive with man. There is a limit. In those days was 320 years. See that's because man was living 960 years those days. So he said okay. Up to so much time I'll give you and then if you don't repent you are finished.

Up to so much time I'll give you and then if you don't repent you are finished. That shows us that the patience of God is not endless. There is a time limit to it. Just because nothing happened for 10 years 20 years, 30 years, 40 years it doesn't matter to God that we are doing all these things.

But they didn't realize that God had already put a time limit to it. He did not announce to the world 120 years. He did not even tell Noah. Noah did not know when the flood is coming. God had determined in heaven 120 years.

The time limit drawn in heaven people on earth did not know it. They went on 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 years then nothing is happening. That means God doesn't mind we are doing all these things. 100 years nothing has happened.

See remember those days people were living up to 800, 900 years. So in terms of today it's like in terms of today's life it's 120 years it's like God saying okay 8 years. Nowadays people only live up to 70 or 80.

It's like the Lord saying okay I give you 8 years. That's it. So there is a red line God has drawn in front of people who keep on playing the fool with him. Every time they are sinning they are moving closer and closer to that line.

And a day can come and they cross it. That's what I believe is the sin against the Holy Spirit they can never be forgiven of. Only a few Christians understand this. Because when they first got converted their repentance was not radical.

The world is here and God is here opposite. Jesus said money and God are opposite. And we saw that the love of the Father and the love of the world is opposite. Not only opposite it says in James 4. It says in verse 4 Friendship with the world is enmity towards God.

If you are friend of the world you are enemy of God whether you know it or not. James 4 .4 It's not that you won't be such a good friend of God. Only if you are a friend of the world. Friend of the world means enemy of God.

They are opposites. So much opposite that if you are a friend you are an enemy of God. Friend of the world. If you are a friend of the world you are an enemy of God. It's that much difference. So, when we are before our conversion we have got the world in front of us and God behind us.

So, think of a man who does not turn 180 degrees towards God. I think most Christians their repentance is about 90 degrees. Looking at the world most of the time maybe half an hour in the morning they turn to God and look to their Bible.

The rest of the time they are back looking the other way. Or six days they are looking at the world and Sunday they turn and look towards God. Not the whole Sunday also but a part of Sunday. This is the life of most Christians.

Their conversion is not radical. How was your conversion? Whenever you accepted Christ. Was it a radical turn? That means ambitions that you had completely disappeared. The reason I ask that is that is often the reason why there is not a spiritual growth in one's life.

When people have cancer in an advanced stage doctors speak about radical surgery needed. The whole stomach has to be taken out. Some organ has to be taken out completely. If you don't do that the cancer will spread.

So, there are some people who say I don't want that organ to be removed. Just give me some medicine and chemotherapy and slowly. They die. There are other people the whole organ is removed and they live.

They can live a whole life. So, if you are willing to radically turn around we have a very good experience of God right from the beginning. Such people can very quickly integrate into a local body. When I was converted 57 years ago it was a radical conversion.

Radical Conversion and Total Commitment to Christ

Before that for previous 5 -6 years I would go to meetings and say Lord Jesus come into my heart. I was afraid to go to hell. Many times. I don't know whether he came. I don't even know whether he came into my heart or not.

I must have asked the Lord to come into my heart a hundred times. I was never sure. The world was very attractive for me. Could I go to church? Could I read the Bible? I never got out of bed without praying.

But Jesus Christ was not everything for me. But a time came in my life 57 years ago when I turned around 180 degrees. That was the beginning of my real Christian life. I was in the Navy those days. When I joined the Navy I had a great ambition.

I worked hard for it. That was to go to the top of the Navy and become the Admiral of the Indian Navy. That was my ambition. So I was really working hard to get to that. How do I know that my conversion to Christ was radical?

This ambition to go to the top of the Navy just disappeared from my life. I was no longer interested in that. Now, even if I worked in the Navy I wanted to be a witness for Christ. I wanted to live by Christian principles.

I knew that if I live by Christian principles you can't advance very far in any profession in the world. You never do anything wrong. You don't go around serving alcohol to all your colleagues. You don't become very popular.

I said, Lord, I'm finished with my ambitions. I want to live 100 for Christ. I'll continue to work in the Navy to earn my earning. Because of that I have to say that my Christian life has been very, very satisfying from that time.

I didn't have victory over sin for many years. That's because I was struggling. But my commitment to Christ was total. I didn't know how to get victory. I didn't know the way to overcome because nobody taught me.

