Christ's Purpose for the Church

A few years back, my wife Lindsay and I went to Walmart the day before Christmas Eve. If you've ever been there on that day, you know it's absolute chaos. Lindsay and I are very different shoppers. I'm on a mission, I know exactly what I want, where I'm going, and I'm getting in and out. Lindsay likes to browse, checking out the knickknacks and Pioneer Woman plates, even though we weren't there for any of that.

I kept having to remind her of our purpose, why we were there in the first place.

Let me ask you this: When you come to church, are you here on a mission? Or are you distracted by the spiritual equivalent of knickknacks?

More importantly, what is Christ's purpose for establishing His church here on earth?

A Warning from Revelation

In Revelation 2, Jesus addresses the church in Ephesus with both praise and a sobering complaint:

"I know all the things you do. I have seen your hard work and your patient endurance. I know you don't tolerate evil people... But I have this complaint against you. You don't love me or each other as you first did."

The church in Ephesus was doing many things right. They worked hard, drove out false teachers, and persevered through suffering. But Jesus said they had forsaken their first love. They had forgotten their purpose.

Many churches today fall into this same trap. We get focused on programs, events, traditions, bank accounts, or buildings. I've visited churches with my dad and grandpa that were nothing more than museums for their golden days. They had money in the bank and regulars still showing up, but slowly, over time, everything drained away until they eventually closed their doors.

Henry Blackaby, a Baptist pastor, wrote about arriving at a church in Saskatoon, Canada that had two signs in the yard. One said "Faith Baptist Church," and the other said "For Sale." They had lost their purpose.

So as we head into this new year, let's examine: Are we fulfilling God's purpose for us being here?

Purpose #1: Glorify God

Paul writes in Ephesians 3:20-21:

"Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever."

The primary purpose of the church is to glorify God.

Our building should glorify God. The way we sing should glorify God. Our Bible studies, ministries, and theology should glorify God. The primary purpose isn't to make us feel good or give us friends, though a healthy church does those things. The primary purpose is to glorify God.

And here's the thing: the church is you. It's not a building or denomination. If you are the church, you should be glorifying God with how you live. When unbelievers see how you work, care for your family, speak, and handle hardship, they should see God glorified.

When we walk through the doors for worship, we should be ready to put God on display. And when we walk out, we should be so filled with the Spirit that we radiate God's love to everyone around us.

Purpose #2: Make Disciples

Jesus commands us in Matthew 28:18-20:

"I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit."

If we keep God all to ourselves, He is not glorified. We're commanded to take that message to the rest of the world.

That's a daunting task, but let's start here. The world begins at your doorstep, in your family, neighborhood, workplace, school, clubs, and at your kids' ball games. We should all be praying that God opens doors for conversations about Him in our lives.

But our work doesn't stop at baptism. New believers need mentors to teach them how to read the Bible, how to pray, and how to navigate life's trials in a Christian manner.

Here's practical advice: Find one person younger than you or newer in their faith and pour into them. If you're older, adopt a kid or teenager as an unofficial grandparent. If you're younger, be an extra older sibling. Grab someone new to the church and make them your best friend. Check in with them, take them to lunch, pray with them, go to their kids' games.

One of the best pieces of advice I've ever heard about disciple-making is simply this: just be there. Most of discipleship is showing up and being around.

Purpose #3: Bless the Community

Jesus said in Matthew 5:13-16:

"You are the salt of the earth... You are the light of the world like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden."

We're called to be salt and light in our communities.

In Jesus' day, salt preserved meat from spoiling. God has placed the church here to preserve our communities, to keep the rot of sin from infecting them. Sin destroys everything it touches, creating broken marriages, addictions, absent parents, crime, selfishness, and hopeless futures.

We're also called to be light. In Jesus' time, when the sun went down, it was pitch black. Oil lamps provided the only light, but what good is a lamp if it's covered up?

Here's the test: If your church disappeared tomorrow, would the community be worse off, or would people even notice? If your church building became a bingo hall, would people be more excited about that than what the church was doing?

We preserve and shine this message: our sin has separated us from God, and apart from Him there is only rot and darkness. But Jesus died as a sacrifice for our sins because of His bottomless love for us. Faith in His grace brings goodness to our lives and the gift of eternal life in God's kingdom.

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As we enter this new year, let's not get distracted by the knickknacks. Let's stay focused on our mission: glorifying God, making disciples, and being salt and light in Mitchell. That's why we're here.

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