Are We Missing the Churchs Purpose?
The church's purpose is to be part of an eternal plan, which includes predestination, redemption, adoption, and the obtaining of an eternal inheritance, and this knowledge imparts unquenchable enthusiasm to its members.
A.W. Tozer addresses the issue of disillusionment with the church, arguing that many find it intolerable due to a lack of clear purpose and direction beyond mundane activities. He emphasizes that the early Christians were driven by a profound understanding of their role in God's eternal plan, which included predestination, redemption, and the promise of an eternal inheritance. This knowledge fueled their enthusiasm and commitment to Christ, contrasting sharply with the spiritless nature of many modern congregations. Tozer calls for a revival of this sense of purpose to reignite passion and zeal within the church community.
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It would be too easy to dismiss this dislike for church as only another symptom of original sin and love of moral darkness, but I believe that explanation is too pat to be wholly true. It doesnt explain enough. Some persons, for instance, find church intolerable because there is no objective toward which pastor and people are moving, aside possibly from the limited one of trying to enlist eight more women and 10 more men to chaperon the annual youth cookout or reaching the building fund quota for the month.
And believe me, that can get mighty wearisome after a while, so wearisome indeed that alert, forward-looking persons often forsake the churches in droves and leave the spiritless, the dull and those afflicted with permanent insouciance to carry on, if a phrase so active dare be used to describe what they do. To Paul there was nothing dull or tiresome in the religion of Christ. God had a plan which was being carried forward to completion, and Paul and all the faithful in Christ Jesus were part of that plan.
It included predestination, redemption, adoption and the obtaining of an eternal inheritance in the heavenly places. Gods purpose has now been openly revealed (Ephesians 3:10,11). It was the knowledge that they were part of an eternal plan that imparted unquenchable enthusiasm to the early Christians. They burned with holy zeal for Christ and felt that they were part of an army which the Lord was leading to ultimate conquest over all the powers of darkness. That was enough to fill them with perpetual enthusiasm.
Sermon Outline
- The Problem of Church Attendance
- The Early Church's Enthusiasm
- The Key to Perpetual Enthusiasm
- Being part of an eternal plan
- Holy zeal for Christ
Key Quotes
“It was the knowledge that they were part of an eternal plan that imparted unquenchable enthusiasm to the early Christians.” — A.W. Tozer
“To Paul there was nothing dull or tiresome in the religion of Christ.” — A.W. Tozer
Application Points
- We should strive to understand and be part of God's eternal plan, which gives us holy zeal and perpetual enthusiasm.
- The church should focus on its true purpose, rather than mundane tasks, to inspire its members with enthusiasm and zeal.
- Our understanding of God's plan should motivate us to live a life of purpose and passion, rather than mere routine and boredom.