Your Mission Pt. 3
Imagine a new family moves next door to you tomorrow. You being the hospitable sort you are invite them over for lemonade, grilled hamburgers and of course Star Trek reruns. Since you’ve been in the community for awhile your new neighbor asks you a few questions about the hood. Where’s a good cleaners? Where do you go food shopping? Where the place to get a good, smooth mocha latte? What about a sharp haircut? Where’s the post office, lowest priced gas station and nearest Blockbuster? Where do you go for good pizza, the nearest movie and all important Dunkin Donuts? You talk for a bit more and then just before he leaves the new neighbor asks “where do you go for truth around here?
If discipleship leading to God glorifying cultural transformation is the essence of the church’s mission then theology is the engine that drives that mission. But for many theology is dry, divisive, irrelevant and outdated. We live in a multi-media age in which people are driven by a bombardment of slick, well put together images not by hearing, listening to, reflecting on and talking about theology. In the church’s quest to reach the holy grail of cultural relevance theology has been regulated to the back bench. Yet as a house cannot stand without a foundation so the church cannot function apart from our theology. Two thousand years after our Lord ascended to the Father we are still the church of the living God, the very pillar and foundation of the truth.
For those still not quite convinced of the place of theology within our mission let’s take a brief gander at Scripture.
"Now this is the commandment, the statutes and the rules that the Lord your God commanded me to teach you, that you may do them in the land to which you are going over, to possess it, that you may fear the Lord your God, you and your son and your son's son, by keeping all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be long. Hear therefore, O Israel, and be careful to do them, that it may go well with you, and that you may multiply greatly, as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey. Deut. 6:1-3.
And all the people gathered as one man into the square before the Water Gate. And they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses that the LORD had commanded Israel. So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could understand what they heard, on the first day of the seventh month. And he read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law. Neh. 8:1-3.
Blessed are you, O Lord; teach me your statutes! With my lips I declare all the rules of your mouth. In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches. Ps. 119:12-14.
It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be lifted up above the hills; and all the nations shall flow to it, and many peoples shall come, and say: "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths." For out of Zion shall go the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. Isa. 2:2-3.
True instruction was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity. For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts. Mal. 2:6-7.
And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." Mt. 28:18-20.
And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. Acts 2:42.
Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you. Practice these things, devote yourself to them, so that all may see your progress. Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers. 1 Tim. 4:13-16.
So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; 1 Pet. 5:1-2.
And that’s just a smattering of relevant passages concerning the ongoing task of God’s people. Whether Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Samuel, David, Hezekiah, Josiah, Elisha, Isaiah, Malachi, Peter, Paul, Barnabas or Timothy the people of God have always been charged with protecting, preserving and promoting the truth about God, Scripture, mankind, sin, salvation, Jesus Christ, the kingdom and other vital truths. How important is it that the church remain faithful in our mission to declare the truth about God to our community? A quick review of the passages listed above gives us a few clues.
Dt. 6 speaks to the value of teaching so that people come to obey the word of God and thus demonstrate our deep respect and reverence for His Person, word, worship and agenda. Nehemiah 8 teaches that human community is more than brick and mortar. A community might enjoy nice coffee shops, good restaurants, upscale supermarkets, trendy clothing stores and quaint boutiques but without the truth of God it’s all window-dressing. Human community exists to glorify God by delighting in His Person, exalting in His word and pursuing His agenda. Psalm 119 (and for that matter Psalm 1 and 19) tells us that the pathway to true joy and delight lies runs straight through the study, reflection and practice of God’s word. Why? Because it is in His word that God reveals His nature, character and ways. Isaiah 2 informs us that one of the prime purposes of the church is to teach the ways of God to the nations. Think that through for a moment. God exalts the church not to entertain the nations but to lead them into the knowledge of the one true and living God. Malachi reveals that God’s men are not primarily CEO’s, managers, therapist or activist. We are the preservers and promoters of truth.
Moving to the New Covenant our Lord commissions His church to disciple the nations by teaching them to obey His truth. The early saints gather on a regular basis and devote themselves to the teaching of the apostles. Paul tells Timothy, Titus and all ministers to devote themselves to teaching and closely guard the truth that’s been passed down to us. Peter exhorts his fellow elders to shepherd or feed the flock of God.
So where do people in your neighborhood go grocery shopping? What are their options for a good seafood restaurant? Where should they go to do their back to school shopping?
And once they’ve filled their refrigerators, enjoyed a sumptuous lobster, and stocked up on notebooks and pencils where in your community do people go for truth?
For Christ, the Church and the Truth
Lance Lewis