It's like my joining a factory and my commitment to that factory is total. I love this factory. Even if you pay me less, I'll work here. But I still don't know how to operate all these machines. I'm learning.

My Christianity was like that. There were many things I had to learn. I didn't know how to work it. But my commitment to that system was total. Even if I get nothing, I want to be committed to Christ.

I want to ask you whether it was like that. For example, another thing that happened in my life then was I used to go to a lot of movies. I would invite other people, Hey, let's go and watch this new movie that's come.

When I became a Christian, that just disappeared. I didn't want to go to a single movie after that. But I didn't have the boldness to tell other people I'm not going to the movies anymore. So one day when two of my friends called me to go with them to a movie, it was just two or three days after I was converted radically.

These are people whom I used to go and drag to the movies earlier. They come and call me. I didn't have the courage to say Hey, I'm not coming. Why? I don't watch movies. They think I don't matter somehow.

It was in the naval base in Cochin. We had a movie theater inside the base for naval people. So I did not have the courage to say no to them. So I kept quiet and I went along. And as I was walking down the road I said, Lord, please save me out of this.

I don't know how to get out of this. I didn't have the courage to say no to them. We came to the movie theater and we saw a notice Today's movie is cancelled. I felt like shouting Hallelujah! I was so happy but these two others were disappointed.

That was my first experience of God will cancel a whole movie and disappoint one thousand people to please one man. It happened 57 years ago and I haven't forgotten it. What God will do for a weak struggling believer who does not yet have the courage to say no.

I saw the tremendous love of my heavenly father. What all he will do for you if you really want something and you don't yet have the courage to stand up for it. I came back to my room I said, thank you Lord.

The Lord said, next time I will not cancel the movie. You yourself will have to say no. You will never grow if I keep cancelling the movie everyday. You have to get the courage to say no. After that I had great courage I said, sorry I am a Christian I don't do this.

I don't want to go to any place where Jesus will not go with me. But still I had to grow spiritually because I didn't have fellowship with radical whole hearted Christians in those days. My life was not steadily going up it was up and down and up and down.

Times when I was discouraged small fall here and there repent and come back. I said, Lord this is not the way. There must be something better than this. Commitment to Christ was radical. Like I said, I am going to work in this factory for the rest of my life.

But I don't know how to operate this machine. How to get victory over sin. That can happen in your case too. But your commitment to Christ is 100%. You don't understand how you can overcome sin. But what you need to ask yourself is your commitment to Christ 100%.

That's like a wife whose husband commitment to her husband is 100%. But she doesn't even know how to make a cup of coffee. Doesn't know how to cook food. Food is so bad tasting everyday. And the husband says it's pretty bad food.

Darling, my commitment to you is 100%. And the husband says, that's okay. I don't care if the food is not good. We love one another. That's the main thing. That's how Jesus will love you even if you are not very perfect in so many things.

If you are committed. Don't have to be perfect. I have been perfect in so many things in the early days. I made mistakes. The Lord said, I know your commitment to me is 100%. That's enough. That really encouraged me.

I'd get up to preach and well, it wasn't such a good message. That's like making a bad meal. The Lord said, it's okay. Your commitment is okay. Never mind if your message is boring. Some of you young believers, you share something in the meeting.

And you know what you said was not so great that everybody got excited. Nobody got excited. Don't go home depressed. It's like a new wife who still doesn't know how to cook. Even God even knows how to fry an egg.

It's okay. You love Jesus. That's the main thing. So you don't have to be a great preacher or even a great singer. We have a brother in our church. Even after 30 years, he cannot sing one song properly.

Not even one line. He has absolutely no gift of music. But he sometimes starts a chorus. Completely wrong tune. And you know what will happen? Some other brother who is good at music will start that line again.

Praise the Lord for such a wonderful family we have in the church. One brother does it wrong. Another brother just picks it up as if nothing has happened. And the whole church sings that song. This is family.

Welcoming Weak Members as Part of the Church Family

This is how we grow. It's like if you have a child that's retarded or mentally a little... The whole family supports it. Many years ago, I wanted to teach our church the importance of valuing one another in the church.

Especially those who are a little weak spiritually. All of them don't know much of the Bible. They don't sing properly. They are not very smart. They are not educated or cultured. They are not cultured people who know how to say sorry, how to say thank you.

It's all good, but that's not the main thing in Christianity. Our children were all small those days. So I made all of our children sit down and we did a little small five-minute drama for them to teach the church something.