The Church’s businessIf you were to choose one word to best describe the church’s primary business, what would you say? Perhaps a most common answer would be salvation. The Church is in the salvation business as commanded by the risen and ascended Jesus Christ. His death on the cross saves us from our sins. His resurrection assures us of everlasting life with God in heaven. Another possibility is the word morality. The church is to be a moral agent in the world, to direct how people are to live as God would have them. Others may suggest helping as the best description of the church’s business, that is, helping the poor, feed the hungry, or give aid to disaster victims. These are good words, yet, there is one that is all-embracing it seems. That word is HEALTH. As our corner of Minnesota anticipates the opening of a new medical center, we rejoice over the expanded resource for health care in our community. Truly we are well blessed in all this. Yet the hospital and clinic are not the only agencies involved in health. The church is, too, and I dare add, health is its main business. Health is more than not being sick. In the biblical understanding, health is being in a harmonious balance in relationship with God, the environment, neighbor and self. It is to be sound in body, mind and spirit. We are not healthy, nor is the world. In our natural state we are before God, spiritually dead, blind and in enmity against our Creator. The Bible is clear in calling this sin, and sin separates us from God. Holy Scripture is also clear that sin is the cause of all the misery in the world, whether it is sickness, human injustice, selfishness, war, terrorism, the list is too long. The end result of sin is death. God came into the world by the birth of God’s Son, Jesus Christ. He came to bring healing and health to all creation itself and to all of us who are created after God’s image as well. Jesus came to bring life and immortality to light. Psalm 103 speaks of healing and forgiveness by connecting sickness with sin. Very likely it was originally offered to God as a thanksgiving for recovery from illness. The psalmist rejoices, "Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases … " (Psalm 103:2-3) We can also see the ministry of Jesus included healing. Often he would tell the person he heals, "Your sins are forgiven." Or, he may say, "Your faith has made you well." The literal meaning in the Greek text is, "Your faith has saved you."Health is a word related to whole, wholesome, and holy. God’s work of redemption in Jesus Christ is to make us and the entire world well and healthy. Christians look forward to Resurrection Day when the whole process will be complete. Sin, sickness, disease, war, terror, anything unhealthy will be gone forever. God’s people will live with eternal peace, joy, wholeness, health in that New Day without end. In the meantime, Christians are called to work to improve health in the world. We serve and proclaim Christ as Lord and Savior by his cross and open tomb, help those in need, stand up for justice, and be a moral leaven in the world. You may find it helpful to read all of Psalm 103. May the Lord of health keep you wholly and holy in His sight.
