The Church's Mission: A New Perspective

Since I shared a few thoughts on the state of the church in America today, I wanted to give you a few thoughts on what the church SHOULD be doing. Since the church is called the Bride of Christ in the Bible, and since marriage is often equated in Christian circles with the relationship between Christ and His Bride, it may help us to take a look at what Proverbs 31 says about the ideal wife. Proverbs 31, by the way, is a letter from a father to his son, so as you listen to the text I'm about to present here, I want you to think about God the Father saying these things to Jesus the Son about His future Wife.

"An excellent wife, who can find? For her worth is far above jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. She does him good and not evil all the days of her life. She looks for wool and flax and works with her hands in delight. She is like merchant ships. She brings her food from afar. She rises also while it is still night and gives food to her household and portions to her maidens. She considers a field and buys it. From her earnings she plants a vineyard. She girds herself with strength and makes her arms strong. She senses that her gain is good. Her lamp does not go out at night. She stretches out her hands to the distaff, and her hands grasp the spindle. She extends her hand to the poor, and she stretches out her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of the snow for her household, for all her maidens are clothed with scarlet. She makes coverings for herself. Her clothing is fine linen and purple. Her husband is known in the gates when he sits among the elders of the land. She makes linen garments and sells them and supplies belts to the tradesmen. Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she smiles at the future. She opens her mouth in wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and bless her. Her husband also, and he praises her, saying, 'Many daughters have done nobly, but you excel them all.'"

Now, having read that, I want you to ask yourself how YOU fit in here as a Christian. You see, I could make this whole post impersonal and refer to the Bride of Christ as "she," like so many other Christian writers do, but the Bride of Christ is US, you and I, and so we should always think of the Bride as "I" or "me" or "you"--not "he" or "she" or "them."

So . . . how do you stack up as the Bride of Christ here?

Can Christ trust in you?

In you, will Christ have no lack of gain?

Do you do Christ good and not evil every day?

Do you work with your hands (or mind) in delight?

Do you gather the riches of Jesus from afar to feed people in your community?

Do you rise while it is still night and pray for your friends and neighbors who don't know Jesus as their Lord and Savior?

Do you gird yourself with strength and make your arms (and mind) strong?

Do you sense that your gain is good?

Do you put your hand to the distaff (or whatever task that Christ has set before you)?

Do you extend your hand to the poor and stretch out your hand to the needy?

Is everyone in your household clothed with the Word of God?

Do you make a covering of humility for yourself?

Is Jesus glorified in your community because of your actions?

Do you supply others in your community with what they need?

Do you make strength and dignity your clothing?

Do you smile at the future?

Do you open your mouth in wisdom, and is the teaching of kindness on your tongue?

Do you look well to the ways of your household?

Do you avoid laziness?

Can new Christians praise you as a mentor and elder brother/sister in the faith?

Finally, can Jesus praise you, and say of you, "You have exceeded all my expectations"?

These are hard questions, and yes, we do live in an age of grace (so don't take a few "no" answers as a sign that Jesus doesn't love you--the Bible certainly doesn't say that). However, if we are (as some theologians are saying) in the last days, then we need to answer these questions seriously, honestly, and with a burning desire in our hearts to become what Jesus wants us to become. My brother or sister, do you think that Jesus has any interest in rapturing a church that is as self-interested as most Christian churches seem to be in the United States? The Bible says that He will come for a pure, spotless Bride. Do you really think He will come today, when the church is so unready for Him? What kind of groom would pop in on his bride and whisk her away to the wedding ceremony when she hasn't finished putting her clothes on?

My message is simple: If Christ is coming,

we

aren't

ready.

The last 2 verses of Proverbs 31 read, "Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her the product of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates."

It doesn't matter whether or not your church draws 100,000 people, has multiple television programs, radio programs, and podcasts, and boasts one of the largest buildings in your city. If you don't fear the Lord (note that I said "you"--NOT "your church"--I want to make this very up close and personal), all of your wealth, your reputation, and your wit and urbanity are going to be useless. It doesn't matter what you say or what all of your peers in the Christian publications say about you. Your WORKS are what the Lord praises, and your WORKS (all of the things I mentioned above) will be the only thing you have left when Christ comes for you.

Don't let Him come and find you half-dressed.