Clear vision of purpose, and proclamation

Jesus was very explicit that He knew why He had come into the world, and was not intimidated by the culture around Him, even when directly attacked by others.

Today I read John 9, and two times in that one chapter, Jesus reveals facets of the purpose in His incarnation, both times in the face of cultural pressure.  The first time, His mission was revealed in the face of culturally accepted presuppositions that those that have special needs are that way because of sin:

Joh 9:3-5  "Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.  (4)  I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.  (5)  As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."

The second time, Jesus was speaking to the blind man He had healed in the presence of some of the Pharisees, and He said,

Joh 9:39  And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.

 While we don't have the same exact purpose as Christ's, we have been given responsibilities by the Father, and we need to carry them out with intentionality, even in the face of persecution or cultural intimidation.  We have been called to lead our wives and children.  We have been called to give testimony to the Great News about what Christ did for those that are in sin and are helpless to regain life with the Father except through the Son.  We have been called to visit and minister to the poor, the orphans, the widows.  We have been called to comfort those that mourn, to hunger and thirst after righteousness.

Christ seemed to think that it was important not just to carry out His purpose, but to actually proclaim his purpose at critical times in order to explain what it was that He was doing to those that were looking on, even if those very people would misunderstand Him.  Might we also be called to not only fulfill the mandates of our calling, but also to explain what it is that we are doing so that those looking on can understand what it is we are doing and why?

The Church needed a Christ who loved It by being bold and intentional, and we ought to be the sort of men who boldly carry out our purpose even in the face of outside pressure. I suspect our wives would feel loved by this, and respect us for it.