THE ASSEMBLY BUILT BY CHRIST
THE ASSEMBLY BUILT BY CHRIST
Matthew 16:13-18; Matthew 17:1-5; Matthew 18:1-10, Matthew 18:15-20
The scripture in Matthew 16, reminds us of the fact that the Lord is active as Builder. It is said that “he that built all things is God,” Hebrews 3: 4. He is the Builder of the material universe. He spoke to Job of this. When Job undertook to enter into controversy with Him God said, “Where wast thou when I laid the foundation of the earth... who hath laid the measures thereof... or who hath stretched the line upon it?” All these are constructional ideas. The heavens are referred to as His upper chambers. But the Lord in Matthew speaks, not of a material building, but of a spiritual structure which He is now building.
The first building by man as recorded in scripture, is the city which Cain built when he departed from God after the murder of Abel. He went out from the presence of God and built a city. That line of things has gone on up to the present day, man is raising up a vast structure for his own pleasure and aggrandisement, but apart from God. There are no moral foundations in such a building, and it will come down. In contrast to this, we find Abraham waiting for a city having foundations of which God is the Builder and Maker.
The exercises and activities of David and Solomon regarding the temple, help us to see the glory and magnificence of God’s building. It is most remarkable that the great structure of Solomon’s temple was reared in order to house what was outwardly so small, but inwardly and intrinsically so great, that is the ark typifying even Christ Himself. Thus in what God is erecting morally in the souls of His people today, a shrine is being secured for Himself in their affections, they are being “builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit,” Ephesians 2: 22.
In Matthew 16, the Lord Jesus speaks of His building — “my assembly.” Christ the Son of the living God is the Builder of this, and the material He uses is stones such as Peter was, as his confession indicated, reminding us of the living character of what divine Persons are doing. The Lord says of His building that “the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Not all the administration of the powers of darkness will prevail against this building. The enemy first sought to get rid of Christ, and though he did succeed in having Him put to death, yet Satan did not prevail, for Christ rose from among the dead the third day, thus establishing His supremacy over Satan and over death, his mightiest weapon.
Later, when the assembly was established here by the coming of the Spirit at Pentecost, the same enemy energised the breathings of Saul of Tarsus against those who constituted the assembly. But did he prevail? No! the one who so ferociously carried out the behest of the devil, is himself brought to the feet of Jesus. So also, in the Dark Ages, and the Reformation period, when Popery manifested such bitter hatred, the people of God were not overwhelmed, for they are still here.
The Lord is seen in Matthew 17, securing material for His building. He takes three of the future pillars of the assembly — Peter, James and John (see Galatians 2: 9) up on the high mountain, with the intention, I believe, of conveying impressions of Himself and His glory, which, as received into their souls, would qualify them for their place in His building. It is a most important feature in our education for the assembly, that we should apprehend the glory of Christ. As He was transfigured before them “His face did shine as the sun.” The sun sets forth the supremacy of Christ who is to influence all for good, and as the sun gives life and warmth to all the earth, so does Christ to His own, to those who form the assembly. This impression built into the soul, renders us free from other domination, and fits us for our service in the assembly. Matthew tells us “His raiment was white as the light”; raiment speaks of that by which we are known, our ways, our circumstances. How wonderful were the ways of Christ here; pure, guileless, transparent. He was altogether that which He said He was: every movement was before God, and in the light. That indicates the character of those who compose this building; and all must take character from Christ, who is its foundation.
How solemn it is to think that the religious leaders of the world, whom Peter addressed as builders, could find no way of fitting Christ into what they were building when He was presented to them. He was the Stone set at nought by the builders, but which has “become the head of the corner... and it is marvellous in our eyes,” Matthew 21: 42. What a wonderful place Christ occupies in relation to God’s building! How we need to consider this.
Peter on the mount fails to give this place to Christ, and so suggests three tabernacles, one for Christ, one for Moses and one for Elias. But the Father’s voice is at once heard announcing the unique place that Christ has in His affections and commanding us to “hear him.” This is a further precious ray of the glory of Christ. Peter says, “when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory” — it was not only what was said, but the voice in which it was uttered which impressed him. Even in human relationships where things are right, the very tone of a father’s voice as he speaks to his son will convey the special place the son enjoys in his father’s thoughts and affection. So on the Mount, “such a voice” conveyed to Peter and James and John, the ineffable affection of the Father towards the Son. While they were also eye-witnesses of His majesty, the voice indicated the place they were to give to Christ in the assembly; they were to “hear him!”
Another step in our education, as being material for the building, is seen when they came down from the mountain to the ordinary affairs of life: the question is raised as to “who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” Matthew 18: 1. “And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them.” He would give an example of the spirit which should mark those who are to be built into the assembly. Indeed “Except ye be converted and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” The Lord Himself fully displayed the spirit that was to mark His own; He was marked by the same humility at the close of His pathway, as when a Babe in Bethlehem. The thief on the cross found Him as approachable as did the wise men of the East. How dependent He ever was, how approachable, how transparent, how obedient! All these features properly attach to those who take note of the little child. Such a spirit is not of much account in man’s world, for the element of deception is not in it. Children, indeed, are rapidly becoming less and less desired in the world, as apostasy increases, but these features of a little child are according to God.
In Matthew 18, the Lord refers to the things that offend and hinder our progress, and render us unserviceable to one another. First, He says, “If thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire,” verse 8. It may be objected that if one who is exercised as to being suitable as material for Christ’s building accepts the principles suggested, his activities and apparent usefulness will be sadly curtailed, for what is indicated would mean that one’s activities and movements would be greatly affected. But the Lord says it is good to cut off one hand or one foot, and to accept the limitation so enforced, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into eternal fire. It is not suggested, of course, that any true believer will be cast into the hell of fire, but the Lord is speaking of the principle of these things.
Then again, one may say he prefers to maintain a wide outlook and be broadminded. Better, says the Lord, to restrict one’s vision to what God is doing — though such are not really restricted — than to look into and embrace what will eventually come under the Lord’s judgment. As we look at things according to God, we acquire great breadth of vision. Peter himself says “nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens, and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness”: and “looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God,” 2 Peter 3.
In the latter half of Matthew 18, the Lord speaks of the relations existing among those who compose the assembly. While it is serious that offences should come in, there is instruction as to how to meet them. We are to maintain the feature of transparency, and to go direct to the offender — not indeed with any other object than recovery. Instead alas, how often the offender is not spoken to at all, but the ear of another is sought. Such is a feature of this world, in which sometimes it is deliberately attempted to blacken a person’s character; behaviour of this kind is not worthy of that world where the glory of God shines. I feel sure that in most cases where the person himself is sought out alone in the spirit of recovery, he is recovered and relations among the saints suitable to God are maintained. As we act according to these principles we may count upon the support of God.
If, however, one alone fails in this, he is to take one or two besides, and should they fail, the assembly is to be told, and if the offender neglects to hear the assembly, he becomes amenable to its judgment, as the final court of appeal on earth. Such principles apply to all cases of trespass, and as we follow these divine principles, we find they are effectual.
Thus that which the Lord said in Matthew 16, He would build, is viewed anticipatively in chapter 18, and, as consequent on the death and resurrection of Christ and the coming of the Spirit, is already here and functioning. So the Lord says “If two of you shall agree” — meaning two who are thus educated and intelligent, and are prepared to act on the directions indicated. Such are assembly material; and if “two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them,” Matthew 18: 19-20. According to this gospel, as long as the assembly is on earth, the presence of Christ can be counted on by those who even in weakness seek to follow the principles governing the assembly as indicated in these chapters.