Corporate Repentance

The other day I sat in a church service and the one leading the service selected Revelation 3:14-22 as the scripture reading.

The case is that we read the scripture, hear a little bit spoken about it and then carry on with whatever’s on the schedule.  Indeed we can read it and never refer to it again for the rest of the evening.

I couldn’t let it go.  I shared something I got from it with those in attendance at the service.  It still didn’t leave me.  Something about it bothered me.  Just in case I thought it would ease with time, material and experiences came my way that ensured I would have to delve further into what was bugging me.  Oh and just as a heads up in case you think this entry ends nice and neatly with a ‘moral of the story’ finish, I will warn you this has a very open ending indeed.  No straight answers, if anything, only more questions.

So, the deal is that Jesus is rebuking the Laodiceans for thinking they are rich when they’re poor and thinking they’ve got it altogether when in fact they are blind to their nakedness.  His recommendation – His instruction indeed – is that they’ve got to get themselves some riches, some clothes and you could argue Jesus is the first to suggest someone should have gone to Specsavers as He suggests they get their eyes sorted out so they can see.  The particularly challenging verse is 19

Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.

The instruction is not an individual one.  It is told to a body of believers.  The group then are to get themselves together, repent, and get zealous about doing so.

Take a step back and consider whether or not a similar situation could take place today.

Could it be that there is a group of believers who to all external aspects appears to be alright – they’ve got the building, they’ve got the youth ministry, the children’s ministry, the men’s ministry, the senior ministry, the evangelism team, the street team, the pastoral care ministry, the soup kitchen, the teaching team (and a partridge in a pear tree).  Membership numbers are running steady and there is the occasional baptism.  While the world outside is going to hell, they are safe in the ship, everything is hunky dory.  Externally.

Yet inside as far as Jesus sees they are in a complacent state where they are neither hot or cold.

Now what does repentance look like on that corporate scale?  What does it involve?

For His Name’s Sake

Shalom

C. L. J. Dryden