Linear Thinking tagged: , , ,

Linear Thinking

Posted by in Church & Missions

There are tasks that seem like they are never going to end. They go on and on and on. Like cleaning up, for instance. Sometimes it seems that, at the same time you are cleaning, the space behind you is getting dirty again. But then there are other tasks that have a specific goal towards which you are working. Once you are done, you are done…and it is time to stop working, and start celebrating!

Some people believe life and history are basically cyclical. That is, what goes around comes around. There is nothing new under the sun. All is vanity. I believe the basic message of Ecclesiastes for us, as Christians, is that, without Jesus, that’s how life would be. But, the message of the New Testament is that, since Jesus came, everything is different!

As new covenant disciples, I believe it is important that we think of life and history not as cyclical, but as linear. We are moving towards a glorious climax. We are making progress. A time is coming in which the things we are working on now will be done, and it will be time to lay down our tools and celebrate!

Jesus said, in John 4:34, “My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work.” I believe it is significant that He did not just say, “doing the will of God,” but also added, “finishing his work.” All of us who are in ministry know that it is easy to grow weary as we are doing the will of God. But if we do not have our sights set on a specific goal, if we do not keep the end in sight, our work becomes even more tedious and burdensome. But there is indeed something “nourishing” about working towards the completion of a task.

There is a difference between the missionary task and the pastoral task. At the risk of over-generalizing, I believe we can say that the missionary, in essence, breaks open new ground, while the pastor cultivates what has already been planted. But, overall, in the big picture, we are all co-workers in the same task, and are all working towards the same end-goal.

Matthew 24:14 says, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” Some criticism has been raised with respect to the idea that, in the missionary task, we work towards the evangelization of all of the people groups in the world with the motivation of speeding up the return of Christ. I am somewhat sympathetic to the idea that we should work more out of a motivation of faithfulness and obedience to the will of the Father than that of thinking we can somehow, by our own efforts, turn His hand, and change His sovereign plans.

At the same time, though, I think there is something to be said for a perspective that sees the task as a specific goal towards which we are working. There are times, in the midst of on-going ministry, when it seems as if life were cyclical. This is especially true in local church ministry. Week after week, there are sermons to be preached, lessons to be taught, visits to be made, meetings to be held, programs to be administered, etc., etc.

But it can also be true in missionary ministry. On this side of heaven, we will never run out of new people who need Jesus, to whom we can “give a cup of cold water,” or to whom we can proclaim the message of salvation. As Jesus said, “the poor are always with us.” Without a doubt, in the process previous to reaping a spiritual harvest, there are times in which much patience and perseverance is required. Jesus said in John 4:37-38, “You know the saying, ‘One person plants and someone else harvests.’ And it’s true. I sent you to harvest where you didn’t plant; others had already done the work, and you will gather the harvest.” However, it is helpful for me, in the midst of on-going missionary ministry, to keep reminding myself that, whether I am currently planting or harvesting, there is an awaited end towards which I am working.

I like the story of Nehemiah, and the rebuilding of the wall of Jerusalem. I think in many ways it is illustrative for us as Christian workers, as we work to rebuild the spiritual Zion, the Church of the firstborn that will one day assemble together around the throne of the Lamb (Heb. 12:22-24; Rev. 7:9-17; Psalm 102:21-22). In Nehemiah, each family or clan was assigned a particular part of the wall on which to work. And the task before them was long, hard, and arduous. There were moments when the strength of the workmen was on the brink of giving out. But, because they kept their eyes on the goal before them, trusted the Lord, and worked together in unity, they eventually finished the task.

For us, a big part of “rebuilding the spiritual Zion” is indeed making sure that those of every people group in the world have the chance to hear and understand the gospel in a way that makes sense to them. But I don’t believe the task stops there. Biblically, the end-vision towards which we are working is to “build up the church, the body of Christ, until we come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature and full grown in the Lord, measuring up to the full stature of Christ” (Eph. 4:12-13). And this is a task in which each of us – apostles (or missionaries), prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers – plays a role, together with each and every member of the Body of Christ.

At present, there are times when it seems as if the work of ministry just goes on and on and on. But, in faith, we believe there is coming a time when we will be able to look back and see the finished product, a “radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish” (Eph. 5:27). And, we will be able to see how, just like the workers on the wall in the time of Nehemiah, the individual work each one of us did played a part, an important part, in bringing the task to completion.

I don’t know about you. But that thought keeps me going sometimes.