Phoenix Rising
The name phoenix means palm tree in Greek, and the Greek historian Herodotus tells the tale of the legendary bird. It is described as being larger than an eagle, having a brilliant scarlet, gold, and purple plumage and a melodious cry. There was only one phoenix at a time, and it lived for 500 years. It laid no eggs and had no young, and according to legend was there when the world began. When it was weak and old, it would build a nest out of twigs of cassia and frankincense, set it aï¬?re, and perish in the flames. From this funeral pyre miraculously sprang a new phoenix. The new phoenix would embalm its predecessor’s ashes in an egg of myrrh and fly with the ashes to Heliopolis, the City of the Sun in Egypt.
This is just a mythological story and yet it brings hope and the vision of new life no matter what culture you are in. It is the story of rebirth which each and every disciple of Jesus undergoes. Like the phoenix, Jesus brings hope of a new life because he rises from the dead and offers life to anyone who would”give up everything he has” Luke 14:25-33 and follow him. Without following this distinct and radical call, we cannot even be called his disciples.
Distinction is and always will be the call from God to a people who would come out of the world and bring honor and glory to him. He will accept nothing less than this. The biblical principle shows up from the beginning of time to the present. His kingdom and its people will always and forever be very different from the world. In Exodus 8:20-23, God makes it abundantly clear to Moses, Pharaoh and all the people of the land as he allows the plague of flies to infest the Egyptians and yet not touch the Israelites. “I will make a distinction between my people and your people” Exodus 8:23. This distinction shows up again in Exodus 9:4, 26; 10:21-23; and again in 11:4-7. The example is clear, and we are called to be the people of God … distinctly different from the world, even the religious world.
Why do we go to church here? What makes us distinct from the world and the rest of the religious world? Let’s look at some verses to build a foundation for this church!
A. Every one and each one a sold-out disciple ~ Acts 2:22-47. This message was for every person there as well as each individual and the same is true today. There are no levels of commitment … either we are disciples or we are not.
B. Every one and each one proclaiming the message ~ Acts 4:27-31; 5:41-42; 8:4. When every single disciple has decided to preach the word, a city can be reached in a relatively short time for the Lord!!
C. Every one and each one ï¬?nanciallysacriï¬?cial ~ Acts 4:32-37. Simply put, we are to sacriï¬?ce to build God’s church.
D. Every one and each one fear God ~ Acts 5:1-14. You cannot mock God … you and I must be totally committed. We will be judged and are called to be very, very grateful for salvation. This commitment and gratefulness allow us to be used by God.
E. Every on and each one die to self ~ Luke 4:13. If we are not dying to self, sin will master us and we will become just another group, rather than the kingdom of God.
F. Every one and each one called to obey ~ Matthew 28-18-20. Every member of the church must be discipled and taught to obey … not just hear, but obey.
With these convictions in place, our church can be like a phoenix rising and bring hope to the Valley of the Sun. He stoops down to make us great!
Matt Sullivan
