63
THE PARABLE OF THE WHEEL
A Short Carpentry Lesson
There was once a carpenter in olden days who used to make wooden wheels for waggons. One day his young son stopped by in his work yard to watch his father work.
"Father," the boy said, "some people in our neighbourhood don't go to Assembly (Church). Some say that they don't need any Assembly (Church) because they have Messiah (Christ). And some go to Assemblies (Churches) where they never talk about Messiah. Some don't go to Assembly (Church) or believe in Messiah. What is the proper way to be a believer?"
The carpenter paused for a moment and then showed him some of his work.
"Well," answered the boy's father, let's take a look at the different parts of the wheel. What is a wheel made of?"
"A hub, spokes, and the rim," answered the boy, pleased that he knew the names of the different parts.
"Absolutely correct!" congratulated his father, "and each of these parts make up an important part of a believer's life. The hub is like the Master Yah'shua the Messiah (Lord Jesus Christ) Himself, which holds all the spokes in place. The spokes are the qodeshim (saints, set-apart ones), or Elohim's (God's) people. And the rim is the Assembly (Church) itself, which holds all the people together in the world." (Fig.1)
"Can you imagine, for example, a hub and one spoke working as a wheel?"
"Of course not," replied his son, "it wouldn't work at all!"
"In fact it would be quite useless," pointed out the carpenter. "But that's just like the solo believer. He isn't any use at all" (Fig.2)
"What if we added some more spokes to the wheel? Would that be any better?"
"If you did that," replied the boy, "the wheel would turn for a bit but the spokes would break off."
"Yes, that wouldn't me much use either," said his father soberly. "But then that's just what happens if you don't have a local Assembly or Church organisation to co-ordinate your discipleship. The rim is what holds the whole Christian/Messianic family together on the outside. (Fig.3).
"What, then, is the wheel with lots of spokes but no hub," asked his son?
"That is like the believer who believes a lot in the Messianic Community (Church) but really hasn't much faith in Messiah," replied his father. (Fig.4)
"There are many churches like that in the world. The people don't know where to point but the they are united around the Church. If you put any pressure on the wheel it will collapse. Churches built on anything but Messiah are doomed to perish at the last day"
"I see," said the boy. "All three parts -- the Messiah, who is the hub -- the spokes, which are the qodeshim (saints, set-apart ones) -- and the rim which is the Messisanic Community Church organisation -- work together as a whole. Take away any part of them and you have no Body (Church)."
"If only Christians/Messianics would learn this lesson as you have," said his father soberly. "Then Elohim (God) would fill His Body (Church) with the Ruach (Spirit) and it would be as sturdy as a waggon wheel."
This page was created on 10 April 1998
Last updated on 16 October 2018
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