The Pew the Platform the Pulpit

 

 

These three “Ps” it seems to me

Identify the levels in a church

And you don’t have to take my word

Seeing I am not an expert.

 

I was associated with two churches

Even before I was born

And during the course of my journey

I saw this as the norm.

 

Three levels of importance:

The pew, the platform, the pulpit,

The highest level is the last one

And this has become the habit.

 

Few members will reach the platform

And fewer still the pulpit

And some others who tried and failed

Will eventually find the exit.

 

It reminds me of the Jewish temple

Back in 1^st Century Judaism:

The outer courts and the inner

And then the sanctum sanctorum.

 

One had to be very special

To dare enter behind that partition

And even though Christ removed it

The pulpit holds that position.

 

 

One manner of dress for the pew

Another for the platform and pulpit

And while some have reneged on this

Some others have refused to quit.

 

The sponges sit in the pews

Since they mostly come to receive,

The other levels come with a word

Which the sponges usually believe.

 

Some pastors own the pulpit

And by extension the platform too

And they in their wisdom determine

Who gets beyond the pew.

 

You will find in any given church

The pulpit, the platform, the pew

And these three distinct levels determine

The extent to what one will do.

 

Prophesying is for the pulpit

Whether foretelling or forth telling

And nowadays there is much of the former

And quite a lot of yelling.

 

 

The worship team takes the platform

With the leader behind the pulpit

And right after they have led in worship

In a pew they will each sit.

 

Their importance is short lived

As they pave the way for the preacher

Who might be a pastor, prophet or apostle

Or a visiting or approved lay minister.

 

Three “Ps” you will find in any church:

Whether mega, big or even small,

The pew mostly makes up the listenership

But the pulpit determines the call.

 

If you want to be a valued church member

Reach for the platform or pulpit,

In the pew you are just an ordinary member

And may not be missed if you exit.

 

This may not sound very encouraging

But it is the approach many churches take,

Bear this in mind potential church goer

When you walk through a church’s gate.

 

Stewart Russell © May 23, 2022

 

Apostate Judaism

 

 

The first enemy of the Church

Was not the power at Rome

But the first enemy of the Church

Were the apostate Jews at home.

 

They were no less prodigals

Than the children that roamed

For Jesus noted he was rejected

When he came to his own.

 

Remember Herod was a Jew

But tried to kill the Christ child,

That Jesus he did not recognized

Cannot not be denied.

 

Even his biological family

Who regarded him as being insane

Had little to do with him

And from his teaching refrain.

 

Except for that in Bethany

There was nowhere to call home

Thanks to Mary, Martha and Lazarus

Who did their best to atone.

 

 

The Christ of the Church

Was hated by apostate Jews

And even to this very day

His Church, they still abuse.

 

From early in the Old Testament

They asked Samuel for a king,

They had rejected God

And with Christ, the same thing.

 

Jesus came to his own

And his own received him not,

That is why they can be described

As an apostate lot.

 

This reference is to the Jews;

They crucified the Christ

And via the Roman authority

He became sin’s sacrifice.

 

This was the avenue God used:

For His Son to shed his blood

For the remission of the sins everywhere:

Thus, out of man’s evil came good.

 

 

The Jews meant it for evil

But God meant it for good

For there can be no remission of sins

Without the shedding of blood.

 

But apostate Judaism continued

To target the body of Christ

With the Romans following on after

As Christians were sacrificed.

 

And even up to this day

Apostate Judaism is rife

As many Jews do not believe

In Jesus as the giver of life.

 

Some believe in a special time

When Jews will be saved in a day

But on that matter, I can only say,

Jesus is the only way.

 

Until one comes to that realization

For him there is no hope

For the Gentile as well as the Jew

This is the critical note.

 

Stewart Russell © May 16, 2021

 

Which Generation?

 

 

This two-word question

Has caused quite a stir

And what was clearly expressed

Became particularly blurred.

 

Not so much what was said

But what was said about it,

The views became the news-

Another people’s habit.

 

Throughout the book of Mathew

The word generation is used,

Thirteen times you will find it

You can go there and peruse.

 

Of the thirteen times recorded

Twelve were spoken by Jesus,

This generation in that time

Could not be speaking of us.

 

We know what it is not

It is not any generation since,

“This generation” is found six times

And that is my sure defense.

Which generation did Jesus mean?

That to which he was speaking,

That generation of vipers, it is clear,

Overtly selfish and self-seeking.

 

Of the Pharisees and Sadducees

That came to his baptism,

This generation of vipers, he called them,

That lavished him with criticism.

 

That evil and adulterous generation

Seeking after a sign,

Yet right before them was that sign

But they saw it at no time.

 

Here was the sign of Jonas

That occurred in their generation

But they could not see the forest-

The trees were a major problem.

 

 

“All these things,” Jesus said,

Shall come upon this generation,

What things was he speaking of?

To this, we must pay attention.

 

“Verily I say unto you,

This generation shall not pass,

Till all these things be fulfilled.”

“What things?” again I ask.

 

Matthew 24 gives the answer

Beginning with the standing temple,

“Not one stone will be left upon another”

He said to his disciples.

 

 

For the temple had been abused,

It had become a virtual idol

And the god the Pharisees worshipped

Was not the God of the Bible.

 

As Jesus sat on Mount of Olives

He explained to them “these things”,

These were troubles like never before-

The future appeared quite grim.

 

Many will claim to be Christ

And deceive a lot of the people,

They will hear of wars and rumours of war

But they were not to be troubled.

 

Nation shall rise against nation

And kingdom and against kingdom,

Famines, pestilences and earthquakes

Will also add to this problem.

