OUR BLESSED HOPE!

Whatever problems you have had in your past, or struggles you have in the present, know this—a child of God has a glorious future—our blessed hope!  We see this in Revelation 7. Specifically, I understand these verses point to those who come to Christ in the future Great Tribulation, but spiritually these promises apply to all God’s people. 

There is the promise of SALVATION, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb,” (v. 14). Apart from Christ, there is no hope. We cannot wash away the stain of our sins by the sprinkling of water, or the sacraments we observe, or the self-effort in religion we exert. Only the blood of Christ can cleanse us. Yet, Hallelujah, His blood does wash us, and we shall stand before a Holy God in white robes!

Further, we find the promise of SERVICE, “Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them,” (v. 15).  When I was a child and heard preachers speak of Heaven, it seemed that all we would do is float around on a cloud, strumming a harp, and that seemed rather boring. Yet, heaven will be a place where we will employ the gifts God has given us, unencumbered by the toil and travail of thorns and thistles. It will be service without sweat! 

The promise of SATISFACTION, “They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat,” (v. 16).  This world is under the curse of sin, and so there is hunger, thirst, and  a scorching sun—paradise has become more like perdition. Nothing this world offers brings lasting satisfaction. Yet, there is coming a day when the curse is reversed. God’s people will be blessed with continual provision, and thus perpetual satisfaction!

The promise of SERENITY“for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” (v. 17‬‬). What a beautiful picture of peace! These words remind us of Psalm 23, “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.” (v. 1-2).

In this fallen creation, we sometimes enjoy an oasis in the desert, but before long we find ourselves once more in the valley of the shadow of death. The tears flow like a river as we face the death of loved ones, and our own demise. Heartaches and disappointments abound. Yet, our hope is in knowing that God will personally wipe away our tears when we reach the glory of eternity! Suffering and sorrow will be supplanted by serenity!

What a blessed hope!  Press on weary pilgrim; the Celestial City awaits! “And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever,” (Ps. 23:6b).

GOD REQUIRES FAITHFULNESS

In Flickering Lamps, the late Henry Blackaby shared these words:

A truth I have based my ministry upon is this: If you are faithful in a little, God will give you more (Matt. 25:21, 23). God will not hold you accountable for what you do not have. But, He will make you answerable for what you did with what He gave you. What is the best way to have more? Be faithful with the little you already have! The key, of course, is faithfulness. 

In the parable of the talents, the master gave one servant five talents, another three talents, and a third servant one talent. The servants with five and three talents immediately invested what they had been given. Investing is risky; it involves uncertainty. Yet those two servants knew their master well. They understood that he despised timidity and expected growth. They invested aggressively and doubled their funds. When they showed their master what they had accomplished with the resources given to them, he declared, “Well done, good and faithful slave! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Share your master’s joy!” (Matt. 25:21). 

The servant who received one talent, however, took the opposite approach. He feared he might lose the only talent he had. What if something unexpected happened? Better to play it safe by burying the talent and doing nothing. His focus was on his fear of loss, rather than on hope of gain. Ironically, in trying to save what he had, he lost it. The master declared: “You evil, lazy slave!” (Matt. 25:26). The little he had was removed from him. The master then declared, “Throw this good-for-nothing slave into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matt. 25:30). 

Every church has at least one talent. The Head of the Church has entrusted something to every congregation. The onus is on us to invest our resources in what matters to the master. At the day of accounting, there will be no rewards for having merely preserved what we have. Instead, the heroes will be those who took what their master gave them and invested it so they could earn the greatest possible return for their King. 

You will never make disciples of all nations if you only attempt what you think you can afford. This doesn’t mean you recklessly invest in every church growth fad that comes along. It does mean you let God set the agenda for your church and then you confidently obey His commands, understanding that God can well-afford to accomplish whatever He leads you to do. The crucial thing is not to attempt what you can afford, but what God can afford. What will Christ find when He returns to your church? (pp. 109-111, Kindle Edition)

SELECTED TO SERVE

Jesus chose twelve men to follow Him. He set the model for them in His service to His Father, and mandated that they walk in His steps. We are selected to serve. It matters not what we do, we have this call as Christians. In this case, Paul was speaking to those who were bondslaves. If they saw that ultimately they were not serving men, but God, there would be a dignity bestowed upon their labor which would be transformative.

We are to serve the Lord COMPREHENSIVELY, “whatever you do.”  If you are a plumber or a pastor, a soldier or a sailor, a builder or a baker—there is no such thing as secular work. It is all spiritual service to Christ, if we are saved. We have been selected to serve.  This is comprehensive in its scope. 

We are to serve the Lord HEARTILY, “do it heartily.”  It would be a difference-maker for the preacher on Sunday morning if he would face his opportunity enthusiastically. That might impact the congregation as well!  It can be a contagious thing. It is an attitude adjustment for the employee on Monday morning that would direct him to say, “Good morning, Lord!” instead of, “Good Lord, it’s morning!” It will affect the mother who is rising in the night at a baby’s cry, if she hears this as a summons to serve Christ. Hear the Psalmist’s exhortation, “Serve the Lord with gladness,” (Ps. 100:2a). 

