I served a church back "in the day" that wanted new members. It was their focus to grow the church. So I spent considerable time and effort to bring in community members living near the church. The community had a diverse population (I know 'diverse' is a bad word these days, but bear with me), so at one of my events, people came who didn't meet the criteria that the church leadership was seeking. It seems that the church wanted people like them. They weren't comfortable with the poor, the people of color, or the people who came in bringing their needs. While I could be critical of them using many statements of Jesus, today I remember Jesus speaking with the Pharisees in Matthew 23. Here's what He said ... "What sorrow awaits you, you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees! Hypocrites! For you cross land and sea to make one convert, and then you turn that person into twice the child of hell you yourselves are (Matthew 23:15)!" There is no doubt Jesus is passionate about this issue. And we should be too!
Let's break this down. First, Jesus directs His ire at the church of His time ... the Jews (specifically their leadership). There is no doubt that these leaders have forgotten a very important issue. The law, the church, the gathering of people, the fellowship, the worship, and the liturgy should be ...
1. About God - Focused on God, founded by God, ordained by God.
2. For the good of the people - The church is about leading us into practices (internal and external) that are beneficial to us and to the people we encounter. Remember the Great Calling from last week ... "be a blessing (Genesis 12)."
Jesus looks out at His Church and says, "it is good" much like God did as He created the heavens and the earth.
Second, Jesus correctly calls the Pharisees "Hypocrites." The Greek term means "wearers of masks." The leaders of the church are not what or who they seem. And their motives are counter to God's intended purpose. Jesus, the Son of the Living God, stands before them, and they view Him as a threat, even when they see irrefutable evidence of His anointing.
Third, Jesus sees the activity of the leaders as "self-serving." They point to themselves, the law, the structures, and the institution of the church. They are not bringing people to the one who "gives them rest, for His burden is easy, and His yoke is light (Matthew 11:28-30)." They are purveyors of emptiness ... not abundance.
Finally, the path they offer brings people closer to hell, not heaven. Like my little church I served long ago, their desire was to replicate more of themselves ... not "disciples OF JESUS."
As we focus on the mission of the Church, let's remember several important things. If we are disciples of Jesus, we are those who lead others to Christ ... not to us. C. S. Lewis speaks of discipleship in a beautiful way. His vision of being a disciple of Jesus is to become our new, uniquely gifted, worshipful, loving, and bold follower of Christ. He says, Satan wants cattle he can herd into the gates of hell. Jesus wants followers who know and learn love by choosing Jesus, worshiping Jesus, loving like Jesus, and witnessing about Jesus through changed lives.
Remember OUR mission. We "make disciples of Jesus who worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly. Remember those 2 words ... "Of Jesus."
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