church mission

Today I spoke at International Baptist Church of Düsseldorf. We looked at the mission of the church from Eph 3.10, i.e., to make known the wisdom of God to rulers and authorities in heavenly realms.

• "rulers & authorities" are supernatural beings, in league with Satan, having an influence on the course of this age, its people, inventions, and institutions. They are bent on man's destruction.
• "the wisdom of God" is that in Christ's death on the cross, He purchased not just eternal life for individuals who trust Him; He purchased and formed a new people, the church, to pour out the riches of His blessings. He is knitting us together as His Holy Temple (Eph 2.20-21). The cross of Christ to not only reconcile man to God but to reconcile man to each other is the wisdom and mystery of God (1 Co 1.23-24).
• "to make known" this wisdom is to demonstrate that God's plan works. To show a plan to be wise, it should work. Therefore we must live in community. We must show that not only has Christ redeemed us individually from darkness, but also that He has broken the dividing wall that once separated man from man. We are now one body, united under the headship of Christ. We love each other even when others hurt or are hurting us.

Artist, teacher, and theologian Francis Schaeffer (more) once wrote, "I am convinced that in the 20th century people all over the world will not listen if we have the right doctrine, the right polity, but are not exhibiting community. There is no use saying you have community or love for each other if it does not get down into the tough stuff of life."

"Church" is about people from many different backgrounds and cultures coming together in real life situations day in and day out to pursue God. Will we demonstrate by the way we live that God's plan is wise and is not failing?

Technorati Tags : church+mission, Schaeffer