We are to serve the Lord EXPECTANTLY,  “as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.”  We do not work for a paycheck on earth, but a payday in eternity!  We may think ourselves underpaid for the labor we perform. We may work hard all our life and in our old age have little to show for it—we think. But, if we have been faithfully and joyfully serving Christ through that vocation, then He is watching, accounting, and will in Heaven be rewarding us for that work!

I write this on Saturday, and Sunday is coming, so let me say a special word to those who work in church. There will be some pastors who read this who will stand in a pulpit with more empty pews than expectant people tomorrow morning. They may pour their heart out and be met with a yawn from the handful of sleepy saints who are there. Someone will have prepared to direct the music and the singing will not have the energy or harmony befitting praise to God. A Sunday School teacher will have readied a lesson and maybe one or none show up to hear. Elsewhere, a small number give sacrificially to keep the lights on and the doors open. You may be the bi-vocational pastor who perspires under a hot sun Monday through Friday to inspire the people with a sermon on the Lord’s Day or you are privileged to be in a larger work, perhaps with multiple services—yet both of you collapse exhausted on Sunday evening. No matter what we do in the house of God, the Devil will have some critics there to make us feel that we are failures.

Do not forget there is One who attends our gathering who is soaking it all in, and writing it all down. Jesus is sitting in that congregation, choir loft, or classroom!  One day you can hear Him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.” (Matt. 25:21). 

The old Gospel song is a wonderful reminder:

Sometimes the day seems long,
Our trials hard to bear.
We’re tempted to complain,
to murmur and despair.
But Christ will soon appear
to catch his bride away!
All tears forever over
in God's eternal day!

It will be worth it all
when we see Jesus!
Life's trials will seem so small
when we see Christ.
One glimpse of his dear face,
all sorrow will erase.
So, bravely run the race
till we see Christ. (Esther Kerr Rusthoi)

In a few minutes I plan to mow my lawn and later review my sermon to the glory of God!

SAVED TO SERVE

 

Most evangelicals are familiar with Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”  We ought to have those words embedded in our mind. 

Yet, we may not be as acquainted with the next verse, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them,” (v. 10). These go together—two sides of the same coin of salvation. While we are saved apart from our works—the root of salvation is solely in the work of Christ—our salvation is never apart from producing works—the fruit of salvation is seen in the work of Christ in Christians. The quote attributed to Martin Luther states it, “We are saved by faith alone, but the faith that saves is never alone.”  

We are saved to serve. That is true of every child of God. This Gospel message must be preached. It must also be observed in the preacher’s life as well as heard from his lips.  Otherwise the words ring hollow and we may be branded a hypocrite.  The call is, “Practice what you preach!”

Ours is a POETIC LIFE, “For we are His workmanship…”.  The Greek word for “workmanship,” is poiema.  Our English word, “poem,” is derived from that. We might say it is a life that is “poetry in motion.”  I heard my mentor, Dr. Stephen Olford, put it, “a life of rhyme and reason.”  

God is the Author. He has written the script in His providence. As I look back over the course of my nearly seventy years of life, I can see how God has worked in me and through me. What may seem isolated events at the time, are now seen to be lines of sacred verse that God has been putting together. Since we are still here on earth, we may be sure there are more stanzas to be written.

Ours is also a PRACTICAL LIFE, “created in Christ Jesus for good works…”.  Orthodoxy in our doctrine leads to orthopraxy in our duty. If our belief is Biblical, then our behavior will be practical. God sovereignly created Adam and Eve for a sacred responsibility—to steward the creation and to shun the temptation.  Yet, they failed. Sin is now part of our natural state. 

Jesus came to give us a new nature—to fashion a new creation in Christ. This is regeneration. Yet, we are to flesh out our faith in daily duty. In Christ, His crucifixion means we die to self, sin, and this sphere of the world system (cf. Gal. 6:14), as we have been crucified with Christ. Nevertheless, we live, so in Christ’s resurrection we live for Him—yet, not I but Christ living in and through me, (cf. Gal. 2:20; Rom. 6). 

Further, ours is a PREPARED LIFE, “which God prepared beforehand…”. Before you were born, God already knew you. He fashioned you in your mother’s womb, infusing you with personality and capacity to be His choice servant. Then, He directed your life to the point of conviction of sin and conversion to salvation by the Gospel of grace. 

How all this transpired has been the topic of theological debate for two millennia of church history—so I will not attempt to resolve every question in this brief devotion. Yet, we cannot deny that God is sovereign and He orchestrates all things to the fulfillment of His will. This all redounds to His glory. 

