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Gates of Hell
Gates of Hell
In Matthew 16:18 Jesus tells Peter, “you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.”
I had always understood this verse to mean that the church is in a defensive posture. The church is the pillar and foundation of truth, and although evil forces may fire against it-trying to knock it down-the church is promised because of Jesus’ strength to survive until he returns.
But what if the church is not in a defensive position, but an offensive position? What if the gates of hell (or hades) are the gates of death which hold people in prison to their sin and hopelessness? What if the church-under Jesus’ power- is the God-ordained authority that goes on the offensive and breaks down the gates guarding hell, in order to rescue those who are trapped in the clutches of sin and judgment?
I think it is helpful for Christians to remind themselves that we are in the rescue business. We have been rescued by Christ, and now our mission is to rescue others through Christ. As one old book phrased it, we are “taking men alive.”
In Jesus’ day there was a temple at Cesaerea Phillipi where the Romans worshiped called the “Gates of Hades” The temple was dedicated to pagan gods, and inside the area was a deep pool which they thought led to Hades, or death.
You can see pictures of the gates of hades here. . This image gives more depth to Jesus’ statement. The church is not in stagnant mode- retreating and trying to defend herself from the enemy. No- the church is actively going out into the world– to places already dominated by Satan–and breaking down the gates and rescuing those who are in danger of judgment.
Jesus is not just telling us to simply “hold out” until he comes again. He is giving us the promise that he will go with us into the dark places of the world to bring light and to rescue those who are in danger of eternal death.
Pure Words vs. Vileness- Which will you choose today?
We finally made the switch to a high definition TV. The nice thing about it is that it has internet capabilities and a lot of times, instead of tuning into a tv station, we will turn on Pandora Radio. Pandora allows you to select artists you enjoy and then plays more songs that are similar to your preferences.
As a result we are watching less and less TV. That is a good thing- because uplifting music gives us pure words instead of the typical crudeness that is so prevalent on television-even while the “news” is being reported.
I was reminded of this contrast when reading Psalm 12 today. It says in verse 6: “The words of the LORD are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times.” Then in verse 8 the contrast: “On every side the wicked prowl, as vileness is exalted among the children of man.”
Everyday we have a choice in the words we use and the words we allow to filter into our minds. God’s words are pure, uplifting to the heart, convicting of the spirit, transforming our minds and-if we obey the leading of the spirit- changing our actions. On the opposite end- vileness is exalted in culture more and more each day.
I find it ironic that what people consider a “conservative news channel” such as Fox News also airs such vulgar adult cartoons such as Family Guy, King of the Hill, and others (I although I do admit I’m curious about the new Napoleon Dynamite show.) The cumulative effect of these shows is that when vulgarity and profanity are presented in a humorous way, we are desensitized to them and become more accepting of them- which leads to practicing those things ourselves.
I don’t want polluted words or images entering my mind, because I know that they can take root if I am not careful. I pray that each day I would meditate on and use words that are pure words– that is, words directly from the Lord.
So for a change of pace- start turning on music instead of turning on the TV- you may sense more peace before you go to bed at night.
The connection between worship and service
Matthew 4:10, “You shall worship the Lord your God and him only you shall serve.”
Jesus spoke these words in response to Satan’s temptation to bow down and worship him, and Jesus would be granted all the kingdoms of the world.
In our spiritual lives, we tend to erroneously separate worship and service. We worship God, and we serve the church- right? We worship Jesus and we serve our families- right? We worship by singing songs and we serve by doing other things- right?
The truth is, that Jesus makes a point here we need to pay attention to. The point is that Service is an outgrowth of Worship.
Whatever we worship (set our heart affections on) will inevitably be the thing or person that we serve. If we worship money, then we will serve (or be slaves to) our job so that we can earn more and more. If we worship relationships, then we will continually be serving (or seeking the approval of) those whom we feel we need.
The book of Deuteronomy makes this even more clear: “And if you forget the LORD your God and go after other gods and serve them and worship them, I solemnly warn you today that you shall surely perish.”
(Deuteronomy 8:19 ESV)
Worship is not something we do only by singing songs or offering certain prayers- we worship God by devoting ourselves to him and serving him. Paul makes this clear in the book of Romans, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” (Romans 12:1 ESV)
To offer one’s body as a living sacrifice in worship is to give ourselves in service to God and to others.