"Ye Are Come to Zion" - by T. Austin-Sparks
by John Mark on 03/17/24
Dear Saints,
This message
originally posted September 28, 2014.
My
notes:
Some
of us may believe Jesus is "at home" in our hearts - that once we
receive Him as our Lord and Savior and we become children of God, that Jesus
'settles down' and our whole heart is His to live in. In fact, when we are
joined to the Lord, we are one spirit with Him (1 Corinthians 6:17 cp 2
Corinthians 1:22). However, the sanctification process, growing up in Christ
means a progressive submitting areas of our soul to Him to take over as Lord.
When we're saved we can certainly say "Jesus is Lord of all", but
there are areas in our soul life we hang on to where we are not allowing Him to
be Lord. In these places, He is not 'at home'. Ephesians 3:17 says, "so
that Christ MAY dwell in your hearts through faith". That word 'dwell'
includes the idea of settling down, always present, to pervade (to become
diffused throughout ever part) and govern our heart (the center of all physical
and spiritual life, the seat of the thoughts, passions, desires, appetites,
affections, purposes and endeavors). Our choices as we activate faith will move
us in the direction where Christ is finally welcome and at home in every place
in our souls.
[Doug]
"If God is going to be at home in us, that means absolutely in us must
become 'according to Christ'."
Doug
reminds us of the conditions of the church that will bring about the rapture.
Once Laodicea is vomited out of the mouth of Jesus Christ and all other
judgments are carried out (i.e.: Thyatira and Sardis), it will only be a
surviving remnant that is raptured. There are so few who actually teach this...
and it's all right there for all to read in Revelation 2 and 3, 1 Peter 4:12,
17; Hebrews 12:25-29). Of local assemblies, "Anything that is not
representing Christ in His nature and character and the manifestation of that
is not the church; it's just a gathering of people, and they could even be
believers."
As
Brother Sparks takes quite a bit of time to describe what Zion is all about,
Doug brings it down to a practical description of what God is looking for in us
in corporate fellowship and relationship. "He must see the dominion of
Jesus Christ as King of kings and Lord of lords evidenced in people who bear
the testimony of Jesus Christ. When you look at that person, you see that
person is victorious. No matter what has happened, they are living in triumph -
and that company is in triumph. That is Zion." Brother Sparks summarizes,
"Zion is Christ in Person in the value of all His work in His people.
That's Zion."
I
hope you don’t mind if I share some personal observations regarding this post. To
be honest, I really struggled going through this chapter. I decided to listen
to Brother Sparks' original speech as he delivered this message (https://audio.austin-sparks.net/TAS0306.mp3).
Though he can be very slow in his presentation, sprinkling in long pauses, it's
the opportunity for me to better digest and ponder what he is saying. I was
really exercised in hearing him speak. As he is speaking of Zion, I thought
about how Doug taught us over the years about it - how within it was the last
to be conquered and most formidable stronghold, the Jebusite fortress (2 Samuel
5:6-7). Sparks gave this message the year I was born, 1954. It wasn’t until the
90’s that Doug became aware of SRA/DID and it being anchored in members of the
body of Christ. This is Satan’s most formidable stronghold and weapon against
God. I don’t believe Sparks could have known anything about this.
I
think this is what made this message difficult for me. I have been banished
from several assemblies because of my history with Morning Star Testimony
Church (i.e.: involvement with spiritual warfare and ministry to SRA
survivors). Others I left as they were not anything close to what Sparks defined
as a corporate expression of “Zion”. I do currently find it, however, in a
small group of us who meet twice weekly via Zoom, a place I’m discovering koinonia.
I realize this is not optimal, not what is described as a local church, but for
me it is closer than any other assembly I’ve been a member of. I’m definitely
open to where God wants me, even to relocate, but it’s not just me that will
come under the headship and oversight of an assembly. It must include the field
of ministry God gave me to continue to serve in.
I
pondered Sparks’ reference to Zion being a place of joy and festivity. Though I
wouldn’t trade my experience being a part of Morning Star Testimony Church for
anything, I can’t say we experience such festivity – certainly not all the
time. With a satanic occupation of Zion, as David had to conquer it before it
became the City of David, we were in a warfare for so many years. I believe
this fortification will finally be conquered by Jesus Christ in and through His
body. Satan is being crushed under His (our) feet, but it is really no time to
relax and not a time of celebration. I believe that will finally come as an
outcome of the ‘day of visitation’ and culminate at the completion of the bema
seat judgment when we will be caught up to God and to His throne
(Revelation 12:5).
We
can in faith enjoy the victory Jesus already won, “When He had disarmed the
rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over
them through Him”, but we must still carry out the process of dispossessing our
enemy and taking this last fortress. “The kingdom of heaven suffers violence,
and violent men [seize] take it by force.” Though Zion is the optimal place for
the church to experience, the reality of the true condition of the church now
brings a solemnity to the festivities. Consider Ezekiel 8 and compare it to the
rebukes by Jesus to the churches of Thyatira, Sardis and Laodicea. Judgment
must come before Zion will be the ultimate City of the root and offspring of
David, Yeshua Hamashiach.
In
the Discussion, Doug reminds us that the church is being scrutinized by Jesus
Christ as the plumbline - that what is not according to Him will be shaken and
removed prior to the rapture.
Recommended:
T. Austin-Sparks - The Cross and
Higher Ground
https://bookministry1.s3.amazonaws.com/books/The+Cross+And+Higher+Ground.pdf
Ministry
of Eric Ludy: https://ellerslie.com/
Link
to today’s Audio: https://dougriggs.s3.amazonaws.com/Assemblies/9-28-14+Sunday+Assembly.mp3
Link
to Discussion: https://dougriggs.s3.amazonaws.com/Assemblies/9-28-14+Sunday+Assembly-discussion.mp3