This is the Place

We are now assembled in the throne room of the Ancient of Days. We are in the presence of the one who gave to the Son of Man universal dominion and glory, and a kingdom, so that all people, nations, and languages should serve Him. From the east to the west, His name will be praise, from the rising to the setting of the sun. The water of life flows out over the threshold of the Temple, and we are that Temple, and the water of our life brings life to the nations. Trees grow on both sides of our great river, and the leaves of those trees, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, are for the healing of the nations.

Many of us have traveled around the world and have visited historic sites. We have stood where John Knox once did, or where the battle of Maldon was fought, or where the Treaty of Paris was signed, or where Jesus taught His disciples on the Mount of Olives. To be able to visit such places is a great privilege, and not to be despised. But every week, every Lord’s Day, all God’s people, all churches in the world that belong to Jesus, assemble at the call to worship on the Lord’s Day, and we assemble in the place where Jesus was crowned King of kings and Lord of lords. This is the place.

We are in the presence of the one who gave Jesus the name that is above every name. We rejoice that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. And this is one of the reasons why Christian worship is so potent. It occurs in the heavenly places, where all the wrath, and spite, and pettiness of man cannot touch it. The world was given to Jesus here, in this place. And so it is that we assemble, rejoicing in the fact that it has been given, and pleading in faith for the giving to be completely manifest. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done. On earth as it is in heaven. We plead with the world to be reconciled to God, according to Paul, because we are reminded every week that the world has been reconciled to God.