FIVE SMOOTH STONES - The Five Ascension Gifts in the Heavenly Shepherds Bag

FIVE SMOOTH STONES — The Five Ascension Gifts in the Heavenly Shepherd’s Bag

the blessing that comes through the multiplied authority of the Church assembly.

There is such a need, and many benefits, for knowing the company of people with whom you are called to closely associate. There is also a need and a blessing to understand the biblical company. While most Churches are not a company, and most companies are not a Church, but are more like a fellowship, they are never the less needed for us to grow and be strengthened and protected spiritually. In fact, if Church leaders would understand this principle they would likewise also understand that it helps to build a strong and viable Church by joining entire companies as building blocks of the Church. A company might be a family. This is seen in Acts 16, when once the Jailer received the Lord his whole family also received the Lord. This company or fellowship became a strong building block for the Church of Philippi. Likewise, we see this with the conversion of Cornelius the centurion and his whole family in Acts 10. Jesus built his ministry by understanding this principle. After Andrew met Jesus, he was so impressed that he had found the Messiah and went immediately to his business partner and brother, Peter. They both were asked to become followers of Jesus and were ordained as apostles along with ten others, most of whom were associates in fellowship with one another even before they were called to fellowship with the Lord. And even after the association of the whole group, it seems that within the fellowship of apostles there was a smaller company made up of Peter, James and John. These three, along with Jesus, experienced a number of unique events together as a company. In fact, a clear case can be made that only Judas did not seem to connect in close fellowship with a company within the twelve apostles. We also see this principle in the life of Peter. In Acts chapter 12 Peter was put in prison and condemned to death. James had recently been executed and Peter was next in line for Herod’s judgment. But God intervened and an angel divinely released Peter from the prison. Remarkably, what occurred next is that Peter did not go to any of the other apostles, or an eldership council to show himself as he did after he met with Cornelius in Acts 11.

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