Jesus portrayed the church as a city, saying: Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. (Matthew 5:14) The city in the Old Testament that pictured the church was Jerusalem, in which was Mount Zion: ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven. (Hebrews 12:22)
The purpose of a city is to bring people together for trade with each other and those outside. There is much business in a city. The business of the church, the city of God, should not, of course, be commercial. It should be God's business, with the angels also assisting.
As there is much work to do, we should not be lazy or unconcerned with the things of the kingdom of God.
Haggai, the Old Testament prophet, exhorted God's people to work on building the house of God, which in his day was the temple of stone. Today the church is God's house, so we may think of the book of Haggai as an exhortation to build the church, with the promises of Haggai applicable to us.
God's people at the time of Haggai had become too concerned with their own interests and their own houses, and had not been sufficiently concerned with God's house. For this reason God had cursed them until they had become poor and hungry. In Haggai 1:3-9 God reproves His people for their neglect of His house and tells them that this neglect is the cause of all their problems:
Then came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet, saying, Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your ceiled houses, and this house lie waste? Now therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways. Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough . . . and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put into a bag with holes. Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways. Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the Lord. Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith the Lord of hosts. Because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house.
After the people took God's exhortation to heart, and starting working on God's house: Then spake Haggai the Lord's messenger in the Lord's message unto the people, saying, I am with you, saith the Lord. (Haggai 1:13)
God wanted them to know that the reason for their change of fortune was not luck, but His blessing. Therefore God told them to note that the timing of His blessing coincided with having completed some work for God, saying: Consider now from this day and upward, from the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, even from the day that the foundation of the Lord's temple was laid, consider it . . . as yet the vine, and the fig tree, and the pomegranate, and the olive tree, hath not brought forth: from this day will I bless you. (Haggai 2:18,19)
But not only was God going to bless them personally, He was also going to bless their labours on the house of God according to His promise: I will fill this house with glory. (Haggai 2:7)
If we find everything going wrong, perhaps even losing our job, then we should consider whether it is because we have neglected God's work. Whilst generally speaking, unemployed Christians should look for work, unemployment can also provide a good time to start learning to work for God.
Jesus our Lord also exhorts us, in the parable of the talents, not to be slothful, but rather to use our abilities for God's service: For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents . . . and to another one, to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents . . . But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money. After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliverest unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord . . . Then he which had received the one talent came and said . . . I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant . . . Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usary. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. For unto everyone that hath, shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 25:14-30)
Talents, which are literally weights of money, speak of the abilities and resources God gives us to serve Him. Jesus is teaching that when we are faithful in exercising these, God will increase them, either now or in the world to come, whereas if we do not use these talents, we lose them.
Those servants who profitably used their talents in the service of their master were also rewarded by being given rule over many things and with the joy of their Lord. So also with us, if we are faithful to serve God here, then when the Lord returns, we will be rewarded. Christians do not give enough concern to the fact that their reward will depend to a large degree upon their service in this life.
The reward the Lord has for us will not be a disappointment. To the faithful servant in the parable, the Lord said: I will make you ruler. Therefore there must be an equally wonderful hope for the faithful upon Christ's return. In a similar parable in Luke 19:17 Jesus said that to the faithful servant it shall be said: Well, thou good servant . . . have thou authority over ten cities. So those who are faithful in this life must be rewarded by being given authority in the next world.
So whilst rewards vary, authority is not only for the twelve apostles unto whom Jesus said: Verily I say unto you, that ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. (Matthew 19:28)
This is also made clear by Jesus, when He said: To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. (Revelation 3:21) Are you listening to Christ's promise to you? Jesus Himself entreats you to take note, by continuing to say: He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
This everlasting reward will not be a burden to us. To the contrary Jesus says to the faithful servant in the parable: Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. In our work in the next world, we will be able to experience the joy and the fellowship of our Lord Jesus Christ because we will be coworkers with Him, and will discuss with Him how to rule the cities God has given us.
Perhaps we shall discuss this when dining with Christ. If in this life we can have the privilege of the fellowship of dining with Christ, how much more will Revelation 3:20 come true beyond the grave: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
I do not think that the unprofitable servant goes to hell even though in the parable he is cast into outer darkness. In reality the darkness may not be complete. I say this by comparing this tale with a similar parable, the parable of the minas in Luke 19:11-27. Here the fate of the lazy servant who merely had his mina taken away is contrasted with the fate of God's enemies who were slain.
So whilst the lazy servants does not go to hell, neither does he go to the place of everlasting light, which is reserved for overcoming Christians. His loss is so great at being shut out of the city of everlasting light that the words of Jesus which were not part of the parable, but of the future reality, will be fulfilled; he will weep and gnash his teeth.
I do not know whether the unprofitable servant was born again. But whether or not we think he was, we should not ignore the purpose of the words of our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus spoke the parable in order to exhort us to serve Him, not in order to identify who is born again.
God gifts us, to enable us to serve Him. Some gifts of the Spirit concern the teaching of God's word. Other gifts or duties may concern visiting the sick or helping Christian widows. But whatever God has called us to; we must find a place in our heart to do good in some way to God's people.
Paul writes: As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. (Galatians 6:10) Although there is a place for doing good to all, that is, including the heathen, we should not neglect Paul's words: especially unto them who are of the household of faith. That is, we should do good especially to Christians.
