Mark 11.17 describes, My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations . But you have turned it into a den of robbers!

What is the purpose of Church?

If the Church is the world wide ‘body’ of Christ, the faithful followers of Jesus, then it’s mission is the Great Commission. If the Church is the local building where the followers of Jesus gather then…..it gets a bit more nebulous, at least to the followers.

Historically the work of the Church, globally and locally, has been to witness to the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ Who is God coming again to judge all humanity for all time determining their eternal destination.

God has always held a global perspective for the work of His people.

Beginning with His promise to Abraham that he would be a blessing to all nations, God has commanded His people to be His witness to all people everywhere on earth.

When the people of God gather God expects them to pray for the people of the world who don’t yet know His Name. God’s house, the Church, is to be a house of prayer but specifically for the nations.

That prayer is answered by the people of God obeying the word of God to go and share the love of God in the person of God Who is Jesus.

Instead of praying with a bent toward doing, the Church has become filled with robbers. Robbers come and take for themselves.

Robbers leave church saying things like, ‘I didn’t get anything out of that message today,’ or ‘the people there weren’t that friendly to me.’

Robbers attend church for what they can get rather than for how they can serve and join the effort to win people to God’s point-of-view through Jesus the Savior of the world.