MST #01 of 2010

In Luke 24:25, it says “...these things have to happen.” The story begins with 2 men on the way to Emmaus. They were deep in conversation...’ going over the things that had just happened in Jerusalem’. They were talking about the death of Jesus Christ. They had trusted in Christ and had hoped that He would be the answer to all their issues and challenges. He had come, died and worse of all, they had just heard that His body could not be found in the tomb. They were confused, disillusioned and disappointed with the whole matter. They had their hopes raised and now everything had come crashing down. The Bible even declares that ‘they stood there, long faced like they had lost everything’ (Lk 24:17 Message Bible)

These 2 disciples are like us in many ways. We tend to react to the negative things that happen around us. We look at the matter on the surface and we feel disappointed and discouraged that such calamities had hit us. We do not look positively or beyond what we see before us. The recent events that affected the churches in our country have caused concerns and fears among many believers. Some parents even forbade their children to go to church after the attacks on churches. They were afraid of further attacks.

If we reconstruct the story of Luke 24, it will be like us behaving like the 2 disciples. We see the church progressing, things are going on well and suddenly some ‘attacks’ have come to the church. We complain, react and respond negatively to what has happened..as though ‘ we have lost everything’. Perhaps like in Luke 24:25,26 ...’these things have to happen’. Jesus rebuked the 2 disciples by saying ‘so thick headed and so slow hearted. Why can’t you simply believe in prophecy..that these things have to happen?’

Is everything that affects the church according to God’s purpose and plan? Including the not-so-good situations? If we believe in prophecy, we need to understand through the eyes, ears and heart of God in order to get the correct perspective of things. Things happen for a purpose. We should view all things through the ‘inner witness’ of the Holy Spirit.

These things have to happen to:
a) Strengthen the church. The church grows in depth when it faces adversities and challenges. The persecuted church is more determined to live for Christ. Persecution purifies and strengthens the church. Christ had warned the church about persecutions that would come upon it.
b) Serve the church. Joseph’s remark to his brothers should remind us about God’s ultimate victory in all things...he said ‘you meant it for evil but God meant it for good.’ In all things, if we believe in the prophetic purpose of God, all things ‘ will work together for the good...’ Romans 8:28. God’s purpose will triumph in the end. When they crucified Jesus, they thought they had finished Him off and the movement He started would come to an abrupt end. On the contrary, His death sparked off a greater movement. Christ’s death served the purpose of God, it did not thwart it.
c) Set the church. Whenever the church becomes more passionate after overcoming some challenges, exponential growth is about to take place. The persecutions of the early church gave rise to massive evangelism and missionary endeavours. Those situations catapulted the church into a momentum that could not be stopped.

In the prophetic purposes of God - for His will to be done and for His kingdom to really come...these things have to happen! NW