Cooperating with the Heavenly Ministry of the Ascended Christ
Message Seven
Practicing the Church Life under the
Ministry of Christ as the Minister of the True, the Heavenly, Tabernacle
Opening Word of the Prophesying Meeting
Reading the verses in each day.
Reading the main points in the outlines.
Pray-reading the verses:
A Minister of the holy places, even of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man—Heb. 8:2.
Through Him then let us offer up a sacrifice of praise continually to God, that is, the fruit of lips confessing His name—13:15.
Word of Appetizer
Hebrews 8:2 says that the ascended Christ is a “Minister of the holy places, even of the true tabernacle.” What does the present Christ do for us?
He is the Christ now, the Christ today, and the Christ on the throne who is our daily salvation and moment-by-moment supply. From the heavens Christ ministers Himself to us as food, as our life supply, in the way of dispensing. As our Minister takes care of our needs, He carries out God’s economy.
Spiritual Burden
The present Christ, who is now in the heavens as our Minister, is ministering to us the heavenly life, grace, authority, and power and sustaining us to live a heavenly life on earth. For a true and steadfast church life, we must hold on to the Christ who is the same yesterday and today, and even forever, and must not be carried away by various strange teachings.
Concluding Word of the Prophesying Meeting
The Revelation of the Truth
The ascended Christ is a “Minister of the holy places, even of the true tabernacle”.
In the Epistle to the Hebrews, various aspects of the church are revealed: a living composition of the many sons of God, a corporate partnership with Christ, the enlargement of Christ, the Sabbath rest. To come to the church is to come to the new covenant and to the heavenly New Jerusalem, the unshakable kingdom of God.
Hebrews 13:1-19 speaks of the virtues and the experiences needed for the practice of the church life.
The Experience of Life
Christ, as a Minister of the true (heavenly) tabernacle, ministers heaven (which is not only a place but also a condition of life) into us. From the heavens Christ ministers Himself to us as food, as our life supply, in the way of dispensing.
As the heavenly Minister, He transmits what we need from God the Father, who is the source, into our spirit to supply and sustain us.
Practice and Application
Since in the church life we enjoy the unchanging Christ as grace and follow Him outside religion, we should offer through Him spiritual sacrifices of praise to God. In the church we should offer up through Christ a sacrifice of praise to God continually. We by our spirit, praise the Father in His Spirit. This is greatly needed in the church meetings.
Using Key Verses to Have a Bird’s-Eye View over the Whole Outline
Key Verses (1)
A Minister of the holy places, even of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man— Heb. 8:2.
But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry inasmuch as He is also the Mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted upon better promises—v. 6.
I. The ascended Christ is a “Minister of the holy places, even of the true tabernacle”
A. Christ, as a Minister of the true (heavenly) tabernacle, ministers heaven (which is not only a place but also a condition of life) into us.
B. The present Christ, who is now in the heavens as our Minister, is ministering to us the heavenly life, grace, authority, and power and sustaining us to live a heavenly life on earth.
C. The heavenly Christ is ministering in the tabernacle “which the Lord pitched, not man”.
D. Whatever Christ carries out as the heavenly Minister, He applies to us as the Spirit.
E. In His heavenly ministry as the Minister of the true tabernacle, Christ is serving God’s people with the bequests, the blessings, of the new testament.
Key Verses (2)
Saying, “I will declare Your name to My brothers; in the midst of the church I will sing hymns of praise to You”—Heb. 2:12.
For we have become partners of Christ, if indeed we hold fast the beginning of the assurance firm to the end—3:14.
So then there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God—4:9.
Therefore receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us have grace…—12:28.
II. In the Epistle to the Hebrews, various aspects of the church are revealed
A. The church is a living composition of the many sons of God, who are the many brothers of Christ brought forth in His resurrection.
B. The church is a corporate partnership with Christ.
C. The church, the enlargement of Christ, is the Sabbath rest.
D. To come to the church is to come to the new covenant and to the heavenly New Jerusalem.
E. The church is the unshakable kingdom of God.
Key Verses (3)
Let brotherly love continue. Do not forget hospitality…—Heb. 13:1-2.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, yes, even forever. Do not be carried away by various strange teachings…—vv. 8-9.
Let us therefore go forth unto Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach—v. 13.
Through Him then let us offer up a sacrifice of praise continually to God, that is, the fruit of lips confessing His name—v. 15.
III. Hebrews 13:1-19 speaks of the virtues and the experiences needed for the practice of the church life
A. As indicated by its content, this chapter was written with a view to a proper church life; Nearly everything mentioned here, such as brotherly love and hospitality, is for the church life, not only for the Christian life.
B. For a true and steadfast church life, we must hold on to the Christ who is the same yesterday and today, and even forever, and must not be carried away by various strange teachings.
C. The more we are in our spirit, enjoying the heavenly Christ, the more we will come outside the camp of religion, following the suffering Jesus.
D. Since in the church life we enjoy the unchanging Christ as grace and follow Him outside religion, we should offer through Him spiritual sacrifices of praise to God.
Prophesying Topics—Twelve Topics per Week
D1
T1 He is the Christ now, the Christ today (Heb. 8:2; 4:14-15; 7:26)
(What is the Christ revealed in Hebrews?)
T2 The ascended Christ is a “Minister of the holy places, even of the true tabernacle” (Heb. 8:2; 1 Cor. 15:45b; 2 Cor. 3:17)
(Please explain that whatever Christ carries out as the heavenly Minister, He applies to us as the Spirit.)
D2
T1 Whatever is a fact in the new covenant is a bequest in the new testament (Heb. 8:10-12)
(According to Heb. 8:10-12, please explain that there are four facts of the new covenant which have become bequests in the new testament.)
T2 The church is a corporate composition of the brothers of the firstborn Son of God (Rom. 8:29; Heb. 2:12)
(Please explain the difference between the only begotten Son of God and the firstborn Son of God.)
D3
T1 As the many brothers of Christ, we are the same as the firstborn Son (Heb. 2:11; 1:6)
(Please explain that God’s eternal purpose is to have a group of sons as His corporate expression.)
T2 The church has two natures—the human nature and the divine nature (Heb. 2:14, 11)
(Please explain that the church is an organism with two natures and with two lives combined and mingled together.)
D4
T1 God has a great operation in the universe (Rev. 21:10-11)
(Please explain that the goal of this operation is to accomplish a glorious expression.)
T2 The church is a corporate partnership with Christ (Heb. 3:15)
(Please explain that we are partners in the heavenly corporation of “Christ and the Church”.)
D5
T1 The church, the enlargement of Christ, is the Sabbath rest (Heb. 3:6; 4:9)
(Please use your experience to explain that the proper church life is God’s Sabbath.)
T2 The church is the unshakable kingdom of God (Heb. 12:28; Rom. 14:17)
(Please use your experience to explain that in the church, we are living in the kingdom of God today.)
D6
T1 Hebrews 13 was written with a view to a proper church life (Heb. 13:1-7)
(Please explain that everything mentioned in Hebrews 13, such as brotherly love and hospitality, is for the church life, not only for the Christian life.)
T2 We must hold on the unchanging Christ (Heb. 13:8)
(Please explain that for a true and steadfast church life, we must hold on to the Christ who is the same yesterday and today, and even forever, and must not be carried away by various strange teachings.)