Perhaps you are familiar with the quote, “Try to explain predestination and you may lose your mind.  Try to explain it away and you may lose your soul.” I am content to accept there is mystery in the harmony of God’s sovereignty in His choices and my responsibility for my choices. To paraphrase the Shorter Westminster Catechism, “The chief end of [Dennis] is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.”  You can insert your name into that, as well.

In conclusion, ours is a PROGRESSIVE LIFE, “that we should walk in them.”  Perfection is not attainable on earth. That awaits eternity—to be glorified when we see Jesus face to face, “but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is,” (1 Jn. 3:2b). While perfection is not attainable, progression is achievable. John also said, “Beloved, now we are the children of God…. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure,” (1 Jn. 3:2a, 3). More and more, as I express the life of Christ within, I exhibit more of His likeness without. 

Jesus is the Model Servant. He set the example for us. We are being like Him than when we are serving others.  We are saved to serve!

SERVICE AND NOT SERVE US!

 Too many churches are “self service” organizations.  They have members who demand that the ministries of the church, “serve us,” when the Lord intends for members to be ministers engaged in service of others. Consider this devotional thought from Stephen Olford:

“I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day.” – John 9:4 

The true principle of all real service for God underlies this statement of the Lord Jesus. And since He was the perfect Servant when upon this earth, He made this principle the basis of His loyal service to God.

The Obligation of True Service. The Lord Jesus said, “I must work.” The obligation of loving and loyal service to His Father compelled Him to work. Yes, right from the beginning (remember the temple when He was twelve years old?) to the end. 

The Occupation of True Service. There is only one great occupation in true service – it is doing God's will. I must work the “works of Him.” “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me,” said the Savior (John 4:34). 

The Opportunity of True Service. “While it is day.” Now is the acceptable time … “Time is short” (1 Cor. 7:29). 

I can do nothing else but serve You, Lord, all of my days, 
For it is a privilege and an honor – yes, even my duty! (According to Your Word, Stephen Olford, p. 76, Kindle Edition).

 

 

SWORD AND TROWEL

“The laborers who carried the loads worked with one hand and held a weapon with the other.” (Nehemiah‬ ‭4:17‬‬b)

The rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls required the laborers to work with a trowel in one hand and to wield a sword in the other. It is an apt description of those God has always used in the building of His church. The sword is required because there are spiritual forces arrayed against us, led by the archenemy of our souls, Satan. The trowel is required for it is not enough to fight our foe, but we must toil in our task, as well.

This was the thought behind Spurgeon’s monthly magazine called, “The Sword and the Trowel.”  He began its publication in 1865. The subtitle read, “A Record of Combat With Sin, and Labour For the Lord.”  The first issue made clear these twin purposes of battling and building. Spurgeon wrote, “We speak in love, but not in soft words and trimming sentences. We shall not court controversy, but we shall not shun it when the cause of God demands it. ...  We would sound the trumpet, and lead our comrades to the fight. We would ply the trowel with untiring hand for the building up of Jerusalem’s dilapidated walls, and wield the sword with vigor and valour for the truth.”  This, Spurgeon faithfully did, till his ministry concluded at his death.

This is our task still. Not all appreciated Spurgeon’s commitment to the truth—and make no mistake if you take a stand for Biblical doctrine and devotion in these days, you will be attacked as a hater, when it is love for the Lord and love, indeed, for those who reject the truth which motivates us, though it is not perceived as such. Yet, we dare not be ever looking for a fight, but must exert positive service in our Master’s cause. We must employ the trowel!

Pray for those who mount the pulpit today to carry sword and trowel. Ask God to help you as you enter the church house for marching orders and construction assignments—to go forth from that assembly into the world and make a difference for the cause of Christ.

WHO’S YOUR ONE? Day 9

Let Your Light Shine

“In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭5:16‬ ‭CSB‬‬

As Christians, we are the light of the world, and one way we let our light shine is through our good works. Our good works towards others are not only a way for us to display the love of Christ, but it is also an evangelistic opportunity in and of itself. Those who do not know Jesus are watching us, and when they see our good deeds— which aren’t motivated out of our trying to be loved by God, but instead are an overflow of the love we have received from God— there is an opportunity for them to glorify our Father in heaven. As you go about your day, don’t neglect the evangelistic impact your kindness to others may have.

As your let your light shine this week, identify one kind thing you could do to serve your one, and do it. (From “Who’s Your One?” Devotional, NAMB)

WHO’S YOUR ONE? Day 8

Created for Good Works

We are not saved by our good works—since Jesus’ atonement was sufficient for our redemption—but we are saved for good works. Each day we wake up, there are good deeds God has for us to do. He knows what they are, and we get the privilege of discovering them as we engage life. One aspect of these good deeds is our faithfulness to share the good news of Jesus where we live, work and play. Don’t get so busy in your everyday life that you forget the intentionality it takes to share Christ’s love with others. Our evangelism does not make God love us any more than He already does in Christ, but perhaps we will discover more of God’s love for us and those around us as we engage our one.