The reward for helping fellow Christians is promised by Jesus when He said: He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward. (Matthew 10:40-42)
Receiving a prophet probably means receiving him into one's house. It may involve identification with the word of God and bearing reproach for the Lord. But how wonderful to receive the same reward as a prophet merely for assisting him in such a way. And even if the Christian we help is not a prophet, if we help them in any way because they are Christian, we shall not lose our reward.
Part of the work of doing good is to speak good words. By good words, I do not mean flatteries, but rather words which have a good effect upon the hearers as we: comfort the feebleminded, support the weak. (1 Thessalonians 5:14) Words of wisdom, stories of goodness, stories of faith may help to do this as well as general kindness. This is the manner of the virtuous wife who: openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. (Proverbs 31:26)
Speaking good words should be thought of as a positive command, rather than a negative one, because there is no commandment forbidding us from speaking about the things that interest us. However, we should not be so occupied with our own interests, that we neglect our duty to help our fellow Christian brethren by speaking good words.
It is also important to speak of those things, which the Lord has taught us, or by which the Lord has spoken to us from the bible: Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: And the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name. And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. (Malachi 3:16,17)
The words which commended these to the Lord, were words about the ways of God, as the context is that of meditating upon God's name. When we meet God, He will regard with great importance the words which we have spoken.
So far I have been speaking about our deeds and our words to other Christians, as we must not neglect the fellowship of Christians and the sharing of the glories of the word of God. But as Christians within a local assembly are united by doing good and speaking good words to each other, the Spirit will work to convince the unsaved, according to the prayer of Jesus: that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us . . . that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. (John 17:21-23)
As Christians are united many people will come to the church, to hear the wisdom of Jesus, in the same way that the Queen of Sheba came to Jerusalem, to hear the wisdom God gave to Solomon: many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. (Micah 4:2)
Zion, a mountain in Jerusalem, speaks of God's word. We are born again by believing God's word according to 1 Peter 1:23: Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. Being born in Zion was the Old Testament precursor of the new birth of the word of God, so we can understand the significance of Psalm 87:5-7: And of Zion . . . The Lord shall count, when he writeth up the people, that this man was born there.
Whilst it is God's work to convert souls we must not neglect our duty, as Jesus warns us not to be ashamed of Him, saying: For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels. (Luke 9:26) So we should not be afraid of what people might think about us or do to us.
From time to time God will put on your heart that you should talk to someone about God and you should not be afraid to do so. We should also not be afraid to put forward the Christian viewpoint in defence of God, when appropriate in conversation. And sometimes people will ask us about God when they see that we are Christians. So: be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear. (1 Peter 3:15) Although we should not be afraid to be identified as God's messengers, we must respect that in individual conversation with non-Christians, we speak only when allowed by the hearer. We must pray that we can meet the need of the people to whom we are speaking.
Witnessing means speaking the truth about God and His laws. A good and honest person will seek God after hearing a true report of Him, to enquire if it is true. Such a man was Nathanael of whom we read: Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see. Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile! (John 1:45-47)
All Christians should be able to prove from the Scriptures that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, who fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies. They can then, like Philip, ask souls if they would like to be shown this from the Old and New Testament Scriptures. Honest souls like Nathanael will be ready to hear.
Christians can also make known God's wondrous works, from His power to create the universe. It is the will of God, and one day it shall actually be that: the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. (Habakkuk 2:14)
In the Old Testament, even though God had been angry with His people, He still had a purpose for them: to make known His works to the ends of the earth: For my name's sake will I defer mine anger, and for my praise will I refrain for thee, that I cut thee not off. Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction. For mine own sake, even for mine own sake, will I do it; for how should my name be polluted? and I will not give my glory unto another . . . Go forth of Babylon, flee ye from the Chaldeans, with a voice of singing declare ye, tell this, utter it even to the end of the earth; say ye, The Lord hath redeemed his servant Jacob. And they thirsted not when he led them through the deserts: he caused the waters to flow out of the rock for them. (Isaiah 48:9-11,20,21)
Christians can also declare the power of God to deliver, and can give testimony to His provision for those who follow Him, and can speak of all His other acts of goodness to us.
Perhaps a neglected means of giving testimony to God, and that which the escapees from Babylon were to employ, is to sing God's praises. Paul and Silas sang God's praises in jail and all the prisoners were converted. We know this because none escaped even after the prison doors were opened: at midnight Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake . . . all the doors were opened, and everyone's bands were loosed. And the keeper of the prison . . . would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled . . . But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. (Acts 16:25-28)
Whilst we should not annoy people with too much singing, we can sing in the street and anywhere else the Lord gives us liberty to sing.
Christians should also testify that God is the Judge before whom each one must stand and give account of himself. God's present judgements upon those on earth can also be spoken of. The Israelites had to testify to the hand of the Lord to judge a land for abominable practises: And they shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall scatter them among the nations . . . But I will leave a few men of them from the sword, from the famine, and from the pestilence; that they may declare all their abominations among the heathen whither they come; and they shall know that I am the Lord. (Ezekiel 12:15,16)
Jesus describing His city, the church, said: Ye are the salt of the earth. (Matthew 5:13) Salt is a preservative that kills germs and preserves food from going rotten. Although most people on earth will not become Christians, if the church lives and teaches the truth, the world will be to some degree preserved from evil.
But Jesus continued: if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. True salt never loses its flavour, but if it is mixed with other substances it does. Satan wants to mix Christianity with pagan doctrines, practices and sins so that instead of the church preserving the world, the world corrupts the church. A corrupted church will spend more time persecuting other churches than showing the light of God and His Ten Commandments for the world's preservation.