 

These are but a few

Of the difficulties they would face,

It was of that generation Jesus spoke:

That generation, that time, that place.

 

A proper reading of the fig tree

Indicates that summer is nigh,

That generation understood this parable

On its timing they could rely.

 

 

That generation did not pass away

Till all these things were fulfilled,

Who are we going to believe?

Jesus or contrary theologians still?

 

“This generation” did not mean us

And none of that generation is alive,

The old covenant age has long ended

Now it’s time for the Gospel drive.

 

Jesus spoke of the end of that age

In judgement the Son had come,

The temple was destroyed and its rituals

And the new covenant had begun.

 

 

Let us be a part of the new temple

That temple not built with hands,

There is no need for another

From the beginning this was God’s plan.

 

That temple of living stones

Established on and being built by Christ,

Why worry about the dome on a rock

When our living temple will suffice.

 

Let us not return to Judaism

As many had done in that day

But let us evangelize until Jesus comes

Because he is the life, the truth, the way.

 

Stewart Russell © May 2020

 

Jesus Is Winning

 

 

For the earth shall be filled

with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD,

as the waters cover the sea.

 

Habakkuk chapter 2 verse 14

Is the biblical address

Of this enlightening portion of Scripture

Upon which we can rest.

 

Some argue it is outdated

 In this “quote unquote” post-Christian era

But I stoutly stand on the Word of God

And unequivocally shout, “Never!”

 

Never will the Word be outdated

It shall stand forever,

Relevant to every age and era

The Word shall endure “forever”.

 

Heaven and earth will pass away

But the Word will always stand

Irrespective of Satan and his minions

Or whatever the dissidents plan.

 

 

“For the earth shall be filled”

Does not speak of the end

But to the post Pentecost period

And not just around a bend.

 

The poem says Jesus is winning

But how do we know?

Go to the end of His Holy Word

And there it clearly shows.

 

The fact that Jesus wins in the end

Tells me he must be winning

And thousands are being transformed

From dying to living.

 

Don’t judge by your community

Where nothing might be happening

But take a wider view of the world

Where to Jesus souls are coming.

 

 

I am sure you’ve taken up a novel

And after just a few pages

Checked to see how it ended

By skipping the between stages.

 

And having found it ended well

You read on to your heart’s content

Aware that whatever transpires

You knew of the author’s intent.

 

Yes, Jesus is definitely winning

Regardless of the outlook,

That is exactly what he has promised

Throughout his Holy Book.

 

There is scarcely a country

That the Gospel has not reached

And faith is coming by hearing

The blessed Word being preached.

 

It shall never return void

The promised the Lord has given

And whoever acknowledges the Saviour,

His sins will be forgiven.

 

 

And the earth shall be filled

With the knowledge of God’s glory

As Christians everywhere

Tell of salvation’s wonderful story.

 

Not a fairy tale or Anansi story

Not a fictional novel or myth,

But the story the angels heralded

When they announced the timely gift.

 

The people that walked in darkness

Have seen a radiant light,

That light of the world is Jesus

That gives to the blind their sight.

 

It will stand the test of time

Be it the LGBTQ, Islam or Judaism,

The knowledge of God’s glory is filling the earth

And tearing down schism after schism.

 

    Stewart Russell © November 29, 2020

Salvation in No Other

Some people set store by a given day

Some in an organization or denomination,

Some in a church movement or association,

Some by some creed or by indoctrination.

Some may put trust in the Pope

Or in some other very illustrious apostle,

Some prefer their prophets and religious gurus

While others just want to be someone’s disciple.

Some pull passages from the Bible

And upon these will build their doctrine,

Some will make the Bible secondary

And then set store by what is in the discipline.

Some believe it’s in what they do and say

While some trust in their tithe and giving,

Some hold up their self-righteous acts

As though salvation results from one’s living.

A myriad of qualifications are proffered

Concerning the obtaining of salvation

And for some only a minuscule selection

Will avoid the fires of damnation.

Little is said about the Christ of Calvary

And the price he paid for sin

And when mentioned it is so very erroneous

As though everybody will just be gathered in.

Sin is played down on every hand

And sermons about hell not often heard,

God sent Jesus to die for the world

So all and sundry will get to see the Lord.

It is true that all will get to see the Lord

But not in the way that some believe

For some he will be their Saviour

But others his fierce judgment will receive.

You see the path is marked out in blood

The shed blood of the glorious Christ

And only those who come by way of the cross

Will benefit from the Saviour’s sacrifice.

It is not in Mohammed, Buddha or Haile Selassei

In Judaism, Islam or even Christianity,

It is not in Hinduism, Sikhism or Animism

But only through Jesus who is from eternity.

For God so loved the world, the Bible says

That He gave His only begotten Son

And it’s only by the precious blood of Jesus

That a penitent sinner can be won.

And so the Bible makes it crystal clear

That there is salvation in no other,

Jesus is the only name given under heaven

And to trust any other would be a bother.

So if you should hear his voice this day

I entreat you to harden not your heart

For in the coming day of judgment

You do not want to hear “from me depart”.

To all those who believe that for them

It is adherence to some religious guru,

Remember it this same Jesus you will face

And your religious guru will do so too.

He for himself and you for you

For none can stand in another’s place

When the Judge of Heaven sits in His court

And all stand before His face.

The one question I am sure he will ask

Will not be how well you have lived your life

But whether or not you had trusted in him

To deliver you out of sin’s strife.

At that point any other would be a waste

Of your time, your effort and your plea,

For the truth of the matter will come to light

That Jesus is the only Saviour for you and me.

No other name I say

No other name I repeat

Whereby a man can be saved

For all others spell defeat.

Stewart Russell © 2017