Pray God would reveal to you the good works He has for you to walk in today. (From “Who’s Your One?” Devotional, NAMB)

RESTORED TO USEFULNESS

We seem to hear increasingly of some well-known pastor who has fallen. For those who don’t make national headlines, there are others in small churches who resign in disgrace.  Is it more rampant, or more publicized? I suspect the former.

Be that as it may—how does it happen and can such a man ever be restored to usefulness?  2 Kings 6:1-7 gives us some guidance.

Consider, THE USEFULNESS THAT IS REQUIRED.   “And the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, ‘See now, the place where we dwell with you is too small for us. Please, let us go to the Jordan, and let every man take a beam from there, and let us make there a place where we may dwell.’ So he answered, ‘Go.’ Then one said, ‘Please consent to go with your servants.’ And he answered, ‘I will go.’ So he went with them. And when they came to the Jordan, they cut down trees.” (v.1-4).  We need servants of God who are usable for there is much to be done. Our usefulness for God requires vision and vigor.

There was VISION (v.1-2).  They saw the need and were moved to meet it. Do you have a burden for the work of God to progress? They called upon Elisha to oversee the project (v.3-4a). Leadership is pivotal for progress to be made.

There was VIGOR (v.4b).  The vision is pursued with vigor! There comes a point when inspiration must give way to perspiration. You need a dream, but a dream isn’t enough. Daydreamers never accomplish anything.

Then, we find THE USEFULNESS THAT IS REMOVED.  “But as one was cutting down a tree, the iron ax head fell into the water; and he cried out and said, ‘Alas, master! For it was borrowed.’” (v.5).  There will be no success without activity, but activity alone doesn’t insure achievement.

Ponder THE LOAN OF OUR ABILITY, “it was borrowed.”  The ability of the man to chop the tree wasn’t his own, but it was borrowed. Every now and then I’m listening to Rush Limbaugh and he says of himself, “Talent on loan from God.” Well it is. We are stewards—our gifts and abilities are on loan from God. We are going to give an account one day.

Then comes THE LOSS OF OUR ABILITY  “the iron ax head fell into the water.”  He became lax. He didn’t notice that the head of the ax was loosening. His laxity led to looseness and his looseness to loss. We can get so busy working that we stop watching. Jesus warned, “Watch and pray lest you fall into temptation.” If we are so busy in the work of God that we neglect the worship of God we are headed for a fall. Little by little this leads to loose living and loose living eventually leads to lost usefulness.

Thankfully there is THE USEFULNESS THAT IS RESTORED,  “So the man of God said, ‘Where did it fall?’ And he showed him the place. So he cut off a stick, and threw it in there; and he made the iron float. Therefore he said, ‘Pick it up for yourself.’ So he reached out his hand and took it.” (v.6-7).

Restored usefulness requires A REPENTANT CONFESSION  (v.5b-6a).  He mourned over his loss. He confessed and acknowledged the place where it was lost. There is a godly sorrow that leads to repentance. After Peter denied Jesus, his bitter tears were the seeds of fruitful restoration. You get back on the road of righteousness where you took the devil’s detour. Where did you fall? Confess it to God with sincerity.

Then there follows A RENEWED COMMITMENT (v.6b-7). The stick causes me to think of another piece of wood—the cross. That cross is the source of our cleansing, but it is also the standard of our commitment. You must die to self to be useful for God.

We can be restored also. Where did you fall? How did it happen? Will you repent and seek God’s forgiveness? Come to the cross and you can be restored.  It might be a difference place or a different position, but you can yet make a difference IF you will do DIFFERENTLY.

RISE AND SHINE!

Read Romans 13.

Rise and shine!  It is the call of a father to his child to wake up, get up, and dress up.  Many decades have passed since I was a boy, but I still remember having to get out of my warm bed and get ready to face a cold world in response to my father’s command. That is the call of our Father to His children, as we see in Romans 13.

We need to WAKE UP, “And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.” (v.11‬). It is easy to get comfortable under the covers of the church building.  But, there is a job waiting for us outside those walls.  Let us hear the Father calling and wake up!

We need to GET UP, “The night is far spent, the day is at hand.” (v.12‬a). No hitting the snooze button!  Some of us get awakened during a time of challenge from the exhortation of a pastor or from the experience of a problem, only to roll back over and go back to sleep.  Get up!

We need to DRESS UP, “Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. ...But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.” (v.12b, 14‬). Take off the night clothes.  Spiritually speaking, you repent and remove the wardrobe of this sinful dreamworld. But, you don’t go out naked!  Clothe yourself in the armor of God, which is nothing less than Christ Himself in all His fullness.  It’s a hostile world, and you better have your armor on!

