They express a condition in the Church regarding our present existence and history. Church history depicts something of a spiritual shell game that has manipulated and duped Church leadership and members for centuries. Not to bore you, but a brief history lesson is required to even grasp what I am attempting to communicate. From the birthing of the New Testament Church at Pentecost communing with Christ was the central focus of the Church. According to Acts 2:42 they devoted themselves to the Apostles’ teaching, the fellowship, the breaking of bread and prayer. But in 326 AD Emperor Constantine shifted the church from Apostolic authority to Church authority, making the Church the centerpiece of Christianity. Unfortunately with that shift the Church became an economic, political, religious power-broker. Paganism infiltrated the Church and communion – common union with Christ – became ritualized and diluted. Following this major event, a schism occurred between Greek Orthodoxy, in the East and Roman Catholicism, in the West. Greek Orthodoxy emphasized mysticism, and the supernatural, whereas Roman Catholicism emphasized the intellect. This event occurred around 1054 AD. Polishing these events off was the Protestant Reformation which occurred in 1517 AD with it’s emphasis on the authority of the Word of God devaluing the Catholic emphasis on Church and Pope.

If you were attempting to track the “seed” under the Christian shell you would have noticed some slight of hand happening slowly moving the focus away from what mattered to things that were secondary. Thoroughly distracted, the Church and it’s members, have forgotten all about that “seed” beneath the shell quite simply becoming enamored with the shells. New Testament Christians for 326 years focused on knowing and communing with Jesus. So much so that they practiced it every time they came together. Wonder, awe and expectation kept the blessed event from becoming empty ritual. It’s practice granted the participant a front row seat in knowing, and fellowshipping with Jesus. Through it a portal was open-end into His Presence. Unfortunately, 1692 years of Christian history has succeeded in substituting knowing Jesus with the Church, the Bible and the mind. These three helped to create a new trinity – a substitute trinity. Through these the divorce was solidified and intimacy, communion, and a personal relationship with the Godhead was no longer an emphasis. Through simple, slight of hand, the Church Triumphant has become the Church of Impotence. Games are being played alright, through the middle of the night, the children are growing up, and the church seems to be quietly fading away – yet, always, always, God sets aside a remnant who say:

There’s a Christian song I really like called “The Motions” by Matthew West. The lyrics are appropriate for a such a time as ours:

Maybe it’s time for a new reformation that ends this divorce, knocking the shells to the floor, exposing the “Seed” of knowing Christ.