(Text and Audio)
Title: The Mission of Christ
We are going to open today’s dialogue with a visual aid. I need Cory and Jim to come up here. Use the visual example of having Cory (WORLD) and Jim (GOD) stand next to each other, representing pre-fall man.
Can I point at both of them? Yes. Can I walk toward both of them simultaneously? Yes.
Now, enter sin into the equation, and have Jim move 180 degrees behind me, and repeat the questions to the congregation.
Why can’t I achieve both? Because they are in perfect opposition to each other. To move closer to one IS to move further from the other.
(Read/Pray)
- Defining Jesus’ Mission Properly
I’d bet dollars to donuts that if you walked out after church today and found a few people on the street, even those who regularly attend church and asked them this simple question: “Did Jesus come to bring peace?” The vast majority would say, “Yes. Absolutely. Without a doubt.”
Why do we think that Jesus came to bring peace? (Take answers)
- Ignorant of Scripture
- Ignorant of how peace is achieved
- Others?
- Did Jesus come to bring peace?
Yes and no. Peace between us and God? Yes. Peace between us and the world? NO.
Notice Jesus’ words in verse 34: “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth.”
So if not peace, then what is Jesus’ mission? War. Division. Ultimatum.
Remember our opening example and think of it this way:
As Jesus reconciles us to his father, we are simultaneously set against the world. This is why we are told time and time again in Scripture that we simply cannot love both God and the world. Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters. for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and mammon.”
This is why Jesus did not come to bring peace, in the way that many presume he did.
So what is Jesus doing? Why is he bringing a sword?
Jesus is re-establishing his kingdom. That is an act of war. The father of this age, Satan, will not give up his territory, or his people, without a fight. Christ is gathering his children, his allies, and those that are not with him are against him.
In a few chapters from now, Mark 12:30 we will see Jesus tell us “He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters abroad.”
Aha. Jesus is gathering his people. If we are not being gathered, and then gathering others, we are scattering others and working against the cause of Christ. We are then, anti-gospel, we are anti-Christ.
In verse 35 Jesus quotes Micah 7:6 to draw a parallel between Israel’s history and the position of the world in regard to Christ.
As J.I. Packer notes:
Just as Israel’s history foreshadows Jesus’ history, it’s turmoil and strife foreshadow the strife that results from coming to the Messiah, even the division of families.
So should we seek war?
Paul tells us in Romans 12:18 “If possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.”
Now, what can be assumed by the way Paul words that verse?
(It’s not always possible)
So, to answer my question: Should we seek war? Brothers, Sisters, we are already at war. The Christian who doesn’t realize this has grown so comfortable in the enemy’s camp, enjoying the mammon, calling this place, and it’s trappings, “home”, and they have forgotten the reason we were saved.
The last words of Christ to his apostles, whom he commissioned to start the Church were to “make disciples” and that required two things:
- Baptism (public profession of faith and repentance, which the Church recognized and hold that professor accountable to)
- Teaching them ALL I have commanded.
And of the most pinnacle teaching of Jesus is one we have for far too long ignored: That Christ came with a sword. My fear is that we are failing our mission of teaching the Biblical picture of Christ. We have painted him as a Lamb, and when he returns as a Warrior King to claim his people, many professing Christians won’t recognize their own King.