LOOKING FOR A FEW GOOD MEN

So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one.  (Ezekiel 22:30)

The Marines have a slogan, “We’re just looking for a few good men.”  So is God.  What a difference a few good men could make in the church and the church’s impact in the world.  Ezekiel underscores this in our text.  Here he pictures a city under siege and the enemy has broken through the wall.  There is a deadly breach in the defenses.  The only hope was for a stalwart soldier to stand in the gap.  It is an accurate picture of what is happening in our time.  The enemy is pouring through the spiritual defenses—our families, our churches, our culture being overwhelmed in the assault of Satan and his minions.  The need is for an elite group of men—sold out to Christ—who will not waver.  Ezekiel was that kind of man. Those prophets of old afford an inspiring model for us.  James exhorted, “Take...the prophets…for an example.”

The prophet’s example challenges us to be men of DESTINY.  Ezekiel—author of this book, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, and the rest bore the title, “prophet.”  We usually think of this as someone foretelling the future.  Though this element was often present, their office was primarily forth-telling the truth.  A careful examination of their ministry shows they did not speak only of future events, but confronted their contemporaries.  The prophet had a word for the present hour.  The Hebrew word for prophet is literally, “one who has been called.”  They had a mandate from heaven.  It was a divine compulsion.  Jeremiah described it as a fire in his bones.  This awareness of God’s call imparts a sense of destiny.  Dear reader, God has you here in this time and place for a reason—not an accident, but appointment.  The prophet had something to say.  Society today has lost its moral compass—our families are floundering at sea without an anchor, and churches drifting doctrinally without a steady hand on the helm of Scripture.  Men, we must take up the sword of the Spirit and stand in the gap!

The prophet’s example challenges us to be men of DEVOTION.  They were often referred to as “the man of God.”  This described the man’s devotion to the Lord.  He was possessed by the God who held him and obsessed with the God who loved him.  The prophet was God’s man.  This suggests an abiding fellowship.  Brothers, do you shut yourself up with God to hear from Him in His Word and commune with Him in prayer on a consistent basis?  Because the prophet was the man of God, he could not be bought.  His convictions were not for sale.  The world believes every man has his price—but, not God’s man.

The prophet’s example challenges us to be men of DISCERNMENT.  Another term for the prophet was, “seer.”  He could see beyond the natural realm and gained God’s perspective.  He could see the invisible with eyes of faith—to discern the spiritual realities behind the surface events.  We need to be men of vision who see before others see, see more than others see, and see beyond what others see.  He had a word for his times because he had a view of eternity.

Will you be a man who stands in the gap?  God is looking for a few good men!

GRADUATE TO GREATNESS

The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD,

And He delights in his way.  (Psalm 37:23)

You who are graduating are going to be making the biggest decisions of your lives in the next few years: you will be deciding about continuing your education, getting married, and about your career.  Do you want to just make a living or make a life?  Will you graduate to greatness?  I’m not talking about fortune and fame—and all that the world says constitute greatness.   I mean true greatness—a life that makes an impact for God and for good.  David tells us how.

You must EXHIBIT FEARLESSNESS (v.1-4).  Fear will paralyze us.  Panic will drive us into bad decisions.  As we look at our world today, there is every reason to fear.  God, however, calls us to walk by faith and not by sight.  David was only a youth when he went out to fight a ten-foot giant armed only with a slingshot.  Human perspective would lead one to conclude, “He’s too big to beat!” David chose heaven’s perspective and concluded, “He’s too big to miss!”  Henry Blackaby has said, “Fear is having faith in the enemy.”  Who is bigger—the enemy or God?

Those who graduate to greatness also EXPRESS FAITHFULNESS (v.5-6).  These verses have been life-changing to me.  It was the evening of July 30, 1976 that my wife, Marilyn, and I were in an open air auditorium on a warm summer night at the Ben Lippen Conference Center.  The late Stephen Olford took this text and challenged us to full-time Christian service.  We had been wrestling with God’s call on our young lives and that night we both stepped out and surrendered to the will of God.  We signed a card, “Lord Jesus, anything, anywhere, anytime, I am ready.”  We embarked on an incredible journey and we haven’t looked back.  We have tried to be faithful to God’s call.  A life of impact for God does not require you to be a pastor or missionary.  God needs His people in all walks of life.  Be faithful wherever God stations you.

