Touchstone #3

Jesus outlined his own call to mission in his "Nazareth Manifesto" in Luke 4. While Jesus' initial words, quoted from Isaiah, generated audience approval with their overtones of Jewish nationalism, the mood of the crowd quickly turned ugly when Jesus suggested that God's vision included all ethnic groups and nationalities. The gospel, by its very nature, breaks down human barriers including ethnicity and nationalism. Today, the church is still guilty of exhibiting religious nationalism and denominationalism. The kingdom of God presents a very different picture of humanity without such barriers. The good news (euangellion) of Jesus Christ, the mystery of the ages, is now made known.

Christian mission is centered on witness to the coming Kingdom of God, the reign of God in Christ expressed in communities of faith and obedience. Thus, there is content to our mission. Mission which does not clearly proclaim Jesus Christ as the Savior of the world may be mission, but it is not Christian mission. There must be clarity about this communication: God has done for us, in Jesus Christ, what the law (and all of our efforts) could not do. This is good news for the suffering and oppressed as well as for the powerful and the oppressor. Through word and works, we proclaim the glory of God in Jesus Christ for the nations.