The Great Ends of the Church

1. The Great Ends of the Church Lenten Series, 2011

2. 1. Evangelism The Great Ends of the Church The proclamation of the gospel for the salvation of humankind 6. Mission 2. Fellowship The exhibition of the Kingdom of Heaven to the world The shelter, nurture, and spiritual fellowship of the children of God 3. Worship 5. Justice The promotion of social righteousness The maintenance of divine worship 4. Discipleship The preservation of the truth

3. The Great Ends of the Church The proclamation of the gospel for the salvation of humankind

4. The Great Ends of the Church The proclamation of the gospel by Jesus Luke 4:14   Then Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about him spread through all the surrounding country. 15 He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone. Luke 4:16   When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written: 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Luke 4:20   And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 Then he began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

5. The Great Ends of the Church The proclamation From pro = “before” + clamare = “to cry out” Q. What comes to mind when you hear the word “proclaim”? Q. Is proclamation a “private” or a “public” matter? Q. Who proclaims? Individuals? Church? Denomination? Q. To whom do we proclaim? Q. Is the proclamation always a verbal action? Q. Might there be some cost for those who proclaim?

6. The Great Ends of the Church New Testament (NRSV) Proclamation/kerugma, 11 times 1Cor. 1:21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those who believe. Proclaim/kerusso/euanggelizo/kataggello/apaggello/anaggello, 51 times Matt. 4:17 From that time Jesus began to proclaim, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” Rev. 14:6   Then I saw another angel flying in midheaven, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth—to every nation and tribe and language and people. Heb. 2:12 saying, “I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters, in the midst of the congregation I will praise you.” 1John 1:5   This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him there is no darkness at all.

7. The Great Ends of the Church PC (USA) Study Catechism, 1998 Question 63. What is the mission of the church? The mission of the church is to bear witness to God's love for the world in Jesus Christ. Question 64. What forms does this mission take? The forms are as various as the forms of God's love, yet the center is always Jesus Christ. The church is faithful to its mission when it extends mercy and forgiveness to the needy in ways that point finally to him. For in the end it is always by Christ's mercy that the needs of the needy are met. Question 65. Who are the needy? The hungry need bread, the homeless need a roof, the oppressed need justice, and the lonely need fellowship. At the same time -- on another and deeper level -- the hopeless need hope, sinners need forgiveness, and the world needs the gospel. On this level no one is excluded, and all the needy are one. Our mission as the church is to bring hope to a desperate world by declaring God's undying love -- as one beggar tells another where to find bread.

8. The Great Ends of the Church the gospel Good news/euangellion 1Cor. 15:1   Now I would remind you, brothers and sisters, of the good news that I proclaimed to you, which you in turn received, in which also you stand, 2 through which also you are being saved, if you hold firmly to the message that I proclaimed to you—unless you have come to believe in vain. 1Cor. 15:3   For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, 4 and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. Receiving & Handing on/ paralambano~paradidomi/accepi~tradidi

9. The Great Ends of the Church The proclamation of the gospel by Paul Rom 10: 6 But the righteousness that comes from faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) 7 “or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); 9 because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. 11 The scripture says, “No one who believes in him will be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him. 13 For, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Rom. 10:14   But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him? 15 And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” 16 But not all have obeyed the good news; for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?” 17 So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ.

10. A Japanese Perspective on the Gospel of Salvation The Great Ends of the Church • “In the sense in which Jesus Christ used the word, the ‘Gospel’ means ‘emancipation.’ When he went into the synagogue at Nazareth, Christ took the book of Isaiah, and read the following verses: ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me; because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted; to preach deliverance to the captives; and recovering of sight to the blind; to set at liberty them that are bruised;-- to preach the acceptable year of the Lord’ (Luke 4:18-19). The Gospel of emancipation meant five things: • Economic emancipation (preaching to the poor). • Psychological emancipation (healing the broken-hearted). • Social emancipation (preaching deliverance to the captives). • Physical emancipation (recovery of sight to the blind). • Political emancipation (setting at liberty them that are bruised). • The Gospel of Christ means not merely individualistic mental healing. It means a healing of everything. It means every kind of emancipation, from all sorts of evil.” • Toyohiko Kagawa, “Following in His Steps,” Friends of Jesus, Vol. 4, No. 1. January 1931, 6.

11. for the salvation of humankind The Great Ends of the Church Q. What does Jesus save us from? Q. What does Jesus save us for? Q. Is this salvation a past, present, or future reality? Q. What are the limits of salvation? Q. Don’t other religions offer salvation?

12. The Great Ends of the Church PC (USA) Study Catechism, 1998 Question 49. Will all human beings be saved? No one will be lost who can be saved. The limits to salvation, whatever they may be, are known only to God. Three truths above all are certain. God is a holy God who is not to be trifled with. No one will be saved except by grace alone. And no judge could possibly be more gracious than our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

13. The Great Ends of the Church Question 50. Is Christianity the only true religion? Religion is a complex matter. When used as a means to promote self-justification, war-mongering or prejudice, it is a form of sin. Too often all religions -- and not least Christianity -- have been twisted in this way. Nevertheless, by grace, despite all disobedience, Christianity offers the truth of the gospel. Although other religions may enshrine various truths, no other can or does affirm the name of Jesus Christ as the hope of the world.

14. The Great Ends of the Church Question 51. How will God deal with the followers of other religions? God has made salvation available to all human beings through Jesus Christ, crucified and risen. How God will deal with those who do not know or follow Christ, but who follow another tradition, we cannot finally say. We can say, however, that God is gracious and merciful, and that God will not deal with people in any other way than we see in Jesus Christ, who came as the Savior of the world.

15. The Great Ends of the Church Question 52. How should I treat non-Christians and people of other religions? As much as I can, I should meet friendship with friendship, hostility with kindness, generosity with gratitude, persecution with forbearance, truth with agreement, and error with truth. I should express my faith with humility and devotion as the occasion requires, whether silently or openly, boldly or meekly, by word or by deed. I should avoid compromising the truth on the one hand and being narrow-minded on the other. In short, I should always welcome and accept these others in a way that honors and reflects the Lord's welcome and acceptance of me.

16. The proclamation of the gospel for the salvation of humankind The Great Ends of the Church Q. What might this mean for our church? Q. What does this mean for me?