An Answer to the Era of Disconnection

We are passing through an era of disconnection and everywhere I look I see something very much like scattered sheep who need to reconnect with their flock, scattered soldiers that need to reconnect with their unit, and scattered dry bones that need to be rattled and rejoined to re-member the body of Christ. When Jesus shed his blood on the cross he did it not to salvage a few isolated individuals from the wreck of the fall, but to cleanse and constitute his Church. Paul told the Ephesian elders that they were ‘to shepherd the Church of God which He purchased with His own blood’ (Acts 20:28).

The Church - not just individuals - is the object of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. When Paul wrote to the members of the Church at Ephesus he reminded them that “Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church ]in all her glory…” (Ephesians 5:25). My friends, we can’t give up on the Church for the simple reason that  Jesus gave up his life to redeem her. If the Church was worth his blood and is the object of his eternal affection, then surely the Church is worthy of our commitment and our service. 

It’s time to sing this old hymn again with full-hearted, truth-telling ardor and affectionate zeal while we set to work to forge covenant communities that aren’t toxic and abusive, built on personalities and power structures, cultures that are instead places where grace abounds for sinners, the broken find themselves mended, and the saints discover the joy of faith in Jesus the Savior and Head of the Church. 

The church's one Foundation
Is Jesus Christ her Lord;
She is his new creation
By water and the Word:
From heav'n he came and sought her
To be his holy bride;
With his own blood he bought her,
And for her life he died.

Elect from ev'ry nation,
Yet one o'er all the earth,
Her charter of salvation
One Lord, one faith, one birth;
One holy Name she blesses,
Partakes one holy food.
And to one hope she presses,
With ev'ry grace endued.

Though with a scornful wonder
Men see her sore oppressed,
By schisms rent asunder,
By heresies distressed,
Yet saints their watch are keeping,
Their cry goes up, "How long?"
And soon the night of weeping
Shall be the morn of song.

The church shall never perish!
Her dear Lord to defend,
To guide, sustain and cherish
Is with her to the end;
Though there be those that hate her,
And false sons in her pale,
Against or foe or traitor
She ever shall prevail.

'Mid toil and tribulation,
And tumult of her war,
She waits the consummation
Of peace for evermore;
Till with the vision glorious
Her longing eyes are blest,
And the great church victorious
Shall be the church at rest.

Yet she on earth hath union
With the God the Three in One,
And mystic sweet communion
With those whose rest is won:
O happy ones and holy!
Lord, give us grace that we,
Like them, the meek and lowly,
On high may dwell with thee.