DINING WITH SINNERS
WITH (prep) function word to indicate manner of action
AND
Yesterday, I and a few area church planters had the opportunity to spend the morning with Dr. Thom Wolf. One of the many insights I gleaned from him is from Luke 24.
Jesus appears to his disciples before his ascension. They, however, were frightened because they thought they had seen a spirit. But Jesus, in order to calm their fears, shows them his hands and feet and asks them to touch him “for a spirit does not have flesh and bones” and asks for something to eat and the disciples give him “a piece of broiled fish and Jesus “took it and ate before them” thereby calming the disciple’s fears. Then Jesus reminds them “that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled” (see Luke 24:36-44).
Then Jesus does something that I do not think the disciples expected, the early readers of Luke expected or we expect today. The text says, “Then he opened there minds to understand the Scriptures” (Luke 24:45).
What were they to understand?
First, the disciples must understand the message— “Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead” (Luke 24:46)
AND
Second, the mission— “repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed to all nations” (Luke 24:47).
To often we miss the AND which is no minor oversight because AND has a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force. In other words, there is no message without mission and there is no mission without a message. The two are inextricably linked.
How often do we get caught up in one or the other? Too many times the mission is outsourced to the “professional” missionaries and the local church puts all or their resources and energies into the message which is a detriment to both.
The Church on Brady in East LA that Dr Wolf pastored for many years knew that the message and the mission go hand in hand. During his ministry there, he saw 16+% of the congregation sent on mission to proclaim the message to all nations. May we, at Matthew’s Table, be a church that lives both the message and the mission.
Michael Carpenter
Michael is an urban church planter in the Argenta Arts District of North Little Rock. He and his wife Amanda have been married since 2003 and have two children – Austin and Max. Michael is an entrepreneur, missiologist, and chef.
Thanks for sharing. Right on regarding the AND.
Feeling a little jealous that I could not be there with you yesterday to learn from Dr. Thom. He is so real, thought-provoking, inspiring, challenging, etc.
I could of listened and soaked up insights all day.