We need to WALK UP, “Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy.” (v.13‬). We can’t stay inside, feeding on God’s word, and adjusting our armor by looking in the mirror—important as that is.  Once we hear our Commander’s instructions, it’s time to get out the door.  It is an uphill walk, against the wind. Those we encounter live in revelry, drunkenness, lewdness, lust, strife, and envy.  They seek to bring us down to that level, but we must press on the upward way, and try to persuade them to come along.

Now—rise and shine!

DEDICATED TO GOD

Read Romans 12.

Paul has presented the glory of God’s Gospel in the first eleven chapters of Romans.  Now, he turns to the practical implications of that truth, as we see belief is to impact behavior.  His call is to complete dedication to God.

The basis of this dedication is in grace—what God has done for us, “I beseech [beg, implore] you therefore [because of what God has done for you], brethren, by the mercies of God [that has spared us from hell and opened up heaven], that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.”  (v.1, comments added). That is, it is a perfectly reasonable thing for you to dedicate your all to the Savior who gave His all for you.

The means for this dedication has both a negative and positive dimension.  In verse two, the negative to avoid is “do not be conformed to this world,” and the positive to apply is “but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,” with the result, “that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”  You will either be conformed to the world or transformed by the Word.  It’s your choice.  You can’t do both, for they are mutually exclusive. You cannot walk in opposite directions at the same time!

For the rest of the chapter, Paul makes practical application of what it means to be dedicated to God.  There will be the deploying of spiritual gifts in humble service (v.3-8). There will also be the demonstration of sanctifying grace in personal action (v.9-21). We are in the world to make a difference, but not of the world in being different. Our dedication to God is seen in our devotion to our fellowman.

IMPROVE YOUR SERVE

But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner.  For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.  (Hebrews 6:9-12 NKJV)

What Paul means by “things that accompany salvation,” points in the context to the Christian’s “work and labor of love” demonstrated “in that you have ministered to the saints….”  Our “full assurance of hope” is reinforced by our service to Christ.  Note—we are not saved because we serve, but we serve because we are saved.  The question then is not will I serve God or not—that is not an option—but how effective am I in service?

That vital matter leads me to share a series of messages in October entitled, “Improve Your Serve.”  No matter where we are on the scale of faithfulness to serve and fruitfulness in service, there is always room for improvement.  So, we will share from Scripture how we can be more effective in our work for the Lord.

I don’t know if you play tennis or have at some point, but if you do then you understand how crucial the serve is to winning the match.  Where you serve—there is a specific area where the ball must land—and the way you serve—the greater the speed and spin you put on the ball the better—cannot be overstated as to its significance.  One of the keys to improving your serve in tennis is follow through.  It isn’t just focusing on the immediate impact at the point of striking the ball—certainly crucial—but how we follow through the point of impact which determines direction and velocity.

As a spiritual illustration, the point of impact is the commitment to follow Christ which calls us to salvation and with salvation a commission to service.  The impact on us is the receiving of grace gifts that equip us with the resources we need to get the job done.  The impact on the world is measured by the degree of follow through.  This is what gives our service force and leads us to victory—victorious Christian service!

So, what has God called you to do?  How has He wired you up?  What are your spiritual gifts?  Are you following through on serving Him?

DO-GOODERS

See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone.  (1 Thessalonians 5:15 ESV)

Vengeance is God’s prerogative.  Jesus wants His followers to return cursing with blessing, attacks with endurance, hate with love, and evil with good.  It is what Jesus did.  The cross is the greatest exhibition of that, and He has called us to take up our cross in following His example.  Being a “do-gooder,” is often a term of scorn employed by those who wish to bully their way through life, yet the people of God embrace it fully.  Irrespective of the conduct of others toward us, our goal is to do good to others.  We are to aggressively seek occasions for service to our fellowmen.  Let us take the initiative to spread God’s love in this hate-filled world.

THE SMALL STUFF

(a guest article from Derrick McCarson, Pastor of Liberty Baptist Church, Candler, NC)

There is an ancient Indian legend of a king who loved chess. He challenged visitors to a game, and was usually victorious. One day a traveling sage visited the kingdom and was challenged to a game by the king. To entice him to play, the king offered to give the sage whatever reward he asked if he won. When the sage explained that his prize would involve rice, the king thought nothing of such a small reward.

To the king’s amazement he was swiftly defeated in just a matter of a few moves! To honor his word, the king ordered a bag his servants to go to the granary and locate the rice. But the sage, had something more in mind. He asked for one grain of rice to be placed on the first square of the chessboard, and then that it would be doubled on each following square until all 64 squares were filled.

The request seemed modest, and the king ordered a bag of rice to be brought. One grain was placed on the first square, two on the second, four on the third, eight on the fourth and so on. But it quickly became apparent that the terms of the request were impossible to meet. By the twenty-first square more than one million grains of rice would be required. By the thirty-first square the total would go over one billion—with more than half of the chessboard still left to go. By the end, the wise man had a lifetime supply of food at his disposal because he understood the power of exponential growth.