People of impact EXCLUDE FRETFULNESS (v.7-8). Three times in these verses we are told this!  The word literally means, “to boil”—we’d say, “hot under the collar.”  It happens when we see others succeed even though we may have worked harder; or someone else gets ahead by cheating while we try to do it right.  Do not get steamed when you think life isn’t fair—it isn’t.  Neither is God, by the way—He is just—which means in the end He’ll do right.  All fretfulness will do is give you ulcers or stroke.  Anger will poison your relationships: with your spouse, kids, fellow workers—even with God!

Those who graduate to greatness EXPERIENCE FRUITFULNESS (v.9-11).  This is a life that will make a difference in the world.  To the Jew, all the blessing of God was tied up in the land—a land flowing with milk and honey.  Jesus quoted this passage as a promise to the meek.  We do not get ahead by striving but serving—not by promoting yourself, but humbling yourself.  When we desire only what God desires, then He delights to give what we desire.  If you commit yourself to God, then it becomes His responsibility to enable you to fulfill that commitment.  Where God’s finger points, His hand provides.  David experienced this fruitfulness.  Where others saw a shepherd boy, God saw a king.  Step out in faith, and graduate to greatness!

 

MAXIMUM IMPACT

 

Now Abraham was old, well advanced in age; and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things.  (Genesis 24:1)

Many people walk through life, leaving footprints in the sand—the tides of time sweep in and wash away those imprints and it is as though they had never been.  Little impact was made.  Others leave such a legacy that it is as though their footprints were set in concrete.  Years roll by, but the path they traveled is still clearly marked for others to follow.  That is a life of maximum impact—and it describes well the life of Abraham.  As we come to the twenty-fourth chapter of Genesis, we see this man nearing the finish line of his earthly pilgrimage.  It has been a marathon, with many hurdles to cross, but God has blessed him and he is almost home.  Yet, he feels the need not to slow down, but to pour it on—to run through the finish line.  There are some loose ends to tie up and make sure the legacy he leaves is one of maximum impact.

Abraham will leave a LEGACY OF PREEMINENCE.  He, along with Moses and David, are the three preeminent figures of the Old Testament era.  God chose Abraham and called him out to make a difference in the world.  He would be the recipient of a covenant of grace, so that through him all the nations of the earth would be blessed.  God blessed Abraham that he might be a blessing to others.  That is the heritage of faith that this man and his wife, Sarah, left behind.  His name is associated with greatness.  

He left an example of a LIFE OF PROMINENCE.  Abraham’s servant, Eleazar, testified, “The LORD has blessed my master greatly, and he has become great…” (Gen.24:35a).  Some people have a reputation that is a charade.  Later, people dig beneath the surface and expose that the façade of greatness only hid a shriveled soul.  That could not be said of Abraham.  His renown was backed by reality.  All of us would like to be successful in life—to make our mark on the world.  Though Abraham was a flawed man, he was a faithful man.  He slipped a few times, as we all do, but he got up, dusted himself off, and moved forward.  God made a difference in him, and so made a difference through him. 

Abraham possessed a LOVE OF PERMANENCE.  He accumulated a lot of stuff.  For his time, he was exceedingly wealthy.  But, he did not give his heart to any of those things.  Abraham knew that he would leave all that behind, and eventually the thief of time would steal and destroy all that is of this world.  He did not build a mansion, but moved about in a tent, restless, yearning for something permanent—out of this world.  Here is the New Testament commentary:  “By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.”  (Heb.11:9-10)

In Proverbs 10:7 we read,“The memory of the righteous is blessed, But the name of the wicked will rot.”  Which legacy will we leave—one of blessedness or barrenness?  I pray that all who read this will seek a life of maximum impact!  Such are truly the children of Abraham.