"I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."
But what exactly did Jesus mean by that? The common interpretation is that the church that Jesus built in His earthly ministry would not succumb to Satan's attacks - that His church could not be defeated. While this is essentially true, it is over simplistic. Remember the kind of church Jesus planted - the very church that received the Holy Spirit's empowering on the day of Pentecost - it was a true church, a motivated church, a church that was alive as people walked daily with each other in faith, lifting each other up in prayer, words, and unified hearts, minds and worship of the Lord. The church Jesus planted was not a church focused on "survival" - with hand wringing over how to get bodies in the pews, and offering plates filled with dollars. It wasn't a church made up of people more concerned with personal comfort, convenience, and preferences.
No - Jesus built HIS CHURCH, that was a suffering church. Not that they desired to suffer, but it was a church based upon the willingness to suffer, sacrifice, and give up all for the sake of Jesus Christ. It was a church willing to GO (Matthew 28:18-20), to reproduce, to see lives changed through the Gospel. We see in the church Jesus built, a life of self-sacrifice of joy in sufferings, and strength in weakness.
No - the church that Jesus builds is impervious to the attacks of Hell because the church, made of of individual, genuinely born-again Christians who are called together in the local context with the purpose of glorifying God - are all focused on Jesus. They don't "forget their first love" as Jesus wrote to the Ephesian church (Revelation 2:4). Instead, they are drawn together ever-tighter as they serve together - serving the Lord.
Unfortunately, Satan (represented by the the Gates of Hell) has won victory after victory over churches who have forgotten their "First Love". While we often focus on the other letters dictated by Christ to the 7 churches in Asia Minor (Revelation 2-3), and what He had against them as being false teachers, false doctrines and such - a very real problem that has exhibited itself in many "churches" over the years and particularly of today, one of the most insidious ways Satan and the Gates of Hell prevail against a church is through the quiet death of "Apathy".
Apathy doesn't usually develop over night. Apathy comes when the church becomes "comfortable". Some of my readers have witnessed formerly alive churches that have built fine facilities, then grew cold in their comfort. Others have seen congregations evolve as they age - seeming to "retire" from their service to the Lord. And yet for others, it is simply the excuse that "we just cannot seem to connect with our community any more". Yet every one of these excuses and patterns are contrary to scripture. Which Apostle or member of the first church in Jerusalem, or any of the others in the New Testament, are described as "retiring"? Which character in the New Testament is depicted as having "done his (or her) fair share"? You won't find any of these - as the Biblical pattern is for those called by God to faith is that they serve with a passion until they day they die! God NEVER called anyone to serve Him without empowering and enabling them. When we say "I can't" or "we can't", this really means "I won't" or "we won't"! And it goes back to pride and our own comfort and preferences.
One of the most convicting passages on this subject comes from the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 9:19-23
For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I mightwin more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.
How many of us even begin to consider taking on this attitude in serving the Lord? As a pastor, I would like to say I do - but far too often, I find myself quite negligent in this area. I have my own "comfort zone", whether it be in where I go, who I speak to, what music I worship with, and so much more. The Lord calls us all out of "comfort". He pushes for us to get beyond our "preferences". This world, this nation, and our very neighborhoods are dying - headed straight for those "Gates of Hell" the Church is suppose to stand against!
How may church buildings remain empty 5 or 6 days out of the week? How many professed Christians assemble together only when "convenient"? How many people do we encounter daily who, while we can suspect they are "lost", pass on by without us as much as mentioning Christ?
How many of us know people who have abandoned a church because (supposedly) the music wasn't what they liked, or the preacher was too loud (or sweat too much, or wasn't loud enough), or because people were always "in their business"? Or maybe how many of us have been the one to leave?
Have you ever gotten mad when a preacher suggested you could do more for the Lord? Maybe it is conviction!
Word(s) to the church who expect to stand against the Gates of Hell:
- In all parts of your life, remember who you are really serving - Colossians 3:23-24
- You were bought at a price - so glorify God! 1 Corinthians 6:20
- You KNOW what you SHOULD be doing! James 4:17
- Is your faith alive or dead? James 2:14-26
- What are you willing to become if it means souls are saved and lives are changed? 1 Corinthians 9:19-23
It comes back to this: will we make excuses, or will we simply do all that we can to place ourselves between the lost and Hell? You can if you will take up the full Armor of God, freely provided for you (Ephesians 6). Exercise your faith. Start by stepping out IN Faith! Use all that God has entrusted to you (your faith, your health, your finances, your TIME, your abilities and talents, your gifts, and ALL) to glorify Him. Worship in Spirit and Truth. Pray fervently, without ceasing, and seek where He would use YOU! All He asked is that we be faithful. There are no bench riders on the Lord's team.
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