Small things have a big impact when they are added together. The Scriptures have a lot to say about the value of small things. Zechariah encouraged us not to “despise the day of small things” (4:10). Solomon warned us to be on the lookout for the “little foxes” which can rob us when we aren’t looking (Song 2:15). Proverbs 13:11 tells us that wealth which endures is gathered “little by little” over a lifetime. Jesus taught that as stewards of His kingdom resources we ought to be faithful in the “small things” (Luke 16:10). Christ even compared His ministry to a tiny mustard seed that grew into a towering tree (Mark 4:30-32). Remember one of Jesus’ most fantastic miracles began with just a little boy’s sack lunch of sardines and bread (John 6:9).    

When you think you don’t have much to offer, remember God has a special way of using routine faithfulness in the “small things” to accomplish great things! Too many of us get caught up in future, grandiose thinking.  “The Lord is going to give me a great ministry down the road.  Then I will matter to Him and to others.” The danger in being caught up in “someday I will do a great thing for God” is that we may miss the frequent and daily opportunities to serve Him which, by the way, may make an extraordinary impact for the Kingdom.

Great opportunities often disguise themselves in small tasks. The little things in life determine the big things. There will always be more people willing to do “great” things for God than there are people willing to do the little things. The race to be a leader is crowded, but the field is wide open for those willing to be servants.

So where do we begin? Moses had a staff. David had a sling. Samson had a jawbone. Rahab had a string. Mary had some ointment. The widow had two mites. Paul had a pen. What do you have? Start small and give it to God. 

~Derrick McCarson, 2015

HOW TO WORK IN THE CHURCH AND LOVE IT

 And I urge you also, true companion, help these women who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the Book of Life.  ‎Rejoice in the Lord always.  Again I will say, rejoice!  (Philippians 4:3-4)

There is a line in traditional wedding vows that says, “for better, for worse; for richer, for poorer; in sickness and in health; to love and to cherish, till death do us part.”  Where there is love, there is service—and you stick to it through the ups and downs.  Church membership is about being in covenant.  We are in a covenant relationship with Christ and His Body—the Church.  How quickly some opt for divorce or move on to another “mate” when times get tough in the local church!  There are seven secrets for loving service given in Philippians 4:1-9.

CONSOLATION (v.1).  We are to console and care for each other—this is the ministry of encouragement and it is what Paul is doing here.  We are in a hostile world.  We daily face the relentless assault of the enemy of our souls.  That’s why Paul felt it necessary to call the Philippians to “stand fast.”  Paul was unashamed in expressing his affection for them, twice calling them “my beloved” in this one verse.  He was also unwavering in expressing his appreciation of them “my joy and crown.”  Love is more than words, but that doesn’t mean words have no power!  A word of encouragement might make the difference to someone today.

CONNECTION (v.2).  The devil is in the disconnecting business.  We see an example in these two women who had a falling out with each other.  Paul’s ministry to them is the ministry of reconciliation—trying to restore the connection.  Love enables us to be long-suffering and forgiving.

COMMUNICATION (v.3).  The Apostle commends those in the church who were communicating the Gospel.  When you love someone, you won’t mind talking about them.  If we loved Jesus as we should, we would freely share it.  Furthermore, the most loving thing you can do for anyone is to tell them about Jesus!  He’s the only Hope!

CELEBRATION (v.4).  When we meet together on Sunday morning, what do we call these times?  Worship….SERVICES!  How is worship a service?  It is rendering service to God as we praise Him and adore Him.  It's what He desires and deserves. If we would reflect on the goodness and greatness of God, we would have no difficulty rejoicing—always.  For even though our circumstances may change—God never does—so we can always rejoice in Him.  Our service should be joyful!

CONSIDERATION (v.5a).  We ought to be renowned for our gentleness—the consideration and compassion we show others.  This consideration is to be extended, “to all men” and that means that to even the inconsiderate, you are considerate.

CONFIDENCE (v.5b).  The Christian who serves most effectively is the one who is aware that the Lord is at hand—close by watching—and is confident that the Lord is at hand—as to His return—and we want to be found working when He comes again.  Jesus is coming—are you confident in that conviction?  It will stir you to get busy serving!

CALM (v.6-9.  St. Francis prayed, “Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace.”  That is a great service that we should all strive for.  We can bring the calm God has brought to our troubled heart into the disturbances of life that others are struggling with.

STOOPING TO SERVE

After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.  (John 13:5)

We expect people to bow at the feet of a king.  It is shocking that a King would bow at the feet of His subjects—and even more remarkable would wash their dirty feet.  Yet, that is exactly what Jesus did in the thirteenth chapter of John’s Gospel.  When Mary bows at the feet of Jesus and anoints those feet with oil in the previous chapter, we are stirred by her love for her Lord, but when Jesus bows at the feet of His disciples in this chapter, we are shocked by His love for His own.  Will we be the Body of Christ showing His love to our world?  That is His example and exhortation.  Jesus stooped to serve and He calls on us to do the same. 

