1. Blessed are the Brethren who are cautious about thinking that they can speak for Me.
Speaking on this subject was not my idea. I’ve been uncertain how to handle this assignment, and cautioned by the Spirit about making it sound like Jesus joined the BRF Committee and says everything like BRF does. After all, Jesus is not always happy about the way He is quoted and understood. He doesn’t like when people say, “Jesus told me so and so”—and then proceed to say things that Jesus never said. I must confess that all too often I don’t speak well for Him since His ways are above my ways.
2. Blessed are the Brethren who don’t stop repenting after they are baptized.
He might say that Brethren make long, smooth sounding Annual Conference statements from the street corners, but what about all the complaining, doubt, arrogance, divisiveness, hidden lusts, broken covenants, lukewarmness, apathy, and carelessness. An attitude of repentance will help to make you humble and sensitive to being in My will.
3. Blessed are the Brethren who really love Me for all I am.
Our Savior who redeemed us might say that you Brethren have a wonderful three-part love feast service where you wash each other’s feet, break bread together, and share in the communion. He might even say He likes the flavor of our lovefeast bread. But then all too often you put My atonement back in the closet for six months and barely mention it. You need to love Me in a fresh way each day.
4. Blessed are the Brethren who understand that our Father is the one Holy God.
He might say you Brethren don’t seem to sense just how clean Heaven is going to be. Why do you keep pulling down on my righteous standards? Remember how Moses needed to learn that one-fourth of an inch of shoe leather was too much distance keeping his touch away from the Holy Ground. The church is to be presented as a glorious church, but what about those off-color lifestyles and warped theologies? And look how often you let yourselves get squeezed into the world’s mold!
5. Blessed are the Brethren who reflect their heritage.
Jesus may actually like the way the Church of the Brethren began. With the sincerity of Alexander Mack and the desire of the early Brethren to study the Bible and get back to Apostolic Christianity, we should not be ashamed of our beginnings. Some other voices may say that we are too inclined to worship our Brethrenism. But Jesus didn’t throw away the life of Moses or the legacy of the Prophets. He built upon them. The spiritual awakening that resulted in the rise of Pietism and Anabaptism has preserved some wonderful values that continue to bless our lives.
6. Blessed are the Brethren who know that peace involves more than not being a soldier.
Jesus might remind us that some of our peace witness comes off sounding pretty hollow. It is inconsistent for the church to preach peace and then see a majority of its youth serve in the military. It is inconsistent for the Brethren to preach peace and then openly accept members who divorce and remarry. It speaks of hypocrisy when we preach peace and then subdivide into various groups. It is shallow for the church to preach peace and write position papers—and discover that the best we can agree upon is that some believe this and others believe that.
7. Blessed are the Brethren who are diligent about fulfilling the Great Commission.
Why is is that as the world’s population keeps growing, that your membership continues to dwindle? You Brethren are pretty good at filling stomachs and caring for bodies, but what about saving people’s souls? Why do so few of your dollars ever make it to the mission field? There seems to be so little evidence that you have a strong passion to win souls.
8. Blessed are the Brethren who know that what I’ve said tonight is already in print.
Don’t expect me to give some extra biblical revelation. Jesus might say, “I’ve preserved the Bible so you can study it and get direction.” He might tell the Brethren that most of us are not as biblical as we think we are. There seems to be more trust in your paychecks than in the promises of God’s Word.
9. Blessed are the Brethren who know that I still love you.
Jesus might tell us how much He is pleased with our every effort to reflect the nature of His true church. He would also remind us that when He forgives He also forgets. His blood still blocks out sin. And by the way, there is still plenty of room in Heaven for all the Brethren who want to come. And then, those who get there can ask Him what He really would have said to the Brethren.