Consider that stooping to serve ELEVATES HUMILITY (v.1-5).  With God, the way up is down.  The humble are exalted.  The example of Jesus here elevates the virtue of humility as a character quality all of us are to aspire to possess.  Ours is a world that prizes power, position, a name in lights, and fame in headlines.  Sadly, this spirit has infiltrated the church.  It is nothing new.  The disciples regularly debated as to which of them would be greatest in the kingdom of heaven—and they were even bickering about it in the upper room, as Jesus silences them with this act of humility.  Imagine, the King of Glory stooping to wash dirty feet!  Why?  His love motivated Him (v.1).  It is why thirty three years before this He rose from His throne in heaven, laid aside his royal robe, took the towel of our humanity and came to lowly earth to wash away our sins with His blood. 

Furthermore, stooping to serve EFFECTS HOLINESS (v.6-10).  To be holy means to be set apart for God.  There are two dimensions of this:  we are holy through our position in Christ.  Then we are to become holy through our progression in faith.  A dramatic illustration of these twin truths is presented in these verses.  Peter didn’t need a bath.  That happens at salvation—we are washed from our sins.  Still, we walk every day in a dirty world, and even the holy people of God can become defiled.  We need the cleansing of confession. 

Note that stooping to serve EXPOSES HYPOCRISY (v.10-11).  Judas had never had a bath!  He was not saved and that night’s events would expose his hypocrisy.  He wasn’t a believer, but a make-believer.  If you stop and compare the actions of Peter and Judas that night, were they so different?  Judas betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver, and Peter denied Jesus to save his own skin.  Both men wept bitterly because of what they did.  Yet, one is in heaven and one is in hell.  That’s because one was washed in salvation and the other was still dirty.  Peter was a backslider, but Judas was an apostate.

Stooping to serve EXPRESSES HAPPINESS (v.12-17).  The old KJV says, “If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.”  Have you washed anyone’s feet lately?  What ministry are you serving in?  We go through life trying to find something or someone to make us happy and we search in vain.  Instead we ought to seek to make others happy—and an amazing thing happens—we discover joy!  Stoop to serve someone today!

A SACRED STEWARDSHIP

Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.   (1 Corinthians 4:1)

When the word stewardship is mentioned, most people (Baptists anyway) start grabbing for their wallet, expecting a plea for more money. Without a doubt, we are stewards of our treasure, but Paul is not speaking of that here—he is talking about being a steward of the truth.  Those who are ministers of the Gospel are called to that sacred stewardship, and those who are in the membership of the church are to hold the preachers accountable to being faithful.  Faithfulness is the required attribute that must be found in those who proclaim God’s Word—faithful to preserve the integrity of the message in sound doctrine and faithful to proclaim the authority of the message in Scriptural declaration (1 Cor.4:2-3).

All followers of Christ are called to serve the Lord in some capacity.  The service of the man behind the sacred desk is the ministry of the Word.  The word servant is an interesting one.  It is a most humble term in the original language—“an under-rower”—the slaves who rowed in the bottom of a Roman galley.  It was a brutal assignment, and most did not survive long.  How is it that preachers think to promote themselves as celebrities, and demand perks and privileges?  Where do we think we are exalted to lord it over the church?  Christ is Lord of His church!  We are in the bowels of the ship of Zion, toiling for our Lord!

The preacher is a steward of mysteries—truths once hidden as buried treasure, locked away in the heart and mind of God from eternity—now unearthed in time by the Spirit’s spade.  That treasure of truth is from God.  These mysteries are not ours to tinker with and tailor to suit the self-centered hearts of sinful man!  It is God’s Word and we must hold it in reverence, bow to it in obedience, and preach it with confidence!  One day, all those who stand with a Bible in hand, will be summoned before Christ and judged according to their degree of faithfulness in this stewardship.

Paul knew what it was to be judged by men—and doubtless there were those who esteemed him very highly—and thus the temptation for devilish pride would be present.  Then, there were those who judged him most harshly—and thus the temptation for discouragement to arise.  Wisely, he refuses to listen to either.  The Apostle would not invest the time in trying to determine the accuracy of men’s opinions.  He would leave it in the hands of God (1 Cor.4:4).  So must we.  There are likely those sermons that men despise and that we think a disaster which we will discover on Judgment Day were honored by the Lord Jesus, and used in a powerful way beyond our wildest imagination.  Then, we will find that some of the sermons which received human applause will be judged as nothing, since they led to our glorying in the flesh.

May those who sit in the congregation grading the sermon as critics might review a movie, remember that they do not get the final word.  Here is Paul’s encouraging word for the pastor:

Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts.  Then each one’s praise will come from God.  (1 Cor.4:5)

THE PERSON GOD CHOOSES

“For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”  (1 Samuel 16:7b)

It is a fact that the better looking you are, the greater your chances of opportunity to be successful.  According to an article from Business Insider, “Studies have shown that attractive people are usually hired sooner, get promotions more quickly, and are paid more than their less-attractive coworkers.”  One has to deliver results, but the door is opened wider for those with appealing features of face and form.

That is not how God chooses the person He uses, however.  If that were true, then the first King of Israel would have been the greatest king, for Saul was Hollywood handsome.  Scripture tells us that the people were eager to select him as their ruler for he towered over them.  Sadly, his physical stature was not matched by his spiritual development—and with God that is what matters.  Saul was disqualified from service because of his sinfulness, while David was chosen as, “a man after God’s own heart,” (1 Sam.13:14).

God would speak to His messenger, Samuel, who in turn would set David aside for divine service.  God still does this. When He called me to preach, He did not speak to me in an audible voice, nor send an angel down with a word from heaven.  Rather, as I listened to His men faithfully proclaim His Word, my heart was opened to His call.  Are you listening?

Who would have thought that a shepherd boy would be a king?  Seven sons of Jesse were summoned, yet none were chosen.  In fact, when Samuel saw the eldest coming, he was impressed with his features and thought Eliab must be the one.  That would have been the same mistake which elected the current failed leader, Saul.  Here is the spiritual principle:

For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.  ‎But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence.  (1 Cor.1:26-29)

I never cease to be amazed that God would call me to shepherd His flock—few would have seemed less qualified—but, when He chooses and uses one like me, then He receives all the glory.

The Spirit of God departed from Saul and rested on David.  David’s anointing with oil was an outward representation of an inward reality.  Spiritual work demands spiritual power.  The work of God cannot be accomplished by human ingenuity and ability—not natural talent, but supernatural strength is required.

Are you a person God can use?  Devote your heart fully to Him.  Wherever you are and whatever you do, seek to please Him and labor for the Lord.  Others may ignore you.  God knows where you are and He can get you where you need to be.  We do not have to promote ourselves.  A sovereign God selects us.  It is not our ability, but our availability that God is looking for—to anoint with His Spirit and appoint to His service.  The key question is, “Do I have a heart for God?”

SURRENDERED TO THE SAVIOR

 

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.  (Romans 12:1)

Nicolas Zinzendorf gazed at the painting called “Ecce Homo” (“Behold the Man”).   He read the words “I have done this for you; what have you done for me?”  and committed his life to Christ and started a great missions movement.  Frances Havergal saw the same picture and wrote the words of this hymn:

  

“I gave my life for thee,

My precious blood I shed,

That thou might’st ransomed be,

And quickened from the dead;

I gave, I gave my life for thee,

What hast thou given for me?”

That is the point of Romans 12:1.  The sacrifice of Christ calls us to absolute surrender to the Savior. 

  

Consider first, THE REASONS FOR SURRENDER.  Although Paul might have spoken with the authority of an Apostle and demanded it, instead he stoops as a beggar and pleads for it.  He knew that love cannot be coerced.  It must be freely given.  This verse marks a transition in the thrust of Paul’s letter.  The Apostle has for eleven chapters directed us to the manifold mercies of God.  He has spoken of the greatness of God’s grace in saving wretched sinners like we are!  We love Him for He first loved us!  The Lord is not being unreasonable in demanding we surrender all.  Don’t you understand that He surrendered everything to give you eternal life?

  

Then, we observe THE REQUIREMENTS OF SURRENDER.  We yield our entire being, particularly our body as an instrument in God’s hands to accomplish His work in the world.  Christ didn’t die only to save our souls, but to redeem the total person.  He wants to use your eyes to see hurting humanity, your ears to hear their cries, your heart to care for them, your feet to go to them, your hands to help them, and your lips to tell them why.  This is a commitment from which there is no turning back—it is living and ongoing. Constantly we surrender—a thousand times a day when faced with God’s will or our will, we choose to follow Him.  “Present” is a definite act—once for all never to turn back, but “living” is a daily attitude.—ongoing in keeping all on the altar.  The sacrifices God demanded under the Old Covenant were to be without blemish.  They were not acceptable if they were not holy.  Repentance from sin is to accompany resignation in sacrifice.  The Pharisees brought offerings to God, but motivated by the applause of man.  Rather than commend them, Christ condemned them.  What is the motive for our surrender?  Our service isn’t to be about our glory, but His.

Finally, we face THE RESULTS OF SURRENDER.  Surrender means we report for duty.  We will serve God doing anything, anywhere, anytime He directs us.  The Old Testament saints brought their sacrifices as an act of worship.  Presenting our bodies to Him is the ultimate in worship.  He gets our minds engaged in meditating on Him and His Word, our mouths open in prayer and praise, our hearts filled with love and joy, and our hands ready to respond in giving and serving.  The world will take notice of such a life.  By this we bear testimony of our estimation of the worth of Christ’s sacrifice.  Today is the day to surrender your